Over at The Saipan Blog. Excellent Collection of ocean-related articles. Learn about the proposed Mariana Trench National Monument and how Bush supports it! Kudos to Angelo for this edition of the Carnival of the Blue and all his hard work promoting the creation of the monument.
Extra: Just read this letter to editor regarding the NY Times article on the new alvin:
" Re "New Sphere in Exploring the Abyss" (Aug. 26): I am heartened by the push to deeper ocean frontiers promised by the development of the new subs. Every such exploration yields unimagined life forms and provides us astronomers a greater hope that life will be found on the bizarre exoplanets we are finding.At the same time I am saddened by the struggle to find the $25 million to finish the project in a timely manner. We spend that much money in Iraq in less than two hours. One can only dream of what wonderful intellectual and practical returns U.S. science could provide with comparable investment. Daniel B. Caton
Boone, N.C.
The writer is director of observatories at Appalachian State University."
So true... it hurts.
So what if we have a lottery every week for 8 Iraqi War Hours to go to one of the neglected branches of the Government, earmarked by the Iraqi Hour for specific projects or programs. Every agency that wants money must submit two weeks prior to the next drawing. Televise it on NBC or Comedy Central and make the most junior of the senior management attend it and jump/cheer for their cause (do good or you won't be invited back!)
Or have the Heads of departments/projects duke it out in a Ultimate Fighter style death match for an entire Iraqi War Day of funding...winner takes all.
I know a couple mild mannered biologists that are multi-dan martial arts masters as well.