TeamMopra - Save the Mopra Telescope & Map the Milky Way

[EEVblog]

This is the sorry state of science in Australia. A radio telescope has to crowd fund in order to stay open. 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/astrocate/teammopra-save-a-telescope-and-map-the-milky-way

[Lightages]

Yup, that is crazy that a significant scientific project like that can't get the money to run when the money is a drop in the bucket for a government. $65,000 might run one of the air conditioned tents in Iraq for a day.......

[TSL]

Our stupid, stupid government is cutting funding or has cut funding to a lot of Astronomy and scientific endeavor! 

They can't think past digging shit out the ground and selling it! 

God forbid that we'd use our brains and technology to support our economy 

[coppice]

I think the saddest part of these stories is the poor value for money the public gets. I see so many tales of large amounts being spent to build something, and its value not being realised because of budget cuts for modest ongoing running costs. Its almost as if powerful people get a lot more out of building big projects than the good management of public finances.

[BravoV]

Yup, that is crazy that a significant scientific project like that can't get the money tun when the money is a drop in the bucket for a government. $65,000 might run one of the air conditioned tents in Iraq for a day.......

As Oz is in the "gang" on the military air strike at middle east as we speak now since last month, wonder how much would that cost ?

[mswhin63]

Not a religious post but to say that I feel that Tony Abbott and his staunch catholic religious attitude is the reason why funding was cut. There seems to be a lot of cuts in areas that are not tolerates but Catholicism. (End of rant on religion, just an opion)

Now that he is out hopefully there will be some change but I can't see any urgency getting cuts fund restored again.

[kedr_vostok]

I've supported it. I see that they have reached their goal too.

[TSL]

I've supported it. I see that they have reached their goal too.

I've add some $  in there too. I'm glad to see they've reached their goal. I've been emailing and posting everyone I know to get the word out.

We've had pollies in the past bleat on about a "Smart Australia" or complain about the "brain drain" but do nothing about it.

It was incredibly depressing to hear Tony Abbott say "Coal is our Future" !!!!!!

We cannot remain a resource based economy forever, we must leverage the talent in this country for Australia to stay relevant and not end up being seen on the world stage as just another mine.

gggrrrr.

[edy]

Yes it is unfortunate that it has come down to crowd-funding. I guess there is no grant money being offered any more for scientific research on some of the most fundamental questions related to the universe.

What I was surprised at was their statement:

...Once you take out 10% for the kickstarter and credit card fees, and another 10% for fulfilling the rewards...

I never realized it was that much. Ouch! I guess that is the cost of using a platform that reaches so many people, it is much easier to market.

[tom66]

Tried to contribute, but my card is declined? Anyone had this problem before?

[bitwelder]

Tried to contribute, but my card is declined? Anyone had this problem before?

Not in this case, but in the past I had the same problem. I tried and tried again and it didn't work.
A day later, I tried again and it accepted it right away. 

[Lightages]

There is only one reason to stop the advance of science and research, to stop people from learning that their woowoo beliefs are not true. This means the people in power lose control of the people who believe in their woowoo,

[Mechatrommer]

$65,000 might run one of the air conditioned tents in Iraq for a day.......

why? because iraqists are terrorists? now who's biting who now?

...that their woowoo beliefs are not true....

the whole universes and anything inside it, planets, humans, dogs, gases, matters even including "mechanisms" that we understand such as gravitation, magnetism, death... even the time itself, are all are creations, and being created... get that mindset right and they may redefine their woowoo.. hypothesis is just an assumption based on one particular set or subset, get that subset wrong and one day they will come up with another hypothesis...