I stumbled across this looking for something totally different:

DeLay's Grab for NASA

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I feel a hot wind on my shoulder
And the touch of a world that is older

The article date is listed May 9th. Today is May 2nd.

This is an interesting topic. If it goes into partisan politics, though, I will be very unhappy.

Seeing this thread's title had me reaching for the pink liquid!

Hope BA doesn't consider this "partisan politics." It is a statememt of fact.

Some years ago, Mr. Delay was questioned by a reporter on the issue of global warming. Mr. Delay's answer weas that he did not believe that it was happening. The reporter responded with findings and statements issued by a Nobel Prize winner (for his work in atmospheric chemisry and physics) asserting that the evidence strongly supported the theory that increased greehouse gases were causing climate change.

Mr. Delay's response was that the proponents of global warming climate change were just looking for ways to give the government more control over our lives, and the Nobel Prize was meaningless because Sweden was a socialist country and used the Prizes to advance socialist causes.

Hey Sarongsong, where can we get that pink liquid in wholesale lots?

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Standing on the shoulders of giants...

As if the Nobel Prize meant anything these days.

Especially the peace prize winners that are total whack jobs, or turn out to be.

Sorry, but anything remotely dealing with congressional figures and what not is going to turn into partisan politics.

There is absolutely no way this isn't going to get into partisan politics. Take Tom DeLay, probably the most polarizing member of the House of Representatives and then add The Nation one of the most left-wing magazines out there and right off the bat you've got controversy.

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When I die I want to go peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming in terror, like his passengers.

I agree with Makgraf... The whole article is dripping with inuendo, accusation and barbs meant to raise the hackles of both sides. I think this would best be left to some other board. [-X

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Hanlon's Razor - "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."
Asimov's addition - "Or ignorance."

"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage

The instance stated was for hard science. NOT the Peace Prize. I think that counts for quite a bit.

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Standing on the shoulders of giants...

If he gets us heavy-lift--more power to him!

Magazines often date their issues the day they are to be taken off the newsstands, not the day they're published.

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Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

Sammy:

The whole Nobel process is political, and was set up that way in the beginning.

"Global warming" is a theory, not a proven fact. We haven't been watching long enough to get a trend.

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The Critic-at-Arms writes a (kind of) weekly opinion column, covering a wide range of topics. Maybe even this one! www.sierratimes.com/critic.htm

Quickly, slap that on some science texts!

What?

Actually, I'd go so far as to say that "Global Warming" is a hypothesis. It's just the idea that the planet is warming. Could very well be true. Doesn't mean we're responsible for it. Now, once you start arguing over greenhouse gases...

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"The plan does not involve mayonaise."
"... I knew there was a catch."

You can't take the sky from me.

I'd like a little evidence RE that "political process."

As for global warming, there is far more evidence supporting that it is happening then there is for deneying it. And for your education, the Nobel Prize that I mentioned in my original post was not for documenting global warming, but for examining/understanding the processes which could be producing it--processes which are not disputed by any scientific data. For delay to say it was part of a political plan to increase government control over society is just plain paranoid. If that was true, we'd have to worry about the government getting into all aspects of our life--like the right to die or to marry whoever we want..... [-X

Given the normal "signal to noise" ratio in weather, hard evidence for trends could be a long time coming. If we wait until that point in time, it may be too late to take mitigating action that will be effective in the 21st century.

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Standing on the shoulders of giants...

And is that a risk we're willing to take?

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An idea is not responsible for the people who believe in it.

Just curious if they looked into the possibility of the earth's core temperature rising as the culprit, vs. just the atmosphere driving the 'warming'.

Far from my area of expertise, but the only suggestions of core temperature increases I've ever seen are on woo woo web sites.

The existence, if not the extent, of the greenhouse effect has a lot of theory/evidence supporting it, and none (that I know of) refuting it.

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Standing on the shoulders of giants...

This above is repugnant and may belong in the ethics thread. It reminds me of my company president at an old job who sent us an e-mail heavily suggesting who we vote for--what's good for the company is what's good for us type of thing. But, actually suggesting employees show up at a politically-driven event goes too far. No one can see who you vote for, but you sure can have your picture taken or name dropped. That's just unfair to non-partisan employees.

This is not political--just a fact: Delay is a very divisive figure and he hurts NASA more than helps as far as the public is concerned. He is well-known for his money-grabbing tactics, but too many people will continue to associate NASA with Delay and Republicans in general, and that's BAD for public support of space programs since some people just automatically dismiss support based on their ideological views. I wish there was a way that NASA could remain politically neutral, but that ain't how Congress works...obviously.

Delay isn't about science...he's about business. And I'll leave it at that.

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Sunset

Die Sonne scheidet hinter dem Gebirge. In alle Täler steigt der Abend nieder
mit seinen Schatten, die voll Kühlung sind.

It always astonishes me that politicians with NO background in science feel they can make science pronouncements. DeLay is no different, and in fact, is far worse because he argues from an authority only HE can explain.

=D> =D> =D> , Spacewriter!
Maybe Steve Miller saw this one coming:
"...Let me tell you people that I found a new way...
And the same old story with a new set of words
About the good and the bad and the poor
And the times keep on changin'
So I'm keepin' on top
Of every fat cat who walks through my door..."
---Space Cowboy

Are you proposing to fire all Republican NASA employees or just the ones who are vocal? Wow.

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In the progress of this discussion I shall endeavor to give a satisfactory answer to all the objections which shall have made their appearance, that may seem to have any claim to your attention.

Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 1