tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post4551211581682256558..comments2023-12-09T12:13:00.212-08:00Comments on AOL Journals 1st Old Hickory's Weblog: Bush's vision: National Defense University speechBruce Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05022449143502020665noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post-91589884565481809032005-03-09T04:41:00.000-08:002005-03-09T04:41:00.000-08:00The President believes in the whole utopian neo-co...The President believes in the whole utopian neo-con vision of remaking the world in our likeness, complete with democracy and basic human rights. <br><br>He also seems to think that such countries will necessarily be peace-loving, er, like America......does that scare anyone?<br><br>What ever happened to the realism of the Republicans? When I was a Republican, the pragmatists and realists were abundant in the party. They are no longer in touch with reality -- as one of Bush's people told Mr Susskind some time ago, they aren't concerned with reality -- they determine what reality will be. <br><br>I think that kind of confidence and purpose is good in leaders, up to the point that their feet no longer actually touch the earth. Bush is in the clouds at the moment, talking about a march of freedom when he can't even hold Fallujah, Ramadi, or half a dozen other Iraqi towns.<br><br>I hear the Mars mission is back on. That speaks loads about the President's detachment from the real world. So does his run at Social Security. <br><br>Would we all be better off if he had a drink now and then?<br><br>Neil<br>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post-82726865314656787822005-03-09T12:19:00.000-08:002005-03-09T12:19:00.000-08:00I hadn't heard about the Mars mission being back o...I hadn't heard about the Mars mission being back on.<br><br>Does this mean that Halliburton is ready to do Mars contracts now?<br><br>I'm not actually kidding about the Halliburon/Mars thing. See:<br><br>http://journals.aol.com/bmiller224/OldHickorysWeblog/entries/563<br><br>http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2004/01/12/mars/index.html<br><br>http://billmon.org/archives/000964.html<br><br>Crony capitalism, Bush dyanasty style. A wonder to behold.<br><br>- BruceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post-60033056886541939872005-03-10T08:11:00.000-08:002005-03-10T08:11:00.000-08:00In a recent radio news report on NPR, they were di...In a recent radio news report on NPR, they were discussing the NASA budget, and focusing on cuts in the "aeronautics" part of their mission. Apparently, NASA is closing some research facilities and letting go a lot of engineers who have been working for decades on aeronautical research. In the course of the story, the NASA spokesman said something about NASA needing to marshall its financial resources to support new missions, including the preparatory work for a mission to Mars. I don't know how much they plan to spend on this, but with Hubble heading for destruction, and aeronautics research being eliminated, NASA is freeing up a substantial amount of money.<br><br>Neil<br>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post-15218714613583231232005-03-10T08:24:00.000-08:002005-03-10T08:24:00.000-08:00NASA's 2006 budget includes a set of "agency-speci...NASA's 2006 budget includes a set of "agency-specific goals", of which the first and most prominent is this: <br><br>"Pursuing a bold vision for sustained and affordable human and robotic exploration of space, with the Moon as a first step toward human missions to Mars and beyond."<br><br>http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2006/nasa.html<br><br>That's all I have so far, but it seems to me they plan to spend some money on their highest priority goal....<br><br>Neil<br>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com