Brian Thorn wrote:
On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 20:27:26 -0400, "jonathan"
wrote:

This is getting preposterous. Spending $5 Billion a year on space
science, not including Constellation spending, is *not* "trashing NASA
science" no matter how many times critics repeat the assertion.

Critics?
You mean NASA Advisory Council's science committee members right?

Yep. That's them. Boy, scientists can whine with the best of 'em.
"Wah! We didn't get a raise this year, so WE QUIT!"

Yes, neo-conservatives like you aren't anti-science at all.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Aug. 18 -- Three NASA advisers who spoke out against
budget cuts to the space agency's science programs turned in their
resignations this week, officials said Thursday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...081701929.html

That doesn't prove them right. $5 Billion a year isn't chump change.
It's more than ESA's entire budget. In fact, it pretty much equals
what every other country on Earth spends on space, combined. If these
whiny a-holes don't want it, I have serious doubts NASA can't find
someone else who does.

So tell us then mister free market asteroid discovery advocate, how many
high Torino number near earth asteroids have you discovered this year?

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/torino_scale.html

THE TORINO IMPACT HAZARD SCALE

Assessing Asteroid And Comet Impact Hazard Predictions In The 21st Century

No Hazard (White Zone)

0 - The likelihood of a collision is zero, or is so low as to be
effectively zero. Also applies to small objects such as meteors and
bodies that burn up in the atmosphere as well as infrequent meteorite
falls that rarely cause damage.

Normal (Green Zone)

1 - A routine discovery in which a pass near the Earth is predicted that
poses no unusual level of danger. Current calculations show the chance
of collision is extremely unlikely with no cause for public attention or
public concern. New telescopic observations very likely will lead to
re-assignment to Level 0.

Meriting Attention by Astronomers (Yellow Zone)

2 - A discovery, which may become routine with expanded searches, of an
object making a somewhat close but not highly unusual pass near the
Earth. While meriting attention by astronomers, there is no cause for
public attention or public concern as an actual collision is very
unlikely. New telescopic observations very likely will lead to
re-assignment to Level 0.

3 - A close encounter, meriting attention by astronomers. Current
calculations give a 1% or greater chance of collision capable of
localized destruction. Most likely, new telescopic observations will
lead to re-assignment to Level 0. Attention by public and by public
officials is merited if the encounter is less than a decade away.

4 - A close encounter, meriting attention by astronomers. Current
calculations give a 1% or greater chance of collision capable of
regional devastation. Most likely, new telescopic observations will lead
to re-assignment to Level 0. Attention by public and by public officials
is merited if the encounter is less than a decade away.

Threatening (Orange Zone)

5 - A close encounter posing a serious, but still uncertain threat of
regional devastation. Critical attention by astronomers is needed to
determine conclusively whether or not a collision will occur. If the
encounter is less than a decade away, governmental contingency planning
may be warranted.

6 - A close encounter by a large object posing a serious but still
uncertain threat of a global catastrophe. Critical attention by
astronomers is needed to determine conclusively whether or not a
collision will occur. If the encounter is less than three decades away,
governmental contingency planning may be warranted.

7 - A very close encounter by a large object, which if occurring this
century, poses an unprecedented but still uncertain threat of a global
catastrophe. For such a threat in this century, international
contingency planning is warranted, especially to determine urgently and
conclusively whether or not a collision will occur.

Certain Collision (Red Zone)

8 - A collision is certain, capable of causing localized destruction for
an impact over land or possibly a tsunami if close offshore. Such events
occur on average between once per 50 years and once per several 1000 years.

9 - A collision is certain, capable of causing unprecedented regional
devastation for a land impact or the threat of a major tsunami for an
ocean impact. Such events occur on average between once per 10,000 years
and once per 100,000 years.

10 - A collision is certain, capable of causing global climatic
catastrophe that may threaten the future of civilization as we know it,
whether impacting land or ocean. Such events occur on average once per
100,000 years, or less often.

Note: the Torino Scale was recently revised according to this recent
publication:

Morrison, D., Chapman, C. R., Steel, D., and Binzel R. P. "Impacts and
the Public: Communicating the Nature of the Impact Hazard" In Mitigation
of Hazardous Comets and Asteroids,(M.J.S. Belton, T.H. Morgan, N.H.
Samarasinha and D.K. Yeomans, Eds), Cambridge University Press, 2004.

A graphic of the Torino Scale is also available he

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/images/torino_scale.jpg