TIANGONG 1 - Chinese Space Station

Chinese spacecraft manually docks with the TIANGONG 1 space lab, which will serve as a space station module prototype for China.

China to launch space station first phase

The newest space race has already begun, just as we retire the most prolific spacecraft fleet the world has ever known. Now we must rely on Russians, or eventually private industry to get our astronauts to space, at least until the next decade. The Long March continues while we wait for our leadership to notice.

Chinese Hold Mayor Nagin - Keeping Him Safe

The mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, is under lockdown in China.
Chinese hosts are screening his calls "to keep him safe."
more

There's a battle over who's in charge in New Orleans.
"...Nagin has put the city's chief administrative officer, Brenda Hatfield, in charge of Crescent City business, but City Council members say that's the wrong move.
Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson said Nagin hasn't followed the City Charter during past trips out of the country. She said the charter dictates that one of the at-large City Council members should be in charge...."

Someone will need to be responsible for leaving busses parked in low areas during any potential emergency while Mayor Nagin is Shanghaied.

More Chinese Fakery

China touts success of space launch before takeoff
"A nice little story hit the Web Thursday talking up China's long-awaited space mission and even including detailed dialogue between the astronauts, according to the Associated Press. Only problem was that the spacecraft hadn't even left the ground at the time the story came out..."

China just launched a manned mission, and the scripted coverage of an "in flight report" was released before it ever happened. Are the people in charge of checking ages of Chinese Olympic athletes also in charge of the space program? Maybe. The Chinese Space Program IS a subsidiary of the Red Army.

As Controversial as the Olympics? Fake Mission Coverage.

Chinese Space Race

China's military has long harbored ambitions of dominating space, as last year's satellite-targeting exercise showed. Now comes news that Chinese engineers may be much further along than previously thought in achieving one of their major goals: building a military space plane....

...At a minimum, Washington should delay the planned 2010 retirement of the Space Shuttle until a new space plane can replace it, as a way to retain a deterring potential military capability. China's unwillingness to comment on its military space plans, coupled with the Shenlong space plane, confirms its larger aversion to military transparency. The U.S. and its allies have little choice but to develop the capabilities to defend their interests and assets in space.

I agree with the author, Mr. Richard Fisher, Jr. about this. The American shuttle fleet should not be retired before a replacement is in place. Some may claim that the shuttles are relics, but for now, NASA's shuttle program is the best method we have to put astronauts and heavy cargo into near earth orbit.

Read...
"...And Races Into Space," from Wall Street Journal Asia
and more...
"Shenlong Space Plane Advances China’s Military Space Potential"

2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test

Space attack will force US to rethink tactics with spy in the sky satellites

China's "Most Favored" Status Is Bad Policy

Duncan Hunter on the massive but still growing trade problems with China.

And yet another recall of toxic Chinese products...
China halts export of bead toys tainted with toxic drug

Is China Poisoning the World?

Look at the labels on what you buy. If it is made in China, know that you may be getting poisoned or at least getting cheated. Much of China's industry is owned and operated by the Communist Chinese Military. Profits made on cheap Chinese goods, made by near-slave labor, and peddled to (thrifty?) Americans is used to arm and advance the Chinese military, building ships, planes and other military hardware, some of which are then aimed right back at us. This is a serious threat to our health, our economy, the safety of the world, and our very way of life. Unfair trade practices (still supported by some in our government!) allow shoddy Chinese goods to be sold in the US for less than it costs to produce anywhere else, and puts tarifs on American goods that are exported. Unfair trade and monetary policies account for a 35 point plus, price advantage for China, even before the cost considerations of slave labor wages, and lack of quality control. For a much better explanation of the Chinese Trade cheating problem we have, watch this video from Duncan Hunter's website.

Is it just me, or has Wal-Mart become the world wide retail outlet for the Chinese Army? Do they feel any guilt about abandoning the 90's "Buy American" sales strategy they had, and then stiffing American companies to instead sell only Chinese goods? Price cutting comes at a cost.

Below are some articles that describe some of the TOXIC trade.

Chinese Poison Train Declared Unstoppable: Next Stop, You!

Tainted Chinese Imports Common (Washington Post)

China exports lead poisoning
From eye shadow to glazed pottery, products pose danger to U.S. kids

Toxic Toothpaste Made in China Is Found in U.S.

America’s Slow Death by Food Poisoning