[scottwww]

I would be far more concerned about this than global warming. An asteroid caused global mass extinction when it wiped out the dinosaurs. In all the times the Earth has dealt with global warming it has never caused global mass extinction.

Come on, Algore, why don't you call for great effort to be made to develop the technology that could be needed to save us all.

An asteroid, headed our way
By Peter N. Spotts | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Humans live in a vast solar system where 2,000 feet seems a razor-thin distance.

Yet it's just wide enough to trigger concerns that an asteroid due to buzz Earth on April 13, 2029 may shift its orbit enough to return and strike the planet seven years later.

The concern: Within the object's range of possible fly-by distances lie a handful of gravitational "sweet spots," areas some 2,000 feet across that are also known as keyholes.

The physics may sound complex, but the potential ramifications are plain enough. If the asteroid passes through the most probable keyhole, its new orbit would send it slamming into Earth in 2036. It's unclear to some experts whether ground-based observatories alone will be able to provide enough accurate information in time to mount a mission to divert the asteroid, if that becomes necessary.

So NASA researchers have begun considering whether the US needs to tag the asteroid, known as 99942 Apophis, with a radio beacon before 2013.

Timing is everything, astronomers say. If officials attempt to divert the asteroid before 2029, they need to nudge the space rock's position by roughly half a mile - something well within the range of existing technology. After 2029, they would need to shove the asteroid by a distance as least as large as Earth's diameter. That feat would tax humanity's current capabilities.

NASA's review of the issue was triggered by a letter from the B612 Foundation. The foundation's handful of specialists hope to demonstrate controlled asteroid-diversion techniques by 2015.

Last Wednesday, representatives from the foundation met with colleagues at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to review the issue. The foundation's letter marks the first time specialists in the asteroid-hazard field have called for a scouting mission to assess such a threat.

"We understand the risk from this object, and while it's small, it's not zero," says David Morrison, the senior scientist at NASA's Astrobiology Institute at the Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif.

The call for a reconnaissance mission also illustrates how far the field of asteroid-hazard assessment has come.

"Ten years ago, we would have been blissfully ignorant," says Donald Yeomans, who heads NASA's near-Earth object project at JPL. Today, at least five programs worldwide are hunting down near-Earth objects. NASA is well on its way toward achieving its goal of cataloging 90 percent of the near-Earth objects larger than 0.6 miles across by 2008. And it is devising ways to ensure that information about potential hazards reaches top decisionmakers throughout the government.

Based on available data, astronomers give Apophis - a 1,000-foot wide chunk of space debris - a 1-in-15,000 chance of a 2036 strike. Yet if the asteroid hits, they add, damage to infrastructure alone could exceed $400 billion. When the possibility of the asteroid passing through two other keyholes is taken into account, the combined chance of the asteroid hitting the planet shifts to 1 in 10,000, notes Clark Chapman, a senior scientist with the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo.

"A frequent flier probably would not want to board an airliner if there's a 1-in-10,000 chance it's going to crash," he says.

The asteroid in question was discovered last June. Initially, it looked as though it might strike Earth in 2029. But additional observations eliminated that possibility. Instead the asteroid will come within 22,600 miles of Earth - just inside the altitude where major communications satellites orbit. The asteroid will be visible to the naked eye in the night skies over Europe and western Africa, where it will appear a bit dimmer than the North Star.

But this estimated distance carries an uncertainty that spans several thousand miles either side of its expected path - a region of space that includes three gravitational keyholes.

JPL's analysis will look at several factors. One involves estimating whether additional ground observations will be sufficient to resolve the question of whether the asteroid will pass through one of the keyholes. The asteroid belongs to a class known as Atens, which orbit the sun in less than a year and pass through Earth's orbit. Because Atens spend so much of their time in the direction of the Sun, observations from Earth are difficult. After next year, the next opportunity to gather data on the asteroid from the ground will come in 2012-2013.

In addition, questions remain over how long a tagging mission - and if necessary a deflection mission - would take to plan and execute. If missions can be mounted in six years or less, NASA could postpone a decision to tag the asteroid until 2014. This would give astronomers time to incorporate their latest observations as they refine calculations of Apophis's orbit. But if a tagging mission took seven to eight years and a diversion mission took another 12 years, the case grows for launching the tagging mission sooner rather than later.

Dr. Yeomans, the head of the near-Earth-object program at JPL, says the next step is to examine whether additional ground-based observations are likely to solve the collision riddle in a timely fashion.

"I can't stress this enough: The overwhelming most-likely scenario is that radar and optical data this year and next or in 2012 and 2013 will completely remove the impact probabilities," he says.

"If this is the case, why are we worried now? If it's a 1-in-15,000 shot and we come up a loser," there's still time to mount a tagging and a deflection mission, he says.

[scottwww]

Get you some.

[scottwww]

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

ONLY FORWARD IF YOU CAN READ THIS

[scottwww]

Any computer engineers?

[just4kickz]

Originally Posted by scottwww

Any computer engineers?

wow... so difficult! they must be serious

[scottwww]

Post links to banned or funny commercials.

Kylie Minogue

[scottwww]

10 Original 1960s Psychedelic posters

[scottwww]

4 Original 1960s Psychedelic posters

[NaTuReB0Y]

[Neurorad]

Repost, but why not?

[scottwww]

See the movie. Read the book.

The Passion of the Christ - Mel Gibson
The Holy Bible - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - The Four Gospels

[Neurorad]

Originally Posted by scottwww

See the movie. Read the book.

The Passion of the Christ - Mel Gibson
The Holy Bible - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - The Four Gospels

Are they similar? I'm hoping I can see the movie instead of reading the book, for my book report.

[scottwww]

The movie is very good. The gospels will give you the whole story. I think you need to read the gospels (or at least one of them) to understand the context. The Bible and the movie go very well together. It's probably the best Biblical movie of all time. We need more.

[Neurorad]

Originally Posted by scottwww

The movie is very good. The gospels will give you the whole story. I think you need to read the gospels (or at least one of them) to understand the context. The Bible and the movie go very well together. It's probably the best Biblical movie of all time. We need more.

ROFL

[scottwww]

Originally Posted by Neurorad

ROFL

What?

[scottwww]

Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34.

I think, after reading more of the passage, Jesus is interceding for the people involved in and observing his crucifixion. He is not absolving all people of their ignorance of his messiahship.

If you read the passage literally he could be seen as asking forgiveness for the soldiers dividing up his clothing or for the criminals being executed with him.

EDIT: More thoughts... Why would these people be absolved when they had the benefit of seeing Jesus with their own eyes? Why not those who never had a chance to see him?

I don't think this passage is of utmost importance, but it is worth examination for how it relates to the whole. Perhaps they were "absolved" because their eyes were closed purposely that the prophesies would be fulfilled.

[scottwww]

HEADLINES FROM THE YEAR:
2029

Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia,formerly known as California. White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.

Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.

Baby conceived naturally. Scientists stumped.

Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.

Last remaining Fundamentalist Muslim dies in the AmericanTerritory of the Middle East (formerly known as Iraq,Afghanistan, Syria and Lebanon).

Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.

France pleads for global help after being taken over byJamaica.

Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

85-year $75.8 billion study: Diet and Exercise is the key to weight loss.

Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.

Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed, they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut.

Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.

Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals, violates their civil rights.

Average height of NBA players is now nine feet, seven inches.

New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2036.

Congress authorizes direct deposit of formerly illegal political contributions to campaign accounts.

IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines.

Now, send this to whomever you want and as many as you want, then, guess what....NOTHING will happen. No miracles, no money, absolutely nothing, except you might make someone smile.

[Corey]

Originally Posted by scottwww

What sort of ECU upgrade did you get? How'd it go?

CalumSult, full standalone capability but I am using a 300zx MAF instead of MAP setup. The stock MAF is only good for like 250whp

[Corey]

Originally Posted by scottwww

Any track events coming your way?

I autocross, track events are expensive. Maybe once my car is a bit faster

[scottwww]

Originally Posted by scottwww

Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34.

Do Christians drive BMWs? (Another way of asking Are you...?)

[scottwww]

Firebird Raceway in Idaho was fast today:

1/4 mile stock E92

Good times!

[cm3rc]