The Bloated Pig - A Place for Weary Flingers Page 2253
  • 159775 Comments
  • fenikusfenikus
    (next time we get bored, we should discuss "did we really land on the moon" topic).
  • KelaniKelani
    I wish NASA hadn't lost the good quality footage of that landing.
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus you don't wanna do that :P In 2008, I let myself get convinced by a few documentaries it could've been a hoax, and spent many, many hours hunting down logical explanations for the 'evidence' they presented. 90% of it is easily debunkable.

    edit: When a non-US space agency finally takes a picture of a landing site, I'll be happy.
  • KathyKathy
    I guess i set up the page change. .

    Good night eveeyone sorry typing in dark turned inn my flashlight last page:/
  • fenikusfenikus
    @kelani, you mean they had higher quality video of what they're playing now?
  • KathyKathy
    @kelani You dont really think that Neil Armstrong walk on the Moon was a Hoax !!:do you?
  • KathyKathy
    Nighty night for real..
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus yeah, it's a stupid story. They recorded it in awesomely high quality. (there's *beautiful* photo stills of what it looked like). But when the TV networks tried to air the live feed, there was an incompatibility, so the murky video you see is actually from a TV camera pointed at a monitor. IIRC, they stuck the high-quality recordings in a closet, and at some point, someone took the tapes and used them for something else. :(
  • KelaniKelani
    @Kathy Nope. I'm 95% convinced it happened. The 5% is just a few oddities that I've never found good explanations for.
  • fenikusfenikus
    I didn't know that @kelani…when did they realize the recordings were lost? Certainly doesn't help with conspiracy theories. One question that I was never satisfied with an answer is radiation from Van Allen belts. The Russians are saying that is what prevented them from getting there first, they couldn't get around protecting their cosmonauts from getting fried while passing through it.
  • RatRat
    Night Ma
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus Some bathroom reading for you:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11_missing_tapes

    It says they put them in a closet, and someone used them during a tape shortage in the 1980s.
  • KelaniKelani
  • KelaniKelani
  • RatRat
    @Kelani I have great admiration for your flinging skill, determination, and knowledge. And as far as being cynical, I'm higher on the list than most. But you lost a bit of my respect today when you said there's a five percent chance in your mind on whether or not we stepped foot on the moon. You're too intelligent to be sucked into some of the ridiculous conspiracy theories.

    Edit: My sister is 95% sure we didn't go to the moon. It's maddening when we visit.
  • fenikusfenikus
    Interesting site, @Kelani. I learned a new word from it: Bremsstrahlung. I wonder if they left that camera on the moon and recorded the lunar lander take off, but I don't feel like staying up all night to watch it. It's kind of slow right now…you still watching?
  • fenikusfenikus
    Re: No stars question…there are no stars on the high def photos either. IIRC, the explanation was that it was too bright for stars to be seen.
  • RatRat
    BOOM!!!

    BI #2 Nuclear option activated. *snicker*

    I felt good enough to fling for a little this morning @Kelani. *not really better, but I flung anyway* And I'm 95% sure my score on 8-38 will give you a headache. Don't worry. I didn't touch your top score trophy. I don't think anybody's going to take that from you. But I did improve my score a bit. If you don't mind, I think I'll sit in the big comfy chair and chat with @Ollygod about BI #1 now. Thanks for keeping it warm and toasty.

  • mvnla2mvnla2
    @Fenikus @kelani @Rat @Kathy, @anyone else hanging around the BP. The moon landing video sure brings back much happier memories than the recent news, which make you think about where you were when you found out about some tragedy, e.g. President Kennedy's assassination, 9/11.
    So where were you when Apollo landed on the moon? I was in Trafalgar Square, watching the landing on a big screen. Not sure how they did it in those days, clearly wasn't a huge TV or LCD.
  • fenikusfenikus
    @mvnla2, I was 4 years old then so am pretty sure I didn't watch it or at least I don't recall any of it. Watching of the replay of the live feed really got me curious if they left that video camera on the moon and recorded the lunar lander taking off…do you remember if they showed that at the time?
  • KelaniKelani
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus that left-behind camera always seemed weird. Who's filming THAT? :P The camera was mounted to the rover, and timed to track the ascent. I think there's video from Apollo 17 showing how they did it.

    edit: I see you and the @Rodent have co-declared war on my scores today. Traitor! :)
  • fenikusfenikus
    @Kelani, I assume you're talking about that Fox special few years back? I watched it too -- it was actually masterfully done considering its purpose: to get people to watch it and create hoopla. After seeing it, it raised healthy amount of questions in me as well. I remember spending countless hours on Skype talking to my cousin who's a professional photographer. We analyzed many photographs and found troubling inconsistencies. Also, there was something about the cameras they used that didn't add up but I don't remember what.

    In any case, even if some of the photos were doctored, it doesn't prove the landing didn't take place. For me, it's simple: Russians never questioned the moon landing and that seals the deal for me. They were way ahead of Americans with their space program but IIRC from a documentary on their program, their main scientist who was a genius passed away and that basically crippled their progress.

    Edit: I am also only 95% certain the moon landing was real. 2% is my default amount of healthy skepticism for everything in the world, and 3% is because of various questions people have raised. I also don't disrespect most conspiracy theorists -- they are good for the world (even though most of them are plain nuts)!
  • fenikusfenikus
    Ummm, what did I do flinging wise to be dubbed a traitor? I don't remember knocking on any sheriff doors recently.
  • EStarEStar
  • KelaniKelani
  • KelaniKelani
    @estar holy... That's awful! Those figures are from 18 years ago AND lowballed? How would the non-rich kids even manage that? If we'd had those kinda costs when I was in high school, the student parking lot would've had about 5 cars, instead of 300.
  • EStarEStar
    No those figures I found online, but it all depends on the driverschool, the city etc... but the amount is fairly the same as 18 years ago. As for the non-rich kids... a summer/weekend job, a gift/bargain from parents who want their kid to ... not start smoking/get a diploma/etc are a couple of options. Not sure how it is today, but I think in my class there were just a couple that got their license and even less that had a car. Must have something to do with us being a small country and public transportation is widely available (And free for students during the week or weekend (depending on which version of student card they choose)
  • EStarEStar
  • mvnla2mvnla2
    @fenikus @kelani -- I don't remember seeing the take-off, but it was sheer luck that I was somewhere I could see the landing.
    I assume it must have been on some kind of projector, but it amazes me that you could see it outside. Maybe it was dark, but I don't remember that, will have to check time zone.
    Actually I think it is @ABCrazy who might know why the retroreflectors are still working. I assume they were far enough from Apollo that they didn't get much dust from the liftoff. Don't know how much dust you would expect from micrometeroids. If you'r talking about direct impact, remember that they are arrays; don't know how densely the moon surface is covered by impacts.
  • KelaniKelani
    @estar yeah, I guess the public transport makes a difference. Except for school buses, we didn't have that, and what 16yr old wants to ride one of those? :)

    We may have changed to private companies since I did it, but before that, all the 15+ year olds took a two-week break from phys ed. class, sat in a trailer with the PE/Driver's Ed teacher and did book work. After that, he'd take all of us for driving practice, two kids at a time. Each kid drove 30 mins/day, for a week. If he survived, he signed a paper, and we could get a learner's permit for $10-20. When we turned 16, go back to the DMV, take written & road test, show insurance, pay $25 and get a license.
  • KelaniKelani
  • KelaniKelani
    @estar sorry, I have to run. I'm moving over there and opening a driving school! :D
  • fenikusfenikus
    @estar, yeah! -- I totally forgot the cost of taking mandatory classes, it was a fortune 30 years ago in my neck of the woods, too. Would you believe that here in USA you don't have to take driving course if you're 18+ (I think that's the age, I know certain someone will correct me if I'm wrong)?! You just show up for the test, which by Euro standards is a piece of cake. Admittedly, it is waaaay easier to drive here than in Europe.

    Edit: I guess the 18+ figure depends on the State you live in. Generally, you don't need to take any courses with some exceptions in certain states. I found this for Connecticut:

    • In Connecticut, all first-time applicants ages 18 and older must complete an eight hour course on safe driving before applying for their license.

    I never had to do this though, probably because I had my European driver's license at the time.
  • KelaniKelani
    TT 15 is driving me nuts. 16k below high score, and on-deck bomb bird's hops screw up my 1st shot half the time.

    edit: thank you whhhhhiiine goddess. 197k on next attempt.
  • EStarEStar
    Sorry got called away... Yeah @fenikus I can imagine driving in Europe is totally different, but wow no real mandatory lessons huh?

    @kelani have to add though, I don't believe your drivers license is valid over here so bring some cash with ya... Maybe rob a bank on your way here?
  • TomPussTomPuss
    Hey @all Sorry to be a popper, we had such trouble with storms - thunder, torrential rain, hail, gales, over and over again, so bad it rained into the kitchen. Ugh! And not so good for comms, either.
    I am still at a loss with Rio, but I guess in the great scheme of things, it really doesn't matter. .

    @EStar What a lot I saved by never learning to drive! That is a really obscene amount of money!
    Back soon - I hope with something more interesting than the weather to talk about (so typically British. . .)
    Night night, xoxo
  • KelaniKelani
  • fenikusfenikus
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus yeah, Bart clearly didn't think that one through very well. :) I don't think he realized attacking an American hero would destroy any credibility he had. He pulled that trick a few other times, even lied to get an interview in one astronaut's home, but their responses were nothing like 'ol Buzz. :)
  • EStarEStar
    Aww during my bouncing session I misses @tompuss :( Hahahah LOL, you wanna know something even more crazy? I got my drivers license when I was 19 or 20 and driven maybe 10 hours in total!! Haven't driven a car in 14 years, so I spend that obscene amount of money to.... Ermmm ride my bike LOL (reason being I am a wuss when driving, my ex was a drag when i changed the settings and we live in a big city with more public transportation one could ever need, so spending even more money to buy my own car, taxes and gas was reason enough for me never driving)
  • mvnla2mvnla2
    @E-Star @Kelani -- Last I knew you could get an international driver's license if you had a U.S. one and vice versa. We've spent plenty of time driving around Europe without getting a European license. We've even driven in England, which is a real challenge. Don't know if driving on the wrong side of the road is worse than driving in Rome, however. Have a bunch of stories about driving in Europe that seem hilarious in retrospect.
  • HunnybunnyHunnybunny
    Just popping, but @estar gave a pretty good account of learning to drive in Europe. It costs about the same in the UK

    And were was I? The ones I remember most:

    First site of colour TV about 1968: in a little TV / radio shop a mile from the house. I'm sure it was the film "Genevieve" about the London to Brighton race

    Landing on the Moon: school, taken down to the hall to watch it on a tiny black and white TV

    Death of John Lennon: worked a night shift, alarm went off at midday, back in work by 1330. Radio alarm clock thingy. The first news item was the arrest of his murderer. I didn't even know he was dead

    9/11: working from home, watching it on the TV speaking to a work colleague on the mobile. He was driving and would believe what I was saying...
  • EStarEStar
    Well at least once @kelani ... Just to see a real life bank robber LOL... But you are smart enough, right mister knowital, you can come up with a plan not to get caught, right?
  • EStarEStar
    @mvnla2 ahhh that I didn't know... Did you have to pay extra for such a license? Was it temporary? Cause my US auntie living here (married to my uncle 13 years ago) isn't allowed to drive here... Granted my uncle drives a stick (hope that is the right terminology) and my auntie only knows how to drive an automatic.
  • HunnybunnyHunnybunny
    @mvnla2 driving in the UK is easy compared to Rome, Paris, et al. Funniest thing, seeing Americans at Dublin International Airport, picking up their hire car, stick shift (is that what you call a manual transmission?), driving on the other side of the road. And just as they get used to it, the biggest roundabout you've ever seen, right in front of them

    @fenikus @kelani never knew Benny Hill was well known on the other side of the pond

    @fenikus haven't made 2.5 yet, but third on #9 Yeah.....
  • EStarEStar
    Hey @hunnybunny funny things are close to similar in the UK!
  • HunnybunnyHunnybunny
    @estar we both think "stick" lol
  • EStarEStar
    Have to agree Paris is not for the fainthearted! I know when we went on holiday my mom would close her eyes on the champs elysees and the roundabout by the arc de triomphe... One time one of us kids yelled, "hey the city of bergen op zoom is on there" and my father took two extra runs on the roundabout just so we all could see... Mom was not happy LOL
  • EStarEStar
    Okay people, gots to go, busy work week ahead, so need to start now at getting my PITA to bed, if I make it within the hour I will have the great amount of 6 hours of sleep. Something I know Mister @rat would rob a bank for *wink* *wink* @kelani just find a cure to make Mister @Rat get his sleep and you are home free to start your driving school business over here ;)
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