Re: Barack Obama Pits Space Explorers Against School Children

Ian Parker <ianparker2@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

:On 4 Dec, 12:58, simberg.interglo...@xxxxxxxxx (Rand Simberg) wrote:
:> On Mon, 3 Dec 2007 20:12:37 -0500, in a place far, far away,
:> "Jonathan" <wr...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> made the phosphor on my monitor glow
:> in such a way as to indicate that:
:>
:> >It's pretty clear the military will lead the way into space.
:>
:> That is not clear at all.
:>
:> >The risk to earth from colonies are numerous. For one
:> >their immense expense could drain our national budget.
:> >Their military uses mean society would get little in return
:> >aside from geopolitical advantages. And the notion
:> >that colonies are somehow more sustainable, more
:> >civilized and stable than an earthbound community is silly.
:>
:> >Just because they're designed by scientists only means
:> >trouble, not a paradise.
:>
:> They won't be designed by scientists. They will be designed by
:> engineers and architects.
:>
:> >With the rigid military like
:> >environments too small for democratic or market forces
:> >to play out. And the emotional and psychological stress
:> >of isolation, and I bet long tours of duty. I would think that
:> >colonies would be rife with conflict and difficult as
:> >possible to sustain.
:>
:> >I'm picturing a job somewhat like ..oh.. spending all day
:> >underwater welding, for the military. So there's no
:> >money, no fun and no place to go except back to work.
:> >Great view, but otherwise a living hell.
:>
:> >Why do people seem to fantasize so much about
:> >colonies?
:>
:> Because they don't think about them as stupidly as you do.
:>
:
:An engineer who is any good works things out.
:

Yes, we do. It's why we think you're such an idiot.

:
:90% of the world's population lives on 10% of the land surface.
:

True, but irrelevant.

:
:It takes far less mass to
:support a desert with SSP than it does to build an O'Neill colony.
:

Probably true, but so what?

:
:This is obvious to any engineer. You are clearly not an engineer. I
:reckon you would have called Brunel looney had you lived in the 19th
:century. You seem to lack any kind of scientific understanding.
:

Frankly, having you think they are stupid is something everyone should
consider complimentary, given your own obvious limitations when it
comes to intellect, training, reasoning ability, and reading
comprehension.

:
:OK, you might argue SSP might not be cost effective. Sure, it might be
:even cheaper to have a set of terrestrial mirrors and raise steam. If
:this is so it strengthens my case and that of Jonathan. I must say my
:first reaction to the dry fountains was "mirrors, steam, turbines,
:desalination".
:

Hint: Any time you're using Jonathan, Guthball, OnTheFritz, or El
Chimpko as support for your position you need to reevaluate that
position. Having those loons on your side when it comes to anything
technical is rather like having Mahmoud I'mANutJob, the Iranian
President, on your side in a discussion about the Holocaust.

:
:This is what I say. This group seems to be getting totally negative,
:totally abusive. I have not forgotten the slurs you have made on me.
:

Slurs? If you don't like people pointing out your deficiencies, DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.

I still think you're just a poorly written ASS*.



*Artificial Stupidity System


--
"Ordinarily he is insane. But he has lucid moments when he is
only stupid."
-- Heinrich Heine
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Barack Obama Pits Space Explorers Against School Children
    ... trouble, not a paradise. ... They won't be designed by scientists. ... colonies would be rife with conflict and difficult as ... An engineer who is any good works things out. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: What is a software engineer?
    ... Science attempts to understand and explain the ... distinguishing a software engineer from a hack. ... It's absurd to argue that computer scientists are a waste of ... research tool is experimentation (only boffins like Newton and Hawkins ...
    (comp.lang.javascript)
  • Re: What is a software engineer?
    ... We aren't arguing about what is or isn't science, ... distinguishing a software engineer from a hack. ... Actually the first logic circuits were invented by mathematicians, not computer scientists, and the first electronic computer was built by a post office engineer, because the mathematicians hadn't got a clue how to make 20,000 valves run for more than a minute without one failing. ... Yes, it was some advanced mathematics that hinted at the idea of a general purpose programmable computer, but having hinted, that's roughly where the clever bit stopped. ...
    (comp.lang.javascript)
  • Re: The problem with cups and oz. vs. grams.
    ... recognised the futility of discussion on the matter and moved on. ... New technology wasn't necessary to make it *possible* to test it. ... diagnosis and giving me stupid advice about what to ... You make a good case for the scientists involved in this area not ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: Relativity as an axiomatic system
    ... You are the one confusing the role of an engineer and a scientist. ... be interested in learning enough physics to discuss physics as a ... Scientists do think about that. ... >electric field merely as a convenient mathematical trick for integrating ...
    (sci.physics.relativity)
Loading