Mud volcanoes on Mars

A paper was recently published in Nature Geoscience about how water-laden sediment flows from mud volcanoes that might have erupted in frigid conditions on Mars would morphologically resemble basaltic pahoehoe lava flows on Earth. This result (obtained from laboratory studies) helps to explain some features observed on the norther lowlands of Mars. The authors don't cite it, but I had a paper published in 2005 that described how pitted cones in the Acidalia Planitia region were most likely mud volcanoes.

Another solar company boondoggle

Our planetary exploration program, which can help open the Solar System to humanity is slated for a $300 million cut in Obama's FY 13 budget but boondoggle solar company after boondoggle solar company gets hundreds of millions of loan guarantees. The latest example being Abound Solar.

Bob Zubrin on Obama's destruction of U.S. planetary exploration

Bob Zubrin, president of the Mars Society, has a great piece on National Review Online about Obama's move to curtail planetary exploration programs. He even goes into some speculation about why he is doing it and I think it is right on the mark:

"Thus, in order to accept the constraints on human aspirations demanded by Holdren, Ehrlich, and like-minded thinkers (whether rationalized by alleged limits to available resources in the 1970s, or by the putative threat of global warming due to excessive use of natural resources today), [Obama believes] people must be convinced that the future is closed. The issue is not that resources from space might disrupt the would-be regulator’s rationing schemes. Rather it is that the idea of an open future with unlimited resources and possibilities undermines the walls of the mental prison that the would-be wardens of mankind seek to construct."

Fanatical Newt Gingrich supporters

I've enjoyed the former Speaker's appearances on Fox News, but I just don't think he is cut out to be President. The Newt supporters though seem to be unwilling to listen to reason. This article highlights some of that mania, specifically with regards to Sarah Palin.

Victor Davis Hanson on the myth of Obama

Victor Davis Hanson is courageous enough in this piece to tackle head-on all the claims of Obama's "brilliance". I've always thought that was suspect. If he was such a phenomenal scholar then why won't he let his college transcripts be released?

I like also this line:
"We were to think that the obsessions with the NBA, the NCAA final four, the golfing tics, etc., were all respites from exhausting labors of the mind rather than in fact the presidency respites from all the former."

Ideology over sound science

Senators Inhofe and Vitter and Rep. Darrell Issa sent a letter to White House science advisor John Holdren citing four specific incidents where liberal ideology trumped sound scientific practice. So much for the Obama administration restoring science to "it's rightful place". I guess that to Obama and his appointees that "rightful place" is in advancing liberal causes.

The Left is more anti-science than the Right

I love this post that lays out a number of arguments about how the Left is actually more anti-science than the Right. I especially like the response to this criticism:

"Let’s take the first one. Mooney says: “On the left, we eat alive our own allies when they make false claims. That’s precisely what happened on vaccines and autism.”

This is actually comedy-club material when you consider that the Left still worships at the altars of Rachel Carson, Paul Ehrlich, Al Gore, and David Suzuki, who have declared the End of Days virtually every day for 40 years now. White House Science Advisor John Holdren is infamous for his extreme doomsday views and solutions, while Gore, who has a climate-footprint larger than some entire countries, just held a Climaggedon Telethon and still gets around $150K per speech from Left-leaning audiences pining for his non-existent presidency."