# We can spend billions upon billions of dollars...............



## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

......looking for signs of intelligent life on Mars, when we should be spending some of it right here on this planet, in an attempt to improve ours.

Both parents had issues with mental health, but yet, nothing was done.

Florida girl was alive when tossed from bridge by father, police say


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

America loves to spend money on the unimportant............ Good for the economy they say....... 

Footnote: If there is life on Mars they sure as hell don't want anything to do with us...... Just saying.........


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

paratrooper said:


> ......looking for signs of intelligent life on Mars, when we should be spending some of it right here on this planet. [/url]


Nope, Have to disagree. Fox News is proof there's no intelligent life on this planet, so may as well try to find some elsewhere.

I saw the article and it's a tragedy. Don't know if the father even feels any remorse. If that was his booking photo, he's got the thousand yard stare going on.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

BackyardCowboy said:


> Nope, Have to disagree. *Fox News is proof there's no intelligent life on this planet, so may as well try to find some elsewhere.*
> 
> I saw the article and it's a tragedy. Don't know if the father even feels any remorse. If that was his booking photo, he's got the thousand yard stare going on.


Not perfect by any means but they're a damned sight better than any other broadcast news network out there.


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## otisroy (Jan 5, 2014)

I have to disagree. The jobs, technological advances and pride that are a result of the space program are a boon. I went to bed with the window open and woke up at 4:47 this morning to hear the rumble of this morning's Falcon 9 launch. It gives me chills every time. How many of the thousands of folks that it takes to do this are out robbing convenience stores, protesting the police or throwing their kids off of bridges?

I can't wait to feel the ground rumble they they light that giant candle under the Orion capsule.


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

otisroy said:


> I have to disagree. The jobs, technological advances and pride that are a result of the space program are a boon. I went to bed with the window open and woke up at 4:47 this morning to hear the rumble of this morning's Falcon 9 launch. It gives me chills every time. How many of the thousands of folks that it takes to do this are out robbing convenience stores, protesting the police or throwing their kids off of bridges?
> 
> I can't wait to feel the ground rumble they they light that giant candle under the Orion capsule.


I live within a stone's throw of NASA. And honestly, quite a few of the advances we have are due to NASA research and its joint associations. Now, granted, I am a bit biased in that I am a mathematician, so I tend to support my fellow researchers, but I also see the flip side. Lots of money is being spent on the attempts to get humanity to Mars and arguably _some_ could be spent elsewhere. We've starvation within our own country. Hate crimes abound. Racism still is strong. Should I even mention bigotry and religious fanaticism? There are causes that could use financial support.


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## Binable (Aug 26, 2013)

Powerful people have powerful Iinfluence, and it's not always fellow man they're thinking about.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Parson said:


> I live within a stone's throw of NASA. And honestly, quite a few of the advances we have are due to NASA research and its joint associations. Now, granted, I am a bit biased in that I am a mathematician, so I tend to support my fellow researchers, but I also see the flip side. Lots of money is being spent on the attempts to get humanity to Mars and arguably _some_ could be spent elsewhere. We've starvation within our own country. Hate crimes abound. Racism still is strong. Should I even mention bigotry and religious fanaticism? There are causes that could use financial support.


Yes, it's the flip side that I'm taking about.

Setting up a colony on Mars isn't going to improve or lessen the problems and issues we're having here on earth.


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## Lee Hunter (May 25, 2011)

paratrooper said:


> Yes, it's the flip side that I'm taking about.
> 
> Setting up a colony on Mars isn't going to improve or lessen the problems and issues we're having here on earth.


Believe me when I say that I concur with your viewpoint regarding this matter. But I really don't think throwing more tax money at social problems is going to cure them. At the risk of sounding 'preachy', I know that the whole damn world is suffering from a major spiritual crisis. And there is only one cure for it.

I have expressed my solemn viewpoint on this subject, and will discuss it no further due to forum policy. We don't need a pointless 'religious' debate, do we?


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Lee Hunter said:


> Believe me when I say that I concur with your viewpoint regarding this matter. But I really don't think throwing more tax money at social problems is going to cure them. At the risk of sounding 'preachy', I know that the whole damn world is suffering from a major spiritual crisis. And there is only one cure for it.
> 
> I have expressed my solemn viewpoint on this subject, and will discuss it no further due to forum policy. We don't need a pointless 'religious' debate, do we?


When it comes to religion, is there really anything other than a pointless debate? :watching:


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

Referring back to the OP, regarding wasted money, check out the U.S. foreign aid list on Wikipedia. We are giving billions to countries that have all but declared war on the U.S. Why?
GW


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## Lee Hunter (May 25, 2011)

paratrooper said:


> When it comes to religion, is there really anything other than a pointless debate? :watching:


Same with politics and caliber wars.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Lee Hunter said:


> Same with politics and caliber wars.


This is true.


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

Aww, but com'on... Caliber wars is fun! xD At least watching it is...

In all seriousness though, if anything should get shifted around, it is the list goldwing mentioned. Frankly, why support those who already hate us? If they do declare war, then, well, we just _gave them_ the power to do so. Some of that money _has_ helped in various ways but... I dunno. It's certainly difficult -- at least for me -- to figure out exactly what money should be spent where. Removing opinions, removing rhetoric, and looking at it objectively.

One thing that's come to mind is this...

Kurt Gödel once said, "[E]very error is due to extraneous factors (such as emotion and education); reason itself does not err." When applying this philosophy to the question, it simply reaches a dead end, doesn't it? How can reason be applied coldly without _making a system_ that gives causes a rank? It can be done qualitatively/quantitatively (which means analytical studies of each cause) or it can be done emotionally. Either way, education or emotion is used as the backbone; which, by default, means that no matter the conclusion, there is automatically at least one error that affects the entire system of logic used to create the system of ranks. Basically: no matter what we believe is to be true, that isn't necessarily the case. This doesn't necessarily mean that the question at hand is pointless (or any question for that matter). But, instead, it just means is that it has to be approached from a different angle.

Like... Instead of approaching them organizationally or by cause, maybe it isn't the causes, the institutions, etc that are the issue. Maybe it's _how_ it is being spent? There's a difference there. Really, it's about effectiveness and efficiency.

\end{endless_pointless_rant}

lol


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

How about trying to find intelligent life in Washington D.C. that would be a real trick!


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

tony pasley said:


> How about trying to find intelligent life in Washington D.C. that would be a real trick!


Zing!


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> How about trying to find intelligent life in Washington D.C. that would be a real trick!


That would be more like a miracle.

I just don't think that kind of thing can happen in a place like Wash. D.C.


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## muckaleewarrior (Aug 10, 2014)

tony pasley said:


> How about trying to find intelligent life in Washington D.C. that would be a real trick!


We send those clowns to Washington DC, maybe we should be looking at ourselves and who we send there? :smt083


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

muckaleewarrior said:


> We send those clowns to Washington DC, maybe we should be looking at ourselves and who we send there? :smt083


It's always the other states "Clowns" that are the problem. (said everyone in the U.S. except those in Harry Reids district)
GW


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

goldwing said:


> Referring back to the OP, regarding wasted money, check out the U.S. foreign aid list on Wikipedia. We are giving billions to countries that have all but declared war on the U.S. Why?
> GW


Because we prop up their economies and have been doing this so long (remember the cold war) that if we were to pull the aid out from under them, their countries would collapse.

Personally the way I look at it is, we did okay for ourselves so why can't others? (yes I know why but I have little compassion for ignorance or laziness).


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## lefty60 (Oct 13, 2012)

The quest for "no child left behind", "everyone deserves to be equal", "we have something and you don't, so we should give you some of ours", has created a special class of people. 

These folks have been taught that they don't have to work for anything. They are entitled, lazy, and breeding more of the same. What will these folks do when those of us that support them no longer have the means to do so??


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## TheTourist (Dec 27, 2014)

One of the things I learned working with folded steel is that the Japanese take the "long view" when attempting anything.

For example, we live in this wonderful country, beautiful vistas and treasure trove of natural resources. We live as free men, a concept dead in most of the world.

Starting with the Vikings leading through the explorers of the 15th century, we owe this bounty to the men who climbed into rickety ships and went looking for a better world. I think the same view applies to space.

I'll probably never set foot into space. Even most of the old royalty never set foot in the "new world," either. But it doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

As for spending money, I'd rather my tax dollars go for a nice shiny rocket than a bunch of insane mullahs breeding the next insurrection.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Want to have some fun? Next time you encounter some protesting fool who advocates the destruction of capitalism, ask them what they would favor instead... what they would put in place of this economic system once it has been removed.

After that vapid and brainless stare ends and they start to vocalize something they believe to be intelligent, listen carefully to what they say. Chances are it will revolve around the government providing and that since everyone will be freed from the worry of supporting themselves and paying for shelter and sustenance, then everyone will be happy and eager to work for the common good.

The useful idiots at work.


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## TheTourist (Dec 27, 2014)

SouthernBoy said:


> Chances are it will revolve around the government providing.


Reminds me of a science fiction story I read years ago.

The premise of the story was that the Earth was inhabitable and two rockets were prepared for immediate launch. The survivors were told to board either Rocket A or Rocket B and they were all given a ticket signifying which was their transport.

At launch time, Rocket A blasted off, out into the cosmos and safety. Alas for Rocket B. That ship contained all of the attorneys, used car salesmen, telemarketers and hopefully welfare recipients.

It seems Rocket B had no fuel...


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