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Showing posts with label Girl with the pearl earring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Girl with the pearl earring. Show all posts

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Life (Dutch) on Mars

Stop the world I wanna get off....



With sincere apologies to Vermeer


History has it in spades that the Dutch were or are, great explorers. They are also direct and efficient which is why in many multinational corporations you will often find  Dutchies in positions of responsibility. .

Now they have taken to the last frontier, promoting a competition (which will be televised) for intrepid souls to strut their stuff with a view to emigrating to Mars in 2022. Anyone can apply (the fee is approx $38 U,S.) The company is appropriately named  Mars One.

Applicants need not expect to return ; this is a one way venture. Big time. Mars One wants to build a colony that will be able to grow with an ever-expanding crew. The group means to launch a supply mission that will land on Mars as soon as October 2016. A "settlement rover" will land in 2018. Mars One has already received thousands of prospective applicants.
 Candidates must be resilient, adaptable, resourceful and must work well within a team. The whole project will   be broadcast  from the reality TV style selection process, to landing and beyond..

Tellingly at a news conference, Mars One's co-founder Bas Lansdorp said he'd like to go to Mars himself, but  he isn't   because his girlfriend won't come along.

 Sweet!