-Caveat Lector- ----- Original Message ----- From: What's New <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> WHAT'S NEW Robert L. Park Friday, 18 Jun 99 Washington, DC 1. DOE: "SCIENCE AT ITS BEST--SECURITY AT ITS WORST." The title of the Rudman report pretty much says it all. Undertaken at the President's request to examine the security threat at DOE weapons labs, the bluntly-worded report describes DOE as a "dysfunctional bureaucracy," and concludes that, "faced with a profound public responsibility, [DOE] has failed." Two alternatives were offered: a new semi-autonomous weapons agency within DOE, or a wholly independent agency such as NASA. The report acknowledged disagreement over these alternatives, but the four-member panel was unanimous that the labs should never be subordinated to the Defense Department. The nuclear weapons functions need "more autonomy, a clearer mission, a streamlined bureaucracy, and increased accountability," but contact with nonclassified research must be maintained: "Nations that honor and advance freedom of inquiry have fared better than those who have sought to arbitrarily suppress and control the community of science." 2. MORE DOE: WHITE HOUSE WILL NOT ENDORSE A SEPARATE AGENCY. In a statement on Tuesday, President Clinton said the proposals of the Rudman panel would be carefully reviewed. There is concern in the White House, however, that top weapons scientists would be unwilling to isolate themselves from unclassified basic research in a wholly independent agency. A semi-autonomous agency within DOE, however, might solve that problem and could still be seen as consistent with Secretary Richardson's reforms. Senator Rudman himself is said to be leaning toward the semi-autonomous option. 3. STILL MORE DOE: NBC NIGHTLY NEWS GLEEFULLY PILES ON. It's an old Washington sport. "Some critics say that your department has done about as well managing taxpayer dollars as it has protecting the nation's nuclear secrets," sneered reporter Lisa Myers to a DOE official. In its regular feature "The Fleecing of America," NBC news last night focused on a Vancouver accelerator conference attended by 525 government scientists. "That's right, 525 government scientists discussing particle acceleration...Wouldn't 200 or 300 have been enough?" Myers sniffed. 4. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION: EVOKING MEMORIES OF MIR. One of the problems with "exploring" low-Earth orbit is that we've been there before--lots of times--and so have the Russians. The result is that the ISS must be able to maneuver out of the way of pieces of space junk, of which there are thousands. One rather large piece, a dead Russian rocket, was on an uncomfortably close trajectory last week. Instructions were sent to the Russian built Zarya module, which is supposed to supply the thrust to get out of the way. Alas, the ISS stubbornly refused to budge. Rep. Sensenbrenner, who is not happy about relying on Russia anyway, wants to know why. He also wants to know why NASA failed to tell Congress or the public about until it leaked out a week later. THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY (Note: Opinions are the author's and are not necessarily shared by the APS, but they should be.) DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
