From: Forrest Bishop (forrestb@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Sat Sep 20 1997 - 12:53:54 MDT
Natasha,
hope this helps-
Forrest
=================================
---- Begin Forwarded Message
NSS Seattle--
Here's an item of interest from Jim Spellman.
Vince Creisler
President, NSS Seattle
------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Opening Volley fired on "Good Morning America" by anti-Cassini
forces
FYI -- The first volley was fired in the mainstream media during one of
the
morning news programs.
During today's segment of "Good Morning America," Dr. Michio Kaku from
the
City University of New York debated Beverly Cook from the Department of
Energy over the merits of launching Cassini next month. Charlie Gibson
served as moderator between the two.
Dr. Kaku, a nuclear physicist, is an opponent of Cassini, favoring a
solar
power redesign, arguing that "Saturn will still be there, it was there
for
Galileo (the man, not the probe, I presume)." He also managed to
mention his
recently published book in the first thirty seconds of his opening
comments.
Beverly Cook held her own during her comments, although Dr. Kaku was
given
the opening and closing statements.
Charlie Gibson appeared a bit skeptical regarding Dr. Kaku's comments.
He
even got a concession out of Dr. Kaku that despite his claim "Titan IV's
have
a 1 in 20 failure rate" (never mind that the Titan IVB to be used is
different from all previous vehicles), it didn't mean that the RTG would
be
destroyed in an explosion.
In the meantime, here's the latest out of Russell Hoffman's "Stop
Cassini"
Newsletter that you might want to review.
~JS~
Subj: Rep. Dave Weldon mispeaks to his colleagues--STOP CASSINI #39,
September 7th,
Date: 97-09-07 19:08:53 EDT
From: rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com (Russell D. Hoffman)
To: democracy-now@pacifica.org, nation-talk@thenation.com
CC: president@whitehouse.gov, vice-president@whitehouse.gov
Hi!
In the last two weeks I have heard the phrase "I think we actually have
a
chance of stopping Cassini" a number of times. I had never heard that
before -- sometimes I thought only I believed it! But now I hear it
over
and over. Something's changing in the wind. America the giant is
waking
up. Many Americans now oppose Cassini, Republicans and Democrats,
Leftists
and Conservatives, well-educated Americans, smart Americans, and,
uh...me.
Folks, we really have a movement going! It is dreadfully disorganized,
with
many isolated individuals and small groups acting alone, but it is
definitely a movement! And the pro-nuclear Cassini people are getting
vocal
as well. Congressman Dave Weldon is the representative from the Cape
Canaveral district. Not surprisingly, he has recently sent a letter to
his
colleagues "explaining" how safe Cassini is and how unconcerned he is
with
the dangers.
In this issue we answer that letter and give other current news items
about
the STOP CASSINI MOVEMENT!
Sincerely, Russell D. Hoffman, Editor, STOP CASSINI newsletter.
***** STOP CASSINI NEWSLETTER Volume #39, September 7th, 1997 *****
Today's subjects:
*** A letter sent by Representative Dave Weldon to his colleagues.
*** NPR Science Friday Gangs up Against Michio Kaku
*** An Introduction To Horst A. Poehler, Ph. D.
*** Media Book Recently Distributed
*** Update on Cassini Launch Schedule (Usenet thread posting)
*** 1-888-NO CASSINI -- Protests in NYC and Wash D.C.
****** VOLUME #39 September 7th, 1997 ******
*****************************************************
*** A letter sent by Representative Dave Weldon to his colleagues.
*****************************************************
We are in a lot of grapevines these days regarding Cassini, and several
of
them notified us that the following letter had been sent by
Representative
Dave Weldon to his colleagues. Representative Weldon's district include
Cape
Canaveral and the surrounding area in Florida.
>>>> EMAIL TO US SHOWING REP. WELDON'S LETTER >>>>
U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon sent the following "Dear Colleague" letter to
every member of the U.S. House of Representatives today.
Brian Chase
Press Secretary
(202) 225-3671
-----------------------------------------
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DAVE WELDON
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
September 5, 1997
NASA's CASSINI MISSION TO SATURN IS SAFE
Dear Colleague:
Undoubtedly you have heard about NASA's upcoming Cassini mission to
Saturn, which is scheduled to be launched in October. It is an unmanned
probe that will explore Saturn and its mysterious moon, Titan, in
greater detail than ever before possible. Cassini is an international
project that is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California
and will be launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, which is the in the
heart of my district.
Unfortunately, the news reports that you have heard about Cassini
probably did not focus on its ambitious scientific objectives, or the
international cooperation, or the engineering genius behind a probe that
will be operating nearly autonomously 1.4 billion kilometers away from
Earth. Instead, there are some fringe organizations that are opposing
the use of nuclear power for Cassini's on-board equipment.
Cassini does not use a nuclear reactor, but rather a set of special
generators that take the heat given off by the natural decay of small
pellets of plutonium-238 and convert it to electricity. This is similar
to the system used by previous deep-space probes. Additionally, all of
the radioactive material on board will be used essentially as batteries,
not for propulsion. The propulsion system is ordinary chemical rockets
that have been used for decades.
If there were any significant public threats posed by this mission, you
can be certain that I would be the first to protest it. I have family
and friends that live and work near the launch site, and I would never
allow their lives to be endangered.
There are many arguments used by Cassini˙s opponents, all of which can
be quickly and accurately refuted by NASA. In fact, opponents have
planned events in Washington over the next few weeks to pressure elected
officials to oppose Cassini, and I would encourage you to get the facts
about the mission before drawing any premature conclusions. NASA's
Legislative Affairs office (358-1055) can provide you or your staff with
detailed data, or you can visit the Cassini World Wide Web site at
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini.
Cassini is an exciting deep-space exploration mission, and I hope you
will join me in supporting this important NASA program.
Sincerely,
<original signed by>
DAVE WELDON
Member of Congress
<<<< END OF EMAIL TO US SHOWING REP. DAVE WELDON'S EMAIL <<<<
>>>> MY RESPONSE: >>>>
Hi!
Thanks for sending me this piece of pro-nuclear Cassini propaganda
(shown
above).
Fringe? This Congressman needs an education in who is really opposing
Cassini! Or does he actually dare to call Dr. John Gofman or Dr. Michio
Kaku "fringe"? These men are among the world's leading nuclear
scientists!
Fringe? It is a sad day for science when a congressman such as Dave
Weldon
would speak ill of scientists like these gentleman. I dare Dave Weldon
to
read aloud before the public the biographies of John Gofman or Michio
Kaku
and then call them "fringe". They are pillars of scientific reason and
true
American icons.
And as for getting the facts from an organization that won't argue the
facts, won't link to the opposition, and won't tell the truth, how can
one
claim that NASA presents a fair opposition to Cassini? They cannot even
keep their own "facts" straight from one report to another, let alone
actually tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
NASA has not "quickly and accurately refuted" the charges we have
brought
against it. Not nearly. Not even close.
Thanks again for sending me this,
Sincerely,
Russell Hoffman
<<<< END OF MY RESPONSE TO REP. DAVE WELDON'S EMAIL <<<<
A biography of John Gofman is available in our newsletters, #24 and #25:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/cassini/nltrs/nltr0024.htm
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/cassini/nltrs/nltr0025.htm
A biography of Michio Kaku is available in newsletter #29 at this URL:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/cassini/nltrs/nltr0029.htm
These are only two of many, many scientists who oppose Cassini. Our
group
is neither small, nor fringe, nor short of facts.
*****************************************************
*** NPR Science Friday Gangs up Against Michio Kaku
*****************************************************
>>>>> THIS JUST IN FROM MARK ELSIS >>>>>
The NPR Science Friday segment was an 18:10 minute segment. After a
brief
introduction by Ira Flatow, Beverly Cook from DOE talked for 2:35 then
another guy on that side (a biophysicist from the University of
California
at Davis) talked from 2:35 to 4:15. Michio Kaku then talked from 4:15
to
7:25, then BC 7:25 to 9:25 again, then about a 5 second break, then 9:30
to
11:00 MK again, BC 11:00 to 11:45 (MK broke in for one comment for
about 3
or 4 seconds during this period) then the other guy from 11:45 to 13:30
(MK
broke in once more for a 3 to 4 second comment). Then Ira Flatow spoke
from
13:30 to 14:10 then BC again from 14:10 to 15:20, then MK complained
about
not being able to present his side and talked from 15:20 to 16:10 then
BC
broke in from 16:10 to 16:25, then MK from 16:25 to 16:40. Michio Kaku
was
saying that NASA is living in a fantasy land when they say that
plutonium is
not such a terribly toxic substance. He said what he is trying to do is
save NASA from NASA's own administrators. At 16:40 the other guy comes
in
until 17:10, then ALL THREE talk over each other from 17:10 to 17:50,
they
jab back and forth, then Ira breaks in and says that's the end of the
show.
THEN HE LETS BEVERLY COOK speak for 20 more seconds and then they played
an
extended musical interlude for several minutes, when Michio Kaku could
have
refuted the corporate/government line that the others were presenting.
<<<<< END ANALYSIS FROM MARK ELSIS <<<<<<
Three cheers for Kaku!
NPR has some serious questions to answer about how it could possibly
consider itself an alternative voice of the people. This was without
question the most controversial news item of the week and Kaku was given
less than half the time that NASA's proponents got. He was not allowed
a
summation, the show was cut short for no known reason, and there were of
course, two (or was it three) to one... Doesn't NASA get enough
unedited
press coverage from CNN and all the others? Does NPR have to bow to the
corporate/government line too?
This week, following a week when the worst elements of the press are
being
condemned around the world for their role in chasing down Princess Diana
one
final time, the rest of the press should step back and ask themselves:
Have
I reported fairly on the most important topics the world faced this
week?
Have I done my share to teach the world the truth, to present to them
all
legitimate arguments of both sides, and to see that justice in the court
of
public opinion can be done? Have I helped give the public the facts it
needs to decide? Have I done this today?
News is what the public needs to know, nothing more, and nothing less.
*****************************************************
*** An Introduction To Horst A. Poehler, Ph. D.
*****************************************************
Dr. Horst Poehler has written an exellent article about Cassini Cancers
which we have posted at the web site at this URL:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/cassini/hp9708ps.htm
Here is a brief biography of Dr. Poehler. As you can see he is (yet
another!) scientist opposed to Cassini who SHOULD know what he is
talking
about, and certainly, it appears to me that he DOES know what he is
talking
about.
BIOGRAPHY:
Horst A. Poehler, PH.D.
Ph.D. from Columbia University, 1948 in Pure Science, Faculty of EE
Associate Degree in Medical Technology from the Westchester Community
College, 1947
Was employed at Patrick AF Base and the Space Center from 1958 to 1980.
By
the following AF and NASA contractors:
TRW, Space Technology Laboratories, Pan American Airways, Federal
Electric,
and RCA. For the last 15 years held position of Senior Scientist. Member
of
Professional Health Physics Society since 1958.
*****************************************************
*** Media Book Recently Distributed
*****************************************************
We recently created a book which is a sample of our STOP CASSINI web
site,
and a description of the webmaster. Although the book only contains
perhaps
5% of the entire web site, it was still nearly 100 pages long!
We distributed 50 copies to media and to the Congresspeople whom we have
heard are helping us call for Congressional hearings -- Lynn Woosley,
Pete
Stark, Ron Dellums, George Miller, and Bernard Sanders. We sent each of
these Congresspersons two copies -- one to give to a colleague. The
cost of
sending the entire web site to each Congressperson appears prohibitive.
Fortunately they can, if they care to, read it online (where it is
better
organized anyway than a printed version could ever be) and we sincerely
hope
some of them will.
Congresspeople need to hear from their constituents, not some "fringe
activist" from outside their district! We encourage everyone to print
out
anything from our web site or from other STOP CASSINI web sites and send
that in, along with their own comments. We will of course cheerfully
attempt to answer any Congressperson's questions or direct them to
documents
and/or experts which can answer their questions. But in any case the
first
steps need to come from voters in their own districts and states.
>>>>> TEXT OF COVER LETTER FOR MEDIA BOOK >>>>>
STOP CASSINI WEB SITE
NEWS MEDIA TOUR GUIDE
The STOP CASSINI WEB SITE was started in January, 1997 and has grown to
nearly 100 articles and newsletters, and numerous scanned GIF images of
NASA
documentation. It was created by computer programmer Russell Hoffman,
and
represents thousands of hours of research time and effort.
As word spread around the globe, the web site became noticed by the
pro-nuclear Cassini side and a number of debates ensued which were
carried
on in the web site's newsletter (now in its 37th issue). These debates
argue the logic of NASA's decisions regarding the use of plutonium "RTG"
power sources. In virtually all cases the pro-nuclear sides' arguments
are
presented in their entirety, including a long-running debate with Louis
Friedman, Executive Director of the Planetary Society, and with Jim
Spellman, President, California Space Development Council and Executive
Director, NSS/Western Spaceport Chapter, as well as many others.
The crux of the debate is not whether NASA is right or wrong or the
anti-nuclear Cassini people are right or wrong, because in fact, right
now
we have little way of telling if either side's "worst-case predictions"
are
correct! What is argued instead in the newsletters and at the web site
is:
First, that NASA cannot possibly KNOW FOR CERTAIN which of the many
statements which they present as fact, are in fact, facts. Second,
NASA's
own statements often are contradictory, misleading, or patently false
when
compared to their own literature. This is unscientific and profoundly
disturbing behavior on NASA's part.
The web site contains articles by Karl Grossman, Michio Kaku, Ross
McCluney,
Ross Wilcock, Perry Keidel, Chris Bryson, Michael Bein and others and
transcripts of speeches by Michio Kaku and Alan Kohn, as well as remarks
by
John Gofman, Ernest Sternglass, Jay Gould, Helen Caldicott, and Karl Z.
Morgan and others. Protest schedules and launch schedules are published
at
the web site, petitions are presented for signatures, and letters which
can
be sent to President Clinton, Al Gore, and others are also presented.
Much
of this material has since been republished elsewhere and some of the
material was originally published elsewhere, but most of the web site is
comprised of original essays published directly on the web. The
webmaster
admits to being outspoken, feisty, and passionate about the cause - and
occasionally wrong as well, but he has done his best to present
everything
he can about the issues involved.
In this printed book is a very small sample of the STOP CASSINI web site
-
about 5% of the total. The items include the official communication
with
NASA regarding their EIS reports. NASA has not officially commented on
the
web site to the webmaster, but he has heard from several sources that
they
have spoken disparagingly of it to others and are "reluctant" to appear
in a
debate with the webmaster. We are not, however, calling on NASA to
debate
or respond to the web site. We are calling for Congressional Hearings
so
that any and all statements made by both sides will be the sworn truth
as
they see it. At the same time, we call on all America, from schools and
colleges to workplace lunch cafeterias to CSPAN and all the news media
to
debate this issue. Not just Cassini, which is NASA's great new folly,
but
the entire cost of the nuclear nightmare the world faces on Earth and
now in
space as well.
At the end of the book is some information about the professional work
of
STOP CASSINI webmaster and newsletter editor, Russell D. Hoffman.
Although
Mr. Hoffman has reduced his workload in other projects this year to do
the
STOP CASSINI project (for the first time in about 18 years) he feels
that
the learning experience of how to use the World Wide Web to disseminate
information will result in better and more exciting future educational
projects for him to work on. The web is wonderful and must remain a
place
for the free and proper discourse of important public policy decisions
such
as CASSINI.
Sincerely,
Russell D. Hoffman
Webmaster, STOP CASSINI web site, Editor, STOP CASSINI newsletter
*****************************************************
*** UPDATE ON CASSINI LAUNCH SCHEDULE (USENET POSTING)
*****************************************************
This person seems to be in the loop somehow and I would tend to think
this
is an accurate description of the launch status of Cassini at this time:
>>>> THREAD EMAILED TO US, REGARDING CASSINI LAUNCH DATES >>>>
sci.space.policy.com thread title: Cassini delayed
On Fri, 05 Sep 1997 02:42:37 -0600, in sci.space.policy MEM
<memoore@lanl.gov> wrote:
>>"Yesterday it was announced that the launch of the Cassini mission
will
>>be delayed from October 6 to no earlier than about October 14. Last
>>Thursday/Friday, the spacecraft was mated atop the launch vehicle.
>>After it was "bolted down", the conditioning air was attached to the
>>Huygens Probe, et al. On Saturday, it was discovered that the air
flow
>>greatly exceeded the design flow rate and in the process damaged the
>>thermal insulation inside the Huygens probe. Late yesterday, the
>>decision was made to demate/destack the Cassini Spacecraft and return
>>the spacecraft to the KSC payload processing clean room. The Huygens
>>probe will be opened and
>>the insulation repaired. After reintegration, the spacecraft will be
>>remated to the launch vehicle. The result is about a 7 to 10 day
delay
>>(at a minimum)."
>>
>>We will be working toward an October 15, 1997 launch date unless given
>>further instructions [...SNIP...]
<<<< END OF THREAD CLIP <<<<
*****************************************************
*** 1-888-NO CASSINI -- Protests in NYC and Wash D.C.
*****************************************************
Why dial 1-888-NOCASSINI? Because you can send three telegrams, to
President Bill Clinton, First Lady Hillary Clinton, and Vice President
Al
Gore for just $9.95.
We have heard that another group has started a second toll-free
NOCASSINI
number, but the 1-888-NOCASSINI number is a good value and will support
the
work of Lovearth, with the small (about $1.70) profit going directly to
the
STOP CASSINI campaign and to the rallies LOVEARTH is arranging September
20th in NYC and September 28th in Washington DC.
The most up-to-date STOP CASSINI protest schedule we can find is
currently
available in newsletter #38, at this URL:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/cassini/nltrs/nltr0038.htm
You can visit LOVEARTH at their web site: www.lovearth.org
NOTE: In the last issue (#38) the phone number of LOVEARTH was
incorrectly
listed. The number given was the FAX line for LOVEARTH. The correct
phone
number to contact LOVEARTH regarding protests and other media events is
(718) 426-5361. Their fax number is (718) 426-5302. We regret the
error.
*****************************************
AND IN CONCLUSION...
*****************************************
Please feel free to post these newsletters anywhere you feel it's
appropriate! THANKS!!!
Welcome new subscribers!
Thanks for reading,
Sincerely,
Russell D. Hoffman
Editor
STOP CASSINI Newsletter
Webmaster
STOP CASSINI Web Site
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/cassini/index.htm
CANCEL CASSINI
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