Richard V. Rupp

August 25, 2021

Good Wednesday morning. I'm author Richard V. Rupp, writing from Burbank, California. Welcome to Rupp's Notes/FBI Special Agent Hartman Series posts.

 

In my last post, I mentioned that cats, dogs, and other pets would not be allowed on the Bowman Moon Colony because of the need for cleanliness, avoidance of accidents, and oxygen conservation. And that supporters of PETA and other animal support organizations would be screened out because of their believed disposition toward depression. There is another reason for screening them out. The Colony's Husbandry Unit charged with producing food from animals (i.e., meat, eggs, milk) has been instructed to do so as efficiently and scientifically as possible. This means "factory farming" conditions, including efficient space utilization and the administration of antibiotics and growth hormones. Not things PETA likes. At least initially (the first couple hundred years), science will control the space colonization environment. It's kind of a life or death thing.

 

While we are on the subject of food, I'm going back for a moment to Robert A. Heinlein. In his scifi novels, he often indicates life in space in many ways will be similar to that on Earth. In THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, he has one of his characters order a "Kansas City steak and rare prime rib with baked potatoes on the Moon." While the rare part is okay, you won't find beef readily available on the Bowman Colony. It is decided that large animals are impractical to maintain. Initially, the diet is more vegan-oriented, then as the Husbandry Unit develops, meat is added. The first meat is from chickens, rabbits, turkeys, and cornish hens. Later, lamb and pork are added. Because of the limited availability of water, fish will not appear on any plates. Over time some beef is produced by 3D Printing – Additive Manufacturing (refer to my 03.06.2021 post). Yes, there is also a herb garden. After a sober couple of years, moonshine and Moon wine make an appearance.

 

Heinlein also talks about fields of wheat on the Moon. That's not going to happen. Both wheat and rice take up too much space and are inefficient to harvest and process. But corn and potatoes work just fine. It is decided the initial Farm Unit crops will be corn, soybeans, green beans, pinto beans, green peas, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, and strawberries.

In my first novel, DEATH & TAXES, I address the cooperation between the Mexican drug cartels and China. Apparently, their collaboration to provide fentanyl to U.S. drug addicts still exists. This is from an article yesterday in REUTERS.

 

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A report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said U.S. authorities have found that cooperation with Chinese counterparts "remains limited on the ground." Despite China banning fentanyl and similar variants in 2019, the Asian nation remains the primary source of illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States.

 

Despite some collaborative improvements, Chinese regulatory authorities delay requests to inspect and investigate potential sites where companies illegally manufacture precursor chemicals that Mexican and other foreign drug cartels use to produce fentanyl. Chinese cooperation also "lags in money laundering investigations, criminal prosecution, and legal assistance in ongoing cases," the advisory body added. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) believes Chinese traffickers have shifted from mainly manufacturing finished fentanyl to exporting precursors to Mexican cartels, making the illicit fentanyl and delivering the final product. Chinese traffickers are increasing their cooperation with Mexican cartels, especially the two biggest crime syndicates, the Sinaloa cartel, and Jalisco New Generation Cartel. These accusations are unreasonable and unacceptable, said the Chinese foreign ministry.

 

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The Chinese want to keep us high. It slows down the STEM education our kids are getting. And, they like the cash they are getting doing it. Pointing this out is part of the reason I wrote DEATH & TAXES.

 

Here's another reason China needs to expand into space. They have a skewed aging, overly male population. This results from implementing the "one-child" and then "two-child" limitations years ago to reduce their growing population. Based on an ASSOCIATED PRESS release dated August 22, 2021, they are going to try and rectify this  – "China will now allow couples to have a third child as it seeks to hold off a demographic crisis that could threaten its hopes of increased prosperity and global influence." So much for government-mandated family planning. Good luck to them on the new plan.

 

And, PETA worries about cruelty to animals. In China, families were terminating pregnancies if they were of the wrong sex. Sorry, ladies, they wanted male babies. It will be interesting to see what mix the families want under the new plan. I'm betting on two males and one female. Let your imagination work on that one. I don't think it solves their problem.

 

A SKYWARD update. The Bowman's have changed their plan on how to make their Colony diverse. After a lengthy discussion with my characters, they have decided to use three equal categories to select colonists. (Yes, many authors talk with their characters) It is based on the U.S. Census. This will allow for a more equal make-up of their Colony. And the eventual colonization of the Universe. As an aside, the Chinese Military base is made up 100% of Chinese, which indicates how they think the Universe should be colonized. The Bowman Twins will divide 33.3% of colonists from each of the following categories - 

 

1.    White – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

 

2.    Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.

 

3.    Asian - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. . .  And,  American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment. . .  

And, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

 

How will this all play out? We are getting there. Stay posted.

 

Cheers,

 

Richard V. Rupp, Author

Website – www.richardvrupp.com

Email – rupprisk@gmail.com

Copyright©2021 by Richard V. Rupp