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[10ebbor10]

Sad thing is that even if we had the funds, and the need, we couldn't build them anymore.

Formulas and designs for quite a few parts have been lost. For example, while working on the shuttle, they tried to look into the heat shielding of the Apollo and found out that they didn't know how to make them anymore.

And in hindsight, switching the Saturn for the shuttle was a step backwards, proving both less reliable, less capable and more expensive than it's earlier predecessor.

[Owlbread]

Nuclear weapons and military research are much more important and worthy of spending. Surely.

[10ebbor10]

Nuclear weapons and military research are much more important and worthy of spending. Surely.

Nah, it's the corporate interests and legal bribery in the US that killed this one of. Same ones that killed the shuttle. (Though, to be fair, that one was pretty death anyway)

And saddled us up with the Space Launch System. (Which is expensive and underperforming due to being forced to use shuttle technology, rather than what was best for the job)

[MonkeyHead]

The trouble with the space shuttle was that is was designed with public image in mind by committiee. It ended up being part heavy lift system, part satellite launcher, part orbital lab, and part human spaceflight module - jack of all trades, master of none. With such a complex craft, unreliability was inevitable, hence the insane cost of operating it and frequent saftey scares, particularly when it was being used beyond its shelf life. It would have made more sense for NASA to diverissfy the Saturn/Apollo programme into 3 strands, alas, nobody looks that far into the future, and my hindsight is 20/20.

[Descan]

Bradley Manning has revealed that she is trans* and is going to change her name to Chelsea.

Of course, Al Jazeera can't be arsed to refer to her properly. Hell, even the facebook comments for the article are better, and this is fucking Al Jazeera! Every comment on their facebook is almost as bad as Yahoo! comments.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Supposedly, Manning being transsexual has been open information for a while now, it just hasn't been reported on until this letter. I certainly didn't hear anything about it.

[MonkeyHead]

Is it just a coincidence that the media has not really been making a big deal about this until after Manning was sentenced?

[SalmonGod]

There was some media attention devoted to this back when the chat logs with Lamo were released.  He confided some gender identity issues there, but I don't think it was ever described as full on transexuality.  I think what's most likely is Manning avoided the issue as much as possible for PR reasons while his trial was ongoing.  Now that he knows he's going to be locked up for a long time where it's unlikely to matter, he has no reason not to confess his identity.  He also probably did a lot of soul searching on the subject while in solitary confinement.

[Loud Whispers]

Bradley Manning has revealed that she is trans* and is going to change her name to Chelsea.

I'm suspicious as to why Manning wants to begin Hormone therapy now. I can't help but draw parallels to Chevalier d'Eon, a spy and a whistleblower, both had secrets; one kept them, the other released them. One was discredited by being forced into womanhood, the other is 'volunteering' himself into it. The corporate media machine will love every opportunity that suggests instability in the American psyche.

[GlyphGryph]

From what I understand, he delayed doing this first for professional reasons, and second to appear better before the court.

She's got no more reason to hide it or deny it, since she's no longer worry about employment or sentencing.

[Descan]

I'm sure she did, SalmonGod. :/

[Owlbread]

I also heard that Manning may suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome. She's classic gender dysphoria though, 100%. I heard she even joined the army in the first place to "man up".

[misko27]

Well then... It certainly was a bit of a surprise. I personally doubt any particular ill-intent, although I do wonder about the timing.

[Owlbread]

Well then... It certainly was a bit of a surprise. I personally doubt any particular ill-intent, although I do wonder about the timing.

It wasn't for me, I'd seen stuff about it for quite a while in circulation. It's been referenced for quite a while, though it gathered momentum a while ago when they showed the picture of her in a wig during the trial.

The timing is probably because she has nothing to lose anymore.

[Scoops Novel]

Sounds a little like we're supposed to trust her. Sounds a little like my reaction is an intended response. I'm not on the side of the US and other governments, incidentally.

Edit: too many sound a little's. G'damn repetitiveness.