• From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Topic: NEW HORIZONS

On the news this morning, there was something about the "New Horizons" probe that recently flew past Pluto, followed right away by a new release on the growing problem of child poverty in North America. Seems to me that blowing $700,000,000 on a chance for a few photos of a distance chunk of ice, is an intolerable cruelty to those in need right here at home.

NEW HORIZONS

The photos are out and the rumours confirmed,
There's a new horizon waiting out yonder,
The reports are in and the info's returned,
Opportunities endless, too many to ponder.

CHORUS:    The place? It's called Pluto.
        The price? Not yet fixed.
        The purpose?
        None that I can see.

But there's no need for sunscreen,
And there's no neighbour's dog barking,
And it seems like a movie dream,
And there's lots of free parking.

CHORUS:    The place? It's called Pluto.
        The price? Not yet fixed.
        The purpose?
        None that I can see.

A new horizon, that's just 'round the bend,
Puttin' my eyes on a close-to-home chance,
To lift up the drooping heart of a friend,
And sub-zero Pluto? Not worth a glance.

CHORUS:    The place? It's called Pluto.
        The price? Not yet fixed.
        The purpose?
        None that I can see.

Seven hundred million, the cost of this probe,
While hungry children cry themselves to sleep,
There are new horizons right here on this globe,
If we just start to care … Pluto will keep.

CHORUS:    The place? It's called Pluto.
        The price? Not yet fixed.
        The purpose?
        None that I can see.

  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: NEW HORIZONS

Makes sense I like it,we waste so much money when we could take care of so many people  on earth.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

3 Reply by Tenement Funster (edited by Tenement Funster 2015-12-23 12:16:10)

  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: NEW HORIZONS

I was doing some digging around, to find out how much $$$ has been spent on the various space programs. The numbers (roughly converted to modern dollar values) are mind-boggling:

$700,000,000 --- New Horizons (Pluto) project
$196,000,000,000 --- space shuttle program
$50,000,000,000 --- international space station
$136,000,000,000 --- Apollo program
$7,300,000,000 --- Gemini program
$1,740,000,000 --- Mercury program
$865,000,000 --- Voyager program

It is argued that lots of jobs were created throughout this time, and many technological advances came about because of them. But I have to think that if these $$$ were left in tax-payers hands (here on Earth) they could have and would have done a lot more good for a lot more people. It's a matter of priorities, and this seems kinda screwed up with so much child poverty around, homelessness, etc.

Just saying ...

  • From: SC Pa
  • Registered: 2014-03-26
  • Posts: 1,348

Re: NEW HORIZONS

Well....... I'm on the other side of this fence and I must, respectfully, disagree.

The human species are explorers. We have a natural curiosity to find out what else is out there; and that curiosity didn't start with space exploration.

Whether you're on the creation or evolution side of our beginnings, most folks can agree that we as human beings started our journey in Africa or the Middle East. From there we spread out across Europe and Asia and eventually to the Americas.

During the age of "enlightenment" known as the Renaissance, European governments spent copious amounts of money funding expeditions around the globe. There was plenty of poverty at home at that time just as there is today, but they felt there was much to be gained from the investment; raw resources, shorter trade routes, etc. Granted, they took what they wanted by force which has left a permanent black eye on their "enlightenment" but they discovered that there was much more to the world than they ever could have imagined.

I view space travel in the same way. There is so much out there in the vastness of space and we don't have a clue. There are opportunities and resources that, given time, will be explored and harvested economically. The recent success of the Space-X reusable launch vehicle is the first step in making that possible. Up until this point we were basically throwing away our car every time we took a trip down to the store. That has now changed and traveling to space will get a whole lot cheaper.

There is one more point I'll put forth for the investment in space travel.

Terra-Firma  is a bit of a misnomer. Our planet is fluid and ever changing. There have been extinction events all through the earth's history. Species have come and gone. Mankind's arrogance implies that we're immune to such things. It may be 10, 100 or 1000 years but I have no doubt that it will happen again. Maybe I have my tin foil hat on but it seems to me that if we spread ourselves out into space we have a much better chance of surviving as a species in the event of a global catastrophe. 

But hey, that's just me. YMMV. smile

__________________________________
[b]Today Is Only Yesterdays Tomorrow[/b]

5 Reply by TIGLJK (edited by TIGLJK 2015-12-23 16:38:00)

  • TIGLJK
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  • Registered: 2010-05-11
  • Posts: 3,221

Re: NEW HORIZONS

I guess I would qualify as a fence sitter. smile 

I agree with both TF and Uncle Joe  - There is a boatload of advances that have come as a result of the space program - including many medical breakthroughs-  our lives have been considerably advanced no doubt.  But I also agree with TF - there is so much waste $  NASA spent $ 1million on menu development for manned mars mission - not to happen for many years
  U.S. gov't pays some researcher $ 75,000 to find out why white grapes have smaller seeds than purple grapes ? 700,000 on soccer field for Guantanamo prisoners  $100million in subsidies to the republican and democrat parties for their conventions every  4 years 

My opinion ....fund good programs - cut the  bullshit - help people with what you save.


Just my thought

Your vision is not limited by what your eye can see, but what your mind can imagine.
Make your life count, and the world will be a better place because you tried.

"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except only the the best." - Henry Van Dyke
  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: NEW HORIZONS

Good points, both UJB and TIG.

The motivation for the poem was the kooky way the newscast was aligned ... same planet, but different worlds.

  • From: SC Pa
  • Registered: 2014-03-26
  • Posts: 1,348

Re: NEW HORIZONS

OK. I feel the need to apologize.

I didn't notice that this was posted in the Poem category. I always hit the "recent posts" button when I stop in and didn't see which heading it came under.

I never would have gone on the way I did if I had actually opened my eyes and seen that.

__________________________________
[b]Today Is Only Yesterdays Tomorrow[/b]
  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: NEW HORIZONS

No apologies needed, UJB ... none at all. You made some very important points in a very respectful way, and for that I'm grateful. Differing viewpoints make life interesting, or how else would any of us learn anything? Besides ... you're a Jethro Tull fan!

Merry Christmas to you, Uncle Joe!

  • From: Nottingham England
  • Registered: 2014-01-13
  • Posts: 621

Re: NEW HORIZONS

We al have our own different opinions,  but I find it somehow wrong that we in the UK have spent £16m on putting a man on the space station,  when a local health authority can't fully staff the ambulance service due to a £4m shortfall in their budget.

Thick as two short planks