Sokol again, Drat!

[Paul Mackin]

On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Greg Montalbano wrote:

> could it be that YOU ALSO,
> deep down inside, think that science is the ONE TRUE ANSWER, and are hurt or
> embarrassed when its representatives act in a less-than-exemplary manner?

Science _does_ have ONE tentatively true answer, which is SOMETHING.

So does Capitalism. (increasingly, it seems, more than tentative)

Each has been a hell of a success. (Ugh)

I was sort of half trained in hard science but never had a paying job
in it. Never _did_ science. I don't _think_ I'm sorry, but you never
know.

Once had a nonscientist (or at best social-scientist) job at the National 
Science Foundation (U.S) analyzing the funding of 'pure' science. It was 
what they used to call cost-benefit analysis (maybe still do). What is basic
scientific discovery worth to the nation relative a zillion other things
the taxpayers ought to be forced to pay for? You can't imagine, well
maybe you can, how disdainful the real scientists were of our little
operation. How dare anyone put a price on science. Especially outsiders
like ourselves?

These guys were revolving door scientists. Divided their time between
their university laboratories and stints in Washington supervising 
how the available money gets siphoned off to the the best projects. Much
like revolving door business types in Republican administrations. Democrat
too I suppose.


But anyway . . .

					P.