# A moonwalk is an extinction-level event? How dumb can Democrats.com be? Non-political **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 16, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630 "2002-09-16T02:03:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/1 "2002-09-16T02:03:22Z")
Regardless of your feelings for President Bush opening up the moon for a commerical venture, the following is not a rational reason to oppose it: I quote from [democrats.com](http://www.democrats.com) > [@](#): > > The TransOrbital venture could be disastrous for the globe - no scientist today could predict yet how adding mass to the moon via human infrastructure or removing mass, via mining, will impact the delicate gravitational interplay between Earth and its only satellite. The moon belongs to all the people of the Earth - not to George. W. Bush or his friends at TransOrbital I’m sorry. I can only assume that an orangutan got ahold of a keyboard and started banging. You’ve heard the phrase “Environmentalist wacko”? Apparently, this is him. Personally, I think it’s great that we’re going back to the moon, but even if you don’t, sending a mission to the moon _is not_ an extinction-level event. It just _isn’t_. Sorry. I especially like the “delicate graitational interplay” part myself. Of course you realize that this only lends creedence to the “moon hoax” idea: if the “delicate graitational interplay” is so sensitive, how could we possibly have landed there without it spiralling out of control? What a maroon. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/2 "2002-09-16T02:21:57Z")
Hey, they brought back 800 pounds of moon rocks–you didn’t notice the way it disrupted all of Earth’s weather patterns, not to mention being directly responsible for the Arab oil embargo of 1973? And Watergate, too. Word. ---
**Author:** ![Genseric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Genseric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genseric)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/3 "2002-09-16T02:24:19Z")
I can’t imagine the scale of modification needed to affect the gravitational interaction between the Earth and Moon. Not to mention the question of where we would get the raw materials required to erect structures on the moon massive enough to change its mass in any significant manner. Maybe if we crashed a few hundred asteroids into it, we’d have something going. The moon’s mass is 7.35 x 10[sup]22[/sup] kg. That’s 73,500,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg. 73 sextillion kilograms. How much mining were going to do again? ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/4 "2002-09-16T02:29:00Z")
I hate it when people just pull "facts"out of their asses. If you don’t know what adding or subtracting mass to or from the Moon will do, that doesn’t mean you should make crap up and spread ignorance! Do some research, for fuck’s sake! “Delicate gravitational interplay” my arse… ---
**Author:** ![Genseric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Genseric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genseric)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/5 "2002-09-16T02:33:55Z")
In other words, to change the moon’s mass by 1/1000th of 1%, we’d have to add or subtract 810 trillion tons of material. We’d better get started. ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/6 "2002-09-16T02:34:13Z")
Remember Praxis! ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/7 "2002-09-16T02:48:45Z")
someone teach them how to Google how many TONS of micrometeroidshit the earth and moon daily. It AIN’T a closed-system dynamic. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/8 "2002-09-16T02:55:09Z")
Didn’t you watch the latest movie version of H.G.Well’s Time Machine? (Directed by ol’ H.G.'s great grandson or some such.) If we dig holes in the moon, IT WILL EXPLODE!!! And 800,000 years from now, everyone will be maori and the women will dress in sheer, shape hugging outfits, sans bra… Ok, I know there is a downside here somewhere…Oh yeah. That Seven Up spokesguy somehow manages to survive as a computer simulation. Gah. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/9 "2002-09-16T03:04:19Z")
Someone must have watched the remake of “The Time Machine” once too often. Of course once _is_ once too often. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/10 "2002-09-16T03:15:57Z")
Without commenting on the assinine statement that got this thread started (oops, too late) I’d just like to say **this** > [@](#): > > **how many TONS of micrometeroidshit the earth and moon daily.** tickled me all out of proportion. It’s a little bitty typo. Missed a space. Yet it made me cackle. I think I need help. 😃 [sub]I have this image of Steven King in **Creepshow** as Jordy Verrill, doing his ignorant hick schtick.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/11 "2002-09-16T03:40:52Z")
Goddamn Michael Jackson. I always knew he was gonna destroy the planet. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/12 "2002-09-16T03:47:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > Hey, they brought back 800 pounds of moon rocks–you didn’t notice the way it disrupted all of Earth’s weather patterns, not to mention being directly responsible for the Arab oil embargo of 1973? > > And Watergate, too. Actually, **Duck Duck Goose** , they didn’t bring back 800 pounds of moon rocks. That’s part of the ongoing moon hoax. The amazing thing is that the conspirators caused the 1973 oil embargo and Watergate to lend credibility to the moon hoax. Imagine how much more quickly we would have discovered NASA’s deception if we weren’t waiting on gas lines and watching impeachment hearings. And don’t get me started on the timing of the whole Moinca Lewinsky/Bill Clinton thing compared to the release of the FOX moon hoax special. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/13 "2002-09-16T03:47:42Z")
> [@](#): > > no scientist today could predict yet how adding mass to the moon bullshit bullshit bullshit. I think “no scientist today” translates as “I called a couple scientists about this today, and none of them would talk to me.” ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/14 "2002-09-16T03:48:01Z")
Okay, I looked up Praxis, and I still don’t remember it, but maybe that’s because I didn’t go to UPenn. [http://caster.ssw.upenn.edu/~restes/praxis.html](http://caster.ssw.upenn.edu/~restes/praxis.html) What? ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/15 "2002-09-16T03:52:20Z")
a bad space bar cracked you up? Not the unusual sight of "ain’t"and “closed-system dynamic” in the same sentence? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/16 "2002-09-16T03:53:38Z")
Praxis=Klingon moon that exploded due to overmining; from _Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country_ A reference for us geeks. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/17 "2002-09-21T01:32:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by particlewill \* > \*\*Didn’t you watch the latest movie version of H.G.Well’s Time Machine? (Directed by ol’ H.G.'s great grandson or some such.) If we dig holes in the moon, IT WILL EXPLODE!!! \*\* Of course, weren’t they ‘digging’ by setting off underground nuclear blasts (not that I’m agreeing with the quote from [democrats.com](http://democrats.com), just making a point about the movie)? ---
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/18 "2002-09-21T01:42:54Z")
How many NYC subway rats would need to be released on the moon to eat enough cheese to create such a mass loss?? \ ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/19 "2002-09-21T03:02:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > **Personally, I think it’s great that we’re going back to the moon,** Just for the record: TransOrbital’s plans are to send an **unmanned** probe to land on the moon. It’s quite an accomplishment, to be sure, but it’s hardly what most people think of when they hear “we’re going back to the moon.” ---
**Author:** ![Genseric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Genseric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genseric)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630/20 "2002-09-21T03:33:07Z")
I’d also like to point out that 810 trillion tons (the amount of material needed to change the moon’s mass (yes, I know I’m mixing measurements of weight and mass, let’s just assume that tons is measured at 1 G) by 1/1000th of 1%) is roughly equivalent to 140 million times the mass of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. So we’ve either got to truck 140,000,000 Great Pyramids up to the moon or excavate them from the moon to change the mass by .00001. Which I doubt would make a hell of a lot of difference in the Earth-Moon gravitational dynamic, which, incidentally, has been easily calculable since, oh, say, Johannes Kepler figured some stuff out in about 1619. And I’m pretty sympathetic to the Democratic party ideology. Yet, junk science gets me hot under the collar. Why didn’t the moon spiral out of control or go off on a tangent when we crashed the Lunar Prospector into it, by the way? Certainly it couldn’t be because it’s 126 kg mass was utterly negligible compared to the mass of the moon, could it? Hell, the more I think about this “article” the pissier I’m getting. I’ve got to go lie down and put a paper bag over my head or something. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moonwalk-is-an-extinction-level-event-how-dumb-can-democrats-com-be-non-political/128630.md?page=2)