Comments on: Lost: A Generation of Scientists http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:10:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Matt http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/#comment-1053680 Matt Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:06:28 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/#comment-1053680 Richard Feynman worked at Los Alamos on the bomb and was exempt from the draft. But right after the war (1946 I think), he got drafted; he tells the story (I think in "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman") of getting as far as the medical exam and being turned down for psychiatric reasons. President Eisenhower talked about this same idea in his speech "The Chance for Peace" in 1953. "This world in arms in not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. [...] This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron." Richard Feynman worked at Los Alamos on the bomb and was exempt from the draft. But right after the war (1946 I think), he got drafted; he tells the story (I think in “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman”) of getting as far as the medical exam and being turned down for psychiatric reasons.

President Eisenhower talked about this same idea in his speech “The Chance for Peace” in 1953. “This world in arms in not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. [...] This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.”

]]> By: NikFromNYC http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/#comment-1017467 NikFromNYC Sun, 13 Jan 2008 02:40:38 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/#comment-1017467 Hey, what about social scientists and botanists?! They are cool too. Or International Relations majors? You know, they did kind of draft all manner of scientists for WWII and set them to work at home, designing things like, oh atomic bombs, titanium processing, computers and rockets. I think a Nobel prize helped you avoid becoming an infantryman. And remember, Elvis enlisted too! Hey, what about social scientists and botanists?! They are cool too. Or International Relations majors? You know, they did kind of draft all manner of scientists for WWII and set them to work at home, designing things like, oh atomic bombs, titanium processing, computers and rockets. I think a Nobel prize helped you avoid becoming an infantryman. And remember, Elvis enlisted too!

]]> By: Hypercubed Blog » Blog Archive » Links of the Week (Week #42, 43, 44) http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/#comment-18093 Hypercubed Blog » Blog Archive » Links of the Week (Week #42, 43, 44) Mon, 06 Nov 2006 05:56:36 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/#comment-18093 [...] Modern Mechanix - Lost: A Generation of Scientists - Interesting story of the WWII era standstill in fundamental scientific research in America [via http://digg.com/] [...] [...] Modern Mechanix - Lost: A Generation of Scientists - Interesting story of the WWII era standstill in fundamental scientific research in America [via http://digg.com/ [...]

]]> By: Lost: A Generation of Scientists « SnapShooter http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/#comment-16593 Lost: A Generation of Scientists « SnapShooter Sat, 28 Oct 2006 03:50:45 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/#comment-16593 [...] Fundamental scientific research is at a standstill in America. That is the harsh fact of a matter that has been hushed and avoided too long. The cause is a literal interpretation of democracy that has yanked 150,000 men out of scientific studies to make a scant two percent of the total armed forces.http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/ [...] [...] Fundamental scientific research is at a standstill in America. That is the harsh fact of a matter that has been hushed and avoided too long. The cause is a literal interpretation of democracy that has yanked 150,000 men out of scientific studies to make a scant two percent of the total armed forces.http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/10/26/lost-a-generation-of-scientists/ [...]

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