THE all-time most disgusting advertising idea in existence is that of putting billboards in space. Believe it or not, there are companies that want to shoot giant advertising signs into space. Fortunately, the FAA is displaying a bit of sanity by asking for the authority to enforce a law prohibiting "obtrusive" advertising in zero gravity.

"Objects placed in orbit, if large enough, could be seen by people around the world for long periods of time," the FAA said in a regulatory filing. Giant billboards deployed by a space company into low Earth orbit could appear as large as the moon and be seen without a telescope, the FAA said. Big and bright advertisements might hinder astronomers.

Currently, the FAA lacks the authority to enforce the existing law and we are only one country. There might be others that will go along with such a horrifying idea, but I suspect that the US is the most likely offender and it is encouraging to see some decency.

The only thing that worries me about the FAA request is the word "obtrusive". Does this mean that smaller signs are OK?

I am a pretty peaceful person, willing to live and let live, but I hereby promise to become a radical, foaming-at-the-mouth activist if corporations are allowed to ruin the night sky for this planet. Such ideas are obscene and despicable and should be firmly refuted by all of Earth's citizens.