Not So Fast There Pancho!

Don't let the headline fool you--farther on in the story it contradicts itself.

NASA - Astronomers Rule Out Possibility of Asteroid Impact on Mars: "Updated Jan 2, 2008 -- With new observations taken Dec. 29, Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 by the Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico, scientists at NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., have updated their trajectory estimates for the asteroid. Based on this latest analysis, the odds for the asteroid impacting Mars on Jan. 30 are now about 1-in-28, or 3.6 percent. New Mexico Tech operates the Magdalena Ridge Observatory."
And if this doesn't worry you enough go to this site:
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/2007wd5/
and read how drastically the odds have changed from day-to-day.
Date Odds
21Dec2007 1:75
28Dec2007 1:25
02Jan2008 1:28
08Jan2008 1:40
09Jan2008 1:10,000

So the conclusion is....either (a)NASA can't get their calculations right and wouldn't be able to find their @$$es with both hands ~OR~ (b)NASA really has no idea where this thing is going and they are just trying to cover their butts ~OR~ (c)NASA has discovered that this thing doesn't actually exist and now they are making quick excuses why there won't be an impact after all.

Please don't get me wrong---I love NASA....I think they are under funded and under appreciated by the government/public---BUT I also know that when it comes down to it....NASA is a group of people...and people make mistakes....and people try to cover their mistakes.

My conclusion on all this? Keep an eye on the sky people....if it misses Mars it may just head towards here!!