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Benford on Space Exploration
gid-goo writes "Gregory Benford looks at what we should do in the aftermath of the Columbia accident. Is the shuttle, or the International Space Station for that matter, useful? Or just payola to aerospace interests and a means for keeping Russian rocket scientists employed?" Benford's comments about the necessity of a closed biosphere and of some way for astronauts to stop muscle and bone loss are far more insightful than the usual discussions about where our space exploration priorities should lie.
We have a cure for malaria, it's called DDT (which they now know how to use safely and not cause problems for the birdies anymore) but the greenies would rather let people die. The Ugandans have a great program that has cheaply slashed AIDS infections in their country but because it relies heavily on faith groups to preach a message of behavior modification the AIDS establishment is burying Africa's biggest success story. And on it goes. The human mind and spirit can solve virtually any problem but can we fight past human greed, envy, and pettiness to implement the solution?
The human mind and spirit can solve virtually any problem but can we fight past human greed, envy, and pettiness to implement the solution?
Yes. How's that for a faith-based solution?
The thing with DDT is that it's a tool for reducing infection, but it would not eradicate the malaria itself. You can still get infected outdoors. And mosquitoes develop resistance. Regardless, I could just pick another infectious disease like sleeping sickness or river blindness and so on. For some illnesses we do have treatments, but if they're not getting to the people who need them, what difference does that make.
As for AIDS, whatever works. I don't care.
1. Dude, DDT is not a cure for a malaria. It's like a neurotoxin that kills the mosquitos that transmit the disease. It has documented harmful health consequences (for humans, fyi). The reasons it's used are that it's cheap, it kills effecitively, and the need is urgent. DDT is nothing for science to boast about. What's needed to fight malaria is more effective pyrethroid type biodegradable compounds and more effective medicines. But that's just the half of it. Most of the people suffering from malaria are too poor to afford medicines. Heck, even low tech solutions like mosquito nets to sleep under could save multitudes --if only they could afford them.
2. The success of Uganda's fight against AIDS is not due primarily to "faith groups," but to political leadership that acknowledged the problem early on and took decisive steps to deal with it. It's unclear to me whether "faith groups" have done more harm than good when it comes to understanding and treating AIDS.
The ugandan program is effective because it teaches (as early as it can) proper and effective condom use.
------- Oh damn.... the Sigfile escaped... -Great OM
Nope, Exclusive lesbianism is statistically much safer again. By your logic, all women should therefore become lesbians and use artificial insemination from HIV-negative men to become pregnant.
Alternatively, we could all become celibate. That'd solve the problem!
Grow up. The ancients didn't practice what they preach. Neither do contemporary Christians or Jews, as a group. There's a lot of fornication goin' on, and there always will be, and any public health campaigns that aren't designed around this simple fact will fail.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
--Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
Ding dong, is any one home? You can spray insecticide all you like and all will happen is the mosquitos will become resistant to it and you're back to square one. The only way to effectively rid mosquitos from an area is through education and public works initiatives - the little buggers breed in standing water so draining nearby swamps helps, as does effective drainage schemes and prosecuting people who have uncovered standing water on their properties.