Hawking

I used to believe Stephen Hawking doesn't need much introduction. With an all too disabled physique but probably the best brain of the world (possibly of the history of mankind), who can be more legendary ?

Nevertheless, this view is not shared by everyone, and some universities (at least one) refuse to pay for his visit. (Some rumour says for merely US$100,000.) Economist asks: is it cost-effective ? Who would pay for US$500 in order to dine with him ?

I will.

And many people who wish to salute to good science would.

We know the cost very well, but who knows the effect ? If we need all measurable effects there should be no research in pure science. (There should, in fact, be no industry. All one care is speculation in stock market - alas, Hong Kong people !) When Albert Einstein first arrived at the States, neither he nor Princeton knew what the effect of the Theory of Relativity would be - not until August 6, 1945 at Hiroshima.

As Einstein himself once said: not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.