NY Times science section today says that in a straight party line vote, 100% Republican majority killed a NASA (+100% Democrat) plan to lasso a small asteroid & haul it back to earth orbit. Instead they demand NASA build a manned Moon base and plan for a future manned Mars expedition. I have no clue whatever why Republicans are anti-asteroid & Democrats pro, but I believe manned space exploration, especially of Mars, is asinine. (The only theory I can think of is that the manned Mars plan will consume a huge amount of money and the Republicans like that?) Their latest asteroid capture plan supposedly could have been done for only about $1 billion. -- Warren D. Smith http://RangeVoting.org <-- add your endorsement (by clicking "endorse" as 1st step)