The Year in Passing

Another year has gone by with events happening faster than I can blog.

January brought humanity’s first (robotic) landfall on the mysterious world of Titan. President Bush’s Second Inaugural and the annual March for Life made for a busy time in Washington, DC.

March became the most heart-wrenching time when Terri Schindler-Schiavo was put to death by dehydration and starvation through judicial fiat despite the heroic efforts of her family, some courageous public officials and many concerned citizens. It remains to be seen whether this marks our plunge off the cliff into a culture of death or a galvanizing moment that will lead to a culture of life.

Terri’s death was followed two days later on April 2 by the passing of that great champion of the dignity of every human life, Pope John Paul II. It is no exaggeration to say that JPII’s service as the Vicar of Christ for over twenty-six years was the greatest influence of an individual on society during my lifetime and perhaps for much longer. Another strong and holy man, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, was called to assume the papacy as Pope Benedict XVI to continue the work of leading the Church in the world.

April also brought a new administrator to NASA. Dr. Michael Griffin moved quickly to expedite the Vision for Space Exploration announced by President Bush in 2004.

The year’s best July Fourth fireworks occurred millions of miles from the good old USA when the Deep Impact spacecraft accomplished its encounter with Comet Tempel 1. Late July brought the Return To Flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery over two years after the Columbia catastrophe. The enhanced monitoring added to the Shuttle system proved its worth by showing that work was still needed to allow future flights to continue.

Fireworks of a different sort surrounded W’s nomination of Federal Appeals Court Judges and eventually Supreme Court justices. The nominations of John Roberts to replace the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist and, after the bizarre turn of events surrounding the Harriet Miers nomination, and of Samuel Alito to replace Justice Sandra O’Connor brought out the howling-and-shrieking of the usual suspects. Of course, John Roberts is now Chief Justice and Samuel Alito’s hearings start a week into the new year.

Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma made for the most devastating hurricane season in modern American history, causing images of extreme suffering and some official finger-pointing, but also brought about a tremendous outpouring of public support for relief efforts. The devastation left by these storms in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast is far from being completely erased but resilient efforts are ongoing. Meanwhile, a devastating earthquake killed many thousands in Pakistan as other parts of South Asia still try to recover from last year’s tsunami.

The December elections in Iraq, following two preliminary votes earlier in the year, underscored the desire of Iraqis, like people everywhere, to live in peace and freedom. The domestic acrimony over the war goes on, even as underreported progress is being made toward Iraq determining its own future despite frantic terrorist acts. The sacrifices being made by American men and women in military service cannot be appreciated enough.

Underlying all of the controversies of the past year is the story of the Old Media ‘spinning’ out of control as the various New Media continue to change the landscape. While a healthy media skepticism is vital to keeping public officials accountable, the continuous distorted hyperventilating on alleged scandals in the Bush Administration and Congress, treatment of suspected terrorist prisoners, Katrina response, Valery Plame, NSA surveillance, etc., etc., etc. is only making the Old Media look ridiculous.

I believe that much of this Old Media frenzy is a sort of ‘proxy war’ for the ongoing cultural struggles over issues of life-and-death, sex, and religion. To use an analogy familiar from living in California for seventeen years, the pressure on the fault lines is building.

Meanwhile, with God’s providence, humans will continue to progress toward the stars and on many fronts close to home. Happy New Year and fasten your seatbelts for another wild ride in 2006.

Hanukkah and Our Attitude about the Future

(This is a post I originally made in 2003 and feel is worth repeating, especially in light of ongoing developments that could lead to human expansion into space that would provide resources for future generations.)

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.

Have a Holy and Merry 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

NASA Authorization Passes

The legislation passed this week includes an endorsement of the Vision for Space Exploration, for prizes for space technology development, and for an expanded search for Near Earth Objects (NEOs).

Scrubbed Again

The launch of SpaceX's inaugural Falcon 1 rocket was postponed moments from launch because of a "structural issue" with a fuel tank. Launch is expected no earlier than late January.

Iraqis Vote for Freedom

The purple fingers rose in stronger numbers than ever as Iraq moves toward establishing a peaceful and free society.

"One of the most memorable things I saw were families, mothers and fathers taking their children to the polling stations. It was clear everyone knew what was at stake here and I think it was quite successful," USAID Mission Director Dawn Liberi told FOX News from Baghdad. "All the polls show Iraqis think democracy is the No. 1 priority for them … they want to get on with their lives, they don't want to be bombed, they don't want to be hostages to an insurgency."

Space Tourism Advances

Two developments were announced this week marking advances toward a space tourism industry. Virgin Galactic and the state of New Mexico have reached an agreement to fly suborbital flights out of the planned spaceport in that state.

Meanwhile, the Canadian company PlanetSpace has announced plans for an orbital passenger vehicle.

Medical Advances

The National Cancer Institute is starting a pilot program to map the genetic makeup of cancer. This could speed the development of targeted cancer treatments with fewer side effects.

Also, scientists at the University of Louisville have announced the discovery of a certain kind of adult stem cell with the versatility attributed to embryonic stem cells, but without the ethical issues or potential side effects. So far, I haven't heard the Old Media breathlessly announcing this one as they would a supposed advance with embryonic stem cells.

Way Out of Town

I've returned from a vacation in Rome last week, traveling with my sister to visit our niece who is wrapping up a semester of study over there. We had quite exciting experiences including the Wednesday general audience with Pope Benedict, tours of the Vatican and other religious and cultural sites, and ventures to Florence and the mountain top town of Orvieto. And, of course, we enjoyed some great Italian food and wine.

Our trip from Philadelphia to Rome took about eight-and-a-half hours and return (against the jet stream) took about nine-and-a-half hours. Someday, that trip might be a lot faster. Congratulations to XCOR for taking a small but historic first step in that direction.

SpaceX Sets a Date

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), has announced a launch time of 4 PM EST on Friday, November 25 (9 AM Saturday morning at the Pacific launch site) for the first Falcon 1 rocket.

W Strikes Back!

In a Veteran's Day address in Pennsylvania on Friday, President Bush took on critics who claim he manipulated intelligence data to justify the war in Iraq.

And our debate at home must also be fair-minded. One of the hallmarks of a free society and what makes our country strong is that our political leaders can discuss their differences openly, even in times of war. When I made the decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power, Congress approved it with strong bipartisan support. I also recognize that some of our fellow citizens and elected officials didn't support the liberation of Iraq. And that is their right, and I respect it. As President and Commander-in-Chief, I accept the responsibilities, and the criticisms, and the consequences that come with such a solemn decision.

While it's perfectly legitimate to criticize my decision or the conduct of the war, it is deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how that war began. (Applause.) Some Democrats and anti-war critics are now claiming we manipulated the intelligence and misled the American people about why we went to war. These critics are fully aware that a bipartisan Senate investigation found no evidence of political pressure to change the intelligence community's judgments related to Iraq's weapons programs.

They also know that intelligence agencies from around the world agreed with our assessment of Saddam Hussein. They know the United Nations passed more than a dozen resolutions citing his development and possession of weapons of mass destruction. And many of these critics supported my opponent during the last election, who explained his position to support the resolution in the Congress this way: "When I vote to give the President of the United States the authority to use force, if necessary, to disarm Saddam Hussein, it is because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a threat, and a grave threat, to our security." That's why more than a hundred Democrats in the House and the Senate -- who had access to the same intelligence -- voted to support removing Saddam Hussein from power. (Applause.)

The stakes in the global war on terror are too high, and the national interest is too important, for politicians to throw out false charges. (Applause.) These baseless attacks send the wrong signal to our troops and to an enemy that is questioning America's will. As our troops fight a ruthless enemy determined to destroy our way of life, they deserve to know that their elected leaders who voted to send them to war continue to stand behind them. (Applause.) Our troops deserve to know that this support will remain firm when the going gets tough. (Applause.) And our troops deserve to know that whatever our differences in Washington, our will is strong, our nation is united, and we will settle for nothing less than victory. (Applause.)

On The Way

The European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft has been launched toward Venus.

Faith and Science

Faith and science are compatible, according to a Vatican cardinal. Meanwhile, a Jesuit astronomer ponders some big picture questions such as the possibility of other intelligent beings in the universe.

Brother Consolmagno told Catholic News Service that the whole question of how Catholicism would hold up if some form of life were discovered on another planet has piqued people's curiosity "for centuries."

He said his aim with the booklet was to reassure Catholics "that you shouldn't be afraid of these questions" and that "no matter what we learn, it doesn't invalidate what we already know" and believe. In other words, scientific study and discovery and religion enrich one another, not cancel out each other.

If new forms of life were to be discovered or highly advanced beings from outer space were to touch down on planet Earth, it would not mean "everything we believe in is wrong," rather, "we're going to find out that everything is truer in ways we couldn't even yet have imagined," he said.

Two Items Not Being Celebrated By The Politically Correct Set

Today is the 25th anniversary of the election of Ronald Reagan to the presidency, as noted by James Pinkerton.

Instead, 25 years ago today, on November 4, 1980, the voters in 44 states chose Ronald Reagan. So this day, like any happy anniversary, is worth celebrating. But in addition, we should remember that while Reagan demonstrated the importance of optimism, another conservative immortal, Barry Goldwater, offered us a sterner injunction: There are no final victories. And so on this day, and on all days henceforth, we must recommit ourselves to the maintenance, and the furtherance, of the Reaganaut agenda -- because if we don't, we could lose it all.

Meanwhile, the incumbent president whom the Gipper unseated is now urging his party to back away from its obsessively pro-abortion position, as reported by the Washington Times.

Mr. Carter said his party's congressional leadership only hurts Democrats by making a rigid pro-abortion rights stand the criterion for assessing judicial nominees.
"I have always thought it was not in the mainstream of the American public to be extremely liberal on many issues," Mr. Carter said. "I think our party's leaders -- some of them -- are overemphasizing the abortion issue."
While Mr. Carter has previously expressed ambivalence about abortion, his statements yesterday were "astonishing," said Robert Knight, director of the Culture and Family Institute at Concerned Women for America.
"He has long professed to be an evangelical Christian and yet he had embraced virtually all the liberal political agenda," said Mr. Knight. "Maybe with Jimmy Carter saying things he never uttered before, more liberals will rethink their worship of abortion as the high holy sacrament of liberalism."

Now It's Alito!

That demonic howling-and-shrieking you hear is not from Halloween spooks, but from the usual suspects reacting to W's nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, conservatives, prolifers, and others who support constitutional jurisprudence are rallying to support the Alito nomination. Let's Roll!

Two Who Made a Difference

Charles Millard, writing for National Review Online, takes note of two people who passed away this week who advanced the cause of human rights.

Rosa Parks died a legend in the fight for civil rights, and rightly so. Her willingness to serve as the personification of the fight against Jim Crow laws in Montgomery, Ala., may seem obvious in retrospect: Who wouldn't want to change history for the better? But keep in mind that this was not some academic, "good government" kind of exercise. Rosa Parks put her life at genuine risk to win the enforcement of some basic human rights.

It is less well known that Wellington Mara, too, fought to protect human rights. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote that we are all endowed by our creator with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — and Mara made a point of defending that fundamental right to life. It is interesting that the lengthy obituaries this week discuss many dimensions of Mara — as Catholic, old-school, and a gentleman — but few so much as mention his dedication to the cause of protecting the lives of the unborn.

Washington Intrigue

I'm not sure what to make of the indictment of VP Cheney's aide 'Scooter' Libby. The indictment is not on the original case behind the investigation, the supposed 'outing' of CIA operative Valerie Plame, but on charges of perjury, misleading the grand jury, and obstruction of justice. From the outside, it is difficult to know whether any deception was intentional or simply a result of fading two year old memories.

The Dems and the Old Media, who must be frustrated that W's aide Karl Rove was not also indicted today, are trying to make this into another Watergate. I don't know where this will end up, but these are different times and different circumstances.

Harriet Miers Withdraws

While I was taking a wait-and-see position, I am relieved at the Miers nomination withdraw. Recent revelation of apparently conflicting public statements added to the uncertainty surrounding this nomination.

Ms. Miers deserves credit for gracefully withdrawing and so does President Bush for accepting it. Now he has an opportunity to nominate a clearly qualified constitutionalist for the vacant seat, which will spark an intense national discussion on legal issues and philosophy.

Man of Steele

Lt. Gov. Michael Steele on Tuesday formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat from Maryland (replacing the retiring Paul Sarbanes). His run will cross conventional party lines and draw national attention and money to the Maryland race.

Results of Hubble Lunar Surveys

NASA today announced the results of the August lunar observations by the Hubble Space Telescope.

"These observations of the moon have been a challenging and highly successful technological achievement for NASA and the Hubble team, since the telescope was not originally designed for lunar observations,” said Jennifer Wiseman, program scientist for the Hubble at NASA Headquarters. “The images will inform both scientific studies of lunar geology and future decisions on further lunar exploration," she said.

Here is another site with further explanation and a link to more images.

And, speaking of the frontier, I'm off to the Space Frontier Conference 14 in LA this weekend.

'Purple Fingers' Arise Again

Iraqi citizens went to the polls to vote on a new constitution (results to be announced in several days). While predictions about the situation in Iraq are always tricky, the fact that terrorist violence against the election was less than expected lends hope to the possibility that the more Iraqi citizens of each of the factions feel they have a stake in democracy, the more likely the terrorists can be isolated and defeated.

Ongoing Miers Nomination Furor

Developments even in the past twenty four hours have been too numerous for my slow typing fingers to keep up with. I have heard conflicting clues regarding Ms. Miers' qualifications and judicial philosophy. Debate is a healthy thing, but I think the rhetoric on both sides has at times gotten a little too heated.

As one of millions who worked hard for W's re-election last year, I do not feel 'betrayed' by the President's nomination of someone he has reason to be confident reflects his (and many of our) view of the constitutional role of the judiciary. I also feel that some of the comments regarding Ms. Miers' limited qualifications were too sweeping. Not all Supreme Court justices have been constitutional scholars, but have come from various experiences with the law.

At the same time, the critics of the nomination do raise some serious question that deserve attention, especially given the importance of the Supreme Court's involvement with fundamental issues of life and liberty. Comments, some from within the White House itself, referring to critics of the nomination as 'sexist', 'elitist', or 'disloyal' are also overly heated.

Some have urged the President to withdraw the nomination or for Ms. Miers to withdraw herself. I'm not joining this call, as I'm reluctant to support pressuring a nominee to withdraw before she has a chance to speak for herself in the Senate hearings (though, given the turns this nomination fight has taken, I admit that I might be relieved if she does take that course).

China's New Star in Orbit

China's second manned spaceflight is underway as Shenzhou 6 was launched, carrying 'taikonauts' Fei Junlong and Nie Haishen for a planned five day flight. China became the third country to launch a human into space two years ago, and plans future missions including a space station and a robotic lunar probe in the next few years.

More on Blessed von Galen

Perhaps the Miers nomination debate has distracted attention from the occasion of this courageous prolife Church leader being elevated a step toward sainthood. I've found no mention of Cardinal von Galen's beatification yesterday among the prominent Catholic or prolife blogs I've surveyed, except for Catholic Analysis, who reposted the Vatican Information Service (VIS) news release describing the event.

Returning to his prepared text, the Holy Father continued: "Among the many witnesses of Christ in the twentieth century, the figure of this zealous pastor and generous bishop stands out. The Lord gave him the heroic courage to defend the rights of God, of the Church and of man, which the National Socialist regime gravely and systematically violated in the name of an aberrant neo-pagan ideology.

"His beatification today again presents him as a model of profound and intrepid faith. We invoke the intercession of the new Blessed: may he bless the Church and human society in Germany, Europe and the entire world."

Cardinal von Galen Beatified

Cardinal Clemens August von Galen (1878-1946), bishop of Munster, Germany, was beatified today at the Vatican, a step toward his sainthood. Cardinal von Galen spoke out boldly against the culture of death that was Nazi Germany. In particular, he denounced the Nazi euthanasia program that killed many sick and disabled persons.

If you establish and apply the principle that you can kill 'unproductive' fellow human beings then woe betide us all when we become old and frail! If one is allowed to kill the unproductive people then woe betide the invalids who have used up, sacrificed and lost their health and strength in the productive process. If one is allowed forcibly to remove one's unproductive fellow human beings then woe betide loyal soldiers who return to the homeland seriously disabled, as cripples, as invalids. If it is once accepted that people have the right to kill 'unproductive' fellow humans--and even if initially it only affects the poor defenseless mentally ill--then as a matter of principle murder is permitted for all unproductive people, in other words for the incurably sick, the people who have become invalids through labor and war, for us all when we become old, frail and therefore unproductive.

Then, it is only necessary for some secret edict to order that the method developed for the mentally ill should be extended to other 'unproductive' people, that it should be applied to those suffering from incurable lung disease, to the elderly who are frail or invalids, to the severely disabled soldiers. Then none of our lives will be safe any more. Some commission can put us on the list of the 'unproductive,' who in their opinion have become worthless life. And no police force will protect us and no court will investigate our murder and give the murderer the punishment he deserves.

Who will be able to trust his doctor any more?

Blessed Cardinal van Galen's words have an ominous relevance to our society today. Let's pray that leaders in the Church and society today follow his courageous example and speak out in defense of life.

X-Prize Cup Countdown

This year's Countdown to the X-Prize Cup event in Las Cruces, N.M. featured some flight demonstrations (not all successful) of emerging privately developed space technology, plus a NASA announcement of two prizes for suborbital space development, as reported by MSNBC.

The rocket show was the climax to the Countdown to the X Prize Cup exposition, presented here by the X Prize Foundation. The event follows up on last year's big finish to a $10 million competition for suborbital spaceflight.

On Sunday, one rocket soared, and another blew up. Yet another spaceship lifted off, hovered for a few seconds, then fell over when it landed. Several companies showed off mockups of several future spaceships, and NASA took advantage of the occasion to announce yet more contests for private-enterprise rocketeers.

Another Natural Catastrophe

The earthquake centered in Pakistan has claimed over 20,000 lives. With the recent hurricane damage fresh in our minds, we are reminded that people around the planet are suffering from calamities and need our assistance and prayers.

War on Terror

New York City remains on high alert after a reported threat of terrorist action against the city's subway system. The fact that the source of the information was a terrorist captured in Iraq would tend to corroborate President Bush's position that the war in Iraq is a key focus of the global war with terrorists.

Just yesterday, the President gave a major speech on the war on terrorism, in which he described the nature of the enemy:

Some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others, militant Jihadism; still others, Islamo-fascism. Whatever it's called, this ideology is very different from the religion of Islam. This form of radicalism exploits Islam to serve a violent, political vision: the establishment, by terrorism and subversion and insurgency, of a totalitarian empire that denies all political and religious freedom. These extremists distort the idea of jihad into a call for terrorist murder against Christians and Jews and Hindus -- and also against Muslims from other traditions, who they regard as heretics.

and stated the determination needed to prevail:

There's always a temptation, in the middle of a long struggle, to seek the quiet life, to escape the duties and problems of the world, and to hope the enemy grows weary of fanaticism and tired of murder. This would be a pleasant world, but it's not the world we live in. The enemy is never tired, never sated, never content with yesterday's brutality. This enemy considers every retreat of the civilized world as an invitation to greater violence. In Iraq, there is no peace without victory. We will keep our nerve and we will win that victory.

The Miers Brouhaha

President Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers as Supreme Court Justice has sparked a raging discussion, particularly in conservative circles. Amy Welborn links to some of the major sources of commentary, while prolife groups are tending toward supporting the Miers nomination.

My view? While I do think W could have picked someone with more of a legal intellectual background to persuasively move the court, I don't share the doom-and-gloom sentiments of some who feel that the Prez has betrayed his most passionate grassroots supporters. As the President has known his nominee fairly well for a number of years, I don't think this is quite the gamble his father took (and lost) on the unknown David Souter.

I am probably in a middle position on this nomination. Let's everyone take a deep breath and calm down until the Senate hearings provide a chance to evaluate Ms. Miers' world view and qualifications. Let's keep in mind the words of a most respected and beloved conservative leader who said "Trust, but verify."

Expedition 12 Liftoff

The Expedition 12 crew, plus the third paying 'space tourist', has just launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on their way to the International Space Station.

Roberts is In!

John Roberts was confirmed and sworn in today as Supreme Court Chief Justice. Meanwhile , the usual suspects are already howling and shrieking about the next nominee before he/she is even named.

Rita Fading

Rita has done severe damage and cause disruption of people's lives. However, the devastation that could have happened didn't, especially in the Houston area.

Rita Rising



Hurricane Rita is approaching landfall early Saturday along the Texas/Louisiana coast after an unprecedented evacuation of Houston and other areas. Here is CNN's continuing update page.

While the eye of Rita will likely pass a little east of the Houston area, NASA is taking no chances, pulling the 'rideout crew' out of Johnson Space Center.

We need to keep all those affected by this storm in our prayers.

Return to the Moon Plan

NASA today publicly unveiled its plan to resume human exploration of the Moon within the next fifteen years. Images released show vehicles that appear to be enlarged versions of the pioneering Apollo spacecraft, but equipped with 21st Century software and electronics.

Big Picture Thinking

While recovery from Hurricane Katrina and determining the direction of the Supreme Court demand the attention of our leaders right now, Phil Smith, writing in The Space Review, looks at the long term future of humanity and the vision and policy needed to get there.

In practical terms, this means very little to most people. However, it really should mean something to our nation’s leaders, because recognizing the beginning of a revolution in thought is the essence of vision, and vision is essential to leadership. For the first time, life is poised to leave the Earth for permanent residence in space. This represents the most significant biological event since the emergence of life itself about four billion years ago. A leader who recognizes this can more aptly produce a policy that will guide us into space.

Lest We Forget...

...today is the fourth anniversary of the horrific attacks on the nation. Yesterday, I went over to the Pentagon where the public was allowed to see the (now rebuilt) site where the plane had crashed, including a memorial shrine and chapel.

Taming the Floods

CNN reports that Federal officials in charge of Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in New Orleans said that pumping the water out of the city is the "number one challenge", while the Army Corps of Engineers says the outlook is improving.

According to the Army Corps of Engineers, 32 of the 148 pumps in and around New Orleans were operating as of noon Saturday.

Allen said the pumps are steadily coming back on line.

"Everything is related to the unwatering at this point," he added.

The Army Corps of Engineers Saturday revised its timetable for draining the flood waters from New Orleans, saying the draining should be completed in October, far sooner than previous estimates.

While not understating the immense suffering already experienced and the challenges ahead, the amazing resiliency of human beings once again may bring about recovery faster than predictions made in the darkest days of the crisis.

Katrina Update

Here is today's update from CNN, including the continuing evacuation of New Orleans, status of levee repair and pumping of water out of the city, and W's request for additional federal funds for the Gulf Coast region.

And here's a list of organizations and ways to help.

Honoring a Giant in American History

I went downtown after work earlier this evening to pass through the Supreme Court and pay my respects to the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist. (Fox News article here)

Chief Justice Rehnquist left his mark in many ways. Early in his Supreme Court service, he proved to be on the right side of justice and history by dissenting, along with Justice Byron White, from the infamous 1973 decisions which imposed abortion-on-demand on American Society.

Hubble in 'Two Gyro Science' Mode

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Has been reconfigured to carry out science observations on two gyroscopes instead of three. This will help extend the telecope's life while awaiting a possible Shuttle servicing mission.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 1924-2005

The Chief Justice passed away Saturday evening.

Having the Chief Justice slot open as the Senate hearings for John Roberts for Associate Justice are about to begin and as the nation begins the long work of recovery from a massive natural disaster is the latest twist in the drama of history.

Aftermath

The day after Hurricane Katrina struck, the devastation in the Gulf Area is becoming apparent. Breaches in the levees around New Orleans mean the situation there may get worse before it gets better. The Governor of Louisiana has ordered an evacuation of those remaining in the city. (I haven't heard how this will be accomplished logistically.) MSNBC's web site provides an index of articles and a list of organizations accepting donations for post-storm aid. And we need to keep everyone involved in our prayers.

Katrina Targets New Orleans



The massive Hurricane Katrina approaches the Gulf Coast as residents evacuate or take shelter. May they be in our thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: Monday 8/29 ~8:30 PM.
Katrina veered slightly to the east, sparing New Orleans from the worst case scenario, but there is still much devastation in the Gulf Region to recover from.

Hubble Peaks at the Moon

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was used last week to observe sites on the lunar surface in a test of remote sensing of lunar resources, according to Maggie McKee, who writes for New Scientist magazine.

"We're trying to ascertain the potential of ultraviolet spectra for indicating lunar resources," says Bruce Hapke, a planetary scientist at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, US. He is one of a team of six researchers led by NASA's chief scientist, Jim Garvin, using Hubble to view the Moon.

In particular, the team hopes to be able to identify a mineral called ilmenite - or iron titanium oxide - which has previously been found in lunar soil samples. "It has properties which would be useful in constructing a lunar base," Hapke told New Scientist.

The article goes on to state the observations' relevance to NASA's exploration plans.

He adds that the time for the Hubble observations would probably not have been allocated were it not for US president George W Bush's "Vision for Space Exploration", which calls for returning people to the Moon by about 2018.

A Giant Leap For Nanotubes

Along with the biomedical development described in yesterday's post, this nanotechnology breakthrough could also have a big impact on society.

Space Tech Could Alter Stem Cell Field

A technology derived from NASA micro-gravity research could provide a new ethical and more effective source of stem cells, as reported at CNET.

Microgravity technology developed by NASA can multiply stem cells from a newborn's blood in large enough quantities to be used to regenerate human tissue, London scientists have found.

Researchers at U.K.-based Kingston University have discovered primitive stem cells in the umbilical cord blood of infants that are similar to those from human embryos, which can be used to develop into any tissue in the body. The newly discovered human cells, called "cord-blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells" or CBEs, are more versatile than adult stem cells, found in bone marrow, which can mend damaged tissue during life.

WYD 2005



Young people from around the world are gathering with Pope Benedict XVI in Cologne, Germany, providing a spark of Faith in Christ much needed in Europe right now. Amy Welborn provides a list of links and blogs for the event.

NET March 2006...

...for resumption of Space Shuttle flights.

Evolution and Design

Frederick Turner has an interesting analysis that transcends the conventional assumptions about evolution and Intelligent Design as being two mutually exclusive concepts.

A perfect creator would surely have no need to step in once the process was going. He would not be a "god of the gaps", where we bring God in just when we can't explain some connection in the history of the universe, on the assumption that this was where God had to fix some imperfection in the process. A perfect creator would not be hostage to the possibility that one by one the gaps would be filled by good clear science. He would not need to be successively robbed of the credit for making the warmth and light of the sun, the thunder and lightning, the motions of the planets, and the wonders of digestion and muscular contraction and psychological motivation as they are explained by science, because he could take the even greater credit for having created the natural process that produced all of them.

While there is much subtlety in the discussion of this whole topic, I find this article to be the most satisfying I've seen so far. I would add that this does not preclude God from intervening in human history, which He did by sending His Son to save us from our sins.

On the way to Mars


NASA/KSC

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) was successfully launched this morning on an Atlas V booster. When it arrives at Mars next March, MRO will begin to image the Martian surface with unprecedented resolution, probably leading to more unimagined discoveries.

Voices of 9/11

The release of the New York Fire Department's recordings of emergency radio traffic remind us of the unspeakable evil but also the great courage and kindness shown that day.

RTM Wrap-Up

A quite comprehensive report on the Return to the Moon conference in Las Vegas which I attended last month is posted at HobbySpace.

Welcome Home Discovery!

It may be a day late and at the other end of the country, but the crew of the Shuttle Discovery returned safely from their crucial mission this morning.

With veteran commander Eileen Collins at the controls, Discovery swooped to a ghostly, tire-smoking touchdown on runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert at 8:11:22 a.m. EDT, one day late because of concern about cloudy weather in Florida. The crew had two shots at a Kennedy Space Center landing today, but off-shore storms forced entry flight director LeRoy Cain to divert the shuttle to California.

A New World

Astronomers have announced the discovery of a new object in the outer Solar System that is larger than Pluto. Assuming Pluto retains its designation as the ninth planet, this new object will likely become known as number ten.

Jeff Foust links to several articles about this exciting and historic development.

Notorious Anti-Abortion Group

I'm finally catching up with this story, and critics of Supreme Court nominee John Roberts seem to have backed off from the line of attack concerning his wife's involvement with a certain prolife group. Perhaps it is because they realize that the more they draw attention to Feminists for Life, the more they undercut their own argument that abortion is in the best interest of women.

Embryonic Gyrations

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has announced that he supports embryonic stem cell research (ESCR). Of course the Senator and other ESCR supporters and especially the Old Media continue to 'overlook' the fact that the real action is with adult stem cells.

Future Shuttle Flights Grounded

NASA has announced that the large pieces of foam that came off the External Tank during ascent (thankfully missing the Orbiter Discovery) indicate a problem that needs to be fixed before future flights are launched. At least with all of the imagery obtained on this flight, engineers will have a head start in troubleshooting the problem.

Return to Flight!!


NASA/KSC

Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off this morning and the crew is beginning to carry out their mission on orbit. Today's launch is the culmination of two-and-a-half years of hard work and dedication following the tragic loss of Shuttle Columbia and her crew.

Space Geeks Do Vegas!

Well, attendees at the Return to the Moon conference did have a good time. However, the conference brought together some of the leaders in government, established and entrepreneurial space companies, scientists, engineers, lawyers and citizen space advocates to examine where we are in the effort to return to the Moon to stay.

Technical aspects of flying to the Moon and using its resources were discussed, along with a stimulating discussion by leading space lawyers on the topic of space property rights. But the big news coming out of the conference is the announcement by NASA officials of new approaches to achieving its space exploration goals.

There’s just one problem with this approach: the money’s not there. Shank made that clear in his presentation as he outlined the overall exploration roadmap. “We’ve run the numbers, the budget numbers, and we can’t afford this plan—we simply can’t—if we follow the business-as-usual approach.” He didn’t go into the specifics of what made this unaffordable, although he later indicated that the problems were in the out-years beyond 2010 when NASA had to fund continued operations of the ISS and the new CEV while developing a heavy-lift launch vehicle and other systems needed for a human return to the Moon.

However, as Shank put it, “If there’s one thing about Mike Griffin that industry and stakeholders are learning about, it’s that he’s not a business-as-usual kind of guy… The NASA budget is only so much per year. It is just a matter of what it is you want to do with that money. So we, NASA, need to be smarter customers.”

Apollo Anniversary


NASA

Tomorrow is the 36th anniversary of humanity's first expedition to the lunar surface, and I'll be off to attend the Return to the Moon VI conference.

Also, tomorrow is the second anniversary of the launch of this humble blog. (Please scroll to the bottom for the inaugural post.)

John Roberts It Is

W has announced his pick of Appeals Judge John Roberts as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Judge Roberts is widely respected for his qualifications and legal thought. Never-the-less, the howling and shrieking from the usual suspects has begun. (Obvious example here.)

Launch Scrub

Today's launch scrub is only a familiar disappointment to those familiar with space activity. The launch will occur in several days at the earliest, according to the articles from Space.com and CBS News/Spaceflight Now.

Meanwhile, Frank Sietzen and Keith Cowing report that the White House and NASA are considering starting an early phase-out of the Shuttle fleet.

Anticipation

Space Shuttle Discovery is still GO for launch tomorrow, despite an incident involving a window covering falling and striking the Shuttle. Meanwhile, the families of the men and women who gave their lives on the Shuttle Columbia have expressed their support for the STS-114 crew and their mission.

As the families of Apollo 1 and Challenger before us, we grieve deeply but know the exploration of space must go on. We hope we have learned, and will continue to learn, from each of these accidents, so that we will be as safe as we can be in this high risk endeavor.

I've been watching the coverage on the various network news shows and an inspiring special on MSNBC tonight. There's an electrifying feeling like there has been on other key launches going back to the sixties. Much is riding on the outcome of this flight.

May God bless the STS-114 Discovery crew and grant them safe travel as they carry out their mission.

The Countdown Is Underway

For the first time since the launch of the fatal STS-107 Columbia mission in January 2003, a countdown is underway for a Shuttle launch. Discovery is scheduled to liftoff on Wednesday afternoon July 13 at 3:51 p.m. EDT (1951 GMT).

Dennis Storms the Gulf Coast



Hurricane Dennis came ashore today along the Florida Panhandle.

A Harsh Reminder

With serious domestic battles over the Supreme Court and other more mundane and sometimes trivial items in the news recently, it's been easy to let the terrorism war slip into the background. This morning's horrendous attacks in London are a reminder that the war is very much with us. A summary of stories on the attacks posted by CNN is here.

In a terrible time, strong leadership is critical. Statements were made by Prime Minister Tony Blair

When they try to intimidate us, we will not be intimidated. When they seek to change our country or our way of life by these methods, we will not be changed. When they try to divide our people or weaken our resolve, we will not be divided and our resolve will hold firm. We will show, by our spirit and dignity, and by our quiet but true strength that there is in the British people, that our values will long outlast theirs. The purpose of terrorism is just that, it is to terrorise people, and we will not be terrorised.

and President George W. Bush

The war on terror goes on. I was most impressed by the resolve of all the leaders in the room. Their resolve is as strong as my resolve. And that is we will not yield to these people, will not yield to the terrorists. We will find them, we will bring them to justice, and at the same time, we will spread an ideology of hope and compassion that will overwhelm their ideology of hate.

And this AP article reports on Pope Benedict XVI's statement.

"Deeply saddened by the news of the terrorist attacks in central London, the Holy Father offers his fervent prayers for the victims and for all those who mourn," the telegram said. "While he deplores these barbaric acts against humanity, he asks you to convey to the families of the injured his spiritual closeness at this time of grief."

Happy Independence Day!

As we celebrate, let's rededicate ourselves to the principle of human dignity proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

WOW!!!



Impact images are posted on the Deep Impact project web site.

Impact!

Images from flyby spacecraft grainy but spectacular. Will be enhanced later.

Confirmation brings cheering in the JPL control room! Spectacular images being shown of impact.

Going back to bed. What a spectacular way to begin Independence Day!

Awaiting Impact...

a few minutes away. Final maneuver reported 'right on'.

Deep Impact

The Deep Impact spacecraft is closing in on it's target, comet Tempel 1, with impact set for 1:52 AM (EDT) tomorrow morning. The impact probe was released from the main spacecraft early this morning.

The Mars Event That Won't (But Did) Happen

If you receive an e-mail about a spectacular opposition of Mars coming up on August 27, don't believe it. The article does describe a real event. The problem is that the Mars opposition described in the event actually occurred on August 27, 2003.

There is no year mentioned in the circulating e-mail message, and it somehow started recirculating this year. Please see more details here.

The Time Has Come

Opposing forces are already speaking out and organizing in the wake of Sandra Day O'Connor's announcement of her retirement from the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi provided an example of excessive deference to the Supreme Court's supposed 'wisdom' (at least while it's rulings don't conflict with her views), speaking of the Kelo eminent domain decision in an interview.

Ms. Pelosi. It is a decision of the Supreme Court. If Congress wants to change it, it will require legislation of a level of a constitutional amendment. So this is almost as if God has spoken. It's an elementary discussion now. They have made the decision.

(italics mine)

Go for Launch!



NASA has announced that the Return to Flight of the Space Shuttle is scheduled for July 13.

War of Words

T. Bevan at Real Clear Politics hits a bulls-eye on the Dems' hyperbolic reaction to Karl Rove's comments about liberal reaction to September 11.

I'll grant that Rove's parting shot about the "motives of liberals" was over the top. Still, for about five years now liberals (by which I mean most Democrats) have been running around the country with a big, broad brush calling conservatives (by which they mean most Republicans) evil, extremists, crooks, liars, thieves, theocrats, bigots, homophobes, racists, sexists, etc. and impugning their motives in any number of other ways on virtually a daily basis. Karl Rove calls liberals a bunch of sissies a single time and Democrats and the media have a collective seizure of apoplexy.

Supreme Court Ruling and Property Rights

Yesterday's Kelo v. New London decision (PDF) may be a major turning point in American legal history, while the reaction to it may become an equally significant turn in American politics. The Washington Post editorial describes it as a legally correct decision with a bad result, while George Will writes that this is one case where a little judicial activism would have been more than appropriate.

Those on the receiving end of the life-shattering power that the court has validated will almost always be individuals of modest means. So this liberal decision -- it augments government power to aggrandize itself by bulldozing individuals' interests -- favors muscular economic battalions at the expense of society's little platoons, such as homeowners and the neighborhoods they comprise.

Meanwhile, the Volokh Conspiracy comments and hosts a lengthy discussion on Kelo in the Blogosphere.

Space Voyages

The Planetary Society's Cosmos 1 solar sail experiment was launched today from a Russian submarine, but the experimental spacecraft's status is unclear due to lack of telemetry so far. For continuing updates, please go to the project's blog.

Today's launch occurred one year after SpaceShipOne's first flight into space, potentially heralding a new age of civilian spaceflight.

A Grim Report

Terri Schiavo's autopsy report (PDF) was released yesterday, raising as many questions as it answered. Terri's family commented today.

Father Frank Pavone points out that the fundamental moral issue is unchanged by the autopsy results.

The autopsy says that Terri was beyond repair or rehabilitation. But that does not mean we are supposed to throw her away, like we throw away a car that is beyond repair. Again, there is no problem accepting this medical conclusion. But morally speaking, our compassion is not beyond repair. We can build a society that respects and protects all our brothers and sisters, recognizing that their value does not come from how well they function, perform, or produce.

Debt Cancelled for Poorest Nations

The 'G8' industrialized nations have agreed to cancel the debt to world lending institutions of 18 of the world's poorest nations. While there is debate over whether the move is appropriate, will be effective or goes far enough, it is encouraging to see the world's leading nations, including ours, take a serious initiative to address the ongoing scandalous tragedy of world poverty.

Reinventing NASA

Mike Griffin is shaking up and, in some cases, replacing senior NASA leadership.

Senior NASA officials and congressional and aerospace industry sources said yesterday that Griffin wants to clear away entrenched bureaucracy, and build a less political and more scientifically oriented team to implement President Bush's plan to return humans to the moon by 2020 and eventually send them to Mars.

Already announced is the planned resignation by Exploration Systems chief Craig Steidle.

Congratulations to Janice Rogers Brown

Despite all the howling and shrieking from the politically correct set, Judge Brown's nomination to the Federal Appeals Court was just approved by the Senate, 56-43.

The cloture vote for Judge William Pryor is now underway.--Cloture passes 67-32. Final vote on Judge Pryor expected this week.

Lunar Exploration History

Mark Whittington provides a history of lunar exploration missions, key political decisions and what it all means for the future in a sequence of sixteen short pages.

Essay on Terri Schiavo's Case

Paul McHugh, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, discusses the meaning of the Schiavo case in his essay. While he apparently has missed some of the disputes about certain 'facts' in the case, he does seem to have a handle on the opposing world views involved, and the practical effect on patients and medical professionals.

How could such a thing happen? This, after all, is not Nazi Germany, where the culture of death foreshadowed in the awful title of that book would reach such horrendous public proportions. But we in this country have our own, homegrown culture of death, whose face is legal and moral and benignly individualistic rather than authoritarian and pseudo-scientific.

Highlights of ISDC

So many good presentations at last week's International Space Development Conference, and I couldn't be at many of them, so I'll just link to Clark Lindsey's summary, which links to articles about many of the highlights.

Keith Cowing reports on Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart's call for a launch of a transponder/probe to the asteroid 2004MN4, which will make a close approach to Earth in April 2029, to determine if it will pose a threat of impact on subsequent encounters a few years later.

Finally, while not commenting specifically on this conference, writer Robert Zimmerman discusses the blooming space renaissance and offers an explanation here.

President Meets with Discarded Embryos


White House

W met yesterday with children who were adopted as embryos and their parents, to make the case for protecting the youngest among us. The President plans to veto a bill supporting embryonic stem cell research passed yesterday by the House.

Meanwhile, Michael Cook at Tech Central Station writes about the exaggerated hopes being raised about embryonic stem cell research.

The problem is that the sick and the scientists are rejoicing over two different visions of the future. One believes that cloning embryos will soon yield life-saving cures for devastating diseases and injuries. The other knows that this kind of cloning is basically a research tool for the foreseeable future.
.......................
So it's important to get this straight now: cures from so-called therapeutic cloning are probably decades away. If ever.

It is also important to consider the risk that authentic scientific endeavors could suffer a credibility setback when the public becomes more aware of and disenchanted by the false hopes raised by some of the advocates of this particular line of research. I hope that can be avoided.

Congratulations...

...to Priscilla Owen for her long overdue confirmation for a seat on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Senate 'Compromise'

An agreement reached by 14 senators has averted a showdown tomorrow on the Senate filibuster rule. (Here's a PDF of the deal memo.) I suspect there is enough vagueness in this agreement that only postpones future judicial battles. The good news to come out this is that at least three well qualified jurists will receive up-or-down votes: Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor.

Ad Astra, Across the Potomac

I'm headed over to Virginia tomorrow for a few days for the exciting and timely International Space Development Conference. Friday afternoon, I'll be chairing a panel on Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and Planetary Defense.

The Battle is Joined

The Senate debate on the nomination of Priscilla Owen to the federal appeals court is underway.

"I'm trying to move to a qualified nominee, Priscilla Owen and we hear these attempts to delay even right now, to sidetrack, to even consider somebody else and that's the challenge,'' Frist said. "That's why we're on the floor of the United States Senate, with the light of day, with the American people watching."

Old Media Fiascos

Newsweek has retracted the report in its May 9 issue alleging desecration of the Quran at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The allegation resulted in riots and deaths in parts of the Muslim world.

Meanwhile, CBS was at it again last week by selectively presenting an interview with former independent counsel Ken Starr to make it appear that he criticized possible action by Republicans to change Senate rules to bypass Democratic filibusters of W's federal judicial nominees as a 'radical departure'. While Mr. Starr does not support changing the filibuster rules, he does explain how the interview was manipulated.

In an e-mail from Starr posted today on National Review Online's "The Corner," Starr explained: "The 'radical departure' snippet was specifically addressed -- although this is not evidenced whatever from the clip -- to the practice of invoking judicial philosophy as a grounds for voting against a qualified nominee of integrity and experience." Starr declared: "[O]ur friends are way off base in assuming that the CBS snippets, as used, represent (a) my views, or (b) what I in fact said."

No retraction has been issued by CBS over this.

God Wins!

Pope Benedict XVI foresees the final outcome of history.

Exploration Pace Advancing

NASA Administrator Mike Griffin plans to accelerate development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), while an alliance of entrepreneurial firms proposes splitting the Earth-to-orbit vehicle from the exploration vehicle.

Meanwhile, Robert Zimmerman writes of a new colonial age developing in space.

Catholic Bloggers

Valerie Schmalz writes about the Catholic blogging community. (It looks like she plans more articles to follow.)

Liftoff on a Prayer

As the first Thursday in May in America marks both the National Day of Prayer and Space Day, it's interesting to note that space officials in India acknowledge praying to a Hindu deity for a successful satellite launch. I don't know if there is an Indian equivalent of the ACLU ready to sue.

An Adult Approach to Stem Cells

Kathryn Jean Lopez, whom I had the pleasure of meeting briefly once again at last Friday evening's NRO hang-out at the Dubliner in DC, has a good take on the promise of adult stem cells v. the hype about embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic-stem-cell research is not the only hope for mankind, as we are typically led to believe. The prospects of adult-stem-cell and umbilical-cord stem-cell research are repeatedly ignored by media and activists who could use both to promote funding of and research in stem-cell projects and totally avoid the ethical chaos that comes with working with human embryos

.
UPDATE: 5/5/05
Keith Cowing has posted a press release describing how some NASA funded research has only further advanced the adult stem cell field.

In addition to its impact on space travel, Regenetech's technology is being explored for human application such as pancreas regeneration, which would cure diabetes, heart regeneration and the regeneration of other human organs. The company has licensed its technology for the treatment of sickle cell disease and Myelodysplastic syndromes.

Launch Delay

The STS-114 Shuttle launch has been delayed from May to July to allow more time to address potential safety issues. Nevertheless, approval has been given for preliminary work to support a possible Shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Hill Battles

Nearly 300 women lobbied for life issues on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, while a House passed parental notification bill moves on to the Senate and the battle over judicial nominees approaches a decisive moment.

NASA Chief Michael Griffin and Hubble

George Whitesides and Gary Barnhard of the National Space Society (NSS) make a well reasoned case for restoring a Shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, contingent upon a successful STS-114 Return to Flight mission.

Philip Morrison, 1915-2005

Philip Morrison, who was a 'founding father' of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), has passed away at the age of 89.

Happy 15th Anniversary, Hubble Space Telescope!


Images from STScI

The HST was launched on April 24, 1990. This Space.com article features two spectacular images released to mark this anniversary.

"...that we will learn to carry one another."
From the homily of Pope Benedict XVI at his Inauguration Mass formally beginning his papacy.

One of the basic characteristics of a shepherd must be to love the people entrusted to him, even as he loves Christ whom he serves. “Feed my sheep”, says Christ to Peter, and now, at this moment, he says it to me as well. Feeding means loving, and loving also means being ready to suffer. Loving means giving the sheep what is truly good, the nourishment of God’s truth, of God’s word, the nourishment of his presence, which he gives us in the Blessed Sacrament. My dear friends – at this moment I can only say: pray for me, that I may learn to love the Lord more and more. Pray for me, that I may learn to love his flock more and more – in other words, you, the holy Church, each one of you and all of you together. Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves. Let us pray for one another, that the Lord will carry us and that we will learn to carry one another.

ISS Crew Handover
The Expedition 10 crew has handed over control of the International Space Station (ISS) to the Expedition 11 crew, who will be on hand to greet the STS-114 crew next month (probably) as the Space Shuttle returns to flight.

No Embryonic Boondoggle in Maryland
When the Maryland legislature adjourned its three month annual session last week, it seemed like a three-ring circus with some good and some bad results. Thankfully, a dubious initiative to use Maryland taxpayer dollars to fund embryonic stem cell research did not make it through the process.

For more background on the moral problems with embryonic stem cell research and on more promising ethical alternatives, check out Do No Harm.

Energy Bill and Clock Changes
The House of Representatives has passed an energy bill on Thursday with a provision unrelated to oil-drilling in ANWR and other controversies but that will have a direct effect on daily life.

The bill has some provisions not seen in past energy legislation.

It would expand daylight-saving time by two months. The measure's supporters said that could save the equivalent of 100,000 barrels of oil a day. Nobody objected to that provision.

Perhaps it will save 100,000 barrels a day. Or maybe not. Later sunset in March and November also means a later sunrise in those months, which could cut into those savings and raise safety issues for morning commuters and school children.

The bill faces an uncertain fate in the Senate. Perhaps extended daylight saving time is a good idea, but shouldn't this provision see more attention and debate than it's received thus far?

In any event, energy-saving efforts should also include more attention to making outdoor lighting more efficient and less obtrusive.

The Blogging Nun
No, I don't think she's the first nun to blog, but Sister Marianne's blog was started on Holy Saturday, just in time to provide insightful commentary on the momentous events currently happening in the Church and the world.

The New Holy Father

Image link from EWTN

Today's historic ascension of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger to become Pope Benedict XVI, the 265th Vicar of Christ, will generate plenty of discussion in the coming days. EWTN now has a page of news and info about the new Pope and his selection. His first words (in Italian) from the balcony over St. Peter's Square:

"Dear brothers and sisters, after our great pope, John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble worker in God's vineyard. I am consoled by the fact that the Lord knows how to work and how to act, even with insufficient tools, and I especially trust in your prayers. In the joy of the resurrected Lord, trustful of his permanent help, we go ahead, sure that God will help. And Mary, his most beloved mother, stands on our side."

An article written by Michael Novak at NRO before the election was announced articulately describes the new Pope's challenge to the world.

For Cardinal Ratzinger, moreover, it is not reason that offers a foundation for faith, but the opposite. Historically, it is Jewish and Christian faith in an intelligent and benevolent Creator that gave birth in the West to trust in reason, humanism, science, and progress, and carried the West far beyond the fatalistic limits of ancient Greece and Rome.

To the meaninglessness of relativism, Ratzinger counter poses respect for the distinctive, incommensurable image of God in every single human being, from the most helpless to the seemingly most powerful, together with a sense of our solidarity with one another in the bosom of our Creator. This fundamental vision of the immortal value both of the individual person and the whole human community in solidarity has been the motor-power, the spiritual dynamic overdrive, of an increasingly global (catholic) civilization.

We Have a Pope!!
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger is now the Pope, taking the name Benedict XVI. He is now appearing on the balcony over St. Peter's Square. This selection does indicate a strong move to carry on the heritage of JPII. Thanks be to God!!

As the Conclave Begins
EWTN has a page with links to news and background info on the election of the next pope.

This is Exciting
Space technology is used to decipher ancient manuscripts that could significantly add to the world's cultural heritage.

Academics have hailed it as a development which could lead to a 20 per cent increase in the number of great Greek and Roman works in existence. Some are even predicting a "second Renaissance".

Another Life Saved
As with Mae Magouirk, the case of Clara Martinez appears to be reaching a happy outcome.

Yet Another Fight for Life
This time in Chicago and the endangered woman is named Clara Martinez. Here is the initial report from Blogs for Terri, which is frequently updating the situation.

Martinez suffered a debilitating stroke a year ago and her husband signed a "Do Not Resuscitate" order that led to the disconnection of her feeding tube. She is able to consume liquids through her mouth and, so far, has survived for thirty days without food.

Michael Griffin on Fast Track to Head NASA
While the 'inside-the-Beltway' controversy and media attention have focused on John Bolton's nomination to be U.N. Ambassador, Michael Griffin's Senate hearing to become NASA Administrator only cleared the way for a noncontroversial confirmation that could have Dr. Griffin at his new desk by next week.

In his prepared statement, Dr. Griffin expressed his strong commitment to space exploration:

The nation is not going to abandon space exploration, human or robotic. Given this, the proper debate in a world of limited resources is over which goals to pursue. I believe that, if money is to be spent on space, there is little doubt that the huge majority of Americans would prefer to spend it on an exciting, outward-focused, destination-oriented program. And that is what the President's Vision for Space Exploration is about.

While his answer to a question provides the latest twist in the continuing Hubble Space Telescope saga:

When asked by another senator to speak about Hubble, Griffin said: "With regard to the value of Hubble, the shortest way to say this is that the Hubble, almost by itself, is the instrument that allowed us as a race of people to understand that it is true that we know nothing about 95% of the universe." With regard to robotic servicing, Griffin said: "Before I was nominated I was chair of review committee for the robotic servicing mission. That committee has designated that the mission is not feasible - in terms of the time, money, and period before Hubble may become unusable. I would like to take the robotic mission off the plate. I think the choice comes down to reinstating a shuttle servicing mission or a simple deorbiting mission. The initial decision was made in the aftermath of the loss of Columbia. When we return to flight it will be essentially a new vehicle, with a new risk analysis associated with it. I think we should reassess the earlier decision in light of what we learn after return to flight.

That PVS Diagnosis
Dr. Ronald Cranford, the neurologist whose diagnosis of Terri Schiavo being in a 'persistent vegetative state' was accepted by Judge George Greer and incessantly parroted by the Old Media, apparently was wrong on a similar diagnosis of a previous patient.

(CNSNews.com) -- A neurologist hired by Michael Schiavo to confirm that his wife Terri was in a persistent vegetative state said he was "105 percent sure" of
that diagnosis, but Dr. Ronald Cranford expressed similar certainty about a patient he examined in 1980 who later regained both consciousness and the ability to
communicate.

Space Plans
With the intense events of the past few weeks, it's been a while since I've blogged on space developments. Last week's Space Foundation symposium in Colorado Springs generated intense discussion about the future of space exploration, the role of entrepreneurs and the scientific focus on the space exploration plan announced by President Bush.

After decades of sending probes across the void of interplanetary space, officials are now reshaping how solar system exploration is accomplished. The renovation is due in large measure to the visionary Moon, Mars and beyond directive given to NASA by U.S. President George W. Bush just more than a year ago.

Meanwhile, the Space Shuttle Discovery has been rolled to the launch pad for the first shuttle launch since the loss of Columbia and her crew two years ago.

Mae Magouirk Update
Updated information here. It appears that some aspects of this case are still being sorted out, including the motives of all the parties involved. Never-the-less, Ms. Magouirk appears to have been rescued just in time from a cruel death. For ongoing updates, please check in with Blogs for Terri.

Mae Magouirk Rescued
Breaking news reported by Blogs for Terri.

THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF ALL OF THE FRIENDS OF TERRI, MY AUNT MAE MAGOUIRK HAS BEEN AIR LIFTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM MEDICAL CENTER ... and receiving IV fluids, nourishment and some of the finest medical care available in the United States! Praise be the name of the Lord GOD... Thanks to Terri's friends... It would NEVER ever have been possible without bloggers who love life , and the truth!! I am racing from my home to UAB now and will type a detailed update after I see my Aunt Mae! Thanks guys, your calls, emails, blogs and prayers did it ALL!!! I so love you guys!!!!!!!!!! Ken Mullinax, nephew of Mae

Pray that Ms. Magouirk recovers from her ordeal and receives continued protection from imposed death.

Another Disabled Woman in Grave Danger
From Fr. Rob Johansen at Thrown Back:

85 year-old Mae Magouirk of LaGrange, Georgia, is currently being deprived of nutrition and hydration at the request of her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy. Mrs. Magouirk suffered an aortic dissection 2 weeks ago and was hospitalized. Though her doctors have said that she is not terminally ill, Ms. Gaddy declared that she held medical power of attorney for Mae, and had her transferred to the LaGrange Hospice. Later investigation revealed that Ms. Gaddy did not in fact have such power of attorney. Furthermore, Mae's Living Will provides that nutrition and hydration are to be withheld only if she is comatose or vegetative. Mae is in neither condition. Neither is her condition terminal.

Additional information at Blogs for Terri.

Pope John Paul II Laid to Rest

Image link from Catholic Forum

Pope John Paul II was laid to rest in Rome after a solemn Mass attended by many world dignitaries and many more common people. (I'm watching the replay on C-Span this evening.) The homily was delivered by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who concluded by saying:

None of us can ever forget how in that last Easter Sunday of his life, the Holy Father, marked by suffering, came once more to the window of the Apostolic Palace and one last time gave his blessing urbi et orbi. We can be sure that our beloved Pope is standing today at the window of the Father's house, that he sees us and blesses us. Yes, bless us, Holy Father. We entrust your dear soul to the Mother of God, your Mother, who guided you each day and who will guide you now to the eternal glory of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

So much has been written about JPII these last few days, it has been impossible to capture it all. However, here is a summary of quite a number of reflections by National Review Online.

The Splendor of Truth

Image link from Catholic Forum

A fundamental trait of Pope John Paul II was his persistence in upholding objective truth as opposed to passing conventional wisdom. Thomas Hibbs writes on this in his article at NRO.

During his tenure as pope, John Paul has repeatedly turned his attention to contemporary confusion and insincerity, particularly regarding human rights, not in totalitarian regimes, but in the advanced, western, liberal democracies. He detects a "surprising contradiction" concerning rights. Instead of continuing a trajectory of expansion of rights and greater inclusion, there is a contraction of the scope and application of rights. Instead of curbing oppression, these new formulations introduce the possibility of new and more sinister forms of tyranny. In The Gospel of Life, he wrote,

The criterion of personal dignity-which demands respect, generosity and service-is replaced by the criterion of efficiency, functionality and usefulness: others are considered not for what they "are," but for what they "have, do and produce." This is the supremacy of the strong over the weak.

How did this come about - this strange reversal, this "surprising contradiction," in which the modern proclamation of human dignity and the promise of expanded human rights give way to an indifference or even hostility to those most vulnerable among us?

It depends on how you ask the questions.
During the last couple of weeks, we were constantly bombarded with claims that polls showed overwhelming opposition to congressional & presidential involvement in the fate of Terri Schiavo, or even the possible restoration of hydration and nutrition to her. Not surprisingly, the questions asked often inaccurately stated Terri's condition or other facts in the case.

Now, results of a Zogby poll have been released which contradict those earlier claims.

The Zogby poll found that, if a person becomes incapacitated and has not expressed their preference for medical treatment, as in Terri's case, 43 percent say "the law presume that the person wants to live, even if the person is receiving food and water through a tube" while just 30 percent disagree.

Another Zogby question his directly on Terri's circumstances.

"If a disabled person is not terminally ill, not in a coma, and not being kept alive on life support, and they have no written directive, should or should they not be denied food and water," the poll asked.

A whopping 79 percent said the patient should not have food and water taken away while just 9 percent said yes.
............
The poll also lent support to members of Congress to who passed legislation seeking to prevent Terri's starvation death and help her parents take their lawsuit to federal courts.

"When there is conflicting evidence on whether or not a patient would want to be on a feeding tube, should elected officials order that a feeding tube be removed or should they order that it remain in place," respondents were asked.

Some 18 percent said the feeding tube should be removed and 42 percent said it should remain in place.

"Be not afraid!"

Image link from Catholic Forum

So much is being said about Pope John Paul II's impact on the world and on individual souls. His growth to maturity in Poland at the time of Nazi oppression, followed by Communist oppression, steeled his spiritual character for his call to service in the Church, climaxing in his world changing papacy.

JPII catalyzed the spirit of the people living under Communism and lead to the mostly peaceful manor in which that deeply flawed system fell in much of the world. His challenge to the whole world, in particular our 'liberal' western societies, lives on. As President Bush said today:

Pope John Paul II left the throne of St. Peter in the same way he ascended to it -- as a witness to the dignity of human life. In his native Poland, that witness launched a democratic revolution that swept Eastern Europe and changed the course of history. Throughout the West, John Paul's witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak. And during the Pope's final years, his witness was made even more powerful by his daily courage in the face of illness and great suffering.

The Holy Father not only challenged societies to live up to what they should be, but also for individuals to have hope, to overcome weakness and sin, and to draw closer to God.