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Tiny Surveillance Aircraft Fly in Tucson
An anonymous reader writes "Science Daily reports that thirteen teams from the United States, Korea and Germany will be in Tucson April 9-11 to compete for $6,000 in prize money during the 8th International Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) Competition. MAVs are tiny, radio-controlled airplanes that carry video cameras."
Well, While I agree with your final conclusion, (the fun bit) I think perhaps its a good idea to take a look at some facts about where the US ranks worldwide in giving econonomic aid.
Its on position 20, with a very skinny $23.76 per person per year.
Number one is Luxemburg, with a whopping $352.30 per person.
All terribly off topic, but I had to...:)
The Bigger The Headache The Bigger the Pill
Raymond Z. Gallun's story, "The Scarab," was published in Astounding in 1936 (and anthologized by Groff Conklin in Science Fiction Thinking Machines in 1954).
The story is set in the year 1987 and describes "a tiny thing, scarcely more than an inch and a half in length. The fancy of the craftsman who made it had given to the Scarab the form of the beetle of which it wa snamed. But its body had a metallic sheen, and its vitals were far more intricate than those of the finest watch."
It is capable of observing with its "quartz-lensed eyes" and sounds are "detectable to [its] sensitive, microphonic ears." It can fly at "terrific speed" to "the cold, unresistant texture of the stratosphere." It makes its way into meeting room where a dastardly plot is in progress. It is never made clear it relays information back to "the mind that controlled the Scarab," but when that mind "had seen and heard enough" it instructs the Scarab to land on the bad guy's neck and "a tiny part of a drop of liquid was injected into its victim's blood stream."
The good guys win.
"How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!
Grandparent poster referred to "the US", your statistics refer the the US Federal Government.
Contributions to charities by the US private sector are 2% of the US GDP, which far surpasses any other nation. Most of that goes to foreign aid.
Bill Gates and Ted Turner alone surpass most countries with the billions they've spent on health care for poor countries...and none of that money is counted in your very misleading stats.