I've just watched the coverage of Greg Dyke leaving, Greg's last email. I feel like I have been robbed, Blair's insistence that the apology from yesterday was not enough has forced a great and popular leader of the BBC from office. WRT the Hutton report, I feel that the Independent has the best take on it.
politics: January 2004 Archives
Off to the Fabian Society Annual Conference on the 7th Feb. A few years ago in 97 I, like many others, considered joining the Labour party, all flushed with the idea of finally having got the party of my choice in power. These days I'm still interested in politics, but feel more like heckling from the sidelines. Especially given today's and tomorrow's events, five votes is really by the skin of his teeth.
At least having Howard in charge of a real opposition might sharpen up the Labour party and stop them heading off on any more fool adventures in foreign policy.
So, what else could you spend 800 billion dollars on, this was my second reaction after the science fiction excitement died away. Dan also made me think about the wider implications of Bush too.
Well if you want to keep it space related then, a space elevator might be a good start, probably safer and in the long run much cheaper than another shuttle.
However I was thinking more along the lines of advances for humanity in general, going to the moon and mars is a fine ambition and tempting for the science fiction readers out there, but clean water for all might be a better use of some of the money. Bush could be remembered as the American President who bought clean water to the world, rather than an empty dated Kennedy wannabe. This is even an issue in the USA, but a much more pressing one worldwide. It has been suggested that wars will be fought in the future over water, the Israel-Palestine crisis has water as a major background issue. Argentine and Chilean relations have been soured for decades over water.
There are many other schemes that could also be paid for in that vast amount of money. Dealing with the malaria swamps, and bilharzia or river blindness. Clearing landmines is another worthy opportunity.
However Bush seems to be hoping to be remembered as a hero, saving lives doesn't get you that, fighting wars and BIG science does. There is also the background issue that investing in space and the military gives the USA economy a solid injection of basic R&D to build on for the future. The space programme of the 60s did wonders for material science.
Maybe Bush and Congress can be brave enough to look beyond their own borders and at the world around them and invest in the future of this planet.
