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Apple, refusing to stand still, has released its trimmest full-featured iPod yet. The iPod Nano plays music, displays photos, is cleverly designed and is VERY small.

Heres a story just out, regarding human right improvements. China, Canada Vow to Improve Human Rights. The Chinese will get to it as they are cajoled into business deals. Its not easy to change from where you are to where you are going. There is a lot to be said for stability - but they can be pretty ruthless when they don't get their own way.

Microsoft Assisted Worm Investigation Microsoft's Internet Crime Investigations Team supported the investigation with law enforcement immediately following the release of the two worms. Microsoft provided technical information and analytical support to the FBI on this case, which was then shared with Moroccan and Turkish authorities.

>Well, no one in the Bush Whitehouse listened to him about the threat from Al Quaeda before the 9/11 attacks, so why would Microsoft bother to listen to him.

Well, considering that Microsoft donated 60% of their $3.1 million of political donations to the DNC last year, I'm sure that they'll listen to him, even if he's not really that competent in security.

-eventhorizon

Given Google's political donations, perhaps the worry is not without cause.

"The administration examined a wide range of ideas, including new, reusable space shuttles and even exotic concepts such as space elevators" (my emphasis).

A space elevator, now there's a project worth pursuing. If we could only master the technology needed (superstrong materials, read Arthur C. Clarke's Fountains of Paradise or see this site for details) a space elevator would pay for itself in a matter of years and open up space for humanity like no other initiave we can even imagine today.

That aside, I wonder if we will read about this period in 30 years time like we do today about Nixon's deliberations about what to do with the Apollo program, not to mention how special interests got the Space Shuttle funding even though there was little science to gain from the program which basically tied us to LEO for decades? I wonder how much frenzied scrambling has been going on inside NASA these past few months to come up with realistic programs while the Prez is in a benign mood (all part of the re-election strategies, no doubt).

Whatever comes from this, if anything at all, let's try to make it an international effort. First of all that would be good for international cooperation in general, it wouldn't look like one country was doing this for strategic purposes and it would ease the burden somewhat for the US taxpayer. Fair is fair, the entire human race will (hopefully) benefit from this, so we should all chip in.

Amoung other things they are saying that they plan to scrap the shuttle fleet after ISS is finished.

It also says that NASA will be the only department other than homeland security and the military to get a budget increase. Personally, I'm not sure this will really happen, since they are planning through 2013, which is (including the current) four presidential terms away. The US goverment isn't very good at sticking with one plan that long.

here. They have links to other news sites. In particular, the UPI article has a mention about a presidential commission to review Nasa's plans. Interesting...

I am not particularly happy with the statement that all other Nasa programs that do not support the new effort are to be scrapped. Indeed. Perhaps this whole proposal can be amended to include a peer review of top scientists in reign in some of this...