What is the point? - Page 8 - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Steve · #**106** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by White Rabbit

I would not like to see humanity infect space until we've learned to live sustainably upon this one.

I found that statement kinda' interesting.

What do you consider "sustainable"?

100 years?

1,000?

100,000 years; is that "sustainable?

Humans have been around for a while. Would you consider the length of time that humans have been on this planet represents a period of time which would line up with "sustainable"? How much longer do we need to be here to satisfy the requirements of "sustainable"?

What are those requirements, anyway?

The problem with your point is that "sustainable" is both vague and immeasurable.

Oh, and by the way, you can bet your last dollar that, if there is other life out there, they think they're the center of the universe, too...

Scribbler1 · #**107** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

When your Mom makes you breakfast in the morning, she can give you Tang. Tang is a result of the space program.

Not to nitpick, but Tang wasn't a product of NASA. Tang has been around since 1957 and NASA just thought it was a good drink for them to have. General Foods came out with the stuff.

Steve · #**108** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

Not to nitpick, but Tang wasn't a product of NASA. Tang has been around since 1957 and NASA just thought it was a good drink for them to have. General Foods came out with the stuff.

Learn somethin' new every day.

Still... velcro...

Nomsain'??

Scribbler1 · #**109** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

Learn somethin' new every day.

Still... velcro...

Nomsain'??

Wellll, actually.

Nope. Trust me on this.

Steve · #**110** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

Wellll, actually.

Nope. Trust me on this.

Huh... I'd always heard otherwise.

Now this stuff; THIS stuff can't be argued with:

Scribbler1 · #**111** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

Huh... I'd always heard otherwise.

Trust me. Magazine fact-checkers are a VERY picky lot, so I have to be right the first time.

Quote:

Now this stuff; THIS stuff can't be argued with:

Bingo! They sell that stuff in the gift shop at the Air and Space Museum.

Slon · #**112** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

That's your opinion, but it doesn't mean your opinion is correct...

An opinion can't be "correct" because it's an opinion.

Quote:

When your Mom makes you breakfast in the morning, she can give you Tang. Tang is a result of the space program.

Thanks, but I think I'd rather have the money used to fund the program.

Quote:

Mmmmmmm...

Well, of course not. You've gotta' pick up those newspapers, after all.

Slon, we understand that you think it wasn't worthwhile Others believe otherwise.

And I understand that you aren't going to provide any rational argument (and no, "you can drink Tang" is not one) due to an inability to do so or perhaps a much more serious malfunction. So why are you still replying?

Quote:

Soot's named a number of technological advancements, some great and some small, which have come about as a direct result of the space program. I think "velcro" should be on their, too, but I'm not certain.

You know, it's funny. Everyone here could say "Yeah, it was probably a waste of money", and the only impact that would have would be you being able to say "I WIN!".

What impact does your posting here have? Other than to troll, I mean.

Quote:

You should really go ahead and admit that being able to say that is all that really matters to you.

Why? I have been arguing the topic for quite a while, and rationally, too. You have been mostly trolling.

Quote:

If you don't realize that's the case, you're the only one here who doesn't...

Slon · #**113** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by soot

For the third time, I'm not going to argue with you.

Besides, arguing would imply that you're bringing something substantive to the table and you're not. You're only bringing ignorance and asking to be educated.

So by asking you to substantiate why you think something is the case, I am being ignorant? Should I argue for everyone on the forum, too?

Quote:

See, now we're getting somewhere.

Bear in mind that the space program is a publicly funded research and development program, not a transportation program. Reaching the Moon is only part of the goal. Developing the technology to enable an attempt to reach the Moon is equally important and by federal law the technology developed in the process is to be shared with private industry for the betterment of the American standard of living. Investigating space presents challenges and those challenges are met by very bright people working together in such a way that only government could organize them

So only the government can organize very bright people together?

Quote:

and at such expense that only government could afford to foot the bill.

Then maybe the government needs to stop taxing private business to death.

Quote:

So lets say you gave me 4 tons of titanium and I told you that I wouldn't be able to repay you in titanium but I would provide you with the following:

-Cordless powertools
-Advanced water purification systems
-Home insulation
-CAT scans
-Laser angioplasty
-MRIs
-CCDs
-Artificial limbs
-Photovoltaic cells
-All-weather tires
-Satellite communications and television
-Microwave ovens
-Fiber optics
-Cell phones
-GPS navigation
-Smoke detectors

Yeah, you'd provide me with those, for the cost of that titanium AND THE COST OF BUYING THOSE THINGS! It's not like I get free cell phones and GPS navigation systems from the government everyone once in a while.

Quote:

Is it worth it to you to live a longer, safer, more comfortable life?

Why do you assume those could not have been discovered in a more efficient manner? Maybe if you didn't tax those "very bright minds" and then give then back some of their money in exchange for work, they could be doing the same or better in a private firm. Are you saying that the most efficient way to discover smoke detectors and microwave ovens is to send a man to the moon while you're at it?

Quote:

You'd have none of those things if it weren't for the space program.

Really? Do they require a special resource found only in space and on the moon?

Quote:

We had to start somewhere, and that somewhere was going to the Moon.

And all that says nothing about the discoveries that science has made about our World and our Universe.

Maybe that stuff doesn't matter to you. You may not care that we're able to measure the size, mass, rotational velocity, or chemical composition of stars that are 14 million lightyears away. You may not care that we're able to send probes to other planets. And you may not care about supernovae, or quasars, or or black dwarf stars.

It's would be an interesting read, but hardly worth what was spend on the space program.

Quote:

Me, on the other hand, I love knowing what's out there. To me that makes it all worth while and worth every penny.

But as they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. The same is true for an eventual journey of billions of trillions of miles through the Cosmos.

And with that, it's been nice having this conversation with you.

If you still don't think our space program is "worth it" then I'm not going to change your mind.

I'll just enjoy the fact that it exists and that there's not a damn thing you can do about that.

Have a great night.

Steve · #**114** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slon

So by asking you to substantiate why you think something is the case, I am being ignorant?

I honestly don't believe that's why you're ignorant...

Quote:

It's not like I get free cell phones and GPS navigation systems from the government everyone once in a while.

No, you get them from Mom and Dad...

Quote:

Are you saying that the most efficient way to discover smoke detectors and microwave ovens is to send a man to the moon while you're at it?

This will likely be difficult for you to digest, but people who are a fuck of a lot smarter than you determined that...

Slon · #**115** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

I honestly don't believe that's why you're ignorant...

No, you get them from Mom and Dad...

This will likely be difficult for you to digest, but people who are a fuck of a lot smarter than you determined that...

And once again, Steve shows that he couldn't post a rational argument to save his life, and instead continues to waste time on someone he thinks is not significant enough to waste time on.

Steve · #**116** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slon

And once again, Steve shows that he couldn't post a rational argument to save his life, and instead continues to waste time on someone he thinks is not significant enough to waste time on.

And once again, you don't take issue with the facts in my post, that being that someone else, who's a lot smarter than you, made the determinations that you now disagree with.

Slon, I can accept that you don't think we should've gone to the moon. Why are you unable to accept the fact that I think we should've?

It's wildly immature to want to continue arguing when the argument, really, is moot...

Slon · #**117** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

And once again, you don't take issue with the facts in my post, that being that someone else, who's a lot smarter than you, made the determinations that you now disagree with.

Why do you think they chose it for its effectiveness? They could just as well have chosen it because it was the most popular among stupid American voters, because it could easily be promoted by politicians or perhaps because it would earn the researchers the most money.

Quote:

Slon, I can accept that you don't think we should've gone to the moon. Why are you unable to accept the fact that I think we should've?

Why do you assume I am unable to or haven't accepted that? Knowing what your opinion is doesn't stop someone from arguing his own.

Quote:

It's wildly immature to want to continue arguing when the argument, really, is moot...

So stop arguing with me. Nobody is holding a gun to your head. What do you think about the maturity of arguing in a thread and simultaneously saying there is no point in continuing the argument? I think it's childish. What about you?

Steve · #**118** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slon

Why do you think they chose it for its effectiveness? They could just as well have chosen it because it was the most popular among stupid American voters, because it could easily be promoted by politicians or perhaps because it would earn the researchers the most money.

I have no idea. Perhaps you could write to NASA to get answers.

By the way, American voters don't dictate policy at NASA...

Quote:

Why do you assume I am unable to or haven't accepted that? Knowing what your opinion is doesn't stop someone from arguing his own.

Of course not, but it still makes you look silly...

Quote:

So stop arguing with me. Nobody is holding a gun to your head. What do you think about the maturity of arguing in a thread and simultaneously saying there is no point in continuing the argument? I think it's childish. What about you?

Since the obvious is so often lost on you, I'll let you in on it: I'm no longer arguing the point with you. I'm just enjoying watching you make yourself look foolish..

Slon · #**119** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

I have no idea. Perhaps you could write to NASA to get answers.

I'm glad you accept that effectiveness is not necessarily the reason they chose the method. Thus, your earlier claim that "someone else, who's a lot smarter than you, made the determinations that you now disagree with" is refuted.

Quote:

By the way, American voters don't dictate policy at NASA...

But the voters elect the politicians, who control the government, who fund NASA.

Quote:

Of course not, but it still makes you look silly...

So it's silly to argue with someone whose opinion is different? Does that mean it is smart to "argue" with someone whose opinion is the same?

Quote:

Since the obvious is so often lost on you, I'll let you in on it: I'm no longer arguing the point with you. I'm just enjoying watching you make yourself look foolish..

Even though I am refuting your points, and you are incapable of coming up with a rational thought, I am the silly one?

Steve · #**120** (**permalink**) 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slon

I'm glad you accept that effectiveness is not necessarily the reason they chose the method. Thus, your earlier claim that "someone else, who's a lot smarter than you, made the determinations that you now disagree with" is refuted.

It's not refuted until you can show that effectiveness definitely isn't the reason...

Quote:

Even though I am refuting your points, and you are incapable of coming up with a rational thought, I am the silly one?

First, you've refuted nothing.

Second, yes, you are the silly one...

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode