[Jim Noble]

We cannot do many things we could do only 50 years ago.

It’s not a brain drain so much as it is a money drain.

Ferguson, we have a problem...

[ctdonath2]

The primary problem is liability. Sociopolitical environment now is severe blame and punishment for anything less than zero-risk perfection. Yeah, guys with slide rules brought back astronauts on a damaged spacecraft ... but the situation happened in an environment where everyone involved knew someone could very well die doing this without crucifying anyone blame could stick to; the imperative was DO IT. Today, every little thing has to be proven perfect at exorbitant cost, with the DO IT goal far down the priority list, somewhere below "don't run out of TP".