TheBanyanTree: Dying Grass Moon

[Tom Smith]

> Once someone learns my wife is a geology professor, or that 
> we're involved with Project JASON, I hear regular rebuffs on
> global warming.

When I was young and idealistic, I believed knowledge of Nature
to be the ultimate pursuit.  Observation, logic and honesty was
the means.  Those beliefs remain the same now that I'm old and
experienced.  

Scientists and teachers have always been my heroes, so your
wife being a geology professor and you being involved with
Project JASON, a research and educational endeavor, predisposes
me to highly value your opinions. 

Is there political pressure in your local academic circles for
research to lean one way or another in regard to global
warming? 

Project JASON has among its sponsors Shell Oil, NOAA and 
NASA.  The current leadership of NOAA and NASA are Bush
administration appointees.  The Earth Science component of
NASA's budget has been severely cut.  It's like they don't
want to know..  Do you perceive any political constraints on 
the science you are allowed to pursue or present in Project 
JASON?

> throughout the nearly three and a half billion years of
> geologic history that we can read, in only 10% of that time 
> do we find any evidence of glaciers on the planet.  In only
> three separate periods with a total of about 300 million
> years do we find glaciers here.

"here" as in Texas? 

I am most fascinated about what geologic traces there might be
in Texas geology related to Chixulub meteor strike 65 million
years ago in the gulf near Yucutan, which had global
consequence.

Keep digging, Dale!

Tom


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