Quote:
Originally Posted by Fish
You couldn't be more wrong... Think about that..
And NASA creates jobs too..
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Here's an article I read a few years back, you might have read it too, that I think articulates your points (at least some of them) pretty well. I don't think we're really in disagreement, I think we just have different ways of arriving at the same point.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/898/1
Reletive to feeding the hungry the article says "Does anyone seriously believe that increasing spending on social programs from $1.581 trillion to $1.597 trillion would make any appreciable difference", and I think that's spot-on.
And you're right, we need NASA, we need the jobs it creates and we sure as hell need the many benefits it brings beyond those pretty pictures. But for every one of us who have an appreciation for particle physics, quantum theory, string theory, and the advancement of young minds, there's somebody who see those billions potentially being part of their next handout. And those handouts are their plan for funding their life.
So scientists getting funded will always be a sales jobs, on that you can count my friend. No matter if it's NASA, DARPA, or the sweet little lab in the basement of your favorite institution for higher education - science, unfortunately, needs salesmen. I hate reality sometimes Sir..