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From: Parker.es@XEROX.COM (James Parker)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Why does everyone want to leave this planet?
Message-ID: <860220-111203-4074@Xerox>
Date: Thu, 20-Feb-86 14:11:50 EST
Article-I.D.: Xerox.860220-111203-4074
Posted: Thu Feb 20 14:11:50 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Feb-86 18:53:25 EST
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Charles,

not everyone wants to leave earth.

i certainly do, but i *don't* want to live on a planet - Dr. O'Neil has
shown that space colonies are far superior.

yes, there is plenty to see here - and the rest of the universe to see
and explore out there.

sure this is our home.  but when a person grows up, he leaves home to go
elsewhere and make his own home.  the same should be true for developing
intelligent species.  perhaps in the future, the earth will be turned
into a museam as the birthplace of man.

i'm interested in astronomy too, and i'd rather study other stars close
up - or failing that, from a large space based telescope - across a
*much* wider range of wavelengths than can penetrate the earth's
atmosphere.

i have no objections to anyone staying - it is certainly ( now at least
) safer & more "sensible", but at the tender young age of 33, i'm still
engaging in dangerous activities just for amusement - there are much
better reasons for me to risk my life in space.


James