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Marc Clifton wrote: Besides proving we can still do it and employing a whole industry, going to the moon (again) seems like a complete waste of taxpayer money
I disagree. I believe that "going to the moon again", with the objective of establishing a permanent human presence both in Earth orbit and on the lunar surface, represents three things.
One, it would create a technological Renaissance like the Apollo program did. The dividends paid by the space program from the late 50's through the early 70's are almost incalculable. The inertia from that period is gone, however. It's been replaced by baroque excess (cell phones, for example).
Two, we have multiple planet-wide crises that are presently sub-critical. Population growth, widespread warfare over ideologies and resources, and ever-increasing ineptitude by the predominant nations all threaten humanity's survival. While another 'Apollo' program wouldn't help those concerns directly, mammoth R&D efforts like that always produce unforeseen secondary benefits. Those benefits might alleviate or help manage some of these issues, at least in the short term.
The most important aspect of such a program is it would in a generation or two create a human population with a unique perspective. Their loyalties would not necessarily be innately tied to a single nation-state, religion, or other such entity. Living in orbit, looking at Earth, they would see it as Armstrong and his 20 brethren have: our home. I think that perspective is a necessary prerequisite for humanity's survival on this planet.
Software Zen: delete this;
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Keith Barrett wrote: without actually landing
On the contrary, I believe that a landing is necessary. Give the idiots one way tickets and land them on the moon themselves proving once and for all that it actually happened.
You can lead a developer to CodeProject, but you can't make them think.
The Theory of Gravity was invented for the sole purpose of distracting you from investigating the scientific fact that the Earth sucks.
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Wes Aday wrote: and land them on the moon themselves
(half of them without suits, so the other half has something to talk about when they get back... Or maybe all of them without suits.)
disclaimer: If you are a conspiracy nut, of course I don't mean you! I would never advocate killing people! But you could strap yourself to the outside of the capsule during takeoff, just to catch the full experience (again, no suit - who would want to sully such an exciting adventure with protective gear?).
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David O'Neil wrote: all of them without suits
Why waste the money on suits?
You can lead a developer to CodeProject, but you can't make them think.
The Theory of Gravity was invented for the sole purpose of distracting you from investigating the scientific fact that the Earth sucks.
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We could send them there, the ultimate proof that it can be done.
And a 1 way trip would be cheaper 
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Man it's hard to believe it's been almost 50 years. Wow where did the time go?
New version: WinHeist Version 2.1.0 Beta
Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?
Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.
I'm not crazy, my reality is just different than yours!
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Well 46 years since Apollo 8, to be precise. But that probably means that most people on Code Project were not born then!
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You're probably right all they know of the space program is the ISS. What a shame it was a wonderful time, full of hope and ambition...what happened to us? 
New version: WinHeist Version 2.1.0 Beta
Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?
Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.
I'm not crazy, my reality is just different than yours!
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Bastards like William Proxmire cut off our nation's balls. We ought to resurrect that f***er just so we can execute him for treason, not just to his country, but to the entire human race.
Software Zen: delete this;
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I think selling your country out is becoming fashionable, it's happening everywhere.
New version: WinHeist Version 2.1.0 Beta
Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?
Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.
I'm not crazy, my reality is just different than yours!
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It's called age Mike (at least that's the excuse for a few of us!) 
Life is like a s**t sandwich; the more bread you have, the less s**t you eat.
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PhilLenoir wrote: It's called age Mike (at least that's the excuse for a few of us!)
Yes it is for me also, I was on my second tour in Viet Name when the man landed on the moon.
New version: WinHeist Version 2.1.0 Beta
Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?
Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.
I'm not crazy, my reality is just different than yours!
Not my circus not my monkey's!
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Of course, I was including you in the "us", and you and I are clearly not the only old farts on here!
Life is like a s**t sandwich; the more bread you have, the less s**t you eat.
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Yep there's a few for sure!
New version: WinHeist Version 2.1.0 Beta
Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?
Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.
I'm not crazy, my reality is just different than yours!
Not my circus not my monkey's!
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See http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/18/nvidia-proves-moon-landing/
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The very fact that this is a computer simulation will just play into the hands of the sceptics. Someone needs to do it for real. And someone unconnected with the government of the USA.
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What they should do is just point the Hubble at the moon and take a picture of a rover or something just sitting on the moon. At least it will make a different picture for the APOD.
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I always thought it was because the Hubble is design to look at the edges of the universe and not something as close as your navel. Longsighted. I could be wrong, it won't be the first time!
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i went to a party on the Moon last evening. It was crap...
.. there just wasn't any atmosphere.
I'll get my spacesuit
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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Keith Barrett wrote: Yesterday on the radio I heard Phil Collins arguing with Prof Brian Cox
That's an easy argument to judge.
Just completely disregard anything said by the idiot pop singer, and give some credence to the man who knows what he's talking about.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Mark_Wallace wrote: Just completely disregard anything said by the idiot pop singer,
Which one? 
... had some fame in the 1990s as the keyboard player for the pop band D:Ream.
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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So it's down to a choice between keyboard or drums?
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What do you call a madman that hangs around with musicians ... a drummer! :P
Life is like a s**t sandwich; the more bread you have, the less s**t you eat.
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