That’s it’s no surprise that people feel disenfranchised from society when they see MPs, bankers, journalists and the police get away with all manner of things. Some illegal; all immoral.

That any amount of tub-thumping rhetoric by the privleged hypocrites who for too, too long have preferred the trappings of power over actually doing the best thing for the bloody country.

But it’s been said far better elsewhere already.

The only “good” thing from the riots was the sight of the people who came to clean it up (except for Mr. Cameron practically claiming that as his, which spoiled it) and the amazing dignity of Tariq Jahan.

” Amidst the bleakness of this social landscape, squinting all the while in the glare of a culture that radiates ultraviolet consumerism and infrared celebrity. That daily, hourly, incessantly enforces the egregious, deceitful message that you are what you wear, what you drive, what you watch and what you watch it on, in livid, neon pixels. The only light in their lives comes from these luminous corporate messages. No wonder they have their fucking hoods up.” From Russell Brand

“It is not just the feral youth of Tottenham who have forgotten they have duties as well as rights. So have the feral rich of Chelsea and Kensington” From Peter Oborne

“But, of course, this [expenses claims] is different. This is just understandable confusion over the rules of how many houses you are meant to have as an MP. This doesn’t show the naked greed of people stealing plasma tellies.” From Nathaniel Tapley

As a kid, I was pretty enthralled with the idea of space flight. Still am, I guess. And now an era has ended.

No flights. Earth orbit flights. Landing on the moon. That’s NASA in reverse. Summed up:

The argument usually seems to be  that it simply costs too much – even though NASA produces $10 for every $1 invested. So I guess it’s the short-sightedness of seeing easily how much it will cost without seeing the guaranteed return. But exploration and research doesn’t really work like that. Sadly, to me, it’s the triumph of capitalism over the spirit of adventure; the need for ROI instead of JOY.

So the last shuttle flight is the end, for now, of the USA in space. With a budget deficit the size of a planet, when will they dare venture again? And if they don’t, who will fill the gap? Europe? India? My cynical view is that space flight will only occur if it’s about laying satellites, new alloys, that sort of thing – you know: making a profit. With capitalism now global, compared to when men landed on the moon, or even when that first shuttle headed off, it’s difficult to see the desire for profit margins ever changing (TV news is full of economics these days; I’m sure that never used to be the case!).

So whence the trip to Mars? Pub conversation yesterday suggested that one of BRIC nations, perhaps, once fully established in the New World Order of wealth and economic power, might have so much cash sloshing about that they then think: “you know what, fuck it – let’s build a massive space ship and get OUT THERE!”.

Me? I’m less optimistic than Mark.

R.I.P. space shuttle.