Slashdot Mirror

Created/endorsed by chess genius and raving lunatic Bobby Fischer: "I don't play the old chess. But obviously if I did, I would be the best."

Excellent usage of the well altered Princess Bride quote (for those in the dark). Then again, machinima spares us from this: http://newsfromrussia.com/hotspots/2005/09/19/6318 0.html

We forget so often that the chinese government isn't stupid, and maybe not even evil.

Maybe not evil? Are you serious? Please go learn about some of the things the "warm and fuzzy" Chinese government has done before posting such BS.

They have reasons for why they do what they do.

And they are all wrong.

3 mio.? 4 mio.? maybe 5 mio. people could die during an all-china civil unrest.

Is it better to die that to live as a slave? How many millions of people has the Chinese regime already killed in the 50+ years that it has been in power?

Collection of random thoughts, aka A Brain Dump:

1. This news is older than the hills.

2. What's with the dates? The Clipper was supposed to be in service by 2010, not 2011. Originally this would have put it ahead of the CEV, but the latest projections have the CEV flying by 2008.

3. HOTOL, Skylon, Hermes; need I say more? Russia obviously wants the money for building, not the enigineering experience of the ESA.

4. "The Clipper would allow Russia and Europe to collaborate with the Americans on lunar exploration, allowing six astronauts to orbit the Moon and to act as a back-up rescue craft, if needed." I'd be happy if we collaborated, but I think it's a bit premature considering that Russia never landed anyone on the moon. Did they get close? Maybe. The details are a bit sketchy there. There certainly seems to be a coverup involved, but considering the number of "Moon Rockets" that Russia had blow up on the pad, I wouldn't have held my breath either way.

5. You'll note that Russia is looking at a winged vehicle. Lockheed proposed a lifting body for the CEV, but was turned down. I'm consoled, however, in that the CEV vehicle will be a small part of the future stack and very easy to replace. Even if the CEV flies capsules for the first couple of years, there's a strong liklihood that we'll go back to lifting bodies with reinforced carbon-carbon heat shielding. (For those of you who complain about carrying wings and landing gear into space, it really isn't that big of a deal. The problem with the Space Shuttle is that it's FREAKING HUGE so that it can carry satellite packages. Reduced to a more normal size for human cargo, its wings and gear wouldn't cost all that much in weight.)

6. "The Clipper also enhances the possibility of space tourism." I just love Russian zeal. Those guys are never worried about the, "Why not?" =)

7. "The development and operational side of the programme is expected to cost around 100m (£68m) euros a year." Am I the only one who thinks that price tag is a little low? Even if you expect Russia to take the brunt of the costs, you're still a billion or so Euros shy. According to this page, they are thinking of using the Zenit booster (now there's a hell of a ride) so I imagine that would help reduce the costs. Still...

Personally, I wish them the best of luck. If all goes well, maybe the ESA will build its own Clippers and begin flying them. Their recent Galileo system certainly suggests that Europe is finally looking to be technologically independent from the US. :-)

Too bad Russian is also making a new kind of nuclear missle. (Sounds like a Cruise missle - not actually new)
Hey won't the nuclear explosions cause some global warming?

The Russians say they can get to Mars by 2014. They also have a suborbital space plane in the works. I think the Russians actually like being underestimated, in fact I wouldn't be suprised if it's an intentional part of their strategy.

According to this story in Pravda Intel is focusing investment in the long-term viability of the Russian software market.

This is just smart business. Those who think we can insulate our country from every other, as if this would somehow benefit us economically and protect American jobs are shortsighted. Markets will continue to expand, and we have to take part in the larger world. We should also be thinking about sharing our talents, resources, and experience to lift the rest of the world up to basic standards of living. At the very least, we should work to ensure that every country has clean water, sustainable agriculture, and freedom from disease.

That said, a pure profit motive that only looks to the next quarterly balance sheet is the surest way to undermine that effort. Likewise, operating as a hegemony with a colonialist mindset only alienates regions where tradition and culture are valued above materialism. Our colonialist mindset is more or less at the crux of our policies throughout the world, and those of the WTO as well. It is an unfortunate attitude borne out of the arrogance of the elite - who after all have the luxury of brushing aside whatever causative truth it pleases them to brush aside.

or using your cellphone as a sex toy

That's cool!

Pravda, once seen as the propaganda tool of the soviet regime, is now available over the web, complete with discussion board and a google search. Man, how times have changed, eh?