Friday, March 14, 2014

The Trial of Oscar Pistorius

Shirtless, shell-shocked and drenched in blood: the court is shown dramatic photos of Pistorius moments after he shot his girlfriend. Bare-chested with blood smeared all over his shorts and prosthetic legs, these dramatic images show a shell-shocked Oscar Pistorius moments after he killed his girlfriend.
The first police officers on the scene found the Paralympian pacing around in a 'very emotional state' and a grisly trail of blood that ran throughout the house.
The images were taken by police photographers in the garage in the aftermath of the shooting in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year. In one, the muscular Olympic sprinter, who is shirtless, is standing facing the camera wearing his prosthetics. There are blood stains up to the knees of his limbs and his shorts are also bloodied, but his naked chest appears to be clean.


Aftermath of the killing: This picture of Oscar Pistorius, bare-chested and covered in blood from the waist down, was taken by police shortly after the Paralympian shot Reeva Steenkamp at his home

Aftermath of the killing: This picture of Oscar Pistorius, bare-chested and covered in blood from the waist down, was taken by police shortly after the Paralympian shot Reeva Steenkamp at his home
Horrific: Blood is splattered all over the toilet where Miss Steenkamp was shot by Pistorius
Sickening: A substantial amount of blood was found in the toilet bowl. The trial was expected to examine whether Miss Steenkamp was sitting on the toilet at the time she was shot

 A substantial amount of blood was found in the toilet bowl. The trial was expected to examine whether Miss Steenkamp was sitting on the toilet at the time she was shot

Grim: The court was shown this picture of the 9mm pistol used to kill Miss Steenkamp as it was found by the first police officer on the scene. The hammer was still cocked with the safety catch removed, the trial heard

 The court was shown this picture of the 9mm pistol used to kill Miss Steenkamp as it was found by the first police officer on the scene. The hammer was still cocked with the safety catch removed, the trial heard
Evidence: This picture of Pistorius's blood-stained prosthetic legs was used by his defense lawyer in a bid to show that the athlete was wearing them, as he says, when he broke down the toilet door with a cricket bat

 This picture of Pistorius's blood-stained prosthetic legs was used by his defense lawyer in a bid to show that the athlete was wearing them, as he says, when he broke down the toilet door with a cricket bat

A second photograph shows Pistorius from the waist up and from the left side, also showing blood on his shorts and parts of his body, with a tattoo visible on his back. His left arm is smeared with blood and his hand is clenched.

The court was guided through the images by former police colonel Schoombie van Rensburg  who arrived at the house around 40 minutes after the shooting.

They included the blood-spattered toilet cubicle where Miss Steenkamp was shot.
A close-up photograph of the toilet showed an extensive blood smear on the rim, as well as thick blood streaks in the bowl, where the water was also dark with blood.
Once again a picture of the 29-year-old model's bullet wounds was accidentally flashed up on screens in the courtroom before the monitors went black. A similar blunder a few days ago caused Pistorius to be sick in the dock.

A moment of calm: Pistorius is comforted by his sister Aimee on another emotionally charged day in court

A moment of calm: Pistorius is comforted by his sister Aimee on another emotionally charged day in court
Strain: Pistorius faced another emotional day in the dock as graphic evidence of the crime scene was examined in meticulous detail by the prosecution
 Pistorius faced another emotional day in the dock as graphic evidence of the crime scene was examined in meticulous detail by the prosecution
Accused: The prosecution says Pistorius intentionally killed MIss Steenkamp after a loud argument and then tried to cover it up by saying he thought the 29-year-old model was a dangerous intruder

         The prosecution stated that Pistrious shot Miss Steencamp following a loud argument and tried to cover it up by saying he thought she was a dangerous intruder

Mr van Rensburg, the former commander at a police station close to Pistorius's home, said he did not arrest Pistorius immediately after discovering Miss Steenkamp had been shot dead, but did warn him to remain at the house. 
'I told him I observed him as a suspect at that stage,' Mr van Rensburg said.
'I warned him of his rights. I said to him I wasn't arresting him at that stage... I requested him to remain present at all times at the scene.'
A short time later, Mr van Rensburg said the runner's brother Carl, sister Aimee and a lawyer arrived at the house.
The prosecution says Pistorius intentionally killed Miss Steenkamp after a loud argument and then tried to cover it up by saying he thought the 29-year-old model was a dangerous intruder. Pistorius, 27, still maintains the killing was an accident and has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.


Moral support: Pistorius is comforted by a relative at the start of day ten of his murder trial
 Pistorius is comforted by a relative at the start of day ten of his murder trial


Tension: Pistorius bows his head in the dock as his family and other members of the public take their seats

 Pistorius bows his head in the dock as his family and other members of the public take their seats

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Barry Roux sought to undermine the police investigation, notably by questioning the conduct of former investigating officer Hilton Botha, who was thrown off the case last year and resigned from the police force.  Mr Roux repeatedly asked Mr van Rensburg what Mr Botha was doing at the scene during different parts of the investigation.
Botha admitted last year that he didn't wear proper forensic clothing and shoe covers when he examined parts of the scene and Pistorius's team believes the police disturbed evidence and may have tampered with it.
'You did not disturb anything in the bathroom? You did not see Mr Hilton Botha disturb anything in the bathroom?' Roux asked Mr van Rensburg.
'Were you acutely aware that you should not disturb the scene?'


Graphic: The cricket bat Pistorius says he used to break down the toilet door after he shot Miss Steenkamp is seen next to a blood-soaked towel on the bathroom floor

The cricket bat Pistorius says he used to break down the toilet door after he shot Miss Steenkamp is seen next to a blood-soaked towel on the bathroom floor
Splatter: Pistorius says he used the bat to break down the door to get to his model girlfriend after shooting her, he claims, by mistake thinking she was a burglar

 Pistorius says he used the bat to break down the door to get to his model girlfriend after shooting her, he claims, by mistake thinking she was a burglar
Crime scene: This image shows the bathroom where Pistorius fired the fatal shots and the toilet in the background where Miss Steenkamp was hit by three bullets

Crime scene: This image shows the bathroom where Pistorius fired the fatal shots and the toilet in the background where Miss Steenkamp was hit by three bullets
                                        
And again, Roux said: 'Where was Mr Botha at that time?' Van Rensburg said at points he did not know where Botha was.
During the investigation in the bathroom, Mr van Rensburg also said that he turned around at one point to see that the firearms expert had handled the gun Pistorius used to kill Miss Steenkamp and taken the magazine out of the weapon without using gloves.
'I asked him "what are you doing?",' Mr van Rensburg testified.
The officer realized his error, apologized, put the magazine back in the gun and laid it on the mat where it was on the floor, Mr van Rensburg said.
He then took the gloves out of his chest pocket, and again picked up the gun, according to Mr van Rensburg.
'I was very angry,' he said.
Mr van Rensburg also testified about eight expensive watches that were found in a blood-spattered box in the bedroom upstairs.

Expensive: This box of watches was found in the bedroom with blood smeared on the lid. Police estimated that the value of one them was around $10,000 (£6,000). A probe was ordered after one went missing

 This box of watches was found in the bedroom with blood smeared on the lid. Police estimated that the value of one them was around $10,000. A probe was ordered after one went missing

Temptation: The box of watches can been seen on the side in the bedroom. One of the watches was stolen by police investigating the shooting, the trial heard
 The box of watches can been seen on the side in the bedroom. One of the watches was stolen by police investigating the shooting, the trial heard


Macabre: The court was shown various images like this of the bloodstains that ran through the house

 The court was shown various images like this of the bloodstains that ran through the house
Gruesome: Blood is seen smeared down the toilet wall in this crime scene photograph

 Blood is seen smeared down the toilet wall in this crime scene photograph

Start of the trail: The first police officer on the scene said he traced spots and bigger blood marks downstairs (pictured) where Miss Steenkamp lay dead from three gunshot wounds
The first police officer on the scene said he traced spots and bigger blood marks downstairs (pictured) where Miss Steenkamp lay dead from three gunshot wounds


He said he warned fellow officers that they should be monitored closely because they could be tempting to anyone moving through the crime scene. Pistorius's sister asked if she could take one of the watches, leaving seven in place, he said. But Mr van Rensburg said another watch went missing while he was out of the room, prompting him to order the frisking of all the police forensic experts on the scene, as well as a search of their bags and vehicles, and the entire house.
Mr van Rensburg, who recalled that one of the officers had estimated the cost of the watch at close to $10,000, said he then opened a case of theft after the watch was not found.
Later, he said, Pistorius's brother, Carl, asked if he could take the watches.  Mr van Rensburg said he would instead hand the watches directly to Oscar Pistorius, but without the box, which was still being analyzed.  While doing so, he asked Pistorius to inform him if anything else went missing, but nothing else was reported stolen.
Meanwhile, Mr van Rensburg revealed that some media had offered up to $5,500  just for a picture of the toilet door.


Key witness: Former police station commander Schoombie van Rensburg gives evidence about what he found when he arrived at the scene around 40 minutes after the shooting
Key witness: Former police station commander Schoombie van Rensburg gives evidence about what he found when he arrived at the scene around 40 minutes after the shooting


Horrific: Police officer Schoombie van Rensburg (pictured) said he followed the blood trail from Miss Steenkamp's body up the staircase (shown on screen), through a lounge area and into Pistorius's bedroom

 Police officer Schoombie van Rensburg (pictured) said he followed the blood trail from Miss Steenkamp's body up the staircase (shown on screen), through a lounge area and into Pistorius's bedroom
Police colonel Schoombie van Rensburg followed the blood trail across the floor and up the staircase
Police colonel Schoombie van Rensburg followed the blood trail across the floor and up the staircase
Blood stains can be seen on the staircase near to where Miss Steenkamp's body was found
Blood stains can be seen on the staircase near to where Miss Steenkamp's body was found

He said the door was placed in a plastic 'body bag' and transported to a police station, where van Rensburg said he stored it in his office because it was too big to fit in an area normally reserved for evidence from crime scenes.
Yesterday, dozens of other crime scene photographs tracing the trail of blood through the athlete's home were shown to the court - including ones of Miss Steenkamp's corpse that made the athlete throw up in the dock.
The court was guided through the images from the Paralympian's cocked 9mm pistol he used to kill Miss Steenkamp to the blood-splattered toilet where she was shot.
Blood was found on the floors, walls, stairs and chairs by one of two police officers who arrived on scene to find Pistorius in a 'very emotional' state in the aftermath of the killing.
His cocked 9mm pistol was found lying on a bathmat, alongside a mobile phone, while in the bathroom his cricket bat which he says he used to break down the bathroom door to get to Miss Steenkamp was seen next to a bloodied towel.


Scene: Mr van Rensburg told the court that it was not possible for someone to have gained access to the bathroom window (top right) from the outside

Mr van Rensburg told the court that it was not possible for someone to have gained access to the bathroom window (top right) from the outside
 
An image of Miss Steenkamp's blood-covered body and skull was also accidentally displayed on the court monitors when the operator was scrolling through the pictures. It brought gasps from the public gallery and Pistorius began violently retching before being handed a green bucket which he vomited into repeatedly.
After composing himself, the athlete questioned why the images were being shown and asked for computer screen in front of him to be turned off. His sister Aimee, who was also crying, left her seat in the public gallery to comfort him in the dock.
Talking through the pictures, former police Colonel Schoombie van Rensburg said he traced spots and bigger blood marks downstairs where Steenkamp lay dead from three gunshot wounds.
He described how he saw Miss Steenkamp's body covered in towels and plastic bags that the daughter of the estate administrator said she had used, with assistance from Pistorius, to try to stop the bleeding.


Denial: Pistorius maintains the killing was an accident and has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him

Denial: Pistorius maintains the killing was an accident and has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him
Gripping: Members of the public gallery look at images of the crime scene on a TV in the courtroom

 Members of the public gallery look at images of the crime scene on a TV in the courtroom


Supportive: The court heard that Pistorius's sister Aimee (right) arrived at the house with a lawyer shortly after the first police officers attended the scene
 The court heard that Pistorius's sister Aimee (right) arrived at the house with a lawyer shortly after the first police officers attended the scene
Adjourned: The sprinter leaves the high court in Pretoria at the end of the second week of the trial

Adjourned: The sprinter leaves the high court in Pretoria at the end of the second week of the trial


Oscar Pistorius arrives at the high court in Pretoria

Back for another day: Pistorius is flanked by security as he makes his way to the high court in Pretoria

Moments later, he found a 'very emotional and crying' Pistorius in the kitchen pacing up and down.
'I asked him what happened but he didn't answer me,' Van Rensburg told the court. 'He was in tears.'
He then followed the blood trail across the floor, up the staircase, through a small lounge area and then into Pistorius's bedroom. Ultimately, van Rensburg reached the bathroom where the world-famous athlete had shot his girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year. There, van Rensburg said he found Pistorius's 9mm, with the hammer cocked and the safety off, on a bath mat.
'It was ready to fire,' he said, when shown a picture. 'You just have to pull the trigger.'
Graphic: Oscar Pistorius was physically sick in the dock after horrific images of his girlfriend's blood-splattered body were accidentally shown in court
 Oscar Pistorius was physically sick in the dock after horrific images of his girlfriend's blood-splattered body were accidentally shown in court
Blunder: Graphic pictures were displayed on a screen while the operator was scrolling through trying to find other images
Agony: Pistorius covers his head in despair as he listens to graphic evidence of the moment he killed Miss Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year

 Pistorius covers his head in despair as he listens to graphic evidence of the moment he killed Miss Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year
Despair: The court was briefly shown, apparently by accident, graphic images of Miss Steenkamp's blood-stained body after he shot her dead

 The court was briefly shown, apparently by accident, graphic images of Miss Steenkamp's blood-stained body after he shot her dead

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel noted that the mat was clean and out of kilter with the blood stains around it. There were also spent bullet casings, cellphones and a blood-soaked towel on the bathroom floor, along with the cricket bat Pistorius says he used to break down the toilet door to get to Miss Steenkamp.
In the toilet cubicle, there was a darker pool of blood and the wooden splinters where the locked door, through which Pistorius shot the model, had been bashed through. Near the door to the athlete's bedroom, there was a black air gun rifle and a blue baseball bat.
Pictures of the bedroom showed a cabinet with multiple sets of sunglasses and a box of expensive-looking watches as well as blood stains on the carpets and even across a mirror on the watch box.



Upsetting: Pistorius's sister Aimee (centre) is comforted as graphic images are shown
Pistorius's sister Aimee (centre) is comforted as graphic images are shown
Shock: A member of Pistorius's family (pictured, right, next to his aunt Lois) covers her mouth as distressing details of Miss Steenkamp's death are revealed in court
 A member of Pistorius's family (pictured, right, next to his aunt Lois) covers her mouth as distressing details of Miss Steenkamp's death are revealed in court

Another image showed the gun holster on a table by the side of the bed where Pistorius says Steenkamp, and not him, was sleeping that night. The size of the bedroom suggested Pistorius had to walk close to where he says he thought Steenkamp was still sleeping to get to the bathroom.
In another photograph displayed on TV monitors in the court, spots of blood are seen right next to some of the Olympic and multiple Paralympic champion's trophies.  Earlier, a photograph of Pistorius's blood-stained prosthetic legs was used by his chief defense lawyer in a bid to show that the athlete was wearing them, as he says, when he broke down the toilet door with a cricket bat. The image, showing the prosthetic limbs with white socks and stained with Miss Steenkamp's blood up to the knee, was displayed by lawyer Barry Roux on a TV monitor at Pistorius's murder trial.


Supportive: The athlete's sister Aimee (left), uncle Arnold (second right) and aunt Lois (right) listen to testimony
 The athlete's sister Aimee (left), uncle Arnold (second right) and aunt Lois (right) listen to testimony
Under pressure: Forensics expert Colonel Johannes Vermeulen was questioned by the defence about whether he had the right qualification to examine the marks on the toilet door

 Forensics expert Colonel Johannes Vermeulen was questioned by the defence about whether he had the right qualification to examine the marks on the toilet door

Mr Roux also highlighted alleged missteps by police and questioned their treatment of key evidence during the investigation. Lawyer Barry Roux grilled a police forensics expert for a second day, challenging his analysis of a bullet-marked toilet door that was removed from Pistorius's bathroom after he shot Reeva Steenkamp.
In an aggressive start to his cross-examination, Mr Roux questioned whether Colonel Johannes Vermeulen even had the right qualifications to examine marks on the door that offer crucial evidence to what happened the moment the model was killed. He also forced Col Vermeulen to admit that police may have contaminated the crime scene during their investigation.

Doubt: Pathologist Gert Saayman said the partially digested vegetables he found in the model's stomach suggested Miss Steenkamp (pictured) had food less than two hours before her death at around 3am

Pathologist Gert Saayman said the partially digested vegetables he found in the model's stomach suggested Miss Steenkamp (pictured) had food less than two hours before her death at around 3am
Scene: Pistorius shot Miss Steenkamp through the bathroom door at his home (above) in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year

Pistorius shot Miss Steenkamp through the bathroom door at his home (above) in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year

Mr Roux asked what happened to some fragments from the door that went missing after police investigators took possession of it.  Col Vermeulen said he asked about the missing splinters, but repeatedly said he 'couldn't remember' which colleague he spoke to.
The forensics analyst also conceded that footprints that appeared to be from police boots were seen in evidence photos, but later rubbed off. Mr Roux argued they could have been made by Pistorius's prosthetic legs - which could have backed up a crucial argument by the sprinter that he was wearing them when he smashed down the door.
Col Vermeulen earlier argued Pistorius would have been on his stumps both when he fired the shots that killed Miss Steenkamp and when he broke down the door.
The lawyer also noted that Col Vermeulen had not read Pistorius's version of events on the night of the killing until after he had completed his forensic study of the door and was therefore leaning toward the prosecution's version of what happened.
The trial continues.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Chuckles



telephone cartoon : Cartoon businessman on his mobile phone. Isolated on white
H - "Hello?"
W - "Honey, it's me. Are you at the club?"
H - "Yes."
W - "Great! I am at the mall two blocks from where you are. I just saw a beautiful mink coat. It's absolutely gorgeous!! Can I buy it?"
H - "What's the price?"
W - "Only $1,500.00."
H - "Well, OK, go ahead and get it, if you like it that much..."
W - "Ahhh, and I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the 2014 models. I saw one I really liked. I spoke with the salesman, and he gave me a really good price...and since we need to trade in the one we bought last year..."
H-"What price did he quote you?"
W - "Only $75,000..."
H - "OK, but for that price I want it with all the options."
W - "Great! But before we hang up, something else..."
H - "What?"
W - "It might sound like a lot, but I was reconciling your bank account and...I stopped by the real estate agent this morning and saw the house we had looked at last year. It's for sale!! Remember?
 The one with a pool, English Garden, acre of park area, beachfront property."
H - "How much are they asking?"
W - "Only $800,000 - a magnificent price...and I see that we have that much in the bank to cover..."
 H - "Well, then go ahead and buy it, but just bid $750,000. OK?"
W - "OK, sweetie...Thanks! I'll see you later!! I love you!!!"
H - "Bye...I love you too..." The man hangs up, closes the phone's flap, and raising the hand holding the phone, asks all those present: "Does anyone know who this phone belongs to?"

Ask Maxy

Dear Maxy,
My husband and I have  been married  for more than 50 years  and once  had a very enjoyable  and compatible  sex life, even though my  husband  didn't want any children  and refused to  discuss it .
After 27 years  of wedded  bliss, my husband  had major  surgery. He  developed  erectile dysfunction and became afraid  of dying. Our  sex life ended . But he was so depressed  and began drinking  heavily, especially when he retired  early for health reasons .
Recently, while going through some paperwork, I came across a handwritten note  with a great deal of sexual  innuendo and it was not directed  to me . This totally shocked me . The note was written about  10 years ago. I asked him to explain the note  and of  course, he denied  he wrote it  and became very agitated, claiming  he  always  had been faithful  in our marriage .
After being an understanding  wife  all these years, I now have to question  whether he can  be trusted  What should I do ? He will never go to a marriage  counselor 
Upset 
Dear  Upset ,
This note  is 10 years  old and doesen't  say  very much . Your husband  is not likely to admit  to anything  and in fact, there may be nothing  to confess . Either  forgive  his failings  and concentrate  on the good  marriage  you claim to have had  or get into counseling  for yourself  and decide  what  your  next move is. I think the note is not evidence of betrayal  and you should let it  go .
Maxy 

Dear Maxy ,
My 50-year-old  son was just divorced  for the second time . I love both of  his exes  as friends  and they are  nice women . But he told me  not to speak  to them anymore .
I never thought his divorcing his wives  meant  they divorced  the rest of the family . I love  my son, but I don't like his demand. What is  your advice ?
Nantucket
Dear Nantucket ,
I dislike it when people issue demands  to others  about  who their friends can be. Are there grandchildren involved ? If so, inform your  son that it is necessary  to maintain a civil relationship with his exes for the sake of the children . Otherwise, determine  what  the consequences  will be . If your son  threatens  to cut off  contact  with you  if you communicate  with his  exes, you might  choose to stop .
Maxy

Dear Maxy ,
I learned  that my best friend  is gay . We have been  friends  for something like 10 years . I am so angry  that she didn't  feel like  she could tell me . I have never been judgmental about  the way other people live . She  mentioned  it the other day because she said she wanted to introduce  me to her girlfriend . I didn't realize  she meant "girlfriend" like that but when she introduced  her, they were holding hands . It was such an awkward moment . Why didn't  she tell me before ? And what  should I say to her ? I feel like she betrayed me by not confiding in me .
Left Out 
Dear Left Out ,
Who knows what was in your  friend's head ? Only  she does . You need to ask her . Make a time  when you can  get together   and be up-front . Tell her  your  feelings  are hurt  that she  has never told  you she was gay and it was uncomfortable  learning  the way  you did . Tell her  you love her  and trust her and feel she left you out  of a very important  part of her life. Encourage  her to tell  you why . If you can talk through this, your friendship  may be able to strengthen .
Maxy

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Elevator to the Moon...Reality in the Near Future


Can Quiet, Efficient 'Space Elevators' Really Work?
An electric-powered climber spacecraft rides up the space elevator.

An elevator to the moon might not be as crazy as it sounds. A moon-based elevator to space could radically reduce the costs and improve the reliability of placing equipment on the lunar surface. Such a lunar elevator would make the transport of supplies and materials from the surface of the moon into the Earth's orbit and vice versa possible. Indeed, valuable resources could be extracted from the moon, then sent into Earth's orbit.

It's no pie in the sky project according to the LiftPort Group of Seattle, Wash. A LiftPort strategic framework calls for establishing an operational Lunar Space Elevator Infrastructure (LSEI). The project would involve commercial, off-the-shelf technology, and a single heavy-lift launch solution.
LiftPort's concept for building the lunar space elevator infrastructure calls for using a climbing vehicle that scoots up and down a ribbon-shaped, tethered cable that's part of an anchor station secured to the airless moon.

A lunar elevator provides value by making soft landings on the moon possible. The group envisions a rocket launched from Earth to a Lagrange Point PicoGravity Lab, where cargo is transferred to the robotic lifter and gently delivered to the moon's surface. Once fully functioning, the lunar elevator could soft-land equipment and people on the moon's landscape. Using forecast models, backers of the LSEI see transport of three-dozen people to the moon per year as attainable in the early years of the elevator's operation.

"We're making steady progress," said Michael Laine, president of the LiftPort Group.
 He has been encouraged by NASA's newly announced Lunar Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown program, which is intended to spur commercial cargo transportation capabilities to the surface of the moon.  Moreover, funds from a recent Kickstarter campaign have enabled LiftPort to focus on the lunar elevator idea.

"The prospects for a future Earth space elevator are brighter now … but there are challenges remaining," said Jerome Pearson, president of STAR, Inc., based in Mount Pleasant, S.C. He is an early originator and supporter of space elevator concepts. Pearson said that the tough-to-do challenge list includes at least a few items: producing the vast quantities of high-strength carbon nanotube composites required; the dynamics of the 100,000-km-long structure; and the problems of debris in low Earth orbit that could destroy the space elevator ribbon. Pearson's ElectroDynamic Debris Eliminator (EDDE) project aims to do something about the space debris. He believes the EDDE, a maneuvering spacecraft, could remove all the dangerous debris — over 10 centimeters (4 inches) in diameter — from low-Earth orbit by about 10 to 15 years from now.

But the long and short of it, Pearson said, is that engineers need to understand the dynamics of such lengthy structures before they can risk building the Earth space elevator.
 "Lunar development will provide for mining regolith, lunar polar water and possibly helium-3 for nuclear power, so I fully expect that we will have a lunar space elevator by around 2025, and that it will pave the way for building the Earth space elevator," he concluded.

A letter-writing campaign to the U.S. Congress, initiated by lunar scientists late last year, has urged reclaiming the moon for both scientific and commercial use. Among key points, the letters said that the moon has abundant resources that can be used to dramatically reduce the cost of solar system exploration, and can also be used to stimulate new industries and technologies (i.e., creating new jobs) for mining, extracting, storing and using these resources to facilitate lunar industry and exploration beyond the moon.

The Earth's moon is a treasure trove of mineral resources, such as precious metals, rare earth elements, helium-3 and oxygen for propellants," said Charles Radley, a technical advisor to the LiftPort Group. However, landing on the moon currently carries a high price tag. But by using modern fibers, space agencies could construct a lunar elevator that reduces the cost of lunar landing six-fold, he said.
 The lunar elevator represents a "game-changing technology" that will open up the moon to commercial mining, Radley said. "The lunar elevator could reduce the cost of lunar mining of some commodities to a par with terrestrial mining."
Furthermore, a lunar-situated elevator makes the cost of collecting material from the moon and sending it to Earth essentially free, Radley said. The lunar elevator will pay for itself after 19 payload cycles.
Helium-3, sells for a million dollars per ounce on the secondary market. Demand far exceeds supply. It is abundant on the moon but rare on Earth. U.S. supplies are rationed by the White House and will be exhausted by 2030. Turning to rare earth elements that are vital to defense and high technology industries, Radley said that today, 96 percent of them come from China.
"There are few alternatives, but the moon is one."


Satellite Images Reveal What May Be Debris From Missing Plane




KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The area where Chinese satellite images show what might be debris from the missing Malaysian jetliner has been thoroughly searched in recent days, Vietnam said Thursday as Malaysia urged caution over the findings.
The hunt for the Boeing 777 has been punctuated by false leads since it disappeared with 239 people aboard just hours after leaving Kuala Lumpur for Beijing early Saturday. The plane was heading east over the South China Sea when it disappeared, but authorities believe it may have turned back and headed into the upper reaches of the Strait and Malacca or beyond.
The Chinese sighting of possible debris is not far from where the last confirmed position of the plane was in between Malaysia and Vietnam. The images and co-ordinates were posted on the website of China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. A Xinhua report said the images from around 11 a.m. on Sunday appear to show "three suspected floating objects" of varying sizes in a 20-kilometre radius, the largest about 24-by-22 metres (79-by-72 feet) off the southern tip of Vietnam.
Pham Quy Tieu, deputy transport minister, told The Associated Press that the area had been "searched thoroughly" by forces from other countries over the past few days. Doan Huu Gia, chief of air search and rescue co-ordinationcentre, said Malaysian and Singaporean aircraft were scheduled to visit area again Thursday.
Malaysia's civil aviation chief, Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, said Malaysia had not been officially informed by China about the images, something he said was a "a breach of protocol."
He said if Beijing informs them of the co-ordinates, Malaysia would dispatch vessels and planes.
Until then, he urged caution, noting that the general area had been searched several times and the images were taken on Sunday. "There have been lots of reports of suspected debris," he said.
A Malaysian military attache in Hanoi told Vietnamese search authorities Thursday that two ships and two aircraft had been dispatched to the area.
Li Jiaxiang, chief of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, said later China had yet to confirm any link between the floating objects and the plane.
Malaysia has come under some criticism for its handling of the search, which currently covers 35,800 square miles (92,600 square kilometres) and involves 12 nations, including the United States and Japan.




Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Ukraine crisis: Putin is testing Obama

Ukraine protest outside the Russian embassy in Washington. 2 March 2014

Protests have taken place outside the Russian embassy in Washington

President Obama has ordered measures designed to hurt the Russian economy and isolate the country.US officials say Vladimir Putin has made a terrible choice, which will leave his country in a much weaker position. But this is a critical test of Obama's leadership too, one that will demonstrate how much clout the US has in the world.
Secretary of State John Kerry is flying to Kiev to meet leaders there, and the US is trying to co-ordinate an international response to put pressure on President Putin. But senior administration officials have pretty much ruled out military intervention.
President Obama's critics are accusing him of acting too slowly and, once again, allowing someone to trample all over his "red lines".  On Friday evening he warned that there would be "costs" to Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Hours later the troops moved in. The US now says there are more than 6,000 Russian troops occupying Crimea. It's been suggested he has a credibility problem, and that has encouraged Putin.
Certainly the West seems ill-prepared for this escalation of the crisis, which they should have seen coming. It was obvious Putin would not give up easily. But you can over-emphasize the Obama factor. It's worth remembering that Putin went to war in Georgia when George W Bush was in the Oval office, and no one thought he was a peacenik.

Unidentified troops surround a Ukrainian military base in Crimea. 2 March 2014 
Ukraine's military in Crimea has found its bases surrounded

 But Bush obviously thought better of fighting another nuclear power over a former part of the Soviet empire.
Senior administration officials have reacted furiously to the suggestion that Obama's past behaviour has encouraged Putin. They say the Russian leader's policy in Ukraine has failed; he has no game, and all he has left is the use of hard power. They say the world should be blaming him, not Obama.
We are going to see a lot more moves over the coming days, with the US trying to co-ordinate an international squeeze on Russia. The first point of pressure is the June meeting of the G8 in Sochi.
The US, Canada and the UK have cancelled meetings preparing for it. The "off ramp" - the offer to help Russia back down - is a plan to send international monitors to make sure ethnic Russians are safe. This is hardly going to appeal to Putin. Crimea was a part of Russia from 1783 onwards and in the early years of the Soviet Union it was an autonomous republic within the Russian Federation. Khrushchev gifted it to Ukraine in 1954. Now Putin wants it back. To withdraw would be a failure and a humiliation for him.
The problem for Obama is that an economic squeeze takes a long time to work. Putin may not mind the diplomatic pressure at all - he seems to enjoy tweaking the noses of Western leaders. It is easy to see how the situation could get very much worse - and it is not clear how Obama would react to a deepening of the crisis.

Monday, March 10, 2014

What I Did in Canada



James O’Malley from Leicester, England, filmed himself doing as many "Canadian" things as he could during his visit to Ontario. In his video O’Malley visits some Canadian tourist attractions such as the CN Tower, the ROM, Honest Eds, The Beer Store, Tim Hortons, Niagara Falls,  and Casa Loma, among others.
He did as many "Canadian" activities as he had time for including: ice fishing, snowmobiling, 5-pin bowling, travelling across a frozen river in a car, shooting a gun, enduring a snowstorm in a t-shirt, watching children play hockey (and avoiding the crazy hockey moms), driving on ice roads, dog-sledding and attending the most expensive hockey game he'll probably ever attend, aka The Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to James...Canada rocks!  He picked a horrendous winter for his first trip here.
Come back in the summer James; we have more to show you.