Ok, back off topic again!
Well, thanks...
The strange thing is... The projects you listed as related to big money making are things that people can (sort of) get their heads around- everyone wants a faster internet, even those who have no idea what makes it work. People can also understand fusion power, since, even if they have no idea how it works, everyone is telling them that it's safer & cleaner than traditional nuclear. Also, it'll supply them electricity, which everyone is affected by.
BUT... The "basic science" projects are ones that most people would have trouble getting to grips with. Dark Matter, Dark Energy... We don't even know what these things are yet! They're things that affect the structure & fate of the universe- but why should ordinary Joe in the street care about those- it's not like they affect his daily life, power supply or internet connection...
Does that tell us the govt are only interested in what the public will respond to, or is it because it'll make money for them, some combination of those, or...?
Same sort of thing goes for the current debate about whether Bush's moon plans are worth it or not- some people reckon that human spaceflight should be stopped- how has it ever benefitted people back on earth. Well, we went to the moon for one, we have better computers, medical technology has improved etc... And the reasons for going back to the moon- aside from all the technological benefits, we'd have a moon base, which is the next logical step after an earth orbit base (The ISS) and it'd help us prepare for missions to mars, whenever that might happen. I won't get into this more (on this post) since it is going waaay OT... (But all this brainstorming will help me with my essay on space exploration which I have to do tomorrow!)
