Re: [CGUYS] the moon
That's if the country had the money or income stream to pay for manned spaceflight. We're the world's biggest debtor nation of all time, our creditors are nervous as cats on a hot time roof since the crash ... not liking what they now see nor the amount of our debt they are carrying and we don't even know how we can put the genie back in the bottle and get the balance of trade revenue ... that made us the 20th century's richest nation ... positive again. Asia has gotten to the development point that they can now drive their growth and dominance simply by investing in themselves / Asia and manufacture for the rest of the world secondarily. They are now the world's biggest market and they now have the tools and capital to drive their own economies. There's never a shortage of good things to do that people and nations can't afford. In the 21st century, if we don't focus as a nation on using what we have to get ourselves back in the world economic / power game, we risk becoming a 3rd rate power who won't have the resources for Moon shots etc anyway. If we continue in this oblivious direction, there is shortly coming a point as a nation the US won't be able to borrow much of anything for anything... no less incredibly expensive manned space flight to moons and other planets. With such US manned space flights, I think we're talking about champagne tastes on a beer budget db Eric S. Sande wrote: Like what? I'm not trying to be a smart-ass, it's a serious question. I've yet to read about any really important research that is going on in the space station and that couldn't be done any other way. Microgravity offers real advanages in alloy and semiconductor maufacturing, also pharmaceuticals. We now know how to construct large structures in orbit and maintain a long term presence in space. Energy is unlimited and free. Four nations/national consortia can boost cargo into orbit and to the station assuming JAXA's HTV is successful. I see the potential as enormous. But we have to be there to realize it. The ISS is a good start. If we look at it as a platform for the assembly of space-only ships, and as a fuel transfer point, we could explore the L4 and L5 Lagrangian points. The moon is probably not a good idea if we can't prove the presence of water. Robots aren't smart enough to do it all, and if we look at this new frontier as a government monopoly we are shortchanging ourselves. Just my opinion. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Microsoft to Drop Zunes - PC World
Should I be polite and refrain from saying I told you so. Great photo here... http://technologizer.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/zuneyard.png? w=320h=246 http://www.pcworld.com/article/171348/ microsoft_to_drop_all_zunes_except_for_hd_model.html Microsoft said it will continue to offer the flash Zune 4GB, 8GB and 16GB devices and the 80GB and 120GB hard-drive devices until they are sold out. That could take years, unless they cut the price to near $zero. Barron's reports analysts suggesting that M$ buy Palm to get a clean start... http://www.marketwatch.com/m/story/2321ce2f-8461-47cb-95bd- acdbb12f9824/0 That would be terrible, Palm is just starting to get its act together and would be a nice alternative for the iPhone. A future that gives us a choice of iPhone, Palm Pre, or Androids would be a very good three way race. If M$ were to swallow up Palm and crap it up, as they always do, it would be a far less interesting future. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Microsoft to Drop Zunes - PC World
A headline worthy of Fox Nation. Any reasonable person would have written, Microsoft To Discontinue Older Zune Models. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] BROTHER DCP-7040 DIGITAL COPIER
Has anyone had any experience with a BROTHER DCP-7040 DIGITAL COPIER? (I see it on sale at OfficeMax for $130.) Any thoughts? I have used and been happy with BROTHER laser printers. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] the moon
With such US manned space flights, I think we're talking about champagne tastes on a beer budget You make good points. But it is not productive to say what we CAN'T do. We have this huge pool of resources sitting just beyond our local gravity well, and we're one of two nations that can get to it. Asia (well, China and India, I don't count Japan) may have made huge ecomomic strides, but at the cost of poisoning themselves in the process. The government can do only so much. NASA has a miniscule ($18B) budget compared to the amount of money that got pissed away on the various stimulus packages. Disproportionate, in my view, because the exploration (and exploitation) of space represents the best hope for economic revitalization that we have. Let's play to our strengths, we clearly can't build cars and t-shits better or cheaper, lets build what we build best. Innovative solutions to leverage resources. There's a reason I mentioned the Lagrangian points. They are easy to get to, they don't present the gravity well issues of the Moon or Mars, and they are packed with (potentially) useful raw materials. This isn't a secret. When we talk about space we generally think in terms of exploration, well we can explore with robots. But we can't exploit without people. It's there. We have the technology to make it happen. It won't be easy, but it can be done. And it isn't NASA that's going to do it, it's up to Lockheed, Boeing, and General Electric (and maybe Ford) to do it. They need a mission and a plan. They understand the relationship of investment to profit. To those who say that the time is not now, I say this is the best time. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Microsoft to Drop Zunes - PC World
On Sep 13, 2009, at 2:20 PM Sep 13, Chris Dunford wrote: A headline worthy of Fox Nation. Any reasonable person would have written, Microsoft To Discontinue Older Zune Models. What would you be saying if Apple were to dump its entire line, except for one model? Of course you want to focus on the messenger, not the message. This move is a big deal. I bet the one model will soon become the no model. Anyone think they will try buying Palm? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Microsoft to Drop Zunes - PC World
The PC World used the phrase Microsoft plans to drop all of its Zune models except for a new high-definition (HD) version TPiwowar wrote: On Sep 13, 2009, at 2:20 PM Sep 13, Chris Dunford wrote: A headline worthy of Fox Nation. Any reasonable person would have written, Microsoft To Discontinue Older Zune Models. What would you be saying if Apple were to dump its entire line, except for one model? Of course you want to focus on the messenger, not the message. This move is a big deal. I bet the one model will soon become the no model. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Microsoft to Drop Zunes - PC World
What would you be saying if Apple were to dump its entire line, except for one model? Well, if there were a new iPod that rendered the older ones entirely obsolete, I guess I'd say something like, That makes sense. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Microsoft to Drop Zunes - PC World
On Sep 13, 2009, at 7:26 PM Sep 13, Chris Dunford wrote: Well, if there were a new iPod that rendered the older ones entirely obsolete, I guess I'd say something like, That makes sense. Except that is not the case. Other than that, you are fine. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
