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According to Hofmann: Space…the final space

By Mark Hofmann mhofmann@heraldstandard.Com 5 min read
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I really hate to start off this weekĢƵ humor column with sad news, but some of the funniest things in life have started in a sad way like marriages. No? Maybe I’m only thinking about mine.

Okay, well, I did start this column in a funny way, but the sad news is the recent passing of Nichelle Nichols at the age of 89.

For those who are unfamiliar with that name, you may know her better from her role as Lt. Uhura on “Star Trek.”

Sad news, indeed, but what caught my eye was an accompanying news story informing me that a portion of her cremated ashes and a sample of her DNA will be launched into space by a company that specializes in launching human remains into space.

I didn’t know such a thing existed. I just assumed there were some shady dealings going on at NASA where astronauts were getting their palms greased to smuggle urns on to their rockets and, while on their mission, they’d mosey on over to the escape hatch to “conduct maintenance tests” and WOOSH, out the remains go.

I learned that the company also launched into space the remains of James Doohan, who played Scotty on “Star Trek” and even Gene Roddenberry, who created “Star Trek,” and his wife, actor Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who played nurse Christine Chapel on “Star Trek.”

I’m just glad these folks weren’t involved with a television show centering around a crew working at a sewage treatment facility.

My parents were cremated, and their wishes were to have their ashes spread at places they enjoyed visiting and spending time; they didn’t mentioned places they’ve never been before.

I can imagine visiting a psychic medium to have my dad say through them something like, “Why did you spread my remains on the King Kong ride at Universal Studios? It would have been a better trip if I were alive … and I never said I wanted to go to Universal Studios in the first place … you just wanted an excuse to go to Universal Studios, didn’t you? Now I’m going to haunt you.”

I really don’t have any mixed feelings about this whole idea because I’m dead inside, but my brain can’t stop thinking about everything surrounding this practice. Mainly, though, I wonder what the aliens will think of us.

First, we have like 4,500 satellites in orbit around the Earth and although you take into account the size of the Earth makes the number seem kind of small, itĢƵ still something my neat-freak wife would say is a cluttered mess.

We’ve also sent exploration satellites and probes, space telescopes, time capsules, a golden record that contain various media and we also send out signals containing images and sounds from movies, TV and radio.

Basically, we’re the moody teenage slobs of the galaxy, and the Earth is our bedroom.

If you’re wondering if beings from another world visiting us will be hostile, just keep in mind that we’ve subjected them to a trail of Pauly Shore movies and episodes of “The Jersey Shore.” Be prepared for an invasion.

Of course, we’ve also been shooting cremated remains and DNA samples out into space for years like we’re the mafia trying to get rid of bodies, so maybe the aliens will think twice about messing with us.

Also, we might as well start launching our trash into space. Sure, the environmentalists will be upset at first, but I’m sure they’ll eventually be on board … on board as in they’ll be sent up in space along with the trash.

Joking. I’m joking,

But, when you think about it, how upset would they really be if we just started shooting garbage into space?

The garbage wouldn’t be on Earth anymore and maybe it would eventually go toward a star and burn up to nothing. Even if it doesn’t, so what? The thing about space is, well, itĢƵ the ultimate space with billions and billions of stars and planets and unknown wonders and candy wrappers and empty beer bottles.

Besides, we’re giving other galactic space travelers glimpses of our culture; we might as well show them the dirty side, too.

So, let the extraterrestrials think what they will about us and our space practices. If they like us, fine; if they decide we need to be destroyed, well, they’re going to have to get past our landfill (spacefill?) and satellite collection first.

According to Hofmann is written by staff reporter Mark Hofmann of Rostraver Township. His books, “Good Mourning! A Guide to Biting the Big One … and Dying, Too” and “Stupid Brain,” are available on Amazon.com.

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