Tips for Overcoming Flight Fright !

TIPS FOR OVERCOMING FLIGHT FRIGHT

Flying is very, very interesting and exciting. That is why it is the most attractive and fastest mode of transportation. It is preferable to driving. However, one disadvantage of flying is the extreme impact of a crash. It is very rare to find survivors. This has discouraged many potential flyers from flying. They either prefer to drive or refuse to travel. There are others who love flying but anxiety is written all over their face as they board the flight. The possibility of a crash according to findings by Jovago.com is that the possibility of a crash is 1 of 5,000. Jovago.com, Africa’s Number 1 Hotel Booking Portal gives you some tips on how to surmount flight fright thereby ensuring that you enjoy the flight.

ARRIVE AT THE AIRPORT EARLY

If you are scared of flying, you would do well to arrive at the airport early. This will give you enough opportunity to observe the operations at the airport. How people are briskly leaving and boarding various airplanes with so much confidence. You can see that nothing actually happened to them. Observing others may probably serve as a confidence booster.

IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF ANXIETY

Identifying the cause of your anxiety whenever you fly will go a long way in helping you to conquer flight anxiety. Ask yourself why are you anxious? Most times, it is the fear of the turbulence, take-off, crashes and landing that causes anxiety. This is peculiar to every flyer. However, there are other identifiable causes. So, ensure that you distract yourself when you are on board. Don’t allow your mind to focus too much on the negatives of flying. Importantly, don’t watch a movie that involves an air crash as this will obviously help in decreasing your fear of flying.

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Flying a plane involves four steps namely Gravity, Drag, Lift and thrust. Understanding these steps will help you to be more comfortable with flying when the plane is taking-off, landing as well as encountering mechanical problems. According the FlyFright, statistics reveal that 73% of fearful flyers are afraid of mechanical problems during flight. Hence, acquiring a bit of knowledge will also play its part.

PRETEND YOU ARE IN A BUS

If you know you can pull through a flight thinking that you are in a bus when you are actually in a plane will make you feel better, why not? However, don’t bother sit close to the window as this would cloud your thoughts and the fright will rush-in like lightening.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SEAT

Sitting at the back of a plane doesn’t help someone that is always inundated by flying. So, ensure that you select a seat at the front or middle of the plane. But, if you are unable to secure any of these seats, never mind, you can sit at the back. You will not feel the effect of any turbulence because the plane seats are durable and rugged enough to protect you!

Insurgency and the Face of Education!

Security is the safety from danger, fighting, war, sickness and mismanagement. A situation where peace , freedom ,health, love and quietness prevails giving guarantee and assurance for life, health and full opportunities for the development of individuals ,families ,communities and countries in all areas of endeavors to maximum capacity. Any said or not said, planned or designed, done or not done that militates against securing can therefore be said to be challenge to society.

However one can easily identify many factors that pose serious security challenge in Nigeria. These include communal, herbal clashes, sectarian violence, religious conflicts, and kidnapping, armed robbery. Kidnapping of pupils and student from rich parent background are commonly experienced in the southern parts of country .communal and tribal clashes frequently experience in the northern part of the country like Borno, Taraba, and Nasarawa state.

Religious conflicts which for long have continued to post major challenges to security in Nigeria, particularly in the northern part of the state specifically and currently the northern eastern zone of the country in the likes of Adamawa, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, and Gombe, are the most recent but most heinous, brutal and savage. The devastation and destruction of both human lives and properties inflected upon those living in the states are beyond imagination. The importance of education in the life of a person can never be overemphasizes in both temporal and spiritual aspects of human existence, education is very paramount .it is the light that shows the way by removing the darkness of ignorance. It is the salts that give taste to life. The greatest favors one can do to himself is to get educated and to others to give them education.

Insurgency violent, conflicts or war, threats of such intimidation an abuse can have very serious and permanent effects on education thus not only slowing down any progress or development of potentialities available giving prominence to mediocrity at the priority because of excellence . When and where there is insecurity the priority become survival.That is the first natural instinct. The other entire thing education inclusive becomes secondary school are closed , pupils and student stay out of school or institution for as long as the insecurity persists where school building and property are destroyed or looted the situation becomes moiré complex, the effects more challenging . Sad as this situation may look if is better than cases where student are pursued and killed in their school.

This can be more brutal? Evil? How can there be education if there are no people to receive education? Student and pupils that are lucky to escape such brutality may be marred physical, intellectual or psychological for life, and sentenced for a life cripple. Come to think of these for a moment, those young boys and girls kidnapped from school by insurgence to be used as human shields, chips for ransom bargaining sex slave, boy soldiers or sold on tightly as slave. What can be more of evil, the effects on education is just staging and mind blowing.All these atrocities have been curetted on students in potiskum, Damaturu in Yobe state, chibok in Borno state, talk less of all the school destroyed in all the state in the north eastern part of Nigeria by religious insurgent.

The effects on education is terrible, retrogressive, destructive and damaging to the overall human progress and conflicts raging mercilessly, economics resources cannot meet up with such daunting challenges. At these moment, Nigeria has survive despite faced by insecurity and insurgent, not simply by the wisdom or vision of those in high office, but because of we the people have remained faithfully and committed to ensuring the sustainability and unity of our dear country which means nothing to others, but something to us .May the labor of our heroes never in vain.

BY MUSA MUHAMMED UNIVERSITY OF MADUGURI DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION 300 LEVEL

Borno Investment Company Collapse

In a nation that intends to develop socially, economic and politically there must have a sound and viable industries that would improve its economic base. Borno state is one of the ancient states in the North East sub-region of Nigeria which has a lot of viable industries enterprise and cottage industries which are still lagging behind industrially.

Due to its dormancy, Borno Investment Company limited was incorporated in February 1981. As private limited liability company is which is fully owned by the Borno State Government, the organization which started operation of its business in April 1987 which was aimed to stimulate the promotion of both private and public investment in order to hasten the industrial growth and development of the state.

Main while Borno Investment Company formally commenced business with an authority capital of N3-5 million. It was however established among others in promoting Financial and implementing viable small medium and large scale project in manufacturing commercial financial and service sector of the nations. It’s economic through equity and loan investment. Borno Investment Company vested with the responsibility of monitoring state owned companies which include metal shoe state hate, Maiduguri international hotel, wire and nail factory as well as soda ash industry among others. Among the scope of operations government investment in public companies corporations, provide for the financial and technical advises to private individuals and companies in form of feasibility studies.

Which has not been given due priority is now dormant. Right from other successive governments. The viable companies owned by Borno state government only on operational the three neighboring countries to the stouts Chad, Niger, Cameroon would no doubt patronize out products which are produced by these companies when adequately monitor Borno state governments being the owner of such companies should courage investor by leasing such viable industries for proper management and have its share of the company or instead the government should inject more money in to the companies and engage the services of experts who can run them for the benefit and economic base of the people and government.If these companies are put in place the problem of unemployment in the stateWould improve drastically.Borno state government under the able leadership of his Excellency Kashim Shettima the executive governor of Borno state should look into the issue of reviving the dormant industries so as to boast the economic of the state.

BY MUSA MUHAMMED UNIVERSITY OF MADUGURI DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION 300 LEVEL

PDP Battered As Adamu Mu’azu Resigns As National Chairman

PDP’s Adamu Mu’azu has resigned as the national chairman and his resignation took effect immediately. Read report from ThisDay below:

The crisis rocking the PDP took a turn for the worst as the national chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu has resigned as the national chairman.His resignation took effect immediately.

Also , it was reliably gathered that President Goodluck Jonathan has asked the chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Anthony Anenih to resign his office as the BOT chairman. But it is not known whether Anenih has accepted to resign or not.

Full Text Of Tribute To President Jonathan By ECOWAS Heads Of State And Government In Accra

I am reading this on behalf of the  Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, at our 47th meeting in Accra. We pay a vibrant tribute to His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the determination he demonstrated during his tenure as Head of State and for all the necessary reforms for the development of his Country.


We wish to express our profound gratitude for his outstanding contribution to  the deepening of the integration process in West Africa and the preservation of Peace and Security in our Region, particularly in the qualities he demonstrated as Chairman of ECOWAS and Chairman of the regional contact group on Guinea Bissau and as Co-mediator in the Malian crisis.

Futhermore, we wish to express our warmest congratulations for his exemplary democratic behavior expected of a Statesman that contributed in a decisive way to the maintenance of peace that followed the  declaration  of results of the presidential election in Nigeria.  We ,  th e  ECOWAS Heads of state and government hereby express our goodwill to President Goodluck Jonathan for all his future undertakings at the end of his noble mission as the head of his country.

Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State

and Government.

Accra, Ghana

May 19, 2015

Photo of the day: The International community

Crisis hitting PDP Continues As BOT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih Also Resigns

The last is yet to be heard about the resignation going on in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as its chairman of Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih has also resigned.  His resignation, which was confirmed by Prof. Adewale Oladipo the National Secretary of the PDP, came few hours after the party’s national chairman also toed the same line.

Oladipo in a statement said, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received the resignation of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of our great party on personal grounds. In accepting the resignation the NWC noted the outstanding contributions of Chief Anenih in the party over the years especially in his capacity as the Board of Trustees Chairman.

“As one of the founding fathers of the PDP, the NWC appreciates Chief Anenih’s guiding role in the party in the last 16 years and wish him well in his future endeavours.

Consequent upon the resignation, the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin holds forth pending the election of a new BoT Chairman”.

Pics: Irina Shayk's super hot bikini body

Bradley Cooper’s present heart-rob, 29 year old top  model, Irina Shayk was seen relaxing in Cancun, Mexico and putting her hot swimsuit body in plain view. Brad wasn’t with her.


More pics bellow.

Pics: Buhari meets with some of his old Secondary School classmates

Buhari on May 20th met some of his old classmates from Katsina Middle School. They all gained entrance into the secondary school in 1953.

More photographs bellow.

Only in Yankee: Teacher nabbed for allowing students have sex in classroom

An Atlanta-area teacher has been arrested after a parent complained he allowed middle school students to have sex in a storage unit in his classroom.


Multiple media outlets report 25-year-old Quentin Wright, a math teacher at The Champion School in Stone Mountain, was taken into custody on Tuesday.

He has been charged with four misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

An arrest warrant says Wright arranged times with students when the classroom would be empty and gave them condoms.

The investigation began after a mother said she found text messages between Wright and her son.

“I was in a state of disbelief when I read all these messages,” the mother said, asking to remain anonymous.

The mother said she looked at her 14-year-old son’s phone and discovered a shocking exchange of text messages last Thursday between him and Quinton Wright, a math teacher and coach at Champion Theme Middle School in Stone Mountain.

“Basically he’s allowing the students to have sex in a storage room of his classroom,” the mother said.

“He told my son you can have it from 7:30 to like 8:30,” the mother said reading some of the messages. “’Did you tell the girl what’s going to happen? That she cannot tell anybody?’ basically don’t tell anyone I’m allowing you to use my room.”

The mother said the teacher also sent her son a calendar showing teachers’ schedules and a text saying he did not have condoms.

“It’s very sickening and disheartening, because we trust administrators and educators when we drop our kids off at school,” the mother said.

A DeKalb County Schools spokesman says they are cooperating with the District Attorney’s Office and Wright has been removed from the classroom.

We’ll inherit worst economy in Nigeria’s history – Osinbajo

The Vice President-elect, Prof. Yomi Osinbajo, has said the Muhammadu Buhari-led government will inherit the worst economy ever in the history of the nation. Also, a former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has advised Buhari to take advantage of the country’s current level of public support for him to take hard decisions.

Osinbajo and Blair spoke during the opening of a two-day Policy Dialogue on the Implementation of the Agenda for Change, which began in Abuja on Wednesday.  Osinbajo put the nation’s local and international debt profile at US$60bn with a 2015 debt-serving bill of N953.6bn, representing 21 per cent of this year’s budget.

He noted that an estimated 110 million out of the nation’s over 170 million population, were living in extreme poverty while the largest chunk of the benefits of the nation’s wealth was going into the pockets of a small percentage of the population.

According to him, the nation’s dwindling oil revenues has made it difficult for 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states to pay salaries.

He said,
“We are concerned that our economy is currently in perhaps its worst moment in history. Local and international debts stand at US$ 60bn.  “Our debt servicing bill for 2015 is N953.6bn, 21 per cent of our budget. On account of severely dwindled resources, over two-thirds of the states in Nigeria owe salaries.  “Federal institutions are not in much better shape. Today, the nation borrows to fund recurrent expenditure.”

Osinbajo said the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress “offers a vision of shared prosperity and socio-economic inclusion for all Nigerians that leaves no one behind in the pursuit of a prosperous and fulfilling life.”

According to him, the goal of the policy dialogue is to interrogate the positions and propositions before a wider audience and to launch a robust public conversation on policy directions and priorities that would help inform the incoming administration’s approach in the next four years.

He added that the

“forum exemplifies the sort of consultative and consensual approach to policy-making that the APC and the new administration intend to model in office.”

The Vice President-elect also declared that the dialogue intended to explore a wide range of policy priorities including the diversification of the economy in the wake of dwindling oil revenues.

To achieve this, he said, the administration would engender job-led growth through the revitalisation of the agricultural sector in pursuit of job creation and food security, improving the regulatory frameworks in the most strategic sphere of economic activity.  Blair, who was represented by a former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Mr. Peter Mandelson, explained that with the current state of affairs, the task ahead of the incoming administration was indeed a daunting one.

Drawing from the experiences of the Labour Party in Britain, Blair said the first rule of governance “is be true to your word; be true to your mandate.”  He urged the Buhari-led administration not to be afraid to take hard decisions but said it must remain mindful of the timing of such decisions.  Blair also advised the administration not to attempt to do everything at once but to ensure that things were done with proper planning along with a commitment to deliver.

He said,

“You will have more goodwill and moral authority to do the difficult things at the beginning of your term than at the end. President (Joko) Widodo of Indonesia was elected in July last year, with huge public support. “One of the first things he did when he was inaugurated in October was to smash Indonesia’s hugely expensive and inefficient, yet popular fuel subsidy.

“A policy decision which had toppled a previous administration and consistently brought people out on the streets, he decided to do it straight away when he had the authority that was the time.” This, Blair explained, cushioned the effect of the recent fall in oil prices in the world market on the Indonesian economy. He also stressed the importance of communication which, he said, was vital in democracy because “it is both the means of convincing people and getting them to keep following you once you are elected.” “Strategy without communication is like a car without headlights,” he added.

The British politician also stressed the need for the government to focus on priorities and ensure service delivery.  Blair also advised the administration to create a mechanism that would focus on its priorities even in the midst of other challenges.  Earlier in his welcome address, the Director, Policy Research and Strategy Directorate of the APC, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, had said, “The phase of policy conception is over and we are entering the phase of execution, governance and of providing tangible developmental deliverables.

“The challenge of translating ideas into policy and praxis now looms large. “Given the degree of work that has been put in by the directorate and our well-documented national problems of policy implementation, the focus should now be on evolving an institutional framework to deliver the agenda for change.”

Certificate Forgery: Court Nullifies Benue Rep-Elects Election, Orders Police Prosecution

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the certificate of return it issued to Christian Abah for the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal ‎Constituency seat in the House of Representatives of the forthcoming 8th National Assembly.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola, delivering judgment in the suit challenging Abah’s eligibility to stand for the election, said the allegation of certificate forgery brought against the respondent by the plaintiff, Mr. Hassan Saleh, has been duly established to be true.

According to the suit, Abah is accused of forging an Ordinary National Diploma certificate in Accountancy allegedly obtained from the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, in 1985.

The judge held that his findings revealed that a judgment delivered by the National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal ‎sitting in Makurdi on September 6, 2011, and a letter by the Registrar of the polytechnic, Mr. Suleiman Buba, confirmed that the certificate presented by by Abah to INEC was forged. He therefore ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to commence the immediate prosecution of Abah for forgery and perjury.

Abah, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was declared unopposed and elected for being the only candidate presented for the March 28, 2015 election.

According to Justice Ademola, all the votes that went to Abah in the PDP primary of December 6, 2014, was wasted and declaring Saleh, who came second as the winner of the primary. He subsequently ordered INEC to issue a fresh certificate of return to Saleh.

The court further ordered the incoming Speaker of the ‎8th National Assembly to swear in Saleh as the member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal ‎Constituency.

Justice Ademola frowned at the conduct of the counsel for PDP and Abah, Mr. S.I Ameh, SAN, for the frivolous applications and tactics to delay the hearing of the case, ordering that the processes filed in the suit and his judgment be served on the Nigerian Bar Association, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee so as to take appropriate sanctions against Ameh.

He imposed a N450, 000 fine on the PDP, INEC and Abah, who were the defendants in the suit, in favor of the plaintiff.

Lovely Photos of Dbanj's South African Girlfriend, Bonang Matheba On Vacation In Zanzibar

South African media personality, Bonang Matheba who was once gossiped to be dating D’banj is carrying on with the life. Bonang who loves to have some good times as much as buckling down is without further ado at Zanzibar shoreline beach in Tanzania, where she has gone for vacation.

36-year-old barber, charged with peeping at his female neighbor while bathing!

36-year-old barber, Azeez Adewale, charged with peeping at his female neighbor while bathing in the bathroom, was arraigned on Wednesday in Lagos.



Adewale, who resides at No. 23, Arowojobe St., Lagos, is being tried for breach of peace and assault at an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 17 at his residence.

He said that the accused was peeping at his neighbour, one Miss Victoria Emmanuel, in the bathroom while taking her bath.
“The accused was secretly looking at the complainant when she was bathing”, he said.

Olatunde said that the accused was sitting at the passage when the complainant passed with a bucket of water to bath.
“The accused sneaked and followed her behind, he went to the back of the bathroom where there is a small hole, stood there and was peeping at her while she bathed”, he said.

The prosecutor said that when the complainant noticed an eyeball watching her, she poured soap water on the eye.
“While she was bathing, she sighted an eye looking at her through a small hole in the bathroom and she poured soap water on the eye.

“The accused forcefully opened the bathroom door, descended on the complainant by punching her severally on her face, and she quickly shouted for help and neighbours came to her rescue”, Olatunde said.

He said that before that day, the accused had on two different occasions went to knock on the complainant’s door at 12 midnight asking her to open her door that he wanted to deliver a message.

“The accused knocked the complainant’s door at midnight begging her to allow him enter that her friend sent him to her, the complainant always ignored him, telling him to wait for day to break”, he said.

The offences, Olatunde said, contravened sections 166 and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 171 prescribes a three-year jail term as penalty for offenders.

The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum.

The Magistrate, Mr Akeem Fashola, adjourned the case to June 8 for mention. (NAN)

Photos: Boko Haram Member disguised As A Woman nabbed ola #YolaBeware !

Eagle-eyed  security agents on watch in Yola early yesterday captured an associated part with the feared Boko Haram terrorist sect who dressed  as a lady.

He was reported to have uncovered amid cross examination that about 30 individuals from his cell are now in Yola and he was en route to rejoin with them.  Nigerians, please be more watchful and aware of your surroundings. Quickly report outsiders with odd conduct, and unusual developments to the authority.

See more photographs bellow:

"Ghana Must Go" Bags Litter NASS Complex As Non-Returning Legislators Pack Out Of Offices (PHOTOS)

The countdown to May 29th has formally started. Non-returning government administrators have begun leaving the premises of the National Assembly complex after a departure request served to them.


Anyway, this piece shockingly ain’t about the loser doing the needful, its really encompasses the sacks spotted at the complex. The famous “Ghana-must-go” bags were seen decorating a few sides of the building, as staff members move their principals belongings out of their workplaces.

579 soldiers martialed in special military courts in Lagos & Abuja

The acting director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman today uncovered to columnists in Abuja that 579 officers have been court-martialed in special military courts in Lagos and Abuja for offenses running from rebellion, insubordination, disobedience of wimpiness, refusal to complete military obligations, and indiscipline, amongst others. 

As per  to Sani, the essence of the court martial is to emphasize discipline within the military.

“There are currently two separate court-martials going on at the army headquarters garrison and 81 division, Nigerian army with a view to ensuring quick dispensation of justice, discipline and professionalism. The essence of this trial is to emphasise on discipline, professionalism and order. Anybody who runs foul of the law and the authorities determine that the gravity of the offence cannot be tried summarily will go for the court martial.” The soldiers are facing trial for alleged offences ranging from insubordination to disobedience to lawful orders, acts of cowardice, refusal to carry out military duties, and indiscipline, among others”he said

Pics: Hausa community in Ekiti state attacked by gangsters wearing mask

The Hausa community in Ekiti state was assaulted by mask wearing gangsters today May 20th. Reports say the hooligans raged the prevalent Atikankan region at around 8am, decimated products and properties of occupants in the area.


Inhabitants say they are befuddled as to the motive  behind the assault. More pictures after the cut..

Should Abortion Be Permitted? The 300 Pregnant Women Saved From Boko Haram say They want Abortions

So the Boko Haram men have reliably attacked the vast majority of the young ladies they snatched before the salvage operation, the consequence of this is that all the young ladies are presently pregnant (talk about being fertile), the young ladies have now said they can not love the children they are carrying in light of the method of which they were conceived (by assault) and the individuals their fathers as well (boko haram terrorists ), just to make it clear RAPE IS SAME AS KILLING A BABY, what would you recommend to be done in this circumstance? will you encourage the abortion of the children?

I Met My New Wife Iara Fortez A Virgin - Gov. Oshiomhole

Hmmm our governor is truly appreciating gracious! Governor Adams Oshiomhole made some intriguing and moving disclosures at his wedding thanksgiving administration. A lot were stunned to hear that he met his new wife, Lara Fortes, a virgin. His words:

“I can boldly tell all of you that I was a very principled man during my first marriage, I didn’t succumb to the wordly pleasures of this lustful environment, even though I had lots of opportunities. And it was this principled sobriety that made me fish for a virgin wife.
“I can boldly say to you all that I was the first man to know her (Lara Fortes) and initiate her into the wordly ways.
“This is the kind of spirit I want Edo youths to inculcate instead of messing around and engaging in different shades of adultery and fornication.”
Sources in Benin disclosed that Governor Oshiomhole gave his wife’s parents a big gift for keeping ‘her’.

2 cousins of President GEJ reportedly abducted in Bayelsa

Two cousins of President Jonathan, Patience Egbeni and Kate Eni were captured by 6 unidentified shooters wearing military uniform in Akimpelai, Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State yesterday May 19th. As per a source who talked with The Nation, the ladies who are maternal cousins of President Jonathan were snatched at around 8.30am from their procurement stores situated along the riverbank.

“The victims are two maternal cousins of the President. We know that they have been preparing to welcome the President after the May 29 handover. Unless they are rescued before then, their dream of welcoming their brother will be a mirage.”the source said

Affirming the incident that went on, the Bayelsa state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Butswat Asinim, said the shooters were wearing military camouflage.

“The gunmen were dressed in military camouflage. They went to the provision stores of the victims at the riverside and abducted them into a waiting speedboat,” he said.

He said the marine and hostile to kidnapping squad of the police, including the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, had been reached and are working towards their rescue.

China Plans First Ever Landing on the Dark Side of the Moon

What lies on the dark side of the moon? The ruined civilization of our lunar forbearers? A pile of overplayed Pink Floyd records? The most exclusive Airbnb in the galaxy? China’s on the case, launching the first expedition of its kind, a journey to the moon’s untapped hemisphere.

 

The closest extraterrestrial body, the moon has done much to shape our history and mythologies. It’s been associated with Artemis and Greek conceptions of rebirth. It’s also connected with Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the moon.

Hence the name of China’s latest probe, the Chang’e-4. The mission, part of China’s Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), plans to land the probe and accompanying rover on the far side of the moon.

“We are currently discussing the next moon landing site for Chang’e 4,” Chief lunar exploration engineer Wu Weiren told China Central Television. “We probably will choose a site that is more difficult to land and more technically challenging. Other countries have chosen to land on the near side of the moon. Our next move probably will see some spacecraft land on the far side of the moon.”

The Chang’e-4 will follow the Chang’e-3, a probe launched in 2013, which carried the Jade Rabbit rover to the lunar surface. Though currently immobile, Jade Rabbit still transmits data back to Earth, and Chang’e-4 would take on a different scientific role.

Much of the Moon’s far side is covered by the South Pole-Aitken basin, one of the largest impact craters in the solar system. If we associate the near side with the face of the happy-go-lucky Man in the Moon, the crater on the far side could have completely reshaped cultural mythologies if the synchronous orbit had been reversed. The Aitken basin could have made the moon appear to be an ominous eye in the sky. An ancient, eternal Big Brother. A body to be feared rather than worshipped.

© Wikipedia/ Ittiz

Topographical map of the South Pole-Aitken basin

It’s not called the “dark side” for nothing.

It is here that the Change-4 will land. Scientists are hoping that the same impact which formed the crater may have also partially excavated parts of the mantle. If those parts of the moon’s interior can be studied, it could offer one-of-a-kind insights into what the moon is made of and where it came from.

The basin would also be an ideal spot to place permanent radio telescopes. These could reach into the depths of space without interference from Earth’s transmissions or atmosphere.

A successful landing on the far side would also give the Chinese tremendous bragging rights. While the dark side of the moon has been observed by various probes, a landing has never been attempted, much less accomplished, largely because it’s more technically difficult.

Chang’e-4 is set to launch in 2020, but before that, Chang’e-5 will makes its way to the moon in 2017. That mission will return with lunar samples. The chronology discrepancy can be attributed to the fact that Chang’e-4 is technically the backup to Chang’e-3, and will keep that number identifier despite launching after Chang’e-5.

Beijing has also planned a mission to Mars. Set to launch sometime around 2020, that probe would also return to Earth with samples, which could be another first, depending on how the space race plays out.

Photo: Obama taps wife's backside in Public

Is this for real or Photoshop ?