Noble Ideas

For 50 years nuclear technology has been used to power the world. Now a new atomic age is almost upon us. China developed and is currently building the worlds first 4th generation Fission reactor. It provides an extremely safe and efficient way to produce energy. In the event of an accident (i.e. loss of cooling) it “is able to remain safe without human or machine intervention”  (China). Another big project in nuclear technology is the Lockheed Martin Compact Fusion Reactor. Fusion power is 3-4 times greater than that of a fission reactor. It produces zero waste and can fit on the back of a truck. currently there is no functioning version of this in the world, but a plan is in place to produce one in the net 5-10 years. These new reactors can power cities, large ships, a plane that would never have to land, and increase the rate of space travel.

This extreme rate of progress has me excited. A whole new world is before us in the form of nuclear technology. I realize that same thing was probably said in the 40s with the pioneering of atomic power. Look what happened as a result of this, nuclear weapons and the cold war. As with every other new breakthrough there is someone in the shadows with a malevolent plan for it. As members of the world community, we must work to keep noble ideas noble and prevent them from becoming weapons.

Sources:

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/compact-fusion.html

http://chinadailymail.com/2015/04/25/china-to-commence-building-worlds-first-fourth-generation-nuclear-power-plant-and-already-has-plans-to-export-themand/

The Next Revolution

This week I am going to shift my view from the political landscape to something pretty awesome. Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, set out to make history once again with his CRS-6 attempting to land on a barge in the ocean. I say attempting because the rocket did land, but shortly after fell and was damaged. This landing attempt is only part of  a bigger plan that Musk is pushing his Aerospace company towards. The progress made now has the capacity to show errors in the design.

The initiative show by Elon Musk is also being show around the world. We are coming upon a new space revolution. The constellation project, which plans to colonizing the moon, is only a short decade away from becoming a reality. The Orion project will launch new forms of exploration in our solar system. It’s diversity as a craft allows for its use to be changed like that of a socket wrench. India has even conducted it own moon mission for under a billion dollars. If this doesn’t seem like a space revolution, then I don’t know what does.

We live in uncertain times, but not due to the dark corners of the world, because of us a people. Sure, humanities natural curiosity has led us down the dark path of nuclear weapons, biological contaminants, and other WMDs, but there are more positives than countable. Here’s a few to put into your mind: the device you are reading this own, the vehicle the brought you were you needed to go, and also the next rocket that delivers us to new curiosities and discoveries.

Sources:

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/fs-2014-08-004-jsc-orion_quickfacts-web.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAzwuEmZcmE

An Act of Patriotism or The Patriot Act?

June 1st is fast approaching and the end of government agencies collecting “all” our information could end. This day marks the end of the extension the USA PATRIOT Act that was created in 2001 by President George W. Bush, and signed back into law again in 2011 by President Barack Obama. The Patriot Act is what allows the government to seize any information that could enable them to stop terrorist threats. This may seem all fine and dandy until you understand that they are not just taking terrorist’s data, but they are collecting data from every person in the U.S.. It seems kinda scary that the U.S. government has every bit, and I mean “every” bit, of data that is out there. They do this through programs like PRISM, KEYSCORE, MUSCULAR, and MYSTIC, which collect data as it leaves the country. That may seem great, cause you only ever text your friend in the states, or call  your mother at home, but what you don’t realize is that servers bounce your data all over the world. virtually every bit that is sent is collected and stored with these programs.

Obviously you can’t have perfect security and perfect privacy at the same time, but what you can have the right balance. Before it is re-extended, the Patriot Act should be amended to prevent this collection of data or at least limit it greatly. The principal author of the Act, James Sensenbrenner, himself stated that the Act was not written to include the mass collection of data.  This starts with Section 215, a part of the Act that is ambiguous and allows for mass data collection. It is the easiest section to amend  due to this ambiguity. If we can amend this section then pushing for the other will be easier and more achievable. This law needs more congressional oversight and more specific boundaries. Most people don't have anything to hide, but if you give an inch, they take a mile. The NSA and other security organizations are doing just that. We are giving them an inch and they are taking the mile with those programs. Privacy is a part of the freedom they we have the right to in America.

Congressional Hearing: http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4483525/rep-jim-sensenbrenner-nsa-bulk-collection-exceeds-law