Archive for 4/16/2007

Time to reconsider “gun-free” zones?

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Once again, Americans are faced with the counter-productive consequences of gun control. At least 33 students were killed today in a rampage on the Virginia Tech campus. The shootings were reportedly committed with two 9mm handguns. The killer chained shut the dormitory doors, and went door-to-door slaughtering students. The usual police procedure in such situations is to wait outside until for a SWAT team to arrive and access the situation before taking action, which usually gives the perpetrator plenty of time to run out of ammo.

Students, teachers, and security guards who want to protect themselves on campus face severe criminal penalties for violating federal and state “gun free” zones.

How many victims have to die before people realize that “gun free zones” are not such a good idea?

Do politicians know more about space exploration than rocket scientists?

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Are politicians more knowledgeable than rocket scientists when it comes to planning the next U.S. moon shot?

House and Senate appropriators have pushed back against NASA’s proposed termination of a planned 2011 robotic lunar lander mission, directing the agency to spend $20 million this year to continue work on a follow-on to the 2008 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

…we do not agree with your decision to terminate the LPRP program at this time pending a further examination of program requirements, design, cost and viability,” the letter reads. “Therefore we direct that $20 million be provided to continue planning for a potential LPRP mission during the remainder of [2007].”

“I do not need a robotic lander to reduce risks for the human landings,” [NASA Administrator Mike] Griffin said. “Everybody who has carefully looked at that has said you don’t need it.”

Politicians may have a number of reasons for preserving missions that teams of NASA specialists deem unnecessary: the media from moon rovers is a cheap thrill, it preserves funds promised to constituents ($105.8m in ’07), and it competes with similar missions from half a dozen other nations, which will “end up with lots of pictures of the same place.”

Good publicity, certainly, but not an efficient way to run a space program.  But what else can you expect when you mix science and government?

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