Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
Due to a leak from Wikileaks, the head of one of the companies building the European GPS system has been fired. Key quote:
The [Wikileaks] cable, which was published by the Norwegian daily Aftenposten last Thursday, quoted the [chief executive] as saying, “I think Galileo [the European GPS system] is a stupid idea that primarily serves French interests”, and, in particular, French military interests.
Let advertisers pay for a mission to Mars.
2010 sea level: The largest drop ever recorded? Key quote:
2006 was the first year to show a drop in the global sea level. 2010 will be the 2nd year to show a decrease in sea level. That is correct, 2 of the past 5 years are going to show a decrease in sea level. 2010 could likely show a significant drop global sea level. By significant I mean it is possible that it will likely drop between 2-3 mm from 2009.
All IPCC predictions insist that increased carbon dioxide will cause sea level rise. All these predictions are now wrong, as carbon dioxide is still increasing in the atmosphere but the sea level has actually been going down.
Man faces charges for defying TSA agents. Key quote:
“ What’s really at root in this case is whether travel is a right that we have under the Constitution – an ability to move about the country without having to show papers – which has been one of the defining characteristics of American freedom, “ Hasbrouck said.
And NASA thinks it can compete with SpaceX or Orbital Sciences? The agency is asking for billions more to build the Orion capsule.
Keith Cowing is trying to locate a missing spectacular blow-up poster of the Lunar Orbiter “Earthrise” image from 1966, shown here.
The lead spacewalker for the next shuttle mission, the long-delayed last flight of Discovery, has apparently broken his hip in a bike accident. Key quote:
NASA does not train backup crews and a replacement, even a recently flown veteran, would need time to rehearse spacewalk scenarios and receive mission-specific training for Discovery’s flight. How long that might take, if required, and what impact it might have on the shuttle’s launch date is not yet known.
Want to know who is spreading hateful political rhetoric? Check out Climate of Hate.
What does it take to end a political career?
Finally a response: J. Eric Fuller, the Tucson shooting victim (also a Democrat party campaigner) who blamed Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Sharron Angle for the shooting was arrested today at an ABC-TV town hall meeting when he threatened the founder of the Tucson Tea Party. Key quote:
When Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries rose to suggest that any conversation about gun control should be put off until after the funerals for all the victims, witnesses say Fuller became agitated. Two told KGUN9 News that finally, Fuller took a picture of Humphries, and said, “You’re dead.” . . . A Pima County Sheriff’s spokesman told KGUN9 News that the department has charged Fuller with one count of threats and intimidation, and said they plan to charge him with at least one count of disorderly conduct.
For today, and today only, the Sun was blank. This blankness ended, however, when a sunspot rotated into view from the far side.
As I asked the last time the Sun was blank in December, will this be the last blank day of the just-ended but very prolonged solar minimum?
