Will the U.S. ever produce another Neil Armstrong?

[Earl]

http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/ar ... 822286.php

Will America ever produce another Neil Armstrong?

By Keith M. Parsons
Updated 1:32 a.m., Wednesday, August 29, 2012





In an age of Lilliputians, the death of Neil A. Armstrong reminded us that giants once dwelt among us. In this dark time when ideology is exalted over intelligence, Armstrong's achievements remind us of what a society committed to science can do. In an era of partisan extremism, we can recall a time when one small step taken by one man filled all of us with awe. We also felt pride. It was Neil Armstrong who physically stepped onto the lunar surface, but, in our hearts, we went to the moon. It was not a feat of one party or one faction. We did it.

How did we do it? In the movie "Apollo 13," Tom Hanks, playing Jim Lovell, says "We went to the moon. It wasn't a miracle; we just decided to go." We resolved to do it, got our best people working on it, and did it. We succeeded because we did what we used to do better than anyone in the world. The United States had an unmatched capacity for big, bold science and engineering projects. When you look at the 25 years preceding the moon landing in 1969, American accomplishments in every field of science and technology were simply astonishing.

Consider a very short list of American achievements during the two decades preceding Kennedy's 1962 speech committing us to a moon landing: On July 16, 1945, three years of concentrated effort by the world's most powerful intellects culminated in the Trinity Test, when the first nuclear detonation lit the New Mexico desert with a light "brighter than a thousand suns." In 1946 ENIAC, the world's first automatic electronic digital computer, was built at Harvard University. On Oct. 14, 1947, the rocket-powered Bell X-1, piloted by Capt. Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager, became the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound. In 1948, the 200-inch Hale Telescope began operating at Mt. Palomar in California. For decades it remained the largest reflecting telescope in the world. In the mid-1950s the dreaded disease polio was curbed by vaccines developed by American scientists Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin. In 1964, American physicist Murray Gell-Mann proposed the existence of fundamental particles he called "quarks." Quarks are now universally accepted as integral components of the Standard Model of subatomic particles.

So the decision to go to the moon was not based on wishful thinking or pie-in-the-sky idealism, but on a realistic appreciation of what we could do. Even when things did not go right, as with Apollo 13, we still expected that our expertise and determination would make things work out. Failure was not an option.

Now failure is not only an option, it is the new normal. People are no longer surprised to hear that American students rank 25th worldwide in mathematical skills. A nation with our resources and our magnificent legacy of achievement in every field should lead the world in education. Instead, we are back in the pack among the also-rans. In 1957, people were shocked when the Soviets launched Sputnik before we had put a satellite into orbit. Now the news that China can fly people into space - when we cannot - barely causes a ripple in the national psyche, certainly nothing that would distract Americans from wondering what the Kardashians are doing or who is winning on "Dancing with the Stars."

What happened? As Charles P. Pierce notes in his hilarious and horrifying book "Idiot America," there has been a profoundly disturbing change in American culture. Anti-intellectualism has always been a current in American culture, but it is now a tsunami. Fifty years ago science was revered and scientists were respected. The objectivity of scientific methods and reliability of scientific findings were hardly questioned. Now science is widely regarded as just another opinion and the expert's judgment carries no more authority than a radio loudmouth's. Objectivity is dismissed, and the operant definition of "true" is now "my gut tells me so."

Kooky ideas that were formerly on the fringe are now promoted in the halls of Congress, touted by mainstream media and promulgated by ideologically driven think tanks, which, flush with corporate cash, gladly generate any kind of obfuscation that adds to the sponsor's bottom line.

There are still some very smart and capable scientists in this country and some notable scientific successes, like the Curiosity rover on Mars. But a culture that increasingly denigrates expertise and dismisses scientific claims when they contradict ideology or threaten profits will soon find that it has little use for a Neil Armstrong.

Parsons is professor of philosophy at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

[Earl]

[Fat Man]

Good morning Earl:

Thank you very much for posting this article!!!

Yes, this is what I've been saying all along.

I have read the book, mentioned in the above article, by Charles P. Pierce "Idiot America", the whole title is "IDIOT AMERICA How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free" which I had ordered from Barnes & Nobel a couple of months ago.



The article above has also mentions that the USA ranks 25th in math skills.



Also, we rank 20th is science and 12th in reading skills.

This is what I have been bitching about for the past three years ever since I joined these forums beck in February 12,2009 which was on the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, the same year that was also the 400th anniversary of Galileo's Telescope.

So, for me, 2009 was a very special year.

In addition to the book "Idiot America" I have also read another one by Chris Mooney, THE REPUBLICAN BRAIN The Science of Why They Deny Science and Reality.



And I'm now reading this one which I haven't finished yet.



The Republican War on Science, also by Chris Mooney.

And finally . . .

I have ordered this one which I will start reading as soon at I finish the one mentioned above.



ATTACK OF THE THEOCRATS! How The Religious Right Harms Us All - And What We can Do About It - A Harrowing True Tale Told By Sean Faircloth.

And of course I have this one.



COSMOS by Carl Sagan

And here's another one I had read back in 1980.



THIS WILD ABYSS The Story of the Men Who Made Modern Astronomy by Gale E Christianson.

When I ordered this one, it was a used book which only cost me a dollar, plus shipping and handling. It has 434 page plus the index.

I read this one back in 1980 and so, I wanted to get my own copy to read again.

Anyway . . . . .

What is mentioned in the article you posted above, I had been saying pretty much the same thing for the past three years since I have joined in these forums.

In an age of Lilliputians, the death of Neil A. Armstrong reminded us that giants once dwelt among us. In this dark time when ideology is exalted over intelligence, Armstrong's achievements remind us of what a society committed to science can do. In an era of partisan extremism, we can recall a time . . . etc. etc.

Yeah! America has been steadily on an intellectual decline. I'm 60 years old, and I'm very disappointed with what has been happening over the years.

Now failure is not only an option, it is the new normal. People are no longer surprised to hear that American students rank 25th worldwide in mathematical skills. A nation with our resources and our magnificent legacy of achievement in every field should lead the world in education. Instead, we are back in the pack among the also-rans.

And also . . . . .

Fifty years ago science was revered and scientists were respected. The objectivity of scientific methods and reliability of scientific findings were hardly questioned. Now science is widely regarded as just another opinion and the expert's judgment carries no more authority than a radio loudmouth's. Objectivity is dismissed, and the operant definition of "true" is now "my gut tells me so."

This is what I have been saying for the past three years in these forums. In fact, it's what I've been bitching about for most of my life, ever since I had my head bashed against a brick wall by a sports obsessed teacher who didn't want me to reading an Astronomy book, and having been suspended from school for failing to climb a rope in the gym when I was passing all my other academic subjects.

So, I'm not surprised as to why America has been swirling down the crapper.

The article you had posted above, only confirms exactly what I've been saying all the time.

Of course, I've been less polite, and more cynical in how I have said it.

But then, the author of the article you had posted above, Keith M. Parsons, probably never got his head bashed against a brick wall by a sports obsesses teacher who didn't want him to check pout Astronomy books from his school library.

So, the writer, Keith M. Parsons, is more polite about it in his assertions that I will ever be.

I would like to find out how I could personally contact the authors of four of the above mentioned books, Charles P. Pierce, Chris Mooney, and Sean Faircloth, and tell them of my own personal experience, without the cuss words of course.

Anyway . . . . .

I would have posted a response much sooner, but . . . . . I have been going back through the many forum posts that I have posted in the Off-Topic section, all the way back to February 2009 when I joined this web site.

And so . . . . . here is my index of past forum topics, with links back to said topics.

Embarrassingly Stupid!!! - Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:44 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... ?f=7&t=906
Article titled: Embarrassingly Stupid Americans - One in Five
Believes Sun Revolves Around Earth

A Setback For Science Education in Texas - Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:02 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=1796

--------------------
NOTE:
Back in 2009, I was in the process of converting to Judaism, but I have been becoming more and more agnostic.
--------------------

Anyway . . . . . to continue . . . . .

Happy Birthday Nikola Tesla!!! - Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:10 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=1778
Article: NIKOLA TESLA THE GENIUS WHO LIT THE WORLD

Education or Indoctrination? Threats To Academic Freedom! - Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:49 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=1817
With transcripts from YouTube videos included

August 25 Is The 400th Anniversary Of Galileo's Telescope - Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:36 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=2234
Article: Galileo's telescope reaches 400th anniversary

USA NOT A FREE COUNTRY! CHARLES DARWIN EXPELLED! - Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:28 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=3206
Three articles: Charles Darwin film 'too controversial for religious America'
Why Creation, the new Charles Darwin movie, needs to be shown in America
Creation the movie: world exclusive trailer

TEXAS: MEDIEVAL TREATMENT OF FEMALE PRISON INMATES IN LABOR - Wed Nov 25, 2009 1:54 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4381
Article: Movement Builds to Stop Shackling Pregnant Prisoners

CIA RESPONSIBLE FOR MISSING CHILDREN!!! - Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:22 pm
Two Articles: New Leads Implicate CIA, Government Officials In Child Prostitution Ring
The Washington Child Sex Ring Coverup

The Foundational Falsehoods of Creationism - 17 Videos - Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:04 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=1797
Videos with transcripts

Religion: A History of Violence - Please watch And Comment! - Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:09 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4623
YouTube videos

How Shawn Became VenomFangX, Bad Christian Vs Good Christian - Wed Jul 21, 2010 3:21 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4632
Cartoon video


What Hath Science Wrought? - Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:46 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4635
Videos (Audio disabled on one of the videos, damn it!)

TORTURE POLICY - WATERBOARDING FOR DUMMIES - Fri Mar 12, 2010 4:19 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4500
Article

School Board might OK teaching creationism! This Sucks! - Sat Aug 14, 2010 4:39 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4661
Article

Support Fact Based Education Against Corporal Punishment - Fri Aug 20, 2010 7:49 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4670
Videos

Discovering Religion: Creationism & Evolution - 18 Videos - Wed Aug 25, 2010 6:19 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4676

Darwin Killed God? No! Evolution's true AND God still lives! - Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:14 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4677

==============================

OK, a little side trip here . . . . .

The Trial of Galileo 1633 CE - Sat Aug 28, 2010 11:17 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4679
Articles and videos
Song about Galileo

Galileo Galilei (Lyrics by Jugnutgut aka Rob)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VpX3lJ8jGo

Galileo Galilei

He was a man of science
A giant of his day
He unraveled mysteries
Galileo . . . Galileo Galilei

He looked thru the looking glass
And saw a new display
He saw the moons of Jupiter
Galileo . . . Galileo Galilei

Oh Oh Galileo
Oh Oh Galilei
Oh Oh Galileo
Galileo Galilei

He studied spots on the Sun
His knowledge, he'd convey
He told us how and why things moved
Galileo . . . Galileo Galilei

He said the Earth was not the center
That was not the way
It was the Sun and not the Earth
Galileo . . . Galileo Galilei

Oh Oh Galileo
Oh Oh Galilei
Oh Oh Galileo
Galileo Galilei

Some did not approve
Of all he had to say
They said he must be silent
Galileo . . . Galileo Galilei

He was a man of science
A giant of his day
He unraveled mysteries
Galileo . . . Galileo Galilei

========================================

Now, back to my Index Of Past Topics:

THE REPUBLICANS - BECOMING AMERICA'S NAZI PARTY!!! - Tue Oct 26, 2010 11:18 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4744
Three articles
Rand Paul supporter stomps on woman's head
Rand Paul's final debate strategy: Play dumb
Paul, MoveOn respond

Republican Scandal Behind Child Abuse - (Topic Re-named) - Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:51 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4772
Article

THE INQUISITION - 20 Videos - Please Watch And Reply! - Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:17 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4779

The new barbarism: Keeping science out of politics - Mon Dec 06, 2010 5:57 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4794
Article

Teacher Must Apologize for Teaching Science! - SAY WHAT??? - Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:42 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4817
Three articles

The Ten States Running Out Of Smart People - Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:58 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=4948
Article

Right-wing Religious Groups Oppose Anti-Bullying Bill - Sat Mar 05, 2011 4:12 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=5070
Two articles

Why Do People Laugh At Creationists? Now 36 YouTube Videos! - Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:26 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=1886

==============================

Nostalgia For The Light - Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:04 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=5206

Article "Nostalgia for the Light": A spectacular
head-trip into Chile's Atacama Desert
Astronomers, archaeologists and victims of dictatorship
collide in the gorgeous "Nostalgia for the Light"

What do Astronomers, Archaeologists, and victims of a dictatorship have in common?

==============================
Another little side trip here . . . . .
==============================

http://www.fi.edu/learn/case-files/shap ... erest.html

In the Interest of Science

During his time at the Harvard Observatory, Shapley was involved in many scientific societies, including the American Astronomical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Sigma Xi. He also served on the committees that helped to found the National Science Foundation and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). A member of numerous academies and the recipient of many prestigious prizes, Harlow Shapley did much to help popularize the field of astronomy. He was active in the professional as well as political interests of science.

Shapley was a political liberal and became a victim of McCarthyism. Joseph McCarthy claimed that Shapley was a communist in the State Department, even though Shapley had no real connection to it. Shapley's response to the press was: "the Senator succeeded in telling six lies in four sentences, which is probably the indoor record for mendacity." Shapley was, however, a friend of Henry A. Wallace and attended the Progressive Party convention in 1948. He supported Wallace on a personal level, but was against the pro-Soviet positions of the Progressive Party.

Next to astronomy, Shapley's greatest interest was myrmecology, the study of ants. He spent much time studying them in the daylight hours at Mount Wilson, and even published a few papers on ant behavior.

Harlow Shapley died on October 20, 1972â??just shy of his 87th birthdayâ??in Boulder, Colorado, during a visit to his son.

Notice, that how most scientists, Astronomers, Physicists, Geologists, Biologists, Paleontologists, etc. etc. tend to be liberal and vote Democratic.

Why is that???

I know that answer to that!

==============================

Now, to continue with my index of my post topics . . . . . . .

==============================

Grappling Ignorance! Are Atheists Actually More Christ-like? - Tue May 03, 2011 1:59 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=5617
Videos with transcript

WARNING! Our Government Does Not Want Us To Read!!! - Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:52 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=7384
Article with petition - too late to sign now

Jesus Or Jail? Mandatory Church Attendance? Oh! Really? - Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:10 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=8836
Two articles
Alabama Townâ??s â??Jesus Or Jailâ?? Policy Violates The Constitution, Americans United Says
Alabama townâ??s offenders can chose between jail and church

Moronic Texas Governor, Rick Perryâ??s History Lesson FAIL!!! - Thu Oct 13, 2011 1:45 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=9298
TFN article from Texas Freedom Network

Exposing David Bartonâ??s Bad History!!! - Sat Oct 15, 2011 2:59 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=9345
Articles
Mike Huckabee Says He Wants Americans To Be Indoctrinated At Gunpoint
Our Founding Fathers on Christianity

The Evangelical Rejection of Reason - Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:18 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... f=7&t=9431
Article

Texas Governor Rick Perry Says "Galileo Was Out-voted"!!! - Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:26 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... =7&t=11574
Three articles
Perry says Galileo 'got outvoted' too
Rick Perryâ??s Galileo Analogy Was Embarrassingly Flawed
Divining Perryâ??s Meaning on Galileo Remark

Republican Says For Contraception Hold Aspirin Between Knees - Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:45 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... =7&t=13471
Three articles:
On Contraception and Liberty
Political risks abound in fight over contraceptives rule
Issa's House hearings on contraception: Where were the women?

Rick Santorum Says, College Education Is Indoctrination??? - Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:51 pm
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... =7&t=13590
Four articles
Rick Santorum Sounds 'Indoctrination' Warning Over Obama College Plan
Santorum: Obama wants to 'indoctrinate' students by boosting college enrollment
Rick Santorum: Left uses college for "indoctrination"
Rick Santorum Says College is 'Indoctrination'; We Say It's Necessary

A New Low For FOX NEWS!!! Yeah! It keeps on getting better! - Sun Apr 08, 2012 7:0
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... =7&t=14705
Four articles
A New Low for Fox News
UPDATED: Fox Senior VP: Fox Anchor Knows Obama Conspiracy Tweets Were "A Mistake"
How Fox News Helped Hijack TX Curriculum
Fox News: â??Fair and Balancedâ???

The "Wild Hypocrisy" of America's Conservative Christians? - Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:02 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... =7&t=14964
Two articles
The Wild Hypocrisy of America's Conservative Christians
Right-Wing Religion's War on America
--------------------
NOTE:
Christians in Britain tend to be more liberal and progressive
supporting progressive social programs while many American
Christians (not all of course) tend to be far to the right.
--------------------

NYPD Raids OWS Library And Destroys Books! - Sat Jun 02, 2012 2:28 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... =7&t=15448
Article:
OWS Librarians Sue Mayor Bloomberg, NYPD, and City of New York Over November 15 Middle-of-the-Night Raid

Christian Fundamentalists Teaching Genocide in Our Schools? - Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:05 am
http://www.sportssuck.org/phpbb2/viewto ... =7&t=15452
Article: Are Christian Fundamentalists Teaching Genocide in Our Schools?

==============================

Well, there we have it.

My index of past topics since I joined this web site back in February 12,2009 which was on the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, and also, the 400th year since Galileo first used his telescope. The year 2009 was a very special year for me.

The year 2011 sucked, because it was the 400th year of the King James Bible.

And this year sucks, because 2012 is the 100th year since the Titanic sank, and if the Republicans win this 2012 election, the USA will go down like the Titanic!

Only difference is, the Republican will be deliberately steering our country toward disaster, and deliberately punching holes in it, and keeping the middle class and the poor locked below decks as the USA sinks.

Of course, the Republicans believe they will be raptured and taken to their golden mansions in the sky, while the rest of us "rotten sinners" will probably die is some nuclear war that they started, thinking the it will speed up the second coming of Christ.

Well, as I once said before, I don't believe the Jesus ever actually existed. No offense, but that's exactly what I think.

So, in answer to the question . . . . . "Will the U.S. ever produce another Neil Armstrong?" I seriously doubt it!!!

Other countries overseas are launching people into space. But, since we scrapped the Space Shuttle program, we presently have nothing to get us out there anymore.

If Americans ever do go back to the moon, or even go on to Mars, American astronauts will go as passengers on board some foreign space vessel.

Obama wants to send some people to an asteroid, and I'm all for that.

Newt Gingrich once said that he thinks the USA should try to go to Mars sometime in the 2030s and I say well . . . GOOD FOR HIM!!! I'M ALL FOR THAT!!!

But there is just one very small problem . . . . .

It's going to take science and technology to accomplish the feat. That means, that we need to place more emphasis on science and math education in our schools.

Ah! But Newt Gingrich is a Christian Fundamentalists who is against science education in our schools, and would like to see Creationism taught in high school science classes, instead of evolution.

So . . . . . how in the flying Hell does Newt Gingrich propose that Americans go to Mars?

Uh . . . let me guess now . . . . . Oh! I know . . . . .

MAGIC FLYING CARPETS!!! Right???

Oh wait! I think I know!

Mitt Romney has the solution!

Make our astronauts put on MAGIC UNDERWEAR!!!

Yeah! That's the ticket!!!

Of course, our astronauts will have to convert to Mormonism first before they can get their magic underwear and other secret temple garments.

Oh gee! There I go being cynical again!!!

Well, anyway . . . . .

In addition to posting so many topics in these forums concerning science, politics, and religion, I have subscribed to get E-mails updates and Newsletters from the following organizations.



And I have even pledged a $5 dollar monthly donation to a couple of them.

And three of the above mentioned organizations have their own web site forums where I have registered to post my own comments.

We don't always agree on some issues, but at those forums, it has never come to name calling. I actually feel more relaxed when posting or responding to the topics in their forums.

Trolls like Fit Man and Fitman's Brother would not last one day over there before being kicked off from their forums.

Also, Fitman's brother keeps saying that everything I post is nothing but bullshit, when he has not even bothered to look at some of my topics, and even says that he doesn't even bother because they are too long.

OK, I don't care if he thinks that my own cynical comments are bullshit, but the articles I post are not bullshit!

Yeah, he thinks they're too long. I doubt he has ever read an entire book i his life from cover to cover. Yet, when I was only in the 3rd and 4th grade, I would check out books from the public library that were at adult level, and more than 500 pages long.

Apparently, anything that is not sports, Fitman's Brother thinks is bullshit!!!



Yeah! People like Fit Man and Fitman's Brother are just like that moronic kid depicted in the cartoon above.

It's a prefect example of the attitudes of too many young people today!

No, it's going to be a long long long time, if ever, before America will ever again produce another Neil Armstrong, or another like Carl Sagan, or another Isaac Asimov.

The kids in our schools today, who might have that potential, are getting bullied around in our schools.

America has decided to pull the chain, and just let everything go swirling down the crapper.