Discussion about hot topics trending today

[aretood2]

On a slightly unrelated note:

What is it about space flight that makes people suddenly super-conscious about cost?

People can't make the connection between our modern technological advances and space travel. So it seems to them like it is just a venture designed only to satisfy the curiosity of space nerds. It's also not shiney enough like beating the Russians to the moon.

Many feel that that $ would be better spent wasted on Earth.

The thing is that if a smart guy like Elon Musk is spending his intellectual and financial resources (which are considerable) on space, that means that he is expecting some mighty fine returns on investment.

[Coco Pops]

I'm mystified why a painting is such a big deal. Seems the "controversy" gave it more attention than a million-dollar ad campaign.

It was in part a reaction to the #metoo thing. The gallery wanted to create some kind of discussion but didn't at all plan this out well so hiding the painting for a few days was their plan.

Personally I think this is huge overreaction by them.

Where do you go now from here? Do you hide all the victorian era art that has nudes or nudity, or anything remotely suggestive? Do we now lock all those artworks away, and all the pre victorian stuff where there were nudes.

What about statues, they're naked and flaunting their stuff in our faces should we put covers on them too?

[Gatecat]

Reminds me of when Iranian president Rohani was visiting the Vatican in 2016 they covered all the naked statues so he might not get offended.

Another case was last year when the Leopold museum in Vienna wanted to advertise their 2018 exhibition of Egon Schiele (for the centenary of his death) also in Germany and Britain. Whereas in Austria the posters showed uncensored nude portraits, it was too much for the Germans and the British. The sensible parts were hidden by a bar with the question: A hundred years old and still too revealing?

[Falcon Horus]

What is it about space flight that makes people suddenly super-conscious about cost?

Because Elon shot a car in space -- yay, more space junk to deal with.

Many feel that that $ would be better spent wasted on Earth.

...on a military parade in honor of the Supreme Leader Kim-Jung Trump.

[Annoyed]

Because Elon shot a car in space -- yay, more space junk to deal with.



...on a military parade in honor of the Supreme Leader Kim-Jung Trump.

Stop twisting everything anyone says into an anti-Trump tirade.

Look back into the 70's and the debate was quite clear; a lot of people were griping about the NASA budget, with many thinking that money would be better spent wasted on "social spending". This pretty much put the space exploration efforts on the back burner, and was why we didn't pursue the next steps after going to the moon.

Translation: they wanted to use the money that we were using to explore space and spend it on feeding couch potatoes who did little besides create more couch potatoes to for us to feed.

[Annoyed]

People can't make the connection between our modern technological advances and space travel. So it seems to them like it is just a venture designed only to satisfy the curiosity of space nerds. It's also not shiney enough like beating the Russians to the moon.



The thing is that if a smart guy like Elon Musk is spending his intellectual and financial resources (which are considerable) on space, that means that he is expecting some mighty fine returns on investment.

He might be an idealist; he might really believe that we should be expanding our knowledge and use of space, and is willing to put his money where his mouth is. It's not likely SpaceX will see a net profit any time soon, probably not within his lifetime.

He does seem to be the type to want to push what he believes in.

[Coco Pops]

Reminds me of when Iranian president Rohani was visiting the Vatican in 2016 they covered all the naked statues so he might not get offended.

Another case was last year when the Leopold museum in Vienna wanted to advertise their 2018 exhibition of Egon Schiele (for the centenary of his death) also in Germany and Britain. Whereas in Austria the posters showed uncensored nude portraits, it was too much for the Germans and the British. The sensible parts were hidden by a bar with the question: A hundred years old and still too revealing?

Quick that Venus De Milo cover it.. How dare she flaunt her naked bossom

[thekillman]

Many feel that that $ would be better spent wasted on Earth.

$100m is peanuts compared to, say, what the US spends on the military. Or healthcare. Or actual donations made to actual charities.

Because Elon shot a car in space -- yay, more space junk to deal with.

Normally test launches shoot a brick of concrete up. Plus. he shot it at mars, so it's not orbiting earth where the actual junk (and actual problem) is. Plus, by landing his boosters and re-using them it'll result in a massive net gain for the environment.

[Falcon Horus]

Stop twisting everything anyone says into an anti-Trump tirade.

I was not tirading -- it amuses me greatly that he wants a parade like the one he saw on Bastille Day in France (especially since he probably doesn't have the first clue wat Bastille Day is -- which if you do, has quite a few resemblances to the US these days). I want him to spend pointless millions on this military parade and look like the bloody dictator he's trying to best -- remember his button is bigger than Kim's.

Normally test launches shoot a brick of concrete up. Plus. he shot it at mars, so it's not orbiting earth where the actual junk (and actual problem) is. Plus, by landing his boosters and re-using them it'll result in a massive net gain for the environment.

The roadster's gonna miss Mars by an arm's length and it's gonna get seriously dented in the meteorshower it's heading into. My sister and I wondered whether that'll open Spaceman's airbag.

[Coco Pops]

I was not tirading -- it amuses me greatly that he wants a parade like the one he saw on Bastille Day in France (especially since he probably doesn't have the first clue wat Bastille Day is -- which if you do, has quite a few resemblances to the US these days). I want him to spend pointless millions on this military parade and look like the bloody dictator he's trying to best -- remember his button is bigger than Kim's.



The roadster's gonna miss Mars by an arm's length and it's gonna get seriously dented in the meteorshower it's heading into. My sister and I wondered whether that'll open Spaceman's airbag.

Now I wish the car was sending video........ I just know the airbag is going to go off.....

[Annoyed]

I was not tirading -- it amuses me greatly that he wants a parade like the one he saw on Bastille Day in France (especially since he probably doesn't have the first clue wat Bastille Day is -- which if you do, has quite a few resemblances to the US these days). I want him to spend pointless millions on this military parade and look like the bloody dictator he's trying to best -- remember his button is bigger than Kim's.

I'm not in favor of a parade either, it's a waste of resources. But I bet it has more to do with that idiot in N. Korea. He might be thinking of putting on a bigger show than they do in futile attempt to intimidate Kim.

[Coco Pops]

Meanwhile two tweets

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...59738853548033

and

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...62694650757121


Serious question.

USA one of the most powerful military on EARTH.....

Is it really that underfunded? So everything should be spent on that instead of other things like health?

Cadet bone spurs was a draft dodger wasn't he? I mean the Prez?

[SoulReaver]

Cadet bone spurs was a draft dodger wasn't he?

to his credit there are some drafts he didn't dodge

[thekillman]

USA one of the most powerful military on EARTH.....

Is it really that underfunded? So everything should be spent on that instead of other things like health?

Cadet bone spurs was a draft dodger wasn't he? I mean the Prez?

The USA spends as much as the next five combined. So no, it's not underfunded. Plus, with stuff like buying tanks they don't need, insanely expensive and largely pointless projects like the Zumwalt and F-35, it's not like the military needs the money.

Current funding is more than enough, it must just be spent in a smarter way.

[Annoyed]

Meanwhile two tweets

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...59738853548033

and

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...62694650757121


Serious question.

USA one of the most powerful military on EARTH.....

Is it really that underfunded? So everything should be spent on that instead of other things like health?

Cadet bone spurs was a draft dodger wasn't he? I mean the Prez?

https://www.military.com/daily-news/...-aircraft.html

At the end of 2016, the Marine Corps had 1,065 aircraft on flight lines around the world, ranging from small attack helicopters to C-130 transport planes.

Of those, only 439 are considered ready to fly as is. The remaining aircraft, nearly 60 percent of the total, are considered temporarily non-mission capable, either awaiting maintenance, in-service repair or supply, meaning they are lacking the parts they need to be operational.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-l...-idUSKBN1CV37W

(Reuters) - Spare parts for Lockheed Martin Corp’s (LMT.N) stealthy F-35 fighter jets are not keeping up with demand according to a report out on Thursday from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...-35-readiness/

A report by the U.S. General Accounting Office claims that the readiness of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is being hurt by so-called "sustainment problems"—basically, the inability for maintenance and repairs of the plane to keep up the pace—leading to aircraft being unavailable for flight operations. The report claims that lack of needed parts were a major factor behind aircraft unable to fly.

These are just recent articles. There are many others describing this situation currently, and in the past.

We typically see these issues after Democratic administrations. If you recall, the rescue mission for the 79 hostages taken by Iran in 1979 failed when the helicopters crashed in the desert due to lack of maintenance. There are other reports of these issues after the Clinton administration in 2000 or so.

I don't defend or advocate wasteful spending in the military, or anywhere else. But the Democrats would rather waste money tending to the needs of freeloaders who won't even put forth an effort to support themselves than spend it on the hardware our military needs.