Yeah US Diesels!

I'm sure GM's diesels are safe now since Oldsmobile is dead. Even better, look at what's being done with diesel engines these days. A diesel station wagon (clearly the coolest car on the planet) that suits my tastes can't be far away. Hope springs eternal...

To boldly go ..

...where everyone else is going. That sums up, at least partly, our moon mission plans; we can't neglect the night sun when India and China are charging full bore toward it. If they're hopping around and hitting 3000 yard drives onto the fairway by the Sea of Tranquility, we can't be sitting at home talking trash about how well our IRA is performing (invested in unmanned space exploration of course, as great as that may be) and how we'll take that lunar vacation just as soon as we reach our next savings goal. Nonetheless, those investments are much more important scientifically than redoing what was done thirty years ago (as a friend quite rightly pointed out since my last comment on this). Thankfully, according to this article there is more to the plan than that. The long haul is expected to be difficult, and the technology we have now is not expected to take us on the real vacation we're penny pinching for: Mars. The old-technology, hop around on the Moon trips are exploratory, to be followed by more advanced missions aimed at setting up a base on the Moon, almost as a dress rehearsal for Mars. Now my friend certainly wouldn't change his tune due to this article; he thinks it is technologically the wrong time to take this trip. I agree with this in part; some of the technology isn't ready for sure, but some needs to (and will only) be developed by actually going somewhere in space. Moreover, I think the politics, however unfortunately, are important and need to be addressed. There are real economic and, quite frankly, prestige issues with India, Japan, China, Russia and anyone else doing manned exploration of the moon while we have almost no one (perhaps the ISS) in space. That just won't cut it in the eyes of the people of the world if we want to consider ourselves a (the) leader in space exploration. However technologically backward it seems for the moment, putting people back on the moon is a good idea and will pay off in the long run.

Muslim convert to Christianity may be executed

I had to read this story at least twice before I could believe it. The man was "caught" while trying to reunite his family, and he was turned in by some of his own relatives. If nothing else, this makes me glad to live in a country like the United States; I think it's still legal to change religions here.

I am encouraged that some countries (US and NATO allies, Canada, and others) are pressuring Afghanistan to do the right thing and release the man. However, I'm afraid it won't be enough. Pray for the man (Abdur Rahman), that his life will be spared and that he'll gain his freedom. Also pray for his family; clearly he wants to reunite with his daughters.

The world is insane.

UPDATE (3/26/2006): He is to be released! Hallelujah! Afghanistan still has a long way to go, however, before it can be said to support religious freedom.

You too could write the SOTU

Write a speech for our Commander in Chief.

Watch your step.

These are not your ordinary sidewalk chalkings.

In Defense of Saab

Check out this editorial for a little perspective on Saab's predicament. I'm not sure Saab would even exist without GM's patronage, and though clearly there are ways to improve the General's handling of the brand, many of their steps have been good ones (e.g. Biopower and the SportCombi). Saab is in a good position to become a coveted "green" company, with environmentally responsible cars that also feature performance and top of the heap safety. With that, I don't think it'll take much of a push to really get them in business.

Putting a man on the moon: Priceless?

According to the assumptions of this article, the Dawn mission is part of the price of going back to the moon. Currently, I'm a believer, but in practice an agnostic, in NASA's new overriding mission. On the one hand, can anyone really foresee a future without men exploring space? And if, as I expect, you can't imagine people not roaming ever further in space, shouldn't the U.S.A. be on the forefront of this exploration? With China, Japan, and who knows who else re-engaging a space race, now is the time for us to go as well. On the other hand, I wince every time a credible and important space mission has to be scrubbed due to funding, and the linked article provides just such a mission that came under the axe due to NASA's reorganization. Perhaps in reality the cost overruns and technical difficulty would have scrapped this work anyway; it doesn't really matter. Missions like this will be canceled so men can stretch their legs on Lunar (and hopefully Martian) soil, so the message is the same regardless of the details. I'm still a believer, but the costs, both financially and to scientific advancement, are not negligible.