[meteorite-list] Comets vs. asteroids

From: mexicodoug at aim.com <mexicodoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:32:59 -0500
Message-ID: <8CB4439D6DC6322-544-1980_at_webmail-de21.sysops.aol.com>

Hi Ed, Rob and friends interested in ranking risks to the species due
to impacts, in the big scheme of things:

1. These folks at Change that's Right Now offer an interesting comet
erradication program:
http://tinyurl.com/a6c273
(no sarcasm - just smiling at what folks will do to make a virtual buck)

2. On a more serious note:
http://tinyurl.com/75fkcd
(Appeared in Time Magazine 2006)

3. And for the scientists and skeptics who would like to put this
debate and objective context:
http://tinyurl.com/2ukunw
(Excellent reading! Read this and I promise you will modify how you
think about something)

4. And if you need to explain it to your kids:
http://tinyurl.com/5nmebk
(super insight on all bureaucracies)

Good Health,
Doug (<== http://tinyurl.com/7kyv49 )

PS Ed, as far as I know, NASA has not violated the charter/bill from US
Congress you mentioned, as it deals with 140 meter objects and greater
sizes, not 75 meter diameter objects that you seem to have gravitated
towards. It also seems about 1000 of the predicted 1100 NEO's have
been found, ahead of the timetable. But this discussion is not really
my cup of tea.

PPS As a social imperative, NASA might be better off to continue its
efforts in developing a means to settle other worlds and worldlets.
Even the most primitive organisms recognize the benefit of
proliferation outside the cradle so all eggs aren't in one basket, and
this is much more far reaching than an asteroid impact. Also it is
much more consistent with the human 'spirit'. If it were up to me, I
would give this NASA's newly found defense responsibility back, along
with all launches and manned flight, to the American Air Force, but
split the research function out and make a new organization dedicated
solely to space exploration and low power interplanetary navigation
systems. JPL might take the lead.
Received on Wed 14 Jan 2009 03:32:59 AM PST