An open letter to the young would-be scientists of the USA

[urotsukidoji]

Busy busy today - as usual - but today is a little different...I was asked to judge a local Middle School Science Fair this afternoon...perhaps a few students will be there, so I might be allowed to impart some little nuggets of what's in store for their wonderful life in "Science".


"Hey kids!! Do you like Science? Do you think you're going to be a great scientist one day? Do you care about anything BESIDES coming up with new technologies to burn children alive in their beds? Do you have issues with the fact that the only realistic source of viable research funding today is from the Department of Defense? Do you have moral concerns about the entirety of our once-great country's collective Scientific Mind being used to pursue carnage, warfare, bloodshed and death? Might you have another career in mind - one divested from "new concepts" in depleted uranium rounds, or "bunker-busting" nuclear weaponry, or white phosphorus airbursts, or daisy cutter mass-murder devices? Do you choke up at the thought that your acumen and genius and talents and days and weeks and months and years and decades of hard work might only see the light of day if it is channeled towards never-ending illegitimate War against sovereign countries you won't even be taught how to find on a map, under the guise of such vague, tired, Jingoist notions as "Freedom" or "Democracy"?


WELL GET OUT NOW, KIDS, 'CUZ THE WHOLE DAMN SYSTEM IS A SHAM AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET AHEAD IS TO INVENT THE NEXT CHILDGRINDER 6000".



(oh...and f*ck your stupid little paper-maché volcano. That's original.)



U

[Zorro]

1. So tell us

what have you done to advance the cause of scientific education in this country?

[urotsukidoji]

2. Indeed.

"Scientific education" isn't a "cause". Firstly, it's redundant...but, more importantly, it's an imperative of any modern society.

You are correct, as I suppose teaching medical students and Graduate students how to understand and heal is hardly "advancement". And surely your accusatory understanding of this subject includes a greater knowledge of treating the global methamphetamine crisis, further understanding and treatment of human pain states, and the development of novel techniques of disease intervention - concepts your government has seen duly fit to slash funding for.

Surely, that accusatory tone you've taken can be backed up with years of countermanding experience. My humblest apologies.

[Zorro]

3. Apology accepted

[Greyhound]

4. How sad that we've come to this sorry state. n/t

[sam sarrha]

5. as a life long science nerd and scientist, you are cynical and irresponsible.. you are ignorant and

myopic.. get a life that doesn't fuck up children. i was a lost abused child who found solid ground and a window into the rational world thru science.

it taught me rational problem solving and discriminating thought of which you obviously lack.

if i knew who you were i would report you to the science fair administration. you have no business around impressionable children. science is fun, i made all my good lifelong friends in science related activities.

less than 1 in 150 will get anywhere near a scientific job later in life, but science will help children understand the world we are in, and what we need to do to survive the next 100 years that only 1 in 10 may survive

jesus.. get a life, and leave children out of your miserable twisted world. yea some is true, i worked for shell research development corporation, i helped develop a method for retrieving 40% more oil out of terminated wells. i learned a lot, realized they were totally FD up liars and despicable cretins, but that was a valuable experience. it got me better places in work and life, there is a lot of research out there it isn't as bleak as you portray.

don't do things that ignorantly effect the lives of others, what kind of karma awaits you for making the kid who was supposed to discover a cure for cancer into an annoying dirt bag cynic like you... who ends up never achieving anything??? damn you are stupid. think before you fuck up someone else's kid

[urotsukidoji]

6. Now THAT'S the response...

...I was hoping for, Sam. THAT'S the passion for true learning and the joy of imparting the scientific Truth to our youngest generation that has driven us for so many years. THAT'S the spark of intensity and dedication that needs to be propagated throughout the scientific establishment.

Don't get me wrong, there's still a horrible truth out there...the reality of non-impartial oversight, agenda-driven review, your "FD up liars and despicable cretins" and the blood-money-soaked "science" agencies who have lost their way and forgotten their duty to serve the citizens they were hired to protect...but I have NO intention of "fuck(ing) up someone else's kid". Quite the opposite, Sam. Science education is the key to their future.

Remember, these discussion forums are not for the kids. They get our "everything is peachy keen...learning is fundamental" speech. DU, thankfully, is the domain of our protestations. Put the phone down...

U

[urotsukidoji]

7. Oh yeah...

...I will not, however, apologize one iota for my internal monologue concerning little Johnny's carbonic-foam-spewing volcano. Total half-ass entry, in my view, when not accompanied by a decently thought out essay. Low scores, Johnny.

"Dirt bag cynic", Sam? Perhaps...

[sam sarrha]

9. in the brain at that age there are dendrites seeking connections.. in the process of problem solving...

eye to hand coordination, the dendrites connect providing life long enhanced perception and cognitive ability.. it doesn't matter what they do, model airplanes, boy scout projects... hobby's instead of sitting in front of tv. it adds wonder to their lives

the problem is that if they don't do this stupid stuff the dendrites wither and die.. making them LESS CAPABLE TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS thus making them victims of the status que you hate so much, they wont be able to fix anything, even their job opportunities will become limited

my favorite quote,

"A negative thought contenuesand increases exponentially until replaced by a positive thought, however the positive thought must be cultivated" HHDL

quit spreading stupidity.. and negativity

its better to light a single candle, rather curse the darkness. what are you doing to help them with this problem.. do something constructive or shut the fuck up

[Thothmes]

8. Your are railing against the wrong disciplines

Science creates knowledge,. Engineers take that knowledge and build something with it. Edward Teller admitted that the Manhattan Project it was 10% science (i.e. physics) and 90% engineering that built the atomic bomb. Scientists developed the understanding of nuclear energy. Engineers turned that knowledge into Hydrogen bombs, or into cancer fighting medical radiation devices, or power generating equipment. Goddard and Krylov developed the scientific understanding of rockets. It required American, German and Soviet engineers to turn those scientific principals into ICBMs with MIRV warheads. But at the same time some of these same engineers also developed the rockes to get men to the moon, or man made satellites to the farthest reaches of solar system. It is the engineers that take basic scientific knowledge and turn into destructive weapons or tools beneficial to humanity. JMO