Science, a weakening National Defense, and Hollywood.

[wacki]

Interesting article from NYTs

Fewer and fewer students are pursuing science and engineering. While immigrants are taking up the slack in many areas, defense laboratories and industries generally require American citizenship or permanent residency. So a crisis is looming, unless careers in science and engineering suddenly become hugely popular, said Robert J. Barker, an Air Force program manager who approved the grant. And what better way to get a lot of young people interested in science than by producing movies and television shows that depict scientists in flattering ways?

Teaching screenwriting to scientists was the brainstorm of Martin Gundersen, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Southern California and sometime Hollywood technical adviser, whose biggest brush with stardom was bringing a little verisimilitude to Val Kilmer's lasers in the 1985 comedy "Real Genius."

more at article.

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
Teaching screenwriting to scientists was the brainstorm of Martin Gundersen, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Southern California and sometime Hollywood technical adviser, whose biggest brush with stardom was bringing a little verisimilitude to Val Kilmer's lasers in the 1985 comedy "Real Genius."

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG, I loved that movie. The popcorn-filled house at the end. Priceless.

[bills217]

I think that a possible reason that fewer students are pursuing science is that people are starting to figure out that all the scientific knowledge and discovery in the world can't answer some of the really important questions people have, among them:

"Where did I come from?"
"Why am I here?"
"What happens to me when I die?"

[FishHooks]

I think many people just want to make money, everyone wanting to be lawyers or some type of doctor going into college. However I came from a really good high school and I knew about 15-20 kids from my senior class who went on to study engineering in college.

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
I think that a possible reason that fewer students are pursuing science is that people are starting to figure out that all the scientific knowledge and discovery in the world can't answer some of the really important questions people have, among them:

"Where did I come from?"
"Why am I here?"
"What happens to me when I die?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Are there more philosophy and religion majors now? I would've figured business would be the most popular now.

[hurlyburly]

Haha, good one!

The answer is "shallow" not "deep", sorry.

Science involves too much work for too little pay.

[[censored]]

when science pays more there will be more scientists.

[QuadsOverQuads]

[ QUOTE ]
I think that a possible reason that fewer students are pursuing science is that people are starting to figure out that all the scientific knowledge and discovery in the world can't answer some of the really important questions people have, among them:

"Where did I come from?"
"Why am I here?"
"What happens to me when I die?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, clearly, seeking knowledge and understanding of the world around us is a waste of time. In fact, they're probably sinful pursuits. Medicine, engineering, science -- modern day Towers of Babel, one and all. All the scientific truth I need is found in Genesis and on the 700 Club -- and only a godless heathen commie liberal traitor believes otherwise. Talking snakes, magic trees, 900-year-old men -- that's REAL history for ya. Now, let's all join together and hail the glories of the Dark Ages, and ban this demon Science from our midst once and for all!

Now, where do I find some leeches?


q/q

[bills217]

[ QUOTE ]
Science involves too much work for too little pay.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the words of Bill Lumbergh (sp?) from Office Space, "I'll just have to, um, go ahead and disagree with you there."

The projected median starting salary of a chemical engineering major is $53K.

The projected median starting salary of a petroleum engineer is $70K, the highest of any major.

I wasn't aware teachers, preachers, and philosophers made more than that. Am I missing something...?

[bills217]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, clearly, seeking knowledge and understanding of the world around us is a waste of time. In fact, they're probably sinful pursuits. Medicine, engineering, science -- modern day Towers of Babel, one and all. All the scientific truth I need is found in Genesis and on the 700 Club -- and only a godless heathen commie liberal traitor believes otherwise. Talking snakes, magic trees, 900-year-old men -- that's REAL history for ya. Now, let's all join together and hail the glories of the Dark Ages, and ban this demon Science from our midst once and for all!

[/ QUOTE ]

Normally I wouldn't even dignify a post like this with a response, but I truly have no earthly idea what the relevance of any of this is to what I actually posted.

I can't find where you even disputed anything I posted. At least someone else actually tried to dispute my post, although they tried to do so by saying that science majors don't make any money, which is certainly news to me.

On the other hand, all you seemed to do is spout a lot of really bizarre and irrelevant drivel. I'm confused...?