Posted on 12/17/2010 3:10:05 PM PST by giant sable
Thank you.
Even if we werent broke how many here think we would have the foresight to make it back to the moon and build a base there?
I really thought I would see an american space exporation of Mars in my lifetime. Now I know Im not going to see it.
Yawn. Another one of those who would sell themselves and their country to the Chinese for cheap sh*t. I honestly don’t think it would make that significant a price difference if iPads are made in the US.
as an example
Losses:
...war on drugs, war on terror, liar loans, border control, auto industry decline, crooked financial industry, the television religion scams, higher education...obviously most of government...
Many big powerful institutions utterly failed us.
give me $100 million and the original blueprints and I’ll land on the moon in 5 years
NASA can barely do ONE mission for that much
“Did you file an environmental impact statement before you posted this?”
You can’t take a dump anymore without one. Or without offending someone, or without getting sued. That’s why this country can’t do anything big anymore. China can, and will, though.
Apple has 50,000 employees, and 65 billion in revenue. Looks like they are doing quite well with a business model that is contrary to the one you advocate.
I believe in God, the Son of God Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I believe in America, my home. I believe God willed America to be. I believe had God not willed it, America would never have come to be great, strong, and free, with a Constitution protecting and defending us all. I believe God has blessed America with the sweet fruit America has feasted upon and enjoyed for over two hundred and thirty four years. While there have been some lemons, these lemons although bitter, did not dwell in the hearts and souls of Americans. Such is America’s time now. The lemons will crease to be, one day. The bitter taste will leave our mouths, and God shall will, the sweet and tasteful fruit to once again be tasted by America’s lips. I believe it will be so. Will there be a difficult time ahead? Most certainly Yes! Believe in America! America is strong. America is Great. Believe in what God can do for America. Simply view all God has done for America in the past and believe in a future. God has loved and I believe God still loves America. Who can stand against us, if God loves us? Answer.....none.
I think that this about says it all:
“Good Samaritans Face Fine After Rescuing Deer From Icy Water”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2644358/posts
“The recent quick fade of the Deficit Commission...”
First of all I’m not so sure it did a quick fade. I expect many of these ideas to be debated in the near future.
Secondly I would not compare the work of a “commission” to projects like the hoover dam, etc.
Thirdly I’m glad they didn’t get the required super majority vote which would have done what, exactly? Forced congress to vote up or down on their proposals?
Sorry, that’s not how this country is supposed to work. Bad enough we have too many robed masters usurping the power of the legislatures, we don’t need 18, or 14 out of 18, basically random people restructuring our nation’s economy. That is a job for US through our ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES to do.
And I hope they get on it PDQ and take the good from the commission and toss the rest.
So, more mush from the wimpy middle is what I’d call this from Forbes.
If I’m paying $800 for an iPad (not exactly a small amount of money), then you’d better believe I expect it to not be made in the Third World.
Also, please take a look at an old IBM keyboard from the ‘80s that was made in the US and compare it to the pathetic, flimsy Chinese keyboards you find now.
So in conclusion, kindly stop drinking the NAFTA, free trade Kool-Aid. It’s proven to be a complete and total failure.
Ah, but along came someone who DID care. The politician. And he has morphed into the once hated Paternal figure who will be your childs daddy, feed your child at school, put you up in an apartment and hand you a few bucks and some cheese a month. And the masses said “this is good”, we don’t need fathers for our children or to have to decide what our children will eat and whoopee, we don’t have to worry about rent or a house payment (until Frank-and-Dodd decided that, yes they did need a house payment). We are on our FOURTH generation who accepted this deal and you can see the results. Where are the liberals who hate those paternal men who run their lives and forced them to be housewives, etc??? They have BECOME what they once hated.
Ah, but along came someone who DID care. The politician. And he has morphed into the once hated Paternal figure who will be your childs daddy, feed your child at school, put you up in an apartment and hand you a few bucks and some cheese a month. And the masses said “this is good”, we don’t need fathers for our children or to have to decide what our children will eat and whoopee, we don’t have to worry about rent or a house payment (until Frank-and-Dodd decided that, yes they did need a house payment). We are on our FOURTH generation who accepted this deal and you can see the results. Where are the liberals who hate those paternal men who run their lives and forced them to be housewives, etc??? They have BECOME what they once hated.
“Also, please take a look at an old IBM keyboard from the ‘80s that was made in the US and compare it to the pathetic, flimsy Chinese keyboards you find now.”
And the IBM computer that durable keyboard was attached to costs around $3,500.
Today, I can buy much a much faster computer, that was made overseas for less than $500.00.
And I can buy a new keyboard that is made in China for $12.00.
“So in conclusion, kindly stop drinking the NAFTA, free trade Kool-Aid. It’s proven to be a complete and total failure.”
And while you are on your computer tonight, make sure you pay your Union dues.
“Today, I can buy much a much faster computer, that was made overseas for less than $500.00.”
They cost less because computers today have a lower chip count.
“And I can buy a new keyboard that is made in China for $12.00.”
Yes, a plastic piece of crap that hurts your fingers and the tops rub off of.
“And while you are on your computer tonight, make sure you pay your Union dues.”
Who says anything about unions? I have never been a supporter of them and feel that doing away with the things would do a great deal towards reducing labor costs.
1. I suspect one reason why we don't "do Big Things" anymore -- in the sense the author describes -- is that we have a better understanding of the poor return on investment for so many of these things. I'll use the Apollo program and most tall buildings as two good examples of this. The World Trade Center in New York City, for example, was the tallest building in the world when it was constructed in the early 1970s -- and was such a costly project that it was an enormous boondoggle from Day One.
2. We still do a lot of "Big Things," but we've become so inundated with information, so desensitized to the marvels of human achievement, and so ignorant of current affairs that we simply don't realize just how "Big" these things are, if we even know they exist at all. One good example that made news in a very negative way was the BP oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. I don't think a lot of people realize just how much of a "Big Thing" it is for oil to be drilled in water that is more than 5,000 feet deep. I'd also use the ongoing railroad project in North Baltimore, Ohio as an example of something that just doesn't get a lot of attention. CSX Railways is in the process of constructing what will be the largest intermodal rail yard in North America there right now, and when it is completed it will completely revolutionize the freight rail network in the Northeast.
Item #2 is a good example of a "Big Thing" that has a value far beyond its physical characteristics. It's just another example of a "Big Thing" we do today that is largely a major refinement of ordinary infrastructure and existing technology to make something work a hell of a lot more efficiently. Here's another awesome illustration of just how well we have been able to refine existing technology to an extraordinary degree:
25 Hours of FedEx Flight Operations
If you had told people even during the peak of U.S. technological superiority (say, the 1960s during the height of the NASA space program) that one day they'd be able to deliver a package from New York City to Los Angeles in less than 12-14 hours -- for not much more than the cost of a typical pizza pie -- they'd think you were crazy.
“Who says anything about unions? “
Sorry about that.
However, you were spouting to Union Party Line by advocating Protectionism.
The computer hardware I mentioned (like the IBM stuff) wasn’t made by union labor (at least I don’t think it was). NAFTA was basically what killed those jobs off.
>> Why Can’t We Do Big Things Anymore?
Greed and envy.
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