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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!tektronix!ogcvax!sequent!richard
From: richard@sequent.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space,net.taxes
Subject: Re: SPACE STATION ALERT
Message-ID: <421@sequent.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 20-Mar-84 02:47:15 EST
Article-I.D.: sequent.421
Posted: Tue Mar 20 02:47:15 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 16-Mar-84 02:24:36 EST
References: <2570@rabbit.UUCP>, <361@ut-ngp.UUCP> <214@qtlon.UUCP>
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Portland
Lines: 70

>>  Suggested alternatives to wasting money on a space station:
>>  
>>  1)	feed a few of the starving people in the world
>>  
>>  2)	Give all politicians a lobotomy (semi :-))
>>  
>>  3)	Build a mock up space station (did you see the movie Capricorn One?)
>>  	since no-one will be able to tell the difference.
>>  
>>  But seriously, folks, there ARE a lot more useful ways of spending
>>  that much money.  Earth has enough problems: why not solve them before
>>  making new ones in space?

You're missing several points Dave.  The problem with your suggestions
one and two is that it's only a temporary fix.  In another generation,
you'll have an even larger host of hungry to feed, with less earthly
resources to do so.

And any intelligent person knows that there would be no noticable
differance in the behavior of most politicians after a lobotomy,
or even total brain death, for that matter.  :-)

No real reply is necessary for point three.  The important thing is:
The money spent in space is an *investment* that may someday solve
alot of the worlds problems.  Aren't you aware that research in
"closed-loop" systems might provide the knowledge needed to feed
those billions you worry so much about?

And perhaps the psychological research necessary to allow humans to
live in such circumstances might someday obviate the world's need
for politicians in the first place (not to mention psychiatrists
and lawyers - what more could you ask?)

Considering the amount wasted each year (trillion dollar defense
budgets?)  eight billion over a decade is a tiny amount, considering
what it will someday buy.

Some other ideas:
	Materials research that can only be done in space might
	discover a new photovoltaic technique that stops the world's
	dependency on oil reserves - something that will assuredly
	lead to war if left alone.

	Drug research taking advantage of micro-gravity might cure
	cancer, provide better birth-control drugs, or even teach
	us how to enable crops to fix nitrogen from the air, as 
	opposed to fertilizers.

	International competition in space between the superpowers
	might reduce the competition on the ground.

	Orbital analysis of the earth might help us understand
	the ecology of spaceship earth - combine that with the
	"closed system" research, and you might get some interesting
	new data on what we're doing to our nest.

Sit back and think a few minutes, or listen (with an *open* mind)
to some of the pro-space people, and you'll hear so many ideas
it'll make your head spin.

Feeding the poor without attempting to solve the *problem* of
hunger is treating the symptoms and ignoring the disease.
The patient will eventually die.

___________________________________________________________________________
The preceding should not to be construed as the statement or opinion of the
employers or associates of the author.    It is solely the belief...

			from the confused and bleeding fingertips of
				...!sequent!richard