ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

The taxes won't go up an extra $2 (from $8 to $10) for NASA.  Instead the
deficit will go up...why am I so sure?

Politics.

Having a big deficit (A LOAN) is not a bad thing politically.  Promising
things - particularly things you can not deliver during your term, is a
*great* thing politically.  You don't even have to be around for the
fall-out.  Unfortunately, our country isn't run like a good business -
businesses that continuously lose money go out of business.  You can do it
for a very short-term (ala AOL), but as a long-term strategy, it is
preposterous.  Unfortunately the United States has been doing it as a long
term strategy.  Remember every time we borrow money we pay it back - with
interest...we aren't just borrowing...we're borrowing to pay the interest
on money we previously borrowed.

How many of our organizations would still be in existence if operated with
continuous deficits (LOANS)?  That's how I relate everything...our science
center has grown smaller staff-wise in response to economic pressures, the
U.S. government has grown bigger - with worse economic pressures than our
small science center has experienced.

And as for the ISS $2 generated for $1 spent idea....we must remember that
too is a particular interpretation.

With that said, I love NASA (though they need better exhibits done at a
less expensive price...IMHO they have the stuff, they just haven't
implemented it correctly in their outreach exhibitry)

Apologies for the economic side-trip...

-William

William Katzman                    "The important thing is to never stop
questioning." -A. Einstein
Director of Exhibits               "Are you sure about that Al?" -His wife.
Catawba Science Center
ph: (828) 322-8169 x307
fax:(828) 322-1585
[log in to unmask]

-----Original Message-----
From:   Bill Watson [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Thursday, January 15, 2004 8:11 PM
Subject:        Re: Space Pork?

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****

I wonder what we all would have said about President Kennedy's
preposterous announcement that we would put a man on the moon by the end
of the decade...

While I agree that this move is political, I think we'd have a hard time
finding anything done in this day and age that is not. I also think it's
unfair to assert that the money we spend on such an initiative is wasted
money. If I understand my "International Space Station: The Earth Tour"
correctly, money invested by NASA typically returns $2 in usable
products for every $1 invested. I don't think I have to remind this
group of all the technological advances that have been catalyzed by
research into the space program - including how to put humans on the
moon and on the ISS.

The average American pays $8 in taxes every year to support NASA.
Perhaps this new initiative will up the ante to $10 a person. I'm
willing to forego the extra cup of Starbucks for a chance to witness the
incredible scientific discovery that awaits us on the moon and beyond
when humans inhabit space again.

It's 7:00, and I'm still at work debating the pros and cons of sending
humans to the moon again. As much as I love my job, I think I'll leave
now and get a life.

Bill

Bill Watson
Education Director
Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center
Mobile, AL
(251) 208-6851

***********************************************************************
Visit the all-new permanent exhibit MINDS ON HALL, featuring
cutting-edge technology exhibits and the Ciba Hands-on
Science Lab. Get in on the action starting January 9, 2004!

And coming soon to the Gulf Coast's only IMAX Dome
Theater: SHACKLETON'S ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE
and Disney's YOUNG BLACK STALLION.
***********************************************************************

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]