Hi there my dear readers, 

It’s with a heavy heart that I’m writing my last blog post– that’s right, this is the last time I will be using my blog. I initially started to garner enough attention to get NASA on board with bringing me out of orbit, and you may be shocked about it– but it worked! I received an email from the US Government saying that they had finally crafted the technology to take me home. I was surprised and excited to read this message, but looking at my surroundings I became overwhelmed with a feeling of grief. I realized that I didn’t fully know if I could deal with the shock of entering a place I hadn’t seen in 60 years. Besides, with a crashing stock market, a nearly global virus, and the possible outcomes of the next presidential election, it might be safer for me to merely watch our world from above. Instead of asking to be brought down, I asked if NASA could bring something to me. I have a friend up here now, and his name is Felix, after his mother Félicette, the first cat in outer space. You heard that right, I have a little cat now! I guess Felix’s litter will have quite a legacy to live up to. With my new friend, I don’t think I’ll need the company that this blog has so faithfully provided me. Best of luck to all you guys down there.

Over and out,

B. Swain

Hello Guy Who Games, 

I found your opinions on Clearviw AI both intriguing and rather spooky. If you’re unaware, when I left earth the technology at the time was quite rudimentary, especially in comparison to now. The idea of a pocket sized personal computer with a touch screen seemed to be something out of a science fiction movie, and today it’s an item owned by most everyone. Even the computer I’m using to type this message to you doesn’t begin to compare to the wall lengthed computing devices and blocky type-writers used by NASA in the 50’s. You can only imagine how much of a shock it was for me to wake up to these developments, and not witness a second of the progress. Yet, I suppose progress comes with a price. As you’ve illustrated in your blog post, this company is using publicly posted pictures in order to compile a massive database that can be used by law enforcement in order to track criminals. Yet what you, Guy Who Games, have made clear is that this database can be easily hacked to get information from the people that utilize this company. The concerns you bring up, regarding this as a violation of privacy, are very valid. I’ve refrained from making any public profile outside of this blog, for this exact reason.

Don’t get me wrong– the social networking that’s available at the tips of one’s fingers seemed very exciting to me when I discovered applications such as Facebook and Instagram. At first, I thought that they had the potential to allow me to share my experience and even hopefully draw enough attention to garner NASA to bring me home. Yet, the more I explored through these apps and used search engines, the more I realized how little privacy I actually have within these ventures. I received advertisements about NASA internships, climate-awareness nonprofits, and even cat-litter after I spent a little too long watching these funny kitten videos on YouTube. Oddly enough, I even got an ad trying to sell me camera lenses, when I ‘d never even typed the word camera into Google! At first, I thought of it as a simple algorithm using things I had typed into the computer, but after a certain point, it felt as if the computer could read my mind. 

Obviously, this breach of privacy doesn’t compare to what Clearview AI is doing. Nevertheless, these highly targeted advertisements attribute to — what I perceive as — a clear example of the lack of security that’s within the devices that people use daily. This appears to be taken for granted quite a bit back on earth. I’ve seen public Facebook profiles of individuals with 3,000 friends, writing quick snippets that tag their location. I’ve seen Instagram accounts that reveal the user’s home address linked through their pictures. I could go on… Still, I think the strides we humans have made in our technological developments are astounding. Yet, although I missed the last 60 years of this technological evolution, these products have only existed for a fraction of that time. I believe that there is little to no education surrounding the possible implications that these devices entail, and this may prove to be disastrous in the long run. This makes talking about these topics all the more important, and I’m glad that you’ve opened up the dialogue to start the conversation, Guy Who Games. 

Over and Out,

B. Swain

Hello Nickie,

The article you address in your blog post is quite shocking. It’s truly terrifying that some hospitals aren’t held up to basic hygienic standards. Yet what might be most horrible is how the hospital seemed to know they had a toxic mold infestation and did nothing, allowing for a total of 7 children to die. According to a short video linked within the article, it appears as if the hospital’s administration is being held responsible. 

Obviously, mold is of little concern to me. I suppose one good thing about being stranded in orbit around earth is that I don’t have to worry about such problems. Still, I’ve come to care about the plights of the people at home. When I was on our planet in the 60’s health care wasn’t a burden for me. I was always insured, through my parents, through my schools, and later on through NASA when I worked there. Additionally, I was never much of a sick child– or even an adult for that matter. My father always joked that my immune system was impenetrable. It made trying to have “sick days” in my youth almost impossible! Anyways, I digress– what I’m trying to say is that I was very fortunate. I didn’t have to worry about my health, and even when I did need medical assistance, finances weren’t a concern for me. I think that I definitely took that for granted, and I’m sure other people have done the same as well. Reading your post, Nickie, helped bring me to this conclusion. Your epiphany fueled mine. 

I’ve done a bit of research in my time up here, and although I can’t see or witness the events on earth, it’s clear from my readings that the American healthcare system is corrupt. The costs of healthcare have completely sky-rocketed from my day! I almost don’t understand how insurance could help cover such an expensive ordeal. That’s why this Aspergillus infection is akin to a slap on the face– No! Worse! You’d think that after paying so much to be admitted into a hospital that it would at least be clean enough to avoid further ailments. It’s often upsetting for me to listen and read about these events and be entirely unable to aid in any way. 

Yet, there is still hope to prevent these kinds of things from happening again. I typically abstain from politics. When I was on earth I was naive, and found my studies and work at NASA to be more important. I suppose you could say I had my head in the sky. Perhaps my journey through that black hole aged me, or maybe I’ve grown more socially conscious in my time alone in space. Nevertheless, I have faith in this political candidate that you mention. I’ve been following Bernie Sanders’s progress within the presidential election, and I think you’re right Nickie. His plans for free and universal healthcare seem to be in tremendous need at this point in time. People shouldn’t have to carry the financial burden that comes hand in hand with health. Perhaps, with this healthcare plan, these families would’ve been able to receive proper treatment for their children. 

Thanks for sharing Nickie, 

B.Swain

Hello Chicken Gorl,

 I found your blog post about the corona virus very enlightening. You do an excellent job of explaining viruses and their potential threat in layman terms. I believe this to be very important, as I’ve noticed how on earth misinformation seems to spread very quickly. Don’t get me wrong –back in my days living on our planet, misinformation was definitely publicized by the media. However now, it seems as if people will believe anything presented to them. Partially (within this issue in particular), I think this is due to the fear surrounding pandemics. It allows any media outlet to create an absurd claim, and people will simply accept it at face value. I suppose the panic created by fear prohibits people from looking further into someone’s claim. Further, all these technological developments within the past few decades have created a plethora of ways to share (mis)information. This has created an environment in which anyone, including those highly unqualified to speak about a subject, can share their “knowledge.” Both the fear and the new media platforms have formed an entirely new way of sharing information completely alien to me. Recently I’ve been trying to explore these new modes of communication, so I downloaded several popular applications, including one called TikTok. Initially it seemed like a harmless site for making and sharing musical content. However, I ran across a video by @wright.mitchr, in which he “compares” the blood of a healthy person with the blood of someone infected with the corona virus. In this video, the infected blood is purple and incredibly diluted. At first glance, it seems obviously falsified– the man is pretending to be within the medical community by simply wearing a lab coat over his everyday wear. Yet, people really did take this video seriously. Contrary to the comments section,  I don’t find these people to be “gullible” or “stupid.” TikTok users may mostly be known for dancing and music, but there are still major newspapers that have accounts as well, such as @timesnow. With this mashup of different kinds of media –some entertainment, and others factual news sources– it’s really not surprising to me that some people end up confused. 

I also share your concern with the rising xenophobia targeting chinese citizens. On this very same app, there are videos that target the Asian population as a whole as well, spewing racist and anti-immigrant ideology. I find it so horrifying that people are pushing down the very folks that are already suffering so terribly. I guess I thought things would have changed more in the 60 year gap that I was absent for. Either way, Chicken Gorl, I think your post is very important. It relays information in a meaningful, readable way. It seems as if your talent is increasingly needed in a world that’s making misinformation more accessible than information.

Over and out,

B. Swain

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Hello dear readers,

I hope all has been well for you guys in my absence from my blogging. For those of you curious about my week, you might be surprised to learn that I almost lost my life. I know what you’re thinking, usually I have little to report back about my own well-being. Afterall, there’s not much to do in a small cabin thousands of miles from earth. Yet last Wednesday proved to be a change of pace from my typical routine.

Now as you –my faithful readers– all know, I spend most of my time taking pictures out of my cabin window. I was doing just this that Wednesday. I was orbiting over the United States, it looked like the sun was setting over the Eastern side of the country. I was getting quite excited to see the sun disappear and the lights of all the cities glimmer across earth’s terrain. However, this enthusiasm was fleeting. Just as I started to adjust the lenses to prepare for the night time spectacle the whole cabin shook. I got knocked back onto my feet, almost breaking my beloved camera. This sensation brought me back to my days in California, as I remembered the feeling of earthquakes. As I got back upright and steadied myself, I saw a massive metal object hurling right by my cabin window. It clouded my entire window, taking away any light and replacing it with darkness. And the sound, my dear readers! Like nails against a chalkboard, except thousands of times louder! I thought this moment would be one of my last. However, just as quickly as this all happened, it was over. No damages to the exterior of my cabin, thankfully.

It took me a little time to get comfortable again in my cabin, as this experience reminded me of my vulnerability out here in orbit. This evening I went onto my technological device to look at the current events on earth, hoping it would calm me. Boy was I wrong! I found this article pertaining to my near collision, however instead of my space cabin being mentioned, they called it a “experimental US craft.” Can you believe that?! I’ll spare you the details, but essentially, the massive object that slung right by me was a satellite only 40 feet away! Further the article expanded on the increasing amount of space debris in orbit around earth. I was shocked. Not only was my presence ignored by the media, but I was also placed into the same category as space clutter. 

However –even if this is what the media and Government wants to label me as– this space debris seems like an increasing problem. When I was working at NASA, there were only a few hundred satellites surrounding earth. Now, it appears as if there’s a few thousand. This is obviously concerning for me being in space, because if one tiny object hits me I might as well be wiped away from the solar system. However, this should also bring concern to you, dear readers, if you perside on earth. From what I’ve gathered, it seems like our planet is suffering from the effects of pollution. Do we really need to pollute our galaxy too? According to a video in the article, a company is already making moves to avoid any future consequences from orbiting pollution. Apparently, this year they are launching a satellite that will remove debris by lodging a docking device onto it. This will bring down the debris into the atmosphere, in which it will promptly burn. All I hope is that this satellite won’t consider me and my cabin the clutter surrounding earth. 

Above I’ve attached some pictures illustrating the ever-growing space debris, from the year I left earth to the near present. I hope you find it insightful. 

Over and out, 

B. Swain

Hello dear readers, this weekend I wanted to draw your attention to a post made by fellow WordPress blogger, Sarah Thomas. I find her post very enlightening– when talking about Roe v. Wade, she brings up current abortion bills and contemporary pro-choice movements. As you guys might have guessed, I had to catch myself up to date with the aforementioned trial. Roe v. Wade occurred in the 70’s, and for those of you who are new to my blog, I was warped in time during that decade. And for those of you who are unfamiliar with Roe v. Wade, it was a lawsuit in which the Supreme Court declared that a pregnant woman has the right to attain access to an abortion without the scrutiny of the Government. Obviously I’m over simplifying it. Since this case was brought to trial, there was much controversy, with people filing into “pro-life” or “pro-choice” debates. I’ve majoritively abstained from the realm of politics, yet the right to attain safe abortions is very important to me. I lived through an era in which women were denied access to safe terminations. When I was a very small child– about 5 or 6– I lost my mother to an attempt to perform a termination herself. It was around the mid 30’s, and the United States’s citizens were still burdened by the Great Depression. My family had a lot of trouble making ends meet, I more often than not went to bed hungry. The only thing that could keep my mind occupied in such a devastating time was my mother and father. My father fueled my curiosity of the solar system, while my mother showed me the beauty in numbers. Losing her was one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life, yet I only understood the circumstances of her death much later.

I remember the day before I left my home to attend college, my father sat me down. He told me that in my childhood, our family’s financial situation felt hopeless for him and my mother. He had been searching for work tirelessly to no avail. My mother was lucky enough to find a job as a maid in an affluent Lawyer’s home. However, her salary was far from enough to provide for my father and I. When she found out she was pregnant, she was ravaged. She told my father in tears, and at first he was overjoyed at the idea of having another kid. It was only seconds later that he realized that my mother’s weeping was from the thought of having another hungry child. My father told me that he calmed her down and got her to bed that night, but the morning after, he found her in the bathtub not breathing. He spared me the details, but be told me that she had died trying to terminate the pregnancy. He apologized for not telling me sooner, and we embraced. 

I was lucky enough to have such a progressive father, given the time. He didn’t blame my mother for her actions. He understood that she simply didn’t want to bring a child into being when she didn’t have the resources to provide for it. Since, I’ve advocated for access to safe abortions, yet I saw little change throughout my lifetime. It provides me with such a feeling of happiness to see how this issue has changed over the years. My intuition tells me that there have been thousands of lives saved due to being able to access to safe abortion procedures. No one should undergo the same loss as I over something so preventable. Although I can’t see the people of our planet from orbit, I’m glad I can listen to the voices of others through the internet. 

Thank you Sarah, for sharing such a historic event and celebrating its anniversary. 

-B. Swain

Hello dear readers, unfortunately, all of my attempts made to contact the Government to retrieve me from space have proven unsuccessful. I’m still drifting in orbit around our earth, just as I did last week, the week before that, and the past several decades. However, hope has not been lost for me quite yet. In my endless free time, I’ve been trying to get more acquainted with the technological devices sent to me from NASA. It’s taken me a long while, but trust me, it was beyond worth it because as of now I’ve figured out how to get access to articles documenting our planet’s current events. There’s so much going on down there that appears invisible from space. There are some gut-wrenching events however, such as the United States current president. He seems wholly unequipped. Perhaps the United States is too busy dealing with politics to care about my plight. Yet, I come to you, my readers, to share some news outside the realm of American politics. As of late, the U.K. is leading a space mission that will launch a satellite with the goal of revealing an “absolute measurement of the light reflected off Earth’s surface.”* Ultimately, this information will be used to compare data from other satellites to create more accurate predictions of climate change. It also has a high quality camera that will document the sunlight’s reflectance at specialized locations, such as the ocean, or a desert. 

Now, as you might imagine, I briefly thought about hacking into the satellite’s routing device. Perhaps I would be able to aim the camera towards my cabin window. An image of a mysterious woman floating through space would surely gather the interest of the public! And then, just maybe, the Government would be forced to finance a way to get me back home. Alas, I believe this satellite’s mission is too important. With more accurate predictions of climate change, the better the earth’s population can prepare for the potential series of catastrophes caused by such temperature alterations. What’s my life compared to the thousands of lives on the planet? I’m also quite pleased with this technological progress, and that it’s being put to use to such a valuable endeavor. You see, climate science has changed much since my lifetime. In my parents’ generation, it was commonly believed that CO2 emissions were absorbed by ocean water, and thus proposed no threat to our climate. It was only until I was born that experiments disproved this theory. In my undergraduate years, studies were providing evidence for the correlation between increasing temperatures with increasing CO2 emissions. This provided the groundwork for an ever growing concern through the 50’s and 60’s that our environment would undergo drastic changes due to the continuously rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. If the scientist who expressed these worries are still alive, the current state of our planet mustn’t shock them. They are seeing satellite imagery of shrinking forests and expanding deserts. They see the ice caps melting and the ocean rising. They see the same imagery that occupies my window. 

  I can only imagine what it must be like to be on earth right now with such a radically changing planet. I’ve read about islands submerged under the ocean, and great floods and hurricanes that have occured in my absence. Sometimes while reading about these climate-caused natural disasters I ponder on whether it’s worth it to return to an earth that must be so different from when I left it. I’m not left with these thoughts for long, however. Maybe by returning I can be of some sort of service to climate scientists. Anyways, I’ve digressed. I applaud those who’ve worked to bring this new satellite into fruition. I hope that it brings you all new insight on rising global temperatures. 

Over and out,

B. Swain

*https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51197453

Dear Genghis Khan, 

I understand your loneliness, as I too awoke to be in a different era. You are not alone. Nevertheless, you should be quite thankful to at least be on earth as I am currently stuck in orbit around our planet. Yet, we come from completely different time zones, and your views on the Iranian conflict shows this. Upon reading your blog post I immediately used the Google search engine to catch up on these events. It’s wonderful to have so much information available at the touch of my finger tips. This also gave me the opportunity to catch up on your legacy Mr. Khan. You see, I was a mathematician and a physicist, in school I rarely had the time to squeeze in classes concerning the humanities. History was always a bore to me, but reading about your life sent shivers down my spine. I believe your perspective on the Iranian/United States debacle is not only antiquated, yet from the point of view of a malicious conqueror. As the years have passed, much has changed. Even though I only time traveled 60 years, everything on our planet has altered drastically, and you-Mr. Khan-have lost thousands of years of historical events. You severely misunderstand the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings in World War 2, and the consequences that occurred years after. I was alive throughout the second World War, and although I was a child, the images on my family’s television set never left my mind. The United States bombed Japan causing thousands of deaths, as if the lives lost from the Nazi’s weren’t enough. The radiation from the Nuclear Attack caused children from miles away to be born with disabilities and adults to develop cancers. It’s ruined their land prohibiting the growth of crops. What was once a bustling, fertile city became a barren wasteland. If you lived through these events as I did, you might have seen the atrocities, although I worry my perspective won’t get through to the mind of someone like you. From my journey orbiting earth I’ve seen fires uproar in Australia. The deserts have expanded from the first satellite images. Forests have shrunk. Antarctica’s ice caps are mere fractions of what they used to be. Our earth is already in the midst of it’s decay. A nuclear attack will not only kill thousands of innocent individuals, but it will advance to the collapse of the land you are standing on and the air you breath. If there’s anything you care about Mr. Khan, it is yourself. I truly believe in my heart of hearts that if another airstrike that’s comparable to what happened in Japan occurs, your life is also at stake. I suggest that you use the same Google search engine to understand what the world has gone through in your absence. Perhaps, this will educate you and thus influence your understanding of current events.  

-B. Swain