NASA sued by "astrologist"

[EHocking]

A Russian "astrologist", Marina Bai, is attempting to sue NASA over the Deep Impact project (http://www.mosnews.com/feature/2005/04/19/deepimpact.shtml) because,

“The actions of NASA infringe upon my system of spiritual and life values, in particular on the values of every element of creation, upon the unacceptability of barbarically interfering with the natural life of the universe, and the violation of the natural balance of the Universe,�...

and it seems she's not the only loon out there, in the same article,

“Imagine leaving Moscow, then returning to find everything’s changed,� says Vladimir Portnov, a physicist and a professional astrologist. “Of course, everyday people will feel the implications of destroying a comet.�

According to Portnov, even something as “minor� as comets play a role in creating humanity’s psychic environment. By wantonly destroying a comet, NASA will inevitably disrupt that environment — with the most likely result being mass anxiety.

So far NASA has made no comment and appeared to be rather surprised by the attempted lawsuit - but read the article for a belly-laugh and quotes that could quite easily have been written by any of a number of posters at this Forum.

["V"]

Hey don't mock! My spirit guide, the disincarnate Tibetan master Hung-Tu-Lo is absolutely gutted by all this. Last night I distinctly heard his voice through the central heating pipes announcing "NASA are a set of cocoa shunters, how dare they bugger around with comets. My karma's all to cock now. And don't even ask what the dolphins make of all this, it's bedlam on the astral these days."

Argue with that if you can.

[wahrheit]

There's also two other threads on this:

Nasa Sued by Astrologer (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?threadid=55766) and Russian Astrologist Suing NASA (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56059)

[Odin]

Not destroying this comet infringes upon my system of spiritual and life values, in particular on the values of every element of creation. This comet is evil and must be destroyed! the natural balance of the universe depends on it! I will sue NASA if they do not destroy it.
:D

[Wudang]

What would Alexander Abian have said to this?

Sample link (http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_1787.shtml)

[EHocking]

Originally posted by wahrheit
There's also two other threads on this:

Nasa Sued by Astrologer (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?threadid=55766) and Russian Astrologist Suing NASA (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56059) Oh, poo - I even did a search, since the last (first) thread I began was *also* already covered here!

Not to worry - I think we've now got all the forum sections covered now, so it won't be missed.

[Timothy]

[Cross posting this to the three threads where it's being discussed]

Having intimate knowledge of the DI spacecraft and mission:

The purpose of the mission has nothing to do with "blowing it up", "knocking it off course" or anything of the like. The purpose is to examine for the first time the composition of cometary material, primarily original core material shielded by billions of years of melting and refreezing.

The DI Impactor will create a large crater in Tempel 1, while the Flyby will examine the ejected material with an array of optical sensors.

While the media has focused on several comments made early in the program to the effect that since we really don't know the density of a comet, DI *could* conceivably break it apart, most scientists working this issue are convinced that the impact will create a significant crater but nothing more.

I found most amusing the quote from the article "But Russian astrologist Marina Bai gave it a try, and, according to her lawyer Alexander Molokhov, it looks like she may just pull it off."

I don't know who's crazier, she or her lawyer.