Why is so much money allocated to space research?

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Q. This is a fair quesion, I am totally ignorent on why and I don't know the benefits of this spending. Also wouldn't it be better to spend money on medicine and things like that which have much higher chance of making money back?

Answer
Out of a $2.4 trillion budget, less than 0.8% is spent on the entire space program.

The cutting edge technologies developed for space travel are a major source of invention for products and technologies here on earth. I'll give you a short list... and some links.

SEMICONDUCTOR CUBING
AIR QUALITY MONITOR
Advanced keyboards, Customer Service Software, Database Management System, Laser Surveying, Aircraft controls, Lightweight Compact Disc, Expert System Software, Microcomputers, and Design Graphics
ENRICHED BABY FOOD
WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEM
SCRATCH-RESISTANT LENSES
GOLF BALL AERODYNAMICS
ATHLETIC SHOES
Dustbuster, shock-absorbing helmets, home security systems, smoke detectors, flat panel televisions, high-density batteries, trash compactors, food packaging and freeze-dried technology, cool sportswear, sports bras, hair styling appliances, fogless ski goggles, self-adjusting sunglasses, composite golf clubs, hang gliders, art preservation, and quartz crystal timing equipment.
SOLAR ENERGY
WEATHER FORECASTING AID
TELEMETRY SYSTEMS
FIRE RESISTANT MATERIAL
Whale identification method, environmental analysis, noise abatement, pollution measuring devices, pollution control devices, smokestack monitor, radioactive leak detector, earthquake prediction system, sewage treatment, energy saving air conditioning, and air purification
DIGITAL IMAGING BREAST BIOPSY SYSTEM
BREAST CANCER DETECTION
LASER ANGIOPLASTY
PROGRAMMABLE PACEMAKER
OCULAR SCREENING
Arteriosclerosis detection, ultrasound scanners, automatic insulin pump, portable x-ray device, invisible braces, dental arch wire, palate surgery technology, clean room apparel, implantable heart aid, MRI, bone analyzer, and cataract surgery tools.
MICROLASERS
ENGINE LUBRICANT
ADVANCED WELDING TORCH
Gasoline vapor recovery, self-locking fasteners, machine tool software, laser wire stripper, lubricant coating process, wireless communications, engine coatings, and engine design.
EMERGENCY RESCUE CUTTERS
FIREMAN'S AIR TANKS
SELF-RIGHTING LIFE RAFT
Storm warning services (Doppler radar), firefighters' radios, lead poison detection, fire detector, flame detector, corrosion protection coating, protective clothing, and robotic hands
Safer bridges, emission testing, airline wheelchairs, electric car, auto design, methane-powered vehicles, windshear prediction, and aircraft design analysis.

I could go on.. but hey... I ran out of money to inform you of other benefits.... :-)

http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/en/kids/spinoffs2.shtml

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000269.shtml

www.thespaceplace.com

How familiar are you with using solar electricity to power a residential house?

skattered0

I was wondering how much the average person knows about using the suns energy to power the average residential home...

Do you know of any countries that already use the sun to power homes?

please tell me where you are from as well please...

thankyou!

Answer
Hey 0077, to answer your primary question, I am quite familiar with solar power. We've been powering our home from the wind and sun for 11 years now, and for the last 5 or 6 years, we've been going into the local schools and doing seminars on the subject. In some cases, the schools have loaded a bus with kids and brought them out to our home to see it first hand. As for your second question, the average homeowner knows about as much about solar power as they do about the furnace in their basement. Unfortunately, this is where the technology has fallen down. Lots of people want to build a new home, and talk to the builder about solar power. Frequently they are told, "Solar doesn't work," or, "Solar is prohibitively expensive." Generally this is all they need to hear, and the panels are taken off the house plan.

Solar is not for everyone, or everyplace. Just because a home has solar panels does not mean they don't have an electric bill, and that says nothing to the fact that a stand alone solar home that does not have access to utility power has to live with a finite amount of electricity. What do they do on a cloudy week? Most stand alone homes, like ours was, use both wind and solar. The reason for this is that the two compliment each other quite well. In the summer, we have long sunny days, but little wind. In the fall and winter, we have short cloudy days, and high winds. When you have a shortage of one, there is generally a surplus of the other. Trying to decide between the two technologies is like trying to decide between a 3 passenger pickup truck and an 8 passenger van as your sole family car. Each has its advantages, but it probably makes sense for a two car family to have one of each.

There is also the fact that lots of people like to grow their own tomatoes, even if it is cheaper to buy them at the market. They have to learn all about watering, bugs, soil ph and weeding. People who live in a solar powered home have a similar curse, they can tell you just how much sun shined last November, and how much power the stereo uses down to the last watthour. Any self respecting homeowner wouldn't bother with the solar power, or the tomatoes, they would simply buy vegetables at the store, and electricity from the power company, and then sit home and complain about the price and quality of each. That used to be me, now I'm the other guy.

So no, the average homeowner does not know much about solar power, or furnaces. Most homes have furnaces, not many have solar panels. I wish they had both. In the 11 years we have had both, I can tell you that once solar power is installed, it is generally care free. We are on our third wind turbine here, and even though the last one is working better than the first two, it has had its moments. It has shut down 3 times, and had to be repaired twice. In all that time, my first solar panel has continued to make electricity, and I've never turned a screw on it or added a drop of oil. Yet, everyone I talk to about renewable energy wants to learn more about wind turbines it seems. They are neat, they move, they seem to have their own personality. They just require tall towers and routine maintenance. So does a car, and almost everyone has one of those too.

Many countries use solar power, almost all of them in fact, you just never hear about it, or see the panels in service. In the US alone there are over 100,000 homes and businesses using some level of solar power right now to operate at least some of their loads. That number is getting bigger as you read this by the way. I'll list some sources you can check out below if you want to learn more. Take care 0077, Rudydoo

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Ideas, please on how to save money/make more?

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Blah!

Can you help me figure out things financially, please? My husband and I feel like we're stuck and falling behind, and we just want to get ahead.

Currently, I work from home and net $545 weekly (my husband nets $520 after taxes/insurance.) We don't have to pay for child care because I work from home. My son is in school all year, but in the summer we will have to pay about $135 a week for full time care.

We just bought a house, and I need to switch jobs. I'm so stressed out I can barely even deal with my family after work anymore, because I'm working 55 hours a week in a job that is burning me out ridiculously (watching 4 kids under 4 all day with no adult interaction and no vacation/sick time.)

In the job market, it appears I'll only be able to make $11-$12 an hour to start, and that's a bit of a pay cut, PLUS adding the expense of childcare.

I'm trying to figure out what to do because I just need to change jobs.. I can't do this much longer, but we can't afford it.

Basically, we will be about $970 short every month if I make $11/hr and we have to pay day care.

Does anyone have ideas either for extra money, or for cutting bills?

Our MONTHLY bill payments are:
$1340 -- mortgage
$420 in miscellaneous credit card/hospital bills (from when I was uninsured) payments
$800 monthly on groceries and gas for the cars
$540 day care
$120 cell phones
$160 on car insurance
$100 electric bill
$160 cable/internet/phone
$340 car payment #1 (I will be trading in to get something cheaper once I find another job; this was a payment on a mini van which i will no longer need if I stop taking kids)

$390 car payment #2 (we can't switch this -- we are in too much debt with this car to trade it.)
$230 gas bill (which should drop drastically in the summer.)

Any ideas on how to save money or make extra money? I've applied to every single nights/weekends part time job I can find, and I think people are reluctant to hire me because I'm not a teenager.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Answer
Unfortunately, in the tough times we're all in, jobs with good salaries are hard to come by. $11 is a nice way to start off if you're a beginner, but I understand that it is not enough every week. You could consider selling items in your spare time such as beauty kits, makeup, etc. from your own home, along with working another job.
As to cutting down bills, I may be able to give you some advice.

First of all, I've heard that the monthly mortgage should be around 30% of your monthly net income ideally. Your mortgage is pretty close to that (if my calculations make sense) so that's a good start.

Credit cards: very hard to pay off if you're not making enough or just barely have enough to survive on. Check all of the cards' interest rates and slowly pay off the interest rate that's highest. In the situation you're in, you might want to consider cutting down on using credit cards, or just living on cash alone. Living on cash is a sure-fire way to pay off your debts and keep you focused and living frugally. However, by living on cash, that does not mean to constantly borrow from family and friends and take from credit cards! Big no-no.

Hospital bills: try to pay them off quickly. they're the equivalent to credit cards if the bill has a high interest rate.

groceries and gas: since you grouped gas and groceries together, I can't help you much on this one. Try budgeting groceries to no more than $100 a week. Use coupons, don't over indulge (don't buy a $50 triple chocolate cake that's made from german chocolate that can barely feed one person), only buy items on sale (some items don't go on sale regularly like baby formula) if possible, go to stores like wal-mart, target, etc.. instead of jewel and whole foods (unless eating organically is really important to you). Try walking to places, riding bikes, taking public transportation, etc. to save on gas. Also, don't travel 20 miles to go shopping for clothes, food, etc.. if there's a perfectly reasonable store closer by and nearer to your home. Marshalls (discount clothing store that sells brand names) is a great and cheap place to shop instead of going to the mall.

Cell phones: My family has 3 cell phones in usage and our monthly total is only $90 a month or less. There are family plans and pay as you go phones available that don't cost much.

Cable/Internet/Phone: All I have to say is that not everybody needs 200+ channels available to them, plus showtime, HBO, and etc.

And that's pretty much all the advice I can give. I hope it all works out for you! :) Live the life that makes you happy and not overly stressed.

can i interview you for english assignment?

Born-to-ru

well for english i have to interview an australian adult and i havent got anyone interesting to interview so i thought id ask someone on yahoo answers..
you dont have to put ya last name or anything just like your first name and the first letter of you last you last name and i also need your age
so here are my questions oh and you dont have to answer any questions you dont want to

1)how are you today?
2)where were you born?
3)whats your favorite hobbie?
4)what type of music do you like?
5)do you know how to cook?
6)whats your favorite type of food?
7)whos your favorite australian?
8)do you work out
9)do you play any sports?
10)whos your favorite sports person
11)what was your first job?
12)have you been overseas and where to?
13)what do you do for a living?
14)if you could have any job what whould it be and why?
15)do you have kids or want kids?
16)whats your favorite movie?
17)who do you want to meet?
18)do you have any pets what are they and also what thier names?
19)where do you want to go for your next holiday?
20)where do you see yourself in 10 years times
21)do you have any siblings?
22)what do you want to do once you retire?
23)describe yourself in 3 word
24)who inspires you
25)whats your cultural background?
26)whats the best thing about living in australia
27)if you could go back in time where whould you go and why?
28)have you won any awards/medals and for what/
29)whats your favorite tv show
30)do you read and what your favorite book?
31)can you dance?
32)whats your favorite animal
33)what are sceared of?
34)do you have any word of wisdom?
35)if you could live anywhere in the world where whould it be and why?
36)what the most embarrasing thing that has ever happend to you?
37)whats one thing you wish you could do?
38)do you somke?
39)do you drink?
40)where the best place you have been too?
41)do you like fishing and camping?
42)do you believe in yourself?
43)whats one thing you could not live without?
44)have you ever faked sick to have a day off wor?
45)what do you do in your spare time?
46)what do you value about been australian?
47)what do you feel are some of the problems facing australia today/
48)who means most to you?
49)what type of car do you drive?
50)the worst song you cant stand listing to?

thanks for any answers .. sorry about it been so long

Answer
1)how are you today?
Excellent, thanks for asking.

2)where were you born?
Tasmania, Australia

3)whats your favorite hobbie?
Playing and composing music on the piano.

4)what type of music do you like?
Electric/dance, ie Clubber's Guide or the Ministry of Sound.

5)do you know how to cook?
Yes.

6)whats your favorite type of food?
Sushi.

7)whos your favorite australian?
Nick McKim.

8)do you work out
Yes.

9)do you play any sports?
No.

10)whos your favorite sports person
Nobody, I don't like/follow sports.

11)what was your first job?
Cashier at a grocery chain.

12)have you been overseas and where to?
America and New Zealand.

13)what do you do for a living?
I'm a student and receive studying benefits from the government.

14)if you could have any job what whould it be and why?
Author, because I love writing.

15)do you have kids or want kids?
No to both.

16)whats your favorite movie?
V For Vendetta.

17)who do you want to meet?
Dylan Moran.

18)do you have any pets what are they and also what thier names?
No, no pets.

19)where do you want to go for your next holiday?
China, anywhere along the coastline.

20)where do you see yourself in 10 years times
Working, travelling.

21)do you have any siblings?
Three. Two sisters and a brother.

22)what do you want to do once you retire?
Lounge around on a tropical island with my remaining superannuation.

23)describe yourself in 3 word
A lazy optimist.

24)who inspires you
My mother.

25)whats your cultural background?
European, primarily Scottish/German.

26)whats the best thing about living in australia
Everyone's so laid-back and chilled.

27)if you could go back in time where whould you go and why?
28 June 1914, to witness the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, because that would be an incredible moment of history to be part of.

28)have you won any awards/medals and for what/
Some awards for playing the piano when I was younger. More recently I graduated from college with Dux of Child Studies, Dux of Sociology and Psychology, Dux of English Writing, Dux of Ancient Civilisations. All of the latter were for receiving the highest marks in the class of that year.

29)whats your favorite tv show
Black Books

30)do you read and what your favorite book?
Yes I read, my favourite book is The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody.

31)can you dance?
No.

32)whats your favorite animal
Domesticated ferrets.

33)what are sceared of?
Growing old alone.

34)do you have any word of wisdom?
The past is just practice.

35)if you could live anywhere in the world where whould it be and why?
I'd love to live anywhere in Asia, particularly China. It's so big and culturally diverse that I'd never be bored.

36)what the most embarrasing thing that has ever happend to you?
Moving away to a big city to 'make a new start' and returning a month later with no money, no job and no prospects.

37)whats one thing you wish you could do?
Organise myself better.

38)do you somke?
No.

39)do you drink?
Haha, yes.

40)where the best place you have been too?
Mt Cook in New Zealand, it was spectacular.

41)do you like fishing and camping?
No to fishing, yes to camping.

42)do you believe in yourself?
Yes.

43)whats one thing you could not live without?
Cadbury chocolate.

44)have you ever faked sick to have a day off work?
Yes.

45)what do you do in your spare time?
Play piano and violin, go out clubbing with mates, have a few drinks.

46)what do you value about been australian?
I believe we have an extremely good welfare system. The government financially supports its elderly, its students, its children and its handicapped.

47)what do you feel are some of the problems facing australia today
Fear that Australia is losing its culture. Some people think that we need to really tighten up our immigration laws because we're flooded with foreigners and losing our culture to them. Others think that we had no culture to begin with, only what the British imposed on us. So it's a real problem, dealing with immigration laws and trying to please everyone.

48)who means most to you?
Family.

49)what type of car do you drive?
I don't drive; I never bothered getting my licence and use public transport to get around.

50)the worst song you cant stand listing to?
My Humps.

Rose R
21

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