And, guess what: it is proving very painful to cut back.

ECONOMIST: World Bank

But in a greater sense, you have to ask what it is the shuttle, or the space program, I guess, is doing, and it is a variety of things, from weather satellites and improved communications to other technologies.

NPR: Is the Space Shuttle Worth the Effort?

The Force that has been quietly watching and gathering details about your every move and now is in a position to guess what you're going to do next, once it finishes running the numbers.

BBC: The mysterious powers of Microsoft Excel