Jim Muth wrote:

.....and what ever happened to the superconducting supercollider that would reveal the secrets of the universe?

"Politics" was the main factor that killed it off back in 1993. Too many other states whined about not getting the same amount of funds for their own state, so they said if we cannot have the money then nobody is going to get it. Actually, it was money too. I had a cousin, electrical engineer, on the project. She said we just didnt have the spirit to go thru with it all. America is dying a death of a thousand cuts. Fortunately, the LHC in Europe will soon fill in the blanks (AND I can not wait till they fire that puppy up for real!) And now we, who developed most of the original space technology, and walked on the moon 40 years ago, will need to RENT Russian and Chinese launch vehicles to get into space! Obambo just cancelled our new manned space platform. We are going the way of ancient Rome. Get used to it. Cheers (if you can anymore) JoTz