I think Bush should put $300,000,000,000 into physics instead of a doomed and out of date military. Alternative energy discoveries will divorce us from oil and herald a new age in Space Exploration which will maybe for once keep everyone from hating everyone else for a while.

Our perspectives will always outreach our means. This is the sad truth. Anything the government does radiates corruption. Chances are if we found out that $3 billion dollars were put toward physics, the test tubes, labcoats, and so on would all cost over a thousand dollars each, like government purchased paper clips cost $50 now.

It would be amazing, though, to have such scientific purpose in our lifetimes!

Even if such was successful it will not eliminate humans hating one another. It would drive the have nots to hate that much harder for being excluded. And then there is always religion....

The sooner scientist no longer need to purchase gas for their cars so that they can get to work, the sooner 3 billion dollers can be spent to support their work.

The sooner our race puts more focus and spending on teaching and learning, as well as allocating money to people of obvious worth and ability, the sooner we take a step up.

If we are determined to spend $300 billion on a space based missile defense system tht wont be ready for ten years then why not just put 300 billion into raw physics research for the next ten years and reap the rewards which by far will outstrip any military product.

I think this is a question of priorities. The military does have its place in the scheme of things. If you leave your finances to one goal only then get conquered because of a poor defense then what good does spending the money on research? This is in essence what happened to Germany. They could not produce and match the western world in manufacturing output and military manpower, they sank large amounts into research trying to make up for the difference. They developed the jet warplane but did not have the pilots or the ability to make the planes fast enough to influence the war after being developed. Does anyone doubt that if they could have that it would not have affected the war and its direction?

Originally posted by wet1
If you leave your finances to one goal only then get conquered because of a poor defense then what good does spending the money on research? This is in essence what happened to Germany. With one important difference: Germany wasn't acting in defense. Of course, if they'd waited ten years, no-one would have been able to stop them (unless the yanks were still going to develop the bomb with such fervour).

In a lot of countries, America more than most, the military hype up the threats from foe-du-jour in order to increase spending. How many of the world's scientists are toiling on military projects when they could be working on a cure for line dancing?

Hands up anyone who remembers the 'peace dividend' and compared Clinton's military spending to Reagan's?

Towards the latter part of the war that was exactly what Germany was doing was concentrating on defense.

Finding the eternal energy source would go a long way to ending war. Infinite energy would be a new era. Its possible, but somone needs to put prioritize it there higher than the art of killing and oil drilling.

LOL, just look at the american government.

Read there names, read there CV's.

Did you stumble across the same thing i did?
Yes you got it folks we got an oil barron as president, we got ex military leaders dotted all over the US government.
So what do you think these people want to spend there(sorry YOUR) money on?
Guns
Bombs
Missiles
Oil
End of money spending.
That right, even this petty war in afganistan is about oil, oil is like money, the root of all evil.

We all know that this damn war isn't about oil. I'm stopping right there.

Second, money isn't the mass problem with physics. I'm sure if we could pay God to make cold fusion easy, we would have already. We need briliant minds and innovative thoughts more than anything. Money helps, but Eisnteins, Fermis, and Oppenheimers would be the best resource in a new renissance in science.

Originally posted by thecurly1
We all know that this damn war isn't about oil. I'm stopping right there.

Second, money isn't the mass problem with physics. I'm sure if we could pay God to make cold fusion easy, we would have already. We need briliant minds and innovative thoughts more than anything. Money helps, but Eisnteins, Fermis, and Oppenheimers would be the best resource in a new renissance in science.

First: The entire US foreign policy in the Middle East is indeed about oil. US assisted oppression in these areas were and are main concerns for so called Islamic terrorists.

Second: It takes a lot of money to push this kind of thing through. Except as the above posters have noted, it will not happen as long as oil barrons and defense contractors run the show. If half the money that is put into the art of killing were put into the art of physics, we wouldn't need the art of killing anymore. Its all a big lie.

I disagree, but I'll leave it at that.

I wish we could abolish our dependency on oil, because of enviromental concerns and foreign policy as well.

Put all the money into education to rid the world of its so many idiots, on both sides of the argument.

:)

Originally posted by Mr. G
Put all the money into education to rid the world of its so many idiots, on both sides of the argument.

:) There isn't enough gold in the universe rid Earth of its idiots.

Idiots aren't a factor when intelligent people sit dormant.

Originally posted by wet1
Even if such was successful it will not eliminate humans hating one another. It would drive the have nots to hate that much harder for being excluded. And then there is always religion....

We could use a space based happy ray that will change the brain pattern of everyone so that we love not hate....he he...:D

We could use a space based happy ray that will change the brain pattern of everyone so that we love not hate....he he...

Seems I am always the last to know. When did we invent this?

Oh, like your avatar, about time you came up with one.

Kmguru, that is a nice reply. Wish there was some Cosmic based happy ray to change humans feelings towards one another.
Should make a big difference...;)

I think I am couragous enough to say that we don't need a conventional military. Any country attempting to invade us would have their homeland turned into asphalt before they hit the shores.

Trade one type of violence for another?
There's a novel idea.

Peace.

Originally posted by Mad Scientist
I think Bush should put $300,000,000,000 into physics instead of a doomed and out of date military. Alternative energy discoveries will divorce us from oil and herald a new age in Space Exploration which will maybe for once keep everyone from hating everyone else for a while.

first of all, i'm sorry americans, but bush is an idiot. his worries are reduced to military wapons and wars. he thinks we are in a freacking cold war. just look at the stars wars plan that was on e of his first revivals talked about. like the u.s and the world don't have enough weapons (i cant believe he is in the line of the names that can be nominated to the nobel of peace).

second, did you hear that he just interpose two NASA projects about satellites that would go to Pluto and Jupiter? what's up with that?

and third, they would never cime up with something that would divorce us from oil... it would cause an economic caos in the world. and probably some more wars. a lot of stuff could be already invented, but it wasn't or it is hidden because it can crash some countries economies. i mean, don't you see what they do with cigarette companies? can it be at leat against the law?

when there's money involved, it's a bitch.

Banshee,

Kmguru, that is a nice reply. Wish there was some Cosmic based happy ray to change humans feelings towards one another.

There is...
And it's called Love... ;)

Mad Scientist,

If we are determined to spend $300 billion on a space based missile defense system tht wont be ready for ten years then why not just put 300 billion into raw physics research for the next ten years and reap the rewards which by far will outstrip any military product.

Perhaps we should spend it in Education, helping other countries, or to solve the problem of famine... In 2002 and we still have famine in the world!

First: The entire US foreign policy in the Middle East is indeed about oil. US assisted oppression in these areas were and are main concerns for so called Islamic terrorists.

Second: It takes a lot of money to push this kind of thing through. Except as the above posters have noted, it will not happen as long as oil barrons and defense contractors run the show. If half the money that is put into the art of killing were put into the art of physics, we wouldn't need the art of killing anymore. Its all a big lie.

That's true... :)

Originally posted by thecurly1:
Second, money isn't the mass problem with physics. I'm sure if we could pay God to make cold fusion easy, we would have already. We need briliant minds and innovative thoughts more than anything. Money helps, but Eisnteins, Fermis, and Oppenheimers would be the best resource in a new renissance in science.

But that's true too. If we had better scientists, mainly more creative, the money spent would be lower. But of course, to buil all those machines like Particle Accelarators, like the Fermi Laboratory, it takes lots of money...

Lua and Mr.G,

Totally agree... :D

Our society is biased against intelligence and creativity. Being smart has never been truely popular. The treatment of "nerds" is a prime example. Why is this so? If you watch the show "The Weakest Link" you will see why. Often, the most intelligent player is voted off because they are the biggest threat in the long term to the other players. People who are smart are a threat to those who are not. The world is seen by many as one of competition.

President Bush, et al are exploiting the American desire to live a life completely devoid of risk. Many want a life that is safe and risk free. Many companies make huge profits exploiting this desire. The military industrial complex, insurance companies and the medical profession exploit these fears.

The terorists are no where near the threat to our security that the Sovie Union was. Perhaps Sadam Hussain (SP) and his desire for weapons of mass distruction is, but I don't think Bin Laden was. I think Bin Laden has done the worst he is capable of. I think there is an underlining motivation for getting Afganistan, Pakistan and India to make nice. There are oil fields in the former Soviet Union that are land-locked. It is politically difficult to exploit these natural resources. Get these countries to act civil to one another and then pipelines can be built arcoss them to get the oil out of the land-locked locations.

I tend to favor the development of particle beam weapons system. In part, the romantic notion of SciFi becoming reality. Any effort in developing technology will benifit in the long run. The more this technology is available to the public sector, the better. Holding back deveopments from the public is bad in my opinion. I wonder what quantum physics and other close to theoretical sciences can to for every-day life. Regardles of how the money is spent, I think practical application should always be kept in mind.

anim8er,

The world is seen by many as one of competition.

And this creates lots of nonsense violence... :(

I tend to favor the development of particle beam weapons system.

Weapons!!!! We don't need more weapons!!! :mad:

There are oil fields in the former Soviet Union that are land-locked. It is politically difficult to exploit these natural resources. Get these countries to act civil to one another and then pipelines can be built arcoss them to get the oil out of the land-locked locations.

Yup... and innocent people pays the price... :(

Regardles of how the money is spent, I think practical application should always be kept in mind.

Pretty much...

Love,
Nelson