Et tu, NASA?
Have you succumbed to the political correctness run amok in the halls of our government?
Apparently, the answer is a sad “yes”.
This week’s Atlantic has a great essay on the latest lack of leadership chapter at NASA – the “we must dig into the leadership and culture at SpaceX” because, you know, Elon smoked a joint.
Maybe it’s just sour grapes because he was able to successfully build a REUSABLE launch vehicle (not that half-assed attempt known as the STS, aka “the Shuttle”)? Or maybe it’s because SLS is still just vapor while BFR is about to fly?
This, NASA, is what you get for hitching your wagon to aerospace dinosaurs who are happy to take contract money to sell you fancy powerpoint slides of VentureStars, SLS, and anything else you are dumb enough to keep paying for, much like Charlie Brown, a guy who so desperately wants to kick the ball he never learns…
Space Enthusiast (formerly Cynic) 
Funny…at the time Elon smoked the famous blunt, the first thing that entered my head was “Thank God for Gwynne Shotwell!” SHE is the one with the firm hand on SpaceX, giving Elon free reign to sleep on the floor of Tesla if he wants, or smoke out with Joe Rogan. Like a lot of other things that trigger people, this will also be another time and $$-wasting nothingburger.
One of the key signs of great leaders/executives is that they surround themselves with people smarter, more competent, etc – and that they aren’t terrifying dictators but rather encourage orthodoxy busting, questioning status quo, and pushing the boundaries.
My bigger issue with this entire episode is the hypocrisy of this country and the faux outrage of people about the smoking of a joint while busy downing a beer or glass of fine wine (or bourbon or whatever you prefer). A drug is a drug. You think the government officials and big aerospace execs are all teetotalers? Hah. Go visit any space/defense conference to have that illusion taken away.
They’re just mad that SpaceX is making them all look bad.
Exactly. I just read a horrifying article about the lives of the folks involved in our military drone program. Rampant alcoholism and drug abuse, on the job often, and senior officers/leadership doesn’t really care, so long as the job of murdering hundreds of civilians in the process of getting a handful of Al Qaeda terrorists goes on unabated.