Re: We Should Demand Nasa Explain The Rover Science Embargo!

From: Central CPU (central.CPU_at_worldnet.att.net)
Date: 07/16/04 

Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 08:04:19 GMT

"Jonathan" <anon@earthlink.com> wrote

> "This is a profound discovery. It has profound implications for
astrobiology,"
> said Edward Weiler, NASA chief of space science, at a Washington, D.C.,
> news conference. "If you have any interest in searching for fossils on
> Mars, this is the first place you'd want to go."
>
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/03/24/MARS.TMP&type
=science
>
>
>
>
>
> Since those words were uttered over three months ago, the public
> release of ...any...data or even speculation on the findings at
> Meridiani ceased.
>
> I don't recall Nasa ever stating any embargo policy. Is it
> six months, a year....what??? Until their next mission
> is funded?
>
> All we get is "look at the pretty pictures" and batteries and
> slippage. All we get is a highly orchestrated wall of silence.
> All public information is carefully siphoned through just
> one source.
>
> This is not a classified military mission, this is not a matter
> of national security, this is not some commercial proprietary
> property. It is not at all appropriate for Nasa to act as
> though the public has no rights to know.
>
>
> Their silence speaks volumes.
>
>
> Why is the scientific community not held to the same
> standards as our political community? Who is making
> the decision to withhold data, what are the justifications
> and do they have any elected oversight?
>
> If one were to ask Nasa a question, would they even
> respond? Are they above question?
>
> Is 'science' now considered 'Sacred Ground'?
> During the Inquisition, at least the public knew
> the Pope had the final say on matters of science and had the
> best interest of the public in mind. We don't know
> who is making these decisions or on what grounds.
>
> I'm not prone to believing in govt conspiracies, unless it
> involves their own unique specialty...
> ....milking the taxpayer cow.
>
> Nasa is not remaining silent because there's nothing
> to say. Either they've made that profound discovery
> or their milking us. Or worse, their using the first
> as an excuse for the second.
>
>
> I want to know, we deserve the truth. I've been
> an avid fan of the space program since a child.
> But if the public is not invited to share in the
> discovery ....then what's the point?
>
>
>
>
>
> Jonathan
>
> s
>
>
>
>
> NASA Technical Memorandum
> WORKSHOP ON
> THE SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS OF
> ASTROBIOLOGY
> FINAL REPORT
> AMES RESEARCH CENTER
> November 16-17, 1999
>
>
> Selected excerpts...
>
> "Whether the first confirmed detection is fossilized or alive, microbial
> or
> intelligent, it is extremely important for us to be highly knowledgeable
> about
> the likely reactions of different constituencies (the press, various
> religious groups,
> political leaders, and the general public). We would be foolish and
> negligent if
> we did not study such reactions well ahead of time and make state-of-the
> art
> preparations for major discoveries. Carefully prepared plans should be in
> place very soon, because evidence of extraterrestrial life could be
> found at any time."
> Page 6
>
>
>
>
> The Criticality of Biology's Second Data Point
> Mark Lupisella
> NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
> University of Maryland Department of Biology and Philosophy
>
> "If the discovery of a "cosmically local" independent origin of life
> suggests a
> distribution of life that further implies life is necessary, that is, that
> life is a
> "cosmic imperative", then finding and understanding that second data point
> is clearly critical, not only for biology, but for what it will tell us
> about
> the nature of the universe and our relationship to it. Worldviews
> could range from being centered on a deeply meaningful universe
> to a completely meaningless universe, with many other
> interesting interpretations in between."
> Page 58
>
>
> "The discovery of cosmically local, independent life or "second genesis"
> will
> suggest that the universe is teeming with life. Eventually, we might
> conclude that
> the universe tends towards creating life forms that are complex,
> intelligent, and
> conscious and that we ourselves are but one example among a multitude."
>
>
> "(6) Some serious thought and discussion should be devoted to the
> possibility
> that humans traveling farther and farther from Earth will eventually
> trigger
> a response from an extraterrestrial civilization or probe
> that is monitoring our society."
> Page 64
>
>
> Recognizing that the implications for our society would be profound,
> attempts
> have been made to conduct the first serious studies of what these
> implications
> would be. There are important questions about the days, weeks and
> months after detection, then the intervening years as we get used to
> the idea that we are not alone, and then the long term consequences,
> which will mirror in their significance the discoveries of
> Galileo, Newton and Darwin."
>
> Page 47
> http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/workshops/societal/societal_report.pdf
>
>
>
> Contact Elected Officials
> http://www.firstgov.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
>
> Freedom of Information Act
> http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/FOIA/

     There are two major distinct reactions people can have to the sort of
injustice you describe. One is that there should be more information. The
other is that they should quit spending our money. I believe the
overwhelming choice of Americans today would be that they should quit
spending our money, however sad that may be.

     Whether I am correct on that point or not, there are likely large
numbers of people who do not share your certitude on the interpretation of
the possible evidence. The reason I am not an archaeologist is important
here, so please bear with me here. In school very early and for many years
to follow, tests showed that I was an exceptionally intelligent person.
Such people are often encouraged to become doctors or other types of
scientists. I found medicine and other sciences like archaeology to depend
too much on guesses. "Studies" and television commercials that purport to
show the efficacy of various pain relievers annoyed me no end. I liked the
12 digit accuracy of pocket calculators and wanted to work where that might
be used, or at least where the guesswork would be minimal. I don't like
medicine. I hate drugs. I think that too often people come to believe they
know things about them they really do not. I believe drugs are abused more
than used, although I would allow certain limited uses. General attitudes
are off; it would make more sense to eat fish on fridays. Returning to my
point though, the interpretation of any evidence of a universe teeming with
life might come sooner to you than to me and to most people; to me because I
am so critical, to most people because no evidence is going to be good
enough to them to justify any spending, past, present or future.

     I do not believe John Kerry will win the presidency. It seems the
remotest of possibilities. Even if he does though, the Congress will not
let him spend as liberally as Massachusetts perhaps has. The novelty has
worn off the space program. There is no Russia with whom to compete.

     Before I finish let me address some valid contrary points.

     Don't space flights require 12 digit and more accuracy? Of course
space flight presses the abilities of engineers to the limits. What is
missing is a clear objective. I could aim a rocket at a particular point on
Jupiter, but why that point?

     If we know so little about medicine should that field then use the best
minds? Yes, but not for profit. I don't want to get paid to guess. I want
to get paid for things that work in a clearly demonstrable way. I want to
get paid enough to have some spare time for other projects. Instead of
"retiring" I might join a think tank on the psychology of haploid life forms
or something.

     Didn't the space program result in better, lower priced computers? Not
yet.

            Central CPU
central.cpu@att.net
Yeah I know, "central central."

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