Besides, we're gonna need someplace to send all the kooks once we outlaw liberalism. Gitmo and Abu Ghraib just won't hold 'em all...

Keefer:

Is your desire to jail all liberals part of the larger "Compassionate Conservative" crusade?

Your intention is to supress all dissent and imprison political opponents would make Stalin very proud.

Wade

Keefer,

You must smoke reefer, the only kooks are the one's still supporting W. Do not want to lock you up though, only a kook would think of something so stupid.

I think it's a great idea. But remember neocon buddies this is actual Rocket Science. It can't be done with middle aged neoconservative intellect. You can't have people who think the Earth is 6,000 years old and that global warming is a hoax running a science program. Otherwise it'll be as successful as FEMA or Social Security reform or the War on terror or immigration reform or the Medicare drug bill under Bush's leadership. You'll never make it there with out liberal thinkers. Likewise it would help to have a budget that expands spending on the basic sciences rather then giving it to war profiteers AND you'll need a president who allows science to flourish rather then suppressing publicly funded science and scientist.

I don't think liberal thinkers want space exploration. They want Universal Health Care, feed the poor, save the whales, and win the WH in 2008. Not Space, naw they gotta solve all the problems on Earth before Humans can go explore the heavens.

muirgo shoots and scores! Science is inherently liberal. Please, please leave it to people who understand science, e.g. not anyone who thinks ID is a theory!

*Cough*

Well since I actually work in the Space Program I think I need to comment here. :)

First off, everyone I know here is for perminent off-world bases, the only thing is which way do you want to do it? The funniest thing to me is that instead of trying to do things in a new and fnacy way folks have turned back to Apollo style sytems. No big multi-use space plane system, just good old fashioned rockets and "bit by bit" mentality.

Secondly, have you ever actually met a rocket scientist? *Chuckles* These guys are about as non-political as it comes because they are focused so much in their own little worlds. So if the politics don't have anything to do with their particular bit of science they don't really care.

Threaten to cut funding to their project and they'll go postal though! :)

Seriously, there's room enough for both sides in space exploration, including creationists and those who don't believe than man is a major cause in global warming. (Yes there are conservatives here in the space industry. :p )

One final note. My facility: Goldstone Deep Space Communications Site is having a 40th Aniversary on Thursday. Should have some interesting news from that soon.

Firts, will someone on the left define "neoconservative" for me?

Second, most "rocket scientists" build missiles.

And lastly, I think that building a station on the moon is crazy until we have finished exploring and settling antarctica. The place is the size of North America with a population of like 250 scientists. You can get there by boat at pennies per pound rather than dollars per ounce. And - there is water and air. Cold? Yes. But so is the moon and there is no air or water.

muirgeo,

Uh, my father worked on Apollo, the space shuttle and the F-117A...he's pretty close to a rocket scientist kinda guy, and he's quite convinced that God created the universe...and he voted for President Bush, twice...

And trust a lefty to come on a non-political entry and make political speeches...

How about, instead, we just get into space geekery and have a bit of fun?

Forgive muirgeo, Mark, he's related to the kook who gave the DemocRAT response to Bush's radio address yesterday, and said nothing about what Bush addressed.

Morongeo can be the first kook sentenced to life on Mars.

Your intention is to supress all dissent and imprison political opponents would make Stalin very proud.

No, Wade, Stalin's been dead a long time. And if he were still alive, I'd have to kill about 30 million of you to make him proud. I don't want to suppress dissent; I want to eliminate kookery. That's why you, and getawife, must join morongeo and spend the rest of your life on Mars, once we've built the detention facility. Don't worry, son, you'll be well cared for. Three squares a day, a prayer rug, and your own personal copy of the Communist Manifesto. Could life get any better for you?

Mark, you have finally posted something that I COMPLETELY agree with. I have always been a dreamer and realize that the one single most important event in human history (other than perhaps first contact with an alien race or the Rapture, if it exists)would be the moment we take our first tentative baby steps to learning the truth of what is REALLY out there in the REAL Heavens. It is also something that might unify the world and make us realize that we have to look at each other as HUMANS, all of us, instead of looking at races, sexes, nationalities, and belief systems, that continually divide us politically. We need the glory of space to help us understand who we are, and where we came from. All of our history HAS been building up to this moment, asd long as we don't destroy it all with an egotistical notion that "The United States has to be first and best at everything." Kinda like the original Space Race, where we arrogantly tried to beat the Russians at everything dealing with space. This must be a UNIFIED, and international venture, and a common thread to all humanity.

BTW, Mark, you said "leave it to a lefty to put a political spin on a non-political post." If you would like to look back at the comments to this post, you will see that the first political blow was dealt by keefer, our resident insult thrower, who is majorly Conservative. Stop thinking with tunnel vision, Mark. And please, please, please stop blaming liberals for everything. You will desperately NEED liberal-thinking minds as well as Conservatives to ever set foot of this planet. This must be a UNIFYING experience for all mankind. I just hope that you understand that. It may be our one saving grace as a race, before we try to wipe ourselves off the planet with warfare. There IS hope, and that hope lies in the stars....

Robert,

Agreed - though Keefer was just making what is clearly a joke: I think that muirgeo is actually being serious.

That said: this is a human endevour, not a political one. As a Believer, I know that our species has a date with Destiny in the by and by - but whether that is tomorrow or ten thousand years from now is entirely unknown, and unknowable...at any rate, regardless of when it is, we'll want to be caught at our posts, doing our duty.

Whether its biology or God's design, we were built with an urge to explore - and I think to deny this urge just because space is the most difficult thing to explore is a negation of what makes a human being, human.

As for me, I think we should be quadrupling the space budget - we've got whole new worlds to get to, and the payoff will far exceed any costs.

Second, most "rocket scientists" build missiles.

And lastly, I think that building a station on the moon is crazy until we have finished exploring and settling antarctica. The place is the size of North America with a population of like 250 scientists. You can get there by boat at pennies per pound rather than dollars per ounce. And - there is water and air. Cold? Yes. But so is the moon and there is no air or water.

*Chuckles* Well we call all of the scientists at JPL and most of NASA rocket scientists, even if they only work on ground based systems. But in the most real sense you are correct. :)

As for Antartica, I believe there are treaties in place preventing us from settling it. Personally I'd like to settle the oceans as well, but again I think there are treaties against it. *Shrugs* International politics that must be worked on.

Yes Robert, I was joking. However, I do despise liberals, at least the modern liberals, so I make my little jokes because it inflames them. Now watch while they attempt to refute me...

How about this Keefer? Let's see if you are capable of something other then name calling. How about an actual intellectual political philosophical discussion? Can you do that?

Are you a supporter of government of the people, by the people and for the people.....you know democracy as described by Abe Lincoln?

I am. I think it's the most important concept underlying our democracy.

A fella like you likes to call people like me communist, a socialist and some one who is against free markets. In fact you are far far far far more a supporter of corporatism, fascism and plutocracy then what you claim your liberal foes to be guilty of.

Do you think corporations are NOT significantly interfering with .."government of the people, by the people and for the people"?

My thesis is that the evidence is overwhelmingly in support of the fact that corporations and their money are significantly subverting.."government of the people, by the people and for the people". They are actually subverting free-markets as well because that's the last thing they want is real and fair competition.

Thus, my thesis is that I am in fact not against free markets or democracy but people like you who support the status quo are actually supporting a system that is counter to true free markets and undermines democracy. You are knowingly or more likely through sheer ignorance and willful neglect a supporter of corporatism, fascism and fixed markets.

Using such a thesis and the existing facts I can logically and factually kick the living crud out of any argument you might wish to make to prove that you support policies that are free market based and Democratic while my position is supportive of true free markets and true democracy...ie .."government of the people, by the people and for the people".

You are actually anti-American and you don't even understand this fact. You think you are a patriot when you are in fact supporting the undermining of our democracy.

Muirgeo,

Despite what they taught you in public schools, the United States is not a democracy, it is a representative republic. You don't even understand the nature of your own country, (I'm assuming you are American) which makes it very easy to dismiss everything else you have to say as coming from a person who is completely ignorant and not worth debating. I don't blame you, per se, you're only regurgitating what they've spoon fed you. However, that does not change my opinion that debating you on anything of substance is a waste of time. Your ignorance prevents you from writing anything worth reading.

Now about the moon and Mars (getting back to the subject of this post) I agree with Mark. I wish the US would slash all welfare and wealth-redistribution programs and massively boost Pentagon and Nasa budgets. I would like to see a national concerted effort by Americans to reach George W. Bush's visionary goals of sending men to Mars ON TIME or ahead of time!

I disagree with Robert. I would like to see this be an "AMERICA only" project. We don't need anybody else's help and it would boost American prestige and national pride. Also, it would mean that America would reap the lion share of the benefits of such a project; financial and technological.

Maybe someday I'll have grandchildren, and their children will be able to visit the Red Planet or take a vacation to the moon. It's a beautiful dream indeed.

You people have no shame.

You really need to boost American Pride? We already consider ourselves superior to every other country on the planet.

Let the poor people die and cut taxes for the rich AND spend money on going to Mars, all while spending more than $250B so far on a senseless war?

What math classes did YOU take?

what would you say of some poor folks whose credit cards were maxed out, who went on welfare because they couldn't afford their debt, and went ahead and accepted MORE credit cards just to be able to live?

What would you say of people like that? would you call them irresponsible?

Deleted - insulted writer

You people have no shame.

Biscuit, you are right, I am NOT ashamed to be an American!

What would you say of people like that? would you call them irresponsible?

Yeah, I would call that irresponsible.

NDinformer,

So genious are you telling me we are NOT a government "of, by and for" the people?

My only complaint is this program is about
32 to 34 years late. While I'm overjoyed
to see the program restarted I feel that the
Space Program should have never stopped...
(N.E.O. programs don't count...) Unmanned probes
are good but are no replacement for Humans.

Are you a supporter of government of the people, by the people and for the people.....you know democracy as described by Abe Lincoln?

Sure, but when was this last practiced? I can't remember, and I have a half-century of experience.

Do you think corporations are NOT significantly interfering with .."government of the people, by the people and for the people"?

No, I don't--I think our own government is doing the interfering. They need to butt out and let the people decide.

You are knowingly or more likely through sheer ignorance and willful neglect a supporter of corporatism, fascism and fixed markets.

You are knowingly, or more likely through sheer hatred and envy, a supporter of socialism, communism, and Marxism.

You are actually anti-American and you don't even understand this fact.

What can I say to this, morongeo? I'm just a stupid Republican who fell some 30 semester hours short of my college degree. I feel soooo stupid with all you 4.0's around, and me and my little ol' 3.82...

Do you think corporations are NOT significantly interfering with .."government of the people, by the people and for the people"?

No, I don't--I think our own government is doing the interfering. They need to butt out and let the people decide.

keefer

You don't see anything non-sensical about your reply? This cuts to the heart of the matter. Who's electing this government you hate so much? It's not the people.....so if you sit and be honest for just one second you might see we both "hate" the same government. You'd also see that we DON'T both hate our country. Why do we both hate the same government but also "hate " each others opinion of what's wrong with it or how to fix it?......this has the potential to be a very good dialog keefer. Let's see what you got in reply. Or if you want to name call some more we can do that...but I'd prefer an honest discussion.

I'd say the government YOU hate and the corporations I hate are in cahoots to the detriment of all of us and at the expense of our governemnt of, for and by the people.

::on topic::

Why was the Space Program canned in the first
place? After the huge cost of lives and
resources spent to get people on the Moon only
to have stop?

What worries me is our efforts might be too little
too late. Space belongs not to the people of
Earth but to the People from Earth that have the
resolve to explore and develop it. It doesn’t matter
what flag if flown… I would feel a whole lot better
if that Flag was the American Flag.

::off topic::

Is it a government of the people, by the people
and for the people or a Representative Republic?
Easy answer really… Yes. Local gov is a
Democracy by the people and the Federal Government
is a Representative Republic. Pure Democracy is a
wonderful thing on the local level. ( Small Towns
and Cities)

I would love to see AMENDMENT XVII repealed and
have the Senators chosen by the State Governments and return to having the People represented by the House and the States represented by the Senate.

"To go where no man has ever gone before."

It would appear as though we face the dawn of the second age of exploration. Although exploration comes naturally to us humans, it's even more critical now than it was in the past. As the population grows, we're going to need to find a place to put all those people. I recently read about a technology being investigated by our government. Now, I'm not sure about whether or not this is real, but I hope it is. If the science works, a trip to Mars would take about half an hour to complete, and journeying to the nearest stars would take months rather than centuries. Basically, by using large magnetic fields, we can bend spacetime to reduce the distance between two points, much like folding a sheet of paper. Chemical rockets are the equivalent of wooden rafts, and we've yet to manage a canoe. The technology mentioned above looks like a step in the right direction.