Tag Archives: study-attached

Obama Declares War on Space Junk

Keeping space debris in check has become a national mission for the US. The White House yesterday announced plans to share more information with other countries in a bid to prevent satellite collisions. The US will also fund research into cleaning up the space junk that's already there. Each new US president issues a list of priorities and positions related to outer space. Many elements, such as support for space exploration, tend to stay constant from one administration to the next. However, Barack Obama's National Space Policy includes new language on space debris, calling for the US government's orbital tracking information and collision predictions to be shared with industry and other countries – a move that some have long sought. Pooling information with other countries should help reduce the chances of another satellite collision like one in February last year that produced thousands of pieces of high-speed debris. The more the better “The more data the better, as long as it's good quality and you can understand it,” says Laura Grego of the Union of Concerned Scientists in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Previous space policies have dealt with preventing space debris, but the Obama administration also calls for research into technologies that could remove space debris already in orbit, such as laser tractor beams. However it is best to prevent the generation of space debris in the first place, says Eugene Stansbery of NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office in Houston, Texas. “It will always be cheaper and easier to prevent debris rather than remove it after the fact.” http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19101-obama-declares-war-on-space-junk.htm… added by: pjacobs51

Unemployment extension and jobs bills get another chance

At the end of May, 1.2 million Americans—including 100,000 Pennsylvanians—lost their unemployment compensation benefits and 200,000 more drop from the rolls each week. They had been receiving benefits through the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program after their regular state benefits expired last year. Last week, Senate Republicans stabbed those Americans in the back when they blocked a vote to extend unemployment benefits to the end of this year. Fortunately on Tuesday, Senate Democrats introduced new bills to extend benefits, create jobs, and support small businesses. Democrats will have to fight hard to get it past yet another filibuster. Once again, the Republicans showed their true colors. http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-14931-Pittsburgh-Public-Policy-Examiner~y2010… added by: patomalley

Why California should vote No

There are numerous studies that exist that present the long-term ill effects of smoking marijuana. Let it be clear on my position that anyone who promotes willful destruction of self through recreational smoking of marijuana is a complete and utter fool. Some important stats to be aware of: -Smoking marijuana has 50-70% more carcinogens than tobacco smoke and usually more than 400 chemicals added -Harm to lungs is similar to that of long-term tobacco use -Lowers the immune system and makes people more succeptible to disease -May make health problems such as heart disease worse. Marijuana makes the heart work harder -There is a chance of increased risk of head and neck cancers and mental illnesses such as depression and schizoprhenia. -Marijuana accumulates in the microscopic nerve spaces between nerve cells in the brain called synapses. This clogging interferes by slowing and impairing transfer of critical information. The list goes on and on. Moral of my crusade… Sure, marijuana is safer than crack, but that sure as heck does not mean we should endorse smoking it. The Harvard study attached even suggest we should be careful in who we give it for medical treatment. I agree with this judgment. If the person is dying from terminal cancer, let them enjoy. Otherwise, there is absolutely no reason why anyone in their right mind should touch such a dispicable and harmful drug. http://www.hsc.mb.ca/addictions/Media/Harmful20of%20Marijuana.pdf http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/evidence99/marijuana/Health_1.html added by: dkl165