Astronomers see more planets than stars in galaxy

The continuing discovery of exoplanets – planets outside of our solar system – is one of the most astonishing yet underreported advances in our understanding of the universe and our place in it. The number of known planets has more than doubled since 2008 to 700 and far more are waiting to be verified.

Astronomers are in agreement that at least 100 billion planets exist in our galaxy alone. That blows my mind. The universe is littered with planets, and life in one form or another is certain to exist on some.

“We’re finding an exciting potpourri of things we didn’t even think could exist,” said Harvard University astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger, including planets that mirror “Star Wars” Luke Skywalker’s home planet with twin suns and a mini-star system with a dwarf sun and shrunken planets.

“We’re awash in planets where 17 years ago we weren’t even sure there were planets” outside our solar system, said Kaltenegger, who wasn’t involved in the new research.

via Astronomers see more planets than stars in galaxy – Boston.com.

New Citizen Advisory Councils to kick off with first meetings

I was quoted in today’s Midtown Raleigh News, discussing the city’s new CAC boundaries.

Chelsea Kellner wrote a great, concise story which explains CACs perfectly. I love how this turned out!

“The new CACs provide one cohesive community organization for neighborhoods that were right on the boundary of the old CACs, to bring people together and focus more on the needs that are specific to that area,” said Mark Turner, chairman of the Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council.

via New Citizen Advisory Councils to kick off with first meetings – News – MidtownRaleighNews.com.

Why Best Buy is Going out of Business…Gradually – Forbes

Larry Downes of Fortune skewers Best Buy. And he’s right on every point.

Going to Best Buy has turned into a chore. It’s just a matter of time before it goes bankrupt and joins the list of former retailers.

Electronics retailer Best Buy is headed for the exits. I can’t say when exactly, but my guess is that it’s only a matter of time, maybe a few more years.

But the numbers only scratch the surface. To discover the real reasons behind the company’s decline, just take this simple test. Walk into one of the company’s retail locations or shop online. And try, really try, not to lose your temper.

via Why Best Buy is Going out of Business…Gradually – Forbes.

The NDAA’s historic assault on American liberty

It’s a sad day for America. I suppose the Pledge of Allegiance now needs to be rewritten to say “with liberty and justice for some.”

The Obama administration and Democratic members are in full spin mode – using language designed to obscure the authority given to the military. The exemption for American citizens from the mandatory detention requirement (section 1032) is the screening language for the next section, 1031, which offers no exemption for American citizens from the authorisation to use the military to indefinitely detain people without charge or trial.

Obama could have refused to sign the bill and the Congress would have rushed to fund the troops. Instead, as confirmed by Senator Levin, the White House conducted a misinformation campaign to secure this power while portraying the president as some type of reluctant absolute ruler, or, as Obama maintains, a reluctant president with dictatorial powers.

via The NDAA’s historic assault on American liberty | Jonathan Turley | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk.

More ink in the N&O

An alert reader pointed me to today’s edition of the Midtown Raleigh News, where an abbreviated version of my RCAC press release ran in the Notables section on page 2M:

Turner to lead citizens council

Mark Turner, outgoing chairman of the East Citizens Advisory Council, has been elected to lead the Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council. The RCAC is made up of the chairmen and other leaders of each of the 18 geographically based Citizens Advisory Councils in Raleigh. It provides a forum for the leaders to discuss citywide issues.

Turner, who lives in the Bennett Woods neighborhood, became involved in the East Citizens Advisory Council after he attended the Raleigh Neighborhood College in 2008. The series of classes is sponsored by the Community Services Department to inform residents about the work of city government and how they can have a role.

Turner also serves as chairman of the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board.

I’m glad they mentioned Raleigh Neighborhood College, too. Hopefully other folks will be encouraged to step up and do great things for the city.

First Night pic

At the People's Procession

N&O photographer Robert Willett captured part of the Turner clan walking in the People’s Procession at last night’s First Night Raleigh celebration.

The disembodied arm in the lower left belongs to Hallie. I’m walking behind her with half of my face out of the frame. Travis is to my left with his face completely out of the frame because he was wearing a box on his head. As for Kelly, she was right behind the gentleman and his daughter so she can’t be seen at all.

Police: Motorcycle was doing 80 mph before fatal crash :: WRAL.com

It’s unfortunate that this motorcyclist died Friday night, but it’s also unfortunate the driver was charged in the accident.

I’m sorry for the family of Mr. Johnson, but if you drive recklessly at almost twice the speed limit and someone turns in front of you, it’s your fault. I hope the charges are dropped against Ms. McCormick.

Officers who investigated the crash that killed Samuel Zachary Johnson, 24, of 220 Elizabeth St. in Chapel Hill said they found 114 feet of skid marks at the scene on westbound Glenwood Avenue between Triangle and Angus drives.

Police charged the driver of the car, Carolyn McCormick, 37, with a safe movement violation and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. They estimated that her 1993 Chevrolet was going about 10 mph as she was pulling out of parking lot at 9016 Glenwood.

via Police: Motorcycle was doing 80 mph before fatal crash :: WRAL.com.

Covert Naval Blog

While searching for information on Iranian submarines, I discovered this fascinating blog which provides open source intelligence on the world’s navies. It’s good reading to a former Navy spook such as myself!

Since before the Second World War, Italy has been a prolific designer and producer of small submarines. The CA and CB-class midget submarines and their operational histories are already well-known, but those produced post-WWII are much less known, poorly documented and the subjects of confusion and misinformation. Fincantieri, Maritalia and Cos.Mo.S. are all known to have produced viable small submarine designs, however only Cos.Mo.S. is known to have definitely produced actual small submarines, albeit all for export.

via Covert Naval Blog.

Louis CK tops $1 million in downloads

Comedian Louis CK filmed his standup act and, rather than putting it into the Hollywood distribution system, posted it on his website for a $5 download. This weekend he surpassed $1 million in sales, just 12 days after he posted it. He’s tripled the money he put into it and the money’s still flowing in. The best part is that he gets to decide how to divvy it up, not Hollywood with its shady accounting!

It’s a great example of an artist connecting directly with his fans, cutting out the middleman. No wonder those Hollywood suits are pushing for dictatorial control over the Internet with the SOPA bill. They’re losing control and they know it.

hi. So it’s been about 12 days since the thing started and yesterday we hit the crazy number. One million dollars. That’s a lot of money. Really too much money. I’ve never had a million dollars all of a sudden. and since we’re all sharing this experience and since it’s really your money, I wanted to let you know what I’m doing with it. People are paying attention to what’s going on with this thing. So I guess I want to set an example of what you can do if you all of a sudden have a million dollars that people just gave to you directly because you told jokes.

via Louis CK: Live at the Beacon Theater.

Vaclav Havel

Vaclav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic who helped steer that country through it’s Velvet Revolution, has died at the age of 75. I will always remember the historic revolutions that swept the world in 1989, including the one that created the Czech Republic.

I learned last week that Havel was a huge Frank Zappa fan, too, and appointed Zappa to be a cultural consultant in 1990.

Dec. 18 (Bloomberg) — Czechs mourned the death of Vaclav Havel as world leaders lionized the former president and dissident who endured years of jail to become the first leader of post-Communist Czechoslovakia.

Black flags fluttered under gray skies at Prague’s Hradcany Castle, the seat of the president’s offices overlooking the capital, as government officials began planning the country’s biggest state funeral in decades.

via Czechs Mourn ‘Symbol’ Havel as Leaders Gather to Plan Funeral – Businessweek.