Onward and upward! Space elevators??

Try to watch this video (requires real player) and not smile or feel like a little kid again.

http://wid.ap.org/video/video/elevator.rm


This has been amazing month for space travel. A private rocket to space! and now this! What an age!

CNN
USA Today
ABC News
Sydney Morning Tribune
China Daily

"One can imagine how much inventiveness, daring and courage were necessary to realise such a plan. Like every feat of engineering, this success is proof of mankind's capacity for invention." - La Nouvelle Republique du Centre-Ouest


"Just like when early airplanes were flying in 1910, we didn't know what the benefits are, but we were doing it because it was fun." - Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites

In 15 years, he predicts, "space tourism will be a multibillion-dollar business." - Rattan

"After this flight, I don't think it will be hard to convince anyone that space tourism is within the grasp of normal people," Rutan says. One hurdle: there's no consensus in D.C. on how to regulate such vehicles. A bill that would treat them uniquely—without requiring the same level of safety as airplanes—is stalled in Congress. Newsday

I urge the State to just stay away from this one - not that they can really stop it. Let's roll!

What’s up with the Bush – Clinton Love fest?

"Over eight years, it was clear that Bill Clinton loved the job of the presidency," recently remarked President Bush upon Clinton’s return to the Whitehouse to see his portrait unveiled. "He filled this house with energy and joy. He's a man of enthusiasm and warmth, who could make a compelling case and effectively advance the causes that drew him to public service."

Clinton responded with similar compassion. "The president, by his generous words to Hillary and me today, has proved once again that in the end, we are held together by this grand system of ours that permits us to debate and struggle and fight for what we believe is right.”

Kind words, no doubt. But is it possible that there is a deeper motivation than a common exchange of pleasantries? Let me posit Bill Clinton may purposely be undermining John Kerry’s presidential aspirations. The latest Pew Research polls suggest Bush is turning back up in the polls. Perhaps Clinton’s remarks have convinced some of the swing voters who respected Clinton but have questions about Kerry.

There is more. Speaking at the launch of his book tour, Clinton offered a defense of Bush, saying "You have to give Bush credit, because he's just doing what he said he'd do during the campaign." This hardly sounds like the standard liberal mantra of “Bush lied to the American public.”

Describing his upcoming 60 minutes interview with the former president, Dan Rather is quoted as saying Clinton was "supportive" of President Bush on Iraq and his view of Bush "will surprise some people."

Assuming the election is down to the wire, consider the potential effect Clinton’s timely words and summer-long book tour might have on the Kerry team. Further, consider his motivation. Might he be keeping the door open for Hillary in 2008. As he is the consummate politician of our time, I wouldn’t put it past him.

The Statist's Creed
By MPH

We believe in one State,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of all that is good and just,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Ruler, the Lord Bill Clinton,
the only Son of State,
eternally begotten of the State,
State from State, Light from Light,
true State from true State,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the State.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from Little Rock:
by the power of the Mighty Vote
he became incarnate from the Ballot Box,
and was made Ruler.
For our sake he was crucified under a Right-wing Conspiracy;
he suffered humiliation and was impeached.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Constitution;
he ascended into the Oval Office
and is seated at the right hand of the State.
He will come again in glory to rule the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in Clinton, the Ruler, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the State and the Ballot Box.
With the State and the Vote he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy Ruler and State.
We acknowledge one State for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the Total State Domination,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Pretty sad commentary from Slate.com
The author, Ted Rall, can be emailed at: chet@rall.com
His website is http://www.tedrall.com/

"Going back to where they came from"
By Pat Buchanan
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38206

This is an interesting article on the neo-cons written by Pat Buchanan - the whole neo-con/conservative/libertarian/republican/socialist dynamic is so interesting. This article is certainly a good read if you are following this important saga.

Another attack on free enterprise: Banning Google’s Gmail


Gmail, the planned free e-mail service from Google, could be facing strong legal opposition in California. Another over-zealous, headline groping politician, Liz Figueroa of Freemont, California, apparently has a problem with Google and is taking a pot-shot at a company that owns the most popular internet property of all time. Google has the potential to be the next Microsoft, but not if people like Figueroa have anything to say about it.

In a brilliant move, Google has announced a free email service dubbed Gmail, offering users more storage space than they can possibly imagine using; 200 times as much as Yahoo!’s service – a full gigabyte of space! The catch is that Gmail’s computers will scan emails for keywords and place targeted advertising next to the message. This same strategy saved search engines from financial doom when Google (mimicking GoTo.com’s revolutionary concept) started placing targeted advertising next to search results, based on search keywords.

Senator Figueroa may not like the sound of a computer scanning her email for keywords and pushing back ads based on certain algorithms, but there are millions of people who understand there is nothing to fear and are eagerly awaiting this service. For this woman to push a law banning this service is beyond ignorance – it exposes her hatred of an amazingly successful private enterprise.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT – DON’T USE IT! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BAN OTHERS FROM USING GMAIL!

Tell Senator Figueroa to keep her ignorant laws out of cyberspace. Email her at Senator.Figueroa@sen.ca.gov.



Liz Figueroa
California State Senate
D-Fremont (District 10)
Hates Freedom

Kerry is only for free trade where his fortune is concerned

The most disturbing political attacks spewing from the droopy mouth of John Kerry are not the expected jibes over national security policy, but rather his stated disdain for free trade. Kerry’s economic ignorance aside, his anti-outsourcing routine is almost comical in light of the fact that his family’s lifeblood, Heinz Corporation, has outsourced 57 of their 79 factories to places like China, India, Singapore, Indonesia, and other such nations that Kerry exploits for political gain when decrying the loss of American jobs.

Expect Bush, Nader, and any other politicians with an interest in highlighting Kerry’s continuous string of hypocrisies to bring this embarrassing issue to light over the summer, even though there is nothing wrong with such business decisions.

The Heinz Corporation’s decision to open factories overseas is a perfect example of how a business can benefit from strategic placement of jobs where a competitive advantage exists. When more can be produced with fewer resources, everyone benefits. Putting government controls over trade will certainly benefit particular interest groups (and the pull-pusher politicians who pander to them), while hurting everyone else with higher prices. Tariffs are simply a tax on consuming international goods, while the dividends of that tax go to the protected group.

Consider this debate locally. Florida orange growers are in a constant battle with California orange growers. Both factions produce high quality oranges and typically compete on price. If free-trade amongst the American states were not protected under the US Constitution, it would be in the interest of California orange growers to advocate tariffs in other states against Florida oranges. Forced to charge higher prices for Florida oranges, consumers would quickly turn to California’s, certainly benefiting their industry, at the expense of the Florida industry and every consumer of oranges.

In 2001, the US government levied tariffs against Canadian softwood lumber imports. Immediately, certain mills in the USA came back online, and many in Canada were forced to shut down. The price of softwood lumber in the United States immediately went up by the same percentage as the tariff, hurting other industries reliant on softwood lumber (e.g. home construction). Ultimately, it was the consumer who paid the price – all to placate American labor lobbies and a handful of wealthy mill owners.

Kerry’s attacks on free trade are not only hypocritical, as he is a direct benefactor of open trade policies, but potentially dangerous if put into practice. One should feel bad for Heinz Corporation and the families employed by that institution as they are going to be unnecessarily scrutinized over the coming months for successfully meeting their moral obligation to protect shareholder wealth.