MAY THE FORCE BE WITH US

Recently, E had to give a persuasive speech in English class, as well as write a persuasive letter, trying to convince people to come around to his way of thinking on a particular issue.  His issue: the need for more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education in America's schools. 

Granted, this kid is destined to become an engineer of some sort, and he loves after-school Robotics more than any class he's ever taken during the regular school day, but he came up with some pretty persuasive arguments that left me wondering how quickly America will lose it's super power status if we don't get our act together. 

And I'm happy to report that the White House agrees.  At least according to it's response to a petition that construction should began on a Death Star by 2106.

(Source)

Apparently, anybody can go over to the White House website and start a petition, which is exactly what John D from Longmont, CO did on November 14, 2012.  And yes, I am kind of proud that he's from Colorado.

You can see the petition (with over 35,000 signatures) here.  The best part.....the White House response, titled "This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For."  There was even a story about it on CBS news.  I'll just share a few highlights.

Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?

Even though the United States doesn't have anything that can do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, we've got two spacecraft leaving the Solar System and we're building a probe that will fly to the exterior layers of the Sun. We are discovering hundreds of new planets in other star systems and building a much more powerful successor to the Hubble Space Telescope that will see back to the early days of the universe.

We don't have a Death Star, but we do have floating robot assistants on the Space Station, a President who knows his way around a light saber and advanced (marshmallow) cannon, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is supporting research on building Luke's arm, floating droids, and quadruped walkers.

(Source)

We are living in the future! Enjoy it. Or better yet, help build it by pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field.  If you do pursue a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field, the Force will be with us!

Remember, the Death Star's power to destroy a planet, or even a whole star system, is insignificant next to the power of the Force.