Newsroom Watercooler: News of the World general chat thread

[Caitlin]

An idea that's been going around the forums lately is a general chat thread for some of the larger sections. These forums are so large that we have several sub-communities formed around certain parts of the board, and having a dedicated place for those of similar interest to chat with each other might be a good idea. So we're going to try it out.

The idea I have behind this thread is that this is a place where you can:
1. Chat with fellow members in a broad setting about this forum's focus as well as other things such as how your day went, that kind of stuff.
2. Talk about happenings in the world that don't quite have the weight or importance of their own separate thread (like a local news story that you liked, for example)
3. Just relax and have fun

Keep in mind that, though this is a general thread, there are some guidelines:
1. Obviously, follow the rules of the forums
2. Keep discussion meant for other sections to them (IE a band reforms and does a tour? Entertainment Inc. is that way.)
3. This is going through a trial run. If it's seen to be more trouble than it's worth, it will disappear.

So, with all of that said, I present to you a shiny, new and gift wrapped general chat thread. To start us off, I guess I can toot my own horn and announce that I've been promoted to (provisional) forum head of News of the World in Every Breaking Wave's absence. So if you have any questions, come to me. And be sent to the dungeon for questi Have fun!

 

[DerMißingno]

Hey look, there's a 5 day old chat thread that hasn't been posted in yet o.o

So in 2011, China had more space launches then the United States. Anyone have any opinions on that?

 

[Caitlin]

I'm not surprised by that. The Bush administration put several nails in the coffin of the US's space program, Obama's administration put in the final nails. Meanwhile China is probably looking to colonize (or at least capitalize) the moon in some way.

 

[DerMißingno]

I don't really think Bush's "vision for space exploration" put any nails in NASA's coffin... They have a $19 billion budget for 2012 and almost $20 billion for 2013, which includes provisions for development of the Space Launch System and a new manned vehicle. Here is the 2010 NASA authorization act, if you're interested.

I don't think NASA is dying yet, but I do hope we start paying attention to the Chinese. They put a space station in orbit in 2011, and they'll no doubt be sending some taikonauts up to occupy it in 2012. I hope you're right and they do try to go to the moon, a space race to Mars would be phenomenal.

 

[Shinobu]

I'm not surprised by that. The Bush administration put several nails in the coffin of the US's space program, Obama's administration put in the final nails. Meanwhile China is probably looking to colonize (or at least capitalize) the moon in some way.

If NASA wanted to beat China at that, then it's a good thing that the space shuttle program was retired. Space shuttles cannot land on extraterrestrial bodies. Now NASA can focus its resources on a development for a superior manned craft.

I find things like colonizing planets to be a pipe dream (at least for the next 100 years or so) that doesn't have much value. We can learn a lot from unmanned missions, especially when they go fabulously like the Mars Exploration Rovers.

 

[DerMißingno]

It's true, robots are cheaper and adequate for science, but the problem is they don't name high schools after robots.

 

[Lilac]

This thread is really dead
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