There are a number of things I have discovered that tell me just how incomplete his answer was.
For one thing, the satellite images acquired are much finer images than what are officially sent back to earth. I believe they acquire 16 bit images, and only transfer 8bit images back - usually - after downconversion of the data. They say the reason for this is that it would take 10-12 times more bandwidth to send back the better images to earth.
Secondly, whenever the rovers detect movement - (a change from one still frame to the next) thumbnail images are returned to the scientists. If the scientists determine that the movement is of clouds or dust devils - they order the full frame images to be downloaded. Otherwise, the images are deleted and never returned to earth in full resolution. - Hmmm. Are we looking for evidence of life - and movement - or not? Are only cloud and dust devil movement of importance on an exploratory mission?
Third, why was MOC imagery delayed for private scrutiny by Mike Malin - by contract - six months before public release was allowed.
I could go on - but as you see his answer is incomplete. And without digging further, he may be quite unaware just how incomplete his answer is.
I will agree that science itself is not conspiracy, but there is no science that is not agenda driven. This will always be the case as long as people with money get to determine what is studied. Money makes the decision. One well known agenda is the search and coveting of hidden knowledge - and the dubious history of JPL in this regard is well documented. Of course there are many other agendas that exist. No one in their right mind would deny that people who fund the sciences have no agenda. The scientists simply do that which is funded.
All of these things yield fruit to conspiracy theories that suggest that maybe they have a second avenue for image transmission - a secret door, for instance - maybe the MOC is not really dead - or maybe that satellite that preceeded the MOC didn't die on arrival either. Another interesting conspiracy theory of this was suggested in an article that humanoid put up, where the writer suggested there was equipment on the rovers themselves that may be using alternate technologies to transmit data directly to earth - without the need to bounce off the satellites.
Having said that, I do think that we are getting some very high quality images from Mars and that not a lot is hidden from us. And I have seen enough good stuff at this point to think if they were hiding things they aren't doing a very good job. As far as image clarity, think about this - those little spherules in Meridiani are the size of B.B.s - and yet they are quite clear in the images we see. I am similarly impressed with what we see in Hirise images.
The hiding is that finding many of the best clues are as difficult as finding needles in a haystack of hundreds of thousands of images.
The disclosure may be full - but what of someone officially assigned to look for clues of artificiality - or of biology. What is the name of this scientist so assigned? We have only silence from them - if they even exist- though an honest search would have some official in charge of the visual search, revealing to the public the strongest possibilities - regardless of whether they are definites. Yet - we are offered no official possibilities because science ignores logic in this field in favor of waiting for "extraordinary evidence" before making any announcement.
The individuals from the Disclosure Project seem credible, so I will not go into too much detail on my opinion there. Needless to say, I do not believe they would be manipulated on-board.
Also, I suspect nowadays if this is being done, it would not all be done by hand. But don't forget, those at the Disclosure Project were not referring to any Mars images. Only satellite imagery of the Earth, some stuff in space and on the moon, etcetera. Nothing was ever said, to my recollection about Mars. Then again, the people saying this were supposedly involved many years ago, so they may not have heard or seen much about Mars anyway. I should read up on some space exploration history before I make a statement here.
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What if Pinnochio says that his nose will grow longer?
if what thewatcher says is true, then there are two versions of everything and all photographic data is duplicated.
This does not make sense so send all that data twice, all the way from mars. We have already been told by some of the Disclosure Project people that they have spoken and seen images actually being manipulated in a lab somewhere by humans.
Yes, I agree that to do this all by hand would need a humungous number of people, and it would have to be automated in some way. But... to have duplicate data flying all the way from Mars - (possibly one on a frequency that NASA picks up and the other on a frequency the main radio telescopes pick up?) I think is a bit far-fetched.
I think it was "thewatcher" that posted the images are manipulated right on board so when the transmission comes back, the first observers know Nothing.
Now....if your sittin therer with your college degree and your job is to spot life,plant life,civilization evidence,ect,ect,ect, and you are not the type that would read forums like this....then ...well....you are just going to be a zombie so to speak, and look for ..what you are told to look for.....which is nothing.
Think about it...if you never had access to the "cover ups" or never even heard of the "cover ups"...then you would be none the wiser...you would have NO clue what is going on right under your nose....
it is very easy to get the people you want to work for you........work for you.(no conspiracy theorists). And they will be none the wiser...day in and day out. If you emailed him back....ask him what kind of back ground screening he got before he even go the job.....I bet there was a check box that said "do you love nasa like your own children" as a requirement for employment.
My point is this. This is a conspiracy theory. It is nothing more right now....sorry everybody....yes...we know different....but that does not change the mainstream thinking on things. And it does not change how astronomers look at the world...or other worlds for that matter. I believe the higher ups have had 60 + years at doing this...they know how to do it...and everybody is on a need to know basis....which..the majority....are not.
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Get your facts first....Then you can distort them all you please.
I thought you might like to read the short dialogue I had with an eminent astronomer who has written books, been on radio, TV etc. They work for a well-known research establishment.
emails are as received except for names edited out and startings(Dear...) and endings(Yours...).
======= my email 1 ============== I would really, really like to be convinced that there is NOT an enormous conspiracy around Mars and aliens. It takes up so much of my time wondering if what I see in the Rover photographs is plain old boring rocks on Mars.
The fact is that you either must know there are aliens on the Moon/Mars and be content with continuing to lie to the public or you must have access to better Mars Rover photographs than everyone else does.
If you have access to better Mars Rover photographs than everyone else in the public, then maybe you can tell me why we have such poor quality releases. These are compressed so much that if NASA were using these to navigate with, they could not dive a tank safely across the Martian landscape, let alone a Rover.
======= reply 1 ============== No, there is simply no evidence of aliens on the moon or Mars. If there were, NASA's budget would skyrocket. Thinking that the Agency is hiding this fact is simply conspiracy theory, and blatently false. It pains me that so many people subscribe to this sort of thing, but I guess that's the world these days.
======= email 2 ============== So, if I understand your reassuring email correctly, you are saying that you do not have any access to better Rover photographs and anything I see that looks anomalous is just a natural formation of the landscape on different planets?
I am just trying to place my mind at rest from this issue once and for all. It would be nice to be able to answer any questions I may get about this issue knowing that I have asked a professional astronomer.
======= reply 2 ============== Exactly right. There are about 50 or more Mars specialists within a few thousand feet of my desk here who would all tell you the same thing, incidentally. Science is not a conspiracy.
====================================== My comments ====================================== I dont know what to make of this, sounds so credible yet we know otherwise.
