Discovery has undocked from ISS, for the last time.
Discovery has undocked from ISS, for the last time.
Discovery has undocked from ISS, for the last time.
Tag: government
Discovery has undocked from ISS, for the last time.
Senate budget for NASA cuts the program, though less than the House
The new Senate budget proposal for NASA cuts the agency’s budget, though it does so less than the House.
Only a few months ago the Democratically-controlled Senate proposed giving NASA an increase from its 2010 budget. Today, the Senate, still controlled by Democrats, now proposes cutting that budget instead. It is remarkable to watch the impact of an election.
The new Senate budget proposal for NASA cuts the agency’s budget, though it does so less than the House.
Only a few months ago the Democratically-controlled Senate proposed giving NASA an increase from its 2010 budget. Today, the Senate, still controlled by Democrats, now proposes cutting that budget instead. It is remarkable to watch the impact of an election.
China Details Ambitious Space Station Goals
Amtrak police chief bars TSA from some security operations
Maybe the airlines should consider this option: The Amtrak police chief has barred the TSA from the railroad’s security operations.
[Police chief] O’Connor said the TSA VIPR teams have no right to do more than what Amtrak police do occasionally, which has produced few if any protests and which O’Connor said is clearly within the law and the Constitution. More than a thousand times, Amtrak teams (sometimes including VIPR) have performed security screenings at Amtrak stations. These screenings are only occasional and random, and inspect the bags of only about one in 10 passengers. There is no wanding of passengers and no sterile area. O’Connor said the TSA violated every one of these rules.
Maybe the airlines should consider this option: The Amtrak police chief has barred the TSA from the railroad’s security operations.
[Police chief] O’Connor said the TSA VIPR teams have no right to do more than what Amtrak police do occasionally, which has produced few if any protests and which O’Connor said is clearly within the law and the Constitution. More than a thousand times, Amtrak teams (sometimes including VIPR) have performed security screenings at Amtrak stations. These screenings are only occasional and random, and inspect the bags of only about one in 10 passengers. There is no wanding of passengers and no sterile area. O’Connor said the TSA violated every one of these rules.
Government posts biggest monthly deficit ever
O joy. The federal government posted its biggest monthly deficit ever in February 2011.
O joy. The federal government posted its biggest monthly deficit ever in February 2011.
Senate science budget proposals
Progress! The Senate’s science budget proposals are higher than the House’s, but actually do include real cuts.
Progress! The Senate’s science budget proposals are higher than the House’s, but actually do include real cuts.
Orrin Hatch, Mark Udall back anti-appropriations committee in Senate
Progress! Two senators from both parties have proposed an anti-appropriations committee that would focus on cutting wasteful federal programs.
Progress! Two senators from both parties have proposed an anti-appropriations committee that would focus on cutting wasteful federal programs.
America must protect funding of Huntsville NASA facilities according to lawmakers
Alabama lawmakers express desire to protect funding of Huntsville NASA facilities.
Normally I would call this a typical squeal for funds (and we do see so-called conservative Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) squealing a bit) , but the article makes it clear that everyone involved (even the journalist!) has real doubts about the wisdom of funding these programs with the present federal debt.
Alabama lawmakers express desire to protect funding of Huntsville NASA facilities.
Normally I would call this a typical squeal for funds (and we do see so-called conservative Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) squealing a bit) , but the article makes it clear that everyone involved (even the journalist!) has real doubts about the wisdom of funding these programs with the present federal debt.
TSA planned secret body scans of pedestrians
Does this make you feel safer? The TSA spent millions developing the ability to do secret body scans of pedestrians as they entered train stations, bus depots or major events. Key quote:
EPIC lawyer Ginger McCall says the project is disturbing nonetheless because it shows the department “obviously believed that this level of surveillance is acceptable when in fact it is not at all acceptable.”
Does this make you feel safer? The TSA spent millions developing the ability to do secret body scans of pedestrians as they entered train stations, bus depots or major events. Key quote:
EPIC lawyer Ginger McCall says the project is disturbing nonetheless because it shows the department “obviously believed that this level of surveillance is acceptable when in fact it is not at all acceptable.”
Obama administration appeals oil drilling ruling
The Obama administration has appealed a judge’s ruling that the law requires them to issue oil drilling permits.
The Obama administration has appealed a judge’s ruling that the law requires them to issue oil drilling permits.
Texas Legislation Proposes Felony Charges for TSA Agents
Go Texas! Legislators there have proposed making it a felony for TSA agents to perform full-body patdowns without cause. They have also introduced legislation that would make the body scan equipment illegal.
Go Texas! Legislators there have proposed making it a felony for TSA agents to perform full-body patdowns without cause. They have also introduced legislation that would make the body scan equipment illegal.
Democrat state lawmakers want to ban photography at accident sites
Freedom of speech alert: Democrat state lawmakers in Illinois want to ban photography at accident sites.
Freedom of speech alert: Democrat state lawmakers in Illinois want to ban photography at accident sites.
Biden leaving in middle of budget talks
How can anyone take this administration seriously? On Wednesday Obama announces that Biden will be his lead negotiator with Congress on the budget, even though Biden already had a prearranged trip to Europe beginning on Monday. He attended one meeting on Thursday, and then said goodbye!
How can anyone take this administration seriously? On Wednesday Obama announces that Biden will be his lead negotiator with Congress on the budget, even though Biden already had a prearranged trip to Europe beginning on Monday. He attended one meeting on Thursday, and then said goodbye!
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card.
Read the entire article. For more reasons than one can count (with the most important of all being that the public doesn’t want it), this is a bad idea at a bad time.
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card.
Read the entire article. For more reasons than one can count (with the most important of all being that the public doesn’t want it), this is a bad idea at a bad time.
Senate Republicans introduce bill to defund public radio and television
Couldn’t be soon enough for me! Two senate Republicans introduced a bill on Friday to defund public radio and television.
Couldn’t be soon enough for me! Two senate Republicans introduced a bill on Friday to defund public radio and television.
Britain slashes spending to UN
Great Britain has slashed its UN contribution, including eliminating all funds to four UN agencies. Key quote:
The British actions change the focus of the debate, from gauzy generalizations about the need for and importance of the U.N. to a realistic look at what it actually achieves.
Great Britain has slashed its UN contribution, including eliminating all funds to four UN agencies. Key quote:
The British actions change the focus of the debate, from gauzy generalizations about the need for and importance of the U.N. to a realistic look at what it actually achieves.
TSA wants to expand its jurisdiction to searching people on sidewalks
FOIA documents show that the TSA has plans to expand its jurisdiction to searching random people on city streets. More here.
FOIA documents show that the TSA has plans to expand its jurisdiction to searching random people on city streets. More here.
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead. And he really means it.
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead. And he really means it.
Cutting the federal budget two weeks at a time
Cutting the federal budget — two weeks at a time.
Cutting the federal budget — two weeks at a time.
Russia lacks enough rockets to fulfill 2011 launch plans
This is both good and bad: Russia appears to lack enough available rockets to fulfill its 2011 launch plans.
This is both good and bad: Russia appears to lack enough available rockets to fulfill its 2011 launch plans.
Some thoughts on a government shutdown and NASA
Some thoughts on how a government shutdown would affect NASA.
Some thoughts on how a government shutdown would affect NASA.
Interior Secretary Salazar issues first Gulf of Mexico drilling permit since oil spill
Faced with pressure from Congress and the courts, Interior Secretary Salazar finally stopped stalling and issued late Monday the first Gulf of Mexico drilling permit since the BP oil spill.
Faced with pressure from Congress and the courts, Interior Secretary Salazar finally stopped stalling and issued late Monday the first Gulf of Mexico drilling permit since the BP oil spill.
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase.
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase.
For 50 Straight Weeks, the Majority Has Supported Repeal
Repeal Obamacare already! And for fifty straight weeks, the majority in every poll has agreed.
Repeal Obamacare already! And for fifty straight weeks, the majority in every poll has agreed.
India’s space agency gets a 35% hike for 2011
Not all space agencies (think NASA) have budget problems: India has given its space agency ISRO a 35% hike for 2011.
Not all space agencies (think NASA) have budget problems: India has given its space agency ISRO a 35% hike for 2011.
Senate Democrats express support for the most recent House Republican proposal
Have the Democrats blinked? Senate Democrats have expressed support for the most recent House Republican proposal, a short-term continuing resolution that cuts $4 billion for its two week span and terminates 8 programs outright. A lot more details here, including a program-by-program breakdown of the cuts. Key quote:
Republicans have made abundantly clear that they wish to avoid a government shutdown, as have Democrats to a degree, though for the most part they [the Democrats] have spent the last few weeks preemptively blaming Republicans for a shutdown, while at the same time failing to produce a single piece of legislation that would prevent one.
Have the Democrats blinked? Senate Democrats have expressed support for the most recent House Republican proposal, a short-term continuing resolution that cuts $4 billion for its two week span and terminates 8 programs outright. A lot more details here, including a program-by-program breakdown of the cuts. Key quote:
Republicans have made abundantly clear that they wish to avoid a government shutdown, as have Democrats to a degree, though for the most part they [the Democrats] have spent the last few weeks preemptively blaming Republicans for a shutdown, while at the same time failing to produce a single piece of legislation that would prevent one.
Another climategate whitewash
The inspector general of the Department of Commerce has just issued a review of NOAA’s response to the climategate emails and has essentially given the agency a clean bill of health. You can download the full report here [pdf].
It’s. just. another. whitewash. Let me quote just one part of the report’s summary, referring to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to NOAA in June 2007 in which the agency responded by saying they had no such documents:
» Read more
Man who advocated jury nullification indicted for doing so
Freedom of speech alert! A man who would stand on the steps of a courthouse and hand out pamphlets advocating jury nullification has been indicted for doing so. Key quote:
Since 2009, Mr. Heicklen has stood there and at courthouse entrances elsewhere and handed out pamphlets encouraging jurors to ignore the law if they disagree with it, and to render verdicts based on conscience. That concept, called jury nullification, is highly controversial, and courts are hostile to it. But federal prosecutors have now taken the unusual step of having Mr. Heicklen indicted on a charge that his distributing of such pamphlets at the courthouse entrance violates the law against jury tampering. He was arraigned on Friday in a somewhat contentious hearing before Judge Kimba M. Wood, who entered a not guilty plea on his behalf when he refused to say how he would plead. During the proceeding, he railed at the judge and the government, and called the indictment “a tissue of lies.”
Mr. Heicklen insists that he never tries to influence specific jurors or cases, and instead gives his brochures to passers-by, hoping that jurors are among them.
Freedom of speech alert! A man who would stand on the steps of a courthouse and hand out pamphlets advocating jury nullification has been indicted for doing so. Key quote:
Since 2009, Mr. Heicklen has stood there and at courthouse entrances elsewhere and handed out pamphlets encouraging jurors to ignore the law if they disagree with it, and to render verdicts based on conscience. That concept, called jury nullification, is highly controversial, and courts are hostile to it. But federal prosecutors have now taken the unusual step of having Mr. Heicklen indicted on a charge that his distributing of such pamphlets at the courthouse entrance violates the law against jury tampering. He was arraigned on Friday in a somewhat contentious hearing before Judge Kimba M. Wood, who entered a not guilty plea on his behalf when he refused to say how he would plead. During the proceeding, he railed at the judge and the government, and called the indictment “a tissue of lies.”
Mr. Heicklen insists that he never tries to influence specific jurors or cases, and instead gives his brochures to passers-by, hoping that jurors are among them.
The squealing of a former Bush science administrator
The cries and squeals are now coming from all sides: A former undersecretary for Science in the Energy Department during the Bush administration, Raymond L. Orbach, has joined the chorus of scientists whining about the House’s proposed cuts. [His full editorial, available here as a pdf, can only be downloaded if you subscribe to Science.]
Like all the other squealers, he admits that “the budget deficit is serious.” Nonetheless, the idea of cutting his pet science programs remains unacceptable.
It is when I read stuff like this that feel the situation is most hopeless. Is there no one willing to accept the reality that if we don’t start gaining some control over the federal budget the country will go bankrupt and we will not be able to afford anything?
Instead, all I hear are cries of “Cut! Cut! But don’t cut my program!”