Posts Made By: James Brown

David Eccles said:

Bush's War on Heaven

Space Cowboy

By BRUCE K. GAGNON

The White House has just released the new U.S. National Space Policy from the Bush administration. The new document makes several policy departures from past space doctrines. They include:

* Calling for the deployment of offensive weapons systems in space to "deter" and "deny" others the "use of space...."

David Eccles

David:

I just read a bit of the actual U.S. National Space Policy. It appears to me that Gagnon is going far out of his way to distort and misrepresent the policy. He is obviously doing this to advance his own political agenda. He has that right of course, but he really does a poor and transparent job of it.

For example, the entire bullet point that Gagnon has quoted out of context (which I have highlighted above) is:

[COLOR="Blue"]• The United States considers space capabilities -- including the ground and space segments and supporting links -- vital to its national interests. Consistent with this policy, the United States will: preserve its rights, capabilities, and freedom of action in space; dissuade or deter others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities intended to do so; take those actions necessary to protect its space capabilities; respond to interference; and deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to U.S. national interests.[/COLOR]

Hmm. In it's entirety this sounds more like prudent national defense rather than the militant seizure of space for our use alone, which is the clear misrepresentation intended by Gagnon's shameless mis-quote. This is just one example, it would take a lot of time to deconstruct the whole Gagnon article in a similar way.

Actually, the space policy document if read fairly, promotes quite a bit of international co-operation and harmony. This is hardly the impression Gagnon wants to give though is it?

Check out these quotes, can you believe that these are from the same policy Gagnon is quoting from?

[COLOR="Blue"]• The United States is committed to the exploration and use of outer space by all nations for peaceful purposes, and for the benefit of all humanity. Consistent with this principle, “peaceful purposes” allow U.S. defense and intelligence-related activities in pursuit of national interests;

• The United States rejects any claims to sovereignty by any nation over outer space or celestial bodies, or any portion thereof, and rejects any limitations on the fundamental right of the United States to operate in and acquire data from space;

• The United States will seek to cooperate with other nations in the peaceful use of outer space to extend the benefits of space, enhance space exploration, and to protect and promote freedom around the world;

• The United States considers space systems to have the rights of passage through and operations in space without interference. Consistent with this principle, the United States will view purposeful interference with its space systems as an infringement on its rights;[/COLOR]

The whole document may be viewed at the link below, for those who prefer to read it themselves, rather than just run with a spinned-up summary that promotes one man's political agenda:


http://www.ostp.gov/html/US%20National%20Space%20Policy.pdf

Jim

Spectacular

Jim Brown said:

This is quite heartening.

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x11362.xml?ReleaseID=978

The Democrats of Connecticut made a statement during the primaries.... a very expensive statement if this holds up.

Bring on the moderates.

Jim

By the way;

Here is a quote from the analysis of the Quinnipiac survey:

"In this latest survey, Lieberman (I) leads Lamont (D) 73 - 6 percent among likely Republican voters, with 19 percent for Schlesinger (R)"

Perhaps this news will give those morons who reflexively equate the GOP and the GOP voter with the KKK or Nazi party something to think about. If not, I guess their brains are more ossified than I feared.

Surely this news will reassure those imbeciles who persist in regurgitating the tired blather that all GOP voters are dupes of the Republican disinformation machine. Assuming of course that those who hold that conclusion think at all.

Perhaps a bit later, after a glass of Cabernet or two, I'll post what I really feel.

Jim

Paul Kammueller said:

WOW watched a movie with the wife and figured midnight the senate would be pretty much decided one way or the other, was WRONG, there's 3 states coming right down to the wire!

Anyway, the house has changed hands so there will be some balance in politics again. Harmony is restored in the universe.

Looks to me like the D's will get the Senate. According to CNN's data the D's are up by a couple of thousand in both VA and MT. No one ever wins a recount.

Jim

Interesting. It might be fun to have a chance to play offense for a few years.

Jim

Akira Okazaki said:

Jim,
Concerning the 2008 General election and the GOP prospects for winning or the Democratic Party losing BIG, have you factored in the reality that there will be 21 Republican and only 12 Democratic held Senatorial seats up for reelection? Of the twenty-one GOP incumbents up for reelection, Wayne Allard (CO), Saxby Chambliss (GA), Norm Coleman (MN), John Sununu (NH), Elizabeth Dole (NC), Lindsey Graham (SC), Lamar Alexander (TN), John Cornyn (TX) all won 55% or less of their states respective votes in 2002. By contrast, during this most recent election cycle, 18 Democrats and 15 Republicans were up for reelection and only six seats changed hands, all Republican losses!

Akira:

You make valid points of course. I am not suggesting that the GOP is likely to win the presidency and both houses of congress in '08. It is clear that the electorate wanted to clean house this time. Paul's observation about the significance of both houses changing hands in such dramatic fashion is quite insightful.

To some extent the Democrat trouncing this time might help the Republicans in '08 though. Particularly if Bush behaves, which I think is likely. For example, Rumsfeld is gone, the war strategy is under review, changes will be made. Expect more of this kind of thing over the next two years. Perhaps the punishment of the GOP is complete, provided we run a moderate for the White House in '08.

I would consider a big win by the GOP in '08 to be an R president and the recovery of a few congressional seats. There is no reason to expect the Democrats to lose control of the House so soon.

Well, maybe there is one reason. The California election indicates again that the voters of even a relatively blue state do not like tax increases.

Jim

Wow. That is quite a dramatic difference. Did you try to achieve the best contrast and color balance possible for each image, or did you try to process them exactly the same?

Jim

Here is the '05 processing.

Jim

Wow! that is a beautiful comet and a beautiful image!

Jim

Thanks for the comments and encouragement.

Jim