Random Thoughts - Part Deux [NO POLITICS]

[Cole]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Yeah, still not making a ton of sense unless you are saying you got the wrong board in the first place.

That's exactly what I'm saying. Plus it was a gift, so I'm not overly concerned.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

With those kinds of funds I suggest we focus on cleaning up our own shit and learn how to live without making such a mess in the first place.

A girl can dream.

Maybe 'us' vs 'them' starts being planetary and helps with all that?

Because forging ahead and pushing boundaries is the only way forward, for sure. So is doing better, cleaning up, etc. But waiting for one to do the other?

If you dream, dream big, and don't give up on those dreams.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Cole

That's exactly what I'm saying. Plus it was a gift, so I'm not overly concerned.

Fair enough. Wasn't sure if you had asked for it, or your parents surprised you.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Fair enough. Wasn't sure if you had asked for it, or your parents surprised you.

Surprised him with a random motherboard?

[Sapphireho]

Someone brought in bagels and lox this morning. So much for my diet.

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Surprised him with a random motherboard?

He probably swops them out ever few weeks.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

He probably swops them out ever few weeks.

Wears them out changing video cards.

[Sarlacc]

Originally Posted by Spuds

The point is as a technical stepping stone. Same basic reason as going to the moon. Though the lunar missions were to develop rockets with massive payloads and guidance systems to deliver nuclear weapons. Colonizing Mars is about pushing energy and resource efficiency. If we can figure out how to sustain a settlement on a body where support is at least a year or 2 out, the same concepts should apply to increased efficiency on Earth. It's much easier to sell "let's do this really cool thing and then use technology form space" than "lets make some sensible things that costs a crap ton of money, may make your life harder, but will keep us from being desperate in 50 or so years".

Figuring out how to place a settlement on Mars is a lot cheaper than actually doing it, though.
Any benefits on earth will still be there, even without a miserable bunch of people living out their natural lives in plastic bubbles on a dead planet.
And let's face it, the value of space tech spinoffs so far is not much compared to the costs involved.

Most of the biggest challenges humanity faces needs political solutions, rather than technological.
So if it was up to me, we'd redistribute the earth's resources fairly, fix the environment, end the wars, and keep exploring space.
Oh, and GT86's for everyone, of course.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Spuds

No.

lol

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Sarlacc

So if it was up to me, we'd redistribute the earth's resources fairly, fix the environment, end the wars, and keep exploring space.

Well, as long as you are willing to settle for one out of four, I think you have a good chance of being happy. The other 3 or either totally or partially outside human control or require a level of agreement at a global scale you aren't going to get until aliens attack and unite us all.

Lofty goals that I concur with, but not realistic....well, unless we can get the FT86 forum to rise up in unison. One forum to rule them all...

[Sapphireho]

I am so bored. I have nothing to do at work this week. My boss wants someone here "just in case". You could shoot a cannon thru this place and not hit anyone. I'll probably be the only one here tomorrow.


I have a ton of stuff I could be doing at home. I need to do my brakes, and the clutch cable snapped on the 911 the other day. That and about 100 jobs around the house I have put off.

[Cole]

Went and got my eyes checked today. Holy hell I forgot how bloody expensive eye wear stuff is.

My exam was 160 (a bit of extra money since I had to do some contact lens stuff, since I want to start wearing those now, would have been 90 without the contact stuff)
Glasses are 400 and change
The contact lenses are going to be in the area of 400 for 3 months worth of them.

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Cole

Went and got my eyes checked today. Holy hell I forgot how bloody expensive eye wear stuff is.

My exam was 160 (a bit of extra money since I had to do some contact lens stuff, since I want to start wearing those now, would have been 90 without the contact stuff)
Glasses are 400 and change
The contact lenses are going to be in the area of 400 for 3 months worth of them.

Me, my wife, and my youngest son all wear contacts and glasses. I dread when we all go get an eye exam.


One thing I don't understand is I pay $400 for a pair of -2.00 glasses, and at the drug store a pair of +2.00 readers, with almost identical frames, is $5.99? It is such a rip off.

[Cole]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

Me, my wife, and my youngest son all wear contacts and glasses. I dread when we all go get an eye exam.


One thing I don't understand is I pay $400 for a pair of -2.00 glasses, and at the drug store a pair of +2.00 readers, with almost identical frames, is $5.99? It is such a rip off.

Just got off the phone with my dad, he gave me a website he orders his contacts from. With that website, it looks like they'll be about 1/4 of the cost the doctor gave me.