After 100 orbits, an overview of Messenger’s survey of Mercury
After 100 orbits, an overview of Messenger’s survey of Mercury.
After 100 orbits, an overview of Messenger’s survey of Mercury.
Category: Behind The Black
After 100 orbits, an overview of Messenger’s survey of Mercury
State Department report on religious freedom in Afghanistan: Deteriorating
A State Department report on religious freedom in Afghanistan: deteriorating. Two quotes from the report:
Respect for religious freedom deteriorated during the reporting period, particularly for Christian groups and individuals. Residual effects of years of jihad against the USSR, civil strife, Taliban rule, popular suspicion regarding outside influence and the motivations of foreigners, and still weak democratic institutions remained serious obstacles. There were cases of harassment, occasional violence, and inflammatory public statements made by members of parliament and television programming against religious minorities, particularly Christians, and Muslims who were perceived as not respecting Islamic strictures. Negative societal opinion and suspicion of Christian activities led to targeting of Christian groups and individuals, including Afghan converts to Christianity. The lack of government responsiveness and protection for these groups and individuals contributed to the deterioration of religious freedom.
and
The right to change one’s religion was not respected either in law or in practice. Muslims who converted to Christianity risked losing their marriage, rejection from their family and village, and loss of jobs. Following the May 2010 suspension of two NGOs on suspicion of proselytizing, some parliamentarians advocated violent responses toward the alleged apostates, including public execution. [emphasis mine]
This report actually came out in November, 2010, but I hadn’t known of it until now. It is worth reading. Though there are clearly some positive signs, overall the state of religious freedom in Afghanistan appears abysmal.
A State Department report on religious freedom in Afghanistan: deteriorating. Two quotes from the report:
Respect for religious freedom deteriorated during the reporting period, particularly for Christian groups and individuals. Residual effects of years of jihad against the USSR, civil strife, Taliban rule, popular suspicion regarding outside influence and the motivations of foreigners, and still weak democratic institutions remained serious obstacles. There were cases of harassment, occasional violence, and inflammatory public statements made by members of parliament and television programming against religious minorities, particularly Christians, and Muslims who were perceived as not respecting Islamic strictures. Negative societal opinion and suspicion of Christian activities led to targeting of Christian groups and individuals, including Afghan converts to Christianity. The lack of government responsiveness and protection for these groups and individuals contributed to the deterioration of religious freedom.
and
The right to change one’s religion was not respected either in law or in practice. Muslims who converted to Christianity risked losing their marriage, rejection from their family and village, and loss of jobs. Following the May 2010 suspension of two NGOs on suspicion of proselytizing, some parliamentarians advocated violent responses toward the alleged apostates, including public execution. [emphasis mine]
This report actually came out in November, 2010, but I hadn’t known of it until now. It is worth reading. Though there are clearly some positive signs, overall the state of religious freedom in Afghanistan appears abysmal.
Judge orders Obama administration to act on offshore drilling permits
A judge has ordered the Obama administration to act on six offshore drilling permits within 30 days.
A judge has ordered the Obama administration to act on six offshore drilling permits within 30 days.
Placido Domingo & John Denver – Perhaps Love
An evening pause: Part of an Italian show (unfortunately without subtitles), this clip shows a video of the taping session where Denver and Domingo recorded their stunning duet.
Stardust’s images show that Deep Impact burst underground bubbles on Comet Tempel 1
Pop! Analysis of the images that Stardust took of Comet Tempel 1 strongly suggest that when Deep Impact hit the comet’s surface it broke open several underground cavities that then burst like balloons.
Pop! Analysis of the images that Stardust took of Comet Tempel 1 strongly suggest that when Deep Impact hit the comet’s surface it broke open several underground cavities that then burst like balloons.
White House Takes Dim View of Boehner Debt Plan
No surprise here: The White House takes a dim view of Boehner’s speech yesterday.
So my question here is there: Who is more serious about controlling spending, Obama and the Democrats or the Republicans in the House? Though it is very easy to find lots of reasons to criticize the various Republican proposals, at the moment they are the only proposals that are willing, even on a tiny level, to consider entitlement reform.
First Soyuz launch from French Guiana set for October
The first Soyuz launch from the European spaceport in French Guiana is now scheduled for October.
The first Soyuz launch from the European spaceport in French Guiana is now scheduled for October.
Data leaks from particle hunters raise questions about controlling scientific secrecy
Recent data leaks from particle hunters is now raising questions among physicists about the question of controlling scientific secrecy. To me, the most significant quote from the article was this:
“Should leakers or bloggers be punished for making early findings public?
That this question is even asked by someone in the science field is disturbing. Though the leaks might be annoying and counter to the agreements the scientists signed when they joined these various projects, I wonder how the author expects such punishment to be administrated. And who would do it? And should such punishment apply to everyone, or just to the participating scientists?
Recent data leaks from particle hunters is now raising questions among physicists about the question of controlling scientific secrecy. To me, the most significant quote from the article was this:
“Should leakers or bloggers be punished for making early findings public?
That this question is even asked by someone in the science field is disturbing. Though the leaks might be annoying and counter to the agreements the scientists signed when they joined these various projects, I wonder how the author expects such punishment to be administrated. And who would do it? And should such punishment apply to everyone, or just to the participating scientists?
Pakistan cuts off nine foreign satellite news channels
Pakistan has cut off nine foreign satellite news channels, including the BBC, Voice of America, CNN, Fox,, NBC, CNS, IBN, Sky News, and Al Jazeera.
[Information Minister Firdous Aashiq Awan] said that certain violations had been observed in the past week’s coverage of the Abbottabad operation to kill al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. “They were spitting venom against Pakistan,” said the information minister.
Pakistan has cut off nine foreign satellite news channels, including the BBC, Voice of America, CNN, Fox,, NBC, CNS, IBN, Sky News, and Al Jazeera.
[Information Minister Firdous Aashiq Awan] said that certain violations had been observed in the past week’s coverage of the Abbottabad operation to kill al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. “They were spitting venom against Pakistan,” said the information minister.
Path of destruction
Final shuttle mission unlikely to fly until mid-July
The delays in launching Endeavour has pushed back the last shuttle mission to mid-July.
The delays in launching Endeavour has pushed back the last shuttle mission to mid-July.
Since 2003, the sea level ceased rising
An inconvenient truth: New data now shows that since 2003, the rate of sea level rise has stablized, and since 2007, the rate of increase has actually slowed.
An inconvenient truth: New data now shows that since 2003, the rate of sea level rise has stablized, and since 2007, the rate of increase has actually slowed.
Quake shifted Japan; towns now flood at high tide
The real disaster in Japan: Towns now flood at high tide.
The real disaster in Japan: Towns now flood at high tide.
“Without significant spending cuts and reforms to reduce our debt, there will be no debt-limit increase.”
I like the sound of this: “Without significant spending cuts and reforms to reduce our debt, there will be no debt-limit increase.”
Also this: “We should be talking about cuts of trillions, not just billions. They should be actual cuts and program reforms, not broad deficit or debt targets that punt the tough questions to the future.”
And this: “And to those who contend that the economy is too weak to take on the challenge of entitlement reform — I would simply say, you’ve got it backwards. The truth is that making fundamental reforms to these programs would be good for the economy — and good for the next generation.”
I like the sound of this: “Without significant spending cuts and reforms to reduce our debt, there will be no debt-limit increase.”
Also this: “We should be talking about cuts of trillions, not just billions. They should be actual cuts and program reforms, not broad deficit or debt targets that punt the tough questions to the future.”
And this: “And to those who contend that the economy is too weak to take on the challenge of entitlement reform — I would simply say, you’ve got it backwards. The truth is that making fundamental reforms to these programs would be good for the economy — and good for the next generation.”
FAA slow to ramp up its role in regulating human space travel
The FAA: slow to ramp up in its role of regulating human space travel.
This ain’t good. It also is not a surprise. The only real question is whether the government bureaucrats at the FAA will get out of the way of those who are really trying to do the work.
The FAA: slow to ramp up in its role of regulating human space travel.
This ain’t good. It also is not a surprise. The only real question is whether the government bureaucrats at the FAA will get out of the way of those who are really trying to do the work.
NASA management moves to combine SpaceX’s next two test flights of Dragon
NASA management appears ready to approve combining SpaceX’s next two test flights of the Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket into one test flight. This despite Russian opposition.
NASA management appears ready to approve combining SpaceX’s next two test flights of the Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket into one test flight. This despite Russian opposition.
NASA, Stanford websites hit by search engine scammers
Websites run by NASA, JPL, and Stanford University were hacked by search engine scammers today.
Websites run by NASA, JPL, and Stanford University were hacked by search engine scammers today.
The Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger
Endeavour’s launch now set for 8:56 am May 16
Endeavour’s last launch is now set for May 16 at 8:56 am.
Endeavour’s last launch is now set for May 16 at 8:56 am.
New craters on Mars.
Were Neandertals and Modern Humans Just Ships in the Night?
Were Neandertals and modern humans just ships passing in the night? Some scientists are now making this claim.
Were Neandertals and modern humans just ships passing in the night? Some scientists are now making this claim.
Muslim rampage against Christians in Egypt continues, now 12 dead, 232 wounded
Islamic tolerance: In a fourteen hour attack on Sunday, Egyptian Muslims killed 12 Christians and wounded 232.
Islamic tolerance: In a fourteen hour attack on Sunday, Egyptian Muslims killed 12 Christians and wounded 232.
Gentaro Takada – Concierto De Aranjuez
The Soyuz launchsite in French Guiana has been declared ready for its first flight
The Soyuz launchsite in French Guiana has been declared ready for its first flight.
The Soyuz launchsite in French Guiana has been declared ready for its first flight.
Soviet Spacesuit sold for $242,000 in NY auction
A Soviet-era spacesuit has sold for $242,000 in a NY auction.
A Soviet-era spacesuit has sold for $242,000 in a NY auction.
Shuttle launch slips to at least May 16
The last launch of Endeavour has now slipped to at least May 16.
The last launch of Endeavour has now slipped to at least May 16.
Julia Sweeney – “Sex Ed” monologue
Duo Minasov – Quick Change
Mars Express sees deep fractures on Mars
Deep fractures on Mars, some more than 1500 feet deep.
Deep fractures on Mars, some more than 1500 feet deep.
Dark matter mysteries
Every year, as part of its educational and research mission, the Space Telescope and Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland holds a science symposium that focuses one of the big questions of astronomy, inviting over a hundred scientists to come and give their individual perspectives on the state of the field.
This year’s symposium ended yesterday, and the subject was the mysteries of dark matter. Though I wasn’t able to attend the symposium itself, they held a workshop for journalists yesterday, which I did attend. (You can watch the webcast here.)
So, what is dark matter?
First of all, it isn’t dark energy. Dark energy is that mysterious unknown phenomenon that is causing — on vast scales of many billions of light years — the expansion of the universe to accelerate rather than decelerate. It has nothing to do with the question of dark matter.
Second, no one knows. All that scientists do know is that objects in the outer regions of galaxies as well as the galaxies themselves don’t move at the speeds and directions expected if their known mass and gravity were the only forces influencing them. In order to successfully plot their orbits and motions, astronomers have to add a gigantic halo of extra mass, which they have dubbed “dark matter” because it is unseen, undetected, and completely invisible.
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