When I was in high school, I wrote proposals for experiments to go on the space shuttle as part of my chemistry and physics coursework. With ENTHUSIASM.

I have actually seen the space shuttle launch, from a distance, which still goes down as one of the most thrilling experiences of my life.

I’ve been interested in NASA’s work for a long time, but did anyone else look at their most recent venture and think WTF? We just spent $79 MILLION DOLLARS to find out if there is ice on the moon.

Why, you ask? I know I did. Here is the rationale touted in an article on MSNBC.com: “In the long term, ice reservoirs could be used to provide water for lunar settlements, as well as oxygen for breathing and hydrogen fuel for spacecraft. In the shorter term, learning about lunar water could help scientists reconstruct the ancient past of the Earth-moon system.” Click here to read the full text of the article.

Call me silly. Call me short-sighted. Call me PISSED OFF that we just spent $79 MILLION DOLLARS on this.

The state of Michigan is in such dire straits that we are contemplating cutting the Michigan Promise scholarship, which is financial aid promised to approximately 96,000 promising young students in the state of Michigan. Two of those students are mine, and I get physically ill when I think about what we will have to do to come up with that money if this goes the way I think it will. Can we get some federal aid for that? Don’t think so…

Is it just me, or do the reasons given for conducting this research seem too incredibly lame to be true? “…water for lunar settlements”?? REALLY?