Following is my response:

Dear Sirs;

Re: Mr. Jimenez questioning the value of the exploration of space ("Food over research", Nov. 6). Alan Keyes made an articulate, impassioned defense of federal funding for space exploration in response to a question from the audience at a town meeting in New Hampshire featuring five Republican presidential candidates Thursday evening, October 28.

In his response, Keyes drew parallels with government funding of the Lewis and Clark expedition nearly 200 years ago. Exploration, he said, "was considered by our founders to be one of the important functions of government: to explore this great continent, to produce the maps that would be necessary so that folks could then move in and exploit the resources and opportunities that were there for our people."

"We have a vast frontier sitting on our doorstep in space which we have developed the technology to make use of," Keyes then said. "We should, as a community, sustain our commitment to make sure we are able to develop and make use of that great frontier; for the sake of humanity, not just for our own sake."

Keyes also said space exploration had a "spiritual component" as well. "Our potential is best realized when we are challenging ourselves to reach for those things that transcend our every day needs and desires and passions," he said. "I think space exploration is one of those and I would support it strongly."

In 1997, Rupert Murdoch summarized the debate over the value of space exploration this way:

"So, in the end, the real question … is whether America is serious about space. Certainly it should be: Space is as much an inescapable part of progress in the next century as the skies have been in this one and the seas in earlier epochs."

(signed) Avery Davis, Tucson

Here is proof that either Bill Gates has a sense of humor or that he is part of that right wing conspiracy Hillary keeps talking about.

1) Open a new Microsoft Word or Works document

2) Type the phrase: I'd like Bill Clinton to resign

3) Highlight this phrase as if you were going to check for spelling.

4) Select: Tools - Language - Thesaurus

5) Look at the suggested phrase: I’ll drink to that

This year we are doing the theater thing. We have season’s tickets to the Arizona Theater Company. They perform in a nice little (compared to the Fox) theater downtown, where we can park on the street for free. The first show was a musical about Duke Ellington, and the Harlem Renaissance, although they changed the timeline to the 40’s. The sets and costumes were flashy, and the singing and dancing first rate. Our seats are in around the 12^th row, we don’t even need little binoculars or opera glasses. We augmented our musical selections with two shows playing at the University’s Centennial Hall. This is a much bigger venue than the Temple of Music and Art, but still a comfortable size. We went with Avery’s boss and wife to see Chicago a few weeks ago. Sensational! The two leads looked and performed like young versions of Bebe Neuwirth and Shirley McLain. With my staff discount, I was able to get the tickets for $35 each, about what I paid for Broadway shows in NY 20 years ago. In February we will see Miss Saigon. We have also seen the play Master Class, based on the life of Maria Callas. Yes, there is culture in the desert.

To ensure we don’t turn into effete snobs, we decided to go to one of the University of Arizona’s home football games. It was tricky finding a date, as our theater tickets were on the same night as two games. Last year our team was 12-1, including a win against Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl. This year’s team has not been as successful. Each game will have a few exciting plays: a long run or pass, but often bad plays make more impact on the score. The game we attended, against Stanford, turned out to be the Wildcats’ worst home game of the season. We did see one really cool long run, and as the stadium was almost empty at the end of the game, there was no wait to get to the shuttle bus.

The middle of our 350+ acre campus currently is a major construction zone. To the west of my building, they are tearing down half of the main student union. Yes, half… The other half of the structure will remain in use for a year or two while they knock down and rebuild the first part! You can see girders where the roof and walls were. The wrecking ball will be in any day now. Yesterday they were transplanting several huge palm trees that were in front of the building. As we are right next door, we hope they are accurate with that ball.

Our first installment of relatives is due tomorrow. Avery’s sister Janet and her husband are in Phoenix for a conference this week, and will drive down to Tucson tomorrow afternoon. Kyle really wants to see the Pima County Air & Space Museum, so we’ll meet them there. Actually, that was the first place we went to, too. The high tomorrow (11/13) is 90. That’s unusually warm for November, but I’d much rather be wearing sandals in November than snow boots.

Welcome back! Ahh, this brings back memories. Thanks for "The Best of" Janice Gelb.

Well! I finally do a few MC's, and see you ranting against 'zines that have no MC's in a 'zine that has no MC's! But, you always did have a wicked sense of humor…

Thanks for the description of the model rocket launches. Wish I could have been there! I did get to see part of a launch of a real rocket a few weeks ago. The later stages of the ascent of a Minuteman ICBM launched from Vandenberg AFB in CA was visible from my front yard. This launch provided the target for the test of a prototype National Missile Defense kill vehicle launched from Kwajalein Island in the Pacific Ocean. I was irritated that the press did not mention that the kill vehicle was designed and built in Tucson at the Raytheon plant where I work (in fact, right downstairs from my office).