Mars

[NAD]

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/m2k4/index1.html

Kickass interactive thingy concerning recent photographs by a few probes that actually made it to the red planet this time.

This may beg the question "what the hell is the point," but it's still pretty cool.

 

[Nate The Great]

The point is that we are descendants of Martians. It's always good to know where we came from.

 

[J.]

I've always wondered what the point was of space exploration. Sure, it's cool, but to me, my taxes could be made much more useful if it was put towards some sort of service.

So they find gases or something on Mars. And?????? We spend another billion dollars to send another probe there (which will take years) to find what? Water? Red dirt?

Instead of concentrating on other planets, shouldn't we be concentrating on taking care of our own? Then again, if a meteor is heading towards earth, all that space knowledge would be helpful. But then we can just call Bruce Willis and his group of rough necks.

 

[JayKeeley]

Actually, Dreamlord makes a good point. There is still much undiscovered country (and water) on this planet, and the scientists have always claimed that we could discover new cures for diseases etc. For example, the oceans are vast, and deep sea exploration is what we should be doing. I mean, we can't even deny the existence of Loch Ness for crissakes. And what the hell is Sasquatch up to these days?

At least that's the fairy tale. Of course, over time, I began to realize that we've probably had cures for ailments like the flu and common cold for years, but it would do the pharmaceutical companies no good if we just went around curing people with one pill. The money is in the shitty drugs that really do nothing except maybe stop you sneezing for 5 minutes.

 

[NAD]

I find it revolting that we are wasting billions on some stupid little red planet. We should be landing and colonizing Jupiter for fuck's sake!

 

[J.]

Actually, Dreamlord makes a good point. There is still much undiscovered country (and water) on this planet, and the scientists have always claimed that we could discover new cures for diseases etc. For example, the oceans are vast, and deep sea exploration is what we should be doing. I mean, we can't even deny the existence of Loch Ness for crissakes. And what the hell is Sasquatch up to these days?

Exactly. Why don't we solve all of earth's riddles before we start wasting billions on a planet that humans won't even touch in our grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's generation?

I totally agree about deep sea exploration. It covers 3/4 (or 2/3, can't remember) of the earth, and we still know jack shit about it, except that sharks can kill.

At least that's the fairy tale. Of course, over time, I began to realize that we've probably had cures for ailments like the flu and common cold for years, but it would do the pharmaceutical companies no good if we just went around curing people with one pill. The money is in the shitty drugs that really do nothing except maybe stop you sneezing for 5 minutes.

Of course there is a cure for common sicknesses, but like you said, it would equal doom for thousands of pharmeceutical companies, and it would also equal doom for many insurance companies.

It's just like solar cars. They are ready for mass comsumption, but it would kill all oil companies, and Bush's paycheck, and any reason to invade a middle eastern country, but what do I know?

 

[Papa Josh]

:hotjump: Thunder Cracks In The Sky :hotjump:

Papa agrees with Dreamlord wholeheartedly on this one.

 

[NAD]

:hotjump: Thunder Cracks In The Sky :hotjump:

Papa agrees with Dreamlord wholeheartedly on this one.

Now that's bipartisan support.

I make the ocean argument on a regular basis, but I'm still pretty fascinated by space. But I can learn what I want via a high powered telescope.

 

[JayKeeley]

From what I understand, there is technology now that extracts hydrogen from water to run engines. They have prototype cars running on this technology. There is no exhaust pollution either - on the contrary, part of the technology dictates that the water get distilled and at the end of the journey, you can literally drink the 'waste'.

I wonder if it will work on Mars?

 

[NAD]

There was a guy in Vietnam (or maybe Thailand) that had his car running on garbage. Shit like banana peels, it was amazing. Guaranteed he quickly dropped off the face of the earth.

What makes me wonder is that now there are synthetic products for damn near EVERYTHING in a car, except gasoline.

 

[Papa Josh]

There was a guy in Vietnam (or maybe Thailand) that had his car running on garbage. Shit like banana peels, it was amazing. Guaranteed he quickly dropped off the face of the earth.

What makes me wonder is that now there are synthetic products for damn near EVERYTHING in a car, except gasoline.

That's because in order for something to change like this, there will have to be blood spilled, a violent revolution. I hate to say it, but the power is too strong without something really big happening to wake up a vast, large majority. This group of people that run things have got everything virtually interlocked with each other in an attempt to cause a domino effect should one thing try to remove itself from the process.

 

[JayKeeley]

But we all know that a revolution like that will eventually lead to apes ruling the planet.

 

[Demonspell]

While the space program is wasteful, at least some of its applications are practical and represent actual progress, unlike the Star Wars proposals or Bush's line of bullshit about putting a man back on the moon...

 

[NAD]

I thought Star Wars was practical, in an unrealistic sort of way.

 

[JayKeeley]

Me too, but I still think Empire was the best of the three.

 

[NAD]

Thought this was funny:

http://www.gamespy.com/fargo/january04/marsrover/

For the record, I prefer Jedi.

 

[Black Winter Day]

I find it revolting that we are wasting billions on some stupid little red planet. We should be landing and colonizing Jupiter for fuck's sake!

one day, my son... we will have huts that are able to stand on swirling gas

 

[NAD]

I'd take a hut that stands on 4 legs even.

 

[bloodfiredeath]

That's funny that there are several views that are opposed to putting money into space programs. I always have thought the opposite and still think that we don't spend nearly enough on it. I've always looked at it as an investment in the future. It's frustrating though. I mean, we walked on the moon over 30 years ago. 30 years! If we had been much more aggressive in the time since, we could have space cities and even moon cities by now.

 

[GONETribalchemy]

I think this kind of plans have some good points, indeed:

- there are always progress' in technology when people involved try to find out new combustibles, material, machines able to adapt there, so, at least some of these inspirated scientists will pop some good discoveries we will use in our usual_daily_terrestrial_life eh

- in sci-fi books they tell people live here and such, yes, when we'll have thrashed the earth it's good to have a new place to rot ... well in about 2-3 generations the time all things are fixed,

- it's good to at least check out there, it's always better at the neighbour's ahah!

- yes, still the same boat here, no change for me, Mars or not, \m/