Mickey Gubas' Blog: May 2015

Sunday, May 31, 2015

A Tranquil Muslim Hamlet in the Catskills-Until the Attack Plot by REUTERS

By REUTERS

Just beyond the gated entrance to the tiny Catskills community of Holy Islamberg, population 200, cows graze and ducks glide on a tranquil pond. Modest houses of wood and cinder block sit along the hamlet’s single thoroughfare, a rutted dirt road…

Published: May 31, 2015 at 09:44PM

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Supernova 1994D and the Unexpected Universe

Long ago, far away, a star exploded. Supernova 1994D, visible as the bright spot on the lower left, occurred in the outskirts of disk galaxy NGC 4526. Supernova 1994D was not of interest for how different it was, but rather for how similar it was to other supernovae. In fact, the light emitted during the weeks after its explosion caused it to be given the familiar designation of a Type Ia supernova. If all Type 1a supernovae have the same intrinsic brightness, then the dimmer a supernova appears, the farther away it must be. By calibrating a precise brightness-distance relation, astronomers are able to estimate not only the expansion rate of the universe (parameterized by the Hubble Constant), but also the geometry of the universe we live in (parameterized by Omega and Lambda). The large number and great distances to supernovae measured over the past few years, when combined with other observations, are interpreted as indicating that we live in a previously unexpected universe. via NASA http://ift.tt/1FLWxty

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Supernova 1994D and the Unexpected Universe

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Refugees Fear History Is Repeating Itself in Burundi by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

As a teenager Joseph Nakaha fled with his parents to neighboring Tanzania when ethnic-based fighting erupted in Burundi after independence in 1962. In 1972, he was a refugee again and then in 1993 when civil war broke out, he and his wife and…

Published: May 31, 2015 at 09:17AM

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Tortuous History Traced in Sunken Slave Ship Found Off South Africa by HELENE COOPER

By HELENE COOPER

The Smithsonian will announce Tuesday that the wreckage of a vessel that sank in 1794 has been found, the first time a slaving ship that went down with slaves aboard has been recovered.

Published: May 31, 2015 at 08:00PM

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Myanmar Navy Blocks Journalists as Migrant Boat Held in Limbo by REUTERS

By REUTERS

Myanmar’s navy briefly detained and turned back journalists on Sunday near a migrant boat being held off the country’s southern coast, according to Reuters witnesses, as officials remained guarded over what would be done with the people on board.

Published: May 31, 2015 at 02:29AM

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Saturday, May 30, 2015

Desperate Bangladeshi Migrant Families Await Calls for Ransom by REUTERS

By REUTERS

In Bangladesh’s southernmost tip, families cling to scraps of paper with Malaysian and Thai hand phone numbers scribbled on them as their only links to loved ones missing after boarding fishing boats, lured by hopes of a brighter future overseas.

Published: May 30, 2015 at 08:57PM

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Messier Craters in Stereo

Many bright nebulae and star clusters in planet Earth’s sky are associated with the name of astronomer Charles Messier, from his famous 18th century catalog. His name is also given to these two large and remarkable craters on the Moon. Standouts in the dark, smooth lunar Sea of Fertility or Mare Fecunditatis, Messier (left) and Messier A have dimensions of 15 by 8 and 16 by 11 kilometers respectively. Their elongated shapes are explained by an extremely shallow-angle trajectory followed by the impactor, moving left to right, that gouged out the craters. The shallow impact also resulted in two bright rays of material extending along the surface to the right, beyond the picture. Intended to be viewed with red/blue glasses (red for the left eye), this striking stereo picture of the crater pair was recently created from high resolution scans of two images (AS11-42-6304, AS11-42-6305) taken during the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. via NASA http://ift.tt/1QgEZs3

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Building of Islands Is Debated, but China and U.S. Skirt Conflict at Talks by MATTHEW ROSENBERG

By MATTHEW ROSENBERG

After a week of public rancor over China’s rush to build artificial islands on reefs, rocks and atolls in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, an annual security meeting in Singapore presented a chance to lower the temperature.

Published: May 30, 2015 at 08:00PM

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In Japan, You Get a Tax Break and a Side of Lobster and Beef by JONATHAN SOBLE

By JONATHAN SOBLE

City dwellers are contributing tax-deductible donations to far-flung, struggling municipalities, which in return send out local specialties.

Published: May 30, 2015 at 08:00PM

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Hastert Indictment Has Illinois Hometown Sifting Memories by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Before he was U.S. House speaker and second in line to the president, Dennis Hastert was known around Yorkville, Illinois, as Denny the coach, a beloved mentor to youths on the high school wrestling team and in local Scouting groups who organized…

Published: May 30, 2015 at 12:43PM

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Thousands Rescued Off Libya in 22 Operations in One Day by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Italian officials demanded that its European partners help more with the migrants, who have been coming in huge numbers this year. Last year, Italy rescued some 170,000 migrants at sea.

Published: May 30, 2015 at 08:00PM

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Hawaiian Fisherman Dies in Struggle With Swordfish He Speared by REUTERS

By REUTERS

A Hawaiian fisherman died when a swordfish he had speared in a harbor on the Big Island struck him in the chest with its sharp bill, officials said.

Published: May 30, 2015 at 11:06AM

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Italy: 4,200 More Migrants Saved Off Libya’s Coasts, 17 Die by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

More than 4,000 migrants have been rescued off Libya’s coast in 22 separate operations in one day, with rescuers finding 17 people dead aboard a rubber dinghy, the Italian Coast Guard said Saturday.

Published: May 30, 2015 at 02:14AM

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More Than 4,200 Migrants Rescued in Mediterranean as Crisis Grows by REUTERS

By REUTERS

More than 4,200 migrants trying to reach Europe have been rescued from boats in the Mediterranean in last 24 hours, the Italian coastguard said on Saturday.

Published: May 30, 2015 at 02:16AM

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North Korean Ex-POWs Who Left Homeland Hope to Visit by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

After the Korean War ended in 1953, Kim Myeong Bok and 75 other North Korean prisoners of war detained in South Korea opted to live abroad rather than risk hostile welcomes in either half of their homeland. Now he wants to come home, though he may…

Published: May 29, 2015 at 10:02PM

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