Vic,
I couldn't agree more. A lot of the tinkerers referred to have found a haven here at CPF. Nevertheless, I worry about the next generation. I am a part of the generation whose imagination was captured by the potential of electronics and computers. Many companies and governments were funding pure research. Unfortunately, there has been a strong political and economic movement away from R&D which is reflected in the teaching in our schools. The same folks that questioned the value of spending $24 Billion to explore space and go to the moon are now the ones that seem to be calling the shots in our educational systems. They seem to be oblivious to the fact that all sorts of economic and technological miracles resulted from that endeavor. For my part, I'm attempting to instill some of the sense of wonder of science and technology into my 10 year old daughter. And I would volunteer to teach other kids, if I thought there was an interest.
Thanks for posting this. Definitely food for thought and a motivation for action.
Mark
