'Space Vikings' Spark (Unfounded) NASA Waste Inquiry

sciencehabit writes "For Ved Chirayath, a graduate student and amateur fashion photographer, a photo project that involved NASA researchers dressed as Vikings was just a creative way to promote space science. 'I started this project hoping maybe one day some kid will look at it and say, 'I want to work for NASA,' ' says Chirayath, a student at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, who also works nearby at NASA's Ames Research Center. He never suspected that his fanciful image would put him in the crosshairs of a government waste investigation triggered by a senior U.S. senator." The project was funded by an outside art grant. The best part: the investigation into the non-existent waste probably cost more than the "waste" would have were it funded by NASA in the first place.

Re:*Grassley* is complaining about waste?

[Charliemopps]

They are waste. They are basically ways to buy votes. Bills should be voted on for their merits, not because if you vote "yes" you'll get a bridge in your district.

Re:Most confusing headline ever

[Zontar The Mindless]

*sigh*

'Space Vikings' Spark (Unfounded) NASA Waste Inquiry

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I can tell the US education system has gone to shit when I'm reduced to defending Slashdot editors' word choices by diagramming sentences for dunderheads who were allowed to sleep all the way through 8th grade.

Re:Depressing

[Anonymous Coward]

It is not just NASA, but extends to other science work under federal grants. When I was an undergraduate and working for free for a project to get some experience, I spent some downtime creating a much nicer website and some literature for non-science types to understand the project. The head of the project was scared to put any of it up, as the grant didn't allow for outreach and he thought it looked like it was too well done or too much time was spent on it. So they stuck with a minimalistic website that didn't have much more than a publication list and staff listing. I've also since then see others warned of what they do on their free time if too associated with a project (not warned as in reprimanded and/or having their job threatened, but warned as in "You don't want to get into the drama that can produce.") Not all projects are like that, as some have outreach efforts, with slight funding or just completely based on volunteer work.