Corporate Science

[Kilgore Trout]

Why bother speaking at all?

Not interested in your opinion really...you probably dont even pay income tax.

Go and irritate someone else...

Actually, I pay far more income tax than most people - it's an unfortunate side-effect of being intelligent enough to make a decent amount of money. Another side-effect of that intelligence being the ability to recognize that leaving decisions about scientific research to the average taxpayer would be throwing money away.

 

[Panda]

Fascinating....

*Yawn*

People who prattle on about how intelligent they think they are seldom have enough brains to thinly cover a small cheese biscuit...

Now go away....you tedious person.

Huh? How ironic I seem to have noticed your name dropping earlier doing the exact same thing.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

People who prattle on about how intelligent they think they are seldom have enough brains to thinly cover a small cheese biscuit...

True - which is markedly different than those of us who display how intelligent we are. Don't worry - you yet may learn to differentiate the two with enough time and experience.

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

True - which is markedly different than those of us who display how intelligent we are. Don't worry - you yet may learn to differentiate the two with enough time and experience.

All I hear is blah blah blah...

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Huh? How ironic I seem to have noticed your name dropping earlier doing the exact same thing.

I wanted to reassure you I understood the basic premise of how certain universities are funded...in my country anyway.

Not name dropping at all....never....not me.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

All I hear is blah blah blah...

Then stop talking.

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Then stop talking.

Stop polluting my thread with your purile ramblings.

Thanks darling. xxx

 

[Nothing]

Actually, I pay far more income tax than most people - it's an unfortunate side-effect of being intelligent enough to make a decent amount of money. Another side-effect of that intelligence being the ability to recognize that leaving decisions about scientific research to the average taxpayer would be throwing money away.

So inteligence can be measured in the amount of taxes one pays? This means that I am very stupid, though I can say there is some bliss in my ignorance!
I do tend to agree with you that the average taxpayer knows little about making such decisions. In fact the average tax payer does not want to have to make such decisions in the first place. He may want to state his opinion when things run amok, but if it appears okay on the surface at least, he couldn't be bothered. Really, all the taxpayer wants is for someone else to fix the problem. He has no idea how to fix it himself because he doesn't stop to think about how it COULD be fixed. When resolution is placed in the hands of a few, insight is limited. More average tax payers need to start dusting off their imaginations!

 

[Revoltingest]

Hey...if taxpayers are to vote, let each vote be weighted by total taxes paid (income + property + sales +....).
No point letting those lazy poor people have much say.

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Hey...if taxpayers are to vote, let each vote be weighted by total taxes paid (income + property + sales +....).
No point letting those lazy poor people have much say.

Tax payers voting?

Are you sure they are capable?

Surely not...

 

[Nothing]

Hey...if taxpayers are to vote, let each vote be weighted by total taxes paid (income + property + sales +....).
No point letting those lazy poor people have much say.

A very good idea! Keep in mind that the buerocracy required to weigh each and everyones vote would be enormous. I'm going to get to work on my application for employment right away!

 

[Revoltingest]

A very good idea! Keep in mind that the buerocracy required to weigh each and everyones vote would be enormous. I'm going to get to work on my application for employment right away!

Think stimulus!

Tax payers voting?
Are you sure they are capable?
Surely not...

You're right....what was I thinking?

 

[Nothing]

Think stimulus!


You're right....what was I thinking?

Yet another good idea! I really do enjoy being stimulated!

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Stop polluting my thread with your purile ramblings.

Thanks darling. xxx

You first.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I am an advocate of direct democracy for me the current system is tantamount to a corporate dictatorship.

IMO, the way things are, a direct democracy wouldn't work.

I don't think any one person would be capable of having an informed position on every issue that the government deals with. I mean, it's literally a full-time job for me just to keep on top of transportation issues.

I think that the only practical way to do things is indirectly: elect representatives based on their ability to manage or on their overall policies and strategic goals, and then leave the details for them to figure out. Check up on them, certainly, but that doesn't mean you have to directly voice your opinion on every research grant application that the government receives.

So you think it better that the rich and wealthy (or their lackeys/allies in government) decide where my tax money allocated for research is spent?

False dichotomy.

Personally, I think it's better to decide the overall strategy that will govern where my tax money allocated for research is spent. As long as the civil servants are abiding by the rules and working toward the overall goals that I (and the rest of the voters) put in place, I don't really care too much about the nitty-gritty of which researcher gets which grant.

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

I don't really care too much about the nitty-gritty of which researcher gets which grant.

Well in general terms I do....I would like to see more tax payer money devoted to energy (generation) technologies (like laser fusion) for example and less to more immediately profitable but ultimately unimportant concerns...I am not interested in the likes of big pharma making profit from sedatives thanks to my tax money.

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

IMO, the way things are, a direct democracy wouldn't work.

That is certainly the case.

But I am thinking ahead..people need to start learning to take a bit of responsibility instead of impotently moaning about how **** awful the gov is at its job...and then vote in another load of greedy incompetent elitist fools.

But as usual they distract the masses with bread and games...still...things change...they always do.

 

[Panda]

Well in general terms I do....I would like to see more tax payer money devoted to energy (generation) technologies (like laser fusion) for example and less to more immediately profitable but ultimately unimportant concerns...I am not interested in the likes of big pharma making profit from sedatives thanks to my tax money.

Um an awful lot of money is put into energy generation research. The Government (and companies trying to make money) are literally throwing money at renewable in this country. Nuclear not so much due to the public opinion being generally against it.

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Um an awful lot of money is put into energy generation research. The Government (and companies trying to make money) are literally throwing money at renewable in this country. Nuclear not so much due to the public opinion being generally against it.

Fusion and other advanced technologies?

Thats what I was refering to.

Energy has other applications other than just domestic energy consumption...fusion energy could lead to fusion powered laser weaponry, Space craft fusion drives, fusion reactor submarines...etc...

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Fusion energy would also make fission nuclear power redundant and the associated evils of vitrified liquid radioactive waste..a thing of the past.