[Steely Tom]

Well, in fairness, solving the many mysteries of AIDS will probably lead to breakthroughs in many other diseases, cancer included. AIDS is a disease of the immune system, and involves -- as I understand it -- information transfer within the immune system and from pathogens into the immune system.

It's a little bit like using the manned space program as a way to funnel lots of money into technologies that could be used by the military for satellite communications, re-entry vehicles, precision guidance, miniaturized electronics, etc.

[lightman]

True enough...and let’s not overlook the debilitating auto-immune disorders.