I Want My NASA TV!
Written by Fraser Cain
If you're a Canadian? read this! If you're not a Canadian, well, still read it… you can help us out. 
I was visiting my Father about 5 years ago, and we were sitting in the kitchen when he said, "hey, it's time to watch the floaters." Wha? He turned on the kitchen television, and there was a live broadcast of some astronauts spacewalking outside the shuttle. I couldn't believe my eyes.
Apparently, my clever Dad had jury-rigged an old satellite dish so that it would receive a television feed from NASA. NASA has a television channel, and it's all about their space exploration. It could be the greatest thing ever. Okay, it gets a little boring between space launches, but overall, it's a tremendous channel to have access to.
My Father, on remote Hornby Island, gets NASA television loud and clear. But there's no way I can get it here in Vancouver. I called my cable company… nope. Then I got a digital satellite dish… nope, sorry.
The only place I can watch NASA TV is on my computer. Ever watched television on your computer? It's small, blurry, choppy and cuts off all the time. Anyway, I stare enough at computer monitors.
I want my NASA TV.
Well much to my surprise, the Canadian Canadian Radio and Television Commission was actually in discussions to get the cable companies to offer it, but it all fell apart. We get Jerry Springer, but we can't watch NASA TV. Fortunately, we do get the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which is about the only thing that gets me to turn my television on these days.
Now there's hope. The Friends of NASA TV in Canada. It's a petition to try to convince the CRTC and cable companies to get us the space news we so richly deserve.
If you're a Canadian, visit their website and sign the petition. Not only that, I want you find as many other Canadians who will do what you say, and get them to sign this. Do it!
If you're not a Canadian, but you know a Canadian, I want you to send them an email begging them to sign this petition. You got it? Good.
I want my NASA TV.
Fraser Cain, Publisher
Universe Today
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