To not understand why we can afford to send Tim Peake into space whilst we are cutting essential services for UK citizens?

[Destinysdaughter]

Just that really. I don't get it. Apparently we have no money for the NHS, police, care for the elderly etc but we can blow a shed load of money on this? Think the Gvt's priorities are skewed really badly. I have nothing against space exploration but surely basic needs should be met first? Or am I just naive...?

I really enjoyed Tampons posts, certainly educated me, but was it really necessary to call both the Op and another poster an arse?

No, no need at all. For those saying the op responded badly, I am not surprised, she may well have conceded she was wrong and had learned a lot had she not been made to feel so stupid.

No need for nastiness, and that is what it was.

Tampon Brilliant posts. I learned quite a lot from this thread.

Yes because the op wanted to Tory bash it was not a sincere attempt to understand how much we spend on space travel or why it's so important

If you want to Tory bash then just have the balls to do so

So saying well we should be spending the money is a mood point because with out space travel the NHS would not have many of the machines etc to save the lives

And when op was given a definitive list of way space travel has directly transformed our life's she ignored it and went on about trainers see (page 2 ) at the bottom

It's not either or.

Yes, it's worthwhile sending someone into space to advance scientific knowledge.

We don't need to cut the welfare budget. The cuts are driven by ideology not financial need. At the same time as huge cuts are being made to benefits they are throwing money at encouraging people to buy their own homes and selling off social housing at a big discount. They're handing over thousands to those setting up free schools in areas where there's already over provision.

Yet it's ok for people to want to cut welfare and the NHS so people like me get no treatment and/or have nothing to live on? Why is that acceptable?

Can you show me the posts where people are saying that?

Genuinely confused.

Who said we should cut welfare and NHS spending in favour of space research? Or did I miss a post?

Space satelites make weather forcasting more accurate. Predicting storms or undering the el nino effect can help reduce the affects of natural disasters. Satelites have improved telecommunications. Without the space programmes we would have no internet. There is enough food in the world to feed everyone. The problem is logistics.

Being rude does not help anyone. Asking for justification for scienific research is not unreasonable when everything else has to be justified.
Its a reasonable question to ask why can be stop children from dying from mealses when the human race has managed to get a man on the moon?

Blue skies research often takes years to provide any financial return. Many individual space flights go wrong. Anyone remember Challenger 7?

Is the risk to human life worth the benefits to mankind?

Controlling human greed is really difficult especially the energy crisis. More wide spread use of solar panels is needed to allow less developed countries to enjoy the benefits of electricty. A big problem is religious fundermentalism. In many ways science and education in general is the best way to combat islamic state or Westbro Baptist Church. Challenges like space travel inspire children who might solve world problems in the future.

I suppose it could be argued the money would be better spent on less glamourous scientific projects.

Can I just say on this free school thing there is no point there being provision of no one wants it round my way there are loads of schools one in particular that always has spaces

Because it's awful the head is terrible I. Met him at open evening and I won't be sending my child to that school thanks I will be sending my child to the free school across the road the head seemed liked he knew children just really got them it's not about provision there is not point haveing spaces in rubbish schools

Side tracked I know but good chat hate22

Because the cuts aren't really about there being no money - they're an ideologically-motivated attack on the welfare state.

I'm not against the space mission, but I would like to see more money invested in less glamorous research areas to do with green tech and climate change solutions.

Grund

I guess that's it eveyone has Diffrent views me personally I am hugely thankful for this brave men a women who have given there lives so my nanny could have hart surgey and the fire man have the equipment they needed to save me and my cousin when we were 5&9 after trying to make chips when mum was out

On a lighter note hugely thankful for velcro

I agree sometimes there's a need because of poor schools (though it would be a lot cheaper to improve the existing ones!) but there are areas with no primary school places. Have they set up schools there? No.

Well, if there ever was a time to call people Cunt... do not stray too far elementofsurprise...

Calling people cunts and hoping they end up on welfare or befall a illness so they need the NHS is far far worse then calling someone arse

While I absolutely see the need to ring fence money for science and tech, I think the OP has a point in that the 'necessity for austerity' narrative is only applied to benefits/social care/social initiative.

It doesn't raise its head when the government is talking about defense either.

Guess air cushioned trainers and faster driving cars are more important than the care of our elderly, children and disabled people then?

Because that's exactly what everyone had been saying. (not)

'we also fund the arts; doesn't produce anything concrete but is the sign of a civilised and intelligent society.'

Well aside from art it also produces lots of money. Luckily George Osborne realises this. '£1bn a year in grants leads to “a quarter of a trillion pounds to the economy – not a bad return”.

The OP is actually a fair enough question
"AIBU To not understand why we can afford to send Tim Peake into space whilst we are cutting essential services for UK citizens?"
The answer is that actually we are not broke, we are actually quite a wealthy country and we could continue essential services that are currently being cut if we chose to. "Austerity" and the associated actions are about government choices not about actually having no money.

Ah so labour were lying then

With the famous note

Exactly, museum

Any way ladies off to make veg soup for the kids

AHEM
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Please no name calling
thanks