Although a screenwriting program funded by the Pentagon doesn't necessarily mean that the US government isn't trying to find why so few "native" Americans aren't interested in studying science and engineering, I think an exploration of why American students aren't interested is perhaps more beneficial.
Consider: a postdoc at the NIH makes about fifty thousand dollars a year. That is, after spending on your undergraduate education, then your doctorate, and then being paid a wage, for your one to three year postdoctorate, that's equivalent to what an assistant manager at Starbucks likely makes, you then almost have your first job.
Then, also, if you're interested in becoming a research scientist, you're likely going to have to work long hours, much longer than in other similarly paid professions.
Perhaps, the reason that American students aren't choosing these careers is because it may be implicitly understood that the monetary compensation of working as, say, a research scientist isn't worth the expense and time.
Also, one seemingly easy to solve this problem, if there are immigrants who are studying these subjects, is to easy the rules for American citizenship.
First, the writer assumes that the death penalty or more serious punishments, such as serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison, do deter crime. One argument, I know, against the death penalty is that there is no relationship, or even correlation, between the crimes that the death penalty punishes and crime.
Second, the writer assumes that Landsburg is correct. If, say, a majority of economists disagree with him, this removes perhaps the most important part of his reasoning and, therefore, his conclusion that the death penalty is necessary.
Third, if you're going to harshly punish hacking, should other white collar crimes also be considered? Why, for instance, should Martha Stewart or, possibly, Ken Lay be treated differently? Isn't insider-trading and manipulating a corporation's accounting system to falsely show profits, at least as harmful, as hacking?
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Although a screenwriting program funded by the Pentagon doesn't necessarily mean that the US government isn't trying to find why so few "native" Americans aren't interested in studying science and engineering, I think an exploration of why American students aren't interested is perhaps more beneficial.
Consider: a postdoc at the NIH makes about fifty thousand dollars a year. That is, after spending on your undergraduate education, then your doctorate, and then being paid a wage, for your one to three year postdoctorate, that's equivalent to what an assistant manager at Starbucks likely makes, you then almost have your first job.
Then, also, if you're interested in becoming a research scientist, you're likely going to have to work long hours, much longer than in other similarly paid professions.
Perhaps, the reason that American students aren't choosing these careers is because it may be implicitly understood that the monetary compensation of working as, say, a research scientist isn't worth the expense and time.
Also, one seemingly easy to solve this problem, if there are immigrants who are studying these subjects, is to easy the rules for American citizenship.
First, the writer assumes that the death penalty or more serious punishments, such as serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison, do deter crime. One argument, I know, against the death penalty is that there is no relationship, or even correlation, between the crimes that the death penalty punishes and crime. Second, the writer assumes that Landsburg is correct. If, say, a majority of economists disagree with him, this removes perhaps the most important part of his reasoning and, therefore, his conclusion that the death penalty is necessary. Third, if you're going to harshly punish hacking, should other white collar crimes also be considered? Why, for instance, should Martha Stewart or, possibly, Ken Lay be treated differently? Isn't insider-trading and manipulating a corporation's accounting system to falsely show profits, at least as harmful, as hacking?