Elon Musk, who made a fortune with the online payment processor PayPal, went on to found or back a number of successful ventures, including Tesla Motors, which now has a market capitalization on par with Ford and General Motors.
But one of his most exciting and ambitious ventures is SpaceX, a private space transport company. SpaceX has flown several successful supply missions to the International Space Station. It has also had some noteworthy crashes, explosions and other failures.
No one has been killed, since there have not been crew or passengers on board. That will change if Musk has his way.
In just two years, SpaceX plans to send two paying customers on a weeklong journey to orbit the moon and return to Earth. No other private space company has ever launched a manned mission.
Musk hasn't divulged the ticket price, but it must be hefty. Let's hope all goes well.
Many see the chance to fly into space as a great adventure, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But just as many see nothing but peril. Would you do it if you could afford it, or if you could fly for free? Or do you consider it just too risky at this stage?
Send your response (50 words maximum) to [email protected] by Wednesday, April 12. You can also mail your response to the Texarkana Gazette Friday Poll, at P.O. Box 621, Texarkana, TX 75504. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. We will print as many responses as we can in next Friday's paper.
Last Week: Tipping
Last week's question was about tipping. Do you think the expectation of tips has gotten out of hand, or do you think any worker should be tipped for providing a service?
No, tipping hasn't got out of hand. It is an American tradition, especially for waiters and waitresses. The only other workers I can think of who might be tipped for good service would be hotel workers, vehicle parkers and in my opinion newspaper carriers. I tip my paper carrier and remember him at Christmas! I forgot to say "only if I get good service from waiters-waitresses."-B.J., Texarkana, Texas
From www.facebook.com/TexarkanaGazette
- I tip well for good service when eating out. I understand they survive on tips, I once had to. I would never tip someone for cleaning my room, they are already paid to do just that. However, if they went out of their way for me for some reason or another, then of course I would tip.
- Let me clear up a common misconception for everyone: If a pizza delivery driver or waiter/waitress or bartender, etc. does not make enough in tips to reach minimum wage, that employer is required by federal law to pay them minimum wage! Nobody is going to make less than minimum wage if they don't get tipped, contrary to popular opinion.
- In other countries tipping is inappropriate and sometimes offensive. Why in America do businesses get away with not paying employees a livable wage, but instead expect the customer to pay more for the tip on top of the price for meal, room, etc.
- If you don't want to tip for great service, stay home. Cook your own food, make your own bed and cut your own hair. These people have always depend on tips to help them survive. Be grateful for your good service. The problem is people have become selfish and ungrateful demeaning others for the the line of work they do. And it's hard work.
- I think it's out of hand. Nurses techs, office people do not get tips. The restaurant should not expect people who eat out to pay their employees for them. I really believe in this day and time seniors cannot help support other people. Most families have got all they can afford just to feed and cloth children.
- I think it's a bit out of hand. While I do tip and tip well above 15 percent most of the time, I feel that if businesses paid their employees a living wage that tipping would be a non-issue. I also tip cash only and write "cash" on the blank because I've had a shady waitress change the amount I tipped to a larger amount and charge my card for more, which was theft on her part.
- In an ideal world companies and restaurants would actually pay their employees. But it simply is not the case. Waiters deserve to be tipped and most tipped well. I have tipped people at hotels and they were always thankful. But professional people, no.
- As a former server and housekeeper I believe in tips for a server as most only make at most $2.85 an hour if they are lucky. The tips are used to make up for the lack of minimum wage. Most places servers share tips or report them or they are automatically reported on their last report. As a housekeeper no tip is always necessary as they make minimum wage or more, if they have a suite and have more than what's on reservation for room yes a tip should be given.
- Tipping isn't customary in most developed nations except here. Learned this the first time I threw a tip at a waitress in Germany.
- Tips shouldn't be expected even for wait staff. Tips should be earned. It's your decision to or not.
- I started my company using tip money from restaurant work. I am confused by tip jars at convenience stores.
- Every business should at least pay minimum wage. A lot of folks don't tip some do some don't.
- What about the pizza drivers who get $4.25 a hour to deliver your pizza to your front step?
- T.I.P. (To insure promptness) plain and simple.