Over the last couple of weeks, I've been analyzing the way the candidates speak in interviews and speeches using our text analysis program, LIWC. Now that the individual analyses are finished, here's a summary of how the candidates differ from their running mates and the opposing team.

Averaged across interviews and speeches, McCain and Palin are less linguistically in sync than Obama and Biden, with 19 significant differences between the Republicans and 13 differences between the Democrats. As McCain pointed out, “What do you expect of two mavericks, to agree on everything? Eh?”

Looking at the candidates’ language from a broader perspective, there are 16 major differences between the Democrats and Republicans. In the table below you can see how the two tickets differ (word categories in each column were used significantly more by those candidates):

Democrats: concrete and restrained articles (a, and, the) negations (never, no) exclusive (without, except) anxiety and anger (worry, fight) tentative (probably, careful) sight and hearing (look, listen) motion verbs (run, carry) space (around, eastern) time (age, beginning) death (casualty, grieve)

Republicans: cheerfully unrestrained, future-focused first person singular (I, me, my) future (will, must) inclusive (all, both) conjunctions (and, but, also) affect (sad, joyful) positive emotions (enjoy, happy)

“I” and “we.” All four nominees come across as high status and somewhat distant, using “I” at relatively low rates (about 3%) and “we” at relatively high rates (also about 3%). The Republicans appear more personable than the Democrats, using more I-words on average. In terms of "I" use in interviews and speeches, Biden is the least approachable and McCain is the most. In terms of "we" use, Palin sounds more like Joe Six-Pack than the other candidates in speeches. She comes across as colder (more "we") than the others in interviews, however. Obama, Biden, and McCain all use “we” at about the same rate.

Conjunctions and negations. Negations and conjunction are both markers of self-restraint: negations indicate self-control and inhibition, and a high number of conjunctions is a hallmark of rambling. Palin appears to be the least restrained of the four candidates, linguistically and otherwise. She uses far more conjunctions and far fewer negations than the others, particularly in interviews. Biden, on the other hand, clearly likes to talk, but his language actually shows the most restraint: he uses the fewest conjunctions and the most negations. He says a lot, but he structures his sentences normally and is relatively self-controlled.

Cognitive mechanisms. Palin's thought processes seem to be the least complicated of the four: she uses fewer words that refer to cognitive processes (insight, cause and effect relationships, inclusion, exclusion, and so on) than the other nominees. The only cognitive words she uses frequently are inclusive words (plus, and, with), which, like conjunctions, can indicate rambling. She uses particularly few inhibition and exclusive words. Using few exclusive words sometimes indicates dishonesty. Obama uses the most exclusive words of the four nominees, although the differences between Obama, Biden, and McCain are subtle.

Emotions. The Republican ticket is generally sunnier than the Democratic team (more positive emotion words, fewer mentions of negative emotions). McCain uses the most positive emotion words (happy, excited) of the four nominees. He also talks about sadness the most, however. Palin is the most unilaterally cheerful candidate: she talks about positive emotions more than both Democrats and refers to anxiety, anger, and sadness less than McCain, Obama, and Biden. Biden's language is somewhat gloomy: he talks about positive emotions the least and negative emotions the most. Obama talks the most about anxiety, Biden language is the angriest.

Achievement. McCain appears to be more ambitious and focused on success than either Palin or his opponents. He uses words that refer to need for achievement (failure, win, success) much more than the others. In speeches, 4% of his words have to do with need for achievement. That’s very high. (Compare with Eliot Spitzer’s achievement language in his resignation speech.) Obama and Palin refer to achievement least often, and Biden is somewhere in the middle. All candidates used more achievement words in speeches. Similarly, McCain talks about money the most, nearly three times as much as Biden and Palin, while Obama talks about money a moderate amount.

Asked how he was doing, he shrugged and responded, with resignation and a degree of joylessness: “Making money is making money,” before heading inside the building. He declined to speak further.

...

“Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall,” Mrs. Kennedy wrote, adding: “See you back on top.”

Mr. Spitzer was so moved by the words that when he resigned a few days later, he used them in his short resignation speech.

y name is PauvrePlume, and I'm addicted to CNN. True story. I've actually heard (via my radio addiction, NPR) that there is a type of disorder/addiction that runs rampant during high-profile political seasons, whereby unsuspecting victims find themselves perched for hours (nay, DAYS) in front of the TV, hoping to get their politics fix, drool pooling around them, soaking into the couch cushion, leaving a dry trail of skin around their mouths. Yeah, it ain't pretty. And that's me. I'm the resident dry-skinned drool maven. Hey, I could do a lot worse, right? Right.

Besides, it's not my fault. It's my grandma's fault. I stayed with her during spring break 2008, which just so happened to coincide with the Eliot Spitzer/call-girl controversy and the Democratic primary season. My pop-culture-plus-political-fascination naturally kicked into overdrive, but when you add my ridiculously cute, 90-year-old Gram to the mix -- who just so happens to partake in a 24/7 CNN fiesta while also still finding the time to mow her own lawn -- you might as well just strap me down with Larry King's suspenders and shove John King's super hi-tech, multi-touch collaboration wall down my throat. 

Speaking of Lare-Bear... could someone please tell me why no one at CNN checks that dude before he goes on the air?!? I'm not being mean, I swear. I have Larry's best interest at heart. In fact, I feel bad for the senile sap because he clearly inhabits some type of parallel universe in which royal blue oxfords, turquoise blue suspenders, and orange-red striped ties seem like a good idea. It's not just the suspenders. I'm actually kind of a fan of suspenders. They're fun. Strappy and fun. I always imagine that they could become loose and pull free at any second, flail around and ultimately smack somebody in the cheek. Now, come on: that would be AWESOME, right?! Right. Anyway, poor Larry needs some freakin' help, that's all I'm saying. I love when he has "up-'n-comers" on his show, and it's so obvious that he just looked at the index card, like, 5 minutes before he went on the air, so he pronounces names wrong, effs up show titles and biographical info... I freakin' LOVE when that happens.

But, I mean, who can bash him, you know? It's freakin' LARRY KING!!!!! The suspenderized fossil has hosted his own successful talk show for an incomprehensible 23 years, for crying out loud. His success flies in the face of his public arrest for grand larceny in the '70s, a heart attack and quintuple-bypass surgery in 1987, seven marriages and six divorces... Somehow, King managed to meet and marry Shawn Southwick, a woman 26 years his junior (Larry is 74, Shawn is 48) and with whom he has had two children, aged eight and nine. The dude doesn't quit, apparently. I just think it would be cool if he didn't quit while NOT wearing an unspeakably heinous suspender/tie/oxford ensemble, that's all.

So, it's no secret that a ton of people love to tune into CNN because of a certain handsome and witty, prematurely grey anchor who just so happens to be Gloria Vanderbilt's son. Anderson Cooper is truly enjoyable, don't get me wrong. I've been a huge fan ever since he zoomed his journalistic way into my high school TV sets via Channel One in the 1990s. 

But my CNN crush is another handsome, witty, prematurely grey anchor. But, not just any anchor. Oh no. John King happens to be CNN's Chief National Correspondent, thank you very much. And he's d@@@@@@mn good at it. Not only does he NOT wear obnoxious suspender/tie/oxford ensembles, but he also possesses some mad multi-touch skillz and impeccable analyses of political strategies and f*ck-ups. John King, I choose to ignore the fact that you foolishly married your CNN colleague, Dana Bash, earlier this year. Minor detail. I will not let this stand in the way of my daily JK appreciation. Especially because CNN stuck her with tracking the McCain Campaign this election season. I can only imagine that your wife is being infested by McPalinisms on an hourly basis and, therefore, it is best that you spend as much time away from her as possible. Which will help me to delude myself into thinking that you two are not together AT ALL. And which re-confirms the fact that your marriage to Ms. Bashketcase is completely inconsequential. 

In a similar vein, I refuse to allow any alleged "John King Lovers" to diminish my adoration for you -- or for your Magic Wall. You are about to enter one of the most highly charged and significant times of your -- and your Magic Wall's -- life: Election 2008. You will be tired. Your neatly-tied tie will begin to crookedize itself. Your multi-touching fingers will become crampy and weary. But you will persevere, JK. Oh, yes, you will persevere, as only a strong-willed, determined Chief National Correspondent can. And I will be there for you, JK, every step of the way.

Now, apparently I am not your only admirer. I mean, besides me and, you know, your wife. Apparently there are others. Please don't misunderstand: I am extremely grateful that the world is catching on to your brilliance and journalistic magnetism. I am. I swear.

Still, you must understand that it is always difficult to share something one admires so much. So, while I praise a site such as "John the News King," I must admit that I am a bit saddened to learn that you do not exist solely for me. Oh, and your wife. And for me.

(*Note: I mean this pog in the least creepy way possible and pinky-swear that I am not a stalker. Though I really would like to get my paws on that Magic Wall...)

t r u t h o u t | Eliot Spitzer | Predatory Lenders' Partner in Crime
Predatory Lenders' Partner in Crime
By Eliot Spitzer
The Washington Post

Thursday 14 February 2008

How the Bush administration stopped the states from stepping in to help consumers.

Several years ago, state attorneys general and others involved in consumer protection began to notice a marked increase in a range of predatory lending practices by mortgage lenders. Some were misrepresenting the terms of loans, making loans without regard to consumers' ability to repay, making loans with deceptive "teaser" rates that later ballooned astronomically, packing loans with undisclosed charges and fees, or even paying illegal kickbacks. These and other practices, we noticed, were having a devastating effect on home buyers. In addition, the widespread nature of these practices, if left unchecked, threatened our financial markets.

Even though predatory lending was becoming a national problem, the Bush administration looked the other way and did nothing to protect American homeowners. In fact, the government chose instead to align itself with the banks that were victimizing consumers.

Predatory lending was widely understood to present a looming national crisis. READ the whole article --->

1. Lokasi terbentuknya planet di atas pada wilayah ideal di sekitar bintang, yaitu sejarak Bumi-Matahari,  sehingga memungkinkan akan terbentuk atmosfer, kemudian diikuti oleh terbentuknya air, dan beberapa juta tahun kemudian akan menjadi planet yang mendukung munculnya kehidupan;
2. Planet tersebut terbentuk di dalam sabuk debu raksasa, bahkan berukuran lebih besar dari sabuk asteroid di Tata Surya kita. Debu-debu itulah yang merupakan bahan baku terbentuknya material batuan, yang menurut analisa citra dari teleskop Spitzer, memiliki kemiripan dengan materi lempengan dan inti Bumi.
3. Keberadaan lingkaran sabuk es disekitar planet yang nantinya menjadi sumber terbentuknya air di permukaan planet. Untuk memungkinkan terbentuknya kehidupan di air yang terbentuknya nantinya, masih diperlukan waktu setidaknya 100 juta tahun.

Secara teoritis, palnet tersebut akan menjadi planet bebatuan secara utuh, entah seperti Mars, Bumi atau Venus dalam waktu milyaran tahun lagi. Meskipun begitu, hasil pengamatan teleskop Spitzer ini sangat berarti. Kita disuguhi pemandangan awal sekali terbentuknya planet di sekiar bintang yang berusia sangat muda.

Mengenal Teleskop Spitzer

Teleskop Spitzer adalah teleskop antariksa pertama yang diluncurkan dalam lintasan orbit Bumi. Teleskop ini selalu mengekor gerak Bumi mengitari Matahari.

Dicetuskan oleh astronom Lyman Spitzer (26 Juni 1914 - 31 Maret 1997) saat menjabat ketua Departemen Astrofisika Universitas Princeton di usianya ke 33 tahun pada 1946. Teleskop berbiaya 2,2 milyar dollar AS diluncurkan pada 25 Agustus 2003 dengan roket Delta II jam 01.35 waktu setempat dari Cape Canaveral, Florida, AS, setelah penundaan dan mengalami pengembangan selama 2 dekade.

Semula teleskop ini bernama Space Infra Red Telescope Facilities (SIRTF) karena beroperasi di rentang cahaya inframerah dengan panjang gelombang 3-180 mikrometer. Sebagai penghormatan terhadap penggagasnya, nama teleskop diubah menjadi Teleskop Spitzer.

Untuk mendapatkan kemampuan teleskop seperti yang dimaksudkan, teleskop dengan berat 865 kg dan tinggi 4 m lensanya terbuat dari berilium, sebuah material yang amat ringan, yang didinginkan di dalam helium cair sebanyak 360 liter pada temperatur dibawah - 268 derajat C. Mendekati temperatur nol mutlak.

Melalui lensa berdiameter 85 cm dan berat 50 kg itulah para astronom mendeteksi obyek alam semesta yang bertemperatur amat rendah yang tidak teramati melalui cahaya tampak,seperti proses terbentuknya bintang.Dimana sebuah benda yang berada di pusat piringan akresi belum melakukan reaksi fusi nuklir di intinya.

Kemampuan yang menakjubkan inilah yang membawa manusia melihat "kenyataan lain", kosmos yang sedang membentuk yang diselubungi oleh awan gas dan debu raksasa.

Tertunda

Spitzer merupakan sistem peneropongan bintang sistem peneropongan bintang (Great Observatories) ke-empat yang diluncurkan NASA. Sebelumnya telah diluncurkan Teleskop Antariksa Hubble pada 1990; Gamma Ray Observatory, pada 1991 dan Chandra X-Ray Observatory pada 1999. Keempat teleskop tersebut memiliki fungsi berbeda karenanya bekerja pada rentang panjang gelombang berbeda.

Bila mengikuti jadwal semula harusnya Spitzer diluncurkan pada 1990, setelah direncanakan dengan matang pada 1983. Perubahan penting teleskop Spitzer adalah posisi orbitnya di antariksa.

Bila semula akan diletakkan mengitari Bumi, seperti halnya teleskop Hubble, kemudian diubah di orbit Bumi. Artinya teleskop ini berada di orbit heliosentris. Spitzer mengitari Matahari, sebagaimana halnya Bumi.

Menggunakan cahaya Matahari sebagai sumber energinya, semula teleskop ini berjarak 42 juta km dari Bumi dan bertambah 18 juta km tiap tahunnya. Dengan cara ini memberikan keuntungan yaitu selain bisa menghemat sumber tenaga listriknya, Spitzer tidak terganggu oleh panas yang dipantulkan Bumi.

Selain itu, panel surya yang bertugas menangkap radiasi Matahari juga berfungsi melindungi teleskop “supaya tetap dingin “, saat yang sama melindungi arah pandang teleskop yang dioperasikan selalu menjauhi arah Matahari.

Amat Sensitif

Melalui cermin utama berdiameter hampir 1 m yang ekstra sensitif (benda seukuran remote kontrol TV sejauh 40.000 km mampu dideteksi) dan amat dingin, panas serendah apapun di kedalaman antariksa yang merentang dalam panjang gelombang inframerah dideteksi, dipantulkan dan difokuskan menuju cermin sekunder yang lebih kecil yang berhadapan dengan cermin utama.

Selanjutnya dipantulkan lagi melewati lobang di bagian tengan cermin utama menuju tiga instrumen ilmiah yang ditempatkan dibelakang cermin utama. Ketiga instrumen itu adalah Fotometer Pencitraan Multikanal (MIPS), Spektograf inframerah (IRS) dan Kamera Susunan Inframerah (IRAC) akan menganalisa cahaya inframerah dalam berbagai frekuensi (atau panjang gelombangnya). Tangki helium cair diletakkan dibagian bawah ketiga instrumen tersebut.

Dengan kemampuannya seperti di atas, dalam 3 tahun ini, teleskop Spitzer telah memberikan informasi yang berharga mengenai objek-objek alam semesta,terutama proses lahirnya bintang baru yang berada dalam selubung awan gas dan debu.

Layaknya dokter dengan peralatan medis USG untuk melihat dan memantau perkembangan janin di dalam rahim, Spitzer memainkan peran mengungkap keajaiban-keajaiban alam semesta yang tidak kasat mata. “Dunia gelap” dalam pandangan cahaya tampak yang ternyata begitu hingar bingar dalam pandangan Spitzer.

George comte de Buffon (1701-1788) mengusulkan teori pasang surut. Menurutnya, akibat tabrakan dengan sebuah komet, sebagian materi Matahari terlempar, yang kemudian membentuk planet dan pengiring lainnya.

Teori ini diperbaiki dengan--bahwa--bintang-lah yang menarik sebagian materi Matahari ketika suatu saat sang bintang itu lewat dekat Matahari. Ilmuwan seperti Bickerton pada 1880, Thomas Chamberlin (1843-1928) pada 1901, Forest Moulton (1872-1952) pada 1905 dan James Jeans (1877-1946) mengusung dan menyempurnakan Teori Pasang Surut.

Beberapa astronom seperti Harold Jeffreys (1891-1989), Henry Norris Russel (1877-1957) dan Lyman Spitzer (1914-1997) memberikan kritik terhadap teori ini Filsuf besar bernama Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), yang tapak pemikirannya merentang di berbagai disiplin ilmu sosial, dan Perre Simon de Laplace (1749-1827)--yang menyempurnakan pemikiran Kant-- mengusulkan Teori Kabut atau Teori Nebula.

Disebutkan bahwa akibat dari awan gas raksasa yang mengerut (mengalami keruntuhan) dan berputar kian cepat (untuk mempertahankan momentum sudut) akibat gravitasi dirinya-lah maka terbentuk Tata Surya. Awan memipih.Terbentuk piringan akresi (penambahan massa ke arah pusat piringan). Di pusat massa terbentuk bintang yang diawali dengan terjadi reaksi fusi nuklir pertama kali.Sementara di dalam piringan, di luar pusat piringan yang membentuk bintang, terbentuk sejumlah cincin dimana materinya mengelompok atau memadat /terjadi kondensasi pada tiap cincin akibat gravitasi.

Di tiap cincin inilah yang kemudian terbentuk planet dan pengiringnya. William Herschel (1738-1822) dengan teleskopnya memperkuat pendapat Kant melalui pengamatan bintang yang dikelilingi awan terang, atau dinamakan halo. Teori yang dikenal sebagai Teori Kabut Kant-Laplace ini dianut secara luas dan terus mengalami penyempurnaan hingga sekarang. Contohnya, Edouard Roche (1820-1883) yang menjelaskan proses terbentuknya cincin di sekitar Matahari. Namun tak kurang pula, berbagai kritik hadir dikarenakan berbagai permasalahan yang bisa muncul sehingga sistem yang terbentuk melalui teori Nebula akan tidak stabil. Contohnya kritik oleh Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), James Jeans (1877-1946) dan lainnya

Dengan mempertimbangkan keterbatasan informasi mengenai alam raya, terutama sistem bintang (bintang peserta pengiringnya) karena hambatan teknologi pengamatan dan teori pendukung, kita bisa mengapresiasi kecanggihan nalar ilmuwan "tempo doeloe" di dalam memahami lingkungan yang luas dan belum terbayangkan secara utuh saat itu, yaitu Tata Surya, sistem bintang tempat kita berada.

Pada setengah paruh awal abad 20, perkembangan teori pembentukan Tata Surya menjadi lebih canggih seiring dengan makin jauhnya hasil pengamatan di kedalaman antariksa, bintang bahkan galaksi lain. Diantaranya adalah Teori Akresi yang dirumuskan pertama kali oleh Otto Schmidt (1892-1956) dan disempurnakan oleh Ray Lyttleton (1911-1995). Teori Pusaran yang diperkenalkan oleh Carl von Weizsäker pada 1944.

Era Teleskop Antariksa

Baru pada dasawarsa akhir abad 20-lah ketika berbagai teleskop antariksa diluncurkan pemahaman mengenai pembentukan Tata Surya telah melampui berbagai teori yang ada. Maksudnya, pembentukan Tata Surya tidak lagi sebatas abstraksi tetapi telah berada pada tingkat pengamatan, layaknya kita mengamati sebutir telur ayam yang menetas menjadi anak ayam.

Pada tingkat ini kita bisa memahami kekaguman Elie (diperankan oleh Jodie Foster) dalam film "Contact" ketika ia memasuki lorong waktu dalam melihat berbagai jenis kelahiran bintang dari nebula. Pemandangan yang spektakular dan melampui imajinasi !.

Suguhan nyata itu dihadirkan tidak lagi melalui film fiksi ilmiah seperti Contact di atas tetapi oleh teleskop Spitzer yang beroperasi di rentang cahaya inframerah.

Tayangan Spektakular Itu

Dari berbagai karya "fotografi" teleskop ini, dilaporkan berbagai hasil pengamatan yang sungguh menakjubkan yaitu pembentukan hampir 2.300 buah piringan akresi yang sedang membentuk bintang dan planetnya di Nebula Orion. Telah lama astronom mengamati Nebula yang berjarak 1,450 tahun cahaya dari Bumi dan merentang sepanjang 240 tahun cahaya melalui rentang cahaya tampak dan hanya bisa pada lapisan luarnya.

Luas Nebula ini dalam lengkungan bola langit setara dengan luas 28 buah Bulan Purnama. Diketahui bahwa nebula ini merupakan lokasi pembentukan bintang yang amat aktif. Melalui teleskop Spitzer-lah, astronom mampu memindai pada wilayah yang lebih jauh di dalam nebula. Terlihat berbagai putaran debu yang membentuk bintang, dan beberapa diantaranya terdapat piringan debu yang nantinya membentuk planet di sekitar pusat putaran. Tidak tanggung-tanggung terdapat sekira 2.300 piringan yang nantinya membentuk sistem bintang yang amat beragam.

Dimana untuk bintang sendiri dibedakan menurut ukuran dan temperaturnya. Dari populasi kompleks beragam “Tata Surya” yang akan terbentuk nanti, Dr. Thomas Megeath dari Universitas Toledo,Ohio, AS melakukan cacah dimana bila diibaratkan sebuah kota, 60 persen yang terbentuk akan berupa kelompok bintang dalam populasi padat (kluster) yang berada di pusat kota, 15 persen berada kumpulan yang tidak padat di pinggir kota dan 25 persen adalah “Tata Surya” yang berdiri sendiri atau tidak mengelompok yang jauh dari kawasan kota.

Dari populasi di atas, 60 – 70 persen bintang masih berada dalam piringan, sedangkan sisanya tidak. Menelisik lebih dalam di Nebula Orion, Spitzer menemukan 200 buah piringan yang sedang berproses untuk membentuk bintang. “Kota Tata Surya “ di Nebula Orion memberikan pilihan bagi astronom untuk mencari sebuah Sistem Bintang yang mirip dengan Tata Surya kita. Bila ada representasi Tata Surya kita di nebula Orion maka akna lebih mudah untuk memahami bagaimana terbentuknya Tata Surya dengan menonton bioskop di Nebula Orion. Seakan melihat telur yang menetas menjadi ayam.

Referensi : berbagai macam sumber termasuk buku pelajaran fisika SMA

My wife is already the self appointed "Navigator'...Always steering me in one direction or another. Typical of most women she also never refrains from making critical comments about my driving! But when the 'Skipper' gets tired and offers to hand the wheel over to her she never accepts my offer.

Here's a photo of 'My Life, My Love and My Lady!' 'Mazheh'

I believe it was 'WILL ROGERS' who was quoted as saying " If DOGS don't go to HEAVEN when they die ...THEN I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO!"

Read full article at NASA

The formation of massive stars, usually defined as stars more than ~8 times the mass of the Sun, is not as well-understood as the processes that form the low- and intermediate-mass types like the Sun. This is partly due to the fact that they're much rarer in the Universe than your bog-standard Sun-type star, and they have much shorter lifetimes (millions rather than billions of years) - live fast, die young, so to say. And because they spend much of their earliest years enshrouded in large dust clouds, all the visible light they emit is blocked by the clouds. This is why astronomers need infrared telescopes like Spitzer to peer into the cores of these massive star nurseries.

The beautiful structures seen in the image are made of gas and dust that is being blasted away by the energy of the new stars.

The paper describing the Spitzer findings was written by Koenig et al, and published in the Astrophysical Journal, 2008.

The FDIC has been keeping a close eye on banks and thrifts with high levels of exposure to the riskiest borrowers and markets, officials say, including sub prime mortgages and construction loans in overbuilt areas.

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A holistic health counselor who worked as a part-time booker for the escort service that the authorities say was patronized by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer pleaded guilty on Monday to a federal prostitution conspiracy charge.

The counselor, Tanya Hollander, 36, told a federal judge in Manhattan that at first, she believed she was working for “a legitimate business” that made appointments for models and clients.

But she said that she had continued to work for the service, known as Emperor’s Club V.I.P., even after learning that it was involved in prostitution.

Ms. Hollander, who lives in Rhinebeck, N.Y., is the fourth defendant charged in the ring to enter a guilty plea.

The judge, Deborah A. Batts of Federal District Court, told Ms. Hollander that she could face up to five years in prison when she is sentenced on Nov. 25.

A new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope tells a tale of life and death amidst a rich family history. The striking infrared picture shows a colorful cosmic cloud, called W5, studded with multiple generations of blazing stars. It also provides dramatic new evidence that massive stars -- through their brute winds and radiation -- can trigger the birth of stellar newborns. The most massive stars in the universe form out of thick clouds of gas and dust. The stars are so massive, ranging from 15 to about 60 times the mass of our sun, that some of their material slides off in the form of winds. The scorching-hot stars also blaze with intense radiation. Over time, both the wind and radiation blast away surrounding cloud material, carving out expanding cavities.

Astronomers have long suspected that the carving of these cavities causes gas to compress into successive generations of new stars. As the cavities grow, it is believed that more and more stars arise along the cavities' expanding rims. The result is a radial "family tree" of stars, with the oldest in the middle of the cavity, and younger and younger stars farther out. Evidence for this theory can be seen easily in pictures of many star-forming regions, such as W5, Orion and Carina. For example, in the new Spitzer picture of W5, the most massive stars (some of the blue dots) are at the center of two hollow cavities, and younger stars (pink or white) are embedded in the elephant-trunk-like pillars as well as beyond the cavity rim. However, it is possible that the younger stars just happen to be near the edge of the cavities and were not triggered by the massive stars. Millions of years from now, the massive stars in W5 will die in tremendous explosions. When they do, they will destroy some of the young nearby stars -- the same stars they might have triggered into being. W5 spans an area of sky equivalent to four full moons and is about 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia. The Spitzer picture was taken over a period of 24 hours. The color red shows heated dust that pervades the region's cavities. Green highlights the dense clouds, and white knotty areas are where the youngest of stars are forming. The blue dots are older stars in the star-forming cloud, as well as unrelated stars behind and in front of the cloud.

ords/sayings/people that instantly contort my face into a hideous cringe-of-terror and launch me into an almost-catatonic state (not unlike the "locked-in syndrome" experienced by the dude from "The Diving Bell & the Butterfly"):

1. Calling friends "loves" or "lovies," as in: "I can't wait to see my loves this weekend!" (Gag me.)

2. Oprah and her campaign to capitalize on every unaccredited schmo out there (I'm talking to you, Dr. Phil...and the Book Club conglomerate), in the name of "goodwill toward man."  I don't care if she gives away a bajillion dollars worth of crap every year in the name of "altruism." (Make me heave.)

3. "It didn't mean anything" as some sort of warped excuse for why an extra-marital affair shouldn't matter. I'm not saying that the media should obsessive-compulsively be providing the public with all of these details of the private lives of politicians, actors, etc.. But once the infidels are confronted and admit to it, please Please PLEASE don't say "it didn't mean anything." Because, if that's true then...why even freakin' do it in the first place? In the same vein...seriously, is EVERYONE a cheat? First Spitzer, then his successor, now John Edwards...and on and on and on. It's so disheartening. I know it happens, but I don't want to KNOW it happens. You know? (Big, sad cringe.)

4. Anyone who calls me "honey" or "sweetie" that is not my father or grandmother. Or significant other, but...that person is non-existent right now, so...whatever. Cue the toll booth ticket-taker woman: "That'll be 70 cents, hon'." (Huge freakin' cringe.)

5. "Don't forget..." or "Remember to...," as in: "Don't forget to write Dr. Phil hate-mail." So, here's the thing: no matter how much of a control-freak you are and how badly you desire omnipotence, it is IMPOSSIBLE to make someone "remember"/"not forget" to do something. Forgetting and remembering are uncontrollable; otherwise, I wouldn't have locked myself out of my house, car, office, etc. a gajillion times. Trust me. (Big eye-roll.)

6. Campaign commercials, because there's no such thing as a "clean campaign" anymore. They're all smeared with various shades of juvenile ruthlessness. I think that dirty campaigning is pretty much the only thing that is truly non-partisan these days. (Cringe and turn the channel.)

7. "Whatevs," as in: "Hey, Bertha, what do you want to do tonight?" Bertha: "I don't know. Whatevs." Is it really that grueling to add one teeny tiny "-er" third syllable???  (Cringe and shake head.)

8. Kids with "fake" guns in the video arcade. Ok, that's not a word or saying, but... having recently patronized an arcade with my pseudo-niece and nephew, it sufficiently angered me to a point of actually having to turn my back and count to 10. (Angry, eyes-closed cringe.)

9. Speidi, as in Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, who are freakin' EVERYWHERE in my trash mags. Why are these spoiled, uninspiring, independently wealthy yet STILL money-grubbing annoyances EVERYWHERE???? GET OUT OF MY "US WEEKLY"!!!!!!!!  I fully admit to frequenting (and hating to love) certain reality shows, including "The Hills." But...but But BUT (!!!)... this does NOT mean that I have fooled my semi-intelligent brain into thinking that they have any talent whatsoever that should propel them to the constant double-page-spread status that some of them have finagled for themselves. It's PREPOSTEROUS. (Cringe BIG-time and throw the mag across the room. Once I'm done looking at all the fashion disasters, of course.)

10. "Why do you think that is?" A question commonly posed to me by my therapist. Enough said. (Cringe, become stressed-out, wait 60 seconds, and then flatly state "my mom." Because it's always her fault.)

I'm sure there are a bajillion more. Umm, like George W. Bush. But I figured he was a given.  And there's always time for additional cringe-inducing lists. Feel free to comment and add your own. I'm going back to my locked-in syndrome now.

It's one of those days. (Cringe.)

Every few weeks, I do a regular segment called Science for the Kids, where I list my favorite bits of science and skepticism that parents can use to foster a natural curiousity in their children.

I've been downloading the HD vodcasts from the people at Hubble and Spitzer telescopes for a while now.  Beyond the information they impart to your children, they also teach adults quite a bit too.  The images make you think of a really well done planetarium show, crisp and brilliant in all their high def glory.  Each vodcast is hosted by hipster geek astronomer, pros who seem slightly out of their natural element (behind a telescope, I assume).  Assuming you have enough memory on your computer to download these massive files, you will find some of the most recent Hubble and Spitzer images and intelligent analysis from astronomy's top scientists.

A while ago, I wrote about the secular humanist summer camp called Camp Quest.  I should also point out that their is a camp for critical inquiry and skepticism in Holland, New York called Camp Inquiry.  This camp is sponsered by the Center For Inquiry, an organization that promotes scientific reasoning and critical thought.  Here is a good NPR story about the camp.

The ladies at skepchick recommended a children's book on their blog.  It's called The Ghost on Saturday Night.  I haven't read it, but based on the recommendation, it seems to be about the debunking of a ghost psychic.  My daughter's been talking about ghosts and death lately, so we might just check it out from the library.  Also, speaking of skepchick, check out the new teen version of the popular skeptic blog, and if you happen to have a thoughtful rational teen, send them over there.

Are you the science geek father of a science geek teenager?  Are you looking for a good home chemistry set to share your love of science with him or her?  Well... they don't exist.  Sorry.  Chemistry sets are no longer hip (they never really were).  In this day and age, it's wii, T-mobile Sidekick, or nothing.  But you don't have to settle for a peer-to-peer zombie.  Just get yourself The Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments by Robert Bruce Thompson, a DIY kit that leads you through step-by-step science projects for kids.  This book is admittedly large, but it focuses on the "why" and "how" of the experiments and not on the "magic".

Edwards admitted during an interview on Nightline last night that he was having an affair with one of his aides. Rielle Hunter was the aide who was paid some $113,000 for her work filming Mr. Edwards described him in a 2007 interview as "very real and authentic...inspirational to me" and someone who was "open and willing to try new things and do things in new ways". I'll let that quote speak for itself. The story of the affair first surfaced from a photo taken by the National Enquirer of Edwards holding Hunter's 6-month old daughter at a Beverly Hills hotel.

My only question after this entire fiasco is whether or not I'm going to see a guest star appearance on the Maury Povich show. Is he the father or not? Well, with his track record there's no telling what side of the bed or who's for the matter, he will wake up on.

There must be a presidential code for handling these situations because when this story originally surfaced this was his statement, "The story is false. It's completely untrue, ridiculous. Anyone who knows me knows that I have been in love with the same woman for 30 plus years." Why the need for such public hypocrisy? Is it because he was a presidential candidate who wanted to present himself as a faithful father figure? What ever happened to the David Patterson's off the world? He just came right out with his skeletons before the media tore him to shreds.

I believe that this quote is definitely one of the best examples of karma coming back to bite you in the you know what. "I think this President has shown a remarkable disrespect for his office, for the moral dimensions of leadership, for his friends, for his wife, for his precious daughter. It is breathtaking to me the level to which that disrespect has risen." This statement was made to President Clinton in regards to his affair with Monica Lewinsky.

After the dust settles maybe everyone will see this as just another example of how human these politicians are. Even Edwards admitted that his ego got to his head when he said "I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic".

I guess he's just another politico papi chulo to add to the long list of cheating husbands. Is this story enough to outshine other such names as President Clinton, Governor McGreevey, and Governor Spitzer?

Only time and the PATERNITY TEST will tell.

I had thought that it had something to do with the election.  This was around the time when all you heard about were the superdelegates and who they were supporting.  For a couple mintues it was close enough between Clinton and Obama that one delegate might have made the difference.  Within the Democratic party I am pretty sure that a democratic governer would have been a superdelegate because of his position.  Maybe Spitzer was a superdelegate supporting the wrong canidate?

But no, it wasnt even that complicated.  It was all about money.  Thanks to the work of Mumia Abu-Jamal, who does his reporting from death row, we can find who Spitzer was making mad.

http://www.prisonradio.org/MumiaBeyondSpitzer.htm

Spitzer was one of the few taking action to help homeowners against the large banks who were continuing to get rich off the slide down into the vally in which we presently find ourselves.  Or maybe still sliding down.  Regardless of his sexual misadventures he was one of the few trying to fight for the people who needed fighting for, who needed representation.  Let anyone who wonders, look and see what powers are really in charge of our nation.  Its not Republicans or Democrats, but money.  But of course money has had a best friend in the office the oval office these past 7.5 years.

"Ya'll's boy"(as his Mother[and her opponent in an ad] called him) is at it again. This time he's been ordered to go to JAIL.

Judge Ronald Giles just sent Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to jail moments after the mayor pleaded for forgiveness and admitted he made an unauthorized trip to Windsor on city business.

Windsor is in Ontario just across the Detroit River

'

SOURCE

If it's City business why not get it approved??

At the beginning of this case you were given every privilege that could be given to you with regard to travel," Giles said, adding that he later imposed restrictions after learning Kilpatrick had been abusing his privileges.

"At that time I made it perfectly clear ... don't come back ... ," he said.

Court officials said Kilpatrick would remain in jail until he either posts the full $75,000 bond or until his lawyers can persuade a Wayne County Circuit Court judge to overturn the decision. But first, Kilpatrick would be taken to the 36th District Court detention area.

Giles comments came after Kilpatrick told the judge he had been living under incredible pressure for the past 7 months.

"I don't believe that there is a person that's ever been through this process that respects it more than I do," Kilpatrick said, referring to the legal proceedings stemming from the 8 felonies ranging from conspiracy to perjury to misconduct in office to obstruction of justice filed against him in March.

hmm,
1. using work phones to get his "swerve on"
2. Strippers in the Mayor's Mansion
3. 8 felonies ranging from conspiracy to perjury to misconduct in office to obstruction of justice filed against him in March.
4. Assaulting a police officer
5. Dang near ruining his mother's re-election
6. and now this

Why is he still in office?? Does he do a lot of good in the community? Because from a national standpoint, he's just bringing embarrassment to his city and his family and he's making other black politicians look bad too (how many times do I have to tell you they(society, the media everyone) look at you ten times harder?) Get it together!

Kwame story 1
Kwame Story 2
Kwame story 3

A federal lawsuit filed this month by Amber Arpaio seeks unspecified monetary compensation for defamation and invasion of privacy.

Dupre has said she was only 17 when she signed a contract to appear in the "Girls Gone Wild" video.

The video displays a New Jersey driver's license in the name of Amber Arpaio and a birth date that would have made her appear to be in her 20s.

Arpaio, 26, of Sussex County, cannot recall where she lost the license and doesn't know Dupre, although the women have similar faces, said Arpaio's lawyer, Joseph J. Fell.

"Somehow, Ashley Dupre got ahold of the license and had it for some period of time," Fell said Thursday.

Arpaio also sued "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joseph Francis.

Lawyers for Francis and Dupre had no immediate comment. Dupre's publicist did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Earlier this month, Dupre dropped her own lawsuit against Francis. She had claimed her name and image were exploited.

Dupre made news in March when she was identified as a high-priced call girl in the Emperors Club VIP prostitution ring whose client list included Spitzer, who resigned soon after the scandal broke.

The lawsuit by Arpaio was filed in U.S. District Court in Trenton on July 11 and reported Thursday in The Star-Ledger of Newark.