molson_golden2002 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl78 In the debate, McCain portrayed Barack Obama as an excessive spender, and he punctuated his attack (twice) with this example: "[Obama] voted for nearly a billion dollars in pork barrel earmark projects, including, by the way, $3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago, Illinois. My friends, do we need to spend that kind of money?" Turns out, a lot of people think we do. This is no ordinary overhead projector from your 5th grade classroom. The blog Cosmic Variance sums it up: "If you've ever had the pleasure of visiting the Adler Planetarium, you'd probably guess that the 'overhead projector' he's talking about is the spectacular 'Sky Theater' -- one of the most engrossing, gorgeous venues for displaying visuals about space." The science community is notoriously tight-knit, especially when rallying to a cause, and boy are they are rallying to this one. Alan Boyle's Cosmic Log has a great summary of the uproar: -"For McCain to use this as a political zinger is insulting..." (Bad Astronomy) -"Planetariums are Bridges to the Future, and America would be a much better place if all the congressional earmarks went to projects like them." (The Perfect Silence) -"The logo for Senator John McCain's campaign has a star in the middle. I wonder what his guide star is? It can't be the same one that ten million children have seen at the Adler Planetarium. Why should anyone want their star to dim?" (Discovery Space) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 -"Planetariums are Bridges to the Future, and America would be a much better place if all the congressional earmarks went to projects like them." (The Perfect Silence If by Bridges to the Future he means places to go drop acid and watch light shows to Pink Floyd'd Dark Side of the Moon, then yes, I have to agree with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 If by Bridges to the Future he means places to go drop acid and watch light shows to Pink Floyd'd Dark Side of the Moon, then yes, I have to agree with him. I dunno if you are being sarcastic or not... But if you are being serious: Are you trying to insult planetariums? Is that what I'm reading? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 I dunno if you are being sarcastic or not... But if you are being serious: Are you trying to insult planetariums? Is that what I'm reading? Well seeing I grew up in the 70's and that's all we used planteriums for, yes I'm bagging on planetariums. But go ahead and tell me how they've changed and how important they are at explaining the heavens to five year olds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Well seeing I grew up in the 70's and that's all we used planteriums for, yes I'm bagging on planetariums. But go ahead and tell me how they've changed and how important they are at explaining the heavens to five year olds. Never been in one...I looked at the sky, myself. Seriously...is this something worth spending federal money on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Never been in one...I looked at the sky, myself. Seriously...is this something worth spending federal money on? It appears so and conner is going to tell us why in 3.....2......1....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 hang on I'm on the phone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 hang on I'm on the phone Multi task. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finknottle Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Seriously...is this something worth spending federal money on? I'm pro-Science spending, but I don't want to see money tossed around as earmarks. We wind up having no idea what we are spending overall, and earmarks all too often don't have the same accountability and oversight as funding through traditional mechanisms. NASA and NSF get money for public education. You want a planaterium, let them prioritize it against other initiatives and ask for it in their budget requests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Seriously...is this something worth spending federal money on? Obama, from Illinois, raised $3 trillion dollars for his campaign. Surely he knows enough people that could fund a planetarium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molson_golden2002 Posted October 10, 2008 Author Share Posted October 10, 2008 I just knew this thread would be a winner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Multi task. Man now what are we doing? I'm no planetarium expert. It just seems funny to make fun of them. Are they not mainstays of space research? Analyzing telescope images and you know.. examining sunspots and looking for asteroids and all of that jazz. Correct me if I'm wrong but the tourist ceiling with stars on it is just fund raising so the planetariums are not all public money. Just please tell me we're not going to turn planetariums into some bastards libs vs dems vs fox news vs McObama brainless fart argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Man now what are we doing? I'm no planetarium expert. It just seems funny to make fun of them. Are they not mainstays of space research? Analyzing telescope images and you know.. examining sunspots and looking for asteroids and all of that jazz. Correct me if I'm wrong but the tourist ceiling with stars on it is just fund raising so the planetariums are not all public money. Just please tell me we're not going to turn planetariums into some bastards libs vs dems vs fox news vs McObama brainless fart argument. Just so you know what McCain was referring to.... http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/exhibits/skytheater.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Man now what are we doing? I'm no planetarium expert. It just seems funny to make fun of them. Are they not mainstays of space research? Analyzing telescope images and you know.. examining sunspots and looking for asteroids and all of that jazz. Correct me if I'm wrong but the tourist ceiling with stars on it is just fund raising so the planetariums are not all public money. Just please tell me we're not going to turn planetariums into some bastards libs vs dems vs fox news vs McObama brainless fart argument. No, they are NOT mainstays of space research. Maybe you're thinking of observatories. Off the top of my head, although I can think of several research institutions that have planetariums, I can't think of a single planetarium that's used for any research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 No, they are NOT mainstays of space research. Maybe you're thinking of observatories. Off the top of my head, although I can think of several research institutions that have planetariums, I can't think of a single planetarium that's used for any research. Oh well then a planetarium is no better than a zoo. Which I bet are also great places to drop acid and listen to pink floyd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outsidethebox Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 3 million dollars is chump change. You can get a halfway decent planetarium for at LEAST 8 million. Where did they find this planetarium at, walmart? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outsidethebox Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 No, they are NOT mainstays of space research. Maybe you're thinking of observatories. Off the top of my head, although I can think of several research institutions that have planetariums, I can't think of a single planetarium that's used for any research. I once researched the female anatomy in one once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Why not have Obama's and Ayer's old stomping grounds, the Annenberg Inititive fund it. Oh, they didn't fund any science or math education programs, just left wing social programs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Why not have Obama's and Ayer's old stomping grounds, the Annenberg Inititive fund it. Oh, they didn't fund any science or math education programs, just left wing social programs. Every time you post meaningless drivel that you got from Rush or Hannity (congrats on expanding your horizons to include Hannity), I reconsider voting for a 3ed party and vote for Obama instead. Hopefully my sanity will prevail, but keep inspiring the Obama types with the absolute worst takes on things. Mind you you, Rush is good at what he does. He even occasionally skewers the dems. Hannity on the other hand is a wannabe with a big audience. What does that say about the audience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Oh well then a planetarium is no better than a zoo. Which I bet are also great places to drop acid and listen to pink floyd. No zoos are great places to take put wild animals after you've taken them out of their wild and natural habitat. Whoa, did I just sound like a tree hugging liberal there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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