Hi there everybody! (1 Viewer)

[Wayne Smith]

Jimminy Cricket! This place is really rocking isn't it. I just did a search on 'debate' using Yahoo. This was number one. A lot of threads happening. I read the rules and looked over the forums. But where's a good place to discuss space issues? International politics or open forum maybe? I don't want to see anything I post pushed around the board because I dumped it in the wrong location. I'm going to need some time to read what is already here. Please don't get upset if I'm a little slow replying sometimes. I like to read a lot. This VBulletin right?!? I heard it was good. Nice colour choice. That blue is soft on the eyes. My regular board has the same background.

I'm not very artsy but I love science. Human origins, material manufacture, space travel and genetics excite me. Those twin edged swords urging both restraint and abandon. Often we choose restraint in facing the unknown when embracing a new technology is the best way forward. Are we a little too careful? Even with sciences that have endured their trials by fire we often discard logic for the staus quo. Is it just our deep seated fear that we are too clever? That this little rock we inhabit can't hold it's own against our ingenious devices forever. That could be true. We are always stepping on each others toes and banning technology. Regulations get stricter every year as we struggle to find a way forward. I believe the only way forward is expansion. Expansion of the whole human race. That's my opinion. An aggressive and risky devil may care invasion of space. That will keep the young people busy. Risky? Sure! Like climbing Everest or high diving. It should be an individual choice.

Me? I missed my chance. Born a little too late. Branson has opened the door for the private sector but I still can't afford a flight. Besides, it's really only the choice I want. I get sick on rollercoaster rides. I get my enjoyment out of reading about and watching others in space. But what about future generations? Why are we still holding people back?

 

[Kelzie]

Hi there right back at ya! Nice to have you aboard (get it? aboard...space craft...:lol: ). I think off topic might be safest for space related issues.

Welcome to the forum.:2wave:

 

[cnredd]

Welcome to Debate Politics, Wayne!:2wave:

Since SOME(Not saying names...but she's a vegan) think they're "punny", let me say that you are invited to stay because we have plenty of "space"(rimshot!).

You don't need to be a "rocket scientist" in here, but if the "mercury" gets too hot...watch out for "uranus".(ugh!)

 

[Kelzie]

Welcome to Debate Politics, Wayne!:2wave:

Since SOME(Not saying names...but she's a vegan) think they're "punny", let me say that you are invited to stay because we have plenty of "space"(rimshot!).

You don't need to be a "rocket scientist" in here, but if the "mercury" gets too hot...watch out for "uranus".(ugh!)

Watch out for cnredd. He thinks he's clever, and we all humor him. Oh wait. I mean SOME (not saying names, but it's cnredd).

 

[Wayne Smith]

Thanks for the hearty welcome shipmates! Harr dee Har Harr!!!

'What has been will be,
Tis the underlaw of life,
Tis the song of sea and sky,
To the key of calm and strife.' - Jimmi Hendrix.

'Yo ho hoo...' and "a bottle of Rum.'! Hic!

 

[Kelzie]

Thanks for the hearty welcome shipmates! Harr dee Har Harr!!!

'What has been will be,
Tis the underlaw of life,
Tis the song of sea and sky,
To the key of calm and strife.' - Jimmi Hendrix.

'Yo ho hoo...' and "a bottle of Rum.'! Hic!

Mmmm...Jonny Depp...

 

[Schweddy]

Welcome to Debate Politics!

If the interest is high enough - we could start up a Technology & Science forum.
lol, it would be interesting to see where the evolution threads end up being started.

 

[Wayne Smith]

The trouble is that most people find science a tad 'ho hum'. Bunsen burners and test tubes never really turned me on very much either. Luckily I got into science when I was very young. Collecting plastic toy dinosaurs, reading books on space with cool pictures in them and combing the beaches at weekends in search of my very own T-Rex. Never found any of those but I did end up with boxes full of fossils.

That Jurassic Park movie was exactly how I had always envisioned pre-historic reptiles to be. That's science! It's all around us and whatever we want it to be. There are too many branches to pursue them all vigorously. Most of those bucks invested go into medicine and pharmacies. Profit making has consumed the invention game now. It's all big companies today with their own laboratories and experimental practices. Edison would never have gotten a job in this climate. The Wright brothers would have stuck to making bicycles in this era. We once talked about cities on the moon. Now we don't even have a working shuttle.

You have only to look at the pockmarked moon to realise we can and do occasionally get hit by large bodies. Survival should be a strong motivator for us even if our exploratory urge has diminished.

There was a time once when we were all about exploration, conquest and colonization. We can now be defined as a civilization that focuses on internal problems that will or can never be completely solved.

A cold shudder or chill goes up my spine looking at old black and white photographs of people, events, machines, inventions, proposals and visionary schemes from the early part of the last century.

To see what could have and should have been is sobering to say the least. That generation of yesteryear believed so firmly in science, technology and the progress of Man in all areas of life, that it is easy to see why they have been called 'The Greatest Generation'. They believed that science (understanding) and technology (application) would lead to a higher standard of living, which it did.

They believed in letting technology solve its own problems. They believed in grand projects of engineering.

It's pretty tragic really.

I might post up news from time to time that I find interesting, funny or scary. If nobody beats me to it. I find that people usually have something to say on the more controversial scientific issues. Ethics and science is a pivotal issue today. We are deciding the shape of our future and everyone should have a say in that decision.

 

[ban.the.electoral.college]

Hello Wayne Smith!

(I'm new here too)

What's that about science being ho-hum? You really are sweet on the past aren't you? Nano-science, Quantum Mechanics, Stem Cell's, great advances in computer and end-user technology, Blogs, Vlogs, Podcasts, revolution in media. We live in an exciting time, my friend. I thought it was really cool when NASA crashed that hunk of metal into the comet. Did you see that?! Wow, it was spectacular. I heard they were building, Another telescope for space that will dwarf the Hubble http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/ Whoa! I can't believe it. Oh and, we haven't forgotten conquest either. It's called Afghanistan, and Iraq. Yup, were still forcing our ideology on the world. It's kinda like smoking, you know, everytime we quit there's that naggin urge that makes us just wanna go out an conquer some more! Wouldn't want all that weapons research and development and tax payer money to go to wast, eh? Besides, it makes for "manly" news.

Whoops. I just meant give you a friendly hello. Hello!

 

[Wayne Smith]

Afghanistan and Iraq are third world militaries. N.Korea would put up a fight. Like last time. I guess they are safe. Now it's Iran under the spotlight. Next maybe Syria. Maybe we should stop fighting each other and worry about the serious possible threats in this universe.

 

[ban.the.electoral.college]

Afghanistan and Iraq are third world militaries. N.Korea would put up a fight. Like last time. I guess they are safe. Now it's Iran under the spotlight. Next maybe Syria. Maybe we should stop fighting each other and worry about the serious possible threats in this universe.

:2razz: I'll speak to that! You are correct in saying, "Maybe we should stop fighting each other and worry about the serious possible threats in this universe.". There are much better things we could spend time arguing about. WE could argue about things that actually advance world culture, like peace and dialogue. For some reason, I feel feel we a have a 50/50 culture. While one half provides dogma for the ultra-conservative, while the other half actually gives a shite (scottish pronunciation) because they have the ability to employ logic over blind conviction. Living in a developed nation means **** all, if you don't have the faintest idea of what it means to be a gentleman. Excuse my french.

 

[Wayne Smith]

Nuclear Power has already been through it's trial of fire. Yes, Chernobyl was bloody terrible. Pardon my Australian!

I think nearly 30 people died in that careless out of control meltdown. It taught the Russian's to be more adhering to safety protocols. The sloppy attitude to work and polluting the environment had to go. They continued. Today they are one of the few countries still pursuing revolutionary new reactors. Some that even float on the ocean to provide power for harsh northern territories of that once mighty nation.

In the West we've had a few scares but nothing resulting in death as far as I'm aware. Three mile island didn't report an increase in cancer rates within a 5 mile radius of the accident. Windscale was pretty much the same. It's a new technology. I would have expected worse. Especially considering that over 10,000 people die annually from coal burning. It's a million for automobile accidents. Last year nobody died from nuclear energy. Go figure. Why isn't greenpeace protesting highways and coal plants. Heck, even hospitals make more radiation than nuke plants.

We have an opportunity to expand again. Do you know how often that happens? It's adventure, knowledge and treasure. Pioneering a new environment. Building city sized spacecraft from space resources.

Forget everything NASA ever told you. Big fireworks were a mistake. Nukes are the way to go. They'll take us anywhere. Once we grab that permanent foothold out there we own the place. If NASA was designing car's then we'd all be marvelling at those great 'autonauts' daring life and limb in their clumsy pathetic super heated steam engines. Purpose and power go hand in hand. As I see it we can either:
A) Continue to shrink and die, strangled by our own plethora of savage red tape.
B) Turn our combined strength towards space and herald in a new golden age of human advancement and building. We need more space. To grow.