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All sorts of interesting links out there, space-wise and otherwise, so let's roll...

October 4-11 is World Space Week. Back in 2003, I ran the NSS campaign to get letters about WSW in the top 100 newspaper markets in the U.S. WSW is a worldwide, U.N.-sponsored event to get students to learn about and celebrate benefits gained from space exploration.

Interesting blog on organizational culture at NASA and what reactions people can get when they ask questions in a meeting where senior officials ask if there are any questions. If you find yourself getting fired or just "in trouble" because you take management at their word about asking questions, then you should pull the ripcord and bail out.

A few items from the Down Under Defense Expert (DUDE):

• Interested in calculating "great circle" routes for airliners? Give this site a shot.
• YouTube video on "God-fearing" (general) vs. "non-God-fearing" (military) aviation.
• What a 737 looks like when its engine interacts with a flock of starlings (the Flock of Seagulls was on tour).
• Want to buy silver? Try this site.

Did you know that we were all doomed? Since the "Y2K" fracas didn't materialize, the latest doomsday year is 2012, when the Mayan calendar supposedly ends or heralds the end of the world. A trailer for a movie along this theme is now in theaters. Fortunately, even reviewers can see how over-the-top and nuts this is. I plan on having a party on January 1, 2013. The sane are welcome to attend.

From Jeff Foust: The Augustine Panel is due to have another public meeting, this one by telecon. The fact that they're having this meeting is a sign, sayeth Foust, that the final Augustine report will be delayed further.

From Lin: An article from FoxNews on how Obama's new "pay czar" is looking to curb or cut executive pay. My feeling is still this: it's none of government's business. This is a corporate governance issue. If you're an employee of a large multinational and you don't like how much money your CEO is making, buy one share of stock. This gives you the right to speak at a stockholder's meeting and speak your piece. Or, if you're not an employee, buy stock anyway. Make your voice heard. Build coalitions of other stockholders. Raise polite, legal, and rational heck. Show how corporate compensation practices are draining profitability and irrationally rewarding poor performance. Get the guidelines rewritten--with an eye to remembering that good compensation attracts the best and brightest, stupid compensation will result in a government takeover. There are ways to fix things that do not require Barack the Merciful to enter the fray and buy your company.

From my AIAA news feed, a couple of articles/editorials reflecting on the five-year anniversary of SpaceShipOne winning the X Prize Cup, one doubting, one more optimistic.

Oh yeah: I've got a short piece on ScienceCheerleader.com re: NASA's internet outreach efforts. Just enough to whet the whistle, more or less.

Also, I haven't done an update on my little e-niece Morgan lately. Her mom, Ame, is now reporting that she's working on home-schooling Morgan. I recommended that Ame take a look at a post on my site re: science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) resources for home schoolers. Morgan, bless her heart (sheesh! I've been in the South too long), has been going through a lot of medical madness, and those long periods of downtime keep her out of step with her peers and their learning. I commend Ame for doing what Morgan needs help doing. She's welcome to ping me anytime if she has questions. If I don't know, I'm willing to put in the time and research it.