Thursday, December 31, 2015
Huge Asteroid Cruises Past Earth
An asteroid wider than nine ocean liners sailed safely past Earth today (May 31), making its closest flyby of our planet for at least the next 200 years.
Asteroid 1998 QE2, which is about 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) wide, cruised within 3.6 million miles (5.8 million km) of Earth at 4:59 p.m. EDT (2059 GMT) today, then slipped silently off into the depths of space once again.
The huge space rock never posed any danger of hitting Earth on this pass, scientists say. Indeed, at its closest approach this afternoon, 1998 QE2 was still about 15 times farther away than the moon is from Earth.
But astronomers have been tracking the asteroid closely nonetheless, regarding the close encounter as an opportunity to learn more about 1998 QE2’s composition, structure and orbit.
They’ve trained two huge radio telescopes on the space rock — NASA’s 230-foot-wide (70 meters) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif., and the 1,000-foot (305 m) dish at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.
“It is tremendously exciting to see detailed images of this asteroid for the first time,” Lance Benner, principal investigator for the Goldstone radar observations at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said in a statement earlier this month.
“With radar, we can transform an object from a point of light into a small world with its own unique set of characteristics,” Benner added. “In a real sense, radar imaging of near-Earth asteroids is a fundamental form of exploring a whole class of solar system objects.”
The observation campaign is set to run through June 9, but it has already transformed scientists’ understanding of 1998 QE2. Researchers announced Thursday (May 30), for example, that the asteroid is actually a binary system, in which a 2,000-foot (600 m) moon circles the much larger space rock.
Asteroid 1998 QE2 was discovered in August 1998 by astronomers working with MIT’s Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research program in New Mexico. The space rock is one of 10,000 or so near-Earth asteroids identified to date, but the total population of these close-flying objects is thought to exceed 1 million.
Scientists are working hard to find and track as many of these asteroids as they can, starting with the biggest and most dangerous ones. The good news is that they’ve spotted virtually all the mountain-size asteroids like 1998 QE2 that could threaten human civilization if they hit Earth, and none are on a collision course with Earth for the foreseeable future.
Many smaller but still hazardous objects remain undiscovered, however. For example, astronomers have catalogued less than 30 percent of the asteroids at least 330 feet (100 m) wide that are thought to come uncomfortably close to Earth at some point in their orbits. Such objects could destroy an area the size of a state if they slammed into Earth.
Image courtesy of NASA; Homepage image courtesy of NASA Goddard Photo and Video
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This article originally published at Space.com
here
Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/05/31/asteroid-1998-qe2-2/
Huge Asteroid Cruises Past Earth
Asteroid, Asteroids, astronomy, nasa, space, U.S., US & World, world
20 Female Movie Characters That Could Have Been Completely Different
1. Britney Spears as Allie Hamilton in The Notebook.
According to reports, Britney was very close to getting the role — without a doubt, producers were looking to tap into her fan base. But can you really imagine this role with anyone other than Rachel McAdams? Think about it… Or maybe it’s best if you don’t.
2. Sarah Michelle Gellar as Cher Horowitz in Clueless.
Sarah was originally supposed to play Cher but had to turn down the role due to a scheduling conflict with her TV work on All My Children.
3. Molly Ringwald as Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman.
Yup, Molly reportedly turned down the role that catapulted Julia Roberts to superstardom.
4. Gwyneth Paltrow as Rose DeWitt Bukate in Titanic.
Gwyneth was James Cameron’s first choice to play Rose — she turned it down. She reportedly told the press that the movie wasn’t her “cup of tea.”
So now the real question: Would we hate Gwyneth as much as we do if she had been cast in one of the most beloved films of all time? That’s a trick question: Of course we would!
5. Bette Midler as Deloris Van Cartier/Sister Mary Clarence in Sister Act.
Bette was originally in talks to play the role but backed out because she reportedly didn’t want to portray a nun.
6. Marilyn Monroe as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
In one of the most iconic scenes in film history, it would be impossible to think of anybody other than Audrey Hepburn wearing the “Little Black Dress” while looking into the window of Tiffany’s. Well, if it had been up to the author of the books on which the movie is based, Truman Capote, it would have been Marilyn. In fact, he wrote the book with her as the character in mind. Even the movie’s screenwriter, George Axelrod, wrote the script tailored to her.
Marilyn was actually talked out of taking the role by her acting coach, Lee Strasberg — he felt that playing a prostitute would be bad for her image.
When Audrey was cast, Capote remarked: “Paramount double-crossed me in every way and cast Audrey.”
7. Diana Ross as Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard.
Lawrence Kasdan’s script for The Bodyguard was first pitched around in 1975. The studio involved wanted Diana for the lead role and Steve McQueen in the Kevin Costner role. (I, for one, would really like to have seen this version.)
Unfortunately, the movie fell apart in the development stage — and another 57 times — before it was finally made in 1992.
8. Madonna as Ginger McKenna in Casino.
Sharon Stone got a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in Casino, but it never would have happened if Martin Scorsese had gone with his original choice for the role, Madonna.
9. Natalie Portman as Juliet Capulet in Romeo + Juliet.
Natalie had been cast in the role, but after production began, Baz Luhrmann felt that due to her and Leonardo DiCaprio’s age difference, the footage shot made it look as though Leo was “molesting” her.
10. Halle Berry as Annie Porter in Speed.
Halle turned down the role that made Sandra Bullock a star.
11. Drew Barrymore as Nomi Malone in Showgirls.
Drew reportedly passed on the role due to the amount of nudity that would be required. Also, producers wanted Madonna in the role of Cristal Conners — which might have taken the movie to a new level of camp.
12. Charlize Theron as Roxie Hart in Chicago.
Charlize had the role of Roxie Hart, while Nicholas Hytner was attached as director. When Hytner left the project and Rob Marshall took over, Charlize had to audition again and ended up losing the role to Renée Zellweger.
13. Emma Thompson as Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct.
Emma was considered for the role but reportedly passed on the chance so she could work on Howards End.
Emma commented years later, “I could never have pulled it off — excuse the expression — as good as Sharon.”
14. Michelle Pfeiffer as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs.
Jodi Foster’s Oscar-winning role could have gone to Michelle Pfeiffer, who was offered the role first, but she reportedly turned it down due to the violent story line.
15. Reese Witherspoon as Sidney Prescott in Scream.
After Drew Barrymore was forced to give up the role of Sidney, due to scheduling conflicts, the producers offered the role to Reese. She passed.
16. Julia Roberts as Viola De Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love.
Julia Roberts was originally signed to star in the movie in 1993 but left the project after Daniel Day-Lewis declined to play the part of Shakespeare.
17. Bette Davis as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind.
Gone with the Wind producer David O. Selznick wanted Bette for the role, but Warner Bros. (for whom Bette was signed under contract) would not allow her to accept unless Errol Flynn (another Warner actor) was cast as Rhett Butler.
David refused to cast Errol, and Bette was forced to decline. Warner Bros. made the film Jezebel (about a Southern belle) as compensation for her losing the role.
18. Jennifer Connelly as Veronica Sawyer in Heathers.
The role was written with her in mind, but she turned it down.
It is blasphemy to even think that anyone other than Winona Ryder could have played that role!
19. Annette Bening as Catwoman in Batman Returns.
Annette Bening was originally cast to play Catwoman but was replaced by Michelle Pfeiffer when she became pregnant a few weeks before filming began.
20. Shirley Temple as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz.
Shirley was a huge star, and MGM tried to make arrangements to borrow her from 20th Century Fox (the studio that had her under contract), but negotiations fell through, and Judy Garland was cast — who, at the time, was relatively unknown.
Also, it’s best not to think how Shirley’s version of “Over the Rainbow” would have sounded.
Lindsay Lohan as Jade in The Hangover.
Yup, Lindsay passed on the role of Jade in The Hangover after declaring the screenplay “had no potential.” The role then went to Heather Graham.
Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/20-female-movie-characters-that-could-have-been-completely-d
20 Female Movie Characters That Could Have Been Completely Different
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
How "Pleasantville" Beautifully Captured The Nature of Change
1. There is beauty in the details you overlook.
Living in a big city, it’s hard to appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds you. Pleasantville simplifies things by transplanting the city kids to an idyllic small town, and brightening the world bit by bit in gradual pops of color. It’s a lot easier to remember to stop and smell the roses when they’re bright red against a grayscale bush.
2. Art is a form of protest.
Outside of nature, there’s manmade art, which can be equally easy to ignore when you’re a kid. Pleasantville captures the transgressive power of art: It’s a stunning form of protest, an ability to address and subvert societal norms without violence. And the results can be gorgeous, like the mural painted by Mr. Johnson and David toward the end of the film.
3. Reading is essential.
Reading is another form of protest, which is radical information to anyone who previously regarded it solely as homework. Books offer knowledge, but also the ability to escape past your surroundings. The boundaries of Pleasantville disappear when the teenagers start opening their minds, and that happens when the books fill in with words.
4. Everything has more meaning when shared with someone else.
Ah, young love. While Jennifer brings sex to Pleasantville, David finds love. Real love, that is — not just baking cookies for the star player on the basketball team. But it was always under the surface, like the forbidden longing between Mr. Johnson and Betty. Just like that, color floods the scene. A life without love feels a little meaningless — or, you know, black and white.
5. Sex is exciting but dangerous.
With love comes sex, something of particular interest to a pre-adolescent watching Pleasantville. We get both sides of the equation in Betty’s bathtub masturbation scene: Her first experience with female pleasure is transformative, bringing color into her world. But there’s a scary power to it, too, as seen by the tree outside catching fire. The danger here is palpable.
6. It’s important to be open to new experiences.
You can’t let fear hold you back. Those raised with a religious education might flinch when Margaret offers David the apple, but it’s not about temptation — it’s about knowledge. And there’s no shame in opening your eyes and expanding your horizons. For Jennifer, it’s not sex that brings her color back: It’s staying in and reading instead.
7. Standing out will encourage those around you to do the same.
It’s tempting to conform, because that’s the easier option. But David and Jennifer both end up changing Pleasantville for good, rather than letting the town’s restrictions hold them back. Following the examples of the outsiders, the townspeople learn to be independent, thoughtful, and complicated — they’re granted dimensions they never would have found otherwise. It’s thrilling to watch.
8. Sometimes you have to cover up to make those around you comfortable.
At the same time, there’s a risk to standing out. Pleasantville doesn’t shy away from the realities of being different, as the people with color are shunned by the conservative town. It’s an allegory for race relations — the “No Coloreds” signs spell that out — but it speaks to something larger, the fear that so many of us felt as kids that we weren’t normal, and we had to hide that.
9. Change is scary.
It is terrifying, actually. But it’s also so, so important. Watching Pleasantville at 12 years old, there’s something comforting about the simple black-and-white world David and Jennifer get transported to. There’s also something frightening about the ways they change it. And yet, you know that it has to happen: Pleasantville can’t stay innocent forever, and neither can the people in it.
10. The most important thing is independence.
Risks be damned, if Pleasantville teaches you one lesson above all others it’s to be true to yourself. By the end, everyone has expressed his or her honest emotions, and they are better — and more human — because of it. The color that once was scary goes on to paint the entire town, proving that everyone has the capacity to be his or her own person with unique passions, desires, and needs.
Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/how-pleasantville-beautifully-captured-the-nature-of-change
How "Pleasantville" Beautifully Captured The Nature of Change
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Chris Matthews Made Elizabeth Warren Angry On-Air. Probably Shouldn’t Have Done That.
Chris Matthews has a real problem with Democrats and Republicans not getting anything done. Can this famous senator set the record straight?
Chris Matthews Made Elizabeth Warren Angry On-Air. Probably Shouldn’t Have Done That.
Democrats, economy-inequality-poverty, economy-recession-labor-jobs, economy., entertainment-culture, famous people, politics, Republicans, thought-provoking, video
Community Post: 42 Signs You Went On Birthright
3. 3. Your tour guide had such a deep knowledge and connection to Israel that you question whether or not he was actually part of the Torah.
4. 4. If the rabbi you had in Hebrew school was as cool as the one on your trip, you would’ve paid a lot more attention.
6. 6. Without your swanky orange nametags, there was a 0% chance you remembered everyone’s names.
7. 7. For lunch, your options were:
a) Falafel with hummus
b) Shawarma with hummus
c) Hummus with hummus
d) All of the above
8. 8. When they tell you to drink as much water as humanly possible, they REALLY aren’t kidding.
9. 9. Because the hiking just never ends and your average daily mileage approached “Moses wandering the desert” levels.
10. 10. Seven miles, 15K steps, and 2000 daily calories burned later, the first night out reminded you how beautiful Jewish girls can look when they have a few minutes to get ready.
11. 11. You also realized every Jewish guy’s wardrobe consists entirely of J.Crew, Banana Republic, and Lacoste.
13. 13. You received an elaborate education on key Hebrew words, phrases, and expressions.
15. 15. You became a regular with the hotel bartenders and lived up to their stereotypes about American drinking habits.
17. 17. You heard incredible stories from people around the world who share an amaaaaaaaazing passion for Israel and whose personalities can only be described with one word… Trippy.
19. 19. You appreciated the beauty of the Tel Aviv beaches and the warmth of the Mediterranean Sea…for the 30 minutes you got to spend there.
20. 20. Achla Hamuda was your jaaaaaaaaaaaaam, even if you only knew five words to it.
21. 21. Your group regularly disappointed the trip leader/bus mom (aka The Shlucha), with your inability to count from 1 to 40.
22. 22)Your bus driver’s ability to make three-point turns while on a 50-degree angle on the side of a narrow mountain path made you question what he did before he was a bus driver.
23. 23. On the bus you had one Israeli soldier with a gun acting as your guardian angel… because at the end of the day, you’re still in the Middle East.
24. 24. From Ashkelon to Tiberius, lurking around every corner, you had the sneaking suspicion that waiting to attack you were… CATS!
25. 25. You got used to being surrounded by danger, and when you made an unknown turn around a cliff and shouted “YOLO,” it was actually relevant.
26. 26. Sharp jagged rocks in the distance? Yeah, let’s climb those in our Havaianas.
27. 27. Excuse me, Rabbi: Can you please explain what a “Mikvah” is just one more time?
28. 28. With such an incredibly thought out and planned schedule, the hardest decision you had to make each day was what to wear.
29. 29. It took nine days to realize no matter how clearly you expressed your desire for black coffee with ice cubes in it, you would get milk-filled mocha slushy (and would drink it anyway).
31. 31. Everywhere you went, the most commonly asked question was, “Is there free Wi-Fi?”
32. 32. Between meals, it was always chip-o-clock, and, excessive trial and error led to one conclusion:
Green Doritos > everything else
33. 33. You realized your new Israeli friends were just like you, except with a better Borat impersonation.
34. 34. Walking around the Mahane Yehuda market (The Shuk) in Jerusalem, you were convinced you were on the set of Homeland.
35. 35. Protecting borders, surviving wars, and developing advanced military technology are all impressive… but nothing is more impressive than chocolate with Pop Rocks inside.
36. 36. On the one day you visited Yad Vashem, the military cemetery, and said goodbye to your Israeli’s, you were like… “Really! Really? OK fine, I give up, have all of my tears you sadistic bastards.”
37. 37. Despite the warnings and precautions, you still managed to get cuts all over your body and feel the fiery wrath of the Dead Sea.
If you can read this right now, it means your eyes finally stopped burning.
38. 38. You developed a deep fear and respect for your camel, who may or may not be named Carlsbad, over the 10 minutes you spent with him.
39. 39. That one night in the Bedouin tents gazing at the stars finally gave you a reason to use those free astronomy apps you downloaded years ago.
40. 40. Despite it being a “free trip,” by the last day you had less than 20 shekels in your pocket.
41. 41. When the trip was finally over and it was all said and done, you strongly considered leaving the airport, joining a kibbutz or the IDF, and making Aliyah.
42. 42. But even if you didn’t, you’ll never forget the good times you had, the amazing people you met, the memories we created, and the squishy feeling in the bottom of your water shoes.
Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/seanf12/42-signs-you-went-on-a-birthright-taglit-trip-to-a86v
Community Post: 42 Signs You Went On Birthright