[AmishDude]

Actually, the word you're looking for is "luddite". The author truly is one.

[Man of the Right]

Manned space flight is an anachronism. It's a 1940s concept. It's been superceded by the computer revolution, robotics, miniaturization.

[Dave S]

Actually, the word you're looking for is "luddite". The author truly is one

Actually its NASA who are the Luddites. They could develop new, more effective and safer launch vehicles but they are wedded to thirty year old technology. NASA should be leading the world with high technology, not using 8086 based computers for critical functions.

NASA ought to launch commercial payloads for a price and use those funds to help finance exploration of Mars. Its a total waste to send astronauts into space every other month to do the equivalent of high school science competition type experiements in order to have some rationalization for having bought the Shuttle capability in the first place.

[Torie]

Easterbrook is no Luddite. That is a wild charge, and totally unjustifiable. Since you are a sensible guy, I assume that means you are not otherwise familiar with him.

[berkeleybeej]

"Actually, the word you're looking for is "luddite". The author truly is one."

Thank you - good word. BTW - I checked out my WWII era dictionary (it is an amazing representation of the times, cheap paper as well as photos of all the military equipment and planes of the times):

"Lud'dite...One of a body of English workmen who from 1811 to 1816 endeavored to prevent the introduction of laborsaving machinery...named after Ned Lud, an imbecile who broke two improved stocking frames."

Yep - imbecile fits.