no disrespect but...

[daem]

is anyone tired of hearing about the Columbia and the progress they are making on determining the cause? I mean, on my local news tonite they ran the same story as yesterday with some added sound bites and more heinous looking officials commenting about it. I personally feel that it is in fact a tragedy, however does anyone really care? Space exploration might yield new medicines and possibilities for human advancement, however what about honoring the people who die in bus crashes or murders that occur every minute around our country. I am sick of turning on the TV and seeing the same shit over and over again, watching the same video clip over and over again, and hearing the same "we have no conclusive evidence so far" every waking hour of the day. i will remember the tragedy, as will most of us, however the world has larger problems that need to be dealt with now rather than this. It is a brilliant example of how the media sucks every last drop out of irrelavent shit until larger news appears, such Powell making his speech on Wednesday...

[skinnyhb]

i definately have to agree with you here. of course it is a terrible thing to happen to anyone, but what makes these people so different from the millions of people who die every day. the only reason they are getting so much attention is because it happened in front of a national audience. personally, i dont think that there is any way you can call it a national tragedy. 7 people were killed, and to be honest, i dont really see how it affects me.

i would like to say that i mean no disrespect for the members of the columbia or their families, and my condolences go out to all of them.

[BigGreen]

My local news at night is a half hour broadcast. On Monday night the first 15 minutes was devoted to Columbia...but they were REALLY reaching for those last five minutes: "tonight we hear from the accountant of the youngest astronaut's oldest brother's ex-wife - hear what he has to say!"

[nuke]

I hate "speculation" just let NASA do their jobs and then give us a full report.

The damn media is so out of whack. I havent heard shit about anything going on in my city since Sunday.
Dont get me wrong this is horrible and 3 more minutes they would have been over Florida.
But let hear the end result and honor the astronauts however everyone chooses.

[Strut99GT]

Well, daem hit it right on the dot with the media assessment. The fact of the matter is that this is the biggest news going on right now, so the media will suck every last drop out of this story until something else happens that is more newsworthy.

[tolinka]

Its saurday, I', awaken from my deep sleep around 10:30am to watch a historic soccer even on the Israeli network. I get up, put on my t-shirt, and my shorts, on the way to the living room to turn on the TV as quickly as possible, but the I see my aunt sitting there gazing at the TV and with a loud a terrifyied voice screams..."Tolik, come here..something horrible happened!" I aprroach her and she says "Look at the TV," I turn my head an look at the picture of a falling Shuttle. I opened my mouth and gently said, "Whats the deal? what happened?", my aunt says a shuttle fell out of space and killed 7 astraounats. I reply "Big deal..." She asks how can I be so unsensetive, I say" In Israel almost every other day there is bus with children,mothers, and elderly get blown up, and not one really gives a shit about that..." 5 hours later I tell her" You see they are still talking about this 7 people, but would they talk about any of the 25 deaths from Israel all day long?"

[Wake Chick]

I have a different opinion. I live right across the lake from NASA and can actually see a shuttle they have on display right from my house. You wouldn't believe all the flowers along the fence, etc. I also went to school with alot of the astronaut's children and it's scary to think that could have been their dad/mom that died on just a routine space mission, that not many people even pay attention to anymore.

I do agree that the media hype's everything wayyy to much, and they shouldn't keep going on and on about facts we already know, but it's still a tragedy which deserve's air-time and people's right to know what's happening. Turn to another channel if you are that tired of it already, it just happened 3 days ago, jeez.

[BigGreen]

Wake Chick...I agree in some respects...but for my ten o'clock news I simply do not have the option of turning to another channel. Only one channel broadcasts the news at that hour and, as I said, they devoted a full one half of their coverage on monday night to this incident. Additionally, aligned with Tolinka's sentiments, you must at the very least find it incredibly interesting, if not frighteningly revealing, as to which "7 deaths" receive 72 hour extended coverage and which are blurbs tucked next to the police blotter or running "underscreen" on the little espn-like banners.

EDIT: in fact, just found this which serves as a perfect example of what i was getting at:

http://anabolicreview.com/vbulletin/...threadid=43189

[Pinch]

You people are very disrespectful

Those astronauts are heroes.

The fate of our species lies in the stars and they are the first pioneers. They gave their life for the advancement of our whole race.

How dare you tarnish their achievements, show them some respect.

There are only 3 space shuttles left now... Atlantis, Discovery, and Endeavor. And they are our only means for manned spaceflight. This a major step backwards for NASA and a chatastrophic loss of some of the most brilliant people in the USA.

you'll be thanking these heroes in the future if this planet is ever threatened, we will have a means to continue life. If that doesn't make a person a hero then what does?

[chinups]

good job pinch

[righton]

Those 7 were and are very well respected for their achivements and contributions to mankinds space exploration but as i found out when my parents died almost 10ys ago and the countless millions since...the world does'nt stop!!

[BigGreen]

Pinch, are you being sarcastic? I think hero is a term FAR too often tossed about. Why are they heroes? Because they died in the line of duty? A man shot while working at 7-11 does so while performing a duty, but the individual is scarcely referred to as a hero. My dad died at work, and while i think of him as my hero, it certainly has nothing to do with his dying at work, nor would i expect anyone besides myself and my siblings to truly consider him a her.

Let us take it one step further and say they are being called heroes because they died while taking a risk in some endeavor that it is hoped will lead to greater prosperity for the whole. Okay, but the same holds true for a Burmese factory worker attempting to bring unionization or even (gasp) democracy to a corrupt factory/government who suddenly dissapears after handing out leaflets in front of the factory and turns up swinging by his neck from a tree...yet with the alarming frequency with which this happens, it does not receive hours upon hours of news coverage nor is his funeral broadcast.

I am not in ANY way trying to take anything away from these individuals. The loss their families are currently undergoing is, as some of us well know, immeasurable and ineffable. However, I think that this serves as a stellar illustration of the frightening way in which the media dictates that which is to be deemed "significant" and "heroic", and that, more often than not, what is accorded such status is that which is congruent with certain goals and interests.

[palme]

The "hero" term is very overdone from the USA. Im sorry but you use it everytime someone does anything.

No disrespect to the dead or the family´s involved.

[daem]

I agree with BigGreen about the hero issue at hand here...these people on the space shuttle were not heroes, but merely people doing their job. Unfortunately they met their ultimate demise on a seemingly routine part of their job, however to put it in simple terms, 'shit happens.' This entire story has been tarnished with so much media attention at this point I honestly do not care how or why the shuttle combusted. A single tile was not able to withstand the thermal pressure of reentry? Could it have been the navigation system malfunctioning? Lah-dee-frickin-dah. The people the astronauts left behind have a difficult time ahead of them for obvious reasons, however a moment of silence and reverence for them is all we can offer; a constant reminder of the situation by our TV stations only makes it worse. NASA has been hidden in the limelight the past decade or so and now has been thrust into the spotlight, relishing every moment of it. Because certain people didn't do their jobs to prevent this catastrophe, NASA will now recieve more funding for its endeavors. So as we reflect on this tragedy, it helps to keep that fact in perspective: NASA was not concerned about its employees when it took shortcuts to maximize its budget. If you don't agree, I suggest you do some reading.

[daem]

Pinch, do you honestly think that our space program could do anything right now to sustain human life? Unless you know about some technology that doesn't exist yet, the last time I checked human beings only inhabit earth. We have learned much about the other planets in our system from different missions, but robots and electronics have been their cornerstones, not human beings. Mars, the most closely related planet to Earth in our system, is 5 years of travel at our current propulsion systems top speed. So maybe a few hundred years down the line humans could seek other places to inhabit, but not in our lifetime. So before you thank these astronauts that perished on the Columbia for saving mankind, think a little bit more.

[tolinka]

BigGreen just stole the word out of my mouth. I was about to comment about the soldiers that die each day in Israel protecting the civillians, or the cops, firefigters, counstruction workers...etc. They all have a risk of dying on their job. The diffrence between then and the astronauts is that they have a more unique job, thats all. I dont see the big hype about all this non sense. I feel bad for the families of the astraounats because I know how horrible it is to lose some one, but dont make it a headline news everysingle day. I actually think that ythe families of the astraounats would like the media to forget about it , and let them mourn in peace.

[Vegas Kid]

I always thought that if you have a different opinion on something like this......out of respect for others.....you wouldn't say anything. But everybody is entitled to their opinion.

First off, it wasn't just 7 people who died. The space shuttle is more than a "space plane", it is a symbol of America. Second, these people risked their lives for the bettermeant of humanity and our future quality of life. These are the types of people who spend their whole life trying to make a difference in the world.

You can think the media coverage is too much, but what's too much? Maybe the time you spend in front of the TV. Don't like to watch it? Go to the gym. God forbid one of your stupid sitcoms or a basket ball game was cancelled because of it.

And if you think that the only reason the space program exists is to find other places to live then you are strongly mistaken. I'm currently working on a project with NASA which involves clearing landmines in 3rd world countries.

These men and women deserve some respect and if you don't like that then maybe you shouldn't say anything at all.

[daem]

the title of the thread when i began it says it all Vegas Kid...i don't think space exploration/experimentation is worthless, and i understand NASA does more then just launch a space shuttle. at this point, i would rather see my basketball game or sitcom instead of an exploitation of a tragedy. me creating this thread was not meant to discredit, defame, or take away anything the people accomplished. it was to make the point that the media blows everything out of proportion with their around the clock reports. the women and men that perished deserve respect, but they aren't gods, or idols, or 'better' than you or me. they were regular people and should not be exalted and exploited for NASA's gain, which is currently the case. THAT is why i hate seeing the current "updates" and "breaking news" that serve no purpose but beating a dead horse.

[BigGreen]

"I always thought that if you have a different opinion on something like this......out of respect for others.....you wouldn't say anything."

I think this is unquestionably the most frightening thing I've ever seen posted on this board...and yes, I remember the guy injecting into his anus thread.

"The space shuttle is more than a "space plane", it is a symbol of America. "

Precisely my point. Because the homeless man that freezes to death in boston is what we desperately want to avoid associating with Americana, he is scarcely mentioned. The only things accorded hero status, or any other iconic status for that matter, are those things that represent (and I would argue in a MOST illusory manner) that which the populace readily associates with "America" and its symbols.

" These are the types of people who spend their whole life trying to make a difference in the world."

So do most teachers, professors, attorneys, police officers, IT guru's, janitors, ministers, lobbyists and personal trainers i know....yet the ones bestowed heroic status are, again, those that squarely align themselves with American principles in the eyes of the public.

" These men and women deserve some respect and if you don't like that then maybe you shouldn't say anything at all."

These men and women have my UTMOST respect. My problem is not, nor has it ever been, with them. My problem is with the media that, for many hours after the involvement, still felt compelled to mention that terrorism had not been OFFICIALLY eliminated (yay ratings!!) and continued to "sensationalize" the matter in whichever manner assured them the most viewers. What i'm failing to grasp is why people regularly see this "problem" when the media is covering a "normal" car accident, earthquake, or murder trial. Yet, when it becomes something either symbolic of America or exceptionally sentimental, it appears as though many of you abandon this notion and believe that the media instantly transforms itself into an altruistic amalgam of concerned citizens.

[BigGreen]

Oh, also, to those who will undoubtedly say, "if you don't like it change the channel" I would say I wholheartedly agree with that in the very same manner that I agree with the statements "if you don't like the fact your next door neighbor beats his kid in public, simply don't look" or "if you don't like that a book has been banned at your local school, simply go find something else to read". Which is to say that I think such a statement misses the point entirely.

What i am doing is quite simply pointing out what i believe to be both an inconsitency and indeed a serious problem in our culture. I'm not asking anyone to agree with me...my purpose for doing so is actually working out marvelously, as i suspect was everyone's intention in voicing their opinions one way or the other on this: that of starting a dialogue as opposed to letting something so salient sit silently without deconstruction, examination and analysis. At which point none of that occurs, is the very same point at which an anthropologist many, many centuries from now, will likely be able to, in my opinion, point to as a definitive moment in the decline of a great society.

[Vegas Kid]

I respect that everybody has their own opinion but the thread turned away from the media and more towards "how important are these people."

And if you think that some crack whore and an astronaut are the same thing just cuz they both live here than I can't argue with your logic.

BTW, if a teacher was shot in the head then there would be breaking news I"m sure. Maybe not as much covarge but definitely reported about.

If your show is more important to you than the tragedy then that's your right, but the majority of the country wanted to see news about the tragedy and the majority rules when it comes to TV.

[BigGreen]

"If your show is more important to you than the tragedy then that's your right".

I have scoured my posts for any mention of a show outside the "show" (and it most definitely is a show, in every sense of the word) of the news, and am unable to find one, so I am unsure as to where this particular criticism derives. The same applies with the crack whore.

"BTW, if a teacher was shot in the head then there would be breaking news I"m sure. MAYBE NOT AS MUCH COVERAGE but definitely reported about." (CAPS mine)

Again, i think you're doing a great deal to advance my argument here. My thanks, But again, I must state, if a teacher being shot in the head were receiving the same sensationalized coverage as this, I would have the EXACT same problem with it. Insofar as any of your post is directed towards my comments, I'm somewhat perplexed as to how you so assiduously appear to either miss or ignore my point...which has very little to do with this preempting other programming or being coverd at all, but simply the manner in which it is done.

[SwoleDiesel662]

I remember thinking, hmm, what's the big deal when i saw the news. I think it's because I'm numbed by other tragedies to the point that something really needs to hit close to home to get my attention. I wonder how many people were killed in car accidents since the shuttle went down.

The only thing that sparks my interest is all the people NASA fired last year when they said there were potential dangers reguarding the space shuttle, & now the former head of NASA won't talk about it, there's something fishy there.

[Decoder]

word palme the "hero" thing is over done, anyone i know would go into space. It's not a big deal, and if they die in some freak accident they become a hero. What's up with those 7 dead ski'ers in canada there was 7 of them, are they hero's? hell its not even on the news.

[saboudian]

The problem with the media is that they can pretty much instantaneously watch their ratings drop and rise. Remember the infamous "sniper" attacks, for at least a couple weeks thats all that was on CNN. They found that if they even tried to change the subject, their ratings would suddenly plummet as ppl would turn to another channel for info about the sniper. The media itself was locked in a trap.

Remember Chandra Levy? She was on the news every day for months. I'm sorry but that was not national news, but the media love these types of stories, this was the type of story that sells, some sleazy sex scandal with a senator involved, guess what, this is what americans like to see.

[BigBuddha]

I have a totally different approach to this topic even though im sure its quite ridden intot the ground by now. The fact that the media made such an uproar about the shuttle is sad due to the fact that the only time NASA gets any attention is during catastrophes. My room mate worked with the seven training them day in and day out for 3 months in the NBL and isnt as torn up about it as the media perceives it to be, heros? ....questionable. Men and women that deserve respect and admiration, most defianantly. Glorify the family and let it be...

[tolinka]

good morning