China Sets Sights On Moon

China has just unveiled a five-year plan for putting astronauts on the moon, which would make it the first nation to visit since the U.S. last set foot there some 40 years ago.Though China has asserted it's desire to send a manned shuttle to the moon this is the first official statement by the country stating their intent. "China will conduct studies on the preliminary plan for a human lunar landing," according to the state council, also calling for deep-space exploration of other planets and asteroids. Though there is no deadline for the launch the announcement is seen as an official declaration of China's lunar goals. The plans come as the U.S. manned spaceflight program is in indefinite hiatus, with NASA's space shuttle fleet retired and International Space Station missions dependent on Russian rockets. While President George W. Bush called for a return to the moon by 2020, President Obama canceled the program due to high costs but has proposed sending Americans to an asteroid by 2025.
China is also building its own prototype space station, the Tiangong 1, before construction of a Mir-class station. It has already mapped the moon with the Chang'e-1 lunar probe, and plans to send the Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft to dock with Tiangong-1 in 2012. "Since 2006, Long March rockets have accomplished 67 successful launches, sending 79 spacecraft into planned orbits and demonstrating noteworthy improvement in the reliability of China's launch vehicles." Although the space program is backed by the People's Liberation Army, the government asserts the program is entirely peaceful: "China always adheres to the use of outer space for peaceful purposes, and opposes weaponization or any arms race in outer space."

SOPA: The New Internet Censorship Act

SOPA or the Stop Internet Piracy Act is a new Act in this years congress's continuing battle against American civil liberties. Essentially the Act is designed to restrict access to sites like thepiratebay.org and protect copy righted content on the internet but how they are going about accomplishing this is nothing short of censorship and a violation of the 1st Amendment. SOPA not only will affect our civil liberties but will affect many internet based companies such as Reddit and the internet as a whole. Remember when you shared that video you saw on Youtube with your friends on Facebook under SOPA that will be illegal especially if said video was copyrighted in anyway such as song or a music video. SOPA is an extention of a battle that has long been brewing as lobbyists for the RIAA and MPAA (Record Industry and Motion Picture Industry)have fought to end internet piracy.On the surface, the SOPA seems reasonable, especially considering that "pirates" are afoot on the Web and inroad into the profits of global companies, which certainly must not be countenanced!!!. On the other hand, leveling a court order in a demand to exterminate a website's voice and presence on the basis of the Justice Department's dictum is overarching power. In the wrong hands, in the wrong administration, more amendments could be tacked on to the act to willy nilly obtain even more power to stop the voice and outcry of online American citizens who enjoy exercising their constitutional freedoms.

Coupled with the recent passage of the National Defense Act whose add on provision virtually eliminates habeas corpus for "alleged" terrorists (who might just tweet anti-government slogans) and ends first amendment rights of free speech as we knew them a year ago, this two pronged pincer attack against American civil liberties is beyond anything that we have witnessed in our lifetimes. Various individuals in our political system, appear to show a disregard for the Constitution that they have sworn to uphold. In another day and age, it would not be untoward to level accusations of treason against them for considering the passage of such law . But "pirates" and "terrorists" must be stopped.

I'm Baaaack

Well after extended hiatus I'm back posting all the Geeky Shit that comes to my mind. It's been a busy holiday season with all sorts of Gadgets, Toys, and Video Games out. I hope you enjoy and for all you loyal fans I will promise we will be back to daily posts again thanks for all your support.