The plight of those in Assumption Parish finally getting national attention

This story has been around for over a month. Earth Informer, along with other online sources, have been closely watching the situation as it unfolds in Louisiana. Earlier this summer, reports of bubbles in the bayou began to surface, along with accounts from residents near the bubbling water that shaking has occurred and their homes have been rattled by loud explosion-like noises and bumps. 

Just this past week, Governor Jindhal declared an emergency situation due to a large sinkhole that developed. The current thought on the matter is that an underground salt cavern owned by Texas Brine Company is the responsible party for the sinkhole--the hole has swallowed up a 100 foot-tall cypress tree. There have been evacuations, and town meetings with angry residents demanding answers. 

Finally, there is national news attention being given to the situation!

CNN posted a story this morning about the developing situation in Assumption. This may be the first time a major news organization has dedicated space to it at all, as most sources have been from local affiliates and independent voices from the area affected.

Hopefully national attention will continue to shine light on this troubling scenario deep in the South.

at

The plight of those in Assumption Parish finally getting national attention

This story has been around for over a month. Earth Informer, along with other online sources, have been closely watching the situation as it unfolds in Louisiana. Earlier this summer, reports of bubbles in the bayou began to surface, along with accounts from residents near the bubbling water that shaking has occurred and their homes have been rattled by loud explosion-like noises and bumps. 

Just this past week, Governor Jindhal declared an emergency situation due to a large sinkhole that developed. The current thought on the matter is that an underground salt cavern owned by Texas Brine Company is the responsible party for the sinkhole--the hole has swallowed up a 100 foot-tall cypress tree. There have been evacuations, and town meetings with angry residents demanding answers. 

Finally, there is national news attention being given to the situation!

CNN posted a story this morning about the developing situation in Assumption. This may be the first time a major news organization has dedicated space to it at all, as most sources have been from local affiliates and independent voices from the area affected.

Hopefully national attention will continue to shine light on this troubling scenario deep in the South.

at

"We’re not your mom and pop police department anymore. We are in the next century. We are leading the pack"

Those are the words of Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City.


If you thought the city saw all already, get ready for this: It's almost like Minority Report is coming from the big screens of years ago into the reality of today's streets.


The Domain Awareness System was designed by the New York Police Department and Microsoft Corp. It will now be used to watch all New Yorkers. License plates, radiation detectors, a network of cameras, and crime reports. All in real time. All now.

Using the new system, investigators will be able to access information through live video feeds and could potentially see who left a suspicious package behind just moments later, Kelly said.
The system will also allow cops to get a reading on radioactive substances, and determine if it is naturally occurring, some kind of weapon or a harmless isotope used in medical treatments.
“We can track where a car associated with a murder suspect is currently located and where it’s been over the past several days, weeks or months,” Kelly said. “This is a system developed by police officers for police officers.”
The system will also check license plate numbers to a watch list and alert investigators if a match is detected and quickly pull up crime reports, arrests and warrants on a suspect.
The system has some civil liberties advocates warning of Big Brother type surveillance.
“We fully support the police using technology to combat crime and terrorism, but law-abiding New Yorkers should not end up in a police database every time they walk their dog, go to the doctor, or drive around Manhattan,” said New York Civil Liberties Union Associate Legal Director Chris Dunn.
Is that the likelihood? Joe Sixpack or Josephine Chilled-Wine will end up doing something completely innocent but end up on a database and be monitored by the police!?
In America!?
The land of the free? Home of brave? 
And the land of domestic spy drones and eavesdropping from corner to corner. 
Yes, it could happen here.

The future certainly is now. 

at

"We’re not your mom and pop police department anymore. We are in the next century. We are leading the pack"

Those are the words of Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City.


If you thought the city saw all already, get ready for this: It's almost like Minority Report is coming from the big screens of years ago into the reality of today's streets.


The Domain Awareness System was designed by the New York Police Department and Microsoft Corp. It will now be used to watch all New Yorkers. License plates, radiation detectors, a network of cameras, and crime reports. All in real time. All now.

Using the new system, investigators will be able to access information through live video feeds and could potentially see who left a suspicious package behind just moments later, Kelly said.
The system will also allow cops to get a reading on radioactive substances, and determine if it is naturally occurring, some kind of weapon or a harmless isotope used in medical treatments.
“We can track where a car associated with a murder suspect is currently located and where it’s been over the past several days, weeks or months,” Kelly said. “This is a system developed by police officers for police officers.”
The system will also check license plate numbers to a watch list and alert investigators if a match is detected and quickly pull up crime reports, arrests and warrants on a suspect.
The system has some civil liberties advocates warning of Big Brother type surveillance.
“We fully support the police using technology to combat crime and terrorism, but law-abiding New Yorkers should not end up in a police database every time they walk their dog, go to the doctor, or drive around Manhattan,” said New York Civil Liberties Union Associate Legal Director Chris Dunn.
Is that the likelihood? Joe Sixpack or Josephine Chilled-Wine will end up doing something completely innocent but end up on a database and be monitored by the police!?
In America!?
The land of the free? Home of brave? 
And the land of domestic spy drones and eavesdropping from corner to corner. 
Yes, it could happen here.

The future certainly is now. 

at

An earthquake swarm hit California, and now a heat storm hits the power grid


Can it get worse!?
Well, yes.

The United States has been on a high broil all summer. Crops are dead and fish are too. 

Along with misery of the soul comes heartache within the power grid. Air conditioners and other technology made to keep people cool is testing the limits this year. 

And now the great state of California--being tested by an earthquake swarm--has issued an alert to residents to curb power in the coming days.. 

The high pressure that caused misery for the rest of the nation is now positioning itself to cause the same turmoil in Cali. While some may just head to the beach to celebrate, others will gnaw at their nails in worry over just how much power consumption it will take to keep the Golden State cool.

Oh, and yes, there is a loss of the San Onofre nuclear plant ... small radiation leak. Nothing major. Right..?
Right.

A decade or so ago Gray Davis forced California to go dark. Rolling blackouts. What will Brown do now? Brownouts perhaps?


The eyes of the nation are on California. And we will see you after we wipe the summer's worth of sweat from our collective brows..

The heat has been relentless. 
at

An earthquake swarm hit California, and now a heat storm hits the power grid


Can it get worse!?
Well, yes.

The United States has been on a high broil all summer. Crops are dead and fish are too. 

Along with misery of the soul comes heartache within the power grid. Air conditioners and other technology made to keep people cool is testing the limits this year. 

And now the great state of California--being tested by an earthquake swarm--has issued an alert to residents to curb power in the coming days.. 

The high pressure that caused misery for the rest of the nation is now positioning itself to cause the same turmoil in Cali. While some may just head to the beach to celebrate, others will gnaw at their nails in worry over just how much power consumption it will take to keep the Golden State cool.

Oh, and yes, there is a loss of the San Onofre nuclear plant ... small radiation leak. Nothing major. Right..?
Right.

A decade or so ago Gray Davis forced California to go dark. Rolling blackouts. What will Brown do now? Brownouts perhaps?


The eyes of the nation are on California. And we will see you after we wipe the summer's worth of sweat from our collective brows..

The heat has been relentless. 
at

NASA unveils: Color on Mars

Curiosity takes its first color photo.. beams back to earth.
The red planet is as red as ever

NASA has released a press release and additional images ..
Amazing images. And this is just the beginning. We have two more years (hopefully) of spectacular photos coming from the rover somewhere deep in space on the planet called Mars.
at

NASA unveils: Color on Mars

Curiosity takes its first color photo.. beams back to earth.
The red planet is as red as ever

NASA has released a press release and additional images ..
Amazing images. And this is just the beginning. We have two more years (hopefully) of spectacular photos coming from the rover somewhere deep in space on the planet called Mars.
at

Assumption update: Resident demand answers on why sinkhole is swallowing

Earth Informer has been closely watching developments from Louisiana in recent weeks since jolts began to shake homes, and the bayou in Assumption Parish began to bubble. It was blamed on a leaking gas pipe. However the situation has clearly been worsening. Governor Bobby Jindhal signed an emergency order now that a massive sinkhole developed in Assumption.

Now angry residents are demanding answers as to why the sinkhole formed and why their lives are being turned upside down by a bayou that began to bubble in the middle of the summer. Local Louisiana publication HOUMATODAY.COM published an account of a town meeting .. angry residents..  They simply want to know why the air reeks of diesel and why a football sized sinkhole of muck and mud has appeared in their once peaceful Parish.

Someone with the State Environmental Quality  Department told townspeople that "the air you breathe is fine." This statement despite diesel being found in the sinkhole and residents complaining that the air was difficult to breathe.

While no official reason has been given for the sinkhole yet, the location is known: It is at the edge of an underground mountain of salt in a pocket of land owned by a Houston, Texas-based company named Texas Brine Co., LLC. Production there stopped in 2009 and the cavern has been plugged and abandoned.

Texas Brine and Louisiana officials ensured residents at the town meeting this week that studies are being done to confirm just what has caused the sinkhole and where it may go next.. Developing story to say the least.
at

Assumption update: Resident demand answers on why sinkhole is swallowing

Earth Informer has been closely watching developments from Louisiana in recent weeks since jolts began to shake homes, and the bayou in Assumption Parish began to bubble. It was blamed on a leaking gas pipe. However the situation has clearly been worsening. Governor Bobby Jindhal signed an emergency order now that a massive sinkhole developed in Assumption.

Now angry residents are demanding answers as to why the sinkhole formed and why their lives are being turned upside down by a bayou that began to bubble in the middle of the summer. Local Louisiana publication HOUMATODAY.COM published an account of a town meeting .. angry residents..  They simply want to know why the air reeks of diesel and why a football sized sinkhole of muck and mud has appeared in their once peaceful Parish.

Someone with the State Environmental Quality  Department told townspeople that "the air you breathe is fine." This statement despite diesel being found in the sinkhole and residents complaining that the air was difficult to breathe.

While no official reason has been given for the sinkhole yet, the location is known: It is at the edge of an underground mountain of salt in a pocket of land owned by a Houston, Texas-based company named Texas Brine Co., LLC. Production there stopped in 2009 and the cavern has been plugged and abandoned.

Texas Brine and Louisiana officials ensured residents at the town meeting this week that studies are being done to confirm just what has caused the sinkhole and where it may go next.. Developing story to say the least.
at

Experts watching earthquake cluster in Southern California

There have been at least 30 earthquakes since Tuesday near Los Angeles, an event that prompted officials to begin studying the swarm..

Kate Hutton from the USGS held a news conference to explain that the tremors are 'all part of the same earthquake sequence' since they are all taking place in the same area.

No major quakes have occurred, and many have not even been felt by residents in the area where they are shaking the ground. Though at least one LA Dodgers player felt it. Shane Victorino tweeted "Why is the hotel shaking????? ... Welcome to LA!"

The earthquake is being blamed for a natural gas explosion in Yorba Linda on Wednesday.  The location where the explosion occurred was about 30 miles from the earthquake's epicenter..

As far as earthquake swarms, they have been prevalent in recent months. The Canary Islands saw a few, as did Ohio and Arkansas.. and as did Northeast Iceland just last month..

California did not have a large earthquake in years. However it's always possible if not likely that one will happen. Readers from Cali: Be prepared and safe. Hope nothing bad brews, but know your surroundings, and have survival items ready. Always.
at

Experts watching earthquake cluster in Southern California

There have been at least 30 earthquakes since Tuesday near Los Angeles, an event that prompted officials to begin studying the swarm..

Kate Hutton from the USGS held a news conference to explain that the tremors are 'all part of the same earthquake sequence' since they are all taking place in the same area.

No major quakes have occurred, and many have not even been felt by residents in the area where they are shaking the ground. Though at least one LA Dodgers player felt it. Shane Victorino tweeted "Why is the hotel shaking????? ... Welcome to LA!"

The earthquake is being blamed for a natural gas explosion in Yorba Linda on Wednesday.  The location where the explosion occurred was about 30 miles from the earthquake's epicenter..

As far as earthquake swarms, they have been prevalent in recent months. The Canary Islands saw a few, as did Ohio and Arkansas.. and as did Northeast Iceland just last month..

California did not have a large earthquake in years. However it's always possible if not likely that one will happen. Readers from Cali: Be prepared and safe. Hope nothing bad brews, but know your surroundings, and have survival items ready. Always.
at

Heat killing thousands of fish in the Midwest

The long and hot summer taking place across the United States not only is hurting people and crops, but also animals. The most recent example of how heat kills comes from Nebraska, as a local ABC station is reporting that thousands of fish are turning up dead as rivers are drying up and heating up.. Some of those rivers have heated to as high as 100 degrees.

WRIC reports that 40,000 sturgeon were killed last week. So many fish died in one lake, the ABC station reports, that the dead fish clogged an intake screen at a power plant.

The world is watching the drying American bread basket as well. The UK DAILY MAIL is reporting about the death of fish, saying the heat wave 'dooms' millions of fish..

Power supplies are low, streams are near boil,  but it can't last forever.

Can it?
at

Heat killing thousands of fish in the Midwest

The long and hot summer taking place across the United States not only is hurting people and crops, but also animals. The most recent example of how heat kills comes from Nebraska, as a local ABC station is reporting that thousands of fish are turning up dead as rivers are drying up and heating up.. Some of those rivers have heated to as high as 100 degrees.

WRIC reports that 40,000 sturgeon were killed last week. So many fish died in one lake, the ABC station reports, that the dead fish clogged an intake screen at a power plant.

The world is watching the drying American bread basket as well. The UK DAILY MAIL is reporting about the death of fish, saying the heat wave 'dooms' millions of fish..

Power supplies are low, streams are near boil,  but it can't last forever.

Can it?
at

Curiosity makes it: Touchdown on Mars

The NASA Mars Science Laboratory erupted in a tremendous round of applause about 14 minutes after Curiosity made its touchdown on Mars during the early morning hours Monday... despite the timing of the landing, millions across America were undoubtedly watching on television and the internet. Perhaps more people became night owls last night as they listened to Richard C. Hoagland on George Noory's Coast to Coast AM bantering about the Mars mission and other oddities that Hoagland proclaims is truth while other roll eyes at.

But when Curiosity landed, it sent back a virtual text messages to the makers who watched it travel for 8 months hoping all was well: The Rover sent back black and white images. And with that, the future begins. What will we find, or not find? Yes, indeed, we are all curious. 

After years of budget cuts and criticism over plans that couldn't get off the ground--not to mention the death of manned space flights--suddenly, NASA is being applauded and space is back on the front page again--at least for a day.. 

The project cost was $2.6 billion. Many believed that was a few billions too high. But despite critics who, for eight years, said it was waste, Curiosity didn't care. Instead, it made it. Landing in one piece.. It's one ton and as big as a car--and now NASA will study what signs of past life exist. 

The rover will be controlled by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. According to NASA, there are 17 cameras and a laser that can survey the composition of soil and sediment on the hot red planet. 

If all goes well, it will spend the next two years of Earth life trolling the landscape and snapping photos for NASA to see. Imagine the possibilities of what we will learn. All of us. The pale blue dot monitoring a ton of metal on Mars waiting to see if there are signs of past life--and then if there was past life what would that mean for us as a civilization?

NASA should be applauded by everyone for a successful landing. It could have gone exceptionally wrong. Instead we have a summer miracle: We did it! Bright ideas and minds of genius put together a plan to get this rover there. It's going to be a wild ride from here on..

Lots of fanfare. Now it's time to see if Curiosity will kill the cat..


at

Curiosity makes it: Touchdown on Mars

The NASA Mars Science Laboratory erupted in a tremendous round of applause about 14 minutes after Curiosity made its touchdown on Mars during the early morning hours Monday... despite the timing of the landing, millions across America were undoubtedly watching on television and the internet. Perhaps more people became night owls last night as they listened to Richard C. Hoagland on George Noory's Coast to Coast AM bantering about the Mars mission and other oddities that Hoagland proclaims is truth while other roll eyes at.

But when Curiosity landed, it sent back a virtual text messages to the makers who watched it travel for 8 months hoping all was well: The Rover sent back black and white images. And with that, the future begins. What will we find, or not find? Yes, indeed, we are all curious. 

After years of budget cuts and criticism over plans that couldn't get off the ground--not to mention the death of manned space flights--suddenly, NASA is being applauded and space is back on the front page again--at least for a day.. 

The project cost was $2.6 billion. Many believed that was a few billions too high. But despite critics who, for eight years, said it was waste, Curiosity didn't care. Instead, it made it. Landing in one piece.. It's one ton and as big as a car--and now NASA will study what signs of past life exist. 

The rover will be controlled by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. According to NASA, there are 17 cameras and a laser that can survey the composition of soil and sediment on the hot red planet. 

If all goes well, it will spend the next two years of Earth life trolling the landscape and snapping photos for NASA to see. Imagine the possibilities of what we will learn. All of us. The pale blue dot monitoring a ton of metal on Mars waiting to see if there are signs of past life--and then if there was past life what would that mean for us as a civilization?

NASA should be applauded by everyone for a successful landing. It could have gone exceptionally wrong. Instead we have a summer miracle: We did it! Bright ideas and minds of genius put together a plan to get this rover there. It's going to be a wild ride from here on..

Lots of fanfare. Now it's time to see if Curiosity will kill the cat..


at

2.5 billion spent well.. Curiosity made it to Mars

More coming..



at

2.5 billion spent well.. Curiosity made it to Mars

More coming..



at

First tremors and bubbles in the bayou and now this

Governor Bobby Jindhal signed an emergency order to combat the newest problems besieging Assumption: Sink holes..

One highway was closed due to liquified swampland..

Thursday a 200 by 200 foot "slurry area" has appeared in bayou corne in northern assumption parish--residents and others who witnessed the event told local reporters that the odor of diesel was prominent and it burned their eyes..

Earth informer has been relaying information for weeks on this matter.. Stay tuned for more. If you're in Assumption Parish and have more information, please contact me by email at earthinformer@gmail.com





at

First tremors and bubbles in the bayou and now this

Governor Bobby Jindhal signed an emergency order to combat the newest problems besieging Assumption: Sink holes..

One highway was closed due to liquified swampland..

Thursday a 200 by 200 foot "slurry area" has appeared in bayou corne in northern assumption parish--residents and others who witnessed the event told local reporters that the odor of diesel was prominent and it burned their eyes..

Earth informer has been relaying information for weeks on this matter.. Stay tuned for more. If you're in Assumption Parish and have more information, please contact me by email at earthinformer@gmail.com





at

Sunday massacre

Yet again, another violent weekend bloodbath has occurred, this time at a Sikh temple, another shooter’s neighborhood in lockdown, and more debate coming up this week about violence, guns, conspiracies, and all that. Yes indeed, the times are never good, especially the ones we live in.. Thoughts go out tonight for those dead. Questions fill my mind about the shooter, who is reportedly a white male in his 30s..





at

Sunday massacre

Yet again, another violent weekend bloodbath has occurred, this time at a Sikh temple, another shooter’s neighborhood in lockdown, and more debate coming up this week about violence, guns, conspiracies, and all that. Yes indeed, the times are never good, especially the ones we live in.. Thoughts go out tonight for those dead. Questions fill my mind about the shooter, who is reportedly a white male in his 30s..





at

HEADS IN THE CLOUD

You may have heard a lot of cloud computing recently. And if you did, your opinion may have been formed depending on which computer geek you spoke to. I myself like to arm myself with opposing geek positions and then I form my conclusion based on the geekiest and scariest of arguments.


And concerning the Cloud: It freaks me out.

You trust your data to be there when you want it and need it. You trust that no one will hack it. And you trust it all so much that you don't retain a copy for yourself but just store it on the 'Cloud,' reaching up from time to time when you want to grab a hold of something important.



In theory it sounds in part like it could work. Why worry about storing your data on your own hard drive, which when corrupted, can't operate. You may lose everything. All those photos.. songs.. everything.



That is when the cloud get tempting.



But .... and here is the big big but, you really can't say you own it anymore. You sign away things through legal terms of agreements that you don't understand. And just in case you believe me to be a prognosticator of doom, here is a story from Agence France-Presse about Steve Wozniak, the man who co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs.  The quote:

“I really worry about everything going to the cloud,” he said. “I think it’s going to be horrendous. I think there are going to be a lot of horrible problems in the next five years.”
He added: “With the cloud, you don’t own anything. You already signed it away” through the legalistic terms of service with a cloud provider that computer users must agree to.
“I want to feel that I own things,” Wozniak said. “A lot of people feel, ‘Oh, everything is really on my computer,’ but I say the more we transfer everything onto the web, onto the cloud, the less we’re going to have control over it.”

There are some computer nerds that are friends of mine whom I trust. And they have a problem with the cloud..

But I think all nerds, geeks, experts, and coders will agree: If Steve Wozniak is worried about the cloud and who owns the data, I think all of should be.
at

HEADS IN THE CLOUD

You may have heard a lot of cloud computing recently. And if you did, your opinion may have been formed depending on which computer geek you spoke to. I myself like to arm myself with opposing geek positions and then I form my conclusion based on the geekiest and scariest of arguments.


And concerning the Cloud: It freaks me out.

You trust your data to be there when you want it and need it. You trust that no one will hack it. And you trust it all so much that you don't retain a copy for yourself but just store it on the 'Cloud,' reaching up from time to time when you want to grab a hold of something important.



In theory it sounds in part like it could work. Why worry about storing your data on your own hard drive, which when corrupted, can't operate. You may lose everything. All those photos.. songs.. everything.



That is when the cloud get tempting.



But .... and here is the big big but, you really can't say you own it anymore. You sign away things through legal terms of agreements that you don't understand. And just in case you believe me to be a prognosticator of doom, here is a story from Agence France-Presse about Steve Wozniak, the man who co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs.  The quote:

“I really worry about everything going to the cloud,” he said. “I think it’s going to be horrendous. I think there are going to be a lot of horrible problems in the next five years.”
He added: “With the cloud, you don’t own anything. You already signed it away” through the legalistic terms of service with a cloud provider that computer users must agree to.
“I want to feel that I own things,” Wozniak said. “A lot of people feel, ‘Oh, everything is really on my computer,’ but I say the more we transfer everything onto the web, onto the cloud, the less we’re going to have control over it.”

There are some computer nerds that are friends of mine whom I trust. And they have a problem with the cloud..

But I think all nerds, geeks, experts, and coders will agree: If Steve Wozniak is worried about the cloud and who owns the data, I think all of should be.
at

The death cry from deep in space

An amazing story from the LA TIMES, which reports that astronomers have detected "the death cry" of a star being eaten up by a super massive black hole.

One astronomer quotes by the TIMES says it's akin to 'hearing the star scream as it gets devoured, if you like.' 

The scientific reasoning is detailed more in the TIMES. It's not literally a giant star screaming, of course. But the signals that have been detected with this black hole, identified Swift J1644+57, are similar to those detected from other black holes, some smaller, as material prepares to be sucked into the ... into the.. into the what!? That brings up that other question: What exactly happens in a black hole, what is a black hole, and where does the black hole go?

Millions of scientists, if there are millions, will have billions of theories. We are presented with some textbook analysis of what a black hole is.

But I dare someone to bet their life savings on knowing what exactly a black hole was, is, and does. 
And now the thought of a star screaming from billions of light years away as it enters the hole is frightening. 
at

The death cry from deep in space

An amazing story from the LA TIMES, which reports that astronomers have detected "the death cry" of a star being eaten up by a super massive black hole.

One astronomer quotes by the TIMES says it's akin to 'hearing the star scream as it gets devoured, if you like.' 

The scientific reasoning is detailed more in the TIMES. It's not literally a giant star screaming, of course. But the signals that have been detected with this black hole, identified Swift J1644+57, are similar to those detected from other black holes, some smaller, as material prepares to be sucked into the ... into the.. into the what!? That brings up that other question: What exactly happens in a black hole, what is a black hole, and where does the black hole go?

Millions of scientists, if there are millions, will have billions of theories. We are presented with some textbook analysis of what a black hole is.

But I dare someone to bet their life savings on knowing what exactly a black hole was, is, and does. 
And now the thought of a star screaming from billions of light years away as it enters the hole is frightening. 
at

WAR DRUMS: SYRIA

With months of Syrian tension now in history books, the current situation in the nation appears to be worsening. The world would seem ready to choose sides and and go to battle.

This past week, information leaked that President Obama has signed orders to provide assistance to rebels battling the Syrian government. And now news is breaking that Russia is reportedly sending warships with marines to Syrian waters.

War drums banging from east to west.
at

WAR DRUMS: SYRIA

With months of Syrian tension now in history books, the current situation in the nation appears to be worsening. The world would seem ready to choose sides and and go to battle.

This past week, information leaked that President Obama has signed orders to provide assistance to rebels battling the Syrian government. And now news is breaking that Russia is reportedly sending warships with marines to Syrian waters.

War drums banging from east to west.
at

Good luck and Godspeed Curiosity

NASA has invested lots of time, effort, and money into Curiosity: The Mars rover that will hopefully find any signs of life on Mars and answer the age old question that Earthlings have long pondered: Are we alone?

The new rover landing on Mars (with any luck it will land and transmit data back to the planet Earth afterwards, tension on that aspect is high) will hunt for signs of water and and and soil-based signatures of life within soil.

We will know within hours if NASA and the planet will be getting vast amounts of data and potential answers. Make of break for Curiosity. The one ton of nuclear powered material is the size of a car.. And it will, with any luck, begin cruising the Martian landscape by tomorrow.
at

Good luck and Godspeed Curiosity

NASA has invested lots of time, effort, and money into Curiosity: The Mars rover that will hopefully find any signs of life on Mars and answer the age old question that Earthlings have long pondered: Are we alone?

The new rover landing on Mars (with any luck it will land and transmit data back to the planet Earth afterwards, tension on that aspect is high) will hunt for signs of water and and and soil-based signatures of life within soil.

We will know within hours if NASA and the planet will be getting vast amounts of data and potential answers. Make of break for Curiosity. The one ton of nuclear powered material is the size of a car.. And it will, with any luck, begin cruising the Martian landscape by tomorrow.
at

Fear just in time for the fair

The pastimes of summer are here finally: August heat, long and muggy nights at baseball games, and county fairs. The fair season is a particular favorite for many--from August through October, deep fried food and animal shows grace the American landscape. This year, though, FEDs say to fear the fair: The swine flu can pass from pigs to humans that we are in danger of an outbreak.

According to officials, a stern warning of washing your hands in in order. The Centers for Disease Control are monitor a new strain of the swine flu and believe the great American county fair scene is a great location for the disease to spread.

Two pigs with swine flu were sent away from the Ohio State fair in July. Another case occurred in Indiana. The Wisconsin State Fair is now being watched closely for sick pigs. 

Common sense is the only way to combat the flu, at times. For example, the CDC's warning to wash hands should go without saying--though if you've been to certain county fairs the lack of true sanitizing hand soap is shocking. Perhaps holding a little pocket sized hand sanitizer may help. More common sense: Don't take your deep fried oreos or loaded baked potato into the animal barn with you..

And finally, and this one comes from the personal files of Earth Informer: The final approach to battling disease and sickness at the fair is to not touch the animals, play with the animals, or pet the animals. Maybe it's the paranoid person within me, but I never much liked the petting zoo scene. But swine flu may. So avoid appropriately. 

And don't panic. Go to the fair. Eat the food.

Just be sensible and, as always, know your surroundings. 
at

Fear just in time for the fair

The pastimes of summer are here finally: August heat, long and muggy nights at baseball games, and county fairs. The fair season is a particular favorite for many--from August through October, deep fried food and animal shows grace the American landscape. This year, though, FEDs say to fear the fair: The swine flu can pass from pigs to humans that we are in danger of an outbreak.

According to officials, a stern warning of washing your hands in in order. The Centers for Disease Control are monitor a new strain of the swine flu and believe the great American county fair scene is a great location for the disease to spread.

Two pigs with swine flu were sent away from the Ohio State fair in July. Another case occurred in Indiana. The Wisconsin State Fair is now being watched closely for sick pigs. 

Common sense is the only way to combat the flu, at times. For example, the CDC's warning to wash hands should go without saying--though if you've been to certain county fairs the lack of true sanitizing hand soap is shocking. Perhaps holding a little pocket sized hand sanitizer may help. More common sense: Don't take your deep fried oreos or loaded baked potato into the animal barn with you..

And finally, and this one comes from the personal files of Earth Informer: The final approach to battling disease and sickness at the fair is to not touch the animals, play with the animals, or pet the animals. Maybe it's the paranoid person within me, but I never much liked the petting zoo scene. But swine flu may. So avoid appropriately. 

And don't panic. Go to the fair. Eat the food.

Just be sensible and, as always, know your surroundings. 
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Finding the light for $5 million

The John Templeton Foundation has awarded a three year, $5 million grant, to University of California professor John Martin Fischer. This award has an interesting subject matter: The money and study will be to find out all that is--or isn't--about life after death.

Including with the study: Immortality, near death experiences, how beliefs impact afterlife or human behavior..




The money quote:
“We will be very careful in documenting near-death experiences and other phenomena, trying to figure out if these offer plausible glimpses of an afterlife or are biologically induced illusions,” Fischer said. “Our approach will be uncompromisingly scientifically rigorous. We’re not going to spend money to study alien-abduction reports. We will look at near-death experiences and try to find out what’s going on there — what is promising, what is nonsense, and what is scientifically debunked. We may find something important about our lives and our values, even if not glimpses into an afterlife.”
The study sounds like it is setting out to be reputable and quotable. It will interesting just what Ms. Fischer and company find out concerning the real and true glimpses of NDEs. There are lots of pieces of nonsense and steaming piles of excrement around any time you delve deep into paranormal or after death accounts. The subject matter of UFOs and abductions brings about the same scenarios of making sure you wear knee deep boots. But a real study about the subject works if the subject matter itself is respected by those who are researching it. It appears, in just casual reading on this matter, that it could a respectable approach to finding out just what else is out there after this.

And in the end, don't you think that this study is setting out to try to answer the most important question of life anyway? Is there life after death or not? That question has been thought about for almost all of humankind. And after all this time, we are no closer to an answer than we were when original humans discovered fire.
at

Finding the light for $5 million

The John Templeton Foundation has awarded a three year, $5 million grant, to University of California professor John Martin Fischer. This award has an interesting subject matter: The money and study will be to find out all that is--or isn't--about life after death.

Including with the study: Immortality, near death experiences, how beliefs impact afterlife or human behavior..




The money quote:
“We will be very careful in documenting near-death experiences and other phenomena, trying to figure out if these offer plausible glimpses of an afterlife or are biologically induced illusions,” Fischer said. “Our approach will be uncompromisingly scientifically rigorous. We’re not going to spend money to study alien-abduction reports. We will look at near-death experiences and try to find out what’s going on there — what is promising, what is nonsense, and what is scientifically debunked. We may find something important about our lives and our values, even if not glimpses into an afterlife.”
The study sounds like it is setting out to be reputable and quotable. It will interesting just what Ms. Fischer and company find out concerning the real and true glimpses of NDEs. There are lots of pieces of nonsense and steaming piles of excrement around any time you delve deep into paranormal or after death accounts. The subject matter of UFOs and abductions brings about the same scenarios of making sure you wear knee deep boots. But a real study about the subject works if the subject matter itself is respected by those who are researching it. It appears, in just casual reading on this matter, that it could a respectable approach to finding out just what else is out there after this.

And in the end, don't you think that this study is setting out to try to answer the most important question of life anyway? Is there life after death or not? That question has been thought about for almost all of humankind. And after all this time, we are no closer to an answer than we were when original humans discovered fire.
at
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