Put the Sex Back In Science--Look at the Space Race

Thomas Friedman, in the NYTimes, wants more money for math and science education, which is hard to argue against. But since the big days of Silicon Valley are pretty much over, engineering and hard science seems rather drab.  Back in the JFK race for space years, science was a lot sexier.

Take a look at this Space Center team, celebrating one of the Apollo missions.
                                                                                                            

  These guys are peacocks! They're wearing colorful shirts, smoking cigars, applauding each other. I'll bet someone has a flask in his desk, and there's Johnny Walker in those paper cups.

Contrast and compare a contemporary JPL crew.

They're in matching polo shirts, which gives them the look of a fast food outfit or maybe the toner sales force at some team-building seminar. No cigars, everyone is seated--it looks about as exciting as 5th grade, waiting for milk and cookies.