I always look for threads in which Don Firth has posted, as I find he has one of the saner political perspectives. Also, he writes well and I enjoy his posts.

Regarding Mars: I can't find the column (it was in a Canadian paper), but I was impressed by a columnist who described the Mars vision as nothing more than a red herring. He believes the real goal is the moon, which the Americans will use as a military base, along with the space platform described in the link below. It's important to remember that despite all the rhetoric about peace, the US is a warlike culture that puts military might first and foremost. IMO!

If you want to give yourself nightmares, read the following article. In case you think it's too extreme, Google "rods from God," and you will find other articles on the same topic.

Rods from God