China Reveals Its Space Plans Up To 2016

"By the end of 2016, China will launch space laboratories, manned spaceships / freighters, make technological preparations for the construction of space stations ... continue exploring the moon ... push forward its exploration of planets, asteroids and the sun ... study the properties of black holes ... monitor space debris and small near-Earth celestial bodies ... (develop) a system to protect spacecraft from debris ... improve its launch vehicles and communications, broadcasting and meteorological satellites ... and develop a global satellite navigation system to rival the United States' (GPS) network."

And it will accomplish all of this without accruing one iota of debt. The interest being collected from "Joe US Taxpayer & Sons" will fund China's programs well into the next century. Meanwhile, scientists in the rest of the world will drive their fellow countrymen into ever-deepening debt working feverishly in attempts to first double, and eventually quadruple, the lifespan of certain particles, which presently exist for only fractions of nanoseconds.

In other news, Microsoft continues to 'wince' (with glee) at the cascade of newer/smaller/faster/lighter pc components (coming-about as a result of heavy-duty scientific R&D) ... for they KNOW that no matter HOW fast the hardware gets, they (and their 'groupies') will ALWAYS find a way to slow things back to a veritable crawl...