Apr 12, 2012 -- 8:15AM, arielg wrote:

If it is 100% military where does NASA fit into your equation. I spent over twenty years in space research and don't agree with your conclusion; was Apollo 100% military

Yes, it was all part of the military.  If you don't like 100% make it 99%.  The science is just a way to achieve results.  Most scientific discoveries are  developped for military use  first.  Then, when  something better is developped, they allow the prior discoveries  for civilian use and further development.  Soon, we will see flying saucers for civilian use. (99%  kidding)

Actually, the Internet started out as a military project, as did GPS technology.  Today, those innovations are serving important functions of a peaceful nature.  The reason that these were strictly governmental undertakings is because there was going to be too much in the way of investment and too little in the way of return.  Therefore, we let the taxpayers do the heavy lifting, and then we get in when profit is more in reach.  And who says the government never does anything right?

From now on, every time you send or receive an e-mail, surf the web, or check your route with a GPS unit, say a little 'thank you' to the U.S. taxpayers who made it possible.

Apr 11, 2012 -- 7:00PM, solfeggio wrote:

Nah, mouse.  I've always found Americans - whether here or back in the States - to be warm, hard-working, welcoming people with a very well-developed sense of humour. 

That quality - humour - is so important in dealing with the stresses and strains of everyday life.  And humour was what helped the Allies defeat the Axis powers in WWII.  How often have we seen those humourous slogans and crude drawings of shapely women on the bodies of the B-24s or other bombers or fighters?

And, as I've said elsewhere, my experience has been that everybody is basically the same inside, whether Americans or Brits or Hispanics, or people from any other place in the world.

Just watch some of the numerous programmes on various cable channels telling us about the lifestyles of people all over the world.

I agree with you, Solf. People are people. Although, I don't wish to downplay all the wonderful variety between place to place, culture to culture.

I was talking about the cliche impressions people get -- usually from mass media. As I've said, it's a commonly accepted notion that people in the Middle East live in a constant state of opression, confict and terror. 

Yet, people I've talked to who visted there were often struck at how... well, ordinary life was for most folks over there. 

Howdy Maricon

Apr 12, 2012 -- 7:39PM, IDBC wrote:

Apr 11, 2012 -- 1:13PM, Marcion wrote:

From the early days of space exploration it was decreed that space was open to all nations.

If North Korea plans to launch a weather satellite as they are claiming, why the pucker factor by other nations. Who has the authority to block the peaceful use of space?

www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/11/us-ko...

Please don't give me the old bullshit about potential military use; the US launcehed most of its early satellites using military rockets. 

 

Because "if" and "claiming". 

Who has the authority to block rockets IF the rocket is NOT for the launch of a weather satellite as the are  "claiming" ? 

Did the U.S. launch any of the early military rockets for non-peaceful reasons?  

Rockets can be used for both military and for non-military purposes.  

It is not bullshit that rockets have the potiential for both military and non-military purposes. 

So it comes down to whose "claims" you believe.   

Those of the glorious workers paradise the Democratic (?)People's Republic of Korea  or that of good ol USA and their lackeys.  

 

Apr 13, 2012 -- 6:54PM, Marcion wrote:

Our early spy satellites were launched under the guise of the peaceful Discovery program. It was called hide in plain sight. Try doing some research, you may learn something.

I have no doubt that some of the spy satellites were launched under th

e "guise" of the peaceful Discovery program.   However other satellites were launched in the Discovery program that were not spy satellites.  

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_Program

discovery.nasa.gov/program.cfml

I showed you mine, now you show me your "research".  

How many of our early satellites were launched under the guise of the peaceful Discovery Program?  

Howdy

Apr 25, 2012 -- 2:35AM, Ebon wrote:

Making the matter somewhat more complicated:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-1...

What's so complicated.  This is just another example of bully boy capitialist in a vast conspiracy to steal and exploit resources for their own greed and profit!  

They clearly have no intention of sharing whatever wealth they can get with the poor.   Nobody "owns"  that astroid or any other astroid, planet or moon.   They are "owned" by all the sentient-sapient sacitizen-beings in the universe!  

Sentient-Sapient Beings Of the Universe Unite!  

Occupy The Astroids !  Occupy The Universe! 

Occupy The Astroids !  Occupy The Universe!

Occupy The Astroids !  Occupy The Universe!