[protomyth]

I would bet "knowing more about how foundational reality is constructed" is probably worth less to a lot of people than say research into the top 10 cause of death by disease.

I'm glad they chose to fund this, but my original point is that no government funding these days should survive unless it can be justified. We cannot keep running deficits.

Your "cursory web search" might want to include actual statistics on accidents particularly compared to the CH-46 it is replacing.

[jpxxx]

My example was pure hyperbole. :) But I think my point stands: any government program can be justified by some party, deficit or not. Even deficit spending itself is a virtue for some.

There is no test to separate pork from fiber where there is no fundamental accountability. Spending programs exist because spending programs exist.

[protomyth]

I figured :), but I love reading about aircraft and hate Wired's reporting on anything involving risk or the military.

At this point, if it doesn't keep the lights on, the trains running, or protect / save lives; it needs to be looked at for cutting.

[bcbrown]

Are you suggesting that research into the top 10 causes of death isn't a lot more than the $9 billion spent on the equipment needed to discover the Higgs?

The NIH gets $30B/yr[1]. I don't know where the $9B figure for the LHC came from, but I bet it's total cost, over what, 10-15 years?

[1]http://nih.gov/about/almanac/appropriations/part2.htm

[protomyth]

Nope, not saying that at all, I was saying that an additional $9 billion on the top 10 might have been prioritized higher. Once again, I am glad they funded the LHC, but my thesis is that government spending needs to be cut to the bone until the deficit and unpaid liabilities are dealt with. Much like we cut spending after WWII.