Author: Jeremiah Penery
Date: 06:08:11 06/05/99
Go up one level in this thread
On June 04, 1999 at 23:58:15, Prakash Das wrote: >On June 04, 1999 at 20:04:49, KarinsDad wrote: > >>On June 04, 1999 at 19:28:40, Robert Hyatt wrote: >> >>>On June 04, 1999 at 15:52:45, James B. Shearer wrote: >>> >>>>On June 03, 1999 at 23:07:27, KarinsDad wrote: >>>> >>>>>1) The satellite technology that allows us our Internet connectivity that we use >>>>>right here at CCC would be in more of an infancy if not for the space race. >>>> >>>> The internet is connected with fiber optic cables. >>> >>>Please go show me the fiber running from here to England, and from here to >>>Australia, and from .... >> >>Actually, there is underwater fiber connected between the US and England (e.g. >>Atlantic Crossing Submarine Cable System). The one between the US and Australia >>(e.g. Southern Cross Cable) is not scheduled to be complete until the end of the >>year. However, there are several intercontinental cables at this point and a >>whole bunch either on the drawing board or in the works right now. >> >>There just isn't nowhere near enough of it to handle the load, so submarines >>keep dropping down more. In the meantime, satellites handle the bulk and of >>course, satellite companies had the market in the first place, so they are >>resisting the laying of fiber. >> >>KarinsDad :) >> >>PS. This is the last I will say on this off topic post except via Email. >> >>> >>>The internet is _not_ "just fiber". Not by a long shot... >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> >>>>>Your ability to play Fritz or Hiarcs at home is DIRECTLY related. >>>> >>>> I don't believe this for a minute. >>>> James B. Shearer > > > I keep getting drawn into this even though I am deciding not to waste any more >of my energy on this. No one is denying that a space program has benefits. There >is a difference however when it comes to these manned space flights. Theser are >a HUGE waste of money. > > James said teh supercollider would have cost $5 billion. That sounds enormous, >but isn't really. Not only the payoff to basic research for decades ahead would >be substantial, but consider this. The U.S. government doesn't think much about >shooting of hundreds of cruise missiles each of which costs something like >$1.1 million ! Multiply this by 500 and add all the money that is used to keep >the arms machinery running. This is such a waste of resources, and american >people don't bother about this. War is not worth anything. Peace is worth >everything.. we don't need war to creat peace.. look at my countryman Gandhi. >There are many examples.. AFAIK, cruise missiles cost a lot more than that. The US government spends $2 BILLION on one aircraft (B-2 bomber). The Defense budget (in 1994, I think) was in the neighborhood of $500 Billion (The next highest country was Russia, with about $80 billion.). I think it's been increased by now. The money spent to send a man to the moon is negligible compared to this. Also, some of the things we take for granted every day are direct results of the space program: Tang (and all manner of freeze-dried foods/drinks), velcro, most of the communication technology we use today (satellites, as well as much of the fiber-optics technology), a lot of the computer technology, plastics...The list could go on and on. Sure the supercollider would've been great, and I surely think they should've built it, but it has less *tangible* benifits than the space program. > Also, you don't need a man on moon to encourage children to pursue science. I agree. However, seeing a man blast into space certainly makes children excited. Just about everyone I know has at one time or another wanted to be an astronaut. > In asian countries (india in my case originally) , this is done already > without spending gazzilions shooting off men into space and making up > these "heroes"! So what do they do? And does it really get children *excited* about science? >Sorry to say, but let's get real. > Anyway, this is veering off CCC, and wasting my energy too repeating , so this >is the end from my side. Cheers.
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