Moon Smash Gives Flash

For many astronomers and scientists, NASA's frontal assault on the moon was a grave disappointment on Friday, 10-09-09. The Lunar Crater Remote Observation Sensing Sattelite (LCROSS) exploded near the Lunar South Pole as planned, but the large plume of bright debris they were expecting never materialized. All that was observed was a bright flash. Scientists were hoping to find ice at the bottom of the deep crater where the impact occurred: however, the absence of a plume suggests there is only rock and dust at the site.
Even in this slugglish economy, space exploration is very important. There are some who would argue that we have more important issues here on Earth than shooting old satelites at the moon. There will probably come a time when humans exhaust all available resources on the planet and it will be time to move on. The moon is just the first step in the process. Scientific research will not always go the way we anticipate but it must continue at all cost.

Home Sweet Solar-Powerd Home

Experimental solar powered homes that were designed by college and university students from around the world will be on display today on Washington's National Mall for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathon competition. The homes must be livable and operate on solar power alone. The top three houses and their designers will be announced on Oct 16, 2009. I think it is a really great idea to be teaching our future designers and engineers the importance of renewable energy

Big Dreams for Small Wind Turbines

Whenever we hear the term Wind Power, these gigantic monstrosities spinning atop a ridgeline in some rural area come to mind. But another part of the wind power industry is gearing down, making small tubines to power a single home or business. The small turbines are still in the planning stage and there is a major drawback at this time...you need at least a 12 mile per hour wind to generate electricity, however, this is going to be like everything else in technology. It will take time to get the bugs out. Remember those large unsightly sattelite dishes in the backyard of houses and sometimes on the front lawn? Wind turbines wiil go the same route. and will be inconspicuously on the roof, just like the small sattelite dishes are now.

I'm Committed to Rights, Obama Tells Gays

Gay activists have to stand in line when it comes to unfulfilled campaign promises by President Barac Obama. They believe Obama has not taken decisive action on gay issues that have long been neglected. I truly believe the president is genuinely interested in gay rights, however, with many other pressing issues such as the economy, two Middle East wars, Iran, North Korea, issues with Russia and China, I think the gays and lesbians had better get used to sitting on the back burner, at least for a while.

US Troops Help Philippines Relief Effort as Storm Toll Rises

The Philippines has been ravaged by two back to back tropical storms blocking roads and washing away bridges, stretching govenment resourses to the breaking point. The Philippine government requested US troops, that were already on the islands for an annual military exercise to extend relief operations. That request was granted by the US government. The combined storms have been blamed for over 250 deaths on the island nation.

A Fresh Strategy for Obama and the Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is in Washington this week, meeting with everybody except President Obama. The President received criticsm for shunning the religious leader; however, the whitehouse claims the meeting was slated for later on in the year. Obviously Obama wants to meet with Chinese leader Hu Jintao first, as not to appear too appeasing to the Dalai Lama and the sensitive Tibet issue. Obama said the arrangement was mutual and both he and the Dalai Lama agree the policy would benefit all concerned.

Should Roman Polanski go to prison?

Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown and the Pianist are all great films and Roman Polanski is certainly a great director. But can we dismiss sexual misconduct with a 13 year girl, even if it happened three decades ago.

I find it doubtful that a man returning from a business trip in London, eight years earlier, who learned that his beautiful wife and unborn child had been senselessly slaughtered by a band of drug crazed sociopaths, would ever be of sound mind again. This is really no excuse.

During a private photo shoot in March 1977, Polanski told 13 year old Samantha Gailey (now Samantha Geimer) to lie on a bed as he performed oral sex, intercourse and sodomy on her while the entire time Geimer was telling Polanski to stop. Polanski was arrested and plead guilty to engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. The court ordered Polanski to a 90 day psychiatric evaluation at Chino State prison; however, he was released after only 42 days. Polanski believed that he would be given probation but when the judge leaked to the county prosecutor that he was going to send Polanski back to prison and then deport him, Polanski jumped bail and fled to France where he had citizenship and could not be extradited.

In September of this year, Polanski attempted to enter Switzerland, which has an extradition treaty with the US and was arrested and detained on the 1978 warrant.
Geimer was since awarded $600.000.00 in a civil suite against Polanski but it is unclear if anything was actually paid on the settlement. Geimer stated in a recent interview that she did not want to testify in court, if Polanski was returned to the United states for trial. Geimer said she thinks Polanski knew what he did was wrong and he should be forgiven.

Despite the wishes of the victim, there are certain things that we just can't let slide, no matter how long ago it happened or how old the defendant is now. Despite Polanski's celebrity status he should not be allowed to thumb his nose at American law and live comfortably abroad in Europe.

I think it would be a waist of talent if we all did not continue to enjoy Polanski's films.... as he is serving the rest of his sentence in Chino.