I seem to have touched a nerve. Despite the difficulties with spelling I am now having, it's too good an opportunity to pass up, so let me see if I can jump on it...

Terrestrial Planet Finding is excatly about SETI - that's the only reason the public pays for it. They don't give a s*** about solar system formation... but those that do are willing to pander to them in order to get funding to feed their research addiction monkeys...

The situtation here is similar to the situation with NASA's Mars research - a large number of people are still deluded that Mars is an Earth-like planet, one easliy settled by people. Despite the plain facts that neither of these is true, none the less NASA will pander on along...

The bizarre thing though is that as Mars reasearch progresses it more and more clearly demonstrates the falsity of both beliefs... just a little over 5 months to go...

I love it. First you tell me that Terrestrial Planet Finding is not about SETI, then you immediately tell me that spectra will show free oxygen, water, and land...

Ahem. Well, it's not like I am uninterested in solar system formation - accretion problems are quite interesting to me. But I am also interested in SETI: how many species survive long enough to develop an effective planetary defense so that impact does not cause their extinction?

I suppose the issue is one of self delusion: You're interested in SETI as well, for your own reasons, but just too afraid to admit to it. Me, I would like to see the Congressional legislation on this changed, and am not afraid to tell anyone why.

I noticed all the baseless insults in your comment - having suffered them, I suppose I am allowed just one in return: You're acting gutless.

If this little note cuases you to show some guts, and some intellectual honesty, then I suppose it will have been for the good.

It'll be interesting to see how the spelling comes out.

ep