We Stopped Dreaming

stratoaxe wrote: I won't go as far as to say that I need a certain profit margin for all scientific endeavors, but I think the days of the "let's write a blank check to science" mentality in America are over. The same goes for military, public spending, so on and without end.

I wouldn't say that - the U.S. military budget is still larger than the next 14 nations combined, annually.

Talk about dollars better spent elsewhere.

Brian Fellows wrote: Lightningbolt wrote: I make sure my GPS on my phone is shut off every day.  I prefer a compass and paper map......... A real man would use an astrolabe.

Hey I'll have to look into that.
Do they work in -15° temps?

I know.



Edit:  And my previous post should be considered proof that despite my fondness for really bad puns, I can do subtle humor on occasion.


Edited by Mack - 15 March 2012 at 6:16pm

stratoaxe wrote: Hence I tend to trust the government bean counters to know when enough is enough.

That was your first mistake. 

That said, I think we (the U.S.) do need to fund a space exploration and have colonies and all that cools stuff because if we don't get there first someone else (like the Canadians) might and they'd spoil it for everyone else.

I can see it now in an alternate future.

"Kirk to Enterprise.  Beam me up we can't have phasers down here . . . the Canadians got here first and it's a no weapons allowed planet."

I think that Americans, in light of our recent financial meltdown, have become more demanding regarding expenditures.

I'm not going to throw out an opinion here because this is way too deep and complicated to just say "I do or do not support the quest for more knowledge" but I will say that I do expect my tax dollars to produce results. Like it or not everything has a dollar value, be it your life or knowledge, and there are limits as to how far our budget is stretching.

I won't go as far as to say that I need a certain profit margin for all scientific endeavors, but I think the days of the "let's write a blank check to science" mentality in America are over. The same goes for military, public spending, so on and without end.

I don't think OPB is arguing against seeking knowledge so much as seeking it efficiently and with an outcome in mind. The trouble is that, without knowing at least some amount about the field in question (or even what field we're discussing here) I really have no opinion. Hence I tend to trust the government bean counters to know when enough is enough.

The fact that you don't plainly see the benefit of increased understanding of your origins, surroundings, and future, is what's sad.

You are being willfully ignorant. I'll leave it at that, you're happy to have your head in the sand.

"The size and age of the Cosmos are beyond ordinary human understanding. Lost somewhere between immensity and eternity is our tiny planetary home. In a cosmic perspective, most human concerns seem insignificant, even petty. And yet our species is young and curious and brave and shows much promise. In the last few millennia we have made the most astonishing and unexpected discoveries about the Cosmos and our place within it, explorations that are exhilarating to consider. They remind us that humans have evolved to wonder, that understanding is a joy, that knowledge is prerequisite to survival. I believe our future depends on how well we know this Cosmos in which we float like a mote of dust in the morning sky.”
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

I'll just sum up what oldpbnoob is saying: "It's not easy, and it's not RIGHT NOW, so we shouldn't even try. Because I dont care for it, nobody should."

Sorry oldpbnoob, you are painfully obviously being the stupid one here. How do you think we progress as a species? Being happy with where we are right now? Sad man....sad....

oldpbnoob wrote: choopie911 wrote: oldpbnoob wrote: choopie911 wrote: oldpbnoob wrote: Darur wrote: Beyond that, if you can't see the value in setting up manned colonies on other planets and expanding out from Earth, then there really isn't much more I can say. Lets drop the snarky and how about you enlighten me? I'd love to hear about these values of spending billions of dollars building space colonies. Because the quest to understand our existance is important, and simply being comfortable where we are with what we know now isn't enough and is unhealthy. Why? To whom is it important? How does spending incredible amounts of money to send people to other planets help us understand our existence? Hit me back, I'll spark up a fatty and maybe I'll get what you are saying. That's incredibly sad. How so? Because I don't agree with you? I have yet to hear a single valid reason for attempting to set up manned colonies on other planets, other than "because it's important." If it is so freaking important, give me one flipping reason. ONE. I'm sick of the holier than though "if you can't see the value, I just can't help you" BS that some pseudo intellects try to pass off as wisdom. You aren't smarter or wiser than other people just because you think one thing or another is an important cause.

Cost effectiveness............Maybe The fed res. should just print more money.

We haven't even proven that we can properly take care of this planet let alone setting out to fix other ones.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs:  Let's feed the starving families in this country first.  

I really can't get past the fact that they can't properly manage the business of sending letters from a to b for some reason.