someone please correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't an overhead projector a fairly simple piece of equipment to project images onto a backdrop of some sort? even if it's a rather large projector, i fail to see how it would be the kind of outrageous expenditure mccain tried to turn it into.
actually a planetarium projector is a very sophisticated instrument capable of projecting images of celestial bodies in precise locations on the domed ceiling. This has great educational value; no telling how many generations of kids and adults stand to gain a better understanding of our universe this way. So it costs big bucks, but it's a social good.
mccain's description is a misnomer, to begin with, and betrays his ignorance. if he is indeed describing a planetarium celestial projector, what would you estimate as a ball park cost? two million? Three? whatever it would take, one can hardly consider such an admirable venture as a pork barrel expense, and mccain's position is ridiculous.
thanks. i was talking recently to the head of the library here in this small town and he was bemoaning the inadequacy of the building, running out of space, etc, and i asked what he thought it would cost to build and equip a new facility. he knew already -- upwards of ten million.
thanks, moioci. hope you'll forgive my own ignorance -- i hadn't known until you gave me the link that the proposed expenditure was for the adler itself.
driftglass has an interesting post on the matter, too.
someone please correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't an overhead projector a fairly simple piece of equipment to project images onto a backdrop of some sort? even if it's a rather large projector, i fail to see how it would be the kind of outrageous expenditure mccain tried to turn it into.
ReplyDeleteactually a planetarium projector is a very sophisticated instrument capable of projecting images of celestial bodies in precise locations on the domed ceiling. This has great educational value; no telling how many generations of kids and adults stand to gain a better understanding of our universe this way. So it costs big bucks, but it's a social good.
ReplyDeletemoioci
mccain's description is a misnomer, to begin with, and betrays his ignorance. if he is indeed describing a planetarium celestial projector, what would you estimate as a ball park cost? two million? Three? whatever it would take, one can hardly consider such an admirable venture as a pork barrel expense, and mccain's position is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteIt was $3M. Here's a link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/obamas_adler_planetarium_proje.html
thanks. i was talking recently to the head of the library here in this small town and he was bemoaning the inadequacy of the building, running out of space, etc, and i asked what he thought it would cost to build and equip a new facility. he knew already -- upwards of ten million.
ReplyDeletemccain is a complete idiot.
thanks, moioci. hope you'll forgive my own ignorance -- i hadn't known until you gave me the link that the proposed expenditure was for the adler itself.
ReplyDeletedriftglass has an interesting post on the matter, too.