Monday, January 5, 2009

Gold Stars Rising

Back in September, a little hiccup that is now helping to formulate space policy almost went unnoticed. One hundred days ago, some gold stars were released to circle the earth...and another spacecraft. Just one day after launch, Shenzhou-7's orbital module released a small satellite, Chinese flag and all, which has now accomplished its primary mission.

We say almost unnoticed, but for the Protectors of the Free and the Brave. They have been monitoring the small free-flyer circle its mothership, almost as if it were prey. It does not take much imagination to replace the mothership, adorned with the same gold stars, with a spacecraft carrying quite different looking flags.

Nor does it take much imagination to imagine the Protectors concern for "what could be." In this case, history is repeating itself. The thought of a hammer and sickle on the moon scared people many years ago. Little satellites circling big satellites scares some people. Gold stars on the moon scare some people today even more. This is not speculation virally spurred on by some Bloomberg writer. This is the fire behind the smoke.

The Protectors also know, with some experience, a bad program development when they see it. They do not believe the Emperor capable of leading the minions to take the grey beachhead before chicken beaks start hanging in the new storefront at Tranquility Base. Those with wings for lapel pins already have the tools in the inventory and the know how to get the job done.

After all, the Protectors started us on the way to the beachhead 50 years ago before the civilians knew how to do it on their own. And soon, they will be getting ready to do it again.

5 comments:

RayGun said...

The gold star cheap shit we are buying has a larger hidden price. Come to Michigan and look at the empty factory's. The current economic collapse has it roots in free but not fair trade with the gold star.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the emtpy factory's are because american's are not even capable of correctly spelling there own language.

You can blame the unions for that. Not even toyota would be able to operate profitably under the conditions that GM has to operate under because of the UAW. And the american education system is constantly held back by the teachers union.

But don't blame free trade. The chinese just prove that pure capitalism works best.

Anonymous said...

The Protectors could also find out about these things from reading the news: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/04/content_10603324.htm

RayGun said...

I've worked in both union and non-union shops. I'm the last person
that would ever defend a union. However as the last great president
we had once said, "A rising tide raises all boats". If China's manufacturing had to operate under the same rules as American manufacturing they wouldn't be so cheap. Add taxes, environmental regulation, social security, medicare, safety regulation, legal costs, minimum wage, and many more. Why would China have to do any research and development when they can simply copy our products and ignore our patent's.


P.S. European: their not there, empty not emtpy, Chinese not chinese, American's not american's, and Toyota not toyota.

Anonymous said...

P.S. European: their not there, empty not emtpy, Chinese not chinese, American's not american's, and Toyota not toyota.

America : War is peace, debt is wealth, low earth orbit is nowhere, space is hard.