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.