I feel I need to say something about Artemis as a former NASA employee, Space scientist and engineer.

I hope more than anything that the astronauts get back safely. But let us not be fooled by what this is.

Is it spectacular, yes. Is it a feat of engineering, yes. Does it make any advance in science, no. Does it help mankind explore the universe, dubious at best.

Why exactly are we sending humans to the moon? With our technology we will never send humans much further than Mars. The only way humans can possibly go further is through a scientific breakthrough. Good luck with that when Trump is gutting science.

Human exploration needs money spent on long-term advances - not using the same technology to do what we did before, however, glamorous it is.

So why do this and why do it now? Political theatre, a win for a Trump led NASA if it succeeds.

So I hope all works well and all return safely. But let us be clear what this is and why it is being done.

This is my opinion, I do not represent anyone.

A lot can happen in 57 years.

In 1969 the corrupt President Nixon was president, the U.S. could not afford universal healthcare but did find the money to go to the moon while waging a war in Vietnam.

In 2026 the corrupt President Trump is president, the U.S. still cannot afford universal healthcare but does find the money to go to the moon while waging a war in Iran.

A federal judge just ruled that #Trump can face civil liability for inciting violence in the #Jan6 #insurrection. His incendiary speeches that day were "unofficial" acts not covered by presidential immunity.

See the decision by Amit Mehta of the DC district court.
https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2021cv0400-219

Also see the summary in Politico.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/31/trump-setback-civil-suits-capitol-riot-00853761

#USLaw #USPol #USPolitics

UK Greens want to proscribe the #IsraelDefenseForcesIDF as a terrorist organization. Please do!

#UK #Greens #Politics #2025

Not gonna watch. It’s all #lies, exaggeration & bullshit.

In a prime-time address Wednesday, #Trump is expected to describe the #US - #Israel #war against #Iran as a major success that could end in a few weeks.

In what was perhaps a pre-emptive pitch before Trump’s speech, President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran posted an open letter to the US public, warning of the costs of a prolonged war. “Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly & futile than ever before,” said the letter.

Martin Wolf (FT) on how the world see the USA (right now):

'What is far clearer now... is that the US is no longer a credible world leader. If it can elect this man twice, it has lost the plot. Why would it not elect someone even worse? Such a country is incapable of providing reliable global hegemony. What it provides instead is an unpredictable wrecking ball'...

and hence, as I've remarked before, the slow but sure pivot away from the USA as an economic partner is well underway!

#politics