Pentagon Wants Screenplays From Scientists

Aix writes "According to the New York Times, the Pentagon is funding classes in screenplay writing for 15 scientists. The idea is to encourage kids to go into science and engineering through mainstream media and thereby presumably bolster long-term US national security. While it sounds like a lot of fun for the researchers involved, and anything that stems the spiral of the US into a culture of anti-intellectualism is a good thing in my book. Will glamorizing science in the movies make kids pay better attention in chemistry class?"

glamorous

[talaper]

"Will glamorizing science in the movies make kids pay better attention in chemistry class?"

In a word, YES.

we should all know by now that kids will immitate anything the movies (or tv) show them. just look at how many injuries were blamed on Beavis & Butthead!

I wonder..

[BlackCobra43]

...will they produce something more interesting than what Hollywood makes? ..wouldn't be hard, really..

Scientific movies!?

[jim_v2000]

We already have those!!! Haven't you seen "The Day After Tomorrow"? It's like the most scientifically accurate movie ever.

Anti-intellectualinism

[Anonymous Coward]

While it sounds like a lot of fun for the researchers involved, and anything that stems the spiral of the US into a culture of anti-intellectualism is a good thing in my book.

Pot. Kettle. Fragment.

Re:That's why I'm in I.T.

[CFTM]

Don't be hatin on Hackers, afterall Angeline Jolie's tits are shown in it...any movie that does that gets an A in my book :)

It Worked for Me!

[Evil W1zard]

After watching the LOTR trilogy I have now been trying to make my very own One Ring! I also have been trying to learn how to cast Magic Missile and Root spells as well, but they are on the backburner until I can make my magic invisibility ring using a bunsen burner, a gold-plated $5 ring and some Methanol.

Wow! a TROLL in the middle of the editorial!

[Anonymous Coward]

"...anything that stems the spiral of the US into a culture of anti-intellectualism is a good thing in my book."

What a surprise! Someone's self-important arrogance is immolated by conservatives who are chastising moonbats for their ignorance and stupidity! Oh, that must mean that conservatives are knuckle-dragging Neanderthals (which Neanderthal skeletons were found to be just Homo sapiens, but don't let that stop you from thinking of them as one of the missing links) because they don't drink our Kook-Aid of Lunacy!

Bitch, please! You moonbats are nothing but asstriches. (An asstrich is someone who instead of sticks his head in the sand sticks it in his own ass (which is a far worse and derogatory way of saying you're just believing in your own bullshit, much like people in insane asylums do).) Pull your fucking heads out of your own asses and meet the rest of us normal, sane people in something that we like to call Reality(TM), mmmkay? KTHX!

Movies aren't scientific!?

[bigtallmofo]

I challenge anyone who thinks movies today aren't scientific to watch the original Jurassic Park.

"Hey this is Unix. I know Unix"

With scientific banter like that, what purpose does the government have in getting involved?!

Re:glamorous

[tbischel]

It already does! Just think of where your science skills would be without the inspiration of Star Trek?

(well maybe you'd have an ACTUAL girlfriend, but thats not everything... is it?)

Does not one else sense an ulterior motive?

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't people always write about themselves? Do you really want to share your private thoughts and dreams with the Pentagon? What if your screenplay expresses anti-war sentiment? What if you glamorize cloning? What if this is all a PLOT and they are simply trying to steal our precious bodily fluids? Seriously, it's a little creepy.

Re:glamorous

[Ced_Ex]

You learn more from pornos than sex-ed class. It's more hands-on.

Re:not even close

[CosmeticLobotamy]

you'll find so many shows dedicated to doctors (ER, grey's acadamy, chicago hope) lawyers (law and order: special victims unit, criminal intent, trial by jury) and cops (CSI miami, ny). you never hear anyone even mention engineers in movies or tv series.

You're right. And it would be so easy. The three-episode arc on tracking down an elusive double-free()d pointer practically writes itself.

I don't know...

[Locke2005]

How many impressionable young children have been inspired to become semiconductor designers by the Britney Spears Guide to Semiconductor Physics [britneyspears.ac]?

Close Encounters of the Pedantic Kind

[s20451]

I think they would come out a lot like this:

- Set a course for Alpha Centauri!
- Aye aye, Captain!
(five or more years of boring space cruise)
(exterior shots in perfect silence, there is no sound in space)
(finally the ship arrives)
- Scan for life forms!
- Sorry sir, there's no such thing as a "life form detector". It's not like life gives off a special energy or something.
- Well, shit. Let's go home then.
(several more years of boring space cruise)

Scientists vs. the Love Scene

[MooseByte]

"Hollywood (in general) does cheap ascientific things because it makes better movies than the real stuff."

Exactly. Plus can you imagine a scientist scripting the love scene?

"The mass of her heaving bosons betrayed her entanglement with Higgs, the mysterious agent she longed to know but had never seen."

Re:glamorous

[Ira Sponsible]

Sounds like a good plan. If bombing the rest of the planet will get me a better paycheck, count me in with our new planet-dominating overlords.

Re:NUMB3RS

[zippthorne]

I know you're being sarcastic, but my favorite professor (that i've heard of) from caltech is Dr. Richard Feynman who was a noted ladies man, grey hat, world traveler, bongo player, O-ring failure demonstrator, and orange juice afficionato.

Oh wait you said math professor. nevermind. No way they can be as cool as Feynman: "Physics is to math as sex is to masturbation"

Re:glamorous

[outsider007]

Well, at least they'll start with something that resembles science. I'm just glad that I misread the headline initially and the Pentagon is not asking scientologists for creenplays. I was dreading a Battlefield Earth II.