Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

China to plant vegetables on Mars

Four kinds of vegetables were grown in an "ecological life support system", a 300 cubic metre cabin which will allow astronauts to develop their own stocks of air, water and food while on space missions, Xinhua news agency said Monday. The system, which relies on plants and algae, is "expected to be used in extra-terrestrial bases on the moon or Mars", the report said.

 Participants in the experiment could "harvest fresh vegetables for meals", Xinhua quoted Deng Yibing, a researcher at Beijing's Chinese Astronaut Research and Training Centre, as saying. "Chinese astronauts may get fresh vegetables and oxygen supplies by gardening in extra-terrestrial bases in the future," the report said, adding that the experiment was the first of its kind in China. China has said it will land an exploratory craft on the moon for the first time next year, as part of an ambitious space programme that includes a long-term plan for a manned moon landing.

 The Asian superpower has been ramping up its manned space activities as the United States, long the leader in the field, has scaled back some of its programmes, such as retiring its iconic space shuttle fleet. In its last white paper on space, China said it was working towards landing a man on the moon—a feat so far only achieved by the United States, most recently in 1972—although it did not give a time frame. China's first astronaut Yang Liwei said last month that Chinese astronauts may start a branch of China's ruling Communist Party in space, state media reported. "If we establish a party branch in space, it would also be the 'highest' of its kind in the world," Xinhua quoted Yang as saying. The astronaut was launched into space and orbited the earth aboard the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft in 2003

Source: AFP

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

America's Human Rights Records?

Far and away, America's human rights record is the world's worst. No other nation approaches its unprincipled history. Earlier crimes against humanity were largely internal
and regional. Twentieth century ones went global. New
millennium ones elevated atrocities and other human rights abuses to an unprecedented level. It keeps rising. America is guilty of virtually every crime imaginable and then some.Former dovish US diplomat, advisor, and father of Soviet containment George Kennan explained what reflects America's post-WWII foreign and domestic policy. His February 1948 "Memo PPS23" said:"(W)e have 50% of the world's wealth but only 6.3% of its population. (It makes us) the object of envy and resentment. Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships (to let us) maintain this position of disparity without positive detriment to our national society.""To do so we will have to dispense with all sentimentality and daydreaming; and our
attention will have to be concentrated everywhere on our immediate national objectives.We need not deceive ourselves that we can afford today the luxury of altruism and world benefaction....""We should dispense with the aspiration to 'be liked' or to be regarded as the repository of a high-minded international altruism.""We should (stop talking about) unreal objectives such as human rights, the raising of the living standards, and democratization.""The day is not far off when we are going to have to deal in straight power concepts. The less we are hampered by idealistic slogans (ideas and practices), the better."Ravaging one nation after another followed. America today wages multiple direct and proxy wars. US military bases infest the world. CIA elements operate everywhere. US special forces perform various military related services globally.

Wherever they show up, they're killers, not protectors.Domestically, America is more battleground than homeland. FBI, CIA, NSA, FEMA,Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Border Patrol, and other federal agencies work jointly with state and local authorities against the interests of most US residents.
Anyone can be arrested, charged, prosecuted, and imprisoned for any reason or none at all. By presidential diktat, any US citizen at home or abroad can be murdered. Others can be arrested and detained indefinitely uncharged in military prisons. Innocence is no defense. State terrorism is policy at home and abroad. That's how police states operate. Freedom, human rights, and other democratic values are non-starters. Supporting what's right is hazardous. Challenging Washington's right to dominate globally risks persecution or death. America is unfit and unsafe to live in. For the past 13 years, China's State Council Information Office published comprehensive reports on US human rights. Its most recent is titled "The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2011." It said America's State Department publishes annual human rights reports for over 190 countries. It turns a blind eye to its own appalling record. China explains what Washington and supportive media suppress. Its latest May 2012 report reveals America's "true human rights situation….and urges the United States to confront its own actions." Six topics are covered:
(1) life, property and personal security;
(2) civil and political rights;
(3) economic, social and cultural rights;
(4) racial discrimination;
(5) women's and children's rights; and
(6) human rights violations abroad.

China's report reveals "a small yet illustrative fraction of the United States' dismal record on its own human rights situation." America's "tarnished human rights record has left it in no state - whether on a moral, political or legal basis - to act as the world's human rights justice, to place itself above other countries and release the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices year after year (that) accuse and blame other countries." At the same time, it absolves itself through silence, duplicity, and/or bald-faced lies. According to the State Department: "The protection of fundamental human rights was a foundation stone in the establishment of the United States over 200 years ago." "Since then, a central goal of U.S. foreign policy has been the promotion of respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." "The United States understands that the existence of human rights helps secure the peace, deter aggression, promote the rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises." China's report advised Washington to clean up its own act at home, stop interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, and "cease using double standards on human rights" to advance its own imperial agenda.

Beijing accused Washington of "severe" human and civil rights violations. At the same time, it claims Americans live in the "land of the free." Why then were around 1,000 peaceful Occupy Wall Street protesters arrested in the early weeks of their campaign? Police brutality was brutal and unconscionable. It continues to reflect despotism, not democracy. America furthers "international disorder." It tramples on the rights of global citizens and its own. It operates the world's largest domestic gulag. It's also one of the most repressive. Press freedom is a figure of speech. Dominant media sources produce propaganda and other forms of managed news and information. Truth is a scarce commodity. Constitutional freedoms are denied. Money power runs America. Predatory capitalism benefits at the expense of most others. Congress is infested with millionaires. Complicit with corporate crooks, they harm ordinary people and wage war on humanity. America's 1% benefits at the expense of most others. Social America is eroding en-route to disappearing altogether. Resisters face harsh crackdowns. Poverty is at record levels. So is homelessness, hunger, and overall deprivation. Racism is institutionalized. Basic needs go unmet. Praying to the wrong God is called terrorism. 

Numerous other human rights abuses reveal a nation unfit to live in. America's human rights record is appalling. Political prisoners fill its gulag. Dissent is criminalized. Police state laws target resisters. Torture is official policy. So is permanent war on the world. Peace, stability and security are four-letter words. Elections are farcical. Duopoly power controls them. Ordinary people have no say. State Department charges against other nations are mostly uncorroborated. China uses data from the US Justice Department (DOJ), FBI, other US agencies, state ones, think tanks, as well as domestic and international media. They reveal a far different America than Washington or scoundrel media reflect. Dark truths are exposed to the light of day. They're in plain sight for anyone to see. On October 19, RIA Novosti headlined "US Takes Flak Over Human Rights Record," saying: Russia's Foreign Ministry denounced America's human rights record. It cited "maltreatment of children, breach of privacy, police brutality, secret jails and freedom of expression issues." Russia's lower house State Duma got the report. On October 22, it'll hold hearings onhuman rights. A "Duma source privy to the document" told RIA Novosti that "hundreds of thousands of children in the United States are mistreated…."In 2010 alone, around 1,600 deaths resulted. Special attention was given to how adopted Russian children are treated. Citing US NGOs, Russia's Foreign Ministry said "about one police officer in 100 has been involved in criminal abuses, including sexual harassment, indecent behavior or molest." America has the largest domestic gulag. Numerous secret prisons operate abroad. Internal spying is out-of-control. Privacy is routinely violated. Last December, another Russian report criticized America's human rights record. On December 28, Russia Today (rt.com) headlined "US violating human rights at home and abroad: Russian report," saying: Russia's Foreign Ministry discussed numerous US domestic and foreign human rights abuses. On the pretext of fighting terrorism alone, fundamental rights are denied. "The situation in the United States….is far from the ideals proclaimed in Washington," the report said. "The incumbent administration continues to apply most of the methods of controlling society and interfering in the private lives of the American people that were adopted….under George Bush on the pretext of combating terror." Russia also condemned "the ex territorial application of US legislation (that) seriously harms Russian-US relations." "It leads to violations of the basic rights and freedoms of Russians, including arbitrary arrests and abductions from third countries, cruel treatment, criminal prosecution on the basis of evidence given by false agents and doubtful evidence." 

Washington-led NATO was accused of appalling human rights abuses. Civilian casualties it's responsible for "provide a portrait of" military recklessness and lawlessness. Crimes of war and against humanity define its operations. Eyewitnesses provide damning evidence. Democracy at home is hypocrisy, not real. It exists in name only. Fundamental freedoms are absent or endangered. Speaking truth to power is hazardous. The state of America at home and abroad is appalling. Indisputable evidence reveals a record reflecting tyranny. Conditions aren't improving. They're worsening en route to institutionalizing total police state control. It's fast approaching. No one is safe anymore for good reason. Humanity is at risk. America's  agenda reflects unchallenged dominance no matter the cost. Truth is the most dangerous disinfectant. Suppressing it is policy. Propaganda wars precede hot ones. Human rights and civil liberties are denied for
our own good. Patriotism means going along or else. Humanity may not survive unless policies this out-of-control are stopped. Awareness enough to do it is sorely lacking. Hopefully something will change before it's too late.

And we were still smarting from the secessionist threats of Texas!

Monday, October 1, 2012

Most Arrogant Nations on Earth

Based on votes by people, the following nationalities have been voted the most arrogant nationalities in the world. It could be a stereotype anyway as what one man considers as being arrogant is what another terms as self-confidence or whatever. I've been able to compile a list bringing into considerations views and perspectives of people. Here's how the poll goes

1. Americans: Research shows Americans won the top of the spot from the French who were deemed the most arrogant especially in the Napoleon days. Traits include: Jingoism: we're the best country in the world, God bless America and no place else, acting like the world police and killing innocent civilians at war, completely oblivious to everything happening around them even though they have a major effect and Imperialism.

2. France: Views and opinions show the French are known to exude superiority. Trying to force the French language on everyone, forgetting that the Napoleon era is gone and the universal English language has fast taken over the world. A survey by Expedia reveals they come across as penny-pinching, impolite, inattentive to local customs and least ready to try a new language.

3. England: Even though England has been on a steady decline for the past couple years, the English are effortlessly keeping up appearances. What other developed nation has a flourishing royalty like England in 2012? Reasons for the English arrogance include hating on the French, over-estimating their importance, raping all the resources from their former colonies (can't blame them, innit) and ''stealing'' the Falklands.

4. Israel: Yes, Israel. Ask them in the middle east and they'll tell you Israel is the most arrogant nation in the world. Other people don't see it that way but they still think Israelis are arrogant anyways. Traits include defying UN resolutions (who's UN really?), checkpoint mania, having more amnesty international warnings than any other country.

5. China: They could be diminutive but don't judge them by their size. Chinese people are deemed arrogant even if they strike you as being small in size. Traits are they love to bully small nations in Asia, torturing anyone who disagrees with the communist government and I heard they just gave Australia an ultimatum: be our friend or America's...lol

6. Russia: As if cursing and swearing isn't enough, Russians have managed to get on the list of arrogant nationalities. Traits are : flying bombers along other countries' borders, taunting the US, sending people to gulags and refusing to dress well as tourists...hahaha.

7. Germany: As someone puts it, Germans are outstandingly friendly and outstandingly arrogant. Although Germans have given the world BMW and they still play the big brother role in Europe, it doesn't call for arrogance. Traits include clinical detachment, ruthlessness and Aryan superiority.

8. Iran: Most westerners will agree to this without doubts or reservations. Iran has with utter disregard  trampled on everything the West considers sacred. They have been able to hold the U.S. and Israel at bay so far. Traits are ''outdoing'' the U.S. on democracy, waving oil in U.S.A's face (we all know how much Uncle Sam's governments love oil) and calling for the destruction of Israel. We still don't understand how a country can call for the destruction of another sovereign country. It just beats us!

9. Japan: It's hard to tell on the Japs because they appear so calm and welcoming on the surface but buried deep within is a total resentment for strangers. Traits include secretly hating on all foreigners and being OPENLY, incredibly racist.

10. Vatican: It's the smallest sovereign country in the world. Views on the Vatican show the arrogance traits are telling people they are going to hell, turning religion into a business (sounds much like Nigeria) and hiding pedophile priests with impunity.

There are other views on other countries like Greeks considering racism against Albanians and Turks a norm, Norway: everything for Norway, Swedes thinking they are superior to everyone while they never accomplish anything and mocking other countries. There'll be a continuation of the most arrogant nationalities sometime soon.


Thursday, September 27, 2012

Marriage bounty. Tycoon offers $65million on daughter to any man who can marry her

To all the unmarried hunks out there, it's time to don your wooing caps and prove yourselves. A Hong Kong tycoon has offered a $65 million "marriage bounty" to any man who can win the heart of his lesbian daughter, a report said Wednesday.



Cecil Chao announced the financial reward of HK$500 million after his daughter, Gigi, married her same-sex partner of seven years in France earlier this year, the South China Morning Post reported.

"I don't mind whether he is rich or poor. The important thing is that he is generous and kind hearted," 76-year-old Chao was quoted as saying.

"Gigi is a very good woman with both talents and looks. She is devoted to her parents, is generous and does volunteer work," he added.

He also rejected "false reports" that Gigi, 33, had married abroad, saying she was still single.

Chao, who owns publicly-listed property developer Cheuk Nang, could not be reached for comment.

Same-sex marriages are not recognised in Hong Kong, a socially conservative Chinese city where homosexuality was decriminalised in 1991.

Chao is well known in Hong Kong's social circles and regularly appears at public events with his latest young girlfriend.

He reportedly once claimed to have had intimate relations with 10,000 women.
Don't think it should be that hard guys. Wondering how many guys would be transversing the skies to Hong Kong after reading this story.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Top 10 myths about Africa


There are several myths and misconceptions about the continent of Africa especially in the Western world. Most of these originate from the media where several people look up to for information. I have compiled below some of these myths. Now you'll know how wrong you've been about the ''dark continent''.


1. Africa is a country: Heck no it isn't. Recently Sarah Palin of the U.S.A. made this terrible goof when talking about Africa and this just shows how ignorant most people are when it comes to Africa. It is a continent home to 54 independent, unparalleled countries. South Sudan joined the fray in July 2011.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

3rd world war: The Curse of Oil

The world today has become so dangerous to live in. The likelihood of another world war is very much in the offing as the countries of the world trade blames and flaunt weapons of warfare. All of this boils down to one thing; OIL.

From time immemorial, the U.S. has fought various oil wars hiding under the moniker of terrorism/democracy to invade countries rich with oil. Iraq is an example and Libya is a quick reminder. While we were made to believe Libya had been ''liberated'' from the stronghold of Ghadaffi, recent happenings show it's not yet uhuru for Libya or Libyans as they are not out of the doldrums. With tensions rising between the U.S. and the middle east especially Iran, Russia and China waiting in the wings to swing in at any opportunity, it all just sums up to what we all are afraid of. Another war.

The question is will the universe survive another war of WWII ramifications? The answer is no. Another war would wipe out the entire universe and the aftermath might not be close to what happened after the second world war. The reason isn't far fetched. Wars today would be fought with modern weapons. Gone are the days of AK-47s and Kalashnikovs. The U.S. has nuclear weapons so does France, Russia, China and a few other world powers yet the U.S. is contemplating attacking Iran for having the same nuclear weapon. Their excuse is: a nuclear weapon in the hands of Ahmadinejad; the Iranian president, is a weapon of mass destruction. How laughable. It all boils down to oil if a critical look is taken at it. With allies like Saudi Arabia in the middle east, Iran remains the only regional power to be conquered by the U.S. to make their dominance complete and emphasize their brand of being the captain of the world. Russia and China keep talking from both sides of the mouth but they are merely waiting for the first shots to be fired to clearly pitch their tents. No country wants to be held responsible for starting a third world war.

Maybe the world would have been much more peaceful if every country had its own oil or if there had never been oil at all.. Crude oil has become the curse on our dear planet. It comes with many disadvantages than advantages. With Iran goading the U.S., Israel being stoked by Palestine and continued tensions in the middle east, it all just seems to be a ticking time bomb...tik tik tik. When the big boom will happen, no one knows but it sure won't be a peachy experience for us all.


Saturday, September 8, 2012

China River mysteriously turns red!


For a river known as the "golden watercourse," red is a strange color to see.

Yet that's the shade turning up in the Yangtze River and officials have no idea why.

The red began appearing in the Yangtze, the longest and largest river in China and the third longest river in the world, yesterday near the city of Chongquing, where the Yangtze connects to the Jialin River.

The Yangtze, called "golden" because of the heavy rainfall it receives year-round, runs through Chongqing, Southwest China's largest industrial and commercial center, also known as the "mountain city" because of the hills and peaks upon which its many buildings and factories stand.

The red color stopped some residents in their tracks. They put water from the river in bottles to save it. Fishermen and other workers who rely on the river for income kept going about their business,according to the UK's Daily Mail.

While the river's red coloring was most pronounced near Chongqing it was also reported at several other points.

Officials are reportedly investigating the cause.

Is it China's utter disregard for pollution or just some biological reaction coming to play here? What comes to mind is that portion in the Bible which says: ''and their waters was turned into blood and they couldn't drink from it.''

Friday, August 31, 2012

Snippets of Nostradamus' prophecies and beyond


Now this is one man who doesn't really need an introduction, but for the sake of our esteemed readers who still don't know who Nostradamus was, we'll give a brief introduction.

Michel de Nostredame or Nostradamus (in Latin) was born in St Remy, France (more famous for its brandy). He was a famous French apothecary and also a well-known seer, whose prophecies and psychic predictions have become known worldwide because of his book Les Propheties or 'The Prophecies'. Our curiosity led us to dig into his famed prophecies and learn of the ones that came true and these that are yet to come true. Note; we aren't conspiracy theorists. Take a sit, grab a drink and let's ride.

1.He predicted 9/11. Yes he actually did:

"Volcanic fire from the center of the earth
will cause trembling around the new city:
Two great rocks will make war for a long time.
Then Arethusa will redden a new river.
In the year 1999, in the seventh month,
from the sky will come the great King of Terror,
bringing back to life the great King of the Mongols.
Before and after, Mars to reign by good fortune."

In this prediction, ''two great rocks'' refer to the USA and their fight against terrorism. The ''new city'' is in reference to New York while ''Volcanic fire from the center of the earth'' is the twin towers burning and falling to the ground. ''Arethusa'' in that prediction is widely believed to be an anagram that is used to refer to Bin Laden.

2. Hitler and WW2. Our guy also predicted this:

"The two greatest ones of Asia and of Africa,
From the Rhine and Lower Danube they will be said to have come,
Cries, tears at Malta and the Ligurian side."
"From the depths of the West of Europe,
A young child will be born of poor people,
He who by his tongue will seduce a great troop;
His fame will increase towards the realm of the East." (Century 3, Quatrain 35)

"Beasts ferocious from hunger will swim across rivers:
The greater one will cause it to be dragged in an iron cage
When the Germany child will observe nothing."

Here, Seer Nostradamus was spot on because Hitler was born to poor parents, and his powerful speeches moved many, and also his alliance with Japan proved that his fame will increase towards the east to be true. The ''beast'' is also interpreted as Adolf Hitler and the German army, crossing over to capture France. The 'iron cage' might probably refer to Hitler's tanks, which the great seer did not know what it was called hundreds of years back. Thus, these are some of his predictions that came true, and the prediction of the Second World War and the rise of Hitler, is one of his greatest predictions of all time.

3.Death of Princess Diana:
 "The penultimate of the surname of Prophet
 Will take Diana [Thursday] for his day and rest:
 He will wander because of a frantic head,
 And delivering a great people from subjection." (Century 2, Quatrain 28)

Princess Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed was the son of a person named 'Mohammad' (The Prophet). That was not his surname, but still. Some translations also say "will take Diana for her day of rest". This probably indicates her death and the rest that she got forever from the paparazzi. "His day of rest" indicates the Sunday, the day when Princess Diana and Dodi died. It may also indicate that the day when she dies was seen as a public holiday. Several parts of UK were closed down that time, as a mark of respect for the much beloved Princess. The people of UK are known to be emotionally reserved. But the death of their beloved Princess rocked not only UK but the entire world. Everyone mourned the death of Princess Diana. Thus "Delivering a great people from ruin". People from various cultures, from various backgrounds and countries, came together to mourn her death.

 Ok, so the great seer prophesied all this and it came true as sad as they remain in the history of the world. What worries us is the prophecy of a WW3. Read on.

 Nostradamus predicted a third world war will start somewhere between 2011 and 2012 and that it will be a war between the Christian world and the Arab world. The war will destroy many countries, except for the countries who will not take part in the war and that's India and China. This may not be a far-fetched thing now, because as we speak we are witness to the tension build-up between Iran and the US/Europe. So far, 2011 is gone and 2012 is already halved. We hope this particular prediction doesn't come to pass. What we found most disturbing is a breakdown of the prophecy. We'll sum it up for ya.

WW3 will start when Russia suddenly attacks Europe. Middle Eastern countries will ally with Russia. The US would be severely crippled by terrorist attacks, assassinations, a civil war and an economic collapse prior to the start of WW3. Also prior to that, Italy would have a civil war during which the Vatican will be over-run by the mob.The Pope will escape but lose many of his cardinals. Europe would be almost overrun by the Russian and eastern forces and many of its cities and also those of USA would be destroyed by conventional weapons as well as weapons of mass destruction like nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. Russia would attack from the North as well as from the East of Europe. An Arab / Iranian army would attack from the south.

The Pope, and later the British Prime Minister would be forced to flee to the US. Paris would be destroyed by "revolutionaries" within France. The attack on the US would stop the Civil War there. New types of weapons, like Chemical Weapons and particularly what appears to be portable Laser weapons, would be used in the war. At the same time an unprecedented disaster would take place. A comet would suddenly appear over the earth in the peak of the war, would break into several pieces and fall to the earth. Smaller pieces would rain fire on cities and forests all over the world, burning them down. A large piece would fall into the sea creating a Tsunami of Biblical proportions, flooding parts of Europe (including Britain), USA and Africa. One medium sized chunk would fall on land, creating a huge crater, resulting in earthquake and volcano activities all over the world. This event would loosen the grip of the invading army over Europe. A joint coalition of US and European forces under the leadership of a charismatic leader "Chiren" would organize a counter-attack against the invading forces in Europe and elsewhere.

The Russian forces in Europe would be almost destroyed by the counter-attack and this would lead to a revolution in Russia and the Russian leader who started the war would be assassinated. Russia, under a new leader would then join the western coalition and fight against its former allies, who would eventually be defeated. The Pope would return to Europe and Chiren would be crowned the Monarch. Peace would return to the world after a loss of almost two-thirds of its population and the wealth of nations accumulated over millennia. But this would surely not be the end of the world.

It's downright scary and we hope to God this prediction doesn't come true. We are not seers nor prophets but whatever happens, rest assured that we are all in this together. This is no reason to brood and worry. Que Sera, Sera.