Meanswhile - News just in.


By Dan THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer

DALLAS, Texas - In a surprise move, the National Aeronautic and Space
Administration (NASA) announced a sudden push from the White House to be
the first nation to land a team on Mars.

Originally not scheduled until the year 2020, NASA spokeswoman Jari James
said a senior official from the White House contacted NASA this morning,
and discussed the feasibility of funding $13.4 billion in a drive to be
able to place a team of people on the surface of the planet Mars by the
end of this decade. NASA officials were stunned when the White House did
not blink at the proposed figure, indeed, said quite simply "Money is not
a problem."

It has been a dream for many Americans to put men into space, but with
the current economic climate it was thought that all future space
explorations were put on a back burner. But with a single phone call,
hope has blossomed for millions of people around the world, to see
mankind step upon another planet in the solar system.

The White House had a press conference after the announcement was made,
and reporters asked why the sudden interest in space? "Was it because of
a new space race starting with the China?" a reporter from Newsweek
asked. "No," said the spokesperson from the White House, "it's because
of the situation in Iraq. Now that we have Saddam Hussein in custody, we
need a place to try him fairly."

More news to follow...



NB: This is a joke. It was written by Dan Thompson. Email him at:
roger.redundant.roger@verizon.net and please credit him with the piece if
you forward it.

Gareth