Odyessy Mars Mission

Youare · Mar 13, 2002

Oops! I think I know people who do similar computer related tasks as you. I admit it I'm the guy who crashes the system or loads the servers up with all kinds of huge files. I use Auto-CAD, everybody else here just does 2D work I like doing everything in 3D. Which means my files are around 400MB when every body else is making 25-30KB size files. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

I take my hat off to those people who can sit down and figure out how to make these computers do so many amazing things. How one keeps tract of all the events that go into making a program run, let alone do what you want when you want, is more than I can get my little brain wrapped around.

Four monitors!! I have enough trouble working with one. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

My bride of 28 years and I have three boys all in their 20's now, and they still want to live at home. Which is okay with me until they are done with their educations. When it's time for them to fly they will. I'm luck only one of them wants to use my tractor/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gifso I get most of the seat time.

Randy

Bob_Trevithick · Mar 13, 2002

...Oops! I think I know people who do similar computer related tasks as you. I admit it I'm the guy who crashes the system or loads the servers up with all kinds of huge files.

AHAH!!!! I knew it was you, Randy.. I was waiting for you to 'fess up!! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Would tomorrow morning at dawn be convenient for your execution? /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Yeah, right.. your "little brain".. a guy who worked on the Hubble. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Trust me, when your computer guys whine about how much work they have, tell them they have it easy and just don't realize it. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Egon · Mar 13, 2002

Youare:
What do we do when not on the tractor seat:
There is always " She who must be obeyed " deploying my valuable time.

Egon

Youare · Mar 13, 2002

Yup, I know one of those she's. I have heard several times do you want to go to into town with me or would you rather play with your tractor?

Sometimes I make the right choice. /w3tcompact/icons/love.gif

Randy

Wingnut · Mar 13, 2002

It's not that I don't find this interesting, Bob .... I just consider it incredibly expensive entertainment.
What's the new understanding of physics going to give us, in the near term, that'll keep Yates, bin Laden, and the other sickos out of the news? Maybe another new "people mover" like the wonderscooter ... you can just imagine how baited my breath is ...
my goodness, I'm getting far too dour in my old age ... must be because I'm in the midst of figuring out how to pry some of my tax dollars back from the Intergalactic Revenue Snatchers. Just makes me glow all over thinking about how the government wisely uses my "donations"

Wingnut · Mar 13, 2002

Oh, believe me, RanchMan, I'm not in favor of stopping the exploration completely ... not do I want to see money used instead for more social experimentation. I'm sure you've all figured out I may soon become a libertarian ... bwahaha.
No ... I just want to see a legitimate goal.
Yeah, we've gotten some benefits ... if you really need to have a portable cooler or freeze dried food ... but you're trying to tell me that if we'd spent the money on ... hmmm ... say ... solar power or some such thing ... we'd be net losers?
Last time I looked .... more neat submicro electronic gadgets made techno-junkies like me happy ... but didn't really cut down the use of fossil fuels ... guess what most electricity is created with.
What's the tab on Hubble so far? And let me see, we've gained -- what - knowledge that tyhe universe is 12.6 years older than we'd surmised. Great ... now I'll have something to discuss over coffee tomorrow.
As the old ladies used to say on the Wendy's commercials ... where's the beef .... give me an idea of what the knowledge you'll gain from pretty star maps will give us ... and show me how that will improve life as much as putting front wheel assist on a Kubota did ....
Actually, the best use i can think of for tax dollars is keep them out of the hands of Byrde and his pork barrel buddies ... and leave them in my hands ... I'll be glad to use them for, say, soalr heating for my pool .... something that benefits ME, ME, ME ...
Ok ... back to my regularly scheduled tax return ... you guys go on back to your star gazing ... wake me if you see an alien invasion force ...

RanchMan · Mar 14, 2002

So basically what I'm hearing from you is:

(1) Unless knowledge can directly benefit you personally, it has no value what-so-ever. (ergo archeologists, astronomers, deep-sea biologists, etc. are all a bunch of misguided flakes who are wasting their lives and your money.)

(2) Fossil fuel consumption is a major concern to you and nothing learned from space exploration applies to helping reduce consumption rates (e.g. materials, computer control, etc. are all bogus)

(3) You have foresight to see into the future and know which "exploration activities" would be "beneficial"

(4) You believe your taxes are way too high, and;

(5) all politicians are crooked.

Did I get it right?

Hmmm. The only thing I *think* I agree with you on is #4, but then I think everyone's taxes are too high....

By the way, you wanted some specific examples of what the Mars missions have given us. Some things generated include:

Viking - insulin pumps, cleft pallet surgical advances, pollution monitoring, mineral exploration techniques, blood storage, bone marrow storage (for leukemia treatment), MRI tumor ID software

Pathfinder/Sojourner/Global Surveyor - eBusiness collaborative software, specialized surgical instruments, biomedical imaging technology.

 Hubble - Breast biopsy technology, optimization software for semiconductor manufacturing

I won't even go in to the military advances due to "space exploration" programs.....

Of course, this is just a sampling, but somehow I figure that it won't impact your opinion what-so-ever. Maybe someday when you are in the hospital your perspective of what the "real value" of these activities with "illegitimate goals" will change....but then again, maybe not.

OH, and BTW, solar power DID come from the space program....

Steve_Carver · Mar 14, 2002

Good Info ....
Here's one I enjoy when going in the other direction...
You can see your ranch, farm, home from the heavens.

Pretty neat !!

http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/cmap.asp?ppd=1&r=4&c=3&W=0&ClickAt=?0,0

Bob_Trevithick · Mar 14, 2002

...Here's one I enjoy when going in the other direction...You can see your ranch, farm, home from the heavens.

Yeah, isn't that cool? My wife showed me our house the other day. It was kind of funny the other night, though. Art Bell, on his Coast to Coast AM program, mentioned something about the Terraserver site. His millions of listeners immediately went there, and, well.. next thing you know Teraserver has crashed from the onslaught and Art was saying "Sorry about that, Terraserver!" Of course, every site Art mentions immediately crashes. Let's hope he never has occassion to mention TBN! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bob_Trevithick · Mar 14, 2002

t's not that I don't find this interesting, Bob .... I just consider it incredibly expensive entertainment.
What's the new understanding of physics going to give us, in the near term, that'll keep Yates, bin Laden, and the other sickos out of the news? Maybe another new "people mover" like the wonderscooter ... you can just imagine how baited my breath is ...

LOL! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Yeah, I hear ya! But did you read the whole article? How does complete control of gravity sound? How about taking minutes instead of thousands of years to reduce the radioactivity of nuclear waste?

my goodness, I'm getting far too dour in my old age ... must be because I'm in the midst of figuring out how to pry some of my tax dollars back from the Intergalactic Revenue Snatchers. Just makes me glow all over thinking about how the government wisely uses my "donations" 

I'm getting dour with you... /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

My personal opinion.. and nothing but that.. is that we need to put some pressure on our elected representatives to force NASA to tell us the truth.. as it is now, they are clearly following the "Brookings" recommendations.. and depriving us of what they've found out of fear of what our reaction will be. And no, criticizing NASA is not anti-American in my book.. it's what real Americans need to do. Just my opinion.....

I think all of us are hoping that, with Bush's replacement of Dan Goldin with Sean O'Keefe as NASA Administrator, the data will be more honest from now on. No more "catbox" hoaxes, for example! It seems that major disclosures are happening now, and perhaps the people who are paying attention will pick up the ball and run with it. I would love to see Hoagland get a Nobel Prize, because he, more than anybody else I know of, has kept unrelenting pressure on NASA.. documenting their every devious trick, and not only doing real science, but educating everyone else about what real science is.