NASA/JPL/CalTech illegally (anal?) probing their scientists

A long-running legal battle between the US Govt and a group of
29 scientists and engineers of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(JPL) in Pasadena, California, has reached the US Supreme Court:

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2010/03/scientists-case-on-background-ch.html

Back in 2007, Wired reported that all NASA JPL scientists must
'voluntarily' (or be fired) sign a document giving the government
the right to investigate their personal lives and history 'without
limit':

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/11/jpl-scientists.html

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists this includes
snooping into sexual orientation, mental & physical health
as well as credit history and 'personality conflict'. 28 senior
NASA scientists and engineers, including Mars Rover team members,
refused to sign by the deadline and are now subject to being fired
despite a decade or more of exemplary service. None of them even
work on anything classified or defense related. They are suing the
government and documenting their fight for their jobs and right to
personal privacy.

See http://hspd12jpl.org/

and

http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/2007/05/hspd12-letter.pdf

for more info. Note "HSPD12" means the Homeland Security
Presidential Directive 12. The PDF letter (above URL) succinctly
states their case.

"Thad Floryan" wrote in message
...

Back in 2007, Wired reported that all NASA JPL scientists must
'voluntarily' (or be fired) sign a document giving the government
the right to investigate their personal lives and history 'without
limit':

I recall Scott Maxwell (MER rover driver) bitching about this. Man, I'd be
happy to be probed, even tortured, if that's what it took to keep my job as
a rover driver...