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U.S. science is in chaos

scientificamerican.com

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Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#711

Post by GenerWork »

solid_fuel wrote: post #683
blindriver wrote: post #621

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what happens when we are $40 Trillion in debt. I'm sorry that scientific projects are being cut but are we supposed to keep funding everything ad infinitum regardless of how our economy and our future is going to be crippled by debt? EVERYONE is going to be crying about their projects being cut and there's no good way to do it where everyone is going to be happy. Some people are going to lose their jobs, and…

The losers whining loudest about the debt just started and lost a war with Iran and now they’re sending Iran $300 billion. If you actually cared about the national debt you would back higher taxes and the democratic party given that the democrats are the only party who actually run a balanced budget at any point in the last 50 years. But you don’t care about the national debt. You don’t care about the well being of a…

[flagged]

Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#712

Post by gcanyon »

setgree wrote: post #695
lovich wrote: post #497

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Petyr Baelish got stabbed to death while on his ladder, I don’t think that’s a good analogy

Yep, Sansa climbed the ladder better than he did. As she says to him at the end, "Thank you for all your many lessons, Lord Baelish. I will never forget them."

"I'm a slow learner, it's true, but... I learn."

Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#713

Post by noisy_boy »

tick_tock_tick wrote: post #706
ArmadilloGang wrote: post #337

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My family is looking at Missouri to Spain. Why Spain: Expat communities, cost of living, friendly visa options, beautiful climate. Why leave: Sick of U.S. politics and the way it directly and indirectly affects us and how difficult it is to escape from it - it’s a major point of conversations with family and friends, it’s on the local radio, local subreddit, local social media pages, etc. Also, I have over $7k in per…

> Why leave: Sick of U.S. politics and the way it directly and indirectly affects us and how difficult it is to escape from it - it’s a major point of conversations with family and friends, it’s on the local radio, local subreddit, local social media pages, etc. I mean so you'll move to Spain and just be horrible ignorant of any issues facing the local population, living in a financial bubble where you've earned sign…

What are you talking about? They will move to Spain and be financially well off means they will be ignorant of local issues and live in a bubble? How did you make that stretch? Sure they may not be very political but that doesn't equate to living in a bubble. People choose to engage with politics at varying degrees, as is their right.

Isn't it enough to not having to look over your shoulder fearing you will be a statistic in the long list of atrocities being committed by this government? Having a good quality of life is something to be guilty about?!

Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#714

Post by gcanyon »

twothreeone wrote: post #343
nikanj wrote: post #303

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And the real partisan question is ”should the US fund studying the black holes”, not the actual science question

Which really tells you more about the state of mind of people asking that question. What kind of person isn't curious about the puzzle of their own existence, or the nature of the physical reality they live in (and yes, by "being curious" I mean "being willing to put a tax dollar amount to them")?

> What kind of person isn't curious about the puzzle of their own existence

A person who is certain they already know the answer.

Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#715

Post by tick_tock_tick »

nine_k wrote: post #382
analog31 wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's a better way, that's not the Chinese way? What I mean is more centralized oversight over research priorities, metric-driven rewards, and preference for political favorites?

What made places like Bell Labs, Xerox PARC, IBM Research, etc thrive? What happened to that mechanism, and can we have it back?

For profit capitalism, and smashing of near monopoly pricing power, and questionable morals.

Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#716

Post by ww520 »

kingnothing wrote: post #195
svachalek wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US situation is mitigated by both Russia and China deciding to make massive, foolish maneuvers at the same time as ours. However neither can match how stupendously we are lighting our future on fire in every possible dimension.

What are the foolish maneuvers that China is making?

Up to 40% unemployment or very low employment.

Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#717

Post by biophysboy »

nine_k wrote: post #382
analog31 wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's a better way, that's not the Chinese way? What I mean is more centralized oversight over research priorities, metric-driven rewards, and preference for political favorites?

What made places like Bell Labs, Xerox PARC, IBM Research, etc thrive? What happened to that mechanism, and can we have it back?

Bell labs and IBM made gobs of money in their respective hey days

Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#718

Post by Vaslo »

chasing wrote: post #439
Blackstrat wrote: post #395

The government can't fund everything. Too much of the budget is tied up in transfer and interest payments squeezing out other more viable research. The federal government doesn't have unlimited funds. Something has to give.

Trump's tax cut on the wealthiest 1%? $1,000,000,000,000 over ten years. Daily cost of the Iran debacle: $2,000,000,000. We sure as shit have money to fund research. We prefer to fund second yachts, third vacation homes, and bombs.

Or Europe and Asia can handle more of the cost.

Re: U.S. science is in chaos

#720

Post by Vaslo »

Blackstrat wrote: post #395

The government can't fund everything. Too much of the budget is tied up in transfer and interest payments squeezing out other more viable research. The federal government doesn't have unlimited funds. Something has to give.

You’ll get downvoted to hell for this comment but it’s a legitimate concern, especially as Europe throws more of its money into socialist nonsense. It’s time for Europe to start picking up more of the tab, NATO included.
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