Category: Science & Technology

Ecuador unplugs WikiLeaks’ Assange from internet

London, UK (Ecuador embassy), October 19 — It appears that Julian Assange has been cut off from internet access by the Ecuadorian embassy that is supporting his asylum. Citing inciting political election unrest in the USA via troubling Hillary Clinton campaign emails.

Read full article at the Washington Post.

Our questions

Does Mr. Assange still hold a substantial amount of emails that are even more extreme in nature than from previous email releases.

Will Clinton campaign finally change their email passwords and include a two-way authentication login.

Federal court charges VW engineer over smog device

US, September 9 — Volkswagen engineer James Liang has pleaded guilty to US federal charges to conspiracy. Allegedly Mr. Liang helped develop the emissions defeat device for the Jetta cars in 2006 while working at VW’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, reports Deutsche Welle (DW).

 

Read the full article at Deutsche Welle.

China readying LM-5 rocket

Tianjin, August 26 — China’s LM-5 largest carrier rocket (Long March-5) has departed Tianjin Port heading to the launch base in southern Hainan. The rocket is scheduled for maiden flight later this year, reports Xinhuanet.

The large carrier rocket has a payload of 25 tonnes in low orbit and 14 tonnes in geostationary orbit. The rocket is planned to carry Chang’e-5 lunar probe for 2017 and launching various space satellites and Mars probes.

Read the full article at Xinhuanet.

Kalashnikov showing off new products, drones

Moscow, August 25 — Russian Federation gun maker Kalshnikov expected to bring out latest weapons to the Army-2016 international show early next month, reports TASS.

The newest sniper rifles SVK and VVS-338 are expected to be shown off. Also expected to be shown off new Lebedev 9x19mm handgun and newest model of upgraded assault rifles. In addition a selection of remote-controlled platforms inc. “drones and amphibious assault boats” continues TASS.

Read full article at TASS.

China to improve quality of goods & manufacturing

Beijing, August 25 — Within five years China is determined to improve the quality of consumer goods. The new guidelines for standards and quality for 2016-2020 has been approved by appropriate Chinese authorities, reports Xinhuanet.

By improving the consumer goods sector, we will force the upgrading of equipment manufacturing,

“By improving the consumer goods sector, we will force the upgrading of equipment manufacturing,” [Premier Li Keqiang] said (reported by Xinhuanet). Among other things safety of consumer goods has been emphasized as one of most important objectives.

Recall related event from history

As far as food safety is concerned some may recall from 2008 the infamous Chinese milk scandal in which several hundred thousand victims fell ill with six infants dead and thousands hospitalized from complications resulted from baby milk tainted with toxic melamine.

Later in 2009 Chinese court found two middlemen (people who bought milk from local farmers and sold it to dairies) guilty of the heinous crimes when investigators showed the two men diluting milk with water and then mixing with the toxic chemical melamine to cheat protein content tests. The two men were sentenced to death.

The third person a former head of Sanlu (the company) Tian Wenhua received a life sentence after admitting to known of awful quality problems the company was facing with its products and not informing authorities.

Why is this case important?

Most people around the world are at least once in their life become familiar with a knock-off product. Often times these knock-off products are purchased already assuming they are knock-off by price alone. Say a cheap USB cable.
This is a gamble because these cables tend to rip, tear and short-out within a much, much shorter use time over a brand-name cable. In more serious cases such products – bad USB cables in this example – can have bad internal wiring simply because the actual USB standards that government operational requirements for the cables are ignored and result in damaged electronics equipment and fires.

Read popularmechanics article discussing how Amazon is starting a war against knock-off USB cables.

But that is for cables and such “throw-away” goods. The issue comes up with consumable goods even more. It only takes one baby milk scandal to utterly extirpate entire product sector from international trade.

Read full article at Xinhuanet.
Read about the 2008 Chinese Baby Milk scandal at Time.
Read about the 2009 Chinese court conviction of scandal at TheGuardian.

China planning Mars rover for 2020 mission

Beijing, August 23 — Within five years China is planning to send its latest probe/rover to Mars. The difficulties associated with such a mission are considerable as expected, “the challenges we face are unprecedented” says Zhang Rongqiao, chief architect of the Mars mission.

Mars rover Curiosity has been on Mars since August 6, 2012. Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers were on Mars since 2004. Matt Damon a brief stint circa 2015.

Read the full article at Xinhuanet