Oopsies

In the feed I watched, the SpaceX staff cheered uproariously when it blew up in spectacular fashion. As a company they tend to expect and embrace their failures as learning opportunities. 

Still ... that's a lot of money down the drain.

I dont like pay walls.

Try this

Quote from: majorhavoc on April 20, 2023, 09:39:20 AMOopsies

In the feed I watched, the SpaceX staff cheered uproariously when it blew up in spectacular fashion. As a company they tend to expect and embrace their failures as learning opportunities.

Still ... that's a lot of money down the drain.

Musk was quoted earlier as saying that as long as it didn't damage the launch pad, it would still be a success.  This launch was purely to test the launch capability.  Ideally, still wouldn't want an explosion, but I think they were aware that it wasn't anything beyond launchable going in.

Seems reckless and wasteful, but who needs to be careful with that kind of money when there's plenty more waiting in the wings.

Quote from: Anianna on April 20, 2023, 02:02:13 PMMusk was quoted earlier as saying that as long as it didn't damage the launch pad, it would still be a success.  This launch was purely to test the launch capability.  Ideally, still wouldn't want an explosion, but I think they were aware that it wasn't anything beyond launchable going in.

Seems reckless and wasteful, but who needs to be careful with that kind of money when there's plenty more waiting in the wings.

To badly paraphrase what Simone Giertz said about Tesla:

As a space nerd, I'd love to differentiate the megalomaniac pile of minced meat that is Elon Musk from SpaceX as a company, but he's not exactly making it easy.

Elon Musk is an interesting person.

I saw an animation last night. Comparing this rocket to all the other rockets that have been launched into space. It is by far the largest.

I'm not a big fan of Elon's or others electric cars. Considering the horrific slave labor that is involved in mining cobalt. The main ingredient in lithium electric car batteries. Look up "Slave cobalt labor in the Congo." Or the fact that many ev car parts have to be shipped back and forth across the world via diesel powered means. Before assembly. 

But I hate when the mainstream media and others try to malign Elon Musk. I'm not saying "criticise". Every public figure deserves critical analysis. And everyone is allowed to have their own opinion. 

But this guy is single handedly doing a better job at furthering mankind. Than most governments. And then you have these losers in mainstream (bought and paid for) media posting the most negative information they can drum up about him. Anyone seen the latest BBC interview? Where the "journalist" tries to sling mud all over him with unfounded claims? And Elon owns the guy? Its pretty epic.

I believe two of the areas most important to saving the world are alternative energy and space exploration. This one guy has done more than any other single organization or government to further that. And then you have these asshats that have the nerve to malign his efforts at every turn. There are so many other, more worthwhile, terrible things and groups and governments to throw your negative attention too. 

They will go down in history as either the largest baffoons or the most narrow minded dolts the world has ever known. And I'm not saying don't criticise the guy. I'm saying don't undermine the guys efforts. Simply out if your own myopic political views. 

And I hope this isn't taken as political. Because I am not taking a side here. I am neither democrat nor republican. Nor any other party for that matter. I don't think Elon Musk is without fault by far. Read my comments above again. I think electric cars are a huge failure. At least until we figure how not to enslave children and adults in horrific conditions. And not have to ship parts across the world back and forth using fossil fuels. 

But take Twitter for instance. I'm not even a conservative. And I could see clearly what was happening to Twitter. 

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram - like it or not social media has become the "town square". Where the citizens discuss the issues of the day. 

Where once we gathered in the town center to discuss issues. It has been supplanted by the digital world. Private business or not - that is the reality. Twitter is our town square. And you don't get to silence freedom of speech just because you're a private company. (I'll leave that debate for another time.)

Twitter clearly silenced one major party over the other major party. And a whole bunch of other nefarious stuff highlighted by the evidence released in the Twitter files. And again, I'm not even part of that group that was being censored. 

But to many people over the last few decades were not properly taught what freedom of speech is. And have this view that "if you are "right". censorship is an acceptable method of cementing that "rightness". 

Who gets to decide what is "right"? That is precisely why we have freedom of speech. 

I have a son you who just spent 17 years in our educational system. And has somehow come out with similar views. It astounds me. 

I remember when the ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union, represented the Nazi's and LGBTQ community alike. They did not choose sides on who should or should not have free speech. They represented anyone who's right to free speech was being violated. They no longer take this even handed approach. And only represent who they think is "right". Yes. Nazi's are vile creatures. But to censor them or anyone else with an opinion we disagree with. Leaves us no closer to an intelligent open society. 

The Nazi's, even when having their own freedom of speech protected by the ACLU, were a laughable collection of dolts. That no one - rightfully - took seriously. But it was important to hear them in national tv shows. So that if nothing else we could see they existed. And as disagreeable as they are. Have the opportunity to ignore or ridicule them openly. Just like any disagreeable opinions of our own or anyone elses. 

Peter Hitchens once said:

"Freedom of speech is freedom above all for those whose views you dislike most."

The town square was once a place anyone could express any opinion they had. But "it was not immune from being ignored or ridiculed". 

That is expression of thought and freedom of speech. If you don't like what someone says you have the right to ignore or ridicule it. That's how free speech works. You silence someone by ignoring or ridiculing their opinion. Not by censoring them. 

Yes. You may be a complete idiot. With a completely stupid point of view. That everyone hates. But if we don't protect the right of the person we completely disagree with - to say what he believes to be true. How do we protect our own rights to say anything different? 

So what does Elon do? He again takes a huge risk and spends billion of dollars to buy the "town square" and try to return it to the realm of free speech. Is it perfect? No. It never will be. But at least he allows both major sides to express opinions. Without government involvement. 

What was going on before was nothing more than government sponsored silencing of a huge part of our society. A population I don't even agree with. 

But to silence a voice simply because you disagree with them. Is not free speech. And is infuriating to those of us that remember the great sacrifices our great grandfathers and grandfathers and fathers made. That I made. So that someone could even burn a flag if they wanted too. 

Elon Musk's first venture was Paypal. Which he sold for 1.5 billion dollars. He could have easily retired to an island in the Bahamas. And filled it will hookers and coke. But instead he took a huge risk to try to provide alternative energy sources with electric cars and home solar systems. 

Then he spent an equally risky huge chunk of change to explore space. Firstly, by providing one of the most effective, worldwide internet sources - Starlink. And now he's trying to launch the largest rocket in history to someday explore space. And maybe even inhabit other planets. And here we are maligning this guy at every turn. Because he doesn't agree with me or you about trans rights? That's one opinion about one issue. We can't disagree anymore? Everything you do is sh*t if you don't believe everything I do? About every single issue? That's childish and not what this country was founded on. (For the record I don't even know what he believes in that regard.)

This is one guy. With a massive fortune he created himself. Who time and time again has taken on impossible odds. Risked almost everything. In the name of making the world a better place. He akmost lost Telsa by trying to move forward with SpaceX. 

Love him or hate him. I don't see alot of other leaders, organizations or governments taking these risks and working so tirelessly in ventures who's goal it is to make our planet a better place. 

We don't have to agree with him. Or even support him. But for godsake stop maligning him in the name of your political parties belief system.

Without more people like him. With power, tireless effort and money to actually effect change. I am afraid for our children. And their children.

If nothing else respect his goals, success and extreme effort to help humanity. Meanwhile the government, media and anyone else that he does not align with, perfectly, politically. Spends an inordinate amount of time trying to undermine his efforts.

If nothing else, this post is about "stop making everything political". Stop trying to make everyone align with "your" opinion. Or the strict list of opinions, on a laundry list if topics - your party so vehemently tries to force on anyone that will listen. 

Take a step back. Look at the overall good. Who the hell else is even working at this level, on these bigger issues that our planet faces? 

I kind of wish Elon Musk would do something involving exploring the world's oceans.

We've explored far more of outer space than we have of the ocean. National Geographic says we've explored about 10 percent of the world's oceans and something like 80 percent is still unexplored.

Even the waters off the US has only been mapped out at 35 percent. Imagine all the lost ships and unknown sea life we could find if we spent as much money exploring the oceans as we do exploring space.

@Moab, frankly, I did not expect that extensive of a response.

Care to take this to PM, if you still wanna talk about it?

Quote from: mzmc on April 20, 2023, 07:02:05 PM@Moab, frankly, I did not expect that extensive of a response.

Care to take this to PM, if you still wanna talk about it?

That wasn't directed at you. At all. Hope I didn't offend. More than happy to discuss further via pm. 

I started writing my response as soon as I saw majorhavoc's original post. Just because I've seen so many unnecessary media posts about him recently. And have been thinking about this alot.

And the entire country losing its mind over the last several years. From this rabid adherence to a specific set of issues. That if you believe differently on any one single issue. Then you must be this or you must be that. Or I hate you because you don't believe everything I do. Down thru every line item of every issue I believe in.

I think most people are much more nuanced than that. And thats the great thing about this country. Or at least it once was. That we can all have different opinions on different issues. And discuss our ideas openly.

But there seems to be this current of "if you don't believe what I believe. then you need to be shut up. Or cancelled. Or relegated to a lesser class.". I used to get a similar vibe from my ivy league friends in my early 20s. This superiority. That relegated anyone else's opinion to the trash bin. Because they knew better. I also felt it in religion when I was growing up. And also felt it from more conservative people too. And it pits us against each other.

Which I think serves no one. Except maybe multi national conglomerates that are stealing all if us blind. 

But ya. Shoot me a pm. Always up for a good chat.