2005-06-30
(no subject)
We were like dayflies, who had come to the end of their day, where the dream dissolves into nothingness. Why did we fly? Whom were we doing it for?
- Johannes Steinhoff, Luftwaffe ace, 1945
After another long, winding political debate on one of my frequented boards, I wonder at the end what the whole point of it was. I certainly don't feel I convinced anyone of anything they didn't already believe. I was forced to clarify some of my own thinking, and got to sharpen my polemical teeth a little...but in the end, do these virtual coffeehouse arguments really make a difference in any meaningful way? Heck, you could say that about the whole political blogging enterprise - its great to have access to the thoughts of so many people, but its far from any kind of universal group mind. If anything, it just seems to cement viewpoints more firmly, since folks are naturally drawn to other folks who share their viewpoints. Birds of a feather, and all that. And the various camps rarely seem to interact, except for the occasional throwing of verbal javelins across the chasms.
Perhaps my expectations are unrealistic sometimes, something guides to polemics warn against. Anyway, I guess I'm a little more sympathetic to Vodkapundit's complaints today than previously.
- Johannes Steinhoff, Luftwaffe ace, 1945
After another long, winding political debate on one of my frequented boards, I wonder at the end what the whole point of it was. I certainly don't feel I convinced anyone of anything they didn't already believe. I was forced to clarify some of my own thinking, and got to sharpen my polemical teeth a little...but in the end, do these virtual coffeehouse arguments really make a difference in any meaningful way? Heck, you could say that about the whole political blogging enterprise - its great to have access to the thoughts of so many people, but its far from any kind of universal group mind. If anything, it just seems to cement viewpoints more firmly, since folks are naturally drawn to other folks who share their viewpoints. Birds of a feather, and all that. And the various camps rarely seem to interact, except for the occasional throwing of verbal javelins across the chasms.
Perhaps my expectations are unrealistic sometimes, something guides to polemics warn against. Anyway, I guess I'm a little more sympathetic to Vodkapundit's complaints today than previously.
Shuttle launch date set
http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main/index.html
NASA has cleared the Space Shuttle to Return to Flight. After a two-day Flight Readiness Review meeting at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, senior managers approved a July 13 launch date for Discovery.
Commander Eileen Collins and her crew are scheduled to lift off at 3:51 p.m. EDT on the first U.S. space flight since the February 2003 loss of the Shuttle Columbia.
NASA has cleared the Space Shuttle to Return to Flight. After a two-day Flight Readiness Review meeting at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, senior managers approved a July 13 launch date for Discovery.
Commander Eileen Collins and her crew are scheduled to lift off at 3:51 p.m. EDT on the first U.S. space flight since the February 2003 loss of the Shuttle Columbia.