The scoundrels responsible for this are animals.
April 12th, 2011
50 Years After Gagarin, What’s The Outlook Of Space Exploration?
Fifty years after the first man went to space, our space program is in a state of flux. We are closing in on the final missions of the space shuttle era and funding remains in limbo for NASA’s new space capsule and heavy lift rocket. Where will the impetus to invest in exploration come from?
The private sector’s answer is to race to put rich people in space. Just two weeks ago, Richard Branson unveiled Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo that will take anyone willing to pay $200,000 into suborbital space.
Will Branson’s version of space tourism become the norm of space travel and what would be implications to governmental space travel? Space.com looks forward to 2061.
read more »
April 12th, 2011
Maine Legislature Passes Soveriegnty Resolution On The 150th Anniversary Of Fort Sumter
From the Portland Press Herald:
The Maine House of Representatives is asking Congress to respect state sovereignty.
By a 79-67 vote today, the Republican-controlled House passed the nonbinding resolution that says some congressional mandates exceed federal power. It now awaits a Senate vote.
The resolution highlights the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, which lays out federal and state powers, and asserts that a number of federal mandates exceed congressional authority.
Republican Rep. Richard Cebra of Naples urged passage. Cebra cited the federal Real ID anti-terrorism requirements as an example of a law in which the government exceeded its legal bounds.
The House Democratic leader, Rep. Emily Cain of Orono, said the courts already provide a process to determine when the federal government overreaches its authority.
Stay classy, Maine.
April 12th, 2011
50 Years Ago Today We Left Earth
[Photo courtesy of National Geographic]
Fifty years ago today, Yuri Gagarin boarded Vostok 1 and became the first man to break the chains of gravity and explore the unknown of space.
During the height of the Cold War, this achievement was not celebrated as the triumph of humanity that it should have been. Unfortunately, fear of Soviet technological supremacy and the possible military implications of successful manned space flight clouded our view of Gagarin’s mission.
April 12th, 2011
John Boehner Just Face Palmed
I doubt that John Boehner wants to frame the GOP stance on raising the debt ceiling in the words of Michele Bachmann.
The Republican-led U.S. House has the power of the purse strings, Bachmann said. “Barack Obama gets no money, zero money unless we give it to him. So he can be held hostage,” she said.
If the GOP can’t control their message and Boehner can’t control his caucus, the next few months are going to be rough for him and the electoral chances of the party. I still contend that John Boehner will not be Speaker of the House by the end of May.
April 11th, 2011
Cynthia McKinney Needs A Lesson In Demographics And Geography
Cynthia McKinney on Black Agenda Radio:
“It is interesting” that some self-styled progressives have decided to support an Obama war “that just happens to be against black people,” says former Georgia congresswoman and Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney. “Libya is in Africa, and Libyans are black, too.” McKinney plans to lead a delegation to the besieged North African nation, this week.
[emphasis is mine.]
Ms. McKinney, geographical proximity does not equal ethnic sameness. Yes, Libya is in Africa. Very good. However, most Libyans, as with most Saharan nationalities/ethnicities, are not ethnically similar to sub-Saharan Africans. They are descendants of Berber and Arab tribesman with no linguistic, cultural, or genetic similarities.
I will grant her that the Toubou of extreme Southern Libya do share commanalities with sub-Saharan Africans, however, they are nowhere near where the Libyan Civil War is being waged or where NATO is currently bombing.
April 11th, 2011
CNN/Opinion Reseach Poll Says Americans Give Obama Credit For This Weekend’s Budget Deal
Despite doing very little until a government shutdown seemed inevitable, Barack Obama looks to be the big winner in the eyes of the American public according to a new CNN/Opinion Research poll. 48% of Americans think Obama/Democrats are responsible while only 35% think the Congressional Republicans are responsible. Full results are here.
April 11th, 2011
Dalai Lama Understands Western Culture Better Than We Do
“The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered, “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”–Reciprocity Failure
[hattip: Andrew Sullivan]