Predictions of how life would be in the 21th century

[Semicolon]

  We interrupt this long exchange of nested quotes    to wonder what will eventually replace the internet!

will replace the internet?

Giraffes will replace the internet, yes.

Link

Fuck the pigeons. Giraffes for the win. 

How would a giraffe navigate Belfast?

They're very tall so they can see everything. 

The streets would soon become clogged with giraffes.

[Arya Quinn]

  We interrupt this long exchange of nested quotes    to wonder what will eventually replace the internet!

will replace the internet?

Giraffes will replace the internet, yes.

Link

Fuck the pigeons. Giraffes for the win. 

How would a giraffe navigate Belfast?

They're very tall so they can see everything. 

The streets would soon become clogged with giraffes.

They're already clogged with Orangemen.

[Queen Victoria]

I remember reading sometime in the very early 1960's that Los Angeles would have 400 lane freeways.  Even back then I thought that would be impossible.

[odeon]

This was supposed to be in place by 2001

I still feel that while the space shuttle was an awesome machine, it was the wrong direction to take. There was a Mars exploration programme in the wings, and a moonbase, and lots of other cool things. And the US was the only nation on the planet capable of pulling it all off.

[Semicolon]

This was supposed to be in place by 2001

I still feel that while the space shuttle was an awesome machine, it was the wrong direction to take. There was a Mars exploration programme in the wings, and a moonbase, and lots of other cool things. And the US was the only nation on the planet capable of pulling it all off.

We're going as fast as we can.

[odeon]

It would have been pretty cool, wouldn't it? Now, the US is hoping that private enterprises will build and provide spaceships. It's sad.

[Semicolon]

It would have been pretty cool, wouldn't it? Now, the US is hoping that private enterprises will build and provide spaceships. It's sad.

We don't have the discretionary spending ability that we used to.

It matters what else the money is spent on. Families are still going hungry and losing their homes. Not everyone has health insurance. Education is being cut. Or, the NSA might want a new drone.

[Jack]

It's irritating when people cry poor in the mouth over NASA. NASA is one of the smallest expenditures in the national budget and the US can afford a decent space program. Though it's understandable that NASA's objectives have changed toward non-manned exploration.

[Semicolon]

It's irritating when people cry poor in the mouth over NASA. NASA is one of the smallest expenditures in the national budget and the US can afford a decent space program. Though it's understandable that NASA's objectives have changed toward non-manned exploration.

It would be understandable to cut NASA's budget if the result was that every poor person in America had food, shelter and health insurance. Admittedly, cutting the military budget would be more substantial.

[Jack]

NASA's budget is only one half of one percent of the national budget. It could be cut completely and no one other than NASA would probably notice. Thinking government officials wouldn't actually re-direct those funds to people who need food or shelter.

[Semicolon]

NASA's budget is only one half of one percent of the national budget. It could be cut completely and no one other than NASA would probably notice. Thinking government officials wouldn't actually re-direct those funds to people who need food or shelter.

[odeon]

It would have been pretty cool, wouldn't it? Now, the US is hoping that private enterprises will build and provide spaceships. It's sad.

We don't have the discretionary spending ability that we used to.

It matters what else the money is spent on. Families are still going hungry and losing their homes. Not everyone has health insurance. Education is being cut. Or, the NSA might want a new drone.

You're right, of course. It's just sad, is all.

Still. Cut spending on a single aircraft carrier and you're off to Mars.

[odeon]

It's irritating when people cry poor in the mouth over NASA. NASA is one of the smallest expenditures in the national budget and the US can afford a decent space program. Though it's understandable that NASA's objectives have changed toward non-manned exploration.

Is it? I'm not sure.

[odeon]

NASA's budget is only one half of one percent of the national budget. It could be cut completely and no one other than NASA would probably notice. Thinking government officials wouldn't actually re-direct those funds to people who need food or shelter.

Oh, I'm sure they would.

[Jack]

It's irritating when people cry poor in the mouth over NASA. NASA is one of the smallest expenditures in the national budget and the US can afford a decent space program. Though it's understandable that NASA's objectives have changed toward non-manned exploration.

Is it? I'm not sure.

From a risk management standpoint, and considering what benefit manned missions even provide over unmanned, think it is. Colonizing isn't exploration, and if the objective is to explore and learn, then machines can go more places and provide more information than manned missions.