January 19, 2007

• I was instantly amused by the outrage expressed by US government officials. Isn't this a variation of the same sort of technology trumpeted by Ronald Reagan as "Star Wars" 25 or so years ago? Am I mistaken to call the US enormous hypocrites for getting upset over something that it has spent billions of dollars trying to do itself? Is it possible I am just not understanding this?
• More Washington whining here.
• How dare the Chinese interfere with our fight for world domination!
• Word on the ceeb was that the U.S. was "demanding an explanation.: U.S.: We DEMAND an explanation! China: It was our satellite, and our missle, an' we can blow 'em up if we wanna. U.S.: Umm, that is UNACCEPTABLE! China: We've got a dam that can make the Earth wobble -- you wanna feel some of that?
• The US is a good example of this, heck who is it armed to defend its self against. Mexicans? Canadians? Surely not the Russians or those peskey Terroists. No other force has the mobile capablity to assult the US shore, does the US really need such a large expeditionary force to defend its self? Who the hell is writing for defensetech.org? That was so full of spelling and grammar errors I have to guess it's run by a bunch of 12 year olds. That being said; it is indeed hypocritical for the US to complain about this, since they're doing it themselves. It's also hypocritical for those who vehemently oppose the US's efforts in developing space weaponry to not oppose China's efforts just as strongly.
• Air Force Space Command: "Strategic Master Plan FY04 and Beyond": Our vision calls for prompt global strike space systems with the capability to directly apply force from or through space against terrestrial targets. International treaties and laws do not prohibit the use or presence of conventional weapons in space. This is how the US thinks ... it's a little disingenuous for us call foul on the Chinese.
• *calms itchy trigger finger*
• If China wants to stop prying eyes, I would imagine that they are perfectly within their rights to destroy surveillance devices, including satellites. Or does national security only apply to the Western hemisphere these days?
• Satellite killer tech is one thing. Skatalite killer tech, I will not abide. You hear me? I WILL NOT ABIDE! *is wonderin' now, what to do, now he knows, dis is the end*
• I think everyone is missing the key point, which is how totally cool it is to blow something up in space.
• I think Yosemite Sam might have something to say about this: "Rassin', frassin', no-account satdeelite killers!....Send out the denuncin' press release. Not that way , ya idget!"
• > The news comes just a few months after reports of China testing high-powered lasers to temporarily blind American orbiters. Lasers! Wowsa, they've got lasers too. This is yet another reason to hate the Iraq misadventure: while the U.S. pours money into the sands of the Persian Gulf, the Chinese are making all the good weaponry.
• What about the Pelosian recoilless rifle? And the Bushwhacker surge neutralizer? Also the Malikian roadside bomb anti-bomb?
• Lasers.and.shooting.stuff.in.space.
• What happened to you China? You used to be cool.
• China: It was all an accident! I leaned too far back in me chair. The back hit against the thingjammy, the thingjammy fell against the whatsname, the wappit frapped the jinly and boom it shot down the satellite.
• via the blue: Ha! They hit their own satellite, buncha dummies :P posted by Mister_A at 9:59 AM PST on January 19 heh!
• But did they blow it up with spam?
• Probably this weather satellite was the lucky one.
• It had it comin'. With its Doppler radar, it couldn't predict a 100% chance of ass-kicking.

• Sure enough, on October 25 the United States was the only country to vote against a draft text on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) at the United Nations General Assembly's annual First Committee on Disarmament and International Security. "We see no value in proposals such as the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, commonly referred to as PAROS," said Robert G. Joseph, State Department's under-secretary for arms control and international security, explaining the U.S. position in a December speech before the Marshall Institute. "There is no arms race in space and we see no signs of one emerging."

• I, for one, welcome our new Chinese overlords.
• Be careful what you wish for.
• China! The new Russia. MonkeyFilter: Lasers! Wowsa, they've got lasers too. Greatest. Tagline. Evar.
• China's Space-Weapon Test Could Endanger Astronauts and Satellites: Engineers Say Ring of Debris Is Forming in Orbit, and a Marble-Sized Piece Could be Dangerous
• Because outer space isn't dangerous enough..
• > And engineers say it had a serious side effect — it increased the amount of orbiting space junk by about 10 percent. I think that's bullshit.
• Asian arms race fear as Beijing raises spending