http://omg.yahoo.com/news/michael-jackson-dies-in-la-hospital/24346?nc

Michael Jackson, the 'King of Pop,' dies at age 50

Associated Press - 50 minutes ago

Associated Press LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson, the sensationally gifted child star who rose to become the "King of Pop" and the biggest celebrity in the world only to fall from his throne in a freakish series of scandals, died Thursday. He was 50. Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Ed Winter, the assistant chief coroner for Los Angeles County, confirmed his office had been notified of the death and would handle the investigation.( Read more... )

Today is the birthday of Saint Joseph of Cupertino, the patron saint of pilots and astronauts. Also, though I'm not into using 21st century labels to retroactively describe people of earlier times, he was sort of crazy in a way I can relate to.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/COPERTIN.htm

JOSEPH OF COPERTINO 1603-1645
Feast: September 18

Joseph Desa of Copertino was born on June 17th, 1603. His home was miserably poor; he was sickly, and extremely dull. He was refused admittance into one convent after another, or dismissed for clumsiness, ignorance or absent-mindedness. At last he was accepted as a servant by the Conventual Franciscans of Grotella and, against all probability, was ordained in 1628. At once the 'abnormal' side of his life began.( Read more... )

Source: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=39e_1240521483

A douche who posted people's private info on the internet is ordered to pay.

http://www.citmedialaw.org/threats/doe-v-fortuny#description

Doe v. Fortuny
Posted August 8th, 2008 by CMLP Staff
SummaryThreat Type: Lawsuit Date: 02/20/2008
Status: Concluded Location: Illinois
Disposition: Verdict (plaintiff) Verdict/Settlement Amount: $74,252.60
Legal Claims: Copyright Infringement; Intrusion; Publication of Private

Description

On February 20, 2008, an anonymous plaintiff sued Jason Fortuny in Illinois federal court for copyright infringement, invasion of privacy through the publication of private facts, and intrusion, after Mr. Fortuny allegedly posted his photograph and personal information on the Internet.( Read more... )

A rant from "The Best Of Craigslist."

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sea/988349701.html

Originally Posted: Sun, 11 Jan 00:40 PST

Prenancy Doesn't Make You Divine...( Read more... )

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/main/index.html

The Kepler Mission Begins

The Delta II rocket carrying the Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft lifted off on time at 10:49 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spectacular nighttime launch followed a smooth countdown free of technical issues or weather concerns.( Read more... )

If I worked for The Oregonian right now I'd be depressed too...

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/business_week_ranks_portland_a.html

BusinessWeek ranks Portland at top of "unhappiest cities" list
by The Oregonian
Monday March 02, 2009, 6:19 AM

Brent Wojahn/The Oregonian

Portland has found itself at the top of another list, but not the kind you can brag about.( Read more... )

http://www.momlogic.com/2009/02/octomom_says_no_to_gloria_allred.php

Octomom: I Don't Need Your Stinkin' Help!!
Friday, February 27, 2009

Octomom Nadya Suleman has said no thanks to attorney Gloria Allred's offer to help her take care of all 14 of her children.

Allred and the charity Angels in Waiting announced last week they wanted to provide 24/7 medical care, physical therapy, occupational therapy and a home for the octomom and her brood of 14.( Read more... )

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090219/sc_nm/us_nasa_kepler_1

NASA spacecraft to seek out Earth-like planets
By Will Dunham Will Dunham – Thu Feb 19, 4:00 pm ET Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. spacecraft toting the biggest camera ever sent into space will be launched next month to scour our region of the Milky Way galaxy for warm, rocky planets like Earth that may host life, NASA said on Thursday.

The Kepler spacecraft is scheduled to spend 3-1/2 years looking at more than 100,000 stars similar to our sun, seeking evidence of planets similar in size and composition to Earth.( Read more... )

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090217/ap_on_sc/sci_odd_comet

Backward green comet makes one-time only visit

By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein, Ap Science Writer – Tue Feb 17, 3:23 pm ET

WASHINGTON – An odd, greenish backward-flying comet is zipping by Earth this month, as it takes its only trip toward the sun from the farthest edges of the solar system. The comet is called Lulin, and there's a chance it can be seen with the naked eye — far from city lights, astronomers say. But you'll most likely need a telescope, or at least binoculars, to spot it.

The best opportunity is just before dawn one-third of the way up the southern sky. It should be near Saturn and two bright stars, Spica and Regula.( Read more... )

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/02/oregon_state_hires_bee_special.html

Oregon State hires bee specialist to investigate hive collapse
by Eric Mortenson, The Oregonian Wednesday February 04, 2009, 3:34 PM

Oregon State University has hired a honey bee specialist to help Northwest farmers avoid the the baffling collapse of bee colonies that has struck other agricultural areas. Ramesh Sagili, who holds degrees from an India agricultural university and a doctorate in entomology from Texas A&M University, will begin work in Corvallis Feb. 27.( Read more... )

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080307-another-earth.html

Nearest Star System Might Harbor Earth Twin
By Andrea Thompson Staff Writer
posted: 07 March 2008 11:33 am ET

Earth may have a twin orbiting one of our nearest stellar neighbors, a new study suggests.

University of California, Santa Cruz graduate student Javiera Guedes used computer simulations of planet formation to show that terrestrial planets are likely to have formed around one of the stars in the Alpha Centauri star system, our closest stellar neighbors.( Read more... )

http://news.aol.com/article/planet-with-hot-flashes/320901

Odd Planet Has Extreme Hot Flashes BY SETH BORENSTEIN, AP

posted: 6 HOURS 38 MINUTES AGO WASHINGTON (Jan. 28) - Astronomers have found a planet with a galactic case of hot flashes. In just six hours, this planet four times the size of Jupiter heats up by more than 1,200 degrees, according to a study published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

"It's the first observation of changing weather" on a planet outside our solar system, said study author Gregory Laughlin, an astronomy professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He used NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to study the planet.( Read more... )

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/03/hubble-detects.html#previouspost

Hubble Detects First Organic Molecule Around Exoplanet

By Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides March 17, 2008 | 11:36:26 AMCategories: Space
Hubble detected the organic molecule methane within the atmosphere of a large Jupiter-like planet 63 light years away. Although the planet, HD 189744b, is too hot to support life (1260 degrees), it is a breakthrough in that the discovery demonstrates the ability to detect organic molecules on exoplanets spectroscopically.( Read more... )

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090122-am-human-spaceflight-evolution.html

Human Spaceflight Should Drive Evolution
By Lee Pullen
Astrobiology Magazine
posted: 22 January 2009 8:47 am ET This story was updated at 11:20 a.m. EST.

Plans for human exploration of the solar system and beyond often polarize opinions among the public and scientific communities.

Some believe that humanity should progress outwards one stage at a time, while others insist that greater scientific returns are to be had by launching bolder missions, with humans exploring the planets sooner rather than later.( Read more... )

http://news.aol.com/article/nasas-twin-stereo-spacecraft-offer-look/316665

NASA Gets First Look At Far Side of the Sun

Space.com
posted: 42 MINUTES AGO filed under: Science News (Jan. 23)

NASA's twin STEREO spacecraft are offering the first glimpse of the far side of the sun, the space agency announced today.

The two spacecraft, launched Oct. 25, 2006, are beaming back over-the-horizon images "that have researchers and forecasters glued to their monitors," according to a statement.
Amazing Space ImagesNASA36 photos NASA's twin STEREO spacecraft are beaming back images of the far side of the sun, the space agency said Friday. "This is a perspective we've never had before," said one scientist. This STEREO photo shows a prominence, or cooler cloud of gas, flaring from the sun on Sept. 29.( Read more... )

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/01/marsrover.html

At this link, Wired Science is having an unofficial contest to name the next Martian Rover. About 90% of the comments/entries are "Rick Astley." I'm going to call it Rick Astley regardless of what NASA names it.

http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/newsroom/pressreleases/20081204a.html

December 04, 2008

Next NASA Mars Mission Rescheduled For 2011

WASHINGTON -- NASA's Mars Science Laboratory will launch two years later than previously planned, in the fall of 2011. The mission will send a next-generation rover with unprecedented research tools to study the early environmental history of Mars.

A launch date of October 2009 no longer is feasible because of testing and hardware challenges that must be addressed to ensure mission success. The window for a 2009 launch ends in late October. The relative positions of Earth and Mars are favorable for flights to Mars only a few weeks every two years. The next launch opportunity after 2009 is in 2011.( Read more... )

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/marsmethane.html

Martian Methane Reveals the Red Planet is not a Dead Planet 01.15.09

Mars today is a world of cold and lonely deserts, apparently without life of any kind, at least on the surface. Worse still, it looks like Mars has been cold and dry for billions of years, with an atmosphere so thin, any liquid water on the surface quickly boils away while the sun's ultraviolet radiation scorches the ground.

But there is evidence of a warmer and wetter past -- features resembling dry riverbeds and minerals that form in the presence of water indicate water once flowed through Martian sands. Since liquid water is required for all known forms of life, scientists wonder if life could have risen on Mars, and if it did, what became of it as the Martian climate changed.( Read more... )