Jinn of Quality and Risk

Victor Hanson: Sometimes a distinctive weapon — a Venetian galley or British man-of-war — becomes emblematic of an entire culture. For three centuries, the [Ancient Greek] phalanx — columns of armored hoplites in a forest of raised spear points — obliterated any Persians foolish enough to stand in its way. ... Our aircraft carriers are this nation's phalanxes, at once frightening weapons and symbols of American freedom. ...we have twelve of these colossuses — $5 billion, 80,000-90,000-ton monsters, each home to a crew of 5,000. Their flight decks cover 4.5 acres, and the 70 (and more) planes on each wield more destructive power than do most countries. 

December 2002 marks the 30th anniversary of the last manned expedition to the Moon. Eugene A. Cernan and [geologist] Harrison H. Schmitt were the last men to walk on the Moon. They landed on December 11, 1972 at 19:54:57 GMT (02:54:57 p.m. EST) and stayed for 3 days and 3 hours, leaving on December 14, 1972 at 22:54:37 GMT (05:54:37 p.m. EST). The first Moon landing took place on July 20, 1969. In less than 3 1/2 years, the first era of human exploration of the Moon had come to an end. Although NASA had planned further missions to the Moon, public interest waned... Apollo missions 18 to 20 were to be the most interesting from a scientific point of view but were cancelled by US Congresss, saving about $40 million (all equipment had already been built). Schmitt is the only scientist to have been on the Moon. In 1522, thirty years after Columbus had discovered America, Magellan completed the first circumnavigation of the world, and Spain had started establishing colonies all over South America, from Peru to Mexico. Sic transit gloria mundi.