Don't Look, NASA!

It seems that NASA's mission statement was given a subtle 'mid-course correction' last February.

Here's what it said in 2002:

"To understand and protect our home planet; to explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers ... as only NASA can."

Here's how it looks as of February, 2006:

"To explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers ... as only NASA can."

Whereas the 2002 statement was composed in open consultation with the scientific community, in 2006 there was no mention of this change, no advice sought, and NASA scientists have only just noticed.

Such a minor alteration, yet such a fundamental shift in priorities!

It means that NASA is no longer to be concerned with exploring the planet we live on. No longer to be involved in earth satellites that monitor the health of our home. No longer to observe the changes in climate that indicate a warming of the atmosphere. No longer to provide evidence of an inconvenient truth. No longer to have such an inconvenient sentence in its mission statement.

How convenient for the carbon lobby!

I will be following Worldchanging's Alex Steffen's advice, and shall place the omitted statement prominently on my site.

Lest we forget.

Spare Us! ... Puh-leez!!

George exercised his power of veto for the first time in his career, when he blocked the bill allowing stem-call research to proceed in the US.

Seems he doesn't hold with the taking of lives

Meanwhile, it appears that the US will allow the killer attack dogs to run rampant for another week in Lebanon.

Seems he doesn't hold with terrorists kidnapping Israeli soldiers.

At the moment , in fact, the only thing he does appear willing to hold is the german chancellor!

Seems someone voted for this guy, once.

All Reason and Logic Are Gone...

Winning the fight won't settle who's right.
It's sad, and it's true, and it's on!

When combatants go by the maxim of an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, then all parties are likely to end up blind and gummy!

Meanwhile, the onlookers gathered around the bull pit are emitting much smoke: It's Iran, trying to deflect attention from their nuclear ambitions! It's Syria, trying to reassert dominance in Lebanon!

If my memory serves me from the dim past recollections of last week, Hezbollah precipitated this all-out conflict by kidnapping an Israeli soldier. Not nice, and certainly provocative. But does it require an all-out shooting match? (Especially if Israel, and America, are now pointing fingers at possible agent provocateurs).

If you know it, then does it make sense to dance to the provocateur's tune?

Only if you like trampling the daisies, I guess.

Gotta plan for the future!

Astro-tourism

Dig this view of a sunset on Titan taken by Cassini on June 2, 2006.