Exploration of space? Why you ask? I'll tell you why. The human race is all in a tizzy about space exploration because it would mean that we may be able to eventually colonize other planets and hence, not have to worry about overpopulation. The idea of living on other worlds is very appealing to people. It allows that part of the population that has the "explorer bug" in their system to express themselves and feel fulfilled. I mean, here it is, 2002, and what are you gonna do? We've conquered every continent ('cept Antarctica) and just about done away with any semblance of wilderness. What little we have left we are scurrying like mad to protect because we are beginning to realize that crashing the ecosphere is bad, very bad.
So it would seem that just like bacteria in a petri dish, there is a set amount of people that any particular hunk of planet can support. Now there are other petri dishes...er, um planets out there that may be viable for us. Planets that may already be suited for us or require minimal terraforming. And all this so we can screw like crazed weasels. Great. Let's go. In the meantime, we should all considering investing heavily in latex. b-)
Mind you now, we should also be working on clean and efficient technologies to prolong our stay here on Earth as well as getting around the sticky religious issues and really pushing population control. If we encourage it now, we may be able to make it something embraceable rather than going the route of the Chinese government. An ounce of prevention beats a pound of repair.
Wow, OK, sorry about that, I think I've started to wander...hmmm...where did I leave that sandwhich....
Great, so go to the Corbin Sparrow website (it is a Sparrow) and find out about fuel cell options for it.
As far as two and three wheeled vehicles on highways go, I would happily drive one of those down the road. I am a motorcyclist and have never had any problem on the highways avoiding scared and poorly skilled drivers of 4 wheelers and up.
My longtime friend and present housemate (which sometimes puts a strain on the long time friend part b-) just turned 100000 which is 32 in binary (and also appropiate since he's a programmer). The only thing special we did for it is that I got the house ready for the party and took care of guest services (arranging and supplying much food as opposed to putting out a few bags of chips on a table recently swept clean by a forearm).
Me, I'm turning 100010 this February fourth which means that I was born 2 4 68 (if you signify dating in the American system). Having a nice simple progression sure makes it easy to remember when you were born. b-)
I both agree and disagree with the author of said referenced comment. Indeed, I do believe that we should be concerned with getting to Mars (or Venus, or back to the moon, etc.) AND we should be developing not just new drives, but new ways of getting payloads off of the planet's surface. The amount of mass and energy wasted in launching craft/cargos into space is ridiculous right now. So how about some magnetic accellerator action at least for the non perishables (I understand it can generate quite alot of G's in acceleration. Maybe this can be modded) and maybe some slower but less wasteful manner for getting live loads at least into orbit.
These questions weren't even asked on the survey though maybe NASA considers them as part and parcel of all the other options offered. Whatever the case, I do believe that it would be a great achievement for the human race and the planet, for us to venture out into wide and vasty space that is the rest of the universe. Who knows what mind blowing, cool stuff is out there for us to find.
I would have to reccomend to you as a starter, to forget about purchasing anything other than a few books and a star chart. Find a nice clear place (low light pollution, few trees, preferably a hill) and bring a very warm sleeping bag and wear lots of layers. Bring your star chart, a compass (to orient yourself) and a flashilight with a red lens (to prevent killing your night vision which can take a few minutes to reset). Armed with these items and circumstances, you can begin to learn the sky. Try to identify the various constellations. This may be tricky at first since making the leap from scale and position on a chart to in the sky can require some experience. This way you can learn to find stuff (like stars and planets) in the sky and just be amazed by the milky way itself. Laying down also prevents the dreaded "neck crick" and allows your vision to be filled mostly with sky.
Once you can find most of the positions of objects in the sky, you are ready to get a scope or binoculars and begin focusing in on particular phenomena and objects. You'll also find out if being in the cold and damp is something you can put up with. This is true especially because the skies are generally clearer in the winter months.
Done all that? Still interested? Well then, find your local astro club and join them because when you're not peering through the lens, it's nice to have someone to share your findings and "discoveries" with.
What scope to buy? Refer to the other replies here, there seem to be plenty of good recommendations. As far as star charts go, I personally prefer the rotating disc type that allows you to dial in the time of day and year to get a picture of what's currently in your sky.
Since when did a movie review become an editorial? I feel I got a lot more of Ignorant Citizen Katz's views on American Imperialism than I did on what he thought of the movie.
Movie Review equals Did you like it or not? Was it done well? Well directed? Well Acted? etc.
Movie Review does not equal Did you agree with the politics? What are your politics?
Get a grip. It's bile like this review that makes me want to set home page preferences to exclude such drivel.
I'm wondering if these bacteria, who rather than oxidizing are ferrosizing(?), could have any relation to the organisms they found living by undersea volcanic vents. These are anaerobic bacteria which some scientists think might be able to live on Mars (if their kin aren't already there). So, what if a Mars probe took some of these "geobacters" with it and used them to supplement it's solar cells. Might prove interesting and useful. Of course, then they take over and a thousand years later the new Martians send their bacteria to Earth. b-)
Oh yes, I can just imagine the fun of taking a fall and -whoops!- I just cut myself in half with my non-stretching very thin line. Yes, this sounds like a great idea, but I'll pass thanks. Perhaps what you really need is a rope cored with woven spider silk and then sheathed in something light and abrasion resistant. Just a thought.
Wow, what a great year for celestial activities. I'll definitely be checking out the Geminids and I hope that I'm not to far east to see the eclipse. An eclipsing sunset sounds like a once in a lifetime sighting!
I'm actually quite glad that/. is posting meteor showers. I generally keep track of the larger ones (Perseids, Leonids) but it is nice to be notified of some of the smaller ones. And a new moon to boot! I think I'll do for this shower what I planned to do for the Leonids which is go camping somewhere. I ended up in a small town in PA for the Leonids with some friends but it was still a great show.
For those of you who had an uninteresting experience with the Leonids due to weather, location, etc., I recommend going somewhere else besides the city. Make it someplace fun and interesting. Rent a cabin, whatever. At least then if the weather isn't the greatest, you may still have a good time.
I personally woudl like to see all the meteor events posted on/..
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Exploration of space? Why you ask? I'll tell you why. The human race is all in a tizzy about space exploration because it would mean that we may be able to eventually colonize other planets and hence, not have to worry about overpopulation. The idea of living on other worlds is very appealing to people. It allows that part of the population that has the "explorer bug" in their system to express themselves and feel fulfilled. I mean, here it is, 2002, and what are you gonna do? We've conquered every continent ('cept Antarctica) and just about done away with any semblance of wilderness. What little we have left we are scurrying like mad to protect because we are beginning to realize that crashing the ecosphere is bad, very bad.
So it would seem that just like bacteria in a petri dish, there is a set amount of people that any particular hunk of planet can support. Now there are other petri dishes...er, um planets out there that may be viable for us. Planets that may already be suited for us or require minimal terraforming. And all this so we can screw like crazed weasels. Great. Let's go. In the meantime, we should all considering investing heavily in latex. b-)
Mind you now, we should also be working on clean and efficient technologies to prolong our stay here on Earth as well as getting around the sticky religious issues and really pushing population control. If we encourage it now, we may be able to make it something embraceable rather than going the route of the Chinese government. An ounce of prevention beats a pound of repair.
Wow, OK, sorry about that, I think I've started to wander...hmmm...where did I leave that sandwhich....
Great, so go to the Corbin Sparrow website (it is a Sparrow) and find out about fuel cell options for it.
As far as two and three wheeled vehicles on highways go, I would happily drive one of those down the road. I am a motorcyclist and have never had any problem on the highways avoiding scared and poorly skilled drivers of 4 wheelers and up.
And yes Dorothy, it is street legal.
Unfortunately as we get older we become smaller (45) and eventually degrade to a lower level of quality (78). b-)
My longtime friend and present housemate (which sometimes puts a strain on the long time friend part b-) just turned 100000 which is 32 in binary (and also appropiate since he's a programmer). The only thing special we did for it is that I got the house ready for the party and took care of guest services (arranging and supplying much food as opposed to putting out a few bags of chips on a table recently swept clean by a forearm).
Me, I'm turning 100010 this February fourth which means that I was born 2 4 68 (if you signify dating in the American system). Having a nice simple progression sure makes it easy to remember when you were born. b-)
...there's always Jack Horkheimer, the "Star Hustler!"
b-)
I both agree and disagree with the author of said referenced comment. Indeed, I do believe that we should be concerned with getting to Mars (or Venus, or back to the moon, etc.) AND we should be developing not just new drives, but new ways of getting payloads off of the planet's surface. The amount of mass and energy wasted in launching craft/cargos into space is ridiculous right now. So how about some magnetic accellerator action at least for the non perishables (I understand it can generate quite alot of G's in acceleration. Maybe this can be modded) and maybe some slower but less wasteful manner for getting live loads at least into orbit.
These questions weren't even asked on the survey though maybe NASA considers them as part and parcel of all the other options offered. Whatever the case, I do believe that it would be a great achievement for the human race and the planet, for us to venture out into wide and vasty space that is the rest of the universe. Who knows what mind blowing, cool stuff is out there for us to find.
I would have to reccomend to you as a starter, to forget about purchasing anything other than a few books and a star chart. Find a nice clear place (low light pollution, few trees, preferably a hill) and bring a very warm sleeping bag and wear lots of layers. Bring your star chart, a compass (to orient yourself) and a flashilight with a red lens (to prevent killing your night vision which can take a few minutes to reset). Armed with these items and circumstances, you can begin to learn the sky. Try to identify the various constellations. This may be tricky at first since making the leap from scale and position on a chart to in the sky can require some experience. This way you can learn to find stuff (like stars and planets) in the sky and just be amazed by the milky way itself. Laying down also prevents the dreaded "neck crick" and allows your vision to be filled mostly with sky.
Once you can find most of the positions of objects in the sky, you are ready to get a scope or binoculars and begin focusing in on particular phenomena and objects. You'll also find out if being in the cold and damp is something you can put up with. This is true especially because the skies are generally clearer in the winter months.
Done all that? Still interested? Well then, find your local astro club and join them because when you're not peering through the lens, it's nice to have someone to share your findings and "discoveries" with.
What scope to buy? Refer to the other replies here, there seem to be plenty of good recommendations. As far as star charts go, I personally prefer the rotating disc type that allows you to dial in the time of day and year to get a picture of what's currently in your sky.
Happy stargazing!
Since when did a movie review become an editorial? I feel I got a lot more of Ignorant Citizen Katz's views on American Imperialism than I did on what he thought of the movie.
Movie Review equals Did you like it or not? Was it done well? Well directed? Well Acted? etc.
Movie Review does not equal Did you agree with the politics? What are your politics?
Get a grip. It's bile like this review that makes me want to set home page preferences to exclude such drivel.
I'm wondering if these bacteria, who rather than oxidizing are ferrosizing(?), could have any relation to the organisms they found living by undersea volcanic vents. These are anaerobic bacteria which some scientists think might be able to live on Mars (if their kin aren't already there). So, what if a Mars probe took some of these "geobacters" with it and used them to supplement it's solar cells. Might prove interesting and useful. Of course, then they take over and a thousand years later the new Martians send their bacteria to Earth. b-)
Oh yes, I can just imagine the fun of taking a fall and -whoops!- I just cut myself in half with my non-stretching very thin line. Yes, this sounds like a great idea, but I'll pass thanks. Perhaps what you really need is a rope cored with woven spider silk and then sheathed in something light and abrasion resistant. Just a thought.
Wow, what a great year for celestial activities. I'll definitely be checking out the Geminids and I hope that I'm not to far east to see the eclipse. An eclipsing sunset sounds like a once in a lifetime sighting!
I'm actually quite glad that /. is posting meteor showers. I generally keep track of the larger ones (Perseids, Leonids) but it is nice to be notified of some of the smaller ones. And a new moon to boot! I think I'll do for this shower what I planned to do for the Leonids which is go camping somewhere. I ended up in a small town in PA for the Leonids with some friends but it was still a great show.
For those of you who had an uninteresting experience with the Leonids due to weather, location, etc., I recommend going somewhere else besides the city. Make it someplace fun and interesting. Rent a cabin, whatever. At least then if the weather isn't the greatest, you may still have a good time.
I personally woudl like to see all the meteor events posted on /..