You could make a business out of it and lend the death star when nothing else is going on, therefore returning some of the money.

Like when china wants to destroy a city in tibet they just rent the death star for a week.

Kobold Captain Death: We are ready to land sir. yip yip.
Me: Good good, bring us in. Bring us in.

*Lands on the GOG space station. my ship slowly opens up, as epic music plays in the background. as white bone skeletons move towards the sides in a orderly line. Holding their magical glowing weapons, which almost look like laser base weapons. using my magic to make breathing noises. Slowly marching towards this thread. Using my magic to make the doors open wide.*

the power to destroy a planet, is insignificant next to the power of magic.

Well, US military spending is one of the biggest innovation drives we have. Most simple example right now: The internet.

http://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/About/History90-en.html

WWW =/= internet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darpanet

It is to like 99% of the people who use it.
I knew about that. But what regular people perceive as the Internet is a CERN invention.

True, I mean only 1% use things like e-mail, ftp, peer to peer, instant messengers, IPTV or VOIP.
The fact that people mistake them doesn't mean they are the same, WWW is a subset of the internet. Hell, your computer is currently part of the internet, but I'm willing to bet it's not part of the WWW.

Edit: Ninja edited to say that it's the perception you are talking about.

Which is build on the foundation of what the DARPA geeks developed. Military spending is in general the biggest innovation boost, because those geeks can play around with virtually unlimited funds. There are countless every day applications which are a direct result of military funding, which would have never seen funding approval in a private sector or anything with more regulated funding.

Indeed. If I ask my dad what the internet is he'll respond with "google.com", "mobile.de" and stuff like that. That's how most people see it.

Besides, words don't have to have a single meaning. It depends on perception, on use. Look at "fuck" how many meaning it has :))

This is what you are referring to, right? :P

Exactly :))

If I'm not mistaken there are also many from the space program

EDIT: What the fuck happened to the rest of my post? Bah, can't be bothered writing it again. :D

Now that would be something worth petitioning for.

You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote for a seccesful test of this battle station but don't worry, we shall deal with your rebel friends soon enough.

Just so you know, I could do this all day. If you want to know what I look like just check the dictionary for "Star Wars Dork". There should be a really nice picture of me there.