NASA and global warming:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Darwood @ Jun 12 2007, 12:23 PM) [snapback]460187[/snapback]</div>

You haven't heard about the conspiracy among all the world's scientists? They have secretly bought up all of the horses and buggies in the world. Once they succeed, under the leadership of the chief mad scientist Joe Blow, in making cars illegal, they will become billionaires from horse-and-buggy sales!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(larkinmj @ Jun 12 2007, 10:15 AM) [snapback]460077[/snapback]</div>

I think certain things private industry can do better. I also happen to agree with outsourcing of private VIP security, mess halls, ship maintenance, etc. Blackwater is not out hunting terrorists, or conducting raids, or providing combat support to soldiers. VIP security is a very specific task. Average soldier Joe probably isn't capable of doing it. Soldiers need to be hunting bad guys, not directing Iraqi traffic, guarding a gate, or hauling trash/ammo/water around. Certain work can be done cheaper by private contractors, as when the mission is over, you stop paying them.

The only thing I want NASA to do is to regulate. The FAA doesn't fly cargo and people around for both government and private enterprise. It merely regulates the aviation industry.

NASA has no business possessing a monopoly over all space operations, just government ones that are military based or for government work and operations, if anything. They should have to compete with everyone else for private enterprise. As of lately, they have been shown to be lacking. NASA is so inefficient and wasteful so as to be legendary. They actively block private investment into space vehicle technology. It is a wonder that Burt Rutan was even able to be allowed to do what he did. The Bush Mars Program is laughable in its time frame and projected budget. The Apollo project was merely a race against the Soviets, not for any tangible beneficial purpose. Even that momentum was wasted.

Certain things the government can do better. Not a lot of things, but certain things. Enforcing legislation is one of them. Representing your constituents is another, although a case could be made that some companies better represent their shareholders than do some members of Congress and the people who voted for them.

Food, for example, isn't one of them. Any government ran eating establishment I have been to sucks. MRE's suck. Government food just plain sucks. Except the President's cook. He is probably good. I don't think I should pay for that luxury though.

Space construction is certainly not one of them. Mars exploration and a permanent outpost off Earth will not be a reality as long as the government has the reigns. The Space Shuttle is a perfect example of how mismanaged NASA is. You have a large spacecraft, that is designed to carry payload, but carries far less that anything else, is not reliable, and is not even cheaper than the alternatives. It is the Bradley Fighting Vehicle of spacecraft. If NASA should keep existing, it needs to justify its existence. They don't even inspire people anymore, which is what they should be doing: breaking barriers. They don't do that anymore. They have become the equivalent of the USPS. I'd rather ship something by DHL, FEDEX, or UPS. At least I have more confidence in them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dragonfly @ Jun 12 2007, 10:58 AM) [snapback]460123[/snapback]</div>

When a meteor hits - the amount of Co2 in the air won't mean s**t.

 

[attachmentid=8808][attachmentid=8806]<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dragonfly @ Jun 11 2007, 10:29 PM) [snapback]459929[/snapback]</div>

No. The point I'm trying to make is that natural forces will wipe out human populations who may (or may not) be contributing to global warming (if it exists). Sooner or later hurricanes will disable or destroy refinery capacity along the Gulf of Mexico. Rising sea levels will flood the shores. If desalinization causes winters to become colder and longer or summers to become hotter and drier then more people will die of starvation or exposure.

We believed we can manage forest fires. Natural forces have certainly started correcting that. Fires are now bigger and last longer because old timber (which naturally shouldn't be there) burns better.

We tear out the trees and pave over the ground then wonder why there are so many mudslides in California.
We live on the shores then wonder why we're flooded out. We live next to volcanoes and wonder why we are incinerated or buried in ash when it erupts. We may have become more educated over the millenia but we certainly haven't become any smarter.

In a lighter vein, here's a photo of what people will be driving when gas becomes "too expensive".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bigmahma @ Jun , 03:30 PM)</div>

A meteor strike is something we can prevent or mitigate a lot easier than sending people to another planet.