| Answers to Our Hot Topic question |
 |
| Click Mr. Grey to go home |
| Nicole H. 7/25/06 In my opinion, the only way to overcome our pitfalls is to be realistic about what is happening. The way I look at earth is that it is just one of many worlds out there, each one unique. We are creatures that burrow in just like ants and we will either help or hinder our worlds. In earth's case I would say hinder, unfortunately. If we want to help our world, we should take a step back and look at the big picture. War, economics and what Paris Hilton is wearing do not seem as important if our ice caps melt and our oceans overflow. Paris Hilton will have no where to wear her new Gucci bag if her home is covered by water or a new ice age has started. Half of our country is oblivious to the fact that we are destroying ourselves. Not a second thought is given to burning garbage or driving the largest SUV you can afford right here in our own country. If long distance space travel and creating space settlements is the long term option I say how sad. Who are we to take advantage of this beautiful place and ruin its existence for our own materialistic garbage? We will be able to survive but in the long run won�t we just do the same thing to our new settlements? We are a destructive race, we need to be educated. If the government would actually own up to the fact that global warming is more than just a possibility we may be able to at least prolong the destruction here on our planet. Show all of the uneducated people out there that money is not the end all be all of this world. We are. Education and realism about what is really happening is the key to survival of the human race and this planet. |
| Cindy S. 7/25/06 - I'm torn. On one hand, the explorer in me wants to reach for the stars and on the other hand - the realist in me believes that the money that we spend on the search for intelligent life, the cost to put the aging shuttle into orbit etc is money that could be better spent taking care of all of the homeless, hungry people in our country. I know there are benefits to all scientific endeavors, but I truly don't believe that we are searching for the correct answers and implementing the knowledge we've gained in a positive way. I wish we could take the knowledge we've gleaned from our forays into space and find a way to feed the hungry and to enrich our lives without destroying our planet. I can't see that working toward putting a base on the moon is as important as creating clean energy for the masses so that we don't destroy our planet. Frankly, I'm afraid that Al Gore is all too correct in his assertions that we are counting down to a world that is hotter, dirtier and existing on borrowed time. If I could change one thing about how American's think - I would make every American understand that what each and everyone one of us does affects the world we live in. OUR INDIVIDUAL choices determine our fate - even when the choice is as simple as recycling that tin can that would normally be thrown away. |
| Our question to the readers of this newsletter: Based on Stephen Hawking�s question (In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain another 100 years) do you believe that we will be able to overcome the pitfalls we�ve created for ourselves and our environment? Would our time be better spent focusing our energy and finances on correcting the pitfalls we�ve created for ourselves or does the aforementioned pursuit provide us with knowledge that will assist us in saving our planet? |
| Meg 10/1/06 - I believe that we can save our planet - but it will take the combined efforts of all the people on this planet. If we work together, we can make a difference and the pursuit of space travel and the knowledge that we gain should help us find ways of making our planet safer and cleaner. Throughout history, people have needed lofty goals to push them to greatness. Space travel may be that lofty goal that will save us. |