Dean's Speech at Nationals

[Adam Y.]

It is very hard to loose a job, but what about a home? a life? or a family? others have it much harder than your lack of not having the latest widescreen or 3.9 Ghrz machine. Just take a moment to look at the bigger picture and think about others...and enjoy life (oh and btw its just a speech)

I agree. Does anyone find it interesting that the three countries that are competiting with the United States technology wise also have problems with suicide? I was reading articles about how Japanese workers that loose their jobs just kill themselves.

Interesting piece in Newsweek this week about outsourcing, including a brief interview with the CEO of Autodesk

I saw an interview too with the CEO of Autodesk. She said the company could produce products not viable to create because of outsourcing.
Btw... Does anyone think that the reason most people are not interested in sciences is because they don't leave very good lives? Galileo died while in permament house arrest. The Wright Brothers did not make much money off the airplane. Tesla died forgotten and not even receive the credit for the radio or for developing our power system. Curie died of radiation posioning which is not fun. Einstein died forgoten and not even achieving his greatest goal. Archimedes was killed by a Roman soilder while doing a math problem.

[Jason Kixmiller]

Let me be the first to admit that I may not be the most educated on this subject. However, as someone aspiring to enter the field of engineering, I interpreted Mr. Kamen's message in a different way. Yes, some of the things he said did seem insensitive to foreign countries, and yes, he may not be the most eloquent of speakers, but both of these topics have already been covered. I understand the importance of keeping historical perspectives in mind as history often tends to repeat itself. However, history must also be realized and accepted for what it is: history. I feel that the outsourcing debate is just the tip of the iceberg. Outsourcing can be a potential problem, but a more threatening problem is complacency. America must not become complacent with the status that its forefathers worked for. It is only through the work of organizations such as FIRST and incredible mentors that America can hope to stir the leaders of tomorrow from complacency. If America wishes to stay competitive, its sons and daughters must continuously strive to better themselves and their country through math, science, medicine, technology, etc.

[swando]

I feel that Dean has the inalienable right and privelage to make any point he cares to make for the organization he founded. If you didn't like the speech, i guess that isnt a terrible thing, but i took it as a rare oppurtunity to experience a lecture from one of the geniuses of our time, and a very great man.

[fred]

Just a quick comment. America hasn't really taken over technology until perhaps the Soviet Union disbanded (remember, they were in space first), but now that we are on the top, we should try to stay on the top as long as possible. I think that is the main point that Dean was trying to make. But he went off on a lot of controversial tangents that I didn't agree with and didn't get the point across very well.

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by fred

Just a quick comment. America hasn't really taken over technology until perhaps the Soviet Union disbanded (remember, they were in space first), but now that we are on the top, we should try to stay on the top as long as possible. I think that is the main point that Dean was trying to make. But he went off on a lot of controversial tangents that I didn't agree with and didn't get the point across very well.

if you want to get picky about history, Nazi Germany was the first to put a man made object into space -the V2 rocket that rained death on London was both supersonic and high enough at apogee to be considered a space craft.