White House Responds to Death Star Petition Dan Koelsch, January 11, 2013 Back in December, we told you about a petition on the “We The People” website that requested the United States begin building a Death Star (yes, the one from Star Wars) by 2016. The petition got the minimum threshold to require a response from the White House, and they did not disappoint. They managed to work in Star Wars references while also promoting the current space program. Check out the text in full after the break. OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE TOSecure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016.This Isn’t the Petition Response You’re Looking ForBy Paul ShawcrossThe Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn’t on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We’re working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.The Administration does not support blowing up planets.Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?However, look carefully (here’s how) and you’ll notice something already floating in the sky — that’s no Moon, it’s a Space Station! Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that’s helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations. The Space Station has six astronauts — American, Russian, and Canadian — living in it right now, conducting research, learning how to live and work in space over long periods of time, routinely welcoming visiting spacecraft and repairing onboard garbage mashers, etc. We’ve also got two robot science labs — one wielding a laser — roving around Mars, looking at whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.Keep in mind, space is no longer just government-only. Private American companies, through NASA’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office (C3PO), are ferrying cargo — and soon, crew — to space for NASA, and are pursuing human missions to the Moon this decade.Even though the United States doesn’t have anything that can do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, we’ve got two spacecraft leaving the Solar System and we’re building a probe that will fly to the exterior layers of the Sun. We are discovering hundreds of new planets in other star systems and building a much more powerful successor to the Hubble Space Telescope that will see back to the early days of the universe.We don’t have a Death Star, but we do have floating robot assistants on the Space Station, a President who knows his way around a light saber and advanced (marshmallow) cannon, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is supporting research on building Luke’s arm, floating droids, and quadruped walkers.We are living in the future! Enjoy it. Or better yet, help build it by pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field. The President has held the first-ever White Housescience fairs and Astronomy Night on the South Lawn because he knows these domains are critical to our country’s future, and to ensuring the United States continues leading the world in doing big things.If you do pursue a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field, the Force will be with us! Remember, the Death Star’s power to destroy a planet, or even a whole star system, is insignificant next to the power of the Force.Paul Shawcross is Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget Source: We the People Viral News Death StarPetitionStar Wars
“True Detective” Shows That Story Mystery Can Go Viral March 6, 2014While virality is often associated with pre-meditated actions by corporate spinsters marketing products; What if a movie or television show (and its viewer’s need to solve a plot mystery) were to become viral? This is what’s taking place with HBO’s incredible show True Detective. The show is nearing its season… Read More
Liam Neeson “Kill Map” Charts Actor’s Kills Across His Movies September 17, 2014September 17, 2014Liam Neeson truly has a particular set of skills. He’s been a Jedi, a hitman, a lion, a mythological Greek god, Batman’s teacher, a knight, Jean Valjean, and so much more. But for a man who has many talents, it’s hard to believe that no one has tracked all of… Read More
“Veronica Mars Movie” Viral Review March 17, 2014March 16, 2014The Veronica Mars Movie isn’t just any ordinary TV series that made the jump to a full length feature film. It is a film that is entirely funded by unpaid viral marketing fans, thanks in part to a KickStarter campaign launched by show creator Rob Thomas and series star Kristen… Read More