Actually for what it's mission is, NASA is moderately effective for its operating budget. No offense to the X-prize competitors, but crossing the 100km mark and achieving prolonged orbit (and then maintaining living conditions that high up) are two very different things. While private funding may eventually catch up, the won't for quite a while. And keep in mind that a lot of the technologies used in these private ventures only exist because of the manned space programs.
And when refering to Apollo 13, by all estimations those three astronauts should have died. The NASA that prevented that from happening should be commended (not that it's the same as the present-day institution). When every ounce of weight counts, well, you plan what you take very carefully, and the life support systems that they used to survive were never ment to be used for as long as they were.
