Another (Strange) Year Over

Where do we begin with this one? I think the year began with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi posing with children around the House rostrum. Trouble is, after the little ones left, Congress continued to be run by children all year.

The bloody war in Iraq was the dominant concern for much of the year, which began with President Bush's announcement of the 'surge' and new military leadership to execute it. Meanwhile, the Democrats in Congress began a year long campaign to thwart W's policy. As the tide began to turn for the better over the summer and especially after General Petraeus persuasively reported to the Congress in September, the political Iraq battles subsided, as did media coverage of the war.

Immigration was the other hot issue, where an outpouring of public opinion turned the tide against what seemed a 'shoe-in' behind closed doors for a complicated immigration bill.

By year's end, one contentious issue seemed to converge on a positive resolution. The discovery of a method of converting human skin cells into a form having the properties of embryonic stem cells without exploiting human embryos shows that real progress can be realized without compromising human dignity.

Human progress toward the stars continued forward with fits and starts. The International Space Station (ISS) really flowered this year with several assembly flights, while year-end problems with Shuttle and ISS hardware present a continuing challenge. Japan and China launched robotic lunar orbiters while the US launched another Mars lander. The private sector continued its steady progress toward opening wide the frontier. Bigelow's Genesis 2 launch was a highlight, while the tragic explosion at Mojave killing three is another reminder that progress does not come easily. Many commercial space developments were under the radar and will take flight in the next few years.

This year seemed like an endless presidential campaign with candidates' fortunes rising and falling and sometimes rising again. After all this, the new year will actually bring the caucuses, primaries and election that will decide the next US President. Whoever that is will need all our prayers as the terrible news from Pakistan this week of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto reminds us that it's still a very dangerous world.

I'm sure 2008 will have more dangers, advances and surprises than I'll have time to blog about, but let's hang in there for another wild ride.

Looking Forward

The former Blogs for Bush has been recently renamed Blogs for Victory and is focused on the 2008 elections and the continuing War on Terror. I've now updated my sidebar with the new name and link.

Benazir Bhutto, RIP

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who stood for moderation and against the extreme force of Islamofascism, was assassinated today in Pakistan. This terrible event and the unrest that is following in that country, which possesses nuclear weapons, is a reminder that the world is still a dangerous place. John Podhoretz notes that any wished for 'holiday from history' is over.

American politics would dearly love to take a holiday from history, just as it did in the 1990s. But our enemies are not going to allow us to do so. The murder of Bhutto moves foreign policy, the war on terror, and the threat of Islamofascism back into the center of the 2008 campaign.

UPDATE Dec. 28: You probably haven't heard this part of Benazir Bhutto's story from the conventional media, but she was outspokenly opposed to abortion as being destructive to children and harmful to women.

When Bhutto was the prime minister of Pakistan, she helped lead a delegation to the 1994 Cairo population conference that confronted abortion advocates looking to make abortion an international right.

"I dream ...of a world where we can commit our social resources to the development of human life and not to its destruction," she told the United Nations panel at the time.

Bhutto was one of only two women to address the conference.

Instead of telling women in nations where population growth is an issue that they should kill their offspring, Bhutto told world leaders that the best solutions is "tackling infant mortality, by providing villages with electrification, by raising an army of women."

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

Catholic Advent-Christmas-Epiphany Calendar

Here's a calendar that takes us through each day of this Holy Season including scripture readings and other inspiring information and suggested activities. It's good to be reminded amidst the rush of activities of the real meaning of the Christmas season.

Not This Year



The launch of Shuttle Atlantis to deliver the European Columbus module to the International Space Station has now been delayed until January 2 at the earliest in order to resolve a recurring fuel tank sensor problem.

UPDATE Dec. 13: The STS-122 launch has now been scheduled for January 10, pending the outcome of some testing next week.

Hanukkah and Our Attitude about the Future

(This is a post I originally made in 2003 and feel is worth repeating each year, especially in light of ongoing and emerging developments that can 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.

Henry Hyde, RIP

One of the great champions of life passed away last week. Henry Hyde was a powerful leading voice in Congress for the fight to protect the unborn over the last few decades. I was in the House gallery one evening in March 1996, witnessing one of the debates on the Partial Birth Abortion Ban bill, when his distinguished eloquence in closing the debate made me feel like it must have been similar to witnessing the eloquent words used over a century earlier during the efforts to end slavery in America.

Catching Up

The last three weeks have been quite busy. Along with travel to visit family at Thanksgiving (at least that's in easy driving distance) and to Houston for a meeting earlier this week and other activities, I bought a powerful new HP computer system. That was the easy part. After hours on the phone with Geek Squad, HP tech support and Verizon tech support, I've got the computer on the Internet, the computer and printer talking to each other and my e-mail files transferred to the new system.

Stem Cell Breakthrough

Something extra to be thankful for this year is yesterday's announcement of a recently discovered way of obtaining stem cells with embryonic properties without destroying any embryos. Father Thomas Berg discusses the significance of this breakthrough and he concludes:

Like the unexpected climax of a romance novel, these historical paradoxes foreshadow a culmination to the ten-year tale of human embryonic-stem-cell research that is remarkably unlike anything we could have imagined. To be sure, a new day has dawned in the world of stem-cell research, thanks to the intellectual honesty and scientific acumen of researchers like Thomson, Wilmut and Yamanaka. The best part, of course, is that, for advocates of embryonic-stem-cell research, as well as for those opposed to embryo-destructive research, and especially for those millions of potential beneficiaries of stem-cell related therapies, the advent of the age of somatic cell reprogramming marks an enormous victory for all of us.

Meanwhile, Wesley Smith points out that W deserves some of the credit for this turn in the whole stem cell issue:

I believe that many of these exciting “alternative” methods would not have been achieved but for President Bush’s stalwart stand promoting ethical stem-cell research. Indeed, had the president followed the crowd instead of leading it, most research efforts would have been devoted to trying to perfect ESCR and human-cloning research — which, despite copious funding, have not worked out yet as scientists originally hoped.

Off to a Sputnik Celebration

Yeah, the actual anniversary was last month, but some people I know are putting on an event Thursday evening in DC, where I'm looking forward to a good time. If you're in the area, come join the fun.

War? What War?

Remember the war in Iraq? Curious how now that things seem to have turned for the better, much of the media doesn't seem so interested in covering what's happening there. Ralph Peters comments further.

Far fewer Iraqi civilians are dying at the hands of extremists. U.S. and Coalition casualty rates have fallen dramatically. The situation has changed so unmistakably and so swiftly that we should be reading proud headlines daily.

Where are they? Is it really so painful for all those war-porno journos to accept that our military - and the Iraqis - may have turned the situation around? Shouldn't we read and see and hear a bit of praise for today's soldiers and the progress they're making?

Return to Earth



Shuttle Discovery and its crew returned to Earth today following its crucial assembly and daring unplanned repair activities at the International Space Station.

Weekend Away

I got back earlier today from a relaxing weekend in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. There was time for good fall hiking and some good eating. I timed the trip to include a public observing session Friday night at the Morgan County Observatory, where a number of objects including the visible expanding Comet Holmes were observed in the starry mountain skies.

Job Well Done



The crew of Shuttle Discovery is preparing to depart the International Space Station (ISS) for home after a challenging repair of an ISS solar array was successfully accomplished on Saturday.

Circus on the Severn Opens for Taxing Out-of-Season Performance

The Maryland General Assembly convened this week for Gov. O'Malley's special session to pass a tax increase package. The outcome is uncertain as even some Dems are opposed to tax increases at this time.

Meanwhile, I joined fellow residents from Montgomery County and around the state for a rally in Annapolis last night opposing any tax increase.

Bella

I saw the movie Bella on Saturday afternoon at the P&G Wheaton Plaza 11 theater. Bella is a beautiful and compelling movie that affirms the dignity of every human life.

Taking On a Different Kind of Evil Empire

Robert Novak writes on a new front opening in the struggle to protect unborn human lives. Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider and promoter, is facing a 107-count grand jury indictment in Kansas, opening a new opportunity for prolife efforts to attempt to curtail the organization's deadly activities.

National anti-abortion leaders Wednesday put finishing touches on a letter to be sent to all members of Congress urging suspension of more than $300 million in federal funding of Planned Parenthood until a massive criminal case brought in Kansas against the abortion rights organization is settled. That launches an attack against the nation's largest purveyor of "reproductive health care" -- including abortions.

This news breaks in the midst of 40 Days for Life, an unprecedented prayer campaign to turn the tide toward a culture of life.

California Wildfires


NASA

The conditions are finally starting to turn for the better in the battle against the Southern California wildfires. As always, many stories of heroism and generosity come out of a tragedy like this. Also, the response from the various levels of government seems to be more effective and coherent, though there will always be some problems. While there have been moves to politicize the situation from some quarters, at least there likely will not be the kind of rancor that occurred after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast two years ago.

Space Shindig in New Mexico

Many of my friends in the space community are in the Land of Enchantment this week for the International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight and this weekend's Wirefly X-Prize Cup. These events are designed to highlight advances in personal spaceflight and other entrepreneurial space activity.

Bloggers Clarke Lindsey, Alan Boyle, Jeff Foust and Rand Simberg are among those covering the events. Also, Space.com is providing X-Prize Cup coverage.

China Moon Rising

China launched its Chang'e-1 lunar probe yesterday, joining a parade of nations participating in exploration of Earth's Moon.

Discovery Heads Into Orbit


NASA

The Shuttle STS-120 mission lifted off this morning en route to a major assembly mission at the International Space Station. The two week mission will include adding the Harmony node to the ISS for attaching future laboratory modules and moving and redeploying one of the large solar arrays.

Political Buzz

I'm watching the GOP presidential debate in Florida on Fox News as I'm blogging. There's been a lot of political activity the last few days. A few highlights:

-The FRC Washington Briefing/Values Voter Summit which I attended was a quite interesting and successful event. All the candidates gave the conference participants something to applaud and were treated with respect, though some are favored more than others, as shown in these straw poll results. Mike Huckabee's strong address connecting on values across a range of issues won him over 50% of on site voters.

-Meanwhile, one of the most principled candidates, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, has withdrawn from the race.

-While the Hurricane Katrina aftermath has been portrayed nationally as a Republican failure due to shortcomings in the federal government response, it was the entrenched Democratic state and local governments that were upended this weekend by Bobby Jindal's historic victory in becoming the next Louisiana governor.

-In a delightful act of political ju-jitsu, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh turned a misguided effort by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and 40 other senate Democrats to wrongly discredit him into a win for the children of some true American heroes. Maybe Harry & co. will now get around to passing some overdue appropriations bills.

UPDATE: The debate's over. Some good points made by all of them. Fred Thompson helped himself at the end by listing his many accomplishments in response to the 'lazy' question.

Station Crew Change Complete as Discovery Readies for Launch



The Expedition 15 crew returned from the International Space Station (ISS) to Earth while the Expedition 16 crew readies for the STS-120 Discovery mission to arrive later this week.

Washington Gathering

I'll be attending the Family Research Council's Washington Briefing tomorrow and Saturday. Speakers will include the GOP presidential candidates and numerous other enlightening commentators. (The FRC said that the Dem candidates have also been invited but have not accepted

Stark Raving Mad

The unhinged political rhetoric of recent years reached a new low with this diatribe on the House floor today by Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA)

"Where are you going to get that money? Are you going to tell us lies like you're telling us today? Is that how you're going to fund the war? You don't have money to fund the war or children. But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old, enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement," Stark said.

Here Comes the Sun!

OK, now I'm borrowing a Beatles song title, but solar power from space may become a significant part of our future with the backing of the Pentagon's National Security Space Office (NSSO). The organization released its interim report (PDF) this past week in collaboration with other interested organizations and individuals. The Space Frontier Foundation played a leading role in this collaborative effort.

The Space Frontier Foundation fully supports ALL of the recommendations of this SBSP study report. The big news of this study is that the Pentagon may become an early and major customer for wireless power transmission from space at a much higher price than what the average American pays for power in their homes. This totally changes the economic and business case for SBSP.

A New Set of Ears to Search for Voices in the Sky

I had to get the Moody Blues song title in there somehow, but the title fits the news this past week that the SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array (ATA)is now on line.

Like slow-growing lotus blossoms, these antennas have methodically erupted on a lava-littered heath 300 miles northeast of San Francisco during the last four years. Eventually, 350 dishes will grace the Hat Creek Observatory site. But the 42 now up and running are equivalent in collecting area to a 40 m single-dish antenna – and that's large enough to start doing some serious science.

"Back Off!" Don't Sign Your Life Away

Charlotte F. Allen writes in a Washington Post column today based on personal experience on how the culture of death is pressing 'living wills' as means of devaluing a lives of vulnerable persons.

Furthermore, I found something weasely in the way all those options were presented, as though my only real choice were between being dispatched into the hereafter at the first sign of loss of consciousness or being stuck with as many tubes as needles in a voodoo doll and imprisoned inside a ventilator until global warming melts the ice caps and the hospital washes out to sea. I found the box on the form that said "I decline a living will" and checked it. Right now, my husband is my living will, and after we spent 13 days observing Terri Schiavo exercise her "right to die" by being slowly dehydrated to death after her feeding tube was removed in 2005, he knows exactly how I feel about such matters.

A Day Our World Grew Larger

I was only two years old at the time, so I don't remember the awe and fear that occurred fifty years ago tomorrow when the Soviet Union launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. But that day set the tone for the era I grew up in and, as for many, influenced my calling in life. I've been blessed that my lifetime has seen the first tentative moves by humanity to expand beyond our planetary womb. This time will be remembered by future generations who will benefit from access to the immense resources of space.

Too many commentaries and reminiscences have have been published over the last few days to have time to read, much less link to. One unique view is shared by Sergei Khrushchev, son of the Soviet leader at the time of Sputnik.

Fifty years ago, on October 4 1957, my father, the Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev, was waiting for a call from Kazakhstan: the designer, Sergei Korolev, was due to report on the launch of the world's first satellite. My father was in Ukraine, on military business, and that evening he dined with Ukrainian leaders. I sat at the end of the table, not paying attention to their conversation. Around midnight my father was asked to take a phone call. When he came back, he was smiling: Sputnik's launch had been successful.

Space.com looks at the the legacy Sputnik left for science and the future of technology and private enterprise in space. Check out SpaceToday.net for numerous other articles on the Sputnik anniversary and look for a special edition at the Space Review Thursday morning.

UPDATE: Thur., Oct. 4: Clark Lindsey has lists of Sputnik links here and here. Rand Simberg's compilation is here. Finally, tonight I observed (and toasted) a high elevation pass over the DC area of the International Space Station (ISS), staffed by Russians and Americans together on this historic space anniversary.

The Once Great But Now Weird Party

Matt Bondy, a commentator for a Canadian newspaper, writes about how the Democratic Party has changed since the time of JFK.

They say things are too hard in Iraq. They say, through their leader in the Senate, that the war is "lost." They say America can't hold the line in Iraq and turn the country around.

In another time, and about other places, similar words were spoken. But not by Democrats in our fathers' era.

Disturbed by his countrymen's pessimism and trepidation during the Cold War, Kennedy declared, "I hear it said that West Berlin is military untenable. So was Bastogne, and so, in fact, was Stalingrad," referring to two well-known sieges of the Second World War.

"Any danger spot is tenable if men -- brave men -- make it so."

Well, OK I guess today's Democratic leaders have found a cause they believe is worth fighting for, spending time on the Senate floor attacking Rush Limbaugh over a phony issue.

"The issue was abortion."

Those are the words of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas explaining the bitter battle for his confirmation to the Supreme Court in 1991. The discussion of Justice Thomas' Supreme Court nomination was part of the interview by Steve Kroft on the Sixty Minutes show broadcast this evening on CBS. The interview comes withe release of Justice Thomas' autobiography, My Grandfather's Son: A Memoir.

Actually, abortion, which violently destroys over one million unborn human lives every year in the US, has been at the heart of many of the most acrimonious battles in American politics over the past thirty five years. The conventional wisdom was (and still is in some circles) that the prolife movement would eventually fade away and that America would come to accept abortion-on-demand. Actually, the battle has been long and painful, but abortion has never become a 'settled' issue. Like the racial injustice Clarence Thomas faced while growing up, abortion is a great injustice that will not stand forever.

Party Like It's 1540

Today's perfect early fall weather made it a good day to go to the Maryland Renaissance Festival where I enjoyed good food, drink, music and entertainment.

Newt's National Brainstorming Session

I participated in a local workshop for Newt Gingrich's American Solutions day, where numerous workshops were held nationwide as part of an Internet based event exploring various national issues including immigration, taxes, environment & energy, health care, etc.

Our group participated in the first two out of three sessions, picking one out of the several topics for each hour-long session, which consisted of a moderator and panel discussing the issue and answering audience questions and the ability of local workshops to submit questions and comments via the Internet. The workshops will soon be available for replay and, hopefully, will continue to include the question/comment capability. One session I definitely plan to participate in is the one titled “Space – The Race to the Endless Frontier”, moderated by Robert Walker, a former House Science Committee Chairman who is a leading proponent of innovative space policy.

Meanwhile, Newt has apparently decided not to run for president in 2008. I believe this is probably the best decision, since as a candidate Newt would draw an intense negative emotional response from some voters (as is also true for Hillary Clinton). His decision allows him to remain doing what he does best, advocating for fresh, bold ideas at a time they are really needed. Whoever does win the presidency might consider consulting Newt as an informal 'Secretary of Ideas'.

Dawn of a New Voyage to Asteroids


NASA

NASA's Dawn mission lifted off from Florida this morning shortly after dawn. The probe will explore two of the Solar System's largest asteroids, Ceres and Vesta. Here are more links at SpaceToday.net.

This mission is primarily a basic science mission, but the asteroids have a tremendous potential to provide for future generations.

The Moon, By Those Who've Been There

Saturday, I went to the AFI theater in Silver Spring to see Ron Howard's In the Shadow of the Moon, which powerfully features some of the Apollo astronauts recounting their pioneering experiences and what it all means. Definitely worth checking out at a theater near you.

The New Moon Race

Entrepreneurial space efforts to another step forward as the X-Prize Foundation today announced a new prize, sponsored by Google, that would reward the first, and possibly the second, successful landing and operation of a robotic Rover on the Moon. The Google Lunar X-Prize web site is already up.

Alan Boyle has a detailed article up, which includes a description of the major strategic partners involved in this effort.

The teams won't be expected to do everything themselves. The X Prize Foundation forged strategic alliances with several partners that could provide the teams with space services:

SpaceX says it will offer each team an in-kind contribution that, in effect, represents a 10 percent reduction in the price of a Falcon rocket launch.

Universal Space Network will give the teams a 50 percent discount on its tracking, telemetry and control services, for data uplinks as well as downlinks.

The Allen Telescope Array, operated by the SETI Institute, will pass along 500 free megabytes of downlinked data from the lunar spacecraft - most likely including the required high-definition TV "mooncasts" sent back after landing and doing 500 meters of roving.

Not surprisingly, Red Whittaker announced right away that the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University would be competing for this prize.

This is an exciting development, that will spur commercial robotic exploration of the Moon. Hopefully, it will also spur other corporations to sponsor prizes for possibly even more dramatic private space advances.

Meanwhile, the efforts of several nations to explore the Moon are gaining steam. Earlier this evening (my local time), Japan launched its Kaguya spacecraft toward a lunar orbiting exploration mission.

In Remembrance of September 11, 2001


U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Michael W. Pendergrass

Six years ago tomorrow morning, I overheard a coworker down the hall from my office telling someone else about planes hitting the World Trade Center. I checked in on the Internet and on news radio for reports on what would develop into the the modern era's day of infamy. We know of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, but there was also the attack that did not occur because of the heroic actions of the passengers on United Flight 93.

Six years of daily living, along with increasing domestic rancor, may have dimmed the feelings of shock, horror, and outrage and the response of prayer, compassion, and resolve that united the people of America and most of the world. However, the recently busted terrorist plots in Europe and the rambling Bin-Laden video provide fresh reminders that the threat is still real.

This audio/visual Internet presentation developed by a New Yorker shortly after the attacks recaptures all of those experiences. The sequence is ~15 minutes long and some of the images and sounds are quite disturbing, others are inspirational. (I've also added the link to this video to my sidebar.)

It is important that we remember, not only to honor those who died and those who acted heroically that day, but to remain constantly aware of the ongoing dangers, of the presence of real evil in the hearts of some men, and to maintain constant vigilance and a determination to defeat this evil. Finally, we must always remember to trust in God and his mercy.

The Doers v. the Critics

General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker today presented to the House Armed Services Committee, their long-awaited status report on the status of the situation in Iraq. While I wasn't able to watch their testimony live today, they are currently on a Fox News special with Brit Hume. Their professional presentation compares quite well with the desperate attempts to discredit them preemptively by some leading Democrats, activists and commentators. Kathryn Jean Lopez has links to Petraeus' testimony and slides and to highlights from Crocker's testimony. (Interestingly, the testimonies and slides are not yet up on the Committee web site.)

Much commentary has been written leading up to and following today's events. Here is a column published this morning with the thoughts of Senators Joe Lieberman and John McCain.

We must also recognize that the choice we face in Iraq is not between the current Iraqi government and a perfect Iraqi government. Rather, it is a choice between a young, imperfect, struggling democracy that we have helped midwife into existence, and the fanatical, al Qaeda suicide bombers and Iranian-sponsored terrorists who are trying to destroy it. If Washington politicians succeed in forcing a premature troop withdrawal in Iraq, the result will be a more dangerous world with our enemies emboldened. As Iran's president recently crowed, "soon we will see a huge power vacuum in the region . . . [and] we are prepared to fill the gap."

The Democratic Party leaders and other critics bet on pessimism, on gloom and doom, and now are flustered that the tide is turning and their position is being left behind.

Population Scaremongering and the Human Future

Colin Mason of the Population Research Institute (PRI), in an article posted at LifeNews.com, analyzes why some prominent environmental groups are obsessed with population control issues (tied to contraception and abortion), even while this 'over-population threat' has no basis in reality.

Why do environmentalists consistently promote population control? In part this is yet another holdover from the radical sixties. Paul Ehrlich's risible "population bomb" thesis lives on in the minds of these aging activists, whose remain in thrall to doomsday scenarios of total environmental collapse caused by burgeoning human numbers. They remain oblivious to the countless demographic studies that have proven such fears baseless.

And as I've written here before, the resources of the Solar System and beyond are a blessing for us to provide for the countless members of future generations.

Yes, There is a Fred

Fred Thompson has officially joined the race for the Republican presidential nomination in this already long running campaign season. The Republican field has offered a rich field of choices.

I have a liking for Sam Brownback for his eloquent commitment to the life issues and his support for innovative space policies as a Senate subcommittee chairman. However, Thompson has a consistent commitment to conservative ideas. including a strong prolife record and a real grasp of the global security situation, combined with the communications skills that make him a strong contender to win the nomination and the presidency.

As we approach the frontloaded caucuses and primaries early next year, this already long(winded) campaign is actually starting to become more interesting.

W Speaks to the Troops

President Bush and some of his key officials dropped in on Anbar Provence, Iraq, while en route to an international summit in Australia. The President addressed some of our forces in a region that some months ago would have been too violent to plan for a presidential visit there.

You see Sunnis who once fought side by side with al Qaeda against coalition troops now fighting side by side with coalition troops against al Qaeda. Anbar is a huge province. It was once written off as lost. It is now one of the safest places in Iraq. (Hooah.) Because of your hard work, because of your bravery and sacrifice, you are denying al Qaeda a safe haven from which to plot and plan and carry out attacks against the United States of America. What you’re doing here is making this country safer, and I thank you for your hard work. (Hooah.)

Frederick Kagan analyzes the Iraq situation further, and draws an analogy to another battlefield that saw a presidential address.

In any other war, with any other president, this event would be recognized for what it is: the sign of a crucial victory over two challenges that had seemed both unconquerable and fatal. It should be recognized as at least the Gettysburg of this war, to the extent that counterinsurgencies can have such turning points. Less than a year ago, it was common wisdom and the conclusion of the Marine intelligence community in Anbar that the province and its people were hopelessly lost. Now the Anbaris are looking to the Americans and the government of Iraq for legitimacy, for protection, and for inclusion in a political process they have spurned for years. What is that if not a major victory in this war?

Culture of Death Activities and Prolife Networking

Planned Parenthood tries to present itself (and is often presented by the conventional media) as a reputable mainstream organization providing needed 'services' to people. So why does PP feel it has to disguise itself when building its facilities in various communities? Jill Stanek looks at this situation.

Then there's Amnesty International, the one time reputable leading human rights organization that through some kind of reverse logic decided that abortion itself is a 'human right'. John Mallon asks AI, "What Part of Human Rights Don’t You Understand?"

So, in reality, with AI’s decision the world is now not a safer, more just, place to live, but a much more dangerous place, not only for women but for all people, because AI has used its reputation and credibility to place a truly helpless group of people - the unborn - outside the purview of human rights. No one is safe because as history shows, once the blood starts flowing it is hard to stop. No one should know this better than AI, but now they have joined the enemy. They have become their own enemy. They are now complicit in genocide.

Finally, back to Jill Stanek, who cites an article at Politico concerning the networking patterns of liberal v. conservative internet activities and what can be learned to increase the effectiveness of prolife blogging and networking. (Of course, the biggest challenge for me and probably many others is finding the time to blog on all the items that interest me.)

Endeavour Lands in Florida



The STS-118 crew returned safely to Earth today, landing in Florida after nearly two weeks that included work on the International Space Station (ISS) and educational lessons from space. NASA will now further assess the External Tank foam debris problem and its impact on upcoming missions,

Our Lady's Feast Day and a Big Day for Catholic Literature

Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, Mother of Jesus Our Saviour, into Heaven.

Okay, that sounds really beautiful. But what does this have to do with me? What kind of connection do I even have with Mary after all? So her body is "up there"... in heaven. I'm here on earth. I hope I make it to Heaven some day, but that some day can seem pretty distant from my daily life. What difference does it make anyway whether I believe in this or not? Why is the Assumption of Mary a "holy day of obligation" (and that phrase doesn't exactly warm me up inside either).

Bill Donaghy answers these questions at Catholic Exchange.

Today is a fitting day for the release of Infinite Space, Infinite God, an anthology of Catholic science fiction, in trade paperback. Here is my January interview with editors Karina and Rob Fabian.

STS-118 Mission Progress



The Shuttle Endeavour and International Space Station (ISS) crews continue activities to enable further ISS assembly despite a punctured glove and the ongoing analysis of a gouge in the Endeavour thermal surface. Check out the links here and here for further details.

Meanwhile, Barbara Morgan is fulfilling her role as Teacher in Space.

Endeavour in Orbit


NASA/KSC

Space Shuttle Endeavour lifted off this evening at 6:36 PM EDT on its mission to continue assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). The flight is also carrying Barbara Morgan, who is carrying on the mission of Challenger Teacher-in-Space Christa McAuliffe by serving as a professional astronaut on this mission.

The Space Frontier Foundation wished Barbara Morgan Godspeed on her mission while announcing a program to get many more teachers into space via the emerging commercial human suborbital spaceflight industry. More details and rules for the program will be announced this fall when applications will start being accepted.

Phoenix Rising


NASA/KSC

NASA's Phoenix Mars probe was launched early this morning from Cape Canaveral, FL. The craft will land in the Martian north polar region to look for clues on the possibility of life in that environment.

Bridge Tragedy

Those affected by Wednesday's bridge collapse in Minneapolis need our prayers and condolences as recovery and investigation efforts continue.

Changing Minds

An article concerning the changing situation in Iraq is gaining a lot of attention, given its source. Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack are two writers at the Brookings Institution, a liberal leaning think tank, who have been sharply critical of the Bush Administration's policy in Iraq. Their article published today in the New York Times describes the improvement they saw during their latest visit to the war-torn country from the situation they saw on earlier visits.

Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand: We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration’s miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to produce not necessarily “victory” but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with.

After the furnace-like heat, the first thing you notice when you land in Baghdad is the morale of our troops. In previous trips to Iraq we often found American troops angry and frustrated — many sensed they had the wrong strategy, were using the wrong tactics and were risking their lives in pursuit of an approach that could not work.

Today, morale is high. The soldiers and marines told us they feel that they now have a superb commander in Gen. David Petraeus; they are confident in his strategy, they see real results, and they feel now they have the numbers needed to make a real difference.

Credit is due to the authors for being open-minded about the changing Iraq situation and to the NYT for publishing this piece which challenges their own gloomy editorial position.

Troubled Time for the Space Community

The last couple of days brought several pieces of bad news for the space community.

The reports of astronauts departing drunk on space missions are certainly not acceptable, but so far there is still too little information to know what actually occurred and whether these were two isolated incidents or part of a more widespread pattern.

The report of the deliberate sabotage of equipment bound for the International Space Station (ISS) is certainly disturbing. While the identities or motives are not yet known (at least publicly), this incident will certainly call attention to the need for security in the whole process of preparing systems for spaceflight.

Of course, the most tragic and heartbreaking development is the explosion at a Scaled Composites plant in Mojave, CA that killed three workers who were testing a propellant flow system for SpaceShipTwo, the passenger carrying suborbital spacecraft being built for Virgin Galactic. May the Lord grant mercy on those who have died, healing to the injured, and comfort to their loved ones.

The Space Frontier Foundation issued a statement reminding the public that opening the frontier always involves risk and that this tragedy will be overcome. (Not yet up on the Foundation's web site, but currently posted here at HobbySpace.)

"We are reaching for the stars, and it is not easy. Accidents happen. Good people die. And we move on. We move on to reach the goal they died for, because to do less would be to dishonor them and their sacrifice, concluded Tumlinson. "Tonight, in dark skies above Mojave, there are three new stars. Let us wipe our tears, pick up our wrenches and tools and get back to work, and now and then as we move ahead in this quest, look up to them and smile - as they are smiling at us."

Anniversaries


NASA

Friday is the 38th anniversary of humanity's first expedition to the lunar surface. Check out Rand Simberg's ceremonial commemoration of that epic event.

I'll be off to attend the Space Frontier Foundation's NewSpace 2007 Conference being held this year in Washington, DC (well, actually in nearby Crystal City, VA).

Friday is also the fourth anniversary ('blogiversary') of the launch of this humble blog. Here is the inaugural post (Note that I was too inexperienced to think of giving it a title.) on Life at the Frontier.

New Catholic News Web Site

A website which provides news links from a variety of Catholic and secular sources (including news contributions from individuals), PewSitter.com was just launched. I've added this site to my sidebar on the right. The site's debut is very timely, as two major pronouncements came from Rome in the past week.

Pope Benedict XVI issued his Motu Proprio allowing more general use of the traditional Latin Mass while maintaining the post-Vatican II form of the Mass commonly said today. See Catholic News Service report here.

Also, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a papal approved document titled Responses to some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church, which describes the Church's doctrine on the unique role of the Catholic Church.

Give Surge a Chance

The debate is raging in the nation and particularly in Congress as to what path to take in the Iraq War. Kimberly Kagan writes in the Wall Street Journal that the 'surge' strategy launched recently is making a serious difference.

Reports from the field show that remarkable progress is being made. Violence in Baghdad and Anbar Province is down dramatically, grassroots political movements have begun in the Sunni Arab community, and American and Iraqi forces are clearing al Qaeda fighters and Shiite militias out of long-established bases around the country.

J. D. Johannes says pretty much the same thing at TCS Daily, but goes on to analyze how media reports shape public perception and knowledge, or lack thereof, about the war.

But in the flush of battlefield success, public perception of American military progress continued its calamitous decline. According to Pew Research, the percentage of Americans who opine that America's military operations are "going well" slid from 38% in May '07 to 34% in June; those who believe our military operations are "not going well" increased from 57% of respondents to 61%.

The same Pew poll found that only 30% of the public could identify General David Patraeus and only 27% could identify Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. 59% of respondents were unaware that Shi'ites constitute the majority religious group in Iraq. Precise knowledge of the war's progress is obviously scarce. Yet 95% of respondents have defined opinions on the success of our arms.

It is tragic that this strategy might have saved much bloodshed if it had been implemented several years earlier, But this would not be the first war in history that an effective strategy was only taken after tragic and frustrating stalemate.

If you think you really know what is going on in Iraq, check out the continuing dispatches from independent journalist Michael Yon, embedded with US and Iraqi troops. These reports convey the harsh daily reality of war along with the increasing successes, and most of all, the horrific consequences of failure.

Wallops Spaceport and Surroundings

Daniel Schmelzer provides a photo-essay describing the Wallops Island Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and some nearby natural and man-made attractions. He comments on the potential and questions surrounding the possibility of SpaceX launching its Falcon 9 booster from the spaceport.

Here is my post from my visit to the area in April to watch the Minotaur/NFIRE launch.

Happy Independence Day!

As we join in the festivities of the Fourth, let's strive to keep to the values proclaimed in the Declaration that make it worth celebrating.

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.

Power Line Blog links to a speech given by President Coolidge on the 150th anniversary of the Declaration and highlights a paragraph very relevant to the social and political issues in today's society.

About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning can not be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers.

What We're Fighting Against

Michael Yon is an independent journalist embedded with American and Iraqi forces. His latest dispatch reports on the discovery of a horrific massacre of children, women and men by al Qaeda in a village in Iraq's Diyala Provence.

Warning: Some of the photographs here are pretty disturbing. Here is the link to the dispatch.

Immigration Bill Goes Down: the Larger Significance

So much has been happening in politics and current events recently, that I haven't been able to keep up. Today's defeat of the behemoth 'comprehensive' immigration bill does deserve comment.

Immigration is a serious situation that faces our nation, which we'll have to address, starting with border security, given the danger of terrorist infiltration. Then we can go on to the issues of dealing with those illegal immigrants already here compassionately while maintaining enforcement of and respect for the law and being fair to those who've entered the process legally.

This bill was definitely not the way to go. Aside from the specific issues involving illegal immigration, this bill is a glaring example of a dysfunctional process where the legislators and their staffs are navigating complicated parliamentary maneuvers while not even having the time to read the legislation they are attempting to impose on the American public.

Much of the conventional media are playing the immigration bill's defeat primarily as a major defeat for President Bush, who vigorously supported it, which indeed it is. But that is missing the larger significance, that this was a massive popular uprising (the volume of calls crashing the Senate phone system), aided by alternate media, which thwarted the establishment conventional wisdom that supported this bill (which included an odd assortment of liberal interest groups, big business, conventional media, the White House, Democratic congressional leaders, etc.).

Today's outcome represents a growing and healthy public skepticism that Mother Government can solve our social problems through such sweeping complicated legislation that even its authors don't understand. The immigration issue raises particularly passionate reactions, but I'm hopeful this healthy public skepticism and willingness to engage and 'mix it up' will spread to other issues and bring about a needed overhaul to the public policy process that will respect the founding principles of our nation.

Bigelow Launches Genesis II

Bigelow Aerospace launched its second unmanned test inflatable habitat, Genesis II today. This vehicle resembles its predecessor, Genesis I, which is still in orbit sending back data, but contains more sophisticated systems and sensors. This launch marks another step forward for commercial space development and human expansion into space. Here's the SpaceToday.net summary and list of links.

Welcome to the Runway California!


NASA

The Shuttle Atlantis returned today from its STS-117 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), landing in California as bad weather continued to preclude a Florida landing. Sunita Williams returned from her record breaking six month stay on ISS as Clayton Anderson remained to take her place.

While having to repair a thermal blanket on the Shuttle and deal with the ISS's finicky computers' spasms, the mission accomplished its primary goal of installing and initiating operations of another set of truss segments and solar arrays. With this task complete, the ISS is finally starting to appear like the final design we've seen for many years in illustrations. This was also observed by others including Keith Cowing and A Babe in the Universe.

In Orbit and on the Hill



The STS-117 mission has achieved its primary goal of attaching the S3/S4 truss segments to the International Space Station (ISS) and unfurling the new solar arrays. Also, the mission is being extended for two days to allow time to repair a damaged thermal blanket on the Atlantis.


Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill on Monday, I participated in the Moon-Mars Blitz 2007, an effort organized by the Space Exploration Alliance, a coalition of citizens' and professional space organizations, to urge Congress to support NASA and commercial space efforts. The effort was timely, as the process for determining NASA's Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 budget was starting in Congress this week.

Atlantis Aloft!


NASA

The Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off earlier this evening on a 11 day mission to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Spaceflight Now has an account of the launch and a more extensive (10 part) mission preview.

Meanwhile, Space.com reports on NASA's announcement that Atlantis is targeted for a September 10, 2008 launch for the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

ISDC Wrap-Up

I got back Monday from the ISDC in Dallas. Reports are on all of the usual sites. Since I obviously don't have a lot of time to link to articles on particular subjects, I'll just link to the most comprehensive list of ISDC links at Out of the Cradle.

One of the more interesting presentations at the conference was that by prominent lunar scientist Paul Spudis, who offered a succinct and balanced critique of NASA's execution of the Vision for Space Exploration.

Off to Dallas...

...for the Space Venture Finance Symposium and the International Space Development Conference (ISDC).

Americans Vote for Optimist Leaders

David Shribman writes on how the voting public has historically favored candidates who project optimism about what can be done, where-ever they may stand on ideology or specific policies.

The contrast between the use of optimism and pessimism in politics was on full display in the last century. The pessimists included Herbert Hoover, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter. The optimists included Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Reagan and Bill Clinton. The optimists won, hands down, even though TR once warned, in his 1907 annual message to Congress, that if optimism is "carried to an excess, it becomes foolishness."

As one who believes we have the means to protect and provide for every human life at every stage and condition, defend freedom and enable it to maximize the potential for every human being to grow and prosper, and provide for the future of humanity by adopting innovative technological breakthroughs and expanding the human sphere beyond our planet of origin, this makes sense to me. I hope the candidates who share my views are effective in projecting that optimism.

Mother's Day Items

A quote from JPII saluting mothers (via Kathryn Jean Lopez) and a celebration of children with Down syndrome and their mothers (via ProLife Blogs).

Update to Alternative Space Launch Proposal

A group of people in the space community have developed an alternative Shuttle-derived launch system for launching the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and other cargo to space. Their proposal, called DIRECT (v.2.0 just unveiled), uses existing Space Shuttle technology with more simplified modifications as compared with NASA's current baseline Ares I/V systems. Given tight NASA budgets and performance issues surrounding the Ares vehicles, this proposal might just save the Vision of returning humans to the Moon and going beyond when things come to a crunch.

It has also been argued, probably correctly, that the best approach for human space exploration would be for NASA to contract for launch services from commercial providers and utilize in-space infrastructure development such as propellant storage and refueling. This will certainly be the way to go to sustain an expanding presence on the frontier. However, given the constituency politics invested in the existing Shuttle system industrial base, an alternative along the lines of the DIRECT proposal may be the most likely near-term politically acceptable path to saving the human exploration program while preserving other important NASA programs.

(As always, comments on space policy and specific ways of implementation are my own opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer or any other organization I am affiliated with.)

Viv' la France

There've been too many developments in politics and world affairs to keep up with recently. (So much to blog, so little time!) One of the more interesting and positive turns this week is the election of Nicolas Sarkozy as France's new leader. Former Senator (and possible future President) Fred Thompson savors the moment and reflects on its meaning.

From the beginning, Sarkozy pledged to help heal the ill feelings that have existed between our two countries — especially over Iraq. He outraged French Socialists and journalists by coming to America during his campaign to meet with our president. He has praised America’s dynamism, freedoms and prosperity, and he promises to work for reforms that will make France more like the U.S.

Sarkozy’s victory over anti-American political forces was not just decisive; it was far more of a mandate than our own current congress claims. In his first post-election speech, he went out of his way to say, “I want to call out to our American friends to tell them that they can count on our friendship.”

Who would have thought a few years ago that American conservatives would be raising a glass of French wine?

Family Life on the Frontier

A society is only as strong as its families are, and that will be so where ever humanity expands. Veronica Ann Zabala-Aliberto writes in her mission journal how her family participated in a stay at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, a facility operated by the Mars Society as an Earth-bound 'analog' to a human outpost on Mars.

Carnival of Space is Up

Kudos to Henry Cate, who has organized the Carnival of Space (a collection of recently submitted space-related blog posts). The Carnival's second edition is up. This week's collection includes a number of interesting posts, including this humble blog's recent post on Stephen Hawking's zero-g flight.

Wally Schirra RIP

Wally Schirra, one of the pioneering Mercury astronauts who also flew on Gemini and Apollo missions that paved the way for the first lunar landings, died today at 84.

Stephen Hawking Soars Beyond Disability

Famed Physicist Stephen Hawking got to experience weightlessness yesterday during a flight provided by Zero Gravity Corp. Dr. Hawking is paralyzed by the disease ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which normally has him confined to a wheelchair and using a computer generated speech system.

The famous scientist hopes to make a more challenging suborbital spaceflight when that opportunity becomes available in two or three years. Alan Boyle elaborates on the significance of Hawking's flight and his belief in the importance of expediting human expansion into space.

On another level, Hawking spent the most time during his preflight interview with NBC News talking about how the space effort needed to engage "the entrepreneurial engine that has reduced the cost of everything from airline tickets to personal computers." Only then, he said, could the cost of space travel fall to the point that we could start thinking about expanding our living space beyond Earth, as an insurance policy in case the unthinkable happened on our home planet.

Meanwhile, Taylor Dinerman writes in the Wall Street Journal that access to the weightless environment for the disabled might itself be a major benefit of the coming space enterprise.

There's another aspect to this story. An idea held by some in our society is that someone with a severe disability like Hawking does not have an adequate 'quality of life' to justify protecting and sustaining that life. Stephen Hawking demonstrates the foolishness of that notion by pursuing a dream and continuing to contribute to society. For more on protecting the lives and dignity of the disabled, check out Not Dead Yet and the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation.

This Spaceport Rocks!


My photo of the launch (~3 miles from pad) and a more high fidelity NASA image.

Just got back this afternoon from Chincoteague. The Minotaur/NFIRE launch at 2:48 AM this morning was spectacular. A ground system problem caused a one-day slip from early Monday morning. I planned a two night stay just to cover that eventuality and to have more time to explore the Chincoteague area and eat some good seafood.

For more details on the launch and the NFIRE satellite's mission to collect research data for missile defense, see this SpaceflightNow.com article. This second Minotaur launch may be just a preview of more ambitious activities to come at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS).



A local hotel appreciates the spaceport business while some of the area's most famous residents seem blase about the exciting space ventures occurring nearby.

Out to Launch

I'm off to Chincoteague, VA for the launch of a Minotaur Rocket carrying the NFIRE experimental satellite. All is 'GO' for launch early Monday morning.

Victory for Life!!

The Supreme Court today upheld the federal ban on partial birth abortion. While this procedure represents only a small fraction of the total number of abortions, I believe that this ruling is significant. Seemingly modest reforms preceded the rapidly accelerating unraveling of the Soviet empire two decades ago. Expect a frantic counter-reaction by the cultural forces supporting abortion-on-demand, but let's pray and work for the day when every human life is protected.

Look for more reports and reaction at LifeNews.com and Pro-Life Blogs.

An Act of Heroism

In every horrific event, we always hear of courageous acts by individuals which prevent even more deaths from occurring. At Virginia Tech on Monday, the actions of Professor Liviu Librescu, a 76 year-old Holocaust survivor who gave his life allowing several of his students to escape, stands out.

Mark Steyn and James Bowman wonder why this kind of heroic action is so rare. I don't know whether any of the others at Virginia Tech missed specific opportunities to thwart the maniacal killer, but these writers do raise a good question as to whether our western societies are ingraining passivity into their citizens, rather than encouraging heroic virtue like that of Professor Librescu and the passengers of United Flight 93.

A Horrific Tragedy

The death toll of thirty-three human lives in today's Virginia Tech shooting massacre once again leaves people asking questions and groping for solutions. No doubt, there will be calls for more legislation of guns, etc. and more regimentation in student life. The real need is to go deeper into the conflicts in the human heart and not be afraid to seek spiritual solutions.

May Our Lord have mercy on the dead and injured, their families and friends, and on our society.

Space Race

While Charles Simonyi continues to enjoy his trip as a paying customer staying at the international Space Station (ISS), his 'station-mate' Sunita Williams completed her participation in the Boston Marathon, far above the wind and rain that dogged the thousands of other participants.

Meanwhile, one final note on Yuri's Night. Keith Cowing describes his experience at the Yuri's Night celebration at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA and what it may mean for a changing relationship between the space community and society at large.

Yes the music was good, the lights and exhibits stimulating, and the crowd mellow and enthusiastic. But there was something more than sensual comfort operating.

There was an emergent property to all of this. I guess it at least had something to do with space exploration. But in many ways it was also about the future - the future of the future - and what it will be like to live there. In ever-increasing ways, our world is now poised on the cusp of what is and what will be. How that future is shaped is rushing at us at ever-increasing speed - and we all have our foot on the gas pedal.

When the Vodka-and-Tang is served,...



...it must be Yuri's Night! That's tomorrow. Yuri's night is celebrated around (and off) the planet to mark the anniversaries of Yuri Gagarin's pioneering orbital flight (1961) and of the first launch of the Space Shuttle (1981). (I'm planning to go to the DC event tomorrow night.)

UPDATE 4/12: Alan Boyle writes about today's Yuri's Night festivities.

John McCain v. Conventional Wisdom

Senator John McCain spoke today (Hat Tip: NRO) at the Virginia Military Institute, urging perseverance with the new strategy in Iraq.

These and other indicators of progress are encouraging, but they are not determinative. I understand the damage false optimism does to public patience and support. I learned long ago to be skeptical of official reports that are long on wishful thinking and short on substance. As we make progress in some areas, the enemy strikes where we do not have as great a presence. But security in the capital is indispensable to a greater level of security throughout the country so that political and economic progress can occur. And in Baghdad we are making progress. We have a long way to go, but for the first time in four years, we have a strategy that deals with how things really are in Iraq and not how we wish them to be.

Senator McCain says it right. In hindsight, the war was badly mismanaged in the last four years, but the clock was reset with the implementation of the new strategy in January. And the consequences of giving up prematurely are frighteningly ominous.

Stem Cell Vote Update

The US Senate today voted to pass both the bill funding embryonic (embryo destroying) research (but just shy of the margin required to override W's veto) and the bill funding ethical alternative research. Here are the roll call votes on the embryonic bill (S.5)and the ethical alternative bill (S.30).

Kudos to Senators Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Ben Nelson of Nebraska, the only two Democrats to vote against S.5, the embryonic stem cell bill.

Space Enterprise Rising

While US billionaire entrepreneur Charles Simonyi has arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) with the Expedition 15 crew as a paying customer (i.e. space tourist), a couple of announcements today indicate more dramatic space business enterprise to come in the coming years.

Robert Bigelow has announced his ambitious business plan for his inflatable habitats in orbit and beyond. Meanwhile, SpaceDev has announced plans to collaborate with the United Launch Alliance (ULA) to study launch of its Dream Chaser reusable vehicle on the Atlas V booster. The space business world is getting more interesting all the time.

Senate Debates Stem Cell Bills

The US Senate today began debate on bills setting the direction on funding for stem cell research, with votes set for tomorrow. President Bush has already promised a veto of the bill supporting research that would fund the destruction of human embryos, while saying he would support ethical and effective stem cell research.

Some additional good news: one Democratic senator appears to be following in the path of his late, great father, according to this report.

"I have listened carefully, especially to those whose loved ones are suffering from serious diseases and disabilities and who disagree with my position," Casey said. "I deeply respect their views and hope they can come to understand mine."

Casey's position counters that of his Republican colleague, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, who has been one of the Senate's most vocal supporters of embryonic stem cell research.

Circus on the Severn Folds Its Tent for 2007

The Maryland General Assembly has ended its 2007 session (none to soon). Here is a review from the Gazette newspaper and one from the Baltimore Sun. The articles note that some big issues, including the projected budget gap, were punted 'til next year.

Have a Blessed and Happy Easter and Passover!

At daybreak on the first day of the week
the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus
took the spices they had prepared
and went to the tomb.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb;
but when they entered,
they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, behold,
two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.
They said to them,
“Why do you seek the living one among the dead?
He is not here, but he has been raised.
Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee,
that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners
and be crucified, and rise on the third day.”
And they remembered his words.
Then they returned from the tomb
and announced all these things to the eleven
and to all the others.
The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James;
the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles,
but their story seemed like nonsense
and they did not believe them.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb,
bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone;
then he went home amazed at what had happened.

Lk 24:1-12