Y'all come back soon, ya hear -OR- Fish and Whistle

Alaska got $2.62 back for every dollar paid in Federal taxes.
Arizona: $1.53

but that's not PORK.

Rhode Island: $0.83
Illinois: $0.68

That's INCLUDING "PORK".

In fact, the map might be mistaken for a Red State/Blue State display.



Coincidence? Yeah, that must be it.

How fucking arrogant.

Adler Planetarium didn't get the $3 million MeCain is ranting about. It should have. The current Zeiss projector is 40 years old and still one of the most amazing bits of technology EVAH. Half a million people visit Adler every year. Chicago, as an economic engine, (Adler Planetarium is part of that) enables Illinois to donate 32 cents of every dollar paid in federal taxes to build Bridges to Nowhere.

This bit of technology has taken 16,ooo,ooo visitors into the cosmos. It has sparked the dreams of children of all ages. Made the universe their playground. Inspired generations of scientists and promoted an understanding of space as a awesome, jaw dropping place that we need to study and understand. 3 shows daily. 4 on weekends. 363 days per year (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Days) = 43,640 shows. I can't calculate how much $$$ this gem has helped generate world wide, just getting people to look UP and wonder, focus on, think and consider. Maybe that's what MeCain objects to? He should make a point to take in a show before he judges its value.

$3 Million? Luddite PLEASE!

Hopefully, MeCain's mention of Adler's Zeiss plight will prompt a benefactor from the private sector to step forward and say "It's okay Johnny, I got this one.". That seems to be his style anyway. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Right?

What a waste.