With apologies to my American friends

I'm a space cadet.

Okay, maybe not a space cadet, but I really am an aerospace buff. Aviation, Space Exploration, Innovation, you name it, and I'm into it.

I'm thrilled to see efforts like the International Space station, to say nothing of other nations really expanding their own Space Agencies and efforts. And then you have really cool things like the Mars missions, the X-Prize and the non-government entrepeneurs who want to get their own craft into orbit. Heady stuff!

While I acknowledge that NASA is really the standard bearer for a lot of explorations, space is, and should remain international territory and free of protectionist and nationalistic aims. As cool as it was to hear that NASA is getting some new funds to return to the moon and all that jazz, Michael Griffin (NASA Administrator) managed to irk me with his recent comments on a trip to the Johnson Space Centre:

"If you ask anyone in this country, 'Do you believe that the United States should cede the moon to say the Chinese, Europeans, Russians, whoever?' I bet you the answer would be, 'No,'" he said.

Griffin said he believes a majority of people "want to make sure that as humankind expands into space the United States is there in the forefront."

Huh? Dude! Not your planet!! Sure, NASA put people there first (unless you believe the conspiracy theorists) but the Moon is not US territory! Therefore, they're not ceding anything. Except, apparently in their view, national penis size. Cuz, clearly, Griffin wants to compensate for something he's lacking.