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NASA Slashing Observations of Earth
mattnyc99 points us to a new report by the National Research Council warning that, by 2010, the number of NASA's Earth-observing missions will drop dramatically, and the number of operating sensors and instruments on NASA spacecraft will decrease by 40 percent. The report says, "The United States' extraordinary foundation of global observations is at great risk." Popular Mechanics asks an MIT professor what it all means. From these accounts it is clear that the Bush administration's priorities on a Mars mission and a moon base are partly to blame for the de-emphasizing of earth science. Neither article quite says that some responsibility must fall to the administration's footdragging on global warming.
Does the Kyoto Climate Treaty ring a bell? The one that the United States declined to ratified?
You see Bushbots have a preset bush limit. Knowing their weakness, I sent wave after wave of my own flamebait at them, until they reached their limit and shut down.
Why is it that people keep modding perfectly reasonable (within /. standards) and insightful comments as "Flamebait" just because they happen to be critical of their exalted leader. Bush government has a clear track record of doing anything and everything in their power to oppose the science of anthropogenic global warming. It's therefore not far-fetched to presume that if they had an opportunity or excuse, like the mars/moon missions, to cut down on earth science, they would jump on it for sure! That's just normal daily politics - no 'great conspiracy' needed there.
Personally I don't see the point of most 'Flamebait' or 'Troll' modding. Almost all articles on /. are highly controversial or create heated debates (in fact people complain when an article is boring and lame). So most comments on /. are always going to be highly disagreeable from someones point of view. This doesn't mean the person is 'flaming' or 'trolling' - ie. intentionally goading the opposing side or inciting retaliation by insults. There are always going to be those who don't see the 'truth' of calling someone an idiot when he's an idiot and he will automatically mod such 'accusations' flamebait/troll. It is the responsibility of the sane people to mod things up again accordingly.
Oh well, I love the smell of burning karma in the morning...
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Actually, Saddam had WMD. Ask the Kurds who were gassed. Also, check out the volumes of Iraqi gov docs recently translated. He had them. He either dismantled, hid or gave them away. Unfortunately for him, the 19 UN resolutions made it incumbent upon him to show that he had done so and he wouldn't or couldn't. Tuff. Let him swing.