Space Station Austronaut Answers Pensacola Students' Questions Live via Satellite Link

Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli answers Pensacola students' questions live from the Space Station via a real-time satellite link-up, 11-15-2023

I get invited to a lot of really cool events as a County Commissioner.  And I am always thankful for the invitation to attend great events in our area's schools.  Yesterday was a perfect example of this.  

Pensacola's Creative Learning Academy hosted a huge crowd from the community, to include elected officials, military officers, business leaders, parents and students--to watch a real-time conversation between students and an Astronaut aboard the international space station. 

These sorts of events don't come around often, either.  

In fact, this Pensacola school was the only school in the entire state of Florida approved for a real-time, satellite link up with the space station.

Another interesting point to note about this event: two of the four Astronauts aboard the station, including Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli--the host of the interview and the Astronaut that would be answering the students' questions--began their flight training as Naval Aviators studying right here in Pensacola.  

So, at 8:30AM sharp, Head of School Kim Stafford welcomed the crowd of hundreds that had assembled in the packed school gymnasium, prior to the link up.  

Once the video call started, Astronaut Moghbeli floated in an open area of the space station, surrounded by all kinds of wires, boxes, tubes, equipment, and other paraphernalia--and fielded more than a dozen recorded questions from students.  To make the conversation more interesting, she let the microphone free float in front of her and/or spun it in the weightlessness of space a couple of times--to the delight of the students.  She even floated upside down to answer at least one question.  This move--along with her answer to the question--drew laughter from the students. 

The questions posed to Moghbeli came from first graders all the way through eighth graders--so the questions ranged from simple to amusing to interesting to thoughtful to complex.  Most of the answers were enlightening to the majority of participants in the room.  Each question was answered succinctly-- with informative video clips and personal, firsthand testimony from Moghbeli added in.  

How do you get power with no cords or generators?  What is your job on the station?  How do you wash your laundry in space?  What do stars look like from space?  How long does it take to put on your space suit? How do you exercise in Space?  When you float upside down does the blood all rush to your head like it does on Earth? --were some of the questions posed by CLA students. 

Who knew that Astronauts wear their pants for thirty days then simply dispose of them?  Who knew about the specialized machines created for exercise (2 1/2 hours per day per astronaut) that add resistance in zero gravity--and what they actually look like?  Who knew it takes nearly 6 hours to completely, safely put on a space suit prior to a spacewalk? Who knew how Astronauts actually bathe?

There were a lot of enlightening answers to all of the questions; a lot of us had a-ha moments, not just the elementary school students in attendance!  😀

On WCOA's "Real News" Discussing Pedestrian Safety in Beulah

Three locally-elected officials are working on a project to construct a pedestrian overpass over Hwy 90 in Beulah--which could look similar to this one, above, from North Carolina...

I was a guest on WCOA's "Real News" with Rick Outzen yesterday discussing the concept of a pedestrian overpass over Hwy 90/9-Mile Road in Beulah.  The initiative to fund, design and build this overpass will be a collaboration among/between the State, the County Commission, and the School Board.

Because of Hurricane Ida and the closure of the County--we had to cancel our planned press conference that was supposed to take place at 4:30 yesterday.

Meanwhile, we had a good discussion on this topic and I appreciated the opportunity to be on the show.

Check out our discussion here

President Obama and the Worst Example to Set for Students...

Some liberal allies of the President are scratching their heads collectively over his irresponsible choice of words yesterday during an interview on the WTF podcast.  Most, however, unequivocally support the President's use of the "N-word" during an interview,

Of Course MSNBC viewers think it was just dandy that Obama said the "N-Word."  (although hardly anybody watches MSNBC anymore...so who cares, right?)

In an otherwise interesting conversation that lasted more than an hour, the President discussed many subjects and the responses he gave to comedian Marc Maron were thoughtful and insightful .

But then in one segment he dropped the N-word while discussing his view that racism, explicit and implicit, is still an issue in America in 2015.

But why say that word?  Why not say “N-Word” instead, sparing our ears from the verbalization of the full word, complete with all of its associated baggage?

And then the President triples-down arrogantly and has his press secretary defend his use of this disgusting racial slur.

I think that word is offensive and has no place in our society.  I think the word is the problem, no matter who utters it.

But the larger problem is this---Students are watching, and now this incident and the President’s poor decision-making has added even more legitimacy to this word for kids. 

They already hear this word too often in rap lyrics, on the internet, in their homes and communities, and even on the school yards.

One Escambia County elementary school principal told me that “students’ using the “N-word” at school is a real problem.  The kids call each other this word, black students and even some white students—it is a real problem.”

Now all they have to do is point to the President.  “See, even the President uses the N-word.”