Regarding:

>>>Finally, all Delta boosters are launched by Boeing just as all Atlas and Titan launches are performed by Lockheed-Martin, not NASA In cases like this where the payload is owned by NASA, then they would have a say in go-no go decisions. But ultimately, the decision is made by the launching agency. Any overtime would come out of the launching company's hide. <<<

Postponing launches repeatedly initially costs the companies but we taxpayers ultimately foot the bill, thanks to monopolistic NASA. What's the difference between NASA and Boeing & Lockmart? What's good for one is good for all in the price-fixing-laden, protectionist U.S. launch industry, is it not? Have you not heard of the "revolving door" phenomenon between NASA and the merely 3 U.S. companies that can conduct launches? It's a cozy relationship that they enjoy, to say the least. Lockheed's even doing space station work sort of through its USA joint venture with its supposed competitor Boeing.

Are you unaware of the pork-barreling that goes on between them all and NASA, as

Http://www.spaceprojects.com/pork2000

analyzes? Meanwhile, are cost-conscious boat-rockers rewarded? If you think so then your finger pointed at me as being a "nonsense speaker" is appropriately accompanied by 3 more of your fingers pointed directly back at you.

Meanwhile, are you aware of how NASA continues favoring Boeing & Lockmart at the expense of other potential, deceased, or actual launch companies? Bureaucrats cow-tow to the entrenched (marketshare-hemorrhaging) players in hopes of benefiting from the revolving door, or at least from their lobbying machines.

Meanwhile, regarding your statistic about lightning strikes at Florida's Cape, I'll take you at your word on that but won't the Soyuz rockets have similar problems when finally launching humans from Guiana (sp.?) beginning in half a year or so? I confess to ignorance regarding that South American nation's weather, but in the mean time, why not relocate more NASA launches to other states where the weather's not as likely to provoke these costly delays like they do in Florida? 4 states have licensed spaceports and others are "in the oven" so to speak, despite how the noncontroversial, bipartisan spaceport tax incentive act (http://www.spaceprojects.com/tax ) remains unsigned despite tax-favorable treatment that's apparently in effect for their airport and railway counterparts.

If it's "nonsense" to preach saving tax dollars so that they can be better spent on endowing competitive prizes for Mars sample returns or for bringing about technological breakthroughs, then I aspire to be as nonsensical as possible.

See generally: http://www.spaceprojects.com/prizes

Some among us may have grown overly timid with the unwelcome passing of time. What's most sad is when they become a part of the problem with their unjustifiable insults (etc.), rather than remain on the sidelines while some others try to altruistically bring about solutions.