Comments on: Call #8: Actually I Don’t Know Why We Need $2 Million to Promote Astronomy in Hawaii Either. But Neither Does Maureen Dowd, http://brendancalling.com/2009/03/04/call-8-actually-i-dont-know-why-need-2-million-to-promote-astronomy-hawaii-either-neither-does-maureen-dowd/ "living in an alternative universe of permanent outrage and relentless negativity fostered and fueled by the blogosphere." Wed, 13 Jul 2011 01:18:48 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Doug Flutie http://brendancalling.com/2009/03/04/call-8-actually-i-dont-know-why-need-2-million-to-promote-astronomy-hawaii-either-neither-does-maureen-dowd/comment-page-1/#comment-12631 Doug Flutie Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:53:51 +0000 http://brendancalling.com/?p=4779#comment-12631 I'm not a rocket scientist, and I've never been to Hawaii, but I imagine that the very clear skys over the middle of the Pacific ocean are probably the best place in the United States to put an observatory. And we use astronomical info for National Defense purposes, don't we? I’m not a rocket scientist, and I’ve never been to Hawaii, but I imagine that the very clear skys over the middle of the Pacific ocean are probably the best place in the United States to put an observatory. And we use astronomical info for National Defense purposes, don’t we?

]]> By: awarnock http://brendancalling.com/2009/03/04/call-8-actually-i-dont-know-why-need-2-million-to-promote-astronomy-hawaii-either-neither-does-maureen-dowd/comment-page-1/#comment-12630 awarnock Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:39:58 +0000 http://brendancalling.com/?p=4779#comment-12630 I don't know the specifics of what this particular request is for, but Hawaii is one of the major research centers for astronomy in the world, with superb seeing conditions and a number of large telescopes used by professional astronomers. Those instruments not only serve as research tools for scientists but also require significant support staff (hint: jobs) to handle a variety of tasks on the mountain from facility upkeep and operations (roads & buildings) to instrument building and observer support. Seems to me that including support for existing institutions that provide jobs is a good idea, and providing funds to expand and/or enhance those facilities would provide even more jobs while supporting continued state-of-the-art scientific research at facilities in which we already have a significant investment. Then again, I used to be an astronomer, so maybe I'm missing the humor in the pompous blatherings of McCain and Dowd. As the saying goes, "It's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you a fool, than to open it and provide confirmation." I don’t know the specifics of what this particular request is for, but Hawaii is one of the major research centers for astronomy in the world, with superb seeing conditions and a number of large telescopes used by professional astronomers. Those instruments not only serve as research tools for scientists but also require significant support staff (hint: jobs) to handle a variety of tasks on the mountain from facility upkeep and operations (roads & buildings) to instrument building and observer support.

Seems to me that including support for existing institutions that provide jobs is a good idea, and providing funds to expand and/or enhance those facilities would provide even more jobs while supporting continued state-of-the-art scientific research at facilities in which we already have a significant investment.

Then again, I used to be an astronomer, so maybe I’m missing the humor in the pompous blatherings of McCain and Dowd. As the saying goes, “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you a fool, than to open it and provide confirmation.”

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