“Arch, I’m not sure if you intended for your comment to be directed to me, but I got a notification.”
No, much like my OS 10 issues, it’s complicated. I began a comment to Dave, which the great god WordPress made disappear entirely. Deciding there was no way in hell I was going to write that comment all over again, I opened my next email in line, which, as it happened, was yours, which I chose to comment on (saying that Richard Feynman had always been one of my heroes; he had a great sense of humor), and clicked “Reply.” Enroute to the reply box, I ran across my unfinished comment to Dave, which I believed to have been in WordPress limbo, switched horses mid-stream, and finished the comment to Dave in the box addressed to you.
Looks like UNICEF is working to eradicate a parasite called the Guinea Worm. I see no problem with this. If we just stand by and respect nature it could wipe us out. I’d rather see humans take control of nature, but also keep things in balance. If we had the power to stop a natural catastrophe we would. There don’t appear to be any deities out there watching out for us so we have to take care of ourselves.
ACK, Dave, surely you didn’t go there. I didn’t mean that nature should destroy us. I meant respect in that we don’t cause it to go out of balance, like we are doing now.
Here’s a copy of the email I just sent to NASA and Mars-One:
Subject: Practicing for Mars in Africa
The idea contained within this email should be sent to the person in charge of the plant growth chambers at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center. This message is also being forwarded to private companies that plan on putting humans on Mars, such as Mars-One.
I would like to share an idea I had that could gain a lot of public support by having a dual-purpose mission. This idea would accomplish two main goals:
1. Create food for people in areas of the globe that are prone to drought.
2. Help prepare us for the challenges of plant growth on Mars.
Currently there is a lot of public interest in feeding people in Africa and other areas around the globe that have a food shortage. I propose that NASA, foreign governments and non-profit organizations work together on a global campaign to raise funds and build plant growth farms in these areas. The challenges for NASA or Mars-One in these areas would be similar to the challenges they will face on Mars: Lack of external power, no access to outside supplies and no rain. I imagine these “food creation pods” would internally look like a hydroponic farm using all of the technologies that have been developed by the Kennedy Space Center. Harvested vegetables could be distributed by a non-profit organization like UNICEF. The power source could be solar, nuclear or whatever is deemed best by the professionals. This idea is only a starting point to be considered and modified by experts.
This idea came as a result of reading criticism against money being wasted on space exploration that could have been used to feed hungry people. This would be a win-win situation for both combating hunger and preparing for Mars. I think this idea could raise a lot of money through public donations because of the two-fold benefits. I would suggest taking this idea to the press to see what kind of public response it receives.
Thank you for considering this idea.
-signature removed-
If anyone knows of any other private companies planning a Mars mission, please let me know. Thanks.
Dave, you rock! I just wanted to reiterate that I’m not dissing NASA, and there’s been money well spent. However, they have been irresponsible as well. The agency spent $20 billion on projects that were ultimately canceled. Our military, 46 billion. With that waste and poor stewardship, a lot of horrific suffering and death could have been prevented.
“The agency spent $20 billion on projects that were ultimately canceled.” – a lot of that had to do with Congressional defunding of projects that had previously received an OK from an earlier Congress. It you want to see waste, Google the Texas supercollider that was bulldozed over, that could well have beaten Cerne in the discovery of the Higgs’ Boson.
“a lot of that had to do with Congressional defunding of projects that had previously received an OK from an earlier Congress.”
It is my understanding that most of the problem was internal, an administration issue turned political, and the funds intended for one project would be used for another, but not because the other projects had been defunded. The Space Leadership Act bill (H.R. 6491) was being introduced to make NASA less political and more professional by modeling their leadership after the National Science Foundation. The waste is believed to be higher — this 20 billion was primarily for human space flight development programs.
You mentioning the Texas supercollider that was bulldozed reminded me of this:
Americans (taxes) have spent more money on a broken plane, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, at a price tag of $398.6 billion, when they could have bought every homeless person a $600,000 home. Over its life-cycle, operating and maintaining the F-35 fleet will cost the U.S. a little over $1 trillion.
I am real douche sometimes, but we’ve established that I cannot help that. And I’m in good company.
But to your point about me being a douche, yeah, I don’t follow every post. I try to, but it’s hard to keep up. Even if I was wrong, the point I was trying to make is that we can all do more. I’ve already stated that the little I do is very little and that I enjoy many things that are not needs. I suspect everyone here is in that boat to varying degrees – and I think that’s okay.
If you want to spend every dollar and spend every second of free time trying to eradicate child hunger, that is noble and I’ll wish you well, but I wouldn’t criticize you for not doing that. I don’t care for our government much at all, but on this point, I think they do quite a bit to help already. I think Mississippi and the people should maybe do a little more. maybe they should quit voting for republicans who demonize welfare so much, if they all need it so badly – I don’t know the answer for Mississippi, but I don’t think cutting the space program and giving MS NASA’s funding would help much in the long run, where as NASA has proven itself to help.
These other nations you mention have also benefitted from the US space program. I’m just saying that investing in the space program is also investing in people. I’m saying that we can do both. I’m saying we always point our finger and identify where more should be done – it’s called being an armchair quarterback.
And I disagree that Stennis hasn’t done much to help. If nothing else, it is a place that brings people who will spend money in the economy. It also gives people jobs, and we cant just look at those who are employed at Stennis, but the many construction companies who do routine maintenance, or the needed renovations or a new building, etc., the food companies who supply their cafeteria, and list goes on. This doesn’t even touch on the other afore mentioned benefits of the space program as a whole.
You said,
“I have not stated here that we should do away with the space program. Neither did I say that the space program has not been beneficial. I am stating that it is in the best interest of our country and as a species to make the well-being of children a priority, for they represent our future.”
And I have not said that we shouldn’t make children a priority. Neither did I say that the space program will save all children. I’m just saying that the US has the ability to do both, and that all hungry children aren’t hungry because the federal government let them down.
And there’s always waste and poor stewardship in the government. Do you think that if they send all NASA funds to child hunger that all money would be spend perfectly and wisely? I don’t think so, and I think there’d still be more poor and hungry people in the word. I think some things are like dirty dishes in that no matter how much we clean them, there will always be more dirty ones popping up. And of course we should continue to “wash those dishes” but we don’t drop everything and only focus on this one task.
And look at the space program as a long term solution, where the stuff we do to help starving children now is more looking for immediate relief.
Earlier this year, President Obama signed into law a compromise version of the Farm Bill after months of Congressional deadlock saw the expiration of the former version. As part of the deal, House Republicans demanded huge cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, backing down only after a veto threat from the White House. The final bill, however, still included $8.7 billion worth of cuts, equaling about a $90 per month cut for recipients.
I don’t think so, and I think there’d still be more poor and hungry people in the word. I think some things are like dirty dishes in that no matter how much we clean them, there will always be more dirty ones popping up.”
Read Peace Among Primates by Robert Sapolsky, in particular under the sub-title, Left behind, and you will see a mirror image of the monkeys mucking things up here in America and in other countries, leadership promoting inequality.
William, we have successful templates in other countries where the well being of people is first. It’s a no brainer. As I mentioned, when you put the brain development and well being of children first, you will see vast improvements in society. One of the main problems with Mississippi is that women and children are devalued. Mississippi is the worst state in the nation for women. Mississippi is on par to a 3rd world country according to studies. And to just say that people are not putting the right people in office is only a fraction of the problem. See the recent ruling this week by the conservative, white male dominated Supreme Court regarding voter suppression laws in N.C.
“The justices who agreed to the stay did not provide any justification for why they were granting the stay. But Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor dissented, warning that the confusion could disenfranchise black voters in particular. Ginsburg pointed out that the appellate judge had concluded that the law “risked significantly reducing opportunities for black voters to exercise the franchise.”
Ya think? This was a strategic move to reinforce inequality.
I don’t care how much you spend on the NASA space program, it’s not going to solve the social ills we have today. But prioritizing and dismantling inequality will make a huge difference. Trillions have been spent over the last 50 years, and yet, we have major dysfunction in our country. What makes you think that spending billions or trillions more in the space program will make any more of a difference? Sure, we may be able to colonize on another planet someday, only to do the same thing we have done on earth for thousands of years. We need to get our priorities straight. Stupidity will be the end of us if we don’t wise up real quick.
“Our species needs, and deserves, a citizenry with minds wide awake and a basic understanding of how the world works.” ~Carl Sagan
I don’t think it’s that we even disagree on the issue, really.
I think we both see value in the space program. I think we both agree that more should be done to help impoverished and starving children (or the disadvantaged and malnourished as a whole). And I think we both agree that MS is the worst state in the union.
We may part ways on federal roles and state roles or in politics and government in general, but that’s the american way.
I have strong opinions on those, but on a limited degree, though. Not sure if we want to dive that far off nate’s intended subject matter for that.
How about i just promise to you, that once i take complete control of the continent, that I’ll place you on my board of advisers.
Riddle me this:
Other than being incredibly good looking and in lust with Jennifer Garner, what do actor Ben Afleck and I have in common?
Answer:
Our resident reverse-reverse-ignorant theist has decided to follow me on Twitter! Of course I blocked her – yet another thing that Mr. Afleck and I likely have in common – but that act was largely symbolic, since as Kathy is largely unread, she would have no reason to be aware that archeopteryxes had not yet evolved the ability to tweet – the best we could do was manage a cacophonous squawk, which I do often and loudly. I really don’t even know why I have the account, I never use it.
If I’m not mistaken, Neuro, that most recent version of the Spruce Goose was commissioned during the Bush Administration – I’m still shaking my head over the $600 aircraft toilet seat that came to light during the LAST Bush Administration! Those Bush boys sure know how to pass our money around to their contributors, don’t they?
Help me out here, Kathy – what was it the Bible said about it being easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven? (direct quote from Little George W, in 2003, at a Republican fundraiser in Dallas: “Here I am, among the ‘Have’s‘ and the ‘Have-more’s‘ – or as I like to think of you, ‘my base‘ -” Somehow, I just can’t imagine Jesus opening with that remark, and grinning about it, but hey, you’re the puppy dog that follows the two of them, YOU work it out!)
Finding Truth 
“Arch, I’m not sure if you intended for your comment to be directed to me, but I got a notification.”
No, much like my OS 10 issues, it’s complicated. I began a comment to Dave, which the great god WordPress made disappear entirely. Deciding there was no way in hell I was going to write that comment all over again, I opened my next email in line, which, as it happened, was yours, which I chose to comment on (saying that Richard Feynman had always been one of my heroes; he had a great sense of humor), and clicked “Reply.” Enroute to the reply box, I ran across my unfinished comment to Dave, which I believed to have been in WordPress limbo, switched horses mid-stream, and finished the comment to Dave in the box addressed to you.
All clear now?
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LOL — yeah, all clear. You need to get another computer that doesn’t have a ancient OS. You are constantly having issues but blame WP. 😛
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*an
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Looks like UNICEF is working to eradicate a parasite called the Guinea Worm. I see no problem with this. If we just stand by and respect nature it could wipe us out. I’d rather see humans take control of nature, but also keep things in balance. If we had the power to stop a natural catastrophe we would. There don’t appear to be any deities out there watching out for us so we have to take care of ourselves.
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ACK, Dave, surely you didn’t go there. I didn’t mean that nature should destroy us. I meant respect in that we don’t cause it to go out of balance, like we are doing now.
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“There must be some parasites that we could do away with without disrupting the environment though. Ticks? Head lice?”
I don’t know, Dave, and more importantly, I don’t know who could be trusted to make that decision.
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“You are constantly having issues but blame WP.” – because WP sucks!
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“because WP sucks!”
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Here’s a copy of the email I just sent to NASA and Mars-One:
Subject: Practicing for Mars in Africa
If anyone knows of any other private companies planning a Mars mission, please let me know. Thanks.
LikeLike
Dave, you rock! I just wanted to reiterate that I’m not dissing NASA, and there’s been money well spent. However, they have been irresponsible as well. The agency spent $20 billion on projects that were ultimately canceled. Our military, 46 billion. With that waste and poor stewardship, a lot of horrific suffering and death could have been prevented.
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-09/infographic-nasas-canceled-projects
Thank you!
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At the risk of sounding callous, I’d be more interested in their reply —
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“The agency spent $20 billion on projects that were ultimately canceled.” – a lot of that had to do with Congressional defunding of projects that had previously received an OK from an earlier Congress. It you want to see waste, Google the Texas supercollider that was bulldozed over, that could well have beaten Cerne in the discovery of the Higgs’ Boson.
LikeLike
“a lot of that had to do with Congressional defunding of projects that had previously received an OK from an earlier Congress.”
It is my understanding that most of the problem was internal, an administration issue turned political, and the funds intended for one project would be used for another, but not because the other projects had been defunded. The Space Leadership Act bill (H.R. 6491) was being introduced to make NASA less political and more professional by modeling their leadership after the National Science Foundation. The waste is believed to be higher — this 20 billion was primarily for human space flight development programs.
You mentioning the Texas supercollider that was bulldozed reminded me of this:
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2014/07/09/3458101/f35-boondoggle-fail/
Neuro,
I am real douche sometimes, but we’ve established that I cannot help that. And I’m in good company.
But to your point about me being a douche, yeah, I don’t follow every post. I try to, but it’s hard to keep up. Even if I was wrong, the point I was trying to make is that we can all do more. I’ve already stated that the little I do is very little and that I enjoy many things that are not needs. I suspect everyone here is in that boat to varying degrees – and I think that’s okay.
If you want to spend every dollar and spend every second of free time trying to eradicate child hunger, that is noble and I’ll wish you well, but I wouldn’t criticize you for not doing that. I don’t care for our government much at all, but on this point, I think they do quite a bit to help already. I think Mississippi and the people should maybe do a little more. maybe they should quit voting for republicans who demonize welfare so much, if they all need it so badly – I don’t know the answer for Mississippi, but I don’t think cutting the space program and giving MS NASA’s funding would help much in the long run, where as NASA has proven itself to help.
These other nations you mention have also benefitted from the US space program. I’m just saying that investing in the space program is also investing in people. I’m saying that we can do both. I’m saying we always point our finger and identify where more should be done – it’s called being an armchair quarterback.
And I disagree that Stennis hasn’t done much to help. If nothing else, it is a place that brings people who will spend money in the economy. It also gives people jobs, and we cant just look at those who are employed at Stennis, but the many construction companies who do routine maintenance, or the needed renovations or a new building, etc., the food companies who supply their cafeteria, and list goes on. This doesn’t even touch on the other afore mentioned benefits of the space program as a whole.
You said,
“I have not stated here that we should do away with the space program. Neither did I say that the space program has not been beneficial. I am stating that it is in the best interest of our country and as a species to make the well-being of children a priority, for they represent our future.”
And I have not said that we shouldn’t make children a priority. Neither did I say that the space program will save all children. I’m just saying that the US has the ability to do both, and that all hungry children aren’t hungry because the federal government let them down.
And there’s always waste and poor stewardship in the government. Do you think that if they send all NASA funds to child hunger that all money would be spend perfectly and wisely? I don’t think so, and I think there’d still be more poor and hungry people in the word. I think some things are like dirty dishes in that no matter how much we clean them, there will always be more dirty ones popping up. And of course we should continue to “wash those dishes” but we don’t drop everything and only focus on this one task.
And look at the space program as a long term solution, where the stuff we do to help starving children now is more looking for immediate relief.
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Dave,
nice letter. good idea.
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Here’s what happened to your food stamps, Kathy:
Yay, conservative, Christian Republicans!
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I don’t think so, and I think there’d still be more poor and hungry people in the word. I think some things are like dirty dishes in that no matter how much we clean them, there will always be more dirty ones popping up.”
Read Peace Among Primates by Robert Sapolsky, in particular under the sub-title, Left behind, and you will see a mirror image of the monkeys mucking things up here in America and in other countries, leadership promoting inequality.
William, we have successful templates in other countries where the well being of people is first. It’s a no brainer. As I mentioned, when you put the brain development and well being of children first, you will see vast improvements in society. One of the main problems with Mississippi is that women and children are devalued. Mississippi is the worst state in the nation for women. Mississippi is on par to a 3rd world country according to studies. And to just say that people are not putting the right people in office is only a fraction of the problem. See the recent ruling this week by the conservative, white male dominated Supreme Court regarding voter suppression laws in N.C.
Ya think? This was a strategic move to reinforce inequality.
I don’t care how much you spend on the NASA space program, it’s not going to solve the social ills we have today. But prioritizing and dismantling inequality will make a huge difference. Trillions have been spent over the last 50 years, and yet, we have major dysfunction in our country. What makes you think that spending billions or trillions more in the space program will make any more of a difference? Sure, we may be able to colonize on another planet someday, only to do the same thing we have done on earth for thousands of years. We need to get our priorities straight. Stupidity will be the end of us if we don’t wise up real quick.
“Our species needs, and deserves, a citizenry with minds wide awake and a basic understanding of how the world works.” ~Carl Sagan
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Arch, had these monkey’s gotten what they wanted, 40 billion would have been cut from the SNAP program.
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Neuro,
I don’t think it’s that we even disagree on the issue, really.
I think we both see value in the space program. I think we both agree that more should be done to help impoverished and starving children (or the disadvantaged and malnourished as a whole). And I think we both agree that MS is the worst state in the union.
We may part ways on federal roles and state roles or in politics and government in general, but that’s the american way.
I have strong opinions on those, but on a limited degree, though. Not sure if we want to dive that far off nate’s intended subject matter for that.
How about i just promise to you, that once i take complete control of the continent, that I’ll place you on my board of advisers.
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Riddle me this:
Other than being incredibly good looking and in lust with Jennifer Garner, what do actor Ben Afleck and I have in common?
Answer:
Our resident reverse-reverse-ignorant theist has decided to follow me on Twitter! Of course I blocked her – yet another thing that Mr. Afleck and I likely have in common – but that act was largely symbolic, since as Kathy is largely unread, she would have no reason to be aware that archeopteryxes had not yet evolved the ability to tweet – the best we could do was manage a cacophonous squawk, which I do often and loudly. I really don’t even know why I have the account, I never use it.
But good luck with that, Kathy —
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“How about i just promise to you, that once i take complete control of the continent, that I’ll place you on my board of advisers.”
LOL — I always sensed you were dictator material. 😀
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If I’m not mistaken, Neuro, that most recent version of the Spruce Goose was commissioned during the Bush Administration – I’m still shaking my head over the $600 aircraft toilet seat that came to light during the LAST Bush Administration! Those Bush boys sure know how to pass our money around to their contributors, don’t they?
Help me out here, Kathy – what was it the Bible said about it being easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven? (direct quote from Little George W, in 2003, at a Republican fundraiser in Dallas: “Here I am, among the ‘Have’s‘ and the ‘Have-more’s‘ – or as I like to think of you, ‘my base‘ -” Somehow, I just can’t imagine Jesus opening with that remark, and grinning about it, but hey, you’re the puppy dog that follows the two of them, YOU work it out!)
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it’s not the size of the dictator, neuro…
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LOL — I guess that’s a matter of opinion.
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Closing this thread and moving to a new one so it will load faster:
https://findingtruth.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/open-conversation-part-3/
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