Moon Shots

Is "Moon shot" becoming an overused phrase?

Just this morning already, (and it's not even 5:00 AM yet) I've run across two news articles that use the "Moon shot" phrase.

A GM engineer uses the term in his reference to the development of the new Chevy Volt.

Most importantly, this article mentions "U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has called the Obama administration's Race to the Top initiative "education reform's Moon shot," the largest pot of discretionary school funding -- $4 billion or so -- in the nation's history."

Call me a cynic, and I know $4 billion is a lot of money, but in the scope of the number of schools in the entire nation and compared to the $700+ billion spent on the Wall Street bailout, $4 billion seems like pocket change.  Plus we can't forget the estimated $600 billion spent on the invasion of Iraq.

And in reference to the "Moon shot"? Adjusted for inflation, the NASA moon project of the 1960's cost $237 billion.

So what do I think of the $4 billion being offered as the "Moon shot" for the nation's schools that are "in crisis"? Get back to me when you're serious about a real "Moon shot" type endeavor for education and have some real "Moon shot" type money to back it up, OK?

Otherwise, quit calling it a "Moon shot".  It might be a decent federal initiative however it's not a Moon shot.

But then that's just my 2 cents.