Stephen Colbert — Next In Space?
My alternate choice of name for Node 3 would be Ubuntu, for two very simple reasons. While being the name of the currently most popular distro of desktop Linux, the name itself has its roots in the Bantu language of South Africa, and comes to mean “humanity to others”. It is also accredited to an actual philosophy that stresses the need to develop strong interpersonal relationships with all human beings, and incorporates concepts like unity and harmony. Rather convenient, wouldn’t you agree? Furthermore, the man responsible for Ubuntu Linux, Mark Shuttleworth, a rather wealthy entrepreneur, traveled to the ISS in 2002 two years before founding the Ubuntu Project. He paid for his spaceflight and stay aboard the ISS with his own money and I’m quite certain some portion of the approximately $20 million he spent for the trip must have ended up financing ISS operations in some small way. I’d say that almost earns him, and perhaps even the other private citizens to precede and follow him, some sway in choosing what such things get named, taking into account they indirectly subsidized their construction.
Well, despite what almost promises to be an inevitable betrayal by NASA, my congratulations still go out to Stephen Colbert, and my commendation for doing the right thing: getting the people together, united in a common cause; the cause of good humour. Regardless of what NASA chooses to name Node 3 of the ISS, the game was played and won fair and square, and I’ll be referring to the module as Colbert from here forward.
Tags: COLBERT REPORT, CONTEST, EARTHRISE, ISS, MMORPG, NASA, NODE 3, RANT, SERENITY, SPACE, STAR TREK, STEPHEN COLBERT, TL;DNR