Monthly Archives: January 2011

13.2 Billion Years Into the Past…

Today NASA released a video taken by the Hubble Space Telescope that shows the most distant galaxy that the human race has ever discovered.   Since, in astronomy, space=time, this video also peers 13.2 billion years into the past….

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Poor Countries and Rising Food Prices

The Wall Street Journal published an article today discussing the impact of rising food prices on what they euphemistically call “emerging nations”.  I bristle at the use of a collective euphemism in a story about rising food prices that endanger … Continue reading

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About Women Science Writers

Just read a wonderful article posted by Emily Willingham, a science writer and biologist, to her blog about being a woman who writes about science.  Her conclusions?  Being female is simply a fact — she was born that way.  Being … Continue reading

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Charity: Water

I’ve recently learned about Charity: Water, a small New York-based charity that works to provide clean, safe water for people who do not have enough.  Charity: Water was founded in 2006,  only five years ago.   It has a private group … Continue reading

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Stunning Photos of Mars Moon Phobos!

The European Space Agency (@esa) has posted photographs of Phobos (one of the two moons that orbit Mars)  taken by their Mars Express orbiter during a recent flyby.  They’re stunning — don’t miss them!

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Following H-2B Resupply Rocket to ISS

Spaceflight Now is posting a running commentary on the progress of the Japanese H-2B unmanned rocket as it travels to resupply the ISS.  This mission does not represent a breakthrough in technology or vision; unmanned space missions like this have … Continue reading

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Jean-Claude Duvalier: Investigating Crimes against Humanity

Amnesty International reports that the current government of Haiti will launch an investigation into human rights violations committed by former Haitian president-for-life Jean-Claude (“Baby Doc”) Duvalier.  This follows calls by both Amnesty and Human Rights Watch to prosecute the former … Continue reading

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Mandatory Health Insurance — in 1798?

Apparently so, according to Forbes blogger Rick Ungar.  I’m none too happy with the monstrosity that this administration created and foisted on us as an “improvement” to the current (lack of) health care system, but the founding fathers were apparently … Continue reading

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Not Right :(

Last night, U.S. President Barack Obama hosted a state dinner for the President of China, Hu Jintao, complete with full news media coverage and photos. Last February, U.S. President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama for a brief chat, … Continue reading

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Thoughts about Tunisia, and Haiti

I’ve been watching two stories develop over the weekend: the liberation of Tunisia from its long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and the return of Jean-Claude (“Baby Doc”) Duvalier to the Haiti that he fled a quarter of a … Continue reading

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