On Jul 20, 4:53*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:02:48 -0400, Gene Kearns



wrote:
On Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:28:40 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

1965 Budget for NASA was 33.5B
1966 Budget for NASA was 32.1B
1967 Budget for NASA was 29.7B
1968 Budget for NASA was 26.1B
1969 Budget for NASA was 21.4B

In 2000, the budget dipped below 15B and hasn't been any more than
half of the 1965 budget amount since. When it was important to us, we
spent 5.5% of the national budget on NASA, we now spend about .55% or
less... 1/10th of the commitment.

We've made a decision where our money *won't* be spent... is it any
wonder that it shows?

The space race is over. *It was more a product of the cold war than
anything else.
Personally I'm a sci-fi fan and believe we should strive to do those
things Captain Kirk so eloquently spoke of.
When he tore his eyes from those pantyhose wearing space gals,
or took a break from wondering what the Klingons were up to,
he often got all starry-eyed about distant stars and man's need to
explore and settle new worlds.
Besides, where will we escape to when the earth turns socialist?
Having said that, you won't see me within 10 miles of a rocket ship.

--Vic

If I had a terminal illness, you could give me a one way trip to the
moon where I could explore a lunar lava tube and a bit of CO in my
Oxygen tank at the end and I'd die a happy man.