Saturday, September 19, 2015

Notations For the weekend: On Making a Difference

As we continue our journey here in #outsiders, we reflect upon the best that's out there and feature it here.    These two talks we ran across was quite timely for us as we hope all will enjoy.  It is in the end about making a difference and transforming the way we look at our World:
The world is coming together to fight poverty -- and Mia Birdsong suggests a great place to start: with the skills, drive and initiative that poor people and families bring to the struggle every day. She asks us to look again at people in poverty, not as problems but as part of the solution. A powerful talk about people who are broke — but not broken. Watch »
Michael Kimmel makes the surprising, funny -- and very practical -- case for treating men and women equally in the workplace and at home, starting right now. Equality is not a zero-sum game where men lose when women gain, he says; it's a win-win that will result in more opportunity and more happiness (and maybe even more sex) for everybody.  Watch »

As we also reflected upon the transformation that we must have in our world, our team received this from the Commander of the International Space Station which we hope all enjoy.    He and his team are also at the forefront of creating the Vision of the Possible which is part and parcel of why we are here.     Our team can't wait to also check out the Martian that is coming to Theaters October 2.

As the great Diane Nyad always reminds us, Onward!!!

 
 THE WHITE HOUSE 
 

Heading into the unknown…
Almost everything we know about living in space ends at six months. Now that I am at the midpoint of my mission, heading into the second half of one year in space aboard the International Space Station, I am looking forward to exploring the science of this uncharted territory and stepping into the unknown.
My Russian colleague Mikhail Kornienko and I are living in space for one year to push the edge of our scientific understanding. To add in another dynamic, researchers are conducting “twin studies” to compare the subtle effects and changes in spaceflight as compared to Earth by studying my twin brother and I, two individuals who have almost identical genetics, but are in different environments for one year. We hope that the knowledge gained on this mission will benefit the Earth and that the data collected will help send humans to new destinations, supporting the next generation of space exploration.
Whether it is living in low Earth orbit for one year or a two year mission to the Red Planet, I have learned that human potential is limitless and we should never stop pushing the boundaries of exploration.
Thank you for supporting me and joining me on this mission. I am posting on social media with the hope that I can bring all of you on Earth along for the ride. I want to inspire you to reach further for your dreams and know that anything is possible.
The people who make International Space Station operations possible, the flight controllers watching over our ship 24-7-365, and the researchers analyzing the data we get back have invested their careers and lives to this mission to serve the United States and inspire the next generation.
I have traveled 72 million miles around Earth in the past 171 days -- flying at 17,500mph -- and have had the opportunity to experience our home planet from an incredible perspective. When I come home in March, I will have orbited the Earth 5,472 times traveling 141.7 million statute miles and spent more time in space than any U.S. astronaut in history. Please join me for the next six months of my mission -- as I reach these milestones and continue NASA’s work off the Earth, for the Earth.
Commander Scott Kelly selfie above the Bahamas
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly takes a selfie with the Bahamas from 250 miles above Earth aboard the International Space Station.
Please continue to follow the mission at www.nasa.gov/station and on social media at @StationCDRKelly on Twitter and Instagram, NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly on Facebook and using #YearInSpace.
Sincerely,
Scott

Scott Kelly
NASA Astronaut

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