[quote]swordthrower wrote:
… then we might as well just cut all the funding for the arts as well, …[/quote]
Absolutely. What benefit do the arts provide? Why should my tax $$ pay for someone else’s opinion of “art”?
[quote]
We are on the brink of many great things (nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, space travel, discovering gravitational waves, etc), and to stop now would be rediculous. [/quote]
What’s so great about gravitational waves? Useful? Pretty to look at?
Judt imagine some of the photos nd information that they have gathered over the years that we do not and will not know about…
k.
[quote]kerwyn wrote:
Judt imagine some of the photos nd information that they have gathered over the years that we do not and will not know about…
k.[/quote]
Yeah, imagine…I actually saw a brief film clip of an alien autopsy … it was from the 60’s I think… It’s all being covered up. The public just isn’t ready for it yet…
[quote]T-Doff wrote:
swordthrower wrote:
… then we might as well just cut all the funding for the arts as well, …
Absolutely. What benefit do the arts provide? Why should my tax $$ pay for someone else’s opinion of “art”?
We are on the brink of many great things (nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, space travel, discovering gravitational waves, etc), and to stop now would be rediculous.
What’s so great about gravitational waves? Useful? Pretty to look at?
[/quote]
It will increase our knowledge of the universe, and the fundamental laws of physics. Its funny, because when lasers were first invented, people said, that’s great but what good are they? Now, we use lasers in medicine, optical drives, manufacturing, etc.
Like I said, being a philistine military-industrial machine is an option. But take a look at North Korea, for example, or read 1984, and I think you will see that that is not a very attractive option. Arts and sciences are the earmarks of a free and open society, and should be protected at all costs.
If you are really concerned that a large portion of your tax dollars are going to support NASA and the NEA, then you really have no clue as to the breakdown of your tax money.
[quote]swordthrower wrote:
It will increase our knowledge of the universe, and the fundamental laws of physics. Its funny, because when lasers were first invented, people said, that’s great but what good are they? Now, we use lasers in medicine, optical drives, manufacturing, etc.
Like I said, being a philistine military-industrial machine is an option. But take a look at North Korea, for example, or read 1984, and I think you will see that that is not a very attractive option. Arts and sciences are the earmarks of a free and open society, and should be protected at all costs.
If you are really concerned that a large portion of your tax dollars are going to support NASA and the NEA, then you really have no clue as to the breakdown of your tax money.[/quote]
I’m really just concerned about the arts. I realize it’s a small portion of the total; however, it’s a particularly irksome portion. There is way too much crap foist upon us in the name of “art.” I’m all for supporting NASA because there may be a benefit to society (and there has been in the past); however, gravity waves (if they exist) are not lasers. I was just wondering what was so exciting about them.
[quote] however, gravity waves (if they exist) are not lasers. I was just wondering what was so exciting about them.
[/quote]
That is just it, gravity waves do exist (I remember reading about them in college), and because they are there what do they do? Once we find out what they do, how can we duplicate it? If we can duplicate it how do we utilize it?
I like to compare discoveries like this to a new born child; what good is a new born child? All they do all day is eat and make a mess of everything they can get their little hands on. And yet in a few quick years they will have the potential to do amazing things.
The same thing can be said about new discoveries, we have no idea what they can do, but they have the potential to do amazing things.
It gets really amazing when you realize that everything in space has or had a purpose at one time. The question comes up which item do we look at first? That answer is relatively simple, we look at our neighbors first and passive observations for our far distance relatives.
I could ramble on all day but let me just say if you are bored go out into the night sky and look at the very last star in the handle of the constellation known as the Big Dipper. Now look at it with a 2" telescope and then a 4" telescope, you will see something amazing.
Enjoy!
The ever babbling Qivalon~
[quote]Qivalon wrote:
T-doff wrote:
however, gravity waves (if they exist) are not lasers. I was just wondering what was so exciting about them.
That is just it, gravity waves do exist (I remember reading about them in college),
[/quote]
I read Beowulf in college and that was a bunch of BS…[quote]…and because they are there what do they do? Once we find out what they do, how can we duplicate it? If we can duplicate it how do we utilize it?
[/quote] Since gravitational waves are
extraordinarily difficult to detect, unlike light, it will be even more extraordinarily difficult to use them. As far as duplicating them goes, I think it’s time to go back to watching the Sci-Fi channel.
[quote]
…if you are bored go out into the night sky and look at the very last star in the handle of the constellation known as the Big Dipper. Now look at it with a 2" telescope and then a 4" telescope, you will see something amazing. [/quote] Thanks, Qivalon. Can I just use a 4" scope and binocs? I don’t own 2 telescopes…?
BTW, to get back to the original topic:
NASA announced that they have observed something “consistent with” the existence of water on a moon of saturn. That’s nice. still seems to be a bit over-hyped by the media and a convenient story to tell to get more funding.
Maybe we should spend some of that exploratory money on developing useful energy (or water!) for this planet before we go off to some other one.
Everything run by any government could probably be more efficient. Why focus on just NASA?
Its one of the most noble things humans do. Explore and study the universe. For people who say that they would like to take that money and throw it into the wars of the middle east should probably think how satallites and remote imageing are helping with that. As for feeding the children, etc that money can be found elsewhere. A few less cruise missles would be nice. Maybe not using as many smart bombs that sometimes dont even hit the country they are ment to. But maybe it really was deliberately aimed at the chinese embasy.
i wish we could give nasa more funding. They are one of the few endevours left to offer something to the entire world. Everyone benefits from knowing about our place.
[quote]Rockscar wrote:
ZEB wrote:
WOW!
Just think water on other planets. Who knows, several trillion more dollars and we might even get a distorted photo of that water…
I’m pumped!
No Shit. More money is spent on crap like this than in Iraq. Why can’t we have a political movement for decrasing these programs to offset other local disater and war on terror spending.[/quote]
Screw you. I’ve never heard anyone refer to NASA’s exploring as “crap”. We don’t need to decrease funds for these programs, we just need to learn how to budget our money like intelligent people (something America has almost no concept of).
[quote]swordthrower wrote:
T-Doff wrote:
swordthrower wrote:
… then we might as well just cut all the funding for the arts as well, …
Absolutely. What benefit do the arts provide? Why should my tax $$ pay for someone else’s opinion of “art”?
We are on the brink of many great things (nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, space travel, discovering gravitational waves, etc), and to stop now would be rediculous.
What’s so great about gravitational waves? Useful? Pretty to look at?
It will increase our knowledge of the universe…[/quote]
Please tell me how space exploration has done that so far? Then give me a breakdown of how much money that we have spent since the mid 1950’s in doing this.
That’s not a good comparison at all. When lasers were invented everyone thought that was cool.
That’s the nuttiest phrase that I have read on this or any other thread in a long time. I’ll give you one post to take it back. No…never mind…it’s all good entertainment. Thanks for the laugh.
Okay…you already had your comedy line so what’s up with this beauty?
If we don’t embrace the space program we will be like North Korea? Oh my…
Protected? Sure. Paid with my tax dollars? NOPE!
It does not have to be a “large portion.” Some folks are not interested in viewing fuzzy photos of distant moons and hearing NASA crow about it.
Don’t get me wrong it would be all well and good if we had the many other problems of this earth solved.
But…
[quote]rholdnr wrote:
Rockscar wrote:
ZEB wrote:
WOW!
Just think water on other planets. Who knows, several trillion more dollars and we might even get a distorted photo of that water…
I’m pumped!
No Shit. More money is spent on crap like this than in Iraq. Why can’t we have a political movement for decrasing these programs to offset other local disater and war on terror spending.
Screw you. I’ve never heard anyone refer to NASA’s exploring as “crap”. We don’t need to decrease funds for these programs, we just need to learn how to budget our money like intelligent people (something America has almost no concept of).[/quote]
Screw me? Now why would you want to do that?
I agree we need to budget our money.
There…now take back that “screw you” part of your post…come on take it back…
[quote]Beatnik wrote:
i wish we could give nasa more funding. They are one of the few endevours left to offer something to the entire world. Everyone benefits from knowing about our place.[/quote]
I have an idea…it’s nutty but it just might work!
Why don’t YOU give more of your paycheck each week to NASA?
Good idea?
[quote]Qivalon wrote:
I could ramble on all day but let me just say if you are bored go out into the night sky and look at the very last star in the handle of the constellation known as the Big Dipper. Now look at it with a 2" telescope and then a 4" telescope, you will see something amazing.
Enjoy!
The ever babbling Qivalon~[/quote]
Okay that did it! I’m now excited about space exploration.
[quote]ZEB wrote:
Qivalon wrote:
I could ramble on all day but let me just say if you are bored go out into the night sky and look at the very last star in the handle of the constellation known as the Big Dipper. Now look at it with a 2" telescope and then a 4" telescope, you will see something amazing.
Enjoy!
The ever babbling Qivalon~
Okay that did it! I’m now excited about space exploration.
[/quote]
Excellent! While you are motivated please make sure you visit Florida and NASA (assuming you don’t live in Florida) and if at all possible, time your trip to see a launch; they are breath-taking beautiful.
Or visit the Air and Space Museum which has enough information to corrupt the most stubborn nay-sayers.
Welcome aboard!
Enjoy,
Qivalon~