Monday, October 15, 2007

DoD - Good/Bad?

So Dave and I have had a 4 month+ on going conversation about working for companies that get revenue from the government, specifically the Department of Defense. Pretty much anyone in high tech falls into this category in one way or another. DoD needs high tech stuff so they buy computers and microelectronics, optics and switches, etc. This is an article about how the DoD wrote a letter saying that we (the US) should pursue building of a geosynchronous solar concentrator for clean efficient energy production. Its actually a really cool idea that the Japanese have already decided to attempt. The problem I have is the end sentence about how they need to have a reliable and cheap source of energy on the battlefield. If that's why we are building this thing (future speaking) then FUCK that, the people of the United States needs cheap energy subsidized by the government, and a smaller war chest. WTF.

1 comment:

geekedout said...

for me, it's a question of how the funds will be used. i don't like a lot about our current political situations, especially our foreign policy and application of power. but, the DoD, DoE, AFRL, NRL, etc have a ton of money. and acronyms. if the air force is willing to spend some dough on me to look at some stars, what's wrong with taking it? it could go to bomb research, but i'll be doing some star watching. is it that my complicity contributes to "da system". most of the people i've met there can have a coherent discussion of current politics, and they're not bad people. i disagree with certain issues, but is it that i should's associate with anyone even remotely part of the military-industrial-congressional complex (to quote eisenhower)? they don't sway my vote, and i feel no pressure, so at this point i say thanks for the $$. i'm glad it didn't make the bombs any bigger.....