This is one of the few areas I am completely ok with government spending money. I am a full blown anarchist and think the governments should be disbanded, but as long as we have one, funding NASA is one thing I will never have a problem with.

I am flying for a business trip next week. If I could just have a mars rover cup my ***** I would instead of what ever guy is going to do it.

 

Have I already mentioned what a stupid fucking thread this is?

 

No. How ------- stupid is it?

 

I don't have to.



If you don't think that scientific advancement is worth spending money on, you're probably not intelligent enough to understand the benefits that scientific advancement brings.

 

I would rather watch an entire season of TLC's "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" back to back than read this atrocious, insulting train wreck of a thread again.

 

If that's what you think is being debated, then you're probably not intelligent to participate in the discussion anyway.


EDIT: I'm leaving comment up, because I don't like ninja edits, but I regret posting it. It's over the line and I was just being a smartass.

But seriously, is that really what you think is being debated? Is that the full complexity of your argument? Science is good, therefore spending on it is justified. No consideration of what it costs? The short-term benefits? The long-term benefits? The opportunity cost of not using that money elsewhere? The debate between private and public funding? ANYTHING at all?

Healthcare is good, therefore spending on it is justified.
Education is good, therefore spending on it is justified.
Roads are good, therefore spending on it is justified.
Food is good, therefore spending on it is justified.
Etc.

There's no nuance there at all. It's not saying anything useful. They are empty statements. And shouting down anyone who questions whether NASA is worth the cost or not (or whether it's the best approach to scientific research) isn't an argument, it's just groupthink.

 

You want complexity? Bold is mine.

We spend $8.3 billion dollars a year on ------- prisons, and $4.5 billion dollars a year on congressional salary, expenses, and maintenance of legislative buildings - and you're seriously going to bitch and moan about $2.5 billion ONE TIME to go to ------- Mars?

Opportunity cost indeed.



e: budget source: http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/...71_801#usgs302

 

No, I'm going to "bitch and moan" when people claim that NASA should be funded without question or debate, and try to shout down anyone that dares challenge their opinion.

 

I've yet to see any reasonable debate. All I see is one guy complaining because he personally has not seen the tangible, immediate, short-term benefits from every NASA mission ever executed. Forgive me for thinking that's not an argument worth rebutting.

e: I'm not referring to you, mgeoffriau.

 

Its in our nature to be explorers. Beyond this discussion 90% of the population would choose to fund NASA or any kind of exploration. I'm always 100% in for any project that gains us knowledge. If you guys think we are the only ones in this universe your idiots.

How Big Is Earth Compared to the Universe?

 

Gargantuan image that is on-topic to the original post:

Click for full size infographic

 

AH HA!!!

Rover is the precursor to post-modern nuclear powered transportation!!!!

 

WTF do people think they did? Ship 2.5 billion in ones to Mars and wait for strippers to find a way to get there? Did all the cash simply evaporate when it went to NASA never to be seen or exchanged again? Did JPL get all parts an labor for free while lighting stogies with Franklins? ****. That cash went to high-end industries that employ valuble people who go forth and actually ******* get **** done for a living. No wonder people are bitter. That kind of **** is considered evil now. How insensitive to turn a decent paycheck while using your brain and science to attain a goal.

 

I think the waste was in not sending congress to Mars

 

Decided to revive this thread for one reason...

wtfnasa?

Here's wtf NASA has done for you.

 

And NONE of that could have been done by ANYONE else, except NASA. Only NASA can do R&D work, no one else.


Oh, and LOL at lightweight wheel chairs. Crippled autox anyone?

 

That's not the point. They DID do it. If you are proposing privatizing space exploration, I'm all for that. But as usual, I have no idea what you are really proposing or talking about.

I'm highly irritated by people at work who had no idea what Curiosity was, and that we had an SUV sized rover on Mars. People should be ******* blown away by the fact that we as humans have such objects on other planets, exploring and conducting science experiments all automatically. Instead people would rather watch their favorite retarded reality show and live in their own little pointless box of a universe that they have made themselves. I guess that is their right to do so, but goddamn it irritates me that people have no interest in such things.

 

 

Is anyone else incredibly offended by this remark?

 

No more so than the constant pedophilia jokes on this forum.