> As I grew up, I always heard people say things like, "We can send a man to the moon, but we can't brew a decent cup of coffee." Even in 1979 that was untrue. We can't send a man to the moon. Even today, over thirty years later, we can barely get beyond our planet's atmosphere.

What about the decent cup of coffee? Have we at least managed to achieve that?

> It's 2001...We're all supposed to be wearing metallic jumpsuits.

You can if you like.

> We have to go to Mars. If we don't, we'll never leave this planet. Human civilization will only thrive on this small speck of a world. Eventually, the sun will increase to a red giant and engulf the planet. Everyone and everything you've ever read about, everyone and everything that will follow you: gone. We have to go or we'll die.

Also, we have to go to Mars because it would be unbelievably cool. All the other benefits are just icing.

Brunnen-"was explaining to Stephen the other day how I missed out on a chance to go and work in Antarctica -- ANTARCTICA!!!! -- just because I didn't leave school at 15 and become a janitor. Blah."G