Evert Wesker wrote:
On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 18:48:15 -0500, Splinter
wrote:

Howdy,
Here's a question for you to consider: Did you know that the
US Department of Commerce, which is "in stewardship" of NOAA and the
National Weather Service, has subnmitted a budget that is potentially
dangerous to US public safety.
etc.

It is rather striking. On the one hand mr. Bush talks of going to
Mars, which will cost some 1000 billion dollar. On the other hand
cuts are made on (often important) public services "closer to Earth".

I wouldn't be surprised if more cuts are made on e.g. Earth
observation satellites which gather data on temperatures, ice cover,
wind velocities, etc. etc.

Or perhaps advances in those technologies are making some ground
stations less critical...?