How do you know that "NO COMPANY" would chase after a "mere" million dollar prize even if the required research & development supposedly has no potential commercial spinoff applications?

Gee, how would I know? Maybe because I have talked with many companies to gauge their interest- I have made trips to the mainland to give presentations to companies and talk about their economic concerns and to try to encourage them to look into developing the technology... And I can tell you that it is hard enough getting them interested in devoting their people and rescources if you guarentee payment- there is NO WAY they would do it just on the chance that they may win a prize...

The most well developed tech has been developed by research groups funded by the DOE NSF and DOD, I have worked to encourage transfer of this tech to private industry so there will be a product we can buy... so you see Rich, I have real world experience in these matters- you obviously do not.

Prizes do not fund projects, they are a publicity tool- they are ok in some cases but definitely not all or even most...

You have NO business benefiting from what's unethically extracted at gunpoint from us taxpayers and it's our Constitutional right to set the record straight about you.

I do not benifit at all... you twit.... and you are doing anything but 'setting the record straight' - there is a reason why tax money goes to fund R&D - it is THE reason why the US is far and away the world leader in tech and its applications, in the end it is that investment that has made us the economic and military superpower we are-

I would pit our national lab system alone against the total output of any other 1 country... Then on top of that is the output of our universities- Most of this is at least partly funded by the tax payer in some way... AND YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL THAT IT IS- your quality of life, our security, our great achievements are due to the fact that those more educated than you realized that knowledge is the most valuable weapon, shield, and comfort a nation can have...

The last time I drew a paycheck from the government was when I was a grad student, the government seems to think fostering a new generation of scientists is valuable- and they are right...

In the end you and society are the ones that benifit- do you know how many tax dollars went into the development of the tech that allows you to type your whining on your computer and have it instantly put on the internet? How many dollars went into propuslion technology so that private interests could even dream of going to space? How many billions went to making it possible for you to have cable and satellite tv, or global communications....?

The fact is funding and grants are the only way to to ensure the tech we need for our future is developed.... and this is a valuable investment- possibly the most valuable we can make...

Investment in R&D has done more to benifit our lives than any other government action- If you were educated on the topic of your crusade you would understand that... You make those that do research funded by the government look like lazy fat cats....the opposite is true... they take lower pay to work on things that they feel are valuable, and interesting... they work extra hours unpaid because they believe in what they are doing...

The last time sheet I turned in read over 100 hours for 2 weeks most of which were spent at 14,000 feet, I get nothing for the overtime, so dont you DARE claim that I am paid by the taxpayer, or that I am lazy...

You clearly do not understand the process, and I have to correct you, implying that I have in some way misappropriated funds (which by the way would be absolutely impossible for me to get away with even if I wanted to) is slander... I am surprised that I have to explain this to a 'lawyer'.

I dont think you have convinced a single person here of anything other than the fact that you are an ignorant ass... good job....