Comments on: ABC: Was The Trip To Moon Worth It?

By: Reality Bytes

Reality Bytes — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:24:05 +0000

RB was 12. I had a Tasco scope that I took photos of the moon, sun & eclipses. Huge Space travel fan (without the trekie crap – though Kirk did get fine alien tail every week). And Guess where my parents put me during that week 40 years ago. IN A FREAKIN’ BOY SCOUT CAMP WITHOUT ANY TV THAT WOULD HAVE MAD AUSCHWITZ LOOK LIKE THE 4 FREAKIN’ SEASONS!! I MISSED THE WHOLE THING!!!

OK – I’m better. RB Tini time. Gotta go.

By: pdsand

pdsand — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:55:19 +0000

The sad difference is that the 40 or so percent who opposed spending the money on NASA back in the 60s were probably conservatives opposed simply on the grounds of government spending. The people who oppose it today are liberals who say the money would be better spent providing crack to the disadvantaged.

By: U NO HOO

U NO HOO — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:04:03 +0000

FYI, Mythbusters proved we went to the moon…yyyaaawwwnnn…

Oh yeah, did Edmund Hillary really go to the top of Mt. Everest?

By: Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:01:21 +0000

Newly released photos of the Moon landings: http://stuffucanuse.com/fake_m.....ndings.htm

By: Colonel1961

Colonel1961 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:53:40 +0000

Yeah – Tang!

By: proreason

proreason — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:41:25 +0000

or about 10 billion inflation-adjusted dollars a year.

Which is about $30 per citizen per year.

Less than a video game.

It was worth it just for Tang.

By: Colonel1961

Colonel1961 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:10:29 +0000

Oh, and to the miscreant whining that we spend ‘trillions of dollars’ on space, the actual cumulative figure (escalated to FY09) is about $500 billion…

By: Colonel1961

Colonel1961 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:39:09 +0000

I dare anyone to make it through a day without using technology directly or indirectly spun-off from space exploration…

I may not agree with the Constellation program (a re-do of Apollo, in my humble opinion) but there are a few benefits: exceptionally efficient solar arrays, just to name one. And I ain’t no tree-hugger.

Lastly, NASA is about 1% of our Federal Budget – what other program (other than DoD) provides such much bang for so little cost?

By: U NO HOO

U NO HOO — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:15:46 +0000

Yyyaaawwwnnn…

By: tranquil.night

tranquil.night — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:45:19 +0000

We all know the MSM likes to recycle stories to keep the nation perpetually malcontent, but 40 years is just laughable.

This whole premise is laughable. The arguments, the conclusion.. the parallels they’re trying to draw.. the complete lack of regard for the totally obvious and factual..

ABC: America’s Bitching Children

Oh God.. please tell me the mothership is inbound to take all these nuts away.

*head asplodes*

By: VMAN

VMAN — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:15:31 +0000

The undisputed fact is that our astronauts found a colony of moon maids and after several trips to the moon negotiations broke down and the moon maids threatened us with complete and utter destruction if we came back. That being said exploration is a task for free independent men and women not a bunch of liberal moon bats reliant on government for their very existence.

By: catie

catie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:04:44 +0000

I was 5 when this happened I remember my parents letting me stay up. Of course you couldn’t convince my late Aunt Lou that we went to the moon. Her and my late Uncle Eddie were determined that it was either a Hollywood soundstage or the desert in NV. Of course this is the same man who told my family at my christening that Wyatt Earp was the only US Marshall to die in bed and wouldn’t agree with anyone that perhaps he may have been the first to die in bed.
I agree with all your key points, Pro. I think those days are gone though.

By: proreason

proreason — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:16:29 +0000

There were very good reasons to set a goal to put a man on the moon.

- It crystalized the importance of a technology that was languishing in the US, but which had the potential to become a major military threat, as demonstrated by the Russians.
- The goal was tangible and measurable.
- The primary benefits were clear.
- Many key elements of the technologies were already proven.
- It was a rallying point that few disagreed with.
- The “something for nothing” culture hadn’t yet emerged and the country was willing to invest in something besides drugs and sex.
- and it wasn’t all or nothing. The country wasn’t in peril if the effort failed

And there were tons of serendipidous inventions / technologies that resulted from the Space Program. There was probably a cost payback if everything could be accounted for.

Now, contrast that with every one of the Moron’s fantasies.

But of course, we know that the only goal of any of his fantasies is total power.

By: Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:43:55 +0000

For better or worse, the trip to the Moon was the first major technological step in man’s history since the invention of the automobile and airplane. As far as exploration is concerned, there were no colonies to found, no natural resources to secure, no natives to exploit. So economically, it was a one-way deal.

But it was necessary. If not for the expansion of a nation, then certainly for the expansion of mankind’s place in the universe. Though keenly aware of our need for correcting problems here on Earth, exploration and the seeking of knowledge cannot and must not be trumped in its place.

Though criticisms abound about the money spent, how monumental a feat it was to have human beings actually set foot on the Moon. Even the heartiest of believers had some doubt until Neil Armstrong said the immortal words, “…One giant leap for mankind.”

The far-reaching consequences of the technology used is also not ignored. Every time a kid plays a video game, uses a calculator or even watches TV, it’s because of the technology that grew from our reaching to the Moon. Though it probably would’ve come about anyway, it was fast-tracked because of our space program.

Truly, since WWII, getting to the Moon demonstrated what can happen in a free-market economy with a singular goal in mind. I would feel much more satisifed if this new trillions of dollars in current debt was in use for the purpose of getting to Mars than to make a level outcome for all citizens for we would stand a far better chance of actually seeing results in the Mars mission.

By: proreason

proreason — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:41:57 +0000

Imagine how much crack could have been bought with the money the Space Program has wasted.

This country is finally getting the priorities straight.