The map, based on 18 months’ worth of satellite data, shows very high levels of NO2 above major European and North American cities and across much of north-east China. South-east Asia and Africa also have raised concentrations of the gas due to their burning of vegetation. “Ship tracks are visible in some locations,” says Steffen Beirle, one of the research team at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. “Look at the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean between the southern tip of India and Indonesia.” Although NO2 is formed naturally by lightning and by microbes in the ground, it is also released into the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels by power plants, heavy industry and vehicles. Large quantities of the gas can cause respiratory problems and lung damage, and can also contribute to harmful ozone forming near ground level.
Obama has commented on helping poor nations to develop clean technologies but as you can see, it is not the poor countries that harm the planet the most. It is the rich large countries doing all of the damage. We first need to look at home and prevent the devastation that has been ongoing. United States, China, and Europe need to change the way they live first before they can start criticizing other poorer nations that only amount to about 11% of emissions around the world. Our polar ice caps have lost nearly a third of its size from 1981 to 2003(NASA Data). Your plan is to reduce amounts of emissions by the year 2050. By your logic, we won’t have a polar ice cap left. There won’t be anything to save. The climates around the world are already beginning to shift. Melting glacial water changes the composition of the ocean and changes the weather patterns around the world. Yearly Warming Temperatures from NASA
http://politicalpete.com/
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Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
In the roar of coverage leading up to the election in eighteen-odd days, some of my fellow Space Democrats outside of Florida may have missed this:
http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/2008/10/campaigns-compete-for-space-votes.shtml
Sen. Barack Obama has released a radio ad touting his pledge to increase NASA funding. The ad features Sen. Bill Nelson, who says the additional $2 billion and an extra shuttle flight would reduce layoffs expected at Kennedy Space Center when the shuttle is retired.
I'm concerned about the lack of perspective on the value of our space program. In fact, if anyone has a clue as to where Obama's space policy is located, please let me know. I'll keep searching the website.
Merely discussing math and science education, engineers for "home grown" industries and bumping government research grants doesn't cut it.
Where is the BO Space Policy?
Case in point - I don't see any comments on NASA's pre-engineering programs that are pulling kids from inner city neighborhoods into science, technology, and eventually aerospace engineering.
What will happen to our current budgets for NASA? Will they be raided to fund other "new" programs?
The United States still has one solid, advanced industry that actually makes things - and that's aerospace. With massive aerospace engineer retirements looming we need to replace both these engineers plus engineers for all the new energy economy, the new transportation economy, the new (smaller?) housing economy.
Perhaps when China lands on the moon - and they will - we might wake up. But I'd like to see a little more forward thinking policies on the part of the Obama campaign. The bulk of the space under your technology section is devoted to the internet. Now that's a bit a no-brainer.
There is more to our technology lives than the internet. There is the high-ground to protect - space.
I don't see it in the Obama policies. Space needs to be there, explicitly, not implicitly.
Anyone who has driven through Ohio and glanced at a couple license plates knows that the Buckeye State is the renowned "Birthplace of Aviation"--the Wright brothers and space pioneer (and former Senator) John Glenn are famous natives of the state.
And John Glenn himself recently endowed Barack's campaign with his Ohio born-and-bred space expertise, by advocating for Senator Obama's NASA platform. The Dayton Daily News carries the story:
Former Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, spent part of his Sunday afternoon stumping for Sen. Barack Obama’s space agenda. On a conference call with reporters, Glenn backed Obama’s plans for NASA, saying Obama’s plans represent a reversal from funding cuts during the Bush administration. “I’m looking forward to working very closely with Barack Obama after he’s president,” said Glenn, adding he hopes that Obama adds more than the one shuttle flight per year he’s committed to in his space plan. If elected, Obama said he would: - Re-enact the National Aeronautics and Space Council to oversee and coordinate the civilian, commercial and military space programs and report to the president. - Go to the moon by 2020 as a precursor to going to Mars. - Add another shuttle flight to help accelerate the development of the next generation space vehicle. - Complete and enhance the International Space Station so it can host the innovative scientific and technological research projects it was intended to facilitate. - Emphasize NASA research to study climate change and advance aeronautics research. - Expand public/private partnerships to develop new technolgoy - Expanded education. Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth when he piloted the Friendship 7 around the earth in 1962. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1974 to 1997.
Former Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, spent part of his Sunday afternoon stumping for Sen. Barack Obama’s space agenda. On a conference call with reporters, Glenn backed Obama’s plans for NASA, saying Obama’s plans represent a reversal from funding cuts during the Bush administration.
“I’m looking forward to working very closely with Barack Obama after he’s president,” said Glenn, adding he hopes that Obama adds more than the one shuttle flight per year he’s committed to in his space plan.
If elected, Obama said he would: - Re-enact the National Aeronautics and Space Council to oversee and coordinate the civilian, commercial and military space programs and report to the president. - Go to the moon by 2020 as a precursor to going to Mars. - Add another shuttle flight to help accelerate the development of the next generation space vehicle. - Complete and enhance the International Space Station so it can host the innovative scientific and technological research projects it was intended to facilitate. - Emphasize NASA research to study climate change and advance aeronautics research. - Expand public/private partnerships to develop new technolgoy - Expanded education.
Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth when he piloted the Friendship 7 around the earth in 1962. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1974 to 1997.
Even though it may not look like it or feel like it, you are making progress.
Continue working towards progress instead of perfection.
Nothing or no no one is perfect.
Just keep taking steps.
Keep making those phone calls.
Continue following your plan.
Remain focused on your goal.
Do what you have to do right now to get to the next level.
Complete every task.
Keep every promise and commitment.
Don't look back.
Let no one weaken your walk of faith and determination.
Remain teachable.
Place yourself in a blessing position by associating with people on-the-grow.
Talk with teachers.
Walk with winners.
Climb with champions.
Study successful people.
Something great is about to happen for you!
Start giving thanks right now before you can even see the outward manisfestation of your prayers and desires.
Everything you do from this day forward will take you further away or closer to your potential for successful living.
-by Dr. Jewel Diamond Taylor, Motivational Speaker & Author
A manned visit to Mars is a good eventual goal. Great civilizations need great goals to thrive. However it strikes me that our space policy should be a little more focused on near term need. After reading the article in the June issue of The Atlantic, The Sky is Falling (http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200806/asteroids), I have come to the conclusion that we need to really start thinking about this as a real issue. I know this sounds chicken littlish, but you should read the article. The probabilities associated with a significant impact event have been increasing dramatically over the last few decades. I quote from the article:
Part of the rethinking comes from the rather obvious observation that if you are going to be looking for crater impacts you need to also look at the ocean floor. (Since most of the planet is covered by the oceans.) The next observation is that not all impact events will leave a crater behind at all.
Space policy made a pretty decent splash at Netroots Nation. We had an excellent panel on space policy, and an excellent platform meeting. For those of you who don't remember, we had Andrew Hoppin moderating, and Chris Bowers, Lori Garver, Patricia Grace Smith, and George Whitesides all speaking. You can about the panelists here.
Join me over the fold to read, and see it
The third installment of our Space Security Lunch Series, held at the University of Colorado Boulder in the University Memorial Center (UMC), Aspen Room 285, will take place on July 23, 2008. Speaker will be Rachel Yates, space lawer and partner with Holland & Hart law firm in Denver. Subject of talk will be: "Space Tourism: Have Fun at Your Own Risk."
Note that her talk is sponsored by the Secure World Foundation, and is a non-partisan discussion focusing on an aspect of space law.
Register here: http://www.secureworldfoundation.org/index.php?event_id=8&edate=2008-7-23&id=71
Hey Everyone,
I figured now would be a good time to remind everyone (again) about some upcoming space events, that would be worth going to. We have a couple of major events this week, as well as future events upcoming. I promise reports to any and all I attend, and I suggest that you attend as well
People are questioning whether NASA’s current agenda is capable of producing the bountiful economic spinoffs reaped from the early space program. Personal computers, software, GPS, weather satellites, solar panels, digital cameras...all are a horn of plenty set in motion by President Kennedy in 1961. NASA is adrift from the economic challenges of the 21st century. The key lesson learned is that humans are very expensive space workers owing to their complex life support systems. By comparison, robots easily adapt to outer space and only lack one attribute – the intelligence to deal with unexpected problems. What if NASA were to forget about sending people to the moon and Mars, and instead adopt an ambitious goal to colonize the moon robotically? Two worthwhile projects would be astronomy outposts on the moon, and a particle beam gun to deflect killer asteroids away from hitting the earth. Unlike Apollo, which was a difficult act to follow, a robotic space program is sustainable because mission costs are much lower.
But the bigger payoff will take place back here on earth. Intelligent robotics will transform manufacturing, construction, transportation, hospitality, health care, landscaping and housework. If a parallel effort is devoted to robo-ethics and economics, smart robotics will usher in an era of unprecedented human prosperity.
NASA should play a leading role in spearheading the computer science leading to this outcome. A major shift in priorities needs to take place. Sen McCain has endorsed men-on-Mars, which should be vigorously debated as out-of-touch with what we've learned in our first 50 years in space. It's a strategic blunder that could surrender the smart robotics revolution to our global competitors.
Sen. Obama hopefully will have the most well-informed scientists helping him shape the issues in time for the fall debates.
This is being re-posted from my diaries over at dailykos
In many of my past diaries, I commented on Senator Obama, and his lack of a space policy, and the concern that he is anti human spaceflight. These diaries have ranged from long explanations, to something that was probably close to a rant.
Back in the 60's, when I was in my teens, the USSR, atomic bombs, and the space program were at the forefront of most American's thoughts. In one bold statement, John F. Kennedy launched the pursuit of the most audacious goal in modern history - to safely land mankind on the moon and bring him back. In less than 10 years, that goal was achieved. The TOTAL cost, in today's dollars amounted to less than $400B. All of us here in the United States of America, and, most of the rest of the world continue to reap the benefits of that National effort.
In contrast, the IRAQ war has easily cost the US THREE TIMES that amount, has done nothing but destroy a country's infrastructure, social structure and visited untold misery to HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of civilians who had NOTHING to do with the tradgedy of September 11, 2001. In addition, it has depleted our national wealth - resulting in neglect and decay of our own country's infrastructure and weakened the moral fabric of the essence of our social structure because of the obvious unbridled greed of a few who decieved us into this amoral war.
We did it once, we can do it again. America CAN achieve complete and TOTAL energy independence. We simply need to declare, from our highest office, just as John F. Kennedy did, that our National Goal is to achieve that independence. And, to set a date to do it within 10 years. The consequences of achieving this would be monumental and would once again propel the United States of America into being the World's banner carrier for technological solutions to the World's problems, to find that magic equalizing formula that can truly feed the poor, that can bring education to every mind, that can strengthen our foundation so that it cannot ever be shaken up again.
All it takes is the will, the committment, and a person with the vision to declare it. I believe Barack Obama is that person.
Where does Barack stand on NASA and space exploration? After sorting through his various policy pages on technology, education, spending and the like, I have not been able to find any information on where Barack stands on Space.
I would imagine that like most Democrats, he isn't wildly enthusiastic about funding space exploration, instead prefering that money be spent on social programs. This makes sense, space isn't sexy any more like it was in the 60's. The many problems and cost overruns with the shuttle and space station in recent years make it easy to understand why voters would rather that sixteen-odd billion dollars a year be spent on them. Also, Bush is the one who set forth the Vision for Space Exploration culminating in the creation of the Orion program to replace the shuttle and return to the moon, so it wouldn't be prudent for a change candidate to agree with the president on this. That being said, NASA has done some amazing things with unmanned missons in recent years such as the 2004 rovers that landed on Mars and the lander that is there digging away as we speak. Also, the Cassini mission to Saturn has proven to be a huge success and sets the stage for the Jupiter icy moons orbiter that is set to launch soon. So, with so much going on at NASA, what will Barack do as president?
I would love to hear him pledge a Kennedy-like goal of landing on Mars or at least establishing a base on the Moon, but I don't think he would do anything like that during his first term. Once the economy is in better shape and the war in Iraq is ended, there will be room to be bold and visionary about space exploration. However I think the space program is integral to supporting efforts like combatting climate change, researching alternative energy (NASA's been using fuel cells for decades), and supporting math and science education so it would be in Obama's best interest to come out in full support of NASA. Furthermore, a renewed commitment to NASA could also help with restoring America's image accross the world. Right now, the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and Europeans are all pushing forward with their own space programs and America cannot afford to get behind in a new space race to China (who plans on going to the moon, too).
So I guess my question is: Where does Barack stand on space? And: Where should he stand?
I realize this isn't the mainstream of issues but it's something I'm very interested in. We need to encourage commercializing of space and give incentives to space company startups like there was for the aviation industry in it's early stages of development. That would free NASA up to take on larger goals and technology development.
- Does Barack plan on supporting the current plan on sending astronauts back to the Moon and eventually onto Mars?
It's important to keep continuing our understanding of space thru exploration and development of space technologies.
