Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!tektronix!tekcae!vice!keithl
From: keithl@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (Keith Lofstrom)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NSS and space settlement
Message-ID: <3225@vice.ICO.TEK.COM>
Date: 19 Jan 89 17:35:08 GMT
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.
Lines: 31


Whether or not the NSS board goals are "better or worse" than
the original L5 Society, Henry is absolutely right about the
disappearance of space settlement as a major goal.  That was what
L5 was started for.  Then the "milestones" became the "goals".
Now the original goals are considered immature and embarassing.

There are a lot of organizations out there with impractical goals.
Some of them have trillion dollar budgets and nuclear weapons.
L5 seemed relatively harmless, and collected some of the best oddball
geniuses it has ever been my pleasure to meet.  It has been taken over
by suit-and-tie people with suit-and-tie goals, who brag about their
contacts and their ability to "get something done".  They changed the
definition of "something done" in order to "succeed".

For you folks that prefer the new "something done", well, I'm glad
you have the NSS to serve you.   Personally, I want a divorce.  NSS
can keep the suit-and-tie folk, the congressional lobbying, and the
short term goals.  I need to spend some time hanging around visionary
dreamers, practical or not;  it helps me survive the shrivel-souled
bean counters and smothering totalitarian fools I see every day.

Anyone want to start the L4 Society?  Membership strictly limited
to people who want to GO, practical or not.  Handicapped access
available, no gravity well too deep!

Ad Astra, goddammit, AD ASTRA!

-- 
Keith Lofstrom   ...!tektronix!vice!keithl   keithl@vice.TEK.COM
MS 59-316, Tektronix, PO 500, Beaverton OR 97077  (503)-627-4052