Cosplay in Space

[Zakalwe]

but I am pretty sure the astronauts didn't see themselves as serving as tools for their own government

Not sure what that has to do with it. Just because something was propoganda doesn't mean all the people in it have to know that.

And we don't need a human in space to find out the result that space has on organics. Simple scanners, measurements, and a little bit of intelligance, would tell you all you need to know. And if sending astronaughts into space only serves the purpose of seeing how there bodies will deteriorate, that's a real good use for all that money.

How about the triumph of the human spirit? We're showing that humans can accomplish something as long as the put their mind to it. Consider it an achievement like the first manned airplane. It goes to show man is not bound by the ground he stands on.

Overated. You know what would really show the Triumph of the Human Spirit? Something that we could acomplish is we put our minds to it, and possibly actually used some money? Cure world poverty, make it so children don't need to starve to death every day, possibly put an end to those millions that die of dihorea. That, to me, would be a far greater acomplishment. And if we had spent the money that NASA took up on manned flights, then it might well have been possible. Perhaps before we should look to the stars, or even the moon, we should try and help out the shit that's on Earth.

Oh, and the first maned aeroplane, was not half as exspensive, in fact not quater, not on the entire scale of economic spending. And it was a private venture.

 

[Lin]

Overated. You know what would really show the Triumph of the Human Spirit? Something that we could acomplish is we put our minds to it, and possibly actually used some money? Cure world poverty, make it so children don't need to starve to death every day, possibly put an end to those millions that die of dihorea. That, to me, would be a far greater acomplishment. And if we had spent the money that NASA took up on manned flights, then it might well have been possible. Perhaps before we should look to the stars, or even the moon, we should try and help out the shit that's on Earth.

The 'No pure science until absolutely everything that's bad has been fixed first' argument? People far more eloquent than myself have already squooshed this one reasonably firmly. I'd just like to point out that these are all political problems rather than economic ones. There's enough grain to feed all Africa sitting in big piles in Manitoba to rot, and necessary medicines are either being blocked by pharmaceutical companies or denounced by lunatics claiming condoms cause AIDS. Two of those can be solved by throwing money at them, but that is nowhere near the best solution.

 

[Nyton]

I got a good laugh out of this. Of course what Gundam otaku would not try to cosplay as Char if he got a chance to go into space? Throughout the generations of Gundam Char has been the most enigmatic and frequently reprised characters going into even the alternate universes.

 

[Zakalwe]

Indeed, it is not the best solution. But it is better than what is happening currently!

With more intelligant use of money given to the third world, and I don't care if that term is not politicaly correct, we could drasticly reduce suffering.

You know western pharmacutical companies are more concerned with finding a cure for baldness baldness than the diseases, that while they are not a threat to us lucky few who live in the advanced world, make other peoples life a misery!

And the truth is, the terrible truth, is that the tyranical regimes that are in Africa and elsewhere have come about because of the poverty, they allow the situations where a fanatic or a military leader (notice how they always seem to be millitary leaders), take control of a country. It's not good simply saying that the conditions there make it impossible to help ... we let Ruwanda happen! We allow for masacres on a scale only surpased by those following the second world war (Russia and China), floods that kill thousands and make millions homeless, draughts that cause hundreds of thousands upon thousands of people to die of thirst, or to be forced to drink the dirty, contaminated water.

Charities help these people, set up wells, schools, even hospitals, so it is clearly not the case that money can not achieve anything. Used well and wisely, which is not the case with NASA, or any agency.

It's ridiculous it really is, and I with I could summon the strength to give large amounts of money to charity. Perhaps when I actually have a Job.

 

[Lin]

You know western pharmacutical companies are more concerned with finding a cure for baldness baldness than the diseases, that while they are not a threat to us lucky few who live in the advanced world, make other peoples life a misery!

Of course they're concerned with baldness. They've already fixed nearly everything plaguing places like Africa. They just demand exorbitant prices and come down hard on anyone trying to sell cheap copies of their medicines.

And many of these things you mention are also politically motivated - don't forget that for the last half-century, the same people who had vested interest in dictators also had the power to stop the United Nations from doing anything about them. The peacekeepers in Rwanda were not called back for lack of funding.

Please don't misunderstand me here - charities do an awful lot of very good and very important work. It's just that while more money would help in the short term, they'd be happily out of work rather quickly if the political barriers on them were removed.

 

[Zakalwe]

Of course they're concerned with baldness. They've already fixed nearly everything plaguing places like Africa.

Nope. I don't have the facts on me right now, but trust me, that is not even close to being true. If anything possibly they have inefficient, expensive versions of a cure, but not the things itself.

There is a horrible parasite infection in South America, it's taken a no-profits organisation to work on a cure for it. And there are many many cases of things like that. We have not cured all the diseases of the third world gentleman, and gentleladies among you, not even close.

And I don't include AIDS because naturally we're all worried about AIDS. We can't just pretend that only the Africans have it, or only Homosexuals, and so we're spending huge amounts of money on it, which is good. Except the few drugs we have to slow it down are ridiculously expensive. Malaria. That effects some developed countries, and as such, we've found cures for it. Yay! Shame that most people in Africa can't afford it. What with them having no money and all.

 

[Lin]

Of course they're concerned with baldness. They've already fixed nearly everything plaguing places like Africa.

Nope. I don't have the facts on me right now, but trust me, that is not even close to being true. If anything possibly they have inefficient, expensive versions of a cure, but not the things itself.

This is true, and I apologise. It's a very bad habit of mine to start writing without checking up on things first.

 

[Bahbem]

NASA's current budget is at $16.2 billion dollars. Currently the United States spends $2.338 Trillon dollars for its entire budget. Its currently chunk change in the big picture of total Federal spending.

And my two cent regarding the entire man vs unmanned argument:

I support manned programs so that can we can get more data on how to better live out there and beyond and to work out the wrinkles of living out there. Their benefits will come down the road when we actually are able to make a permant habitat out there. I take the very long view when it comes to space travel that we best not have all our eggs in one basket (sorry for the cliche) and that spreading out even amoung the solar system will greatly increase our chances of survival.

Though for pure research and advacement of science, unmanned programs are the way to go however.

I've never been inpressed by going to space now. There is a reason why the British do not have there own space program.

Well you could argue that they do by supporting the European Space Agency (which has a budget of three billlion euros (according to wikipedia) if anybody cared)

 

[Kimura]

Interesting that the google ads would come up with something like this to append to a discussion of why or why not people would want to fly in space:
http://www.moonmovie.com/moonmovie/

 

[Zakalwe]

I'd spend time actively attacking that, but I can't be bothered.

Consipiricy theories waste my time.

 

[Lin]

Interesting that the google ads would come up with something like this to append to a discussion of why or why not people would want to fly in space:
http://www.moonmovie.com/moonmovie/

Let this attack it! It's levelled at the Fox special on the subject, but I can't imagine this particular crazy person coming up with anything new.

http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/foxapollo.html

 

[Kimura]

On that note, I'd really love to live on some kind of space station, such as The Ark project featured in Owl Magazine a couple years ago...which is why I'm saving up to become super rich and afford it ^.^
The thought of a spaceship ride is tempting, but by then I'd be crowding in with the masses.
And hey, if somehow it works out, you can all come too.

 

[Wes]

Japanese whiz aims for space -- in cartoon uniform

METATEXT

www.spacedaily.com

Japanese whiz aims for space -- in cartoon uniform
TOKYO (AFP) Oct 11, 2005

A Japanese Internet whiz is tipped to become the world's fourth space tourist -- and he wants to orbit the earth dressed as an ace pilot from a hit Japanese animation series.

The candidate for the 20-million-dollar trip is Japanese investor Daisuke Enomoto, a 34-year-old former board director of the Livedoor Internet firm headed by flamboyant entrepreneur Takafumi Horie, local media said.

Enomoto has already passed medical checks and started flight training for a trip in late 2006, Jiji Press news agency reported.

Enomoto said in January that he was likely to be the first Japanese to make a paid space trip.

"I'm planning to do something amusing," he wrote then on his website.

If he gets Russian approval, Enomoto said he wanted to dress up on the trip as "Char Aznable", a character in the popular "Gundam" hero robot series of animation whose name is inspired by French singer Charles Aznavour.

Enomoto describes himself as a "Gundam otaku (geek)".

The third civilian to pay for a space flight, US millionaire businessman Greg Olsen, returned to Earth on Tuesday in the Soyuz space capsule.

The 60-year-old American paid Space Adventures 20 million dollars for a seat aboard the capsule and eight days of gazing down at the Earth from the International Space Station, 230 miles (370 kilometers) up.

He was preceded into space by two other millionaire tourists, American Dennis Tito in 2001 and South African Mark Shuttleworth the following year.



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I am at a loss for words.

It's a shame the guy got medically disqualified. Turns out a girl from the Anzari (as in the X Prize) family is going instead.

 

[Wes]

BLAST OFF!

 

[Abwehran Commander]

Wow...we have a Char going to space. Gundam is being represented, so the next person much do something else.

I'll represent Macross as Max Jenius!!!! Besides...flight suits look more suited .

 

[Wes]

Wow...we have a Char going to space. Gundam is being represented, so the next person much do something else.

I'll represent Macross as Max Jenius!!!! Besides...flight suits look more suited .

Did you not read the thread or something?

It's a shame the guy got medically disqualified. Turns out a girl from the Anzari (as in the X Prize) family is going instead.

 

[Omega724]

Huh...well...Perhaps she earned the money...perhaps not. (read the article) But if she's also going to start her own space program, then more power to her. She'd get more support if she dressed up though.

 

[OsakanOne]

This man is my hero.