Opportunity, the second Mars Explorer Rover is on the surface andtransmitting!

Mark Fergerson wrote:
You place unreasonable limitations on the discussion; you are not
sufficiently cynical.

Just a suggestion: I think you mean skeptical rather than cynical.
Cynical means "contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives."
Skepticism is healthy, but I suggest that cynicism is not a really
virtue, although some people seem to think so. But I think that says
more about them than the rest of us...


--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools Software for the Observer:
http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html

Skyhound Observing Pages:
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html

To reply remove spleen

Mark Fergerson wrote:
You place unreasonable limitations on the discussion; you are not
sufficiently cynical.

Just a suggestion: I think you mean skeptical rather than cynical.
Cynical means "contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives."
Skepticism is healthy, but I suggest that cynicism is not a really
virtue, although some people seem to think so. But I think that says
more about them than the rest of us...


--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools Software for the Observer:
http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html

Skyhound Observing Pages:
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html

To reply remove spleen

Mark Fergerson wrote:
You place unreasonable limitations on the discussion; you are not
sufficiently cynical.

Just a suggestion: I think you mean skeptical rather than cynical.
Cynical means "contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives."
Skepticism is healthy, but I suggest that cynicism is not a really
virtue, although some people seem to think so. But I think that says
more about them than the rest of us...


--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools Software for the Observer:
http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html

Skyhound Observing Pages:
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html

To reply remove spleen

Ken Muldrew wrote:

knowledge. For my part, I will not debate it. Either you know it in
your bones or you are very, very old.

Bones are not organs of cognition. Brains are. If you can make a case,
then make it cleanly and logically.

Bob Kolker

Ken Muldrew wrote:

knowledge. For my part, I will not debate it. Either you know it in
your bones or you are very, very old.

Bones are not organs of cognition. Brains are. If you can make a case,
then make it cleanly and logically.

Bob Kolker

Ken Muldrew wrote:

knowledge. For my part, I will not debate it. Either you know it in
your bones or you are very, very old.

Bones are not organs of cognition. Brains are. If you can make a case,
then make it cleanly and logically.

Bob Kolker

Jeepers wrote:

I know it's fanciful, but what if...

Is there calcium carbonate on Mars? Caves. Caves? Biology. What then? A
robot can't go spelunking, no radio underground.

If you want to go spelunking on Mars, then pay your own way.



Fantasy? Probably. But let's rule out the "beliefs" and replace them
with actual knowledge.

Of use to whom and paid for by whom?




None of the above. Never worked for NASA. I have not worked for a
gummint contractor since 1968. I got a my fill of that nearly forty
years ago. I am not disgruntled. I am appalled at the dishonesty and the
incompetence. If a private company wants to do that with -its- money,
then fine by me, but -my- pocket it being picked and I object to that.


A private company will act no different in protecting it's interests and
bottom line.

Yes. But I don't have to do business with such a company. I must do
business with the government. They have the guns and the law courts.



I don't think it's o.k., but it happens every day, doesn't make it
right, but it happens across the board in every sector, private, govt.,
religion, non-profit.

Again, one can decide which private firm he will do business with.

You asked how the knowledge of bacteria's existance on another world
would help our general welfare. That's just it, WE DON"T KNOW, it could
be profound (especially to religion). It could have many other effects
as well. But I'd say it would be better to try than wonder "what if".

No other specie have done what we collectivly have done.

Good. I think knowledge is good, and if I want to know something I will
either go to a free source or I will pay for it. If you think it is good
then you pay for it with YOUR money, not MINE. Frankly I don't see what
knowledge of Mars has to do with our defense. So why am I taxed to pay
for it?

Bob Kolker

Jeepers wrote:

I know it's fanciful, but what if...

Is there calcium carbonate on Mars? Caves. Caves? Biology. What then? A
robot can't go spelunking, no radio underground.

If you want to go spelunking on Mars, then pay your own way.



Fantasy? Probably. But let's rule out the "beliefs" and replace them
with actual knowledge.

Of use to whom and paid for by whom?




None of the above. Never worked for NASA. I have not worked for a
gummint contractor since 1968. I got a my fill of that nearly forty
years ago. I am not disgruntled. I am appalled at the dishonesty and the
incompetence. If a private company wants to do that with -its- money,
then fine by me, but -my- pocket it being picked and I object to that.


A private company will act no different in protecting it's interests and
bottom line.

Yes. But I don't have to do business with such a company. I must do
business with the government. They have the guns and the law courts.



I don't think it's o.k., but it happens every day, doesn't make it
right, but it happens across the board in every sector, private, govt.,
religion, non-profit.

Again, one can decide which private firm he will do business with.

You asked how the knowledge of bacteria's existance on another world
would help our general welfare. That's just it, WE DON"T KNOW, it could
be profound (especially to religion). It could have many other effects
as well. But I'd say it would be better to try than wonder "what if".

No other specie have done what we collectivly have done.

Good. I think knowledge is good, and if I want to know something I will
either go to a free source or I will pay for it. If you think it is good
then you pay for it with YOUR money, not MINE. Frankly I don't see what
knowledge of Mars has to do with our defense. So why am I taxed to pay
for it?

Bob Kolker

Jeepers wrote:

I know it's fanciful, but what if...

Is there calcium carbonate on Mars? Caves. Caves? Biology. What then? A
robot can't go spelunking, no radio underground.

If you want to go spelunking on Mars, then pay your own way.



Fantasy? Probably. But let's rule out the "beliefs" and replace them
with actual knowledge.

Of use to whom and paid for by whom?




None of the above. Never worked for NASA. I have not worked for a
gummint contractor since 1968. I got a my fill of that nearly forty
years ago. I am not disgruntled. I am appalled at the dishonesty and the
incompetence. If a private company wants to do that with -its- money,
then fine by me, but -my- pocket it being picked and I object to that.


A private company will act no different in protecting it's interests and
bottom line.

Yes. But I don't have to do business with such a company. I must do
business with the government. They have the guns and the law courts.



I don't think it's o.k., but it happens every day, doesn't make it
right, but it happens across the board in every sector, private, govt.,
religion, non-profit.

Again, one can decide which private firm he will do business with.

You asked how the knowledge of bacteria's existance on another world
would help our general welfare. That's just it, WE DON"T KNOW, it could
be profound (especially to religion). It could have many other effects
as well. But I'd say it would be better to try than wonder "what if".

No other specie have done what we collectivly have done.

Good. I think knowledge is good, and if I want to know something I will
either go to a free source or I will pay for it. If you think it is good
then you pay for it with YOUR money, not MINE. Frankly I don't see what
knowledge of Mars has to do with our defense. So why am I taxed to pay
for it?

Bob Kolker

In article 7EDRb.128125$Rc4.988141@attbi_s54,
"Robert J. Kolker" wrote:

So why am I taxed to pay
for it?

Bob Kolker

Because not enough voters agree with you.


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