This is a concept video for a mission that NASA developed called the Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts (RASC) program. It was a program to develop a conceptual design for a robotic mission to explore the surface and atmosphere of Venus.

>> source >> http://www.universetoday.com/guide-to-space/venus/videos-of-venus/

If you're really scared you may take some solace in the fact that prior to the first detonation of the atomic bomb some thought the Earth's atmosphere would ignite during the instant of the blast. Just keep this in mind:

"There have been speculations that the Universe is not in its most stable configuration, and that perturbations caused by the LHC could tip it into a more stable state, called a vacuum bubble, in which we could not exist. If the LHC could do this, then so could cosmic-ray collisions. Since such vacuum bubbles have not been produced anywhere in the visible Universe, they will not be made by the LHC..."  Read the rest of this report.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless, and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life...

When I read these verses some things really jumped off the page for me...

I especially like the part of the verse "hold out the word of life". 

Hold out the word of life .. to me it says offer Jesus (word of Life - John 1:1).  In the process of offering Jesus to "the depraved and crooked generation" in which we live; it is going to take stamina, effort, and strength to continually hold out Jesus to those that come close as they rush by.  In the rush of life, we may even get knocked, bumped, even bruised - you may even bobble every once in a while in the process.   But we, as followers of Christ, have to make the effort and keep offering Christ to those around us.  We also need to do it without compalint or argument.  We need to offer "the light" to a dark, cold and lonely world.   When we  hold out the word of life" we will then "shine like stars" in the universe: which represents the dark sea of humanity.  Jesus being the "light of the world" will shine through and prayerfully those rushing by will stop, accept the offer and then themselves offer the word of life to those who are rushing by them in their part of the universe.  I have the children's song playing in my thoughts... "This little light of mine... I am going to let it shine... this little light of mine... I gonna let it shine... let it shine ... let it shine.."

I "hold out the word of life"....will you accept?  There is only one word that means life and that word is JESUS...

Part 1

Ajay saw her for the first time, in a train on his way to Khandala. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. There she was like an angel, in the midst of all that chaos that typifies the sleeper class of a train through India. He wanted to keep looking at her; he wanted to be oblivious of the fact that there were other people around. But the aisle was crowded, and all he could manage was a few glimpses when the human chain in between them made a movement.

Soon came the Khandala station, and he so desperately wanted her to get down there with him. But as the train came to a halt, there she sat lost in her thoughts. Sadly, Ajay made his way towards the exit. He got down, and was beginning to move towards the station gate, when it hit him. The train had started so he just dropped his luggage and ran towards the compartment door from where he had just exited. People standing at the door thought he was one of those freaks that likes to catch a running train and he saw a couple of hands reaching out towards him. But he was not interested. He ran alongside the train for what seemed an eternity, at a speed which was much beyond what he deemed were his physical limits. But then, he got to see what he wanted to and dropped the chase at the end of the platform. The occupant of seat 34 according to that barely legible reservation chart just beside the compartment door was F22 Priya J

————————————————————————-

Two years had gone by since, and many trips along that route were taken, but he had never seen her again. The train journey to Pune was no longer a time to take a nap. Instead, his eyes remained wide open and searching, through countless reservation charts and sleeper compartments. He was eligible for air travel - business class, but then, in matters of the heart, which he had hopelessly lost in that dingy train, there is no room for logic. Alex, his colleague and good friend, who used to accompany him on these business assignments, thought he had completely lost it. Poor guy, every time he used to tell Ajay on how they were not utilizing their CTC (that’s corporate lingo – Cost to Company), and threaten to boycott his company. There were times when Ajay really scolded himself for what he was doing. It seemed silly, stupid, crazy whatever. But he didn’t care. So be it. Should he have gone and talked to her at that time? But what would he have said…?

Finally the day came when they were headed to Pune to do their final client presentation. Henceforth, Ajay would have no periodic excuse to go to Pune now. But as fate would have it, due to excessive rains, the trains that day got cancelled. The highways were also reportedly in a bad shape. Since they had to make it on the same day, they decided to take the flight to Pune. On their way to the airport, Ajay decided that he should take this as some kind of a ‘sign’, and take her out of his mind. So he told this to Alex, who reacted as if he had just won a medal at the Olympics, and after his initial jubilations told Ajay that he should now look forward to the weekend where he would introduce him to someone that he would fall in love with on first sight! Ajay’s thoughts were different - love at first sight happens only once, and guess he had used up his quota for this life. 

They boarded the flight and promptly switched on their laptops to fine tune the presentation. As they were deliberating on what their recommendations would be, came in the refreshments. ‘Apple or Lemon juice’, asked the airhostess. Ajay looked at her, and after about 2 seconds during which his face would have shown a multitude of emotions including disbelief and happiness, he said ‘Lemon juice please…Priya’.

Part 2

But as she passed on that lemon juice to him, Ajay noticed something that he had always dreaded…she was wearing a ring, and it just didn’t seem just another ring. Fate indeed, was at its cruel best! As she moved ahead with her trolley down the aisle, Alex nudged him and asked ‘Is she your…?’. ‘Naah’ – lied Ajay, ‘I just happened to look at her badge’

That weekend, as Alex had promised, he introduced him to Nishi. Alex had mentioned to Ajay that she had just fallen out of a relationship. She was very good looking and as the conversation went on, Ajay found her to be incredibly sensible & mature – and wondered what an idiot someone might have been to lose her.

As time went by, Ajay & Nishi came closer and decided to tie the knot. They called their close relatives & friends over for the engagement ceremony. The engagement got over, and the junta soon left after wishing the couple. But there was someone that Nishi was eagerly waiting for. It was her best friend since childhood and Ajay had spoken with her once over the phone but never met her. And as she entered, Ajay realized that  fate was yet to have the last laugh - what was Pinkoo on the phone was none other than Priya herself!

As they started chatting, Nishi asked Priya ‘Did you get the ring?’ ‘Yes’ said Priya and handed it over. Ajay stood there shocked. It was the same ring - an image etched in his mind forever. Nishi smiled and told Ajay “It’s the same ring that Gautam had given me. We broke off over the phone and Priya was there with me. I couldn’t bear the sight of it and Gautam was not around for me to go and throw it on his face. So I gave it to Priya to keep it for me. Back then, there was a lot of sentiment attached with it, but today its just another stone for me. Gautam’s mother is in town and I will arrange to send it across to her” And with these words, she went inside to stash away the ring safely.

Ajay’s mind was swirling now. Priya said “You are an awesome speaker, Ajay. Are you still part of the Youth Forum?”

Ajay, trying to regain his composure, said “How do you know about it?”.

“I heard you speak at the general body meeting. I was very impressed by your thinking. I tried to make my way through the crowd towards the podium to talk to you, but couldn’t reach you”

“Ohh…”

“Yaah..and there was one more thing I wanted to ask you”

“What?”

“Why did you ever get off the train that day?”

Ajay froze. She knew?!?

“That day when you were running beside the train compartment like a madman, I caught a glimpse of you. Then I saw you at the youth forum. And then, in the flight again. But when you addressed me as Priya – it suddenly became clear to me. I have been used to men trying to make some talk, looking at the name on my badge. But that day, I had lost my badge & had pinned up someone else’s name. You could never have known, but for…”

There was a silence that seemed like eternity

“I realized & since I couldn’t talk about it then, I left that note for you in the pouch. Silly me! Since then, I have been looking for you in airport lounges and on flights but in vain. I even asked the Youth forum, but they didnt have your contact. And when I found you, it’s like this. Please never ever tell this to Nishi, I don’t want her to have any wrong notions”

“Weren’t you wearing that ring when we met in the flight?”

“Yes I was. Nishi was at the airport that day when she gave the ring to me, just before I was taking the Pune flight. I didn’t want to keep an expensive thing like that in my handbag. So I thought the safest thing would be to have it in front of my eyes by wearing it then”

And with these words, Priya left

Ajay slowly ambled back to his room. He took out his travel bag, and found that unopened pouch. Inside it was a note that said  “You started to catch up with a train 2 years back. Am glad you finally are on board!” - Priya (tel number)

Ajay sank on his bed and thought to himself  “I didn’t catch up with the train that day. I actually got off it”

Part 3

Place: London (4 years later)

It was a cold evening and Ajay was glad that his hotel was not far away from his destination. It wasn’t a particularly great time to be walking the streets of London but he didn’t want to turn Kunal down. They had slogged late nights in different time zones, but theirs was a virtual crack team – they hadn’t lost a single deal in the last 2 years that they worked together. He didn’t care that what would hopefully be the last deal of his corporate career, was also his biggest. But Kunal wanted to celebrate.

When he had told Kunal earlier that day about what he planned to do next, he could sense the disbelief. ‘Man, I can’t sleep if don’t hear about an ‘illion’ a day, be it a million, billion or a trillion!’ said Kunal. And Ajay had retorted ‘Your illions have made me forget what sleep really means’

He finally reached Kunal’s place & hastily rang the doorbell. Unscheduled meetings were occupational hazards in this line, and Kunal had one to attend today before he could make it home for the planned celebration. Nevertheless, he had told his New York colleague to come to his place on time. The weatherman had predicted snowfall later that evening, and he didn’t want Ajay to get stuck. 

Kunal’s wife opened the door. Ajay looked up, and after experiencing what was now becoming the habitual 2 second emotional turbulence, he said ‘Hi Priya’. As he walked in, he thought to himself ‘O God, do I deserve this? What do you have in mind?’

‘It’s been a long time’ said Priya as she watched Ajay settle down on the sofa.

‘Yaah…3 years, 9 months , 14 days, 6 hours & …23 minutes going by IST’ as he glanced at his watch

‘You remember….’

‘Maam, its not often that a person gets engaged’

‘How is Nishi?’   

‘Oh she is doing good. She’s just started her own consulting firm’

‘Wow. That’s cool. What about kids?..’…

‘Sara was born a year ago. Don’t go by her sweet name…she’s quite a brat!’

Priya managed a smile

‘So when did you move to New York?’

‘Three years back. Needed a change of scene…new place, new people’

The sound of the doorbell broke the conversation. It was Kunal back from office

‘Hey Ajay…sorry to be late man…you know how it is!’

‘Don’t bother’

‘So you met Priya. I’m glad I brought you here. With all our late night calls, she always used to suspect I am having some long distance fling…add stuff like that to your occupational hazard list!’

‘Oh don’t worry darling’ said Priya, sounding sarcastic…’ I am sure you have had your hands full with local affairs to deal with’

There was an odd silence before Kunal burst out laughing ‘Ajay I tell you…men will be men…and women will be women!’  

Over dinner, Kunal told Priya ‘You know…our man is leaving the firm…and heading back to India!…why don’t you con him into staying back…I wont be half as good without him around’

‘Better prospects I suppose…’

‘Ohh no…he’s been hit by the creative bug…on his way to becoming a playwright I suppose!’

‘I don’t know…and I don’t care…will take things as they come’

Later that night after dinner, Kunal & Priya came to drop Ajay at his hotel.

‘Thanks guys for the lovely dinner…not sure when I’ll get the chance next’

As Kunal started his car, Priya told Ajay ‘Do convey my regards to your wife. I guess she must be in the same boat as I am, when it comes to workaholic husbands’

Ajay smiled and said ‘At least she ain’t complaining yet!’

Some months later, as Priya boarded the NY-London-Mumbai Air India flight, she noticed a familiar face.

‘Nishi….’

‘Hey Priya…’

‘How are you?’

‘I am doing good dear…where did you disappear!’

‘Ohh…didn’t Ajay tell you that we met’

‘No..when was this?’

‘Last winter when he had come down to London’

‘Ohh…I haven’t met him for a long while’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Yaah, he’s come to NY only once since he went back to India’  

‘You guys are not staying together?’

Nishi looked confused ‘Didn’t he tell you? We never got married!’…and with those words, Priya got the shock of her life

As the words sank in & Priya told her about the meeting with Ajay, Nishi proceeded to fill in what had happened

‘On our engagement night when I went in to keep the ring, I realized I had forgotten the cupboard keys on the table. As I was coming back to take it, I overheard your conversation. But I didn’t tell Ajay about it. I realized what had happened and wanted to give him time to get over it. But your thought never left him. He was never the same again. So after a month, I told him that I knew about both of you, and its best we don’t go ahead with this. I even called you up then, but it was too late. Uncle told me about your arranged marriage with Kunal, and that it had happened very quickly and you had left for London immediately. I felt terrible & so did Ajay. But we continued to remain good friends. In fact, we moved to NY almost simultaneously. That’s where I met Andrew my husband, and then Sara happened’ pointing to the peacefully sleeping baby beside her. ‘Ajay still loves you Priya. I don’t think a day goes by where he doesn’t think about you. He tried to immerse himself into work to forget you – but then this universe conspired to make you bump into each other again. Perhaps when you asked about me, he realized that you didn’t know that we didn’t marry, so he must have pulled along’

Priya had tears in her eyes. As Nishi comforted her, Priya said ‘I divorced Kunal 2 months ago. He remains happily married to his illions…’

 (Six months later…)

‘Lemon juice or Apple juice’

The voice sounded too familiar to be true. But Ajay was getting used to the ways of Mr. Universe. He looked up to see Priya smiling. There was a glow on her face, and it seemed that time had stopped when he had first seen her…

Ajay saw the pouch in front of him, and opened it. In it was written a note in a handwriting that was unmistakable

‘For almost five years, I tried to stay with a man who never loved me. And tried to forget the man who perhaps loved me for every minute of it. Life is short, and I don’t want to miss the train now…’

As the flight landed, Ajay handed over a note to Priya as he was getting off the plane. After seeing off all the passengers, Priya opened it & smiled. It said ‘Let’s change the mode of transport. I am waiting outside in my car…’

read more | digg story

Who should your computer take its orders from? Most people think their computers should obey them, not obey someone else. With a plan they call “trusted computing”, large media corporations (including the movie companies and record companies), together with computer companies such as Microsoft and Intel, are planning to make your computer obey them instead of you. (Microsoft's version of this scheme is called “Palladium”.) Proprietary programs have included malicious features before, but this plan would make it universal.

I already suspect that this has all been said before (many times)? So there's really nothing new for me to report perhaps?

I suppose so, besides parroting others perhaps and not posting new threads on the forum that send me there in the first place?

So when does repetition start to bother people and when will it start to bother me? The moment perhaps that such schemes don't exist anymore? Considering here that at least a part of the story is true? Like a gold fish in his bowl complaining about the temperature of the water he's in?

In my defense I can say that it has been my choice to switch to a free O.S. because of 'issues' I've have had when I ran Windows XP on my 'owned' and bought with my own hard earned cash now beginning to become 'developed' in years computer.

I don't 'hate' windows or win users in any way (as I have been one before, therefore I'd be saying that I hate myself?). I just don't agree with the policies (or perhaps lack thereof?) inherited by using said system.

Signing off,

Alex

PS: Yes, this is what preoccupies me in my leisure time and no, you will not be able to change that!

And scientists with their eyes to the sky are not the only ones scratching their heads about mass. Particle physicists, with their eyes figuratively on the smallest, subatomic particles that compose everything in the Universe – things like electrons, quarks and neutrinos – are perplexed about mass too.

The “standard model” of particle physics worked out by physicists predicts the existence of something called the Higgs particle. The Higgs is the subatomic particle that gives everything in the Universe mass. And while the standard model has proven to be correct in every measurable way, the Higgs at its heart has never been observed.

Particle physicists study the Universe at subatomic scales primarily in the ways young boys play with toys: they smash things up. But the toys scientists play with are Big Boy toys – in every possible way.

The newest, biggest smasher that scientists from around the world have put together – indeed, the largest science experiment ever – is on track to be switched on for the first time on Wednesday Sept. 10. The machine, located at the European Organization for Nuclear Research on the border of Switzerland and France, which for historical reasons is just called CERN, is called the Large Hadron Collider, or just the LHC.

In the LHC, two beams of protons will be accelerated in opposite directions around an underground circular track 27 kilometers in circumference at essentially the speed of light then smashed into one another to create tiny controlled collisions at energies that prevailed in the early universe.

From these collisions will emerge the most exotic subatomic particles of the Universe – including, perhaps, the elusive Higgs.

The scale and complexity of the LHC is almost as beyond comprehension as the experiment it will conduct. The machine has been in the works for about 25 years and will cost maybe $10 billion. The 27-km accelerator ring is a near-perfect vacuum with superconducting magnets all the way around. The entire affair is cooled by liquid helium to less than 2 degrees above absolute zero. When in operation, the machine will consume about 100 Megawatts of electrical power and the four LHC detectors will produce a flood of data equivalent to playing a DVD every 4 seconds.

In fact, dealing with the data the LHC will produce is not the smallest technical challenge that had to be met. But CERN scientists have considerable experience in computer science. Indeed, one of the computer scientists employed at CERN in the late 1980s when the LHC project was just getting off the ground – Tim Berners-Lee (not Al Gore) – conceived of the World Wide Web and implemented the first web server partly in logistical support of the design, construction and operation of the LHC.

The planned LHC startup has already caused a stir around the web and the world. Maybe you’ve seen the “Large Hadron Rap” video clip on youtube. Maybe you read the NY Times column about the LHC by Gail Collins, in which she fretted about the possibility that the LHC will produce micro black holes that will gobble up the earth. Or maybe you heard about court cases in Europe and the US which seek injunctions against the LHC startup for fears that it will bring the end of the world.

Stay tuned and up to date at http://www.cern.ch/.

However, I today read this piece on BBC News' LHC introduction and felt I had to quote at least part of it. The piece in question is an interview with Professor Brian Cox -- the physicist, I believe, responsible for the Atlas experiment, a significant part of the work that will be done at the LHC. He pretty much says, with far more knowledge and authority than I, what I've been repeatedly trying to say over the past week or so.

"Q: Safety Concerns

Cern have been confident in the prediction that there are no major risks associated with the LHC's operation. How robust is this prediction? In particular, how reliant is it upon unsupported theoretical assumptions? (Chris)

Okay, so how do we know this thing won't make planet Earth implode then? (Stephen)

A: Let me answer all of these at once.

The LHC has absolutely no chance of destroying anything bigger than a few protons, let alone the Earth. This is not based on theoretical assumptions.

It is, of course, essential that all scientific research at the frontiers of knowledge, from genetics to particle physics, is subjected to the most rigorous scrutiny to ensure that our voyages into the unknown do not result in unforeseen, perhaps dangerous outcomes.

Cern, and indeed all research establishments, do this routinely and to the satisfaction of their host governments. In the case of the LHC, a report in plain English is available here:

http://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/LHC/Safety-en.html

For the record, the LHC collides particles together at energies far below those naturally occurring in many places in the Universe, including the upper atmosphere of our planet every second of every day.

If the LHC can produce micro black holes, for example, then nature is doing it right now by smashing ultra-high energy cosmic ray particles into the Earth directly above our heads with no discernable consequences.

The overwhelmingly most likely explanation for our continued existence in the face of this potentially prolific production of black holes is that they aren't produced at all because there are either no extra dimensions in the Universe, or they aren't set up right for us to see them.

If black holes are being produced, then next on the list of explanations for our continued existence is the broad theoretical consensus that sub-atomic black holes should fizzle back into the Universe very quickly, billionths of a second after they are created in a little flash of particles via a process known as Hawking radiation.

In other words, they evaporate away very quickly indeed. This process, which is perhaps Steven Hawking's greatest contribution to theoretical physics, is on significantly firmer theoretical ground than the extra dimensions theories required to create the little black holes in the first place.

Even if Hawking is wrong, and therefore much of our understanding of modern physics is also wrong, the little black holes would be so tiny that they would rarely come close enough to a particle of matter in the Earth to eat it and grow.

And even if you don't buy any of this, then you can still relax in the knowledge that we have no evidence anywhere in the Universe of a little black hole eating anything - not just Earth but the Sun and planets and every star we can see in the sky, including the immensely dense neutron stars and white dwarfs, remnants of ancient Suns that populate the sky in their millions and which because of their density would make great black hole food.

So - the only theoretical bit is in the proposition that you can make little black holes in the first place. From then on, observation tells us that these things either (a) don't exist - the most likely explanation; or (b) exist, but do not eat neutron stars and are therefore harmless, probably because they evaporate away very quickly indeed!

I am in fact immensely irritated by the conspiracy theorists who spread this nonsense around and try to scare people. This non-story is symptomatic of a larger mistrust in science, particularly in the US, which includes intelligent design amongst other things.

The only serious issue is why so many people who don't have the time or inclination to discover for themselves why this stuff is total crap have to be exposed to the opinions of these half-wits. (BC) "

I especially like that final paragraph! Well said, Brian.

The full interview can be seen here, with an interactive introduction to the LHC here.

© 2008 Gary William Murning

*

(image manipulation sources  Hubblesite Gallery)

Helix Spitzer on Flickr - Photo Sharing!.

In the intial stages of a water fast, most individiuals will experience physical discomfort with symptoms such as sore throats, stiff and aching muscles, canker sores, sore joints, headaches, fever, nausea and chills.  Fasting experts agree that these symptoms are a result of the stored toxins being released into our body so we may remove them.  But if we look a little closer, one can learn much more about this experience. 

It is often noted that the location of one's symptoms may correspond to the major intersections where these channels join the spine, also called the Chakras.  And that these symptoms indicate processing and clearing in that part of the energy field.  So, sore throats, for example are a sign that the fifth chakra (throat) is closing down in an attempt to block the increased flow of energy - the ego's attempt to block "dark side" feelings, memories, etc.  Nausea, caused by secretions of the intestine, liver and pancreas backing up into the stomach is associated with the purification of third chakra which has to do with one's identification with self and personal power.  Headaches may correspond to the six chakra, known as the third eye, allowing us to see the world more clearly.

So whether you are fasting or not, many times the location of symptoms can be a clue in uncovering deeper mental or emotional blockages needing to be cleared.  For a deeper understanding of the chakra system, ways to clear them and the symptoms associated with each, check out http://sacredcenters.com/chakras.html. 

Namaste.

I believe in talking to God and listening for his answers. Over the years I have become better and better at hearing the voice of the Spirit. At some later post I will go into how that works in more depth, but I want to share an incident that happened to me this week.

I was in the bathroom in the morning, putting on my makeup and the words of a song were going through my mind...'when we all see Jesus, what a day of rejoicing that will be'. And I said out loud how I would love to see Jesus now, and what a thrill it would be if he just walked through that bathroom door.

Immediately, I heard him reply to my wish, "Are you kidding? The way you startle, I'd scare the pants off you." I had to laugh but of course, he's right. I have a nervous system that ensures that I startle very easily. My husband, bless his heart, knows not to sneak up on me and starts making noises or calling out well down the hall to warn me of his approach so as not to give me a heart attack.

My point, of course, is that Jesus has a sense of humour and it is delightful to be able to share that with him. I wish for you the same.

Love and lusciousness,

Wendy

www.lusciousplace.com is almost up online. Check in soon.

Here is a great link for perspective...

http://www.co-intelligence.org/newsletter/comparisons.html

Now, can someone please tell me something to take my mind off the subject! I've got colliding particles coming out of my ears (not literally, of course... that really would be something!)

© 2008 Gary William Murning

More information at LHC 

Michael Talbot provides scholarly and personal experiences to make his case that the universe is but a hologram.

From a woman in Indonesia who could make an entire grove of trees blink into and out of existence, to the author's own experience of waking up just in time to see cold spaghetti noodles manifesting and then falling straight onto his rising body, this book will change the way you view the world and what you can do in it forever!

I am reminded of the perfection of the Universe in today's lesson. I really believe in this message because I have experienced it firsthand. I remember times, especially in hindsight, when people came into my life right when I needed assistance to guide me through seemingly challenging moments. I realized how blessed I was to have had these people there at those very moments. Thinking about it, I understood how much more difficult it would be if they were not present. I thank God many times for giving me the conscious awareness and understanding of this, otherwise I would take many things for granted. 

Everyone that shows up in our lives are here to teach us a lesson. I think why Dr. Dyer said that we must look inwards rather than outwards is because the way we deal with these people are up to us. It is a reflection of us and not them. So whatever is in us is projected outwards in how we experience and perceive the world. It is a test each day for me because at times some things come outwards that I may not necessarily want. I am aware of it and I am working on it constantly.

As Shakespeare said "This world is a stage and we are all actors". He was right in the sense that it offers us the opportunity to become who we want and all different types of scenarios would present themselves. I believe unconsciously we attract these situations so that we can ultimately overcome them in order to progress spiritually. I look forward to today's challenges and will not judge them, but appreciate them all and everything or everyone that is around me. 

Thank you God.

Blessings.

Frank

For a superficial instance, there are prophecy talking about Communist China become the most powerful country in the world, and there are those who talk the exactly opposite way. We could thus examine the validity through its effect on the reader. Assume what Communist China lack at the time of surfacing of this prophecy is just morale and self-confidence, then this prophecy has higher chance to be realize than sooth-saying ones via itself psychological effect. On the other hand, if what Communist China now is suffering from delusion of grandeur, overconfidence and arrogance at the moment it appears, then this prophecy meme has lower chance of materialize itself since it harm its own cause . From this understanding,  I consider the prophecy of 'Doomsday for Communist China' has more chance to be realized.

If we are indeed on the inevitable path to destruction -- as all things must be -- then why bother living our lives in accordance with morals, personal beliefs, and the pursuit of happiness? The human race is bound to be extinct at some date in the indefinite future. Our planet, for that matter, will not last forever. All human history -- all Earth history -- will be space dust. So: if each one of us is going to die (assuming there is no afterlife), and at some point there will be no record of humankind, why should we care about our lives at all?

Here's how I see it: we live in spheres of perception that dictate what we do and what we believe in. Carl Sagan described Earth as a tiny blue dot in the vastness of space -- a desolate perspective. But human beings do not populate the far reaches of space, and the question becomes (assuming the existence of things perceived only by telescopes), What reason is there to view Earth from a hundred light years away? I cannot see a practical purpose for space exploration apart from satisfying our own curiosity for the unknown (and perhaps our wanderlust, which is fulfilled vicariously through images and videos of space). Scientists declare that there may be water on Mars. But what for? We have no shortage of water on our own planet. Why do we keep sending probes to Mars? There are no intelligent beings on the Red Planet who can bestow us with the answers to life's mysteries. I am fascinated by space exploration, but is it a pragmatic loss?

My point is that humans live exclusively on the third planet from the sun, so our physical perception of life is thus limited to the confines of the world (with the sparse exception of astronauts, who of course must return to the ground). We are all living organisms who are born, reproduce, and die, much like finches, trout, or bacteria. But perspective gives our life meaning. We view the world that is immediately in front of us -- the one that exists right here and right now. We are not looking down on an ultimately futile Earth from a bird's-eye view. We are not witnessing our own deaths, or a world without us in it. Our own personal universes exist between birth and death and extend to anywhere we have physically explored and witnessed with our own two eyes. Within those universes, we exist, we are real, and because of that our lives have meaning.

Again this discussion is purely hypothetical. I would like to hear your thoughts about what I've said and your thoughts on the topic in general, please comment.