Feast of the Annunciation

Link from Knights of Columbus, Artist not listed

The Word being made flesh through the power of the Holy Spirit. In our current times, this feast highlights the value of human life, and is often marked as the Day of the Unborn Child.

Space Commission Hearings


The President's Space Commission held its third public hearing session yesterday and today in Atlanta. A highlight was testimony by space entrepreneurs on the need to engage the private sector in space activities. A reminder that the commission is soliciting public input on its web site (Click on the 'Contact Us' button.).

The Shores of Mars
Catching up with a busy week which featured the historic announcement that scientists have conclude there was an ancient sea where the rover Opportunity is now studying the Martian surface.

Next step for SETI
As Project Phoenix has concluded, an announcement of funding for the more advanced Allen Telescope Array.

St Joseph's Day
Today is the feast day of my patron saint. (Since my middle name is Patrick, I have a sort of double-header this week for patron saints.)

Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who implored your help and sought your intercession were left unassisted. Full of confidence in your power I fly unto you and beg your protection. Despise not O Guardian of the Redeemer my humble supplication, but in your bounty, hear and answer me. Amen.

"So Many Stars"
SETI Institute scientist Pete Backus, a good friend from my California days, reflects on the conclusion of Project Phoenix, which recently completed its final observing campaign at the Arecibo radiotelescope in Puerto Rico, in articles here and here. Pete assures us that the search has only just begun.

Vice President Cheney gets to the point...
...on the threat of terrorism in the world, and challenges Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's consistency and credibility on security issues. The text of the VP's speech is here.

Expelling snakes from DC
On this St. Patrick's Day, I'm happy to report that two of Washington, DC's most notorious abortion clinics, Hillcrest NW & Hillcrest SE have closed down, apparently due to staffing shortages and many prayers. (I've often joined the group praying the Rosary on Saturday mornings at Hillcrest, NW over the past three years.) Thanks be to God!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!


Artist unknown, Link by Catholic Forum

Catholic Forum provides descriptions of St. Patrick here and here.

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort me and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Pope John Paul II's Role in History
Michael Novak marks another milestone in JPII's papacy in this National Review article.

A Distant World
A distant icy world further blurs the distinction between the planet Pluto and smaller objects beyond the realm of the planets. The newly discovered object, named 'Sedna', from the name of a sea goddess among Arctic peoples, was found and characterized by a combination of ground and space-based observatories.

Looking Deep into the Past

The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft.
One day to the next conveys that message; one night to the next imparts that knowledge.
Psalm 19:2-3

The Hubble Space Telescope's Ultra-Deep Field imagery was released today, showing humankind's deepest view in space and time of the universe to date. The image includes light emitted from objects when the universe was just 400 million years old. The current age of the universe has been determined to be approximately 13.7 billion years.


Photo credit: NASA/ESA/S. Beckwith(STScI) and The HUDF Team

For more background information on this awesome image, go to the NASA press release.

Everybody loves Hubble!


NASA

Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative members of Congress are speaking out to urge NASA to reconsider allowing the Hubble Space Telescope to cease operating without further servicing of some kind. A House Resolution was introduced today by Mark Udall (D-CO). Meanwhile, Senator Sam Brownback, Senate Space Subcommittee chairman, says servicing Hubble should have priority over some International Space Station (ISS) tasks. Proponents say some unconventional approaches could address Shuttle safety concerns.

Mars once 'drenched' in water.
The Space.com report and a plethora of other articles linked at SpaceToday.net.

This is becoming a really interesting week.
First day of the tenth annual 'March Storm' on Capitol Hill organized by ProSpace is going real well. In a blessing of fortunate timing, 'Stormers' are able to add encouragement for passage of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 on the House floor this Thursday. The bill will establish a regulatory environment which will enable the growth of a commercial human spaceflight industry.

While not a part of the ProSpace agenda, the buzz picked up from some Hill staffers is that there is a serious effort afoot to save the Hubble Space Telescope from early demise. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, NASA is set to announce 'significant findings' from Mars Tuesday afternoon.

'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet'


NASA/JPL

The Sky & Telescope article correctly states in describing this image of Saturn from the Cassini spacecraft, which will arrive there in July.

Ash Wednesday and 'The Passion'
Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Amy Welborn provided a link to a Lenten season resource site.

After work, I went to the 4:30 PM showing of The Passion of the Christ in Old Greenbelt. I don't have a whole lot of words to describe this powerful experience. It makes more real the familiar story of what He suffered for me and you and all of us. The cruel actions of His tormenters and executioners were not uniquely those of Jews or Romans, but of sinful human beings. Which comes right back to His act of saving love depicted in the movie.

"...to serve generations hence. "
DC space policy consultant Jim Muncy looks at the most compelling justification for W's new space initiative in his Washington Times guest column today. He gets to the point when he says:

"What counts now is whether and how every participant in America's space enterprise, including not just scientists and engineers but politicians, entrepreneurs and taxpayers alike, will look into their hearts and commit themselves to serve generations hence. "

Arnie demands San Fran obey the law
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered the state AG to take legal action to terminate the city's 'gay marriage' factory.

Ten Myths about the Bush Space Plan
Per Jeff Foust at his Space Politics Blog: At a panel discussion in DC Tuesday evening, Jim Muncy of PoliSpace listed ten common myths surrounding W's space plans:

10) The Bush agenda is responsible for killing Hubble.
9) It leaves us dependent on the Russians.
8) It's a scheme to channel more money to Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
7) It kills ISS.
6) It's a political ploy to benefit the President in Florida.
5) The Moon is boring.
4) This will cost $1 trillion / Bush hasn't budgeted enough.
3) Robots can do this better and cheaper.
2) This is about science.
1) It's about NASA.

W defies the filibluster again.
President Bush installed Bill Pryor to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by recess-appointment today. The usual suspects are once again having conniptions. NARAL, in its press release, shrieked that:

President Bush today appointed one of the most virulently anti-choice and anti-privacy judicial activists to the Eleventh Circuit federal bench, Bill Pryor.

Way to go, W!!!

Considering another run...
...as an independent presidential candidate is Ralph Nader. Obviously, this won't endear him to Democratic Party activists who've never gotten over the fact that Al Gore is not in the White House.

21 things going for W...
...are listed by ElectionProjection.com. I'd add at least one more, the advantage he gains from upholding a prolife position.

Senate Subcommittee Field Hearing...
...in Houston Wednesday on the President's new space vision. The panelists expressed a strong emphasis on innovative ways to engage the private sector in a big way. Committee links to remarks by the panel and elected officials are here.

My Input to the Space Commission


The President's Space Commission is currently seeking public input. Go to the commission's web site and select the 'Contact Us' button to submit your input. Here is what I submitted to the commission today, including my personal view on 'why' explore and open the frontier and some recommendations on how to go about it:


I am an engineer who works in the space industry and I am active in several space advocacy organizations. However, the views presented here are my own, and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer or of the organizations I am affiliated with.

Why explore space? Reasons commonly given are science, spin-offs or inspiration. Certainly, basic science must be a part of our space activities, as pure research can contribute future practical benefits that cannot now be imagined while provoking the deepest questions about our place in the universe. Certainly, technologies developed from earlier space efforts have found their way into many aspects of our everyday lives. And those early space activities certainly did inspire many young people, including myself, to study challenging subjects and pursue careers that contribute significantly to our society’s economic and technological advancement.

However, that inspiration was based on the expectation that those early explorers were opening the path for many to follow in our lifetime. Does the fact that that hasn’t happened indicate that the importance of opening this frontier to society is not sufficiently recognized?

I would like to propose that the opening of this expansive frontier would make a crucial difference to the economic and social/cultural future of our society.

The potential of space activity to spur new and growing industries has direct relevance to some of the down-to-earth problems that concern people today. The need to create new jobs as familiar ones migrate overseas or are replaced by automated processes is becoming increasingly evident. So, too, is the need to generate new revenue to meet the needs of an increasingly older population as the traditional Social Security and Medicare programs and private retirement plans face an uncertain future.

Looking to the longer term, does the cultural worldview tend to welcome future generations or fear them as a danger to the Earth’s environment? Population trends in America are tending toward fewer young workers supporting an increasingly older population. Populations in Western Europe are in actual decline and some would impose this dismal prospect on the rest of the world through coercive population control programs.

But isn’t there a more hopeful prospect for the future that doesn’t pit people against the planet? Professor John Lewis of the University of Arizona, in his book Mining the Sky, describes the potential abundance of resources in the Solar System, particularly in the asteroids. Might not the most compelling justification for exploration be to provide future generations with the resources to sustain their lives and the ability to live in greater freedom?

For our space exploration plans to fulfill this great potential, it is important that they be carried out in a sustainable way that truly enables the merchants and the settlers to follow the explorers. This rules out ‘business as usual’ as practiced by NASA and the aerospace industry over the past few decades.

The proposed FY2005 NASA budget offers some hopeful hints of change. The ‘Cargo and Crew Services’ (a.k.a. ‘ISS Transport’) line item to seek alternative means of accessing the International Space Station and the ‘Centennial Challenges’ prizes for innovative technology development are good starts and should be ramped up and broadened in future years. Data purchase of, for example, high-resolution lunar mapping would be another way for NASA to take more of a customer role for entrepreneurial space ventures.

The traditional Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) should not be allowed to add to the cost of the exploration effort, and Congress should look at reforming or bypassing the usual procurement labyrinth.

While the exploration program sees the Moon as a venue to test systems and practice for Mars exploration, it should also serve as a catalyst where NASA acts as a customer for commercial services provided on or near the Moon. This could jump start economic activity on the Moon utilizing local resources. A sustained industrial presence on the Moon would also enable affordable science activity to continue after the exploration program has moved on to Mars.

Congress should pass pending legislation to enable new commercial space industries. The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004 will codify the regulatory environment so that today’s fledgling suborbital spaceflight industry has a chance to grow into a robust orbital transportation industry that can contribute to the sustainability of the exploration effort. The Zero-G/Zero-Tax bill will provide incentives for new space industries that will follow the explorers into the Solar System.

In summary, to carry out the exploration program sustainably over decades requires challenging entrenched ways of doing business and engaging the participation of the private sector. And, once again, we need to communicate how the drive to explore connects with the fundamental social/cultural imperative to provide for the life and liberty of future generations.

A perspective on Mel Gibson's Passion...
...and the controversy surrounding it by Rabbi Daniel Lapin. One of many resources being provided to accompany the film is Catholic Passion Outreach. Here is the movie's official site, which includes a link to theatre listings

Sanity come to a Florida appeals court...
...with a decision in favor of Terri Schiavo, her family and Governor Jeb Bush.

Not sure who to attribute this to, but it's making its way around the 'net.

SETI Rising
The SETI team is back at the Arecibo radiotelescope in Puerto Rico for another Project Phoenix observing campaign. Follow their progress via the Arecibo Diaries and SETICam.

President Bush's Space Initiative
The Aldridge Commission which will further define W's vision has established its website. The first public hearing is set for Wednesday in DC. Go to the 'Contact Us' button on the website to post comments to be forwarded to the Commission.

Roe No More
From LifeNews.com:
"The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has announced that it will hear oral arguments in Norma McCorvey's attempt to overturn the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that overturned pro-life laws across the country banning abortion."

I'm not a legal expert, so I don't know the probability that this development will directly lead to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, but something big may be underway here.

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah, you probably know by now, but just to mark forty years (ouch!) since the Beatles first came to America.

Signs of Innovation in NASA Budget
The FY2005 NASA budget proposed by the White House earlier this week includes some items long sought by those in the space community who have been urging greater government enabling of the entrepreneurial private sector.

The Alternative Access program, now known as Crew & Cargo Services, is funded under Code M (Human Spaceflight) under the ISS line-item (pdf). The description states:

It is necessary for NASA to establish a transportation capability or crew and cargo for the space station program after the Shuttle is retired. NASA intends to meet this need through the
purchase of services for cargo and crew transport using existing and emerging capabilities, both domestic and foreign.

Also, in the Human and Robotic Technology line item (pdf), there is an initiative called 'Centennial Challenges' which is a fund ($20 million in FY2005) to award prizes for innovative solutions to spacefaring technological challenges.:

The Centennial Challenge Program is an experimental approach to stimulating innovation and competition in technical areas of interest to NASA. In commemoration of the Wright Brothers' seminal flight at Kitty Hawk, the Centennial Challenge program will establish purse awards for a portfolio of technical accomplishments that could advance the state of civil space exploration and aeronautics.

If these initiatives are followed through, it will indicate that NASA is starting to reform its way of doing business and looking beyond traditional bureaucratic practices to meet the challenge of human exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Spell-checking in the Age of Blog
The spell-checker on Blogger is quite useful in checking for typos when I'm ready to post on this blog. It doesn't have the most comprehensive or contemporary vocabulary, though. I was a little disappointed when I found it did not recognize words such as 'prolife' or 'spaceflight'. What I found most astonishing, however, was that it did not recognize the words 'blog', 'blogger' and 'blogging'.

Dems Nomination Race Narrowing the Field.
Senator Joe Lieberman drops out as John Kerry wins several primaries and John Edwards wins South Carolina.

Around the Beltway and the Solar System
President Bush has sent his $2.4 trillion FY2005 budget to Capitol Hill yesterday. NASA's portion of that is $16.2 billion (~0.67% of the total). Outline and detailed downloads can be found here.

The White House announced the membership of the commission that will start to define the specifics of President Bush's vision for exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Finally, both Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, are ready to roll. Check out the NASA/JPL project website for continuing updates.

One Year Ago,...


NASA

...February 1, 2003. I recall hearing on the car radio the first report that the Shuttle Columbia had lost communication and was 'overdue' for its planned landing. I immediately felt a pit in my stomach. Since the Shuttle is a gliding vehicle, I knew that 'overdue' meant that it would not land, that this would be another grim day like when the Challenger went down seventeen years earlier. Getting home an hour later, the continuous replay of that terrible fireball in the Texas morning sky was underway.

A year has passed, with much soul searching within NASA and the whole space community. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) concluded in August that lapses in a flawed 'NASA culture' played a primary role in allowing the accident to happen.

At the same time, the CAIB held the nation responsible for not providing NASA with a clear vision toward which to direct its efforts. By then, space vision and policy were quietly being developed by the White House and Congress, which led to President Bush's announcement on January 14 of a new vision for exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Let's honor the memory of the Columbia Seven by seeing that this vision is carried out and is implemented in a way that truly opens space as a frontier for humanity

President Bush said some memorable words when he addressed the nation that afternoon:

"In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."

The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home."

At the memorial service in Houston three days later, he described the calling to carry on the work of exploring space:

"This cause of exploration and discovery is not an option we choose; it is a desire written in the human heart."

Speaking Truth to Power (Boston Style)
The leadership of the Catholic Church in America is starting to find its voice and take a stand on Catholic politicians who profess a 'prochoice' (pro-abortion) position. This could prove especially awkward for the emerging Democratic frontrunner for president.

It should be understood that this stand is not intended to condemn a public official. It is meant to challenge him or her to question their position on such a fundamental moral question as the direct killing of innocent human lives, and also to educate the public on the seriousness of the Church's position on this matter.

Senate Committee Looks at NASA's Future
The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to look at the future of NASA. Administrator Sean O'Keefe testified first, followed by a panel which included provocative testimony by Rick Tumlinson of the Space Frontier Foundation. The Committee page with links to the witness' testimony is here.

Day of Remenbrance
NASA today took time to remember the anniversaries of the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia tragedies, all three of which fall this week. Administrator Sean O'Keefe said that the time of remembrance should also be a time of rededication to avoid the kind of lapses that led to the fatal accidents.

News from the 'Shire
New Hampshire Primary results: Kerry wins, Dean second, followed by Clark, Edwards & Lieberman.

Several Interesting Articles
Keith Cowing argues for considering other options to save the Hubble Space Telecope from a premature end.

Also, four new articles at The Space Review today. Among them, Phil Smith argues that President Bush's new initiative is the wrong approach. This article really does lay out a broad vision of the human future of developing and settling space, largely through the private sector. I wouldn't necessarily agree that the Bush plan precludes this vision, only that the plan, broadly defined so far, only addresses NASA's role in cutting edge exploration. What is needed is a complementary plan to involve the private sector and enable it to follow the explorers outward.

Jeff Foust looks at the Near Earth Asteroids as a third option. What I noticed about W's address, is that he only laid out a schedule as far as establishing a presence on the Moon with related infrastructure by 2020. Beyond that, the President spoke of "human missions to Mars and to worlds beyond", without providing a timeline. Whether knowingly or not, he leaves the door open for the nation to head to the asteroids ahead of Mars if the opportunity, or especially the threat, is deemed more important at that time.

Missing the Big Story
If 100,000, perhaps 200,000 people, especially a largely young crowd, marched through the streets of Washington to address a serious public issue, the major media organizations would surely provide abundant coverage and analysis, right? Well, in case you missed it last week, check out here and here for an explanation.

No Work Today
My day job, anyway. Did some real work this morning, shoveling snow. Then spent some time catching up on web articles.

Even with the New Hampshire Primary tomorrow, I suspect the most watched analyst around here the past 24 hours was not a political pundit, but the Weather Channel's winter storm expert, Paul Kocin.

One Giant Leap for my Blog



This image shows one of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's first breathtaking views of the martian landscape after its successful landing at Meridiani Planum on Mars. JPL press Release

This is an experiment to show that I can display a picture on my blog. The catch is that I can't post pictures directly on to my blog, since I'm using the free version of Blogger. This image will remain only as long as JPL maintains the link to this picture at the URL I've posted. (NASA imagery is public domain.)

Opportunity Bounce
Opportunity has landed, bounced and is rolling to a stop while maintaining communication. CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former VP Al Gore and a couple of congressmen are in the control room congratulating the team.

Indication of '+Y Petal Down', still modulating signal could indicate continued rolling.

Apparently, vehicle is now stationary, laying sideways with its signal to Earth 'multipathing', giving the appearance of continued rolling. Sideways position is not a problem. When petals open, the vehicle will be uprighted.

Opportunity is set to explore the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, rich in the mineral hematite, a strong indicator of the presence of water at some point in the region's history. For ongoing updates on Opportunity's post-landing activities and Spirit's recovery activities, go to the JPL project web site.

Mars Exploration Update
Controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are troubleshooting the serious operational anomalies affecting the Spirit rover, while also preparing for its sister ship Opportunity to arrive on the other side of the planet late Saturday. Follow the latest developments at JPL's project web site.

Meanwhile, the European Space Agency reports that its Mars Express orbiter has confirmed the presence of water ice in the south polar cap of Mars.

Still Trying to Party like It's 1992
Joel Rosenberg writes that public attitudes on abortion are changing, but the Democratic presidential candidates just don't seem to get it.

Conservatives should know better...
...than to uncritically accept supposed 'facts' sensationalized in the Old Media. However, some conservatives have criticized President Bush's space initiative as fiscally irresponsible, based on the assumption that it would be a 'trillion dollar' effort. The criticism might be valid if that figure were true, but Jim Oberg explains that it would not be nearly that costly.

Citizens of any political persuasion can support making the effort more affordable with a greater payoff by advocating for a greater involvement of the private sector so that it can follow the explorers outward.

A Part of Our Childhood
Bob Keeshan, aka Captain Kangaroo, has passed away at age 76. His show started in 1955, the year I was born.

Speaking Truth to Power
This was my eighth March for Life, but I am still awed by the power of meeting so many nice people who've taken the time and effort to come from many places to stand for life in the nation's capital.

The memorable events began last night with the packed, standing-room-only National Vigil Mass at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This morning started on Capitol Hill where I expressed my point of view to Senators Mikulski & Sarbanes (via filling out a form in their office lobbies). In the same Hart Senate Office Building, I then heard one of the most stirring prolife addresses ever, delivered by Father Frank Pavone. (Hopefully, a transcript or, better yet, a video will be available soon.)

The March itself was, as always, such a powerful experience. Near the end of the March, as Constitution Ave. ascends Capitol Hill, looking back at the sight of a sea of people and banners stretching many blocks distant gives a real sense of the power of this movement.

After attending a couple of post-March receptions, at 6 PM I started back toward Union Station to catch the Metro, but had one more stop. In front of the Supreme Court were two groups. One was a pro-abortion group chanting the same old tired slogans ("Not the Church, not the state, blah, blah, blah, blah!") At the other end of the plaza, an event called Silent No More, where women described the searing experiences of past abortions, and the healing and forgiveness they've felt in coming to terms with them. One group still in denial, the other 'silent no more'.

A long day, where the inspiration more than makes up for the tired legs and feet. I am quite hopeful about the future.

Why We March

This Thursday, January 22, marks the 31st anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions which imposed abortion-on-demand in the United States. Once again, concerned citizens will gather for the annual March for Life, which in recent years has usually drawn more than 100,000 participants. Now, why do so many people consider it so important to take time on a weekday to come to Washington, DC at the coldest time of the year to make their voice heard on this matter?

Before I go on any further, I need to say a couple of things. First, nothing in this article is meant to condemn anyone who has had an abortion or has been involved in abortion in some way. Far from condemning those with an abortion in their past, the people in the prolife movement are about healing and forgiveness, and want it to be clear that there is hope after abortion. Post-abortion counseling can be found through many church denominations and pregnancy counseling centers.

And second, while the prolife movement consists largely of people with strong religious convictions who feel called by God to defend the defenseless, that doesn’t make the protection of human life a narrow, religious issue. The facts that the defenseless exist and that they deserve protection in the human family can be persuasively advocated by non-religiously reasoned arguments.

First, let’s start with a little scientific background (from the Science for Unborn Human Life website) about how each of us began our lives as unique human beings. A new human being is conceived when a sperm fertilizes an egg. The sperm has 23 chromosomes and so does the egg. But the fertilized egg has 46, half from each parent, and is genetically unique. These 46 chromosomes, which are fixed at conception, establish the child's sex and are a blueprint for how it will develop, both during pregnancy and after birth.

Blood vessels start to form very early, about 13-18 days after fertilization. Then, on about the 20th day - nearly the end of the third week - the foundation of the brain, the spinal cord, and the entire nervous system is established. The heart begins to beat on about the 22nd day after conception, circulating blood throughout the child. The arms begin to form on about day 26, followed by the beginnings of the legs on day 28, the same day that the mouth opens for the first time.

Both the eyes and ears are developing rapidly during the seventh week after conception. At this time, the thumbs, neck, heels of the feet and all of the fingers are also present. Taste buds begin to form during the eighth week after conception. All parts of the limbs are apparent at this time. In addition, the fingers and toes have lengthened and are completely separated.

By the end of the eighth week the overwhelming majority (several thousand) of the body's organs, structures and systems have already begun to develop. Few, if any, new structures begin to form after this time. During the remainder of the pregnancy, development consists mainly of growth and maturation of the parts of the body that are already present.

Isolated arm, leg and backward head movements begin at about 7 to 10 weeks after conception. During the ninth week, a regular pattern of breathing movements is observed, with a median frequency of about 30 breaths each hour.

These are just the highlights of how you developed during the first 2-3 months of your life. Now consider that a majority of abortions are performed during the tenth to twelfth week of gestation. Some are performed much later in the pregnancy, when the child has grown larger and any unbiased observer would recognize a baby when they see one.

So why if the evidence so clearly indicates that a unique human life begins at conception, how did the deliberate and violent destruction of that life come to be imposed as a ‘constitutional right’? Time does not permit describing the whole history of abortion or the intertwining influences of the eugenics and population control movements. Let’s start with the socially turbulent late sixties when a growing pro-abortion movement subversively exploited the legitimate aspirations of women for greater rights and participation in society.

Dr. Bernard Nathanson, former abortionist and co-founder of the pro-abortion group NARAL, has since changed his mind and heart and is now a leading prolife advocate. He points out the disinformation at the heart of the pro-abortion campaign.

- “The statistics that we gave to the American public about illegal abortions annually; the statistics we fabricated regarding the number of women dying from illegal abortions annually; all of these matters were pure fabrication and still persist to this very day.”

- “We spoke of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths a year. I confess that I knew the figures were totally false. It was a useful figure, widely accepted, so why go out of our way to correct it with honest statistics?”

- “We in NARAL were in the business of coining slogans principally for the media . . . we scattered catchy slogans for them . . . to use . . . in their stories. Slogans like “reproductive rights,” “freedom of choice,” “pro-choice.” For many years we’ve known them to be hollow and meaningless. They’re just catchy and, essentially, without substance.”

The movement made rapid progress. California, New York and a few other states passed ‘liberalized’ abortion laws (though some other states rejected them). But what embedded abortion in American law were two Supreme Court cases, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, pronounced on January 22, 1973. The combined effect of the two decisions was to effectively impose abortion-on-demand throughout the nine months of pregnancy. Since that time, over forty million human beings have been exterminated by abortion in the United States.

Aside from the grave issue that was decided, the finding that abortion is part of a constitutional ‘right of privacy’ is considered an overreach of judicial power even by some legal scholars who describe themselves as ‘prochoice’. The ‘reasoning’ was based on ‘penumbras’ the justices claim to have seen in the constitution.

Did you know that the two plaintiffs in the Roe and Doe cases, Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano, have filed affidavits to the effect that they were manipulated into their roles and that the decisions should be overturned? You would think that this development would be considered unprecedented in Supreme Court history, but I guess Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, the New York Times, etc. forgot to inform you.

One fact that is becoming evident that abortion-on-demand is not such a great thing for women. Abortion has left many women emotionally and sometimes physically scarred. Campaigns such as Silent No More and Women Deserve Better are tapping into this hidden anguish.

Also evident is the effect on our society, with conflicting attitudes on how we treat not only the unborn, but also the sick, disabled and elderly. Abortion has torn marriages and families apart, and led to a hardened and increasingly violent culture.

So, we have had for the past thirty years, a culture that in some ways has grown cynical, forgoing the promise of a hopeful future for instant gratification, or more often, the resignation to unimaginative “solutions” that pit mother against child or people against the planet. One is reminded of a quote from the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats:

“The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere a ceremony of innocence was drowned.”

These Supreme Court abortion decisions were assumed to have ‘settled’ the issue in our society. Yet much to the consternation of the pro-abortion establishment, the movement of concerned citizens to protect life has only grown in strength over the past thirty years. The prolife movement has pursued multiple paths: educating the public, lobbying and litigating for change, participating in politics, and especially reaching out to help women with unplanned pregnancies.

Particularly significant is that the change in public attitudes on abortion is most striking among young people (who’ve lost peers they’ve never met). This is manifested in polling results and an upsurge of prolife activism among college students, much to the consternation of their professors and, in some cases, their parents. Sort of adds a new twist to some lyrics from the sixties by Buffalo Springfield:

“Young people speaking their minds, Getting so much resistance from behind.”

So the buses are starting to roll, as thousands from distant states once again journey to Washington, where many will gather in prayer the night before or the morning of the March. Then we will rally and march, knowing that those we are trying to defend would some day defend our nation, write great literature, cure disease, compose stirring music, and explore and begin to settle the Solar System.

But more than for their potential accomplishments, we speak out for them simply because of the inherent dignity of each of their lives. In so doing we are responding to a great calling as individuals and as a civilization. And we’ll continue to speak and march and work and pray, confident in the hope that, one of these years, we won’t face the cold winds. Instead, we’ll gather on a warm spring day to celebrate the inclusion of the youngest in the human family within the protection of the law.

"A Time Set Apart"
President gave the State of the Union message. Some highlights included continuing the War on Terror, Patriot Act, making tax cuts permanent, several health care related items and defense of marriage, by constitutional amendment if necessary.

Dems Pelosi & Daschle gave their response. Mostly criticizing W's policies on Iraq, taxes and health care.

The results are in...
...from Iowa. Kerry and Edwards are the big winners. Third place Dean is defiant. Fourth place Gephardt bowing out. Of course, I'm sticking with the incumbent.

Wow!!!
Just this evening saw the LOTR finale, The Return of the King, at the Uptown in DC.

The Inside Story of President Bush's Space Initiative
All three parts of the report by Frank Sietzen Jr. and Keith Cowing are now online, so I'll provide the links here for Part One, Part Two and Part Three.

Apogee Books will publish a book this summer which will further expand on these reports titled New Moon Rising: The Making of George W. Bush's Space Vision and the Remaking of NASA. Should make for quite interesting reading.

W hits another homer this week.
President Bush has made a recess appointment of Charles Pickering to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Watch for squirming Democrats and a howling and shrieking pro-abortion lobby.

Hubble Servicing Cancelled
NASA announced today that there would be no more servicing missions to the Hubble Space Telescope. The decision was made by NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe and was based on the additional post-Columbia safety provisions that would have to be made for Hubble servicing, which would take place in a different orbit than the International Space Station. The Hubble telescope will probably remain operational for several more years, depending on the health of the vehicle's gyroscopes and batteries. Flight software modifications are being developed to enable limited science observations to be conducted with as few as two functioning gyros.

One year ago today,...
...it appeared to be a perfect launch of the STS-107 Columbia mission. Only the engineers reviewing the post-launch videos had any clue that something might have gone wrong...

The Bush Space Initiative
Reaction continues to pour in from around the nation and the world. (See SpaceToday.Net.)

A few notable commentaries:

Mark Whittington says it's about time we pick up where we left off thirty years ago.

Rand Simberg urges a 'Space Program for the Rest of Us'.

Frank Sietzen and Keith Cowing report on 'The inside story of President Bush's space initiative. Part 1 of 3'. This is a very interesting and revealing report. The President expressed a strong awareness of the importance of developing an effective space strategy:

"Bush told his aides the outcome of the processes needed to mean something. It could not be just a stunt or some large spending effort. His new space vision had to emphasize scientific, technological, economic and social importance."

Spirit is on a Roll.
The Rover rolled off the lander this morning and is on the Martian surface. Here is today's JPL press release.

"Human beings are headed into the cosmos."
President Bush gave his long awaited space policy speech this afternoon at NASA HQ. Here is the transcript (PDF). A White House news release and a background sheet were released to accompany the speech.

Some highlights:

-Complete ISS and meet international commitments.

-Return Shuttle to flight, then retire it in 2010.

-New spacecraft, the 'Crew Exploration Vehicle' to begin (unmanned) testing in 2008.

-Return to Moon between 2015-2020. (This was a little confusing. He first said return to the Moon by 2020, but then said crews would start heading there in 2015.)

-Use of the Moon's environment, lighter gravity and resources to head "to Mars and to worlds beyond".

-Establishing a commission chaired by former Air Force Secretary Pete Aldridge to define implementing the plan.

More details, analysis & opinion sure to come.

T-One Day and Counting...
...until the President's Wednesday 3 PM EST speech at NASA HQ, and the Web and Blogosphere are humming with opinion, analysis and speculation. A few highlights:

Glenn Reynolds sees W taking a 'cowboy' approach that would be effective, while offending the politically correct crowd.

Rand Simberg is supportive of the idea, but more skeptical that it is what W has in mind.

Homer Hickam weighs in in the WSJ.

Leonard David shares the views of a number of lunar experts at Space.com.

And the ever prolific Jeff Foust provides several timely analyses at this week's Space Review (including a highly recommended piece by Rick Tumlinson, of the Space Frontier Foundation), a new Space Politics blog, and continually updating links to news & views on the upcoming policy announcement, Spirit on Mars & other news at his SpaceToday.Net.

Prayers are asked for Father Benedict Groeschel, ...
the well-known Franciscan friar who appears on EWTN, who was critically injured in an accident in Orlando, Florida.

Like-minded Blogging Communities
I've decided to register with a couple of blogging communities, St. Blog's Parish and Blogs for Bush. Part of the fun of the Blogosphere is in joining with others with whom one shares common values. Being like-minded doesn't mean unanimity on every topic, and lively discussions can be read.

Some brief background: I'm a middle-aged guy employed in the space industry, working on the Hubble Space Telescope. Of course, all opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer or any other organization I'm affiliated with.

Prior to my current residence in the Maryland suburbs of DC, I lived in Mountain View, CA for 17 years and grew up near Philadelphia. (Go Eagles!)

Here is my local parish. I'm actively involved in space policy advocacy, prolife activities, and sometimes participate in political campaigns.

I launched this blog last July, hopefully raising and connecting ideas that challenged the conventional wisdom. Being a somewhat busy guy with a day job and slow typing fingers, I don't get to blog on every topic or with the depth I would like, nor am I as prolific as some of the bloggers I read. (I'm very thankful for hyperlinks, which allow me to save time explaining every point.) When I get the time, I hope to improve the site, adding more links, a working comment capability etc.

In the meantime, I'll have fun sharing my thoughts and upsetting the conventional wisdom whenever I get the time.

The Big Announcement Next Week?
One person who apparently sees a future in space is President Bush, and if the reports from UPI and Reuters are accurate, we'll be hearing specifics real soon.

Bloggers Debate Space
Mark Shea (Catholic and Enjoying It!) has provoked a lively discussion with his post 'Just to be clear' (actually continuing an earlier thread) on the future in space. He says there isn't any.

My response (about #22 down the comments thread) follows:

"Any human enterprise can be undertaken for legitimate or flawed reasons, and I'll grant that some in the space community may frame their vision in excessively utopian terms. However, opening a new frontier is not a foolish or 'pseudo-eschatological' endeavor.

I believe that God has given us the vision and intellect to do great things for good reason.

We are becoming more aware that an abundance of resources and solar energy exist in the Solar System. The asteroids in particular contain a variety of metals and other resources that will become increasingly accessible in future decades.

As for the practicality, look for the upstart entrepreneurs to begin to undercut the government/industry establishment in lowering the cost of getting into space. There is some serious money starting to back these enterprises, and there may be some interesting news this year.

A civilization that makes investment and sacrifice to open a frontier to provide for future generations is very consistent with a culture of life. This vision is preferable to the pessimistic, static vision of "limits to growth" that has been used to justify coercive anti-life population control policies in recent decades.

Yes, we will take our sinfulness with us when we settle other worlds. But the Church was an active participant in the migration to new frontiers on this planet in human history, and will respond to the call to be with those who settle future frontiers."

UPDATE: Looks like Mark has started another thread this evening on the same theme, if anyone wants to join in.

Star of Wonder
It is rather appropriate that on this weekend of close-up probing of a comet and of the surface of Mars, we observe the feast of the Epiphany, where the Magi's study of the heavens led them to Our Savior.

First pictures...
...from Spirit are shown here at the official JPL/NASA website. The terrain appears rather flat, but is scientifically interesting because Gusev Crater appears to possibly be an ancient lakebed. SpaceToday.net is maintaining a list of links to the enormous number of news reports on the current Mars exploration activities.

"Base petal down"
Call indicates Spirit has landed right-side-up. Simplifies further set-up activities. Solar array deployment is critical. NASA TV signing off coverage until 12:30 AM EST news conference. Continuing mission updates can be read by refreshing this SpaceflightNow.Com page.

Spirit Arrives at Mars' Gusev Crater
(Monitoring NASA TV on cable.) Entry, parachute deploy and retro fire all successful. Initial signal detected upon landing, then lost. Not totally unexpected during several minutes of bouncing. Vehicle has probably come to rest by now. JPL continuing analysis to detect data. JUST Re-ACQUIRED! Joy in JPL control room! Signal is strong. Carrier in lock via Goldstone.

Rep. Hall Finds a New Home
Ralph Hall, well respected prolife & prospace congressman from Texas, has switched parties from Democrat to Republican. The reality-challenged Democratic Party continues to isolate or drive away good leaders like Mr. Hall, Zel Miller of Georgia and the late great Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. Many ordinary Americans have also experienced their party losing touch with their values. I'm one of those proud to call myself a former Democrat.

Stardust Encounters Comet Wild 2
Closest approach occurred this afternoon. An impressive image of the comet's nucleus has been released. A collection of dust particle samples will be returned to Earth in 2004.

The Power of the Blog
It is fitting that my first blogging of 2004 is about... blogging. USA Today describes the impact of the Blogosphere on politics in this article.

Year End Thoughts
There's not time to adequately reflect on the meaning of all the momentous events that occurred in the past year.

The terrible fireball in the Texas morning sky on February 1 signaled the sacrifice of seven brave souls on the Shuttle Columbia, and spurred a long overdue discussion of the direction and implementation of our efforts on the frontier of space.

Heroism and sacrifice were also shown by U.S., British and other allied troops, along with Iraqis who stood up against their brutal tyrant in the war that dominated the news through 2003. Time Magazine's selection of The American Soldier as person of the year is certainly appropriate.

If I were to choose another recipient whose story would also merit the designation 'person of the year', it would be Terri Schindler-Schiavo, whose quiet suffering and incredible will to live, along with the courageous and tenacious efforts of her family and supporters, instigated a grassroots uprising against the bias toward death that has taken hold of many our institutions. Florida Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida State Legislature are to be commended for taking action to save Terri's life.

Terri's story, along with the passage and signing of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, are only two of the most important indicators of the erosion of the politically correct ideological oppression that has held sway over our society for the last thirty years or so. This is coming about largely due to the welcome emergence of the Alt(ernative) Media, which has enabled people to receive and share information, bypassing the biases of the Old Media.

Which brings me to note that 2003 is the year I joined the Blogosphere. Since my July launch of this humble blog, I've enjoyed sharing information along with my thoughts, and sometimes venting my feelings. On to blogging in the decisive Year 2004!

Beagle, Phone Home!
The Beagle 2 Mars Lander has not been heard from after several attempts to contact the robot. Operators are still holding out hope for contact via Beagle's traveling companion, Mars Express, next week. It is possible that the Lander may have landed in a crater.

Solar System exploration will get off to a fast start in 2004 with the Stardust cometary encounter on Jan. 2 and the Spirit Mars rover landing on Jan. 3.

Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!
Michael Novak has a powerful Christmas column at National Review. A particularly insightful paragraph:

"Faith, as Jews and Christians understand it, honors reason, nourishes it, embeds it in a context of nobility and purity, such that all are commanded to respect its autonomy within its own realm. When practitioners of these religions do not so honor science, as often they have not, their rejection can be proven wrong on these two religions' very own philosophical grounds. As practitioners of reason have committed sins against faith, so have practitioners of faith, against reason. If there were no inherent nobility in each, no sin against either would count for so much."

I'll leave you with an account of the First Christmas:

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:1-14

Mars Express & Beagle 2 approach Mars...
...after separating on Friday. Beagle 2 will make landfall on the Isidis Planitia Basin region of Mars on Christmas Day while Mars Express enters Martian orbit, also on Christmas. Mars Express/Beagle 2 is Europe's first robotic mission to Mars.

Meanwhile, NASA's newly renamed Spitzer Space Telescope has produced spectacular infrared images of celestial objects.

Hanukkah and Our Attitude about the Future
Rabbi Daniel Lapin has a provocative column in WorldNetDaily on a message of Hanukkah that is relevant to people of all faiths. He shows examples, ancient and modern, of how a pessimistic Malthusian worldview have been repeatedly disproved by the Creator's providence of material resources and the ingenuity to utilize them to provide for the future. Rabbi Lapin says:

"It only seemed that we lacked sufficient copper, whale oil or wood. In reality, our God-given ingenuity developed exciting new technology that eliminated our need for each commodity just as it was becoming scarce.

Hanukkah's miracle was that, day after day, the Temple's menorah just kept on burning in spite of an apparent shortage of fuel - a metaphor, surely, for all apparent shortages that can be overcome with faith. Hanukkah invites us all to express gratitude to the Creator whose beneficence is boundless. It stimulates discussions that can spur our spiritual growth. It reminds us that with His gift of creativity, challenges become optimistic opportunities to partner with God in creatively solving all material shortage."

The Wright Stuff: From Kitty Hawk to Mojave
One hundred years ago today, Wilbur & Orville Wright undertook humanity's first successful powered manned flight. (Actually, they made four flights that day.) They had better flying conditions than those at today's attempted reenactment.

President Bush addressed the commemoration today, praising the Wright Brothers' feat. He said: "By our skill and daring, America has excelled in every area of aviation and space travel. And our national commitment remains firm: By our skill and daring, we will continue to lead the world in flight."

The President did not make any specific announcement on the direction of national space policy, as was anticipated by earlier speculation. This was not really surprising since expectations were downplayed in the last few days by Washington sources, including the White House Press Secretary. While this non-happening is slightly disappointing, the White House space policy review is apparently still underway. Hopefully, the President and his policy makers understand the importance of opening space and its resources to national security, economic growth and a culture of life, and are taking the time to get the policy right.

While the government continues its space policy development, the private sector moved ahead and made history today. Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites carried out the first flight of a manned vehicle designed and built without government funding to exceed the speed of sound. It was the first rocket-powered flight of SpaceShipOne (SS1), the company's vehicle undergoing testing for eventual suborbital spaceflight. (Look at this awesome image!) Scaled and several other contestants are aiming to attempt suborbital flight next year in order to win the X-Prize. The Wright Brothers' entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, and the second century of flight is off to a fast start.

Score One for Civilization!
The brutal tyrant Saddam Hussein has been captured alive in Iraq by the 4th Infantry Division. Time for prayers of thanksgiving.

Lord of the Rings
Along with the excitement over the hundredth anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight and the buzz over what President Bush may say regarding the future, this Wednesday is also being anticipated for the opening of the final film of the trilogy, Return of the King.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy not only contains an exciting story and spectacular effects, but also a definite spiritual world view. Tolkien's incorporation of Christian and some specifically Catholic themes into his works is described in this article.

Our Lady's Feasts
Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. I know, I don't get to blog everyday, and Monday was the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Whither freedom of speech?
The Washington Post reported yesterday on reaction by advocacy groups across the spectrum to the Supreme Court's upholding of most of the McCain-Feingold Incumbent Protection Act.

While I'm by no means a legal expert, I'm puzzled how the Supreme Court can overextend its reach to find supposed 'rights', but seemingly doesn't give the benefit of the doubt to the freedom of speech explicitly stated in the First Amendment. Of course, responsibility for this outcome must also be shared by the Congress for passing this law and President Bush for signing it, even with doubts about its constitutional validity.

While the extent of McCain-Feingold's impact on free speech will be determined by further events, it is unlikely to achieve its stated goal of driving the excessive influence of money out of politics. Cumbersome legal micro-management usually does not effect its intended change in human behavior.

Air & Space Dedication
As part of the build-up to the centennial of the Wright Brothers' first flight, the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air & Space Museum was dedicated today, presided over by Supreme Court Chief Justice Rehnquist and Vice President Cheney. Participating remotely in the event was the crew currently on-board the International Space Station. The new center opens to the public on Monday, Dec. 15.

The Real St. Nick
Today is the feast day of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra.

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS)
Virginia and Maryland have agreed to establish a regional commercial spaceflight center at Wallops Island, Virginia.

Personal Media Hit
I have a letter-to-the-editor today in the Washington Times on the ongoing White House space policy development.

My letter references the Monday Op-Ed piece by House Space subcommittee Chairman Dana Rohrabacher.

My letter, published today, is linked here. Scroll down to the last letter titled Blasting off the space policy. (The Times chose that title, not me!) A few words were slightly edited, but my points were made intact.

Non-cooperation with the Culture of Death
I've been overdue on reporting on the exciting news of the Austin, Texas area contractors' boycott of Planned Parenthood's planned clinic construction. This is a significant development. Just because the Supreme Court imposed a 'right' to abortion-on-demand doesn't mean the people have to cooperate.

Today is Terri Schindler-Schiavo's 40th Birthday
David Andrusko of National Right to Life provides insight into the report of her guardian ad litem. For more information on the status of Terri's case, go to terrisfight.org.

Probably the most familiar Advent scripture reading:

On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.

On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Isaiah 11:1-10

Advent
Sunday marked the start of the Advent preparation season for Christmas. (I know. Some radio stations have been playing non-stop Christmas music for weeks. Sigh!) Amy Welborn found a good informational link on Advent.

Happy Thanksgiving!

And now, bless the God of all,
who has done wondrous things on earth;
Who fosters people's growth from their mother's womb,
and fashions them according to his will!
May he grant you joy of heart
and may peace abide among you;
May his goodness toward us endure in Israel
to deliver us in our days.

Sirach 50:22-24

For all of the readings for the Thanksgiving Day Mass, click here.

Forty Years Ago
In the Fall of 1963, I was in third grade. On that Friday afternoon, my class first heard the principal's announcement that President Kennedy had been shot. Being in Catholic school, we immediately began saying Hail Marys. Shortly after, the announcement that the President had died, more prayers and my teacher''s statement that we would see this event in our history books.

President John F. Kennedy's Administration made history with the Cuban Missile Crisis, the partial nuclear test ban treaty, the Peace Corps, civil rights and, of course, the reach for the Moon.

Like any historical figure, Kennedy was a complex person in turbulent times. We later learned of the extent of his medical problems and of his moral weakness in terms of extramarital affairs. And of course there is the ongoing controversy surrounding the government's handling of the investigation of his assassination.

Kennedy's call for the lunar landing inspired a generation. It is also seen in hindsight to have created habits in the government's implementation of a centralized space program that sparked innovation in the early years but hindered entrepreneurship in later decades. The current reassessment of our purpose and policy in space will hopefully renew the inspiration while encouraging more innovation and entrepreneurship.

President Kennedy followed his 1961 address to Congress calling for the Moon goal with what might be considered his 'philosophical keynote' speech on space in Houston in September 1962. The text and streaming audio file are available at this link.

SETI Observation Campaign
The SETI Institute is conducting its Fall observing campaign at the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico. Check out the observers' diaries and the SETICam live webcasts of observatory operations.

If anyone still believed that social issues wouldn't play in the '04 campaign,...
... that illusion was blown away by this week's Massachusetts Supreme Court decision and the firestorm of reaction.

For more information, checkout MarriageDebate.com, which contains various links and a blog with posts from those with viewpoints on both sides of the issue, and a Q&A on Marriage from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

White House Space Policy Process
Keith Cowing posted an interesting SpaceRef article containing analysis and speculation on how the Bush space policy is being formulated and what may be the outcome.

Sleepless in the Senate
The Senate debate on the obstruction of President Bush's judicial nominees will extend into Friday morning. The Democrats are now whining that the Republicans are taking valuable time away from urgent national needs to debate what they imply is an unimportant issue of judicial nominees.

Two questions should be raised in the face of this hot air. First, if this debate were not taking place, would the Democrats really be staying up all night working diligently to solve unemployment, poverty, health care, etc., all in two days? And more to the point, if the judicial nominations have suddenly become so unimportant, why continue to spend the time and energy to block them?

UPDATE: On Friday morning, the motions to invoke cloture on three highly qualified nominees: Priscilla Owen, Carolyn Kuhl and Janice Brown did not pass.

The motions to invoke cloture vote averaged 53-42. Sixty votes are necessary to force a vote on the Senate floor. This outcome was not unexpected. Unfortunately, this obstruction will continue, but the issue is not yet settled. Just one more battle in the continuing fight over the fate of our civilization.

Senate Hearing on Lunar Exploration
Attended Thursday's informative session, featuring Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt and three other knowledgeable witnesses. For the full list and links to prepared remarks, click here.

Senator Brownback chaired the entire session, while Senator Bill Nelson participated for part of it and joined in asking questions of the panel. No other Senators were present. Kudos to Senator Brownback and his staff for bringing these forward-looking topics to the attention of Capitol Hill.

UPDATE: The following Space.com article summarizes the key points made in the hearing.

Meanwhile, the House space subcommittee held a hearing on Wednesday on the Commercial Space Act of 2003. (I wasn't present for this hearing.) For more info, click here and for links to prepared remarks, click here

What a difference 'regime change' makes!
While his predecessor used his bloody veto pen to twice veto earlier versions of the bill, President Bush today signed the bill banning partial birth abortion. Yes, elections do matter.

Of course, the pro-abortion forces are howling and shrieking and suing in court. The bill just signed into law was modified from earlier versions to clearly document the medical opinion that there are no 'health reasons' justifying this procedure. How this case will be decided when it reaches the Supreme Court is difficult to predict, since it is an inscrutable mystery how Justice Sandra O'Connor will split her hairs on any given day.

Nevertheless, the cause of life is advancing and today's signing is a cause for celebration.