Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-14-2015 07:28 PM
European Space Agency (ESA) Director General statement
Shock, dismay and a terrible sadness
I had originally intended to spend this weekend writing a blog post describing events involving ESA over the last few weeks in which I would have communicated my personal judgements, points of satisfaction and concerns. But now the events of 13 November 2015 in Paris have taken my breath away and left me with a sense of sadness, utter dismay and shock:
More than 120 people have lost their lives in a wave of terror attacks across Paris. While the match was being played out between the French and German national football teams at the Stade de France, terrorists were carrying out attacks at various locations inside Paris. The wave of violence leaves one truly speechless, pushing everyday concerns and problems firmly into the background.
Once again, it is the public and civil society that has the task of facing up to this situation and sending the terrorists and those who pull their strings a clear message of solidarity: all struggles for personal advantage are set aside as we stand united in defence of the notion of peaceful coexistence regardless of borders, nationality, religion and culture.
ESA, on account of its international nature, serves as a positive role model in this. The senseless carnage of Friday night must serve as a constant reminder that we must be bearers of these values and represent them at all times in our dealings with the rest of the world. It is our privilege to work in the space domain, which does so much to promote a world without borders.
We must now channel the deep shock and sorrow we feel at Friday's appalling attacks into promoting, even more strongly than ever before, values of peaceful coexistence. We have a special responsibility in this regard, which transcends any form of self-interest, since it is our society and its values that have been attacked at their very core.
Let me conclude by extending our deepest, heartfelt sympathies to the friends and families of the victims.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-14-2015 07:32 PM
International Space Station commander Scott Kelly:
Shocked and saddened by terrorist attacks on Paris. Standing with France from the space station. Our thoughts are with you.
MCroft04 Member
Posts: 1634 From: Smithfield, Me, USA Registered: Mar 2005
posted 11-14-2015 08:43 PM
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randy Member
Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
posted 11-14-2015 09:22 PM
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Gonzo Member
Posts: 596 From: Lansing, MI, USA Registered: Mar 2012
posted 11-15-2015 07:09 AM
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oly Member
Posts: 905 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2015
Posts: 977 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Nov 2000
posted 11-15-2015 09:06 AM
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SPACEFACTS Member
Posts: 301 From: Germany Registered: Aug 2006
posted 11-15-2015 09:30 AM
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Ironman One Member
Posts: 73 From: Ormond Beach, FL USA Registered: Sep 2011
posted 11-15-2015 09:55 AM
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Kite Member
Posts: 831 From: Northampton UK Registered: Nov 2009
posted 11-15-2015 10:33 AM
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Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3118 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 11-15-2015 11:39 AM
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jasonelam Member
Posts: 691 From: Monticello, KY USA Registered: Mar 2007
posted 11-15-2015 12:36 PM
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uk spacefan Member
Posts: 168 From: London Registered: Jan 2007
posted 11-15-2015 12:43 PM
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spaced out Member
Posts: 3110 From: Paris, France Registered: Aug 2003
posted 11-15-2015 02:59 PM
Unfortunately this is not the first time Paris has been the target of terrorist attacks, nor will it be the last. I'm not sure why Paris is such a favourite of terrorists but part of it goes back to a long and unpleasant history with Algeria.
Already twenty years ago there were four bombings of the metros and RERs over a period of months. This made my daily commute back then an edgy experience and it feels the same again today but in the end you just have to carry on your life as normally as possible.
My heart goes out to all those impacted directly by these attacks.
Bob M Member
Posts: 1744 From: Atlanta-area, GA USA Registered: Aug 2000
posted 11-15-2015 03:19 PM
This wasn't just an attack on Paris and the French people, but an attack on Western Civilization. It would be an appropriate tribute for us to display a French flag and the US flag together.
dom Member
Posts: 855 From: Registered: Aug 2001
posted 11-15-2015 04:09 PM
Please don't go down the "clashes of civilisations" route, terrorism is terrorism no matter where it comes from - and unfortunately there have been plenty of European terrorist organisations in the past.
My sympathies to the people of Paris.
apolloprojeckt Member
Posts: 1447 From: Arnhem, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2009
posted 11-15-2015 04:27 PM
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KSCartist Member
Posts: 2896 From: Titusville, FL USA Registered: Feb 2005
posted 11-15-2015 05:07 PM
It is past time for the United States, Europe, Russia and our allies in the Middle East to declare war on Islamist jihadists. For they have certainly declared war on all of us.
I don't give a damn who leads this fight but those radicals are a cancerous scourge on humanity. They refuse to live in peace with those who do not share their faith, so if it's "us or them" then I choose us.
Mike Dixon Member
Posts: 1397 From: Kew, Victoria, Australia Registered: May 2003
posted 11-15-2015 08:18 PM
Yep. A massive response is called for. Watch them run.
posted 11-16-2015 03:31 AM
Why the hell can't some people live in peace with each other?
I visit the beautiful city of Paris at least once a year and they certainly are not going to stop me continuing to visit.
spaced out Member
Posts: 3110 From: Paris, France Registered: Aug 2003
posted 11-16-2015 03:47 AM
I certainly don't want to start off any religious discussion here as it's not part of the forum but I would strongly recommend reading this article, which was written back in March.
It's a very long article and doesn't attempt to suggest a solution but it does give a real insight into the aims and methods of the group.
In many ways it is an apocalyptic cult so their end game is essentially the end of the world and anyone not part of the caliph (Muslims included) is fair game and/or doomed in any case as far as they are concerned.
dom Member
Posts: 855 From: Registered: Aug 2001
posted 11-16-2015 07:18 AM
quote:Originally posted by mach3valkyrie: Agree, it's past time to get rough with these guys.
I'm afraid the response will still only be a massive "police operation" because no matter what the politicians say they're not prepared to send troops to Syria — it would make Iraq seem like a children's playground in comparison!
issman1 Member
Posts: 1042 From: UK Registered: Apr 2005
posted 11-17-2015 10:35 AM
Seems that Professor Stephen Hawking is being proven right that unless humanity is serious about leaving Earth to settle the solar system this is one of his apocalyptic prophecies now fulfilling itself.
Tragic that the appalling events in Paris came against the backdrop of the 15th anniversary of permanent occupation of the International Space Station. But in a bizarre way it shows how depressingly far we humans (irrespective of creed, nationality or race) are from anything depicted in "Star Trek", "Star Wars" or the "Alien" movies.
It is a failure of leadership and society. We are content with earthly pleasures or ideologies but tremble with fear at the cost and risk of travelling too far from home. A symptom of why we are still stuck in low earth orbit and a kind of cabin fever syndrome presently permeating across the planet.
Good luck with your #JourneyToMars NASA, for you will need it faced with budget cuts and priority given the military plans as well as social inequality prevalent in U.S. cities.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42981 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-17-2015 10:42 AM
NASA video
The six-member Expedition 45 crew paused for a minute of silence today in tribute to the victims of Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris. Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren bowed his head in the middle of experiment work while Commander Scott Kelly said the crew "was shocked and saddened" by the events.
p51 Member
Posts: 1642 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
posted 11-17-2015 12:03 PM
quote:Originally posted by Tykeanaut: Why the hell can't some people live in peace with each other?
Nothing new here. Just ask anyone in Paris today who was also there between 1940 and 1944...
There'll always be someone, somewhere, who feels they alone should exist the way they want and that everyone else doesn't deserve the same right. Religion, nationalism, whatever you want, it all boils down to someone thinking they alone have rights above everyone else.
Sadly, people of that ilk (I've never liked ilk) can't be reasoned with or talked down from that mindset.
"Out here, due process is a bullet!" -John Wayne, in, 'The Green Berets'
posted 11-14-2015 07:28 PM
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