NASA and Patti LaBelle

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 12:45 pm

Does anyone else in here think the mars trips are a stupid waste of money? I could care less if there was water or life on mars.

And what is up with NASA giving money for Patti LaBelle to sing? NASA uses the latest technology and computers to explore space yet when it comes to music they don't seem to like computers very much. Down With NASA! I can explore space in my own studio!

From NASA.gov:

"Patti Labelle sang "Way Up There", a song commissioned by the NASA Art Program"

ElectronicaDub · Post by **ElectronicaDub** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:57 pm

The NASA probe cost less than a cheesy Hollywood blockbuster. I would rather go to Mars than to a cinema to see Tom Cruise trying to act. But seriously, exploring space is worth the money. Travel broadens the mind. The Voyager probes sent us great pictures and info about the outer planets. Science needs to progress and with it our knowledge. More knowledge about the universe we live in is a good thing. I suggest someone should make a Mars device for Pulsar that somehow conveys the strange beauty of the planet.

Just my 1 Euro.

Joxer the Mighty · Post by **Joxer the Mighty** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 4:41 pm

I'm all for space exploration. I think it's important for mankind to keep searching for new knowledge and for what's 'out there'. It would be our end if we stopped being a curious species. On a more practical level, a lot of the technology developed for space exploration eventually makes its way down to the consumer level and then everyone benefits from it.

Spiritually, the implications of finding even a single celled organism on Mars are profound. Mankind is very egocentric. I for one would love to have all those who think the universe revolves around them realize that hey...there are others out there! Not to mention the fact that the find would turn many religious beliefs upsidedown.

As far as Patti Labelle, yep, big waste of money. They should have commissioned a Planet Z resident instead.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:55 pm

at least they named one of the vehicles after a well known planetZ member - and he even admitted to be interested in space exploration

One of my favourite book is 'The exploration of Mars' written 1957 by W. Ley and W.v.Braun

They really did believe in life on Mars, they explained it scientifically why certain phenomena undoubtably were related to lifeforms

There's almost a DIY-like Mars expedition example - there are orbiters, space shuttles, all that stuff, almost 50 years ago today

cheers, Tom

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:22 pm

On 2004-01-07 12:45, braincell wrote:
Does anyone else in here think the mars trips are a stupid waste of money?

I think it is, but rich people have strange ways

petal · Post by **petal** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:24 pm

I find the whole "trip" on Mars fascinating, and I too hope that a discovey of distant life up there, will make a difference in how we understand our selves as human beings down here.

Man - it sure is fascinating.......

.

I'm so there...........

Thomas

[ This Message was edited by: petal on 2004-01-07 18:29 ]

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:38 pm

On 2004-01-07 12:45, braincell wrote:
Does anyone else in here think the mars trips are a stupid waste of money?

not in a country where you can win 160 million in Lotto...

cheers, Tom

btw: imho that 'searching for life as we know it' is totally absurd as a scientific task.
Such a restricted point of view is already a commitment to failure, whatever they may find. Maybe they even overlook something interesting while focussed on carbonhydrates.

[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2004-01-07 18:41 ]

petal · Post by **petal** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:45 pm

Well, they have to start somewhere - At least with this aproach they know what they are looking for, and they will propably find other interesting things in the process.

Think of it as when you decide to start a new track by fiddleling around with Minimax - just for the fun of it

Joxer the Mighty · Post by **Joxer the Mighty** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 6:58 pm

Is there no Lotto in Germany? You guys should try it. It's a great way for our government to get even more money out of the taxpayers. Yes, I am being very sarcastic.

[ This Message was edited by: Joxer the Mighty on 2004-01-07 19:05 ]

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 7:20 pm

looks like they landed in Australia...

Post by **hubird** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 7:33 pm

Post by **hubird** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 7:39 pm

petal · Post by **petal** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 7:40 pm

I always wanted to go to Australia.

Thomas

siberiansun · Post by **siberiansun** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 8:44 pm

On 2004-01-07 19:20, wayne wrote:
looks like they landed in Australia...

well you never know considering the whole "did armstrong really walk on the moon" discussion...

so watch it wayne, you don't wanna get a surprise visit from CIA, or whatever federal instance, going:
"now who's your source? where did you get such classified information?"

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:34 pm

On 2004-01-07 18:58, Joxer the Mighty wrote:
Is there no Lotto in Germany? You guys should try it. It's a great way for our government to get even more money out of the taxpayers. Yes, I am being very sarcastic.

you got it, Joxer - invent a new game or let them 'vote' by phone

of course we do have Lotto here, but you can 'only' win around 15 million, obviously not enough, as our contribution to the journey seems to have landed on it's back or took a little time off

cheers, Tom

Post by **garyb** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:54 am

On 2004-01-07 12:45, braincell wrote:
Does anyone else in here think the mars trips are a stupid waste of money? I could care less if there was water or life on mars.
And what is up with NASA giving money for Patti LaBelle to sing? Down With NASA!

you just got a new house.it's hard to break an old habit but now that you're not so close to people all the time you can stop hating.

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 9:00 pm

Let me put it this way. If you had the 80 million to send a toy to mars would you spend your money on that? I think not! Be honest answering this question.

If a bunch of rich guys want to form a rocket club and go to mars let them do it. I would love that but not with tax payers money. In the USA there is no healthcare and education is not so good. College is a ridiculous price. You might argue that space exploration is a small part of the budget. I grant you that but there seems to be an emphasis on it that does not exist with other more important matters.

The space telescopes give us more information and beautiful pictures than the missions to the moon or mars. Space is interesting and the earth is interesting. Mars is just a bunch of rocks. This is the honest to god truth.

psychoPat · Post by **psychoPat** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 3:16 am

On 2004-01-07 19:39, hubird wrote:

Counterparts · Post by **Counterparts** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 6:21 am

ElectronicaDub wrote:

I would rather go to Mars than to a cinema to see Tom Cruise trying to act.

What about Keanu Reeves in Bram Stoker's Dracula?

(Or any of the Matrix films...)

"Gor blimey, Oi've gort en h'Inglish hackscent"

That's more than enough to make me want to go to Mars...

Rosyton

p.s. shame about the Beagle lander, really. Designed to search for Strong Cider on the Red Planet (probably landed, got well drunk and hasn't got a clue what it's doing there now).

Post by **Neil B** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 6:37 am

Can't see the point in Patti Labelle being paid to sing for NASA and the Mars trip - they could've downloaded mine & Chris's track for nothing