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cafeteria technologists?
telescope bad
hurtling through the air at 500mph spewing ozone depleting hydrocarbons crossing the pacific in 5 1/2 hours while being isolated from mankind by and and self identifying with an iconic apple product good - grin
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Interesting POVs.
I'm always particularly fascinated by the people who insist that others who are living without access to the latest technology, or to good medical care, might be better off that way. I can dimly see the point of view, in a new age kind of way, but the reality is that if you ask most of the people in question, they will tell you to bring on the modern stuffs asap.
In a similar vein, do all of the critics of science volunteer to go live in places without much of what science has brought us? Go for it; see ya.
And people who use the internet to imply that modern technology is not a good thing make me laugh!
As for people who think it is ok to deny others medical care, and allow for serious physical harm or death to occur: I have to share that I have seen people who espouse these POVs change their minds when they themselves are about to, say, lose their eyes, or die.
It's often different when it happens to you.
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I was at a conference this week and although it was not about the TMT there was a talk about site testing for the TMT. In summary they considered several superb sites around the world and even included places that would currently be considered particularly unsafe (read Middle East) yet despite this chose Mauna Kea. I have to admit my surprise at how many sites were tested but also good to know that we have the best one here on this island (some of us knew this already!).
It was also clear from the talk that this seems to be more than a simple choice, rather it's now a commitment. Having said that, other options are still open and although not addressed in the talk, the obvious alternative is certainly more hospitable to the TMT even if it's not the best option scientifically speaking.
Lots of other things were discussed in the meeting. One thing that's clearly going to happen is that fewer astronomers and night crews will be visiting the summit over the next few years (that also means less money coming into the island from elsewhere). They are already vastly outnumbered by the number of tourists up there each evening and the tourist/astronomer ratio will increase markedly. I haven't heard much from those opposed to the telescopes what their thoughts are about the increasing tourist traffic and potential damage that does to the summit area. I'm curious if they want to shut that down as well.
Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/
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Caricatures of Luddites maybe, TomK?
Willful ignorance?
Explains a lot of mindless, ungrounded things that are going on among and around us.
Politically, economically and socially.
Will we in spite of it all, not only kill the golden goose for us locally here, but ship out still more knowledge and quality of life producing things from our community, State and Country?
