Incumbent MPs already have a massive advantage over others due to the huge postage and communications resources at their disposal. Government members have the extra advantage on top of that of being able to dip into the pre-election porkbarrelling trough for Government grants. In addition we have the ignominy of having to literally watch tens of millions of taxpayer dollars being spent in Government promotional advertising under the guise of ‘public information’. As if all that isn’t enough, the Government is trying to tie self-promoting opportunities to the smallest amount of school infrastructure spending!

You can read the full guidelines here, but among things listed the school:

• should place a plaque on the flagpole stating the pole is a gift from the Australian Government;
• should put an article, and photo if possible, in the school newsletter promoting the purchase of the flagpole and noting the Federal Government’s assistance;
• should contact the office of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Science and Training to arrange attendance by an Australian Government representative at an opening ceremony;
• must fly the Australian flag on the pole (or in the centre pole if it is a yardarm style pole for 3 flags).

Note in particular that the school can’t just contact their local Member of Parliament or Senator to attend, because they might not be a Government MP. They have to contact the Minister’s office so a Liberal Party person can be there, get their photo taken for the newsletter, etc. I’m amazed they aren’t requiring putting the Liberal person’s name on the plaque.

If there’s one thing worse than public funding for schools being prostituted in such a blatantly self-serving way, it’s that they are going to get away with – presumably because public cynicism has been cultivated in such a way that people think there is nothing they can do about it.

(featuring an appearance from a special guest blogger!)

In the last few days, we’ve started to see pictures from the Huygens space probe as it landed on Titan, the biggest moon of Saturn. This is part of the broader Cassini mission, which according to CNN, costs US$3.3 billion. The question is often asked as to whether the cost of space exploration is worth it, given the many pressing needs on Earth (a galactic version of the ‘charity begins at home’ argument I suppose), especially when a lot of space technology has a military focus.

I wanted to write a piece about why space exploration is actually a good investment of large amounts of money. However, given that I failed Chemistry and scraped through Physics at High School, I thought this would be a good time to try out something I’d been thinking of for a while – the special guest blogger!

I asked someone who understands science way better than I do to do a brief piece on why we should spend megabucks on space missions – they have provided the following:

Q: WHY SPEND MEGABUCKS ON SPACE MISSIONS?

There are practical reasons, of course. The technological advances. The benefit it would be to Australia, as a small but developed country, to have such industries and expertise. Most people have heard these arguments. They have merit, but I will not re-iterate them here. Because, for me, the really basic down-deep answer is:

Because we can afford it, and because it's fun. (or, as Joseph Campbell would say, "Follow your bliss.")

Perhaps I should deal with the question of affordability first. It's true that space exploration costs megabucks. So do all society-wide activities. Of course, there are some activities which are basic priorities: like education, health-care, livable incomes for all. But, as a society, we also spend enormous amounts on non-essentials: the National Institute of Sport springs to mind, or orchestras or operatic troupes or art galleries and museums.

I'm not arguing against any of these things. In fact, I am wholly in favour of us, as a society, spending our money on what gives us joy, what we find fun. I'm just making the point, that spending on astronomy and space missions falls in the same category. If we have money to spare (and I don't believe for a moment that money saved from space exploration would be spent on increasing the unemployment benefits), then spend some of it on space.

Just look what we get in return:

• If you click here, you'll see actual pictures of an actual other world. I'll repeat that - an actual ‘you-can't-get-there-from-here place’, and pictures that are not artists' impressions or special effects but a true record of the actual universe. Even if you think it dearly bought, that is awe-inspiring.
  
  
• And it leads me on to another picture taken from space. You can see it at this site and many other places. It was taken during the Apollo 11 mission, a classic example of a political/ideological goal, masquerading as science. But perhaps all that money was worth a photo like this. It shows our world as finite, beautiful and fragile. I think the modern environmental movement owes much to the fact that people saw photos like this one.
  
  
• The universe gives no quarter. Space exploration is hard to do well. So it teaches some humility. But, when it succeeds, it celebrates our abilities as humans as well as the immensity of the cosmos. It's vicarious exhilaration.

Not for you, perhaps you say. You get no thrill from these pictures, or the stories of the hard work and success. That's OK. You can cheer our athletes from the National Institute, or admire the artistry of our Symphony Orchestras. I'll do that too, but sometimes I'll also stare up at Saturn, a dot in the sky, and think "we've been there."

The above piece was written by Dr Marissa Bartlett (yes, relation). She has a PhD in something to do with Physics. This doesn’t make her a rocket scientist, (although she is married to one), but I figured I could more easily tell her if I didn’t like her piece then a total stranger. I also knew she was capable of writing a brief, but highly learned piece on the various complicated but vital technological, economic and environmental benefits and opportunities which space exploration provides. Instead, she wrote a bloody touchy-feely thing about the wondrousness of it all and how good it is for the human spirit!!! Bah.

If you want to read pieces in other blogs which also ignore the economic and technological opportunities and just wallow in the majesty and fun of it all, you could try some of the following:

• Barista’s Tralfamadorians hiding over horizon
  
  
• about the last 6 posts on The news from Tharsis
  
  
• To the Moon (of Saturn)! from the Betamax Guillotine
  
  
• The King's Blog draws attention to the amazing story of a Swedish radio engineer named Boris who apparently is responsible for us being able to see any pictures from Titan at all
  
  
• and this piece from prakope.com

Mark Latham’s resignation will be a topic of conversation for many people. If you’re the sort of person whose likely to read the comments and analysis in tomorrow’s papers, have a look at some of the other commentary that will be around in the blogosphere as well. A few examples:

• The Currency Lad draws some parallels with John Gorton and the book on him written by Alan Reid (whose book on Gough Whitlam I’ve referred to previously);
• The House of Wheels gives an ongoing overview and some snapshots of developing commentary;
• Troppo Armadillo has had a running commentary and debate on Latham and likely successors going for days, which will no doubt take on a new lease of life now.
• This piece from News Ltd gives an idea of how nasty and dangerous pancreatitis can be.

Unavoidably, people’s views on Latham’s departure will lead into who they think will or should take his place. I think Kim Beasley will win it and there is a reasonable prospect of a change in the Deputy (even though at this stage I don’t believe that position is vacant). I don’t have a view on who would be best (actually I do, but I’m not going to give it), although being totally parochial, it would be good to have a Queenslander in the position.

I gather Wayne Swan has already ruled out running (and I expect Stephen Smith from WA would do the same), which leaves Kevin Rudd as the only Queenslander. The only other likely contestants being mentioned are Julia Gillard and Lindsay Tanner. I can’t see either of them winning (and therefore probably unlikely to run), even though both would bring some interesting, fresh approaches to the position.

Whoever it ends up being, all the contenders have a lot of brains and differing abilities and they are going to have an extremely difficult job. However, I’ve got an extremely difficult job of my own to focus on, so I’ll refrain from further dabbling in Labor’s decisions and get back to my own tasks.

• a small revolving loans project to encourage women to set up small cottage industries;
• training workshops in a variety of things such as making coconut broom, pappadums, soap etc – whatever the women were keen to learn and would help them make some money;
• education programs on issues such as domestic violence, AIDS etc;
• running 6 preschools.

This group is run by poor rural women for rural women and has been very successful in making women’s lives better. Rural people are the poor of the poor in Sri Lanka and poverty is endemic.

Following the Tsunami, RWON are starting two new projects.

• Firstly to help people rebuild their houses
• And secondly to help people start earning some money again.

Nicky is fundraising for RWON and all the money she raises will go directly to RWON and directly to the families of the villages in the severely affected areas. Information that she has received from RWON suggests that red tape is stopping or slowing down the flow of money already donated.

A bank account has been set up specifically for her to receive donations to RWON and all money will be forwarded directly to RWON. PLEASE NOTE: although you will be sent a receipt (filled out by an unpaid volunteer) donations are NOT tax deductible.

I won’t post bank account details on this site, but if you want more details on how to donate, you can email Nicky on campaign@cafnec.org.au or send her a cheque (made out to N.Hungerford) at PO Box 323N, North Cairns Qld 4870.

I might post an update on what is being done with the funds in a month or two.