Simulation of an Asteroid Collision
NHK Japan and the National Film Board of Canada created this simulation of the effects of a massive asteroid collision with the earth. The effect is terrifying: energy released from the collision evaporates the oceans. The crust of the earth is peeled away like an orange skin by what is called a "crust tsunami." Every living plant or creature is vaporized.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
The First Trillionaires Will Make Their Fortunes in Space
Sure, this may sound a lot like the movie Avatar, in which the RDA Corporation mined the mineral unobtanium on the planet of Pandora. But this is no pie-in-the-sky idea. Twenty trillion USD is the estimated market value of a relatively small metallic asteroid that was first calculated by John S. Lewis in his book 'Mining The Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets'. Lewis argued that "using presently available or readily foreseeable technologies, we can relieve Earth of its energy problem, make astronomical amounts of raw materials available, and raise the living standard of people worldwide."
Peter Diamandis, who founded the non-profit X Prize Foundation to create a rewards incentive program to bring about "radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity," believes the enormous financial opportunities in space will spur innovation. He notes that everything we hold of value, "the things we fight wars over," such as metals, minerals and real estate, exist "in infinite quantities in space."
What's the significance?
While the idea of mining space for resources is not a new one, we are closer than ever today to realizing that reality. As NASA is set to retire its space shuttle fleet and get out of the business of developing and operating its own spacecraft, it will rely on private companies to transport its astronauts to the orbiting International Space Station. Already this has created an enormous opening for commercial space enterprises. In the coming decades, according to Diamandis, we will see "private companies and private teams making b-lines for the moon."
Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation noted the historic change that is expected to happen later this year. After the final space shuttle mission of the Endeavor, "the next vehicle to carry astronauts into space from Florida's Space Coast will be a commercial spacecraft," he said.
Diamandis sees a promising price improvement curve as what used to take one billion dollars and twenty thousand people to get a space shuttle into orbit can now happen with "a team of twenty people funded by a single individual." In the evolution of space travel, he says "the military industrial complex of Boeing, Lockheed and NASA are the dinosaurs" and today's entrepreneurs are "the furry mammals."
Why Should I Care?
Asteroids represent a dual threat and opportunity for humanity. In the starkest terms, an asteroid collision could lead to the extinction of the human race, as presented in the terrifying computer-simulated video above. And yet, asteroids also represent an opportunity for the salvation of the human race. Asteroids contain a wide range of resources, including nickel-iron metal, silicate minerals, trapped or frozen gasses, and water, which could be utilized by a spacecraft's steam propulsion rocket for a return trip to Earth. Asteroids have also been thought of as a possible site for the colonization of space. After all, it was the impact of asteroids that transformed life on Earth and may have made human life possible in the first place.
As Peter Diamandis has noted, there are many motivations for going to space. It was curiosity that drove NASA's budgets for fifty years. Another fundamental motivator to go to space is to back up the biosphere. Diamandis suggests that we "record all of the genomes on this planet, all the works of art, and back it up off earth."
Twenty trillion dollars isn't bad motivation either, and the drive to create wealth from space may very well prove the key to human survival and our future prosperity.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Global Food Wars
According the United Nation's Global Food Index, food prices have doubled since 2007. For countries that import staple foods like grain and rice, this is a major crisis. On the demand side, world population has doubled since 1970 and the rising global middle class wants grain-intensive products like beef on the dinner table. On the supply side, massive amounts of American grain are being used to make car fuel, removing millions of bushels from the global markets. While the farmer does not garner up images of geopolitical crises, food has, in many ways, become the new oil, says Lester Brown.
What's the Big Idea?
While the United States has a large domestic food market, kept insulated from rising prices, but most countries do not. So when wheat and rice prices skyrocket, the world's poor, who typically spend more than half their income on food, suffer dire consequences. And so do their political leaders. Massive inflation of food prices was an immediate cause of the revolutions across the Middle East and Africa, says Brown, particularly in Libya, which imports more than ninety percent of its grain. In fact, the silent mover of global politics has become food, he says, tipping the scales on unpopular leaders and inspiring land grabs for more crop space.
Food Crisis, For Real
Big Think Editors on January 14, 2011, 7:54 AM
It is no longer conflict between heavily armed superpowers, but rather spreading food shortages and rising food prices — and the political turmoil this would lead to — that threatens our global future. Unless governments quickly redefine security and shift expenditures from military uses to investing in climate change mitigation, water efficiency, soil conservation, and population stabilization, the world will in all likelihood be facing a future with both more climate instability and food price volatility. If business as usual continues, food prices will only trend upward.
Someday we will be faced with world starvation. We must concentrate on survival now and sharing.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Lawyers....What can I say??
A: They grow taller!
Q: Why do lawyers wear ties?
A: To stop the foreskin from ceeping up their necks
Any time a lawyer is seen and not heard, it's a shame to wake him.
You know you need a new lawyer when:
* You met him in prison.
* During your initial consultation he tries to sell you Amway
* He tells you that his last good case was a Budweiser.
* When the prosecutors see who your lawyer is, they high-five each other.
* He picks the jury by playing "duck-duck-goose."
* He tells you that he's never told a lie.
* He asks a hostile witness to "pull my finger."
* A prison guard is shaving your head.
Two lawyers are leaving the office. “I can’t wait to get home,” says one of them. “As soon as I walk in the door, I’m going to rip my wife’s panties right off.”
“I know the feeling,” the other says.
“No, I’m serious,” says the first. “They’re killing me!”
Four surgeons were taking a coffee break and were discussing their work.
The first said, “I think accountants are the easiest to operate on. You open them up and everything inside is numbered.”
The second said, “I think librarians are the easiest to operate on. You open them up and everything inside is in alphabetical order.”
The third said, “I like to operate on electricians. You open them up and everything inside is color-coded.”
The fourth one said, “I like to operate on lawyers. They’re heartless, gutless and their heads and asses are interchangeable.”
Two law partners leave their office and go to lunch. In the middle of lunch the junior partner slaps his forehead.
"Damn," he says. "I forgot to lock the office safe before we left."
His partner replies " What are you worried about? We're both here."
God decided to take the devil to court and settle their differences once and for all. When Satan heard this, he laughed and said, "And where do you think you're going to find a lawyer?"
A lawyer named Strange was shopping for a tombstone. After he had made his selection, the stonecutter asked him what inscription he would like on it. "Here lies an honest man and a lawyer," responded the lawyer. "Sorry, but I can't do that," replied the stonecutter. "In this state, it's against the law to bury two people in the same grave. However, I could put ``here lies an honest lawyer" "But that won't let people know who it is" protested the lawyer. "Certainly will," retorted the stonecutter. "people will read it and exclaim, "That's Strange!"
A lawyer's dog, running about unleashed, beelines for a butcher shop and steals a roast. The Butcher goes to lawyer's office and asks, "if a dog running unleashed steals a piece of meat from my store, do I have a right to demand payment for the meat from the dog's owner?"
The lawyer answers, "Absolutely."
"Then you owe me $8.50. Your dog was loose and stole a roast from me today."
The lawyer, without a word, writes the butcher a check for $8.50 [attorneys don't carry cash -- it's too plebeian . Several periods of time later -- it could be the next day but that would be unrealistic -- the butcher opens the mail and finds an envelope from the lawyer: A bill for a $50 legal consultation.
A limo full of attorneys was driving down a country road, headed for a posh resort for the weekend, when all of a sudden it skidded on an icy patch and crashed into a deep ravine. An old farmer saw the accident and went over to investigate. He then proceeded to dig a very deep pit and buried the attorneys.
A few days later, the local sheriff came out, saw the crashed limo, and then asked the old farmer, "Were they all dead?"
The old farmer replied, "Well, some of them claimed they weren't, but you know how them attorneys lie."
A barber gave a haircut to a priest one day.
The priest tried to pay for the haircut, but the barber refused, saying, "You do God's work. It's for free."
The next morning the barber found a dozen bibles at his shop.
A policeman came to the barber for a haircut, and again the barber refused to charge him saying, "You protect the public. It's for free."
The next morning the barber found a dozen doughnuts at his shop.
A lawyer came to the barber for a haircut, and again the barber refused payment, saying, "You serve the justice system. It's for free."
The next morning the barber found a dozen lawyers waiting for a free haircut
Just a wee poke in the ribs Gil
Al-Qaeda Leader Bin Laden 'dead'
The Chase is Finally Over After 10 Years
Let's hope his cause is not taken up by his son, one of eleven sons
His older fourth son, Omar Usama bin Laden sees himself as a peacemaker between the east and the west.
He sought asylum in England Spain and Egypt but was refused by all.
Al-Qaeda founder and leader Osama Bin Laden who was at the top of the US most wanted list, is dead, President Obama reveals. The announcement was made Sunday evening.
The US is in possession of Bin Laden's body. The al-Qaeda leader was killed in a ground operation on a mansion outside Islamabad. The operation was based on US intelligence. Mr Obama said he had been briefed last August on a possible lead to Bin Laden's whereabouts. It led to intelligence that the al-Qaeda leader was hiding in a compound deep within Pakistan. The president authorized an operation to "get Bin Laden" last week, he said, and on Sunday a small team of US forces undertook the operation. It ended in a firefight in which there were no American casualties.
Crowds gathered outside the White House in Washington DC, chanting "USA, USA" after the news emerged. Celebrations continue to roll around the country.
Bin Laden is accused of the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001 in which nearly three thousand people were killed. He is also responsible for many other atrocities, including numerous acts against fellow Muslims. Bin Laden approved the 9/11 attacks, saying later that the results had exceeded his expectations.
He has evaded the forces of the US and its allies for a decade, despite a $25m bounty on his head. His death will be seen as a major blow to al-Qaeda but also raise fears of reprisal attacks, correspondents say.
Former US President Bill Clinton said in a statement: "This is a profoundly important moment not just for the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in al-Qaeda's other attacks but for people all over the world who want to build a common future of peace, freedom, and cooperation for our children."
Mr Clinton's successor, President George W Bush, described the news as a "momentous achievement." He is quoted as saying ,"The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done."
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Royal Wedding
We just had to show some Will and Kate pictures because everyone else has.
Bless 'em and good luck to 'em
Royal Newlyweds Celebrate With Reception at Buckingham Palace
The newly-weds travelled from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace together
It is thought they may depart for their honeymoon later, though details of their plans have not been made public. The reception, hosted by the Prince of Wales, is believed to have featured Prince Harry's best man speech and Michael Middleton's father of the bride address.
A St James's Palace spokesman said the new duchess had donned a white angora bolero cardigan over her white satin gazar dress, which featured a circle skirt and diamante embroidered detail round the waist.
Her sister Pippa changed for the evening reception into a long emerald green sleeveless dress with a jewelled embellishment on the front and a plunging neckline.The festivities continued until early in the morning Their mother, Mrs Middleton, wore a black capped sleeve dress, cut low at the front and back, with a tiered skirt. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh did not attend, having left for a private weekend away.
Clarence House spokesperson Paddy Harverson told the BBC he believed the duke and duchess could return to a relatively private life in Anglesey, despite the wedding spectacle. Mr Harverson said: "I think it is because it'll be about striking the balance between their public lives and private. "But the most important thing to remember is that he's not heir to the throne, he's second in line, and he's not a full-time royal, he's a full-time pilot working a normal job for the RAF search and rescue. And so he will be doing that most of the time and she, as his wife, will be with him, so in that sense their natural home, their natural place will be up in Wales. And I think people will understand that."
After a very public wedding, the honeymoon will be very private. Whenever it is and wherever it is, Prince William will expect the media to respect his wishes. He will want to spend time, alone with his new wife, the new duchess. Mindful of his mother's experiences at the hands of the paparazzi, William believes he has the law on his side as he strives to maintain a royal right to privacy. The couple's first holiday together as man and wife has the potential to test that.
The desire to witness the Windsors on vacation is not a new phenomenon. Back in 1947, after her wedding, the Queen attended a service at a church in Hampshire. People climbed over tombstones and carried chairs, ladders and even a sideboard so they could peer in through the windows for a glimpse of the then princess praying.
The State Rooms, including the grand ballroom, were used for the reception.The ballroom, measuring over 36 metres in length and 18 metres in width, is the largest of the 775 rooms in the palace. It was added in the 1850s at the request of Queen Victoria and opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War - a war in which the previous holder of Prince William's new title, the 2nd Duke of Cambridge, served.
On Friday, pubs were allowed to remain open for an additional two hours beyond the conventional closing time; they will be granted the same flexibility on Saturday. Millions of people across the UK marked the royal wedding with street parties, picnics and other festivities. But one party in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park resulted in 21 arrests as police attempted to disperse thousands of revellers.The organisers described themselves as "royalist/party mad".One police officer was injured and several police vans had their windows smashed in clashes due to "completely unacceptable" levels of drunkenness.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for President Obama said that the White House wished the newly-weds "a lifetime of happiness together". "The United States has no closer friend in the world than the United Kingdom," he added. "On this occasion, the American people extend heartfelt congratulations to the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and share in their hopes for a bright future for the royal couple.
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