oldenough

Just picked this up...thought it may be fun for the summer...

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My motivation is purely selfish though Dave.

No Mark, I live a relatively safe life, I think at my age it would be a pretty good gamble, and an unparalleled adventure. We all have to depart this world at some time, this seems preferable to many other ways I can think of....

I think that it will take close to that "100 years" for this project to really get going. I can see the first stages maybe happening in the foreseeable future, but nothing close to any large scale operation. It would also only take one catastrophe to completely dis-rail the project...However I would still be willing to be a participant tomorrow.

My wife has just flown from Vancouver Bc to Las Vegas for the week with a friend...She left me basking in the sunshine and temperatures of 15C...60F. All I need now is a slot machine...

It's when you really start thinking about living that life that things start to get interesting, I have actually been imagining being a part of the mission, starting a new society, what would I want/hope for as a participant....REALLY interesting!! I was hoping my earlier comment about sovereignty may have prompted a discussion. Of this I am sure, only those participating should have any say in their new constitution.

I'm trying to think of a way to put this forward, but my mind is drawing a blank...So let me try this. Right from the very beginning of any endeavour to set-up a colony outside of Earth, ground rules would have to be laid, as in Star Treks "Prime Directive". Is there anything that you can think of that would be imperative to the success of any long term mission, especially one of colonization. I'm thinking of things that would help us not repeat many of the mistakes we are currently living with...Hope you catch my drift. I'm trying to think outside the box here.

Dave, when you look out at our universe what do you see, do you think what you see deserves the same care as your few acres? If the answer is yes, then why do you think the idea of exporting our pox to another world is a good idea ? There is a problem developing on this planet, of that I think most people will agree, the reasons and causes can be argued about. If you believe, as do I, that anything we can dream about can be brought to fruition then wouldn't the ideal answer be to fix it at the source? I have no problem with space exploration, heck I have no problem with colonization of other worlds, but I would have a problem with committing valuable resources to doing it without first solving our own planets problems...Don't tell me it can't be done, this would be against your own argument or so it seems to me. Is this about saving our own species, or saving our planet...though on reflection I guess they go hand in hand? I'm just guessing that your first concern is for human-kind and giving them the opportunity to start over and hoping the same cycle won't repeat itself, if so, you optimism is laudable.

Dave, did you make an application to join the project?

Dave, I for one do not wonder why you have "so little belief in the greatness of our science"....I wonder why you have so much belief in that which is NOT science.

What car is it Mark....Yours?

Just finished an overhaul of this old Kodak, I hope it's unfortunate looks aren't an omen as to it's potential picture quality....

Science conforms to a set of strict parameters for a very good reason....if it strays from them the results become suspect...and ultimately cannot be regarded as science. Faith is in the enviable position of being able to change the rules as it goes along, invariably these change in the rules stem from something science has shown to be fact. You will never see the reverse occur. Poor old Gallileo......

Science... knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws especially as obtained and tested through scientific method Fiction...Something that is NOT true. Not wanting to speak for Mark but he may not have been using the phrase that describes the genre of "science fiction", there is always another way of looking at it.

Right. All people in science fight that constantly. And what needs to be recognized is that this form of science ignorance is being taught intentionally both formally, and informally. At the end of the day, the loser is the USA, which is being surpassed in science by two dozen countries, and will soon be a backwater of global science. Right. All people in science fight that constantly. And what needs to be recognized is that this form of science ignorance is being taught intentionally both formally, and informally. At the end of the day, the loser is the USA, which is being surpassed in science by two dozen countries, and will soon be a backwater of global science. \wasn't this the downfall of another once mighty civilization...one that we are currently in conflict with?

Yes Mark, I was having a "discussion" with my neighbor, a point he tried to make went something like "Evolution is still only a theory, when it becomes a "scientific law" I'll maybe start to believe". He failed to understand what I found so humorous...

I have no interest in science fiction. And I have even less interest in pseudo science like intelligent design or creationism. That leaves real science. And as for discussions of real science on forums, there are not enough people trained in real science to have a legitimate science discussion.For proof, look at the constant misuse of the word "theory." Or, look at how often people say, "science can't prove god doesn't exist." It's just embarrassing how poor the public understanding of science has become. It's deplorable. Finding adults that can describe the basics of the Scientific Method is like finding unicorns. That's what I like to refer to as 7th grade science. You simply can not have a science discussion with people for whom the Scientific Method is an arguable concept. The USA has the worst science education record in the advanced world. Amen to that....

You're a Canadian... Correction....I live in Canada...... currently.

They are perfectly compatible, it's only our lack of understanding of each that is frustrating. That is laughable....

Mallette, you said.... "It's obvious many here have little interest and don't keep up with space news".... I would be interested in knowing why you think this to be so? I have my own theory if you are talking of the lack of interest on this forum and this thread in particular, or are you talking about in general? Maybe your sparring partner (mdeneen) has some thoughts on same. I for my part have a great interest in the subject.

I would love to be a part of that adventure....The whole idea brings up some interesting questions, like...do the colonists claim sovereignty of the "new world"? In their own right or that of the "motherland" ? Would off-spring be Martians?...

Never mind.

Mark..Are you basically saying we're screwed?...

I wasn't putting forward a solution, I was pointing out that neither were you, you were simply elaborating on your own dreams for this world, while at the same time ignoring the very thing that could put an end to those same dreams. I don't expect you to agree with anything I say, but would hope that you, and others like you, who have ideas for going forward in this world tackle the problems at hand rather than dreaming about the next great thing to move us all around safely and rapidly. Global Warming. Is the hype over?