Whatever Happened To The Final Frontier?

According to James Hansen, the role of NASA is to investigate climate change. Funny, I always thought that those were the people that were responsible for national aeronotics space administration, not global warming administration. Perhaps they should change their name to NGWA (National Global Warming Administration). Here's a tidbit of what NASA administrator Michael Griffin had to say : "I have no doubt that a trend of global warming exists," Griffin told Inskeep. "I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with." "To assume that it is a problem is to assume that the state of Earth's climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever have had and that we need to take steps to make sure that it doesn't change," Griffin said. "I guess I would ask which human beings — where and when — are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that's a rather arrogant position for people to take." [...] "NASA is the world's preeminent organization in the study of Earth and the conditions that contribute to climate change and global warming," Griffin said in a statement. "The agency is responsible for collecting data that is used by the science community and policy makers as part of an ongoing discussion regarding our planet's evolving systems. It is NASA's responsibility to collect, analyze and release information. It is not NASA's mission to make policy regarding possible climate change mitigation strategies. As I stated in the NPR interview, we are proud of our role and I believe we do it well." Apparently, James wasn't aware of NASA's mandate when he was hired on. Those space shuttles burning all that fuel must really piss him off. Here's the full article. H/T National Newswatch.

Putting Islanders First...For A Change

I haven't yet commented on the election campaign that is underway here in Prince Edward Island but today I stumbled upon something that I couldn't help but mention. According to a recent poll in The Guardian, the Liberal Party of PEI is expected to win with 49% of the vote to 42% for the Progressive Conservative Party of PEI. Although some voters may be turned off by the negative radio ads put out by the Ghiz Liberals, negative advertising does work when properly executed. Fair enough. This may explain the rise that the Liberals are experiencing in recent telephone polling. What I do find distasteful is coming out of a church after attending a funeral to see a long procession of cars with election literature littering their front windshields. I will point out that the Liberal candidate of that riding, Allan Campbell of Souris-Elmira District 1 had the decency to apologize, however there were a lot of people that were utterly incensed at this last minute attempt to garner further support. In future campaigns, it would be a wise practice for political activists to really put all Islanders first by not bothering those that are grieving over the loss of a loved one.

Remember Me?

See the hottest thing on the internet today, courtesy of 15 year-old Lizzie Palmer. Remember Me?

Harper's Legacy

Sounds like a premature title considering the fact that the Conservative Government of Stephen Harper has only been in power for a year and a few months. Despite the recent polling numbers from Nik Nanos, all is not lost. Quite the contrary. Brian Mulroney had a legacy for bringing us the NAFTA, for the acid-rain agreement, and for reversing Canada's direction toward continued deficits. Jean Chretien had a legacy for killing the Conservative Party of Canada. Now, Mr. Harper had succesfully reunited conservatives while at the same time giving separatists a pummelling. Just ask Andre Boisclair. Now the choice is clear. We can vote for a federalist party that supports foreign democracies in their infancies, one that supports them as long as it doesn't cost us anything and doesn't offend those fighting against freedom and human rights, and one that supports democracy except when they're losing non-confidence votes. Additionally, we have a fourth national alternative in the Green Party, although this would perhaps be better lumped in with the Liberal Party of Canada since being taken over by Elizabeth May. Not bad for one year in power.

Warren Must've Given A Bad Movie Review...

...Because it sounds like he's got Borat after him. That's just wrong. h/t National newswatch

Just When You Think You've Heard It All...

Aside from my 9-5 job, I also own and operate a taxi. It's amazing what you see on a Saturday night. This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to drive a customer to the sanctity of her porcelein god after a night of revelling. (translation: She was hammered, I drove her home). To the amusement of myself and the others sharing the ride, she stated rather factually that a "vote for a Liberal is a step in the right direction". Now I know you're all shaking your heads from left to right and back again at reading this, but upon further consideration I think you'll agree that she's right. We live in a democratic society that is free to choose a political party that will hopefully allow us to follow a path that we have chosen to follow without coercion or threat. We're very fortunate to be living in a country such as Canada. This is just my opinion, but this is the best country in the world to live. As for voting Liberal? Well, I'd have to say that a vote for a Liberal is as much a step in the right direction as is boarding a crop-duster is a step in the right direction when flying to Mars. I'm grateful to live in country such as Canada. Should I ever choose to go to Mars though, I think I'll take the Space Shuttle. And that's why I vote Conservative. (no anti-NEOcons were harmed in the making of this post. All Kool-Aid used was sugar-free. No heavy breathing was caused from typing at a rapid pace so as to reduce CO2 emissions).

***NEWSFLASH***

Apparently, an anonymous Stephen Harper supporter has passed this on to an anonymous reporter who in turn passed it on to Garth Turner himself: "First, the Tory bloggers, or blogging Tories, as they officially group themselves on the world wide web. Seriously – have you looked at the hateful spite spewing out of these internet sites? It’s like graffiti you’d find in the washroom of a home for angry old men. They hate everyone. They loathe any woman on television. They detest people who live in cities, perhaps even anyone with indoor plumbing. They scream at anyone who doesn’t think like they do. Do yourself a favour, Mr. Harper: never look at the Small Dead Animals site. Stephen King should be suing these folks for plagiarism. They talk like the evil townsfolk in his horror novels." The only way you could appreciate the irony in this being printed on Garth's site would be to read the comments on his site. At which point you have to ask yourself: "Where's the Love?"