Bowser wrote: It seems to me the only reason for these games is to keep the idea of a manned Mars mission in front of the public. And that's a good thing.

Chris writes: No we are working out problems some you seem to feel are stupid. We broke a hammer and had a leeking hose and ATV's that wouldn't start and just a whole s*it load of other things go wrong...

Browser wrote: However, to not be able to make suit-to-suit intercoms to work, to have your basic Earth GPSs not work, to have something as elemental as pumping sewage from one tank to another fail, here on Earth, seems to be counter-productive.

Chris writes: How long ago did we have those comms problems, Bowser? Two years ago! You remember because you "an't never gonna forget" most normal people of the general population don't see comms problems as stupid they have cell phones and walkabouts to hassle with. The problems with the GPS are recurring and systemic of working in the Arctic and have nothing to do with the operators. How large of a pipe would you use? You're a clueless anal elepant!

Browser wrote: Joe Sixpack could read that, think "they're screwed, and they want how much to go to Mars?

Chris writes; What a load of BS. Joe Six-pack doesn't go out of his way to read the day to day activities of the Mars Society. Barry does now because I've got a trained seal. "Jump Barry, jump!" And it sounds like all that is needed is some minor rework of the GreenHab design with more engineering and less science. It takes a bunch of biology to make a living machine work and I believe all the people involve are scientists. They need to consult with engineers before sending the thing off to field test it or they should to be the ones messing with it. BTW, The last one they sent to MDRS blow over in a wind storm and that wasn't on the 5 PM news. So much for Joe Six-pack hearing about it...

Browser wrote: "Bigawd, you could upgrade Daytona, Durham, she-it, you could upgrade the whole damned circuit for that!!! Have upholstered goddamed seats, too, with a cooler for a six-pack under the seat!! Wouldn't that be a hoot!!"

Chris writes: You have a low opinion of your fellow humans don't you. I think they would see us working out problems if we have a clue how to do PR AKA Spin.

Browser wrote: Sort of wish those folks would quit the charade and spend the money gathering "Red Pennies for the Red Planet" from schoolkids, or somesuch.

Chris writes: Well I wish you would...it starts with an "F" and ends with one and is two words. Go read a book clueless...on Human Factors and modeling.

--Chris Vancil