


I think to some extent this is a case of stooping to their level.  You assume
that the general public "can't handle the truth" and then, based on this 
assumption, go for the fluff arguments.  Then someone, who can understand a
good argument, comes along and asks "why don't you just develop the spinoffs?"
or "why can't we just get our spinoffs from some other program, like the
military?"  There are some good arguments for space development without relying
on its side effects.  I'm not ignoring the value of spinoffs.  I simply think
that the general public deserves more credit than you give them.


And if you're going to use spinoffs you better make darn sure you are right.
Teflon has been around since before NASA.  As I understand it, Velcro was 
conceptualized by a french doctor who went walking in the woods and took the
trouble to wonder how burrs stick to your clothes.  Certainly velcro was 
available on hiking equipment by the early to mid sixties.  I would need to 
see some good evidence before I believe that either of these would not be here
today without NASA.
