Hello From Alex Michael Bonnici

Hello One and All,
Why has this discussion degerated into an either or proposition with some of the individual members of this forum? And believe me I am not the bad guy here. I didn't even start the fight or the name calling. One of your members began with a series of off the cuff insults. This was more the opening volley of a diatribe than a reasonable dialogue.

Our success as a species during our brief tenure on this planet has depended in large measure on our intimate knowledge of the environment in which we lived. And, for the past 50,000 years of humankind's existence that environment has been this world - the Earth.

You can see my positions on space, solar power satellites in some of my past postings on Discovery Enterprise (all pro I may add):

>From Olduvai Gorge to the Sea of Tranquility

http://discoveryenterprise.blogspot.com/2009/07/from-olduvai-gorge-to-sea-of.html

A Letter to The Next President concerning the Promise and Challenge of New Worlds

Written prior to the presidential election of November, 2008

http://discoveryenterprise.blogspot.com/2008/07/letter-to-next-president-concerning.html

Solar Power Satellites: The Yes Case

http://discoveryenterprise.blogspot.com/2009/01/solar-power-satellites-yes-case.html

But, from what I have seen here in terms of the level and quality of discussion from some members in this forum, quite frankly I really I do not care what some of you people think. If you represent the vanguard of the space settlement movement that the late Gerald K O'Neill envisioned - its no surprise that it has faltered. And, believe me I have been a fan of Gerald K O'Neill for well over thirty years.

Best regards and Good bye for good!!! I really do not want any part in this forum,

Alex Michael Bonnici

From: the_gunfighter_45acp
To: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, May 21, 2010 3:48 AM
Subject: [spacesettlers] Re: The Discovery Enterprise: Oceans 911

Typical, one does not have to know a thing to respect a thing, nor does one having knowledge of something automatically give them respect for it, in fact it seems as we move into an area and learn more about it we exploit it more, and do damage upon it. This is in fact why the rain forest is going away. If we just stay the hell away from the rain forests of the world we wouldn't be losing them.

And "fixing problems here on Earth first" argument couldn't be more tired or wrong. If every society waited till everything was perfect before exploring new areas then we all still be living in one cave, in one small part of the world with no civilization to speak of. These societal issues have always been there, in every society, and NEVER should be used as a reason to become introverted, and stagnant in our quests to move forward. We only do ourselves greater harm in doing so. History proves this without a doubt...

I love it, how people just jump at using words like ignorant, because some one doesn't agree with you does not make them or their point ignorant, nor their arguments any less sound.

Now one would say yeah the issues here on Earth "need" fixing, but lets break down these issues, dwindling resources, well if a greater portion of man kind was out in space in colonies ( such as the L5 society wanted back in the mid 70s) then there is less people here on Earth needing those resources.

Over population, (happens to be one of the reason rain forest are getting cut down we need more room) Well the above space colony fixes that too.

Unlimited resources for people here on Earth, without taxing Earth environment. Hummm space station colony that also beams power down Earth side. Looks like if we didn't drop the ball in the 70s like we did we would be stetting pretty good right now. No, the world still would not be a perfect place, and as always there still be world issues, but they would not be the worries we have to day.

Though there is one last issue I would like to point out, the poor and impoverished. They have always been the first to hit the frontiers in hopes for better, this is how great things happen, how new frontiers are truly opened. I would venture that if we did start building space station colonies back in the 70s like L5 wanted, right about now we would be seeing the same migration into space that Europe seen when America came about. It is the grand future we all have been robbed of, as Author C. Clark said, an idea has three fazes.

1. Oh that will never work we don't have the tech.
2. Yeah maybe we have the tech, but it will cost way to much.
3. That was so easy why didn't we do it sooner!

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "sailor.barsoom" wrote:
>
> After visiting the website I believe that this group wants
> to gain knowledge of the oceans and wants to preserve them.
> The idea that ignorance is the best way to protect the
> oceans, rain forests, or anything else I find truly shocking,
> at least coming from this group.
>
> When we are ignorant of the rain forest we burn the rain
> forest down because we don't know that there's anything wrong
> with that. When we are ignorant of the oceans we dump our
> trash into the oceans because we don't know that there's any-
> thing wrong with that.
>
> "Should we spend time, money and effort on the ocean or on
> space?" This is a false choice exactly the same way that
> "Should we spend time, money and effort on space or on
> solving our problems here on Earth?" is a false choice.
>
> Sorry to snarl, but this got to me. I don't know if
> Discovery Enterprise is as wonderful as they present
> themselves as (then again who is?), but not all intercourse
> is rape, and we need to make sure DE really is the bad guy
> before we convict them.
>
> All of that being said, space is bigger than the oceans, and
> has more resources.
>