sciprise

i must admit to pleasant surprise at a couple points in the state of the union speech: those on oil and science.

the oil addiction reference amazed me. da prez is an oilman. an oilman's solution to everything is "drill more!" yet he didn't mention anwr at all. the call for alternate technologies was predictable, but he went further than i expected. more nuclear energy is still a bad idea, tho, if only because of radioactive waste, even if no accident risk existed. and i haven't the slightest idea how to get ethanol from wood chips without prohibitive cost. [oops! spoke too soon on that.]

more advanced placement science teachers would be great. we really are falling behind india and china in producing scientists and engineers. the number proposed sounds unlikely tho: 70k would more than triple the current total. we don't just need advanced placement either. in spite of the proliferation of hi-tech gadgets, americans these days are woefully ignorant about science. sound science often gets labeled "junk," while real junk—like "intelligent design"—gets widespread public support.

even with the deficiencies, it sounds like da prez may've had an epiphany, and not the illusory kind that's held him in thrall till now.

did katrina put the fear of god into him?