For those interested there was a recent news item concerning the fact that a small Asteroid was going to hit the Earth. Here is the story about the eventual impact.
ASTEROID IMPACT: (Updated Oct. 8th) On Oct. 7th, asteroid 2008 TC3 hit Earth and exploded in the atmosphere over northern Sudan. An infrasound array in Kenya recorded the impact: map. Dr. Peter Brown of the University of Western Ontario has inspected the data and he estimates that the asteroid hit at 0243 UTC with an energy between 1.1 and 2.1 kilotons of TNT. The explosion was imaged by the weather satellite Meteosat 8:
Image credit: Zdenek Charvat, Czech Hydrometeorological Institute
"The explosion was visible in all 12 of the satellite's spectral channels, covering wavelengths from 0.5 to 14 microns," says Jiri Borovicka of the Czech Academy of Sciences, who is analyzing the data. "The satellite takes pictures every five minutes; the fireball appeared at 0245 UTC and had faded away by 0250 UTC."
So far, no ground-based pictures of the fireball have been submitted; the impact occurred in a remote area with few and possibly no onlookers capable of recording the event. The only report of a visual sighting comes from Jacob Kuiper, General Aviation meteorologist at the National Weather Service in the Netherlands:
"Half an hour before the predicted impact of asteroid 2008 TC3, I informed an official of Air-France-KLM at Amsterdam airport about the possibility that crews of their airliners in the vicinity of impact would have a chance to see a fireball. And it was a success! I have received confirmation that a KLM airliner, roughly 750 nautical miles southwest of the predicted atmospheric impact position, has observed a short flash just before the expected impact time 0246 UTC. Because of the distance it was not a very large phenomenon, but still a confirmation that some bright meteor has been seen in the predicted direction. Projected on an infrared satellite image from Meteosat 7, I have indicated the position of the plane (+) and the predicted impact area in Sudan (0)."
2008 TC3 was discovered on Oct. 6th by astronomers using the Mt. Lemmon telescope in Arizona as part of the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey for near-Earth objects. Asteroids the size of 2008 TC3 hit Earth 5 to 10 times a year, but this is the first time one has been discovered before it hit.
BONUS: 2008 TC3 was so close to Earth, different observers around the globe saw the asteroid trace different paths among the stars. This effect, called parallax, is beautifully illustrated in a compilation of 566 published observations prepared by Matthias Busch: image.
Editor's note: The folks over at Think Progress did a great job live-blogging tonight's debate, here's their minute by minute analysis:
10:29(EST): It's worth noting that if Iran attacked Israel, there would be no need to wait for a UN Security Council resolution even according to the UN Charter before responding. Article 51 of Chapter VII of the UN Charter enshrines the "inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations."
10:25: McCain said Russia has to understand that "they are facing a strong and determined America." Fortunately, from her well-positioned perch in Alaska, Sarah Palin has been keeping a close eye on Putin for any time he might "rear his head."
10:23: McCain said that when he looks into Putin's eyes, he sees the letters K-G-B. But in 2001, after President Bush looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul, McCain gave him "an A" for how he did in his meeting with Putin.
10:21: McCain argued that the U.S. needs to execute the "same" surge strategy in Afghanistan as we've had in Iraq, but Gen. David D. McKiernan, the new top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, "stated emphatically that no Iraq-style 'surge' of forces will end the conflict there."
10:17: Earlier in tonight's debate, McCain referred to Obama as "that one."
10:14: McCain chastised Obama for saying that he would strike Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan without Pakistan's permission if need be. Just recently, McCain defended Sarah Palin when she said essentially the same thing. (UPDATE: McCain "announced" on multiple occasions his desire to attack Iraq.)
10:13: McCain misquoted his "hero" Teddy Roosevelt tonight, quoting him as saying, "Walk -- Talk softly and carry a big stick. The exact quote is: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
10:11: McCain suggested that he opposed Ronald Reagan's deployment of US forces to Lebanon. In fact, he initially favored deploying the troops and only later argued for their withdrawal making arguments, one should note, that sound an awful lot like the arguments for redeploying from Iraq that he now deplores.
10:08: McCain doesn't seem to understand that General David Petraeus currently heads up U.S. Central Command and is not at all the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
10:06: McCain just said that if we'd withdrawn from Iraq, Iranian influence would have increased and Al Qaeda would have set up a base. Both of these things happened because we invaded Iraq.
10:02: McCain criticized Obama's foreign policy background, saying the country can't afford a president who will engage in "on-the-job training." However, Laura Bush has said that Palin doesn't have any foreign policy experience, but "she's a very quick study."
9:59: McCain said Americans should be able to go across state lines to purchase health insurance. But this approach would erode important consumer protections and allow companies to exclude from coverage pre-existing conditions, deny claims, and increase premiums.
9:57: While McCain said health care should be a "responsibility," Obama said, "I think it should be a right, for every American."
9:55: McCain is disparaging the idea of government involvement in the health care system, but he's enjoyed government-provided health care all his life and appears to trust it fine to deal with his own health problems.
9:54: McCain said he would give every family a $5,000 tax credit to buy health insurance. But McCain's credit would not cover the average price of a family health care plan. According to the latest Kaiser Foundation Benefits Survey, "premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose to $12,680 annually for family coverage" in 2008.
9:49: Obama just warned of the threat of the "climate crisis," Al Gore's preferred terminology for global warming. McCain referred to it as "climate change" earlier.
9:45: McCain said that Obama voted 94 times for tax increases or against tax cuts. Using the same methods that the McCain campaign used to calculate that number, McCain has voted for 477 tax increases.
9:44: For the second time tonight, McCain just repeated the attack that Obama has "never taken on" members of his own party, whereas he has. However, McCain has voted with Bush 95 percent of the time and once said, "I don't have to show I'm different from Bush."
9:43: McCain's plan for Medicare is to . . . appoint a commission. What happened to leadership? Doesn't he have any substantive thoughts on this issue?
9:42: McCain said, "I'm not in favor of tax cuts for the wealthy." A recent analysis from the non-partisan Tax Policy Center found that McCain's plan "would primarily benefit those with very high incomes, almost all of whom would receive large tax cuts that would, on average, raise their after-tax incomes by more than twice the average for all households."
9:41: Tonight, McCain is wearing a red striped tie that appears wavy and distorted on television. He apparently hasn't learned his lesson. During the last debate, McCain wore a similarly dizzying red and white striped tie.
9:40: Brokaw editorialized that we can all agree in a "bipartisan way" that entitlement programs are "a big ticking time bomb." In fact, in 2005 - as President Bush tried to "reform" Social Security with a privatization scheme - "barely one in four Americans believe[d] that a crisis exists." (UPDATE: As Paul Krugman explains, "No matter how many times you try to kill the mythical Social Security crisis, it just keeps coming back.")
9:39: McCain said that the last president to raise taxes amidst a downturn was Herbert Hoover. But of course Bill Clinton was elected amidst a weak economic situation, passed an Obama-esque tax increase on wealthy people, and ushered in an era of broadly shared prosperity.
9:37: Obama said that McCain's tax cut proposals would give corporate CEOs a $700,000 tax cut. McCain's tax proposals would also give his own family a $300,000 tax cut.
9:35: While discussing health care, McCain said, "I'm not going to tell that person without health insurance, I'm sorry you'll have to wait." Ironically, under McCain's Guaranteed Access health plan, individuals with pre-exisiting conditions would have to wait months for coverage of their illness.
9:33: Obama just mentioned the need for "volunteer corps all across this country." McCain has no national service plan.
9:32: In addition to reducing many vital services, John McCain's proposed spending freeze - a cut in inflation-adjusted terms - would serve as an anti-stimulus to the economy at a time of recession.
9:31: McCain said that he wants to eliminate some government programs. In the 1990s, he said that he would support "doing away" with both the Department of Education and the Department of Energy.
9:30: Discussing earmarks, McCain said he wanted to eliminate not just bad programs, but also some "really good projects" as well. But if the programs are really good, why eliminate them?
9:29: By mocking the Chicago planetarium earmark, McCain has twice mocked federal spending on science education, despite saying he recognizes the need for more scientists and engineers in America. Upon becoming the Republican nominee, he has advocated offshore drilling and selected global warming denier Sarah Palin to be his running mate - despite saying he recognizes the threat of global warming. As Lawrence Krauss said, "McCain risks becoming the anti-science candidate."
9:27: Speaking about entitlements, John McCain said "we are not going to be able to provide the same benefit for future retirees that we have today." In other words, he wants to cut entitlements. And yet, it was just earlier today that Sarah Palin said: "John McCain and I will protect the entitlement programs that Americans depend on - and above all, Social Security." (UPDATE: McCain's top adviser admitted on Sunday that McCain would slash $1.3 trillion from Medicare and Medicaid over 10 years.)
9:26: McCain praised investments in solar and wind energy. A few minutes before, he challenged the audience to look at his record as well as his rhetoric. Despite his words in favor of renewable energy in recent months, McCain has a clear record of opposition to clean energy.
9:25: McCain highlighted his support for campaign finance reform as an example of his "clear record of bipartisanship." However, he has called Justices Roberts and Alito "model justices," even though both oppose campaign finance reform.
9:21: McCain claims he warned about the coming economic crisis. However, in 2007, he admitted he was "surprised" by the crisis. "So, I'd like to tell you that I did anticipate it, but I have to give you straight talk, I did not," he said.
9:20: McCain spoke of the need to end "cronyism" that corrupts Washington. Perhaps he had in mind things like when Freddie Mac decided to hire a close McCain associate specifically in order to influence McCain's actions and then, after he succeeded, McCain tapped him to serve as his Senate Chief of Staff.
9:19: McCain said he wanted to "get rid of" the "special interests" in Washington to solve the economic crisis. Roughly 164 former lobbyists, however, run his campaign, raise money for him, and set his policy agenda.
9:16: When asked who he would potentially name as his Treasury Secretary, McCain did not mention his previousleadingcandidate -- Phil Gramm, who called America a "nation of whiners" in a "mental recession."
9:15: McCain is saying that two years ago, he stood up and warned against the excesses of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. NPR has fact-checked this claim as an exaggeration, saying that it was Sen. Chuck Hagel who actually took the lead to tighten regulation in 2005.
9:14: McCain repeated the conservative myth that problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are at the root of the financial crisis. In fact, Fannie and Freddie were late to the subprime party and had been losing market share to other firms who plunged ahead more recklessly. It's true that better regulation would have been a good idea, but regulators -- members of the Bush administration -- declined to use the authority they already had.
9:13: McCain once again claimed to have suspended his campaign to deal with the crisis, but in fact his surrogates continued to appear on television attacking Obama.
9:12: McCain decries sending billions of dollars "to countries that don't like us very much," by which we assume he means, among others, Iran and Russia. But because of the rise in oil prices resulting from the Iraq war, Iran and Russia are raking in billions of dollars in oil revenues. It's a simple equation: War John McCain supports waging indefinitely = regional destabilization = increased oil prices = higher revenues for regimes John McCain wants to contain.
9:11: McCain said he supported helping homeowners renegotiate the terms of their mortgages. However, he opposed a proposition to allow bankruptcy judges to rewrite mortgage payment terms on first homes.
9:09: McCain asserted that he doesn't want to raise taxes on "anybody." But last month, he admitted his health care plan may raise taxes.
9:08: McCain says we've got to "stop the spending spree" here in Washington to deal with the economic crisis. But reducing spending during a recession - especially at a time when the Fed is maintaining low interest rates -- is a pro-cyclical measure likely to deepen a recession.
9:05: McCain smiled and made prolonged eye contact when he greeted Obama -- already making more eye contact than the last debate.
9:03: Like the first presidential debate, McCain isn't donning a flag pin on his lapel. Barack Obama is.
Figure I will jump in this one since I haven't posted a thing aboutmy life lately.
1. My Victor/Victoira is running again. OH, how I missed my car and I will never complain about her again. The front end is completely rebuilt thanks to my wonderful brother and his $1400 loan. (I have such a wonderful brother). While I appreciate his generosity, his Neon (formerly mine and formerly his before it became mine) leave a little to be desired. I have been driving around the Neon for ages it seems. Its noisy, has no radio, no Air Conditioning, and I hve to take my brother to work every morning I had to use it. Now that I have the Victor/Victoria back I have no worries and can cruise in gas guzzing silence down the roads.
2. I have my ham radio now, but I have to install it in my car in order to get it to work. I decided to go witht he mobile unit rather than the handheld since the handheld will get you maybe a few blocks verses across the county with the mobile uint. Now I have to find someoen to put it in at a reasonable price since according to the instructions the radio should be connected directly to the battery or else it voids the warantee. Nice.
3. Now that I have the V/V fixed, I can contemplate travelling beyond the confines of my local political unit here. I am contemplating going to DFW to see my ailing friend, but I want to get some other things resolved this week and might go next week if finances work out. It will depend.
4. I have added to my musical collection lately. I have been a life long Speed Racer fan and found a copy of the original Japanese music from the show on Amazon. Speed Racer was originaly released in Japan as "Mach Go, Go, Go" and it sounds funky with the Japanese lyrics. The rest is the music cues from the show, the soundtrack music, which I throughly enjoyed. I look forward to putting this in my car and driving down the highway passing a truck while the "Mammoth Car" theme plays.
5. I added Kansas to my collection with "Somewhere to Elsewhere" which is one of the post-breakup albums that brought Kerry Livgrin and his talent back to Kansas. I have heard one song on this album which was "Icarus II" a sequel to a song written pre-Leftoverture days. I really hope I am going to love this album.
6. I added "Yellowstone - for Violin and Orchestra" to my collection. I heard this on KFUO the other night. (For those who want to listen, KFUO you may click here). KFUO is one of St. Louis' jewels and I love to listen to it all night when I drive in my security vehicle all night. However, KFUO also has an international audience thanks to the internet. The music I heard was so beautiful that I had to have the piece I heard.
7. MESSENGER went by Mercury yesterday on Monday Morning, and took some spactacular pictures. I have been remiss in not posting to the Astronomy section here on Multiply. I will post some soon.
8. I have been remiss in not posting to my CNG blog as well. I haven't posted to it in ages and that isn't a good thing. In this era of needing alternative energy, we need alternative fuel for vehicles and CNG is one of them. So I hope to get off my ass and start posting soon.
9. I am getting to hate the election. I have posted my ideas here. I am going to voting for Obama for sure and there aren't a lot of things that are going to change my mind. The debates are on right now and I am not sure how much more I can stand.
10. I am still alive so things I suppose are OK. Other than that, I hope that the economy gets better. Every day, I just want to turn off the TV.
There are strange things done in the midnight sun By Republicans seeking votes; The campaign trails have their secret tales -- Indeed their own “Deep Throats.” The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night in the hall in old St. Paul: They opted for Sarah P.
John McCain, of Vietnam fame, was handed his hat by the Bushes. His gang changed its game, became McSame -- and fought to save their tushes. Exxon John was shuffling on, his campaign was dull as Nebraska. For Hillary’s votes, they donned fur coats and off they flew to Alaska.
The economy tanks, while old John banks -- on beer and big cuts in taxation. As the gas price soars, corporate whores are buying and selling the nation. Georgia’s got oil, attractive spoil; John’s guy knocks down hefty fee. They need oil that’s clean, know what I mean? Voilà: there she is, Sarah P!
“We’ve got her!” they cried, “big win for our side -- a babe who hunts and fishes!” The right wing crew confirms it’s true, the gal of all their wishes. They shivered and shook, took one more quick look, and snuck her to Arizona. As Rove assays “It’s all ‘God, guns, and gays’! You’ve found the ideal persona!”
John’s of an age. At his advanced stage he can’t remember his houses. The moola is Cindy’s, that pisses the Indies. Perhaps he’s forgotten his spouses! Up in Alaska no one’ll ask ya how many houses or just how few. Freezing weather? Palins huddle together in their snuggly exurban igloo.
John McCain fiercely dreams he’s John Wayne -- he wants to bomb Iran. With Sarah Palin, John aint failin’ his crusade on Islamastan. “Shia and Sunni, they’re both kind of loony,” neither one can tell them apart. “We’ll kill ‘em all fast, with a nu-cu-lar blast -- plus elitists who think they’re so smart!”
John used to say, in that bellicose way, “First priority: getting Al Qaida. We need a guy of experienced eye – or a beauty queen snowmobile rider.” Sarah P. on Iraq is not deep – but she never asked to be veep. It was McCain, war on his brain, making the choice in his sleep.
Is there a scandal? One John can’t handle? You’ve heard of troopergate. Sarah loves sister Palin, so she’ll give her ex a flailin’. An independent state? “Let’s break away from the old USA, and its army of occupation. Oil drilling is fine, as long as it’s mine, to hell with your forty-eight nation!”
What now GOP, grand oil oli-GOP-oly? Signs are that you’re ailin’. Swift boats are sunk, no thoughts are thunk, just a family soap with Palin! Asleep at the wheel, John’s lost his feel, the party sure is sinking. But Sarah’s young, with a crazy tongue, let’s hear it for unthinking!
Her style: naughty librarian. Talk: libertarian. But are things what they seem? She’d ban some books, belies her looks, plays for the GOP team. Not a librarian, not libertarian, she’s a censoring barracuda. She knows Jesus will do as she pleases; shut up with your crap about Buddha!
God’s will, Sarah knows, is to drill; she’s privy to His plan. At end of days the good Lord pays – or is that Taliban? “Pray away the gay” – her church says today. Alaska’s a “refuge state.” When Judgment comes, her raptured chums throng Nome’s pearly gate.
“Country first”: it’s well rehearsed, at the post-disaster convention. She’ll be a heartbeat away from holding sway-- watch your hypertension. Creation’s in for guv Palin, and choice she’ll strictly ban. And get this Pentecostal threat: no sex ed in Alaskastan.
There are strange things done in the midnight sun By Republicans seeking votes; The campaign trails have their secret tales -- Indeed their own “Deep Throats.” The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night in the hall in old St.Paul: They opted for Sarah P.
ENVIRONMENT -- HURRICANE IKE CAUSES HALF A MILLION GALLONS OF OIL SPILLS: A new AP analysis shows that Hurricane Ike "destroyed oil platforms, tossed storage tanks and punctured pipelines," resulting in "[a]t least a half millions gallons of crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico and the marshes, bayous and bays of Louisiana and Texas." The Coast Guard has responded to more than 3,000 pollution reports. "At times, a new spill or release was reported to the Coast Guard every five minutes to 10 minutes." Ike's enormously destructive wreckage adds further proof that conservatives' claims regarding the safety of offshore oil drilling are totally false. As they pushed for expanded drilling this summer, conservatives repeatedly insisted that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita "didn't spill a drop" of oil. Even Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman claimed that during Katrina and Rita, "there was not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment." This is a lie: Those hurricanes caused 124 offshore oil spills releasing over 700,000 gallons of oil. The clear evidence of Ike's environmental damage comes just days after House progressives allowed the ban on offshore oil drilling to expire, potentially clearing the way for hundreds of new rigs to be built -- and for destructive new oil spills to be created.
MMS has recalculated the number of manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico since 23 manned platforms have been confirmed destroyed from Hurricane Ike. The new figure of 694 manned platforms was used to calculate today’s percentage of manned platforms evacuated. Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 a.m. CDT today, personnel are evacuated from a total of 179 production platforms, equivalent to 25.8 % of the 694 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
The total number of rigs currently operating in the Gulf of Mexico has been recalculated to allow for the number of rigs destroyed or severely damaged as a result of Hurricane Ike. The recalculated figure is 116 rigs. This number was used in calculating today's percentage of rigs evacuated. Personnel from 3 rigs are evacuated; this is equivalent to 2.6% of the 116 rigs currently operating in the Gulf.
From the operators' reports, it is estimated that approximately 59.3% of the oil production in the Gulf is shut-in. As of June 2008, estimated oil production from the Gulf of Mexico is 1.3 million barrels of oil per day. It is also estimated that approximately 56.4% of the natural gas production in the Gulf is shut-in. As of June 2008, estimated natural gas production from the Gulf of Mexico was 7.0 billion cubic feet of gas per day. Since that time, gas production from the Independence Hub facility has increased and current gas production from the Gulf is estimated at 7.4 billion cubic feet of gas per day.
For those that havne't heard yet, David Letterman is upset. John McCain cancelled on him. Then he finds out that McCain is doing an appearance on the CBS News next door. Not a good thing for McCain.
Afterward, Keith Olberman was called in to be a replacement. It was then that Dave found out that the good Senator was doing an appearance next door.
I am interested in CNG vehicles because they are good for the environment and aren't powered by dead Marines. I still have a little hope for the world. Read the musings and enjoy.
