The press is only a day or two behind pure bs.

We'll bypass the onerous L.A. Times Reg. process and give you the scoop via ABS-CBN(yeah, new to me as well)

As we shrilly noted down the page a few entries back, you just don't mix Bush, Moon bases, and Mars missions. Bush = NOT a Scientist :)

Here's the dope:

Moon, Mars missions: Hard sell

By RALPH VARTABEDIAN and ELIZABETH SHOGREN
Los Angeles Times

In the aftermath of the Columbia shuttle disaster, investigators asserted that Nasa's space-flight program was floundering, without any clear goals or future vision.

The initiative President Bush will unveil next week -- which is expected to call for building a moon colony and undertaking a Mars landing -- could answer a question that long has vexed the space program: Why should the nation spend billions of dollars every year to put humans in space?

Following the successful and popular Apollo moon program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) developed the space shuttle and then began building the International Space Station, under rationales that failed to ignite strong support in the science and technology communities.

At various times, Nasa justified its work by touting the ability to perform zero-gravity science experiments, develop commercial products in space or cheaply launch payloads, among other things. Those rationales largely have been discredited.

The idea of a Mars or moon mission is not new. Advocates of space exploration always have considered them as the key, long-term goals, and the justification for such a massive effort remains to expand human presence beyond the known world -- an instinct as old as the human race.

The value of the Bush administration proposal will be judged not by the idea itself but by whether it can create the political and financial support needed to make the program real. "Bush can talk the talk, but he has to come up with a plan that generates something besides artwork," said John Pike, an expert on space issues. "He has to come up with a plan that is politically and financially sustainable." Much more at link

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Okay, given all the bullshit shoveled to a largely mathematically challenged populace with no critical thinking skills, I am going to type what I first thought when reading this. Please bear with me.

John Pike(an EXPERT on space issues..alarm bells anyone?) states,"Bush can talk the talk." Mr. Pike, 'space EXPERT' obviously hasn't seen George and a microphone share the stage. Bush cannot "talk" even once, much less twice!

"This is scripted, right." -GWB at some canned 'press conference.'

John Pike, 'space EXPERT' further says: "He[Bush] has to come up with a plan that is politically and financially sustainable." Hmm, are you sure that you want Mr. Bush to actually hold the checkbook?

The politically sustainable bit is most likely spot-on, as if you were to poll adult Americans, over 50% would answer yes if asked, "Did you approve of the two Mars missions John Glenn has been on while maintaining his seat in the Senate?" Rather than, "WTF are you talking about? Don't you mean, NASA flight 092 STS 95? You know, when Discovery and its seven member crew, launched on October 29, at 2:19 p.m. EST. The mission conducted scientific Spacehab experiments, deployed and retrieved the Spartan free-flyer payload, and conducted operations with the HST Orbiting Systems Test and the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker payloads? That's the only instance of Glenn returning to space that I know of."

By the way, John Pike is legit. I have nothing but respect for people like Mr. Pike.

Please read the entire article. It's actually quite good. Small print, so adjust your font size accordingly.