Celtic Harp Orchestra – Morrison’s Jig
An evening pause: Here’s some more harp, this time played in a way you’ve never heard it by the Celtic Harp Orchestra.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
Chicago freedom: “Your first amendment rights can be terminated.”
Chicago freedom: “Your first amendment rights can be terminated.” With video.
Only after a Democrat crook wins an election do Democrats want him gone.
Only after a Democrat crook wins an election do Democrats suddenly want him gone.
Three days ago, Democrats in Illinois went to bat for Derrick Smith, the state lawmaker who got arrested after taking a bribe from an undercover federal agents. Party officials on Chicago’s West Side even held a rally urging voters to support him in Tuesday’s primary against a former Republican challenging him for the nomination. Democrats succeeded in getting Smith the nomination.
Now, of course, they want him gone.
A new device that replaces the wheelchair.
Standing without legs: A new device that replaces the wheelchair.
More here.
The friends of Barack Obama.
Sadly, they don’t seem to be friends of the United States.
What was then is now again.
An astronaut answers hundreds of questions about his flight to ISS on Reddit.
An astronaut answers hundreds of questions about his flight to ISS on Reddit.
Russia’s deputy prime minister today blasted the Russian space agency and one space contractor for the scandals and public backbiting involving both.
Soap opera: Russia’s deputy prime minister today blasted Vladimir Popovkin, the head the Russian space agency, and one space contractor for the scandals and public backbiting involving both.
The [contractor’s] accusations apparently come as a response to Popovkin’s comments on Monday. The official accused “space industry contractors” of disseminating false rumors about him because they were dissatisfied with his attempt to reform the industry. Popovkin was hospitalized earlier this month because of exhaustion caused by a hectic schedule and frequent jet lags, according to official statements. Some media reported it was due to injuries sustained in a brawl.
Twenty-four First World problems solved.
Twenty-four First World problems solved.
New close-up photos of the asteroid Vesta from Dawn have discovered numerous bright spots scattered across the face of the asteroid Vesta.
New close-up photos of the asteroid Vesta from Dawn have discovered numerous bright spots scattered across the face of the asteroid Vesta.
The photos show surprisingly bright spots all over Vesta, with the most predominant ones located inside or around the asteroid’s many craters. The bright areas range from large spots (around several hundred feet across) to simply huge, with some stretching across 10 miles (16 kilometers) of terrain.
The scientists believe the bright spots might be the asteroid’s oldest material, excavated from below by impacts.
The Supreme Court today ruled unanimously in favor of the landowners whose property was essentially stolen by the EPA because the agency had declared it contained a wetland.
A small victory against the EPA: The Supreme Court today ruled unanimously in favor of the landowners whose property was essentially stolen by the EPA because the agency had unilaterally declared it contained a wetland.
Anne Postic – Celtic Harp at Lorient in 2008
An evening pause: Anne Postic jiving on the harp.
A 2010 expedition has now released some spectacular new images of the wreck of the Titanic.
A 2010 expedition has now released some spectacular new images of the wreck of the Titanic.
After one year in orbit around Mercury, Messenger’s scientists have concluded that Mercury is not only dense but odd.
After one year in orbit around Mercury, Messenger’s scientists have concluded that Mercury is not only dense but odd.
The [proposed gravity] model, when combined with topography data and measurements of the planet’s spin, reveals that as much as 85% of Mercury’s radius is taken up by its dense iron core — an upward revision. “We knew Mercury had a large core,” says [Maria Zuber of MIT]. “Now we think it’s even larger.” What’s more, to compensate for a crust that’s enriched in sulphur and depleted in iron, the team has proposed a solid shell of iron sulphide that sits between the core and the mantle. While the shell satisfies the gravity constraints, it also makes it more difficult for a lot of convection to occur in the thin mantle that overrides it — which presents problems for those that invoke convection as a driver of the observed tectonic and volcanic features at the surface. “There isn’t a whole lot of mantle to be doing this lifting up,” says Zuber.
A former NASA scientist was sentenced today to thirteen years in prison for trying to sell classified military satellite information to Israel.
A former NASA scientist was sentenced today to thirteen years in prison for trying to sell classified military satellite information to Israel.
Want to go hiking? You can now hike some of the country’s best trail, from the comfort of your home!
Want to go hiking? You can now hike some of the country’s best trails, from the comfort of your home!
Cat purrs prevent heart attacks
Research has now shown that the purr of a cat appears to prevent heart attacks.
A 10-year study at the University of Minnesota Stroke Center found that cat owners were 40 per cent less likely to have heart attacks than non-cat owners. A cat at home reduced the risk of other heart diseases and stroke by 30 per cent.
But then, all cat owners have always known this.
“Like them or not, they’re not going away, no matter who wins in November.”
NASA is considering doing a simulated 500 day Mars mission on ISS.
Hallelujah! NASA is considering doing a simulated 500 day Mars mission on ISS.
The Russians want to do this badly, and have been pressing NASA to go along, with no luck, for more than a decade. That it took that long for NASA to finally realize the need tells us much about the American space agency.
With the help of Google Earth, a lost section of the Great Wall of China has been discovered in the Gobi Desert outside of present-day China.
With the help of Google Earth, a lost section of the Great Wall of China has been discovered in the Gobi Desert outside of present-day China.