Obama Wants To Know What 21st Century Technological Challenges You'd Like Tackled First

I fail to comprehend why so many members are looking at this opportunity from a negative view.
Myself I am in awe, and wish that the Swedish government would decide to drop a few sacks of cash to popular technological research, as this would be a perfect time to see some change around in how we produce power and similar things, be it by the previously conspired course of action, or simply by funding existing research.
The government has lots of resources, it's time they use it for some goods things.

Originally posted by aboveGoos
I fail to comprehend why so many members are looking at this opportunity from a negative view.
Myself I am in awe, and wish that the Swedish government would decide to drop a few sacks of cash to popular technological research, as this would be a perfect time to see some change around in how we produce power and similar things, be it by the previously conspired course of action, or simply by funding existing research.
The government has lots of resources, it's time they use it for some goods things.

Where does your government get it's resources? I know where my Government gets their's. It isn't their "sacks of cash" to drop, it is our tax dollars. Government has NEVER created anything except red tape and Welfare reciepients. You can be sure that any funding that results from this will go to achieve a political end not a practical one.

Anybody who wants an example just has to look at Gasahol. Government subsidies for it's production goes to large corporations (ADM) while the reduction in availible corn results in higher feed costs for farmers, which then results in higher food prices. In the mean time the energy value per unit of fuel has dropped, which actually causes a reduction in MPGs. Therefore you need more fuel to go the same distance so you buy MORE gas.

Originally posted by JIMC5499

Originally posted by aboveGoos
I fail to comprehend why so many members are looking at this opportunity from a negative view.
Myself I am in awe, and wish that the Swedish government would decide to drop a few sacks of cash to popular technological research, as this would be a perfect time to see some change around in how we produce power and similar things, be it by the previously conspired course of action, or simply by funding existing research.
The government has lots of resources, it's time they use it for some goods things.

Where does your government get it's resources? I know where my Government gets their's. It isn't their "sacks of cash" to drop, it is our tax dollars. Government has NEVER created anything except red tape and Welfare reciepients. You can be sure that any funding that results from this will go to achieve a political end not a practical one.

Anybody who wants an example just has to look at Gasahol. Government subsidies for it's production goes to large corporations (ADM) while the reduction in availible corn results in higher feed costs for farmers, which then results in higher food prices. In the mean time the energy value per unit of fuel has dropped, which actually causes a reduction in MPGs. Therefore you need more fuel to go the same distance so you buy MORE gas.

You don't want to know how much taxes we Swedes pay. Just don't go there.
Obviously I know that governments don't just get cash through magical means. What I was trying to say is that [while there are bad examples] of governmental projects which do more harm than good, isn't it a very good chunk of news that they are actually trying to let people decide what to use the money for? I can't see how technological research can achieve bad results for the general population of america, really. Unless you decide to manufacture more weapons, that is.

P.S: At certain incomes taxes rockets up to >60%. Yeah, that's 60% of your total income that goes to the government and in turn, people without jobs. Mostly. But I don't whine too much, since we have [close to] free medical care, albeit not terribly good in all cases, free education including university, etc. etc..

Originally posted by joey_hv
here is a good one Mr. "President"...

JOBS!!!!

what an a-hole you are!!!!!

Come to think of it. Isn't this how Obama is trying to pave the way to creating jobs? Research, funding, and manpower into new science and technology creates jobs last time I checked.

The world needs new radical energy sources....(not fossil fuel or bio diesel bollocks)

Sustainability is the new religion, and rightly so, however the purpose of sustainability is to "sustain" our civilisation for as long as possible untill new technologies can be discovered to solve the problems that are likely to destroy us.

The challenges we face are water scarcity (given enough energy, de-salination of sea water would more than meet our needs), fossil fuel usage (CO2 or peak oil depending on your tastes, either way they equal the same problem, we need to burn less), food shortages and overpopulation (indiretly abundant clean energy can help with these problems also).

My greatest fear is that if the industrial military complex found this kind of solution they would keep it secret till the rest of the world consumed it's energy resources and at that point they would reveal their ability to 'save' us, at that point..... we truly would be their slaves!

[edit on 16-4-2010 by Catalytic]

I'm going for a wildcard; Boost support for studying Quantum Mechanics.