Comments on: Mike Griffin’s wife pleads for his job

By: Concerned Citizen

Concerned Citizen — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:31:04 +0000

Michael Griffin has done amazing things for NASA and the people of the world in the short time he has been in his position. He truly a visionary with science being his top priority, not politics. Removing him from his position would be a mistake. I support his wife’s appeal, even if it is a tad unorthodox.

By: Joe NASA

Joe NASA — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 06:29:19 +0000

The counter-petition is available here:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/RemoveMikeGriffinNow/index.html

It’s well-written and worth signing if you agree that Griffin should go.

By: Steve A

Steve A — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:02:43 +0000

Manned space exploration is not just about adventure. It does science, and it does provide useful products right now that in the lives of hundreds and thousands is worth it. Check out:
http://tinyurl.com/97noju

Not even mentioned there, just this week there was a report of a man whose arthritis was cured using knuckles made out of the shuttle nose material. Typical replacements are made out of material that can be rejected by the body or erode over time. This doesn’t.
http://tinyurl.com/9vj6m9
Relieving pain. The program really does nothing for us.

As for the various internet polls, at least both of them do provide more information to the transition team to make their decision. I think what’s really interesting in the “Save Griffin” one is the amount of astronauts, engineers, and long time NASA employees who have signed it. It does say something about the man if he has that much support inside the agency from the people who have to work with him on a daily basis.

By: Adela

Adela — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:58:47 +0000

The only thing I can think of that would make this more sad for him is if his mother was lobbying for her little Mikey to keep his job.

By: Knurl

Knurl — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:51:14 +0000

Oops! I guess I got wrong. Sorry about that. My mistake.

By: Knurl

Knurl — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:49:34 +0000

@e=mc hammer: survey after survey of American taxpayers state that they support manned space activities

According to an article in (I think it was) Scientific American, the science literacy rate in the US is 25%, one of the lowest in the developed world. Therefore, 75% of the US population is illiterate about science and thus incapable of making rational decisions regarding science issues. Have you ever tried to find anyone that even knows about SOHO? Are you aware just how large a problem pseudoscience is in this country today (especially creationism and antivaccination)?

I grew up during Gemini and Apollo and I’m still in love the idea of manned spaceflight. But the return on investment just isn’t there at this point in time, and there are huge problems that have not yet been addressed. The food problem alone on a multi-year mission is one. The federal government is broke, up to their ears in debt, and paid $412,000,000,000.00 in interest during fiscal 2008 on a national debt of $10,600,000,000,000.00. It’s spending billions they don’t have every month on a war that should never have existed, and can’t afford the unmanned programs without borrowing the money.

Sure, manned spaceflight is cool, but that’s not enough reason to do it at this time. If you want to do it, fine. You pay for it on your own. Count me out. My grandchildren are already screwed.

By: kuhnigget

kuhnigget — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:42:10 +0000

@ SLC:

While I tend to share Cheyenne’s attitude toward robotic spacecraft, especially when compared with the ISS, space exploration is not all about science. Peoples likes their adventures, too. And peoples pays the bills.