What's New Friday Sep 26, 2008

WHAT’S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday, 26 Sep 08   Washington, DC

1.  LHC: THE WORLD SURVIVED, BUT DID THE TRUTH TAKE A HIT?
As if by design, there had been an attempt to block the LHC turn-on by a 
loony who warned it could create a black hole and destroy the world.  It 
was a public-relations gift: a huge audience of morbidly curious people 
watched on European television to get their first look at a big physics 
experiment.  In the background, corks popped as physicists celebrated.  
The next day, however, CERN said a minor problem with a cooling system 
required a one day shut down.  The shut down now extends months, into the 
annual winter hiatus.

2.  NASA: REMIND ME AGAIN, WHY DID WE BUILD THE ISS?
Established by Congress on July 29, 1958, NASA is finding its 50th year to 
be a tough one.  The rickety space shuttle fleet is due to be retired in 
2010 for safety and cost reasons.  For five years, that will leave no way 
for the US to ferry astronauts to the ISS.  No problem, shrugs the White 
House Office of Management and Budget, just hire the Russians to do it for 
us.  Oops, differences with Russia over North Korea and Iran led to a 
trade embargo with Russia.  NASA got an exemption to the embargo allowing 
it to buy Soyuz rides.  Of course, that was before relations with Russia 
turned sour over Georgia.  So, to keep the ISS alive we should make nice 
to Russia?  Name one thing we've learned from the ISS?  

3.  SHENZHOU: A MODEST SPACE PROPOSAL.
In a perfect launch Thursday night, China sent three taikonauts on a 
mission that will include China’s first spacewalk.  Their next goal is a 
space station.  As in Apollo, the primary objective is political; they aim 
to reach the Moon before the US can return.  But China also attaches great 
importance to space exploration for military and commercial purposes.  
While the benefits of a space program are undeniable, there is no evidence 
that dragging Homo sapiens along has been anything but a burden to the 
first two space-faring nations.   I therefore propose once again that in 
the interests of world peace we simply give the ISS to China.  Let China 
pay the space station bills.  After all, every Yuan spent in space is a 
Yuan not spent on earthly adventures.

4.  EARMARKS:  SCIENCE FINDS ITSELF LOCKED OUT AGAIN.
Congress, which passed not a single FY 2009 appropriation bill, is now in 
the process of passing a Continuing Resolution.  What does it "continue"?  
The disastrous FY 2008 funding, that what.  Science was slashed to make 
more money available for pork barrel projects.  And once again the pork is 
at a record $6.6B level.  Lawmakers are using the financial crisis as an 
excuse for giving "a few bucks" to "folks" before they shovel hundreds of 
billions to "those rich guys in New York."  Senator Ted Stevens (R) of 
Alaska, who is on trial for taking illegal gifts, got the most, $238.5M.

5.  PULPIT FREEDOM SUNDAY: WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD?
Conservative Christian ministers are planning to take to their pulpits 
Sunday and publicly endorse a candidate for President.  They hope to 
provoke a challenge to the law that bars those religious organizations 
that accept tax-deductible contributions from involvement in political 
campaigns.  Who do they think they are, God?

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
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