space exploration = computers for us.... another tangent

[Guest guest]

that's interresting but now that we have computers, we definitely

don't need the space program for them anymore. i am not a computer

science buff but it seems to me we could best advance computers by

funding, well, computers. computers are one of the few technologies

out these days i don't dislike and feel is unnecessary. a great deal

of " technology " has also been discovered through the development of

military weaponry. but does that make war / weapons good? i think

not. personally i don't even approve of cars (even if they were

hydrogen powered they're still dangerous and expensive) i use public

transportation and my feet to take me everywhere i need to go. if i

had it my way there would be no cars, only buses, trains, and

planes. obviously this might not work in rural areas. I don't

expect everyone else to give up their car, and hey they might even

need it for their job. i just think it is a shame that so many

people see their car is a source of identity, but then, i never

understood that. i realized i was different from other boys, when at

age 12 they were staring at a car magazine like it was full of naked

women and i was busy thinking of naked women. i also am sad to

hear that china has become more like the US in recent years with a

lot more vehicles and less bikes. super d

 

p.s. lol, now the newbies will really be confused

[Guest guest]

p.s. lol, now the newbies will really be confused

 

I have to say I'm definitely confused as the reason for space

exploration topics in a veggie group, but here's a tidbit I thought

maybe might interest you guys discussing this.

" When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found

out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity as the ink wouldn't

flow down to the writing surface. In order to solve this problem,

they hired Andersen Consulting (Accenture today). It took them one

decade and 12 million dollars. They developed a pen that worked at

zero gravity, upside down, under water, on practically any surface

including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to

over 300 degrees C. The Russians used a pencil... and saved 12

million dollars "

I don't necessarily oppose the space program, but I DO think that

our government has very poor spending habits. I'm sure that there are

wonderful benefits to space exploration.If we were to address the

issue at all I would say we should address the issues of mindless

spending and not whole programs. But that's just my opinion.

Namaste, Jennifer

[Guest guest]

p.s. lol, now the newbies will really be confused

 

I have to say I'm definitely confused as the reason for space

exploration topics in a veggie group, but here's a tidbit I thought

maybe might interest you guys discussing this.

" When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found

out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity as the ink wouldn't

flow down to the writing surface. In order to solve this problem,

they hired Andersen Consulting (Accenture today). It took them one

decade and 12 million dollars. They developed a pen that worked at

zero gravity, upside down, under water, on practically any surface

including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to

over 300 degrees C. The Russians used a pencil... and saved 12

million dollars "

I don't necessarily oppose the space program, but I DO think that

our government has very poor spending habits. I'm sure that there are

wonderful benefits to space exploration.If we were to address the

issue at all I would say we should address the issues of mindless

spending and not whole programs. But that's just my opinion.

Namaste, Jennifer

[Guest guest]

On Wed, 05 Feb 2003 14:35:41 -0000, you wrote:

 

 

> " When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found

>out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity as the ink wouldn't

>flow down to the writing surface. In order to solve this problem,

>they hired Andersen Consulting (Accenture today). It took them one

>decade and 12 million dollars. They developed a pen that worked at

>zero gravity, upside down, under water, on practically any surface

>including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to

>over 300 degrees C. The Russians used a pencil... and saved 12

>million dollars "

 

It's a cute story, but of course it's not true.

 

See: http://www.snopes.com - just put NASA in the search

box (this site uses frames, so I can't give the exact URL).

Snopes.com is an urban legend debunking site.

 

The thing about exploration and research: you cannot

specify ahead of time what you'll find. You either support

it for the benefits which may (or may not) accrue, or you

don't.

 

The space program, in particular, has been rich in knowledge

that has led to benefits on earth. Not computers, that's

not true. Computers were developed LONG before space travel

ever took place - anyone who thinks that the space program

developed computers doesn't know the history of computing.

 

But various other things have been derived from it, mainly I

believe in the realm of material science - better materials,

some used for medical purposes, for example.

 

For me, the clincher is the very valid possibility that a

large asteroid could be on an impact course with earth, and

could be deflected by a spacecraft. The salvation of all

life on earth seems a worth goal to me.

 

Pat

-- Pat Meadows

CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY

United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/

International: http://www.thehungersite.com/

[Guest guest]

On Wed, 05 Feb 2003 12:30:39 -0500, I wrote:

 

PS....

 

<snip>

 

>It's a cute story, but of course it's not true.

>

>See: http://www.snopes.com - just put NASA in the search

>box (this site uses frames, so I can't give the exact URL).

>Snopes.com is an urban legend debunking site.

 

I found the exact URL - it's:

 

http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.htm

 

 

Pat

 

 

-- Pat Meadows

CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY

United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/

International: http://www.thehungersite.com/

[Guest guest]

that may very well be a valid reason for pursuing the space program,

IF the space program was pushing all of their efforts towards

discovering another inhabitable planet. and they're not. Much of the

money is being pumped into things like military surveillance,

satellite tv, the " star wars " project, and other pardon my french,

crap, that we don't need.

 

, Pat Meadows <pat@m...>

wrote:

> On Wed, 05 Feb 2003 14:35:41 -0000, you wrote:

>

>

> > " When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found

> >out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity as the ink

wouldn't

> >flow down to the writing surface. In order to solve this problem,

> >they hired Andersen Consulting (Accenture today). It took them one

> >decade and 12 million dollars. They developed a pen that worked at

> >zero gravity, upside down, under water, on practically any surface

> >including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing

to

> >over 300 degrees C. The Russians used a pencil... and saved 12

> >million dollars "

>

> It's a cute story, but of course it's not true.

>

> See: http://www.snopes.com - just put NASA in the search

> box (this site uses frames, so I can't give the exact URL).

> Snopes.com is an urban legend debunking site.

>

> The thing about exploration and research: you cannot

> specify ahead of time what you'll find. You either support

> it for the benefits which may (or may not) accrue, or you

> don't.

>

> The space program, in particular, has been rich in knowledge

> that has led to benefits on earth. Not computers, that's

> not true. Computers were developed LONG before space travel

> ever took place - anyone who thinks that the space program

> developed computers doesn't know the history of computing.

>

> But various other things have been derived from it, mainly I

> believe in the realm of material science - better materials,

> some used for medical purposes, for example.

>

> For me, the clincher is the very valid possibility that a

> large asteroid could be on an impact course with earth, and

> could be deflected by a spacecraft. The salvation of all

> life on earth seems a worth goal to me.

>

> Pat

> -- Pat Meadows

> CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY

> United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/

> International: http://www.thehungersite.com/