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Re: Troubles parallel ambitions in NASA Mars project

Subject: Re: Troubles parallel ambitions in NASA Mars project
From: Greg Crinklaw <theskyhoundyoureye@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:55:36 -0600
Newsgroups: sci.astro.amateur, comp.robotics.misc


pogo wrote:
It just irks me when someone comes into this newsgroup, which has typically been self-policed and self-directed to HELP others getting into this field of interest (robotics), with what seems to be just a desire to stir things up & then you insult the people giving the feedback which *you* solicit. You know, you can harass the dog at the end of the chain all you like, but if you get too close it's not the dog's fault you lose a finger or two.

I'm posting on sci.astro.amateur to which this thread was cross posted. I know nothing about your robotics newsgroup, although I haven't been particularly impressed by the knowledge of those who posted on this thread.

You know I was in a museum over the weekend and some old fart was standing there turning red in the face while looking at a rock. The sign over the rock said it was between 3.5 and 4.5 million years old. The guy was really going off, loudly saying things like, "How can they know that! I mean, (getting redder now) I could say it was 3 million years old and who could prove me wrong?" All said with deep contempt, of course. Knowing a bit about geology myself, I knew what he didn't, so it was abundantly clear that he was making a fool of himself.

What irks me is people who can't tell when they are ignorant about something, or mistake their own ignorance of a field for a fundamental lack of said field itself. This is a particular hubris that really annoys me. Many things were posted on this thread that were no better than the rants of this old fart. As an example, the idea that low bidding contractors were to blame for the difficulties this mission is facing.

That's what "irks" me.

My advice is simple: if one doesn't know what one is talking about, then don't go shooting one's mouth off! And if you do, well, I say you get what's coming to you.

What ever happened to simply asking a question and listening politely to the answer?

--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools:  http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html
Observing: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html
Comets:    http://comets.skyhound.com

To reply take out your eye

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