Federal funding for all kinds of research pays great dividends. Sure. Much of the money goes to thing like boondoggles. Boondoggle is a term used often in the military. I haven’t heard it used nearly as much in the civilian world. RAMMER has.
The cost of water isn’t much and yet scientists keep getting grants to go on boondoggles to Sweden to keep reporters writing this sort of article. (By boondoggle, let me just say that the per diem for Stockholm is about $220 per day.)
This fits in nicely with my earlier post regarding fuel cell research. We could be spending that money on the development of nuclear power facilities which would actually accomplish something.
I have always been a Conservationist. I grew up hunting and fishing, learning to respect what nature offered. “Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints.” The Environmentalist movement has done nothing of net value in the world. Yes, they’ve had successes. But those have been balanced by the losses due to their interference.
When RAMMER can spend a few minutes doing a little research into the cost of water, you’d think the “scientist” doing research work at a university under a government grant could take those few seconds himself. Ah…but then there would be no reason for the government to continue funding his pet project.
Never mind.
the environmentalists seem to be the emotional wing of the conservationist movement. it is terribly frustrating to try to have a conversation with them, because their education has left them unequipped to use numbers in a conversation.
i used to think that passing physics was an important mental milestone for thinking about problems. (not surprising given that i have taught both calculus and physics.) but i am beginning to believe that in fact it is the successful completion of inorganic chemistry that truly separates those who can use numbers to think about the issues of the day.
Comment by rammer — August 21, 2004 @ 10:53 am
That’s why I gave up on golf architechture as a fourth career. I didn’t understand enough biology and chemistry to finish the masters in environmental engineering.
I agree with you on physics, however. A good calculus-based physics series will do wonders for you thought processes.
Comment by Bunker — August 21, 2004 @ 12:27 pm