Large Hadron Collider reboots, makes first protonic bang!

It's nice to see all those smart folks celebrating. Now I wonder if they'll actually start on a project that's worthwhile.

Yeah, I guess you're right science is great, it's just too bad those people don't put those big fundamental universe lovin' brains behind something that's going on right now that they can affect. Like for example the global economy, the lack of food as the world's population grows by the hour, the education system, straightening out the US government (nevermind, Barry's got that under control), you get the idea. Well if the Big Banger takes precedent over any one of those things, then I may as well just give up on everything, because I thought that people came first, not science. By the way, all over the country right now there are kids sitting outside of a courtrooms and judges and social workers are trying to find a place for them to sleep tonight. You just keep slamming that head, it'll justify eveything you said.

Sorry, tried to post this off-topic but you can't change that in edit.

Everyone knows why the economy tanked - unrestrained greed and stupidity. The world has the capacity to feed every person on the planet - but chooses not to. We know what's required to reform our political process, but we lack the discipline to do it. And there are plenty of examples of top notch educations systems, if we really cared.

So excuse me, Mr. People Person, if I think spending money to ask some questions we don't have the answers too is a good idea.

All the problems you sited are real, and are important.

But what can a PhD in nuclear physics do about them?

Research and development projects is how we got from naked savages to where we are now with our civilized amenities. Unfortunately, we still have some fully clothed savages amongst us. And it started with banging rocks together. Now we're banging atomic nuclei together.

Anyone up for a game of Proton-Paper-Scissors?

It's nice to see all those smart folks celebrating. Now I wonder if they'll actually start on a project that's worthwhile.

I sure the same was said about the Wright Brothers first flight, (though they funded their own research, not like Langley)

The discoveries made are more advance that a novice could possible understand.

It's a bit hard to respond. If you don't already understand why it's important, it probably can't be explained.

What would you suggest is a "worthwhile" project.

Pretty exciting! I'm looking forward to my floating car when they can find this elusive Higgs Boson and start to figure out how to manipulate it (without causing atoms to fall apart or fly apart, etc. etc.).

What an exciting time in physics. All these observations in space we can't explain (dark energy, dark matter), all these particle theories we might finally actually test (I see you string theory).

I'm with you, Roger. I say everyone hide their baguettes _{(mine are in the bathtub)} and let's forge ahead.

I see this as a much more rationale use of funds, than, say, oh, I dunno, wasteful militaristic maneuvers initiated by previous [insert long string of adjectives here but I would rather not get into politics] administration. Perhaps barring these and other fabulous financial policies now foundering from former head of state, these children that one is so concerned about would have homes, REAL educations, and a bathtub in every garage.

Pretty exciting! I'm looking forward to my floating car when they can find this elusive Higgs Boson and start to figure out how to manipulate it (without causing atoms to fall apart or fly apart, etc. etc.).

I would think it would be cool if next week Fermilabs discoverd it first.

Yes! The floating cars are definitely overdue! I've been working on that for years but alas I don't have a Large Hadron Collider.

The Higgs Bentley: It not only floats, but is completely inertia-less (imagine: femtosecond U-turns at full throttle!) and, now that we've dispensed with mass, able to travel the speed of light simply by pointing a flashlight out the rear window*.

Order now while supplies last.

^{_{* Nighttime only. Full sunlight tends to blow the vehicle off the planet.}}

So far they haven't exceeded the power of Fermilab. So the big whoosh is still to come.

Oops shouldn't have used use think of using the phrase "still to come.." in an enterprise whose success or failure could be influenced from the future (http://arxiv.org/abs/0707.1919). Fortunately this can be tested with the draw of a card...

If you want to escape from the Stone Age, you start by banging rocks together - and so on...............

Children children, stop squabbling.
Let's simplify it...
Would you rather give a Trillion dollars to a bunch of bankers who physically create nothing. Or some researchers who build a big thingy which employs construction workers, scientists etc and may eventually lead to great things?

Hmmm, my vote is with the researchers.
Alternatively the money may go for fighting wars on foreign soil...the bottom line is, no politician is going to give it to those most in need...it just works like that...don't ask me why tho'
Del