I will be away for a while.
via apod:
Explanation: This starry night sky sparkles above the Black Hills of South Dakota and the United States’ Mount Rushmore National Park. The historic site features enormous sculptures of four US presidents; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, carved into the southeast face of granite cliffs. Above the monumental symbols of the country’s independence and early history, the night features stars and constellations familiar to northern skygazers around the world. Most noticeable are the stars of Ursa Major and the asterism known as the Big Dipper, almost resting upright along the cliff edge near picture center. Follow the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle to get to Arcturus, the bright yellowish star in the lower left corner. Of course, a line extending through the dipper’s two right most stars points to the upper right toward Polaris, planet Earth’s North Star.
Religious broadcaster builds $4M home despite layoffs at his ministry
This is shocking. Oh wait, no it’s not.
CHARLOTTE (AP) — A religious broadcaster is building a $4 million home in a gated, lakefront community in western South Carolina at the same time that the ministry has cut jobs and reset thermostats to save money in its new headquarters.
Inspiration Networks’ CEO David Cerullo is building the 9,000-square-foot home on a lot that overlooks Lake Keowee, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday. Inspiration Networks has drawn scrutiny for up to $26 million in incentives it won from South Carolina to move from Charlotte to Indian Land, S.C., in Lancaster County. The network’s revenues are expected to approach $100 million, largely donations from people who are told God favors those who donate.
In addition to laying off workers, the newspaper reported, the ministry froze wages and stopped making contributions to 401(k) retirement accounts. The thermostat on the network’s new building was cut to 65 degree during the winter.
This is cool.
New Zealand
Happy 4th of July
Would you trust a glass floor that’s an inch and a half thick when suspended 103 stories in the air? People in Chicago today can find out at the Sears Tower, which opened its new set of glass balconies for public viewing. “The Ledge,” as they’re collectively called, hangs 1,353 feet in the air. With transparent walls and ceilings, visitors say its like floating in the sky, and the view is, of course, spectacular. Don’t worry, those glass floor can withstand five tons, but just to be safe, jumping up and down is probably not a good idea.Click the photo to see more.
Not far from reality…
An albino baby turtle swims with green sea babies turtle in a pond at Khram island, about 30 km (19 miles) from Pattaya, east of Bangkok June 17, 2009. Special care is given to around 15,000 green and hawksbill baby turtles hatched and housed at the navy’s conservation center each year. Once the baby turtles’ shells are big and strong enough to protect them from various predators at about six-months-old the young turtles are released to the sea. Picture taken June 17, 2009.
Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane interviewed!
On the rear wall, perched on top of a wooden cabinet, is a silver tray of spirits, centred around a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s. A substance which, eight years ago, was indirectly responsible for saving MacFarlane’s life. He was due to be on the American Airlines flight that hit the North Tower of the World Trade Centre on September 11, but missed the flight by ten minutes because he’d been boozing the night before.
This is the man, after all, in sole control of over $1 billion worth of some of the planet’s best comedy. On whose hunched shoulders the success of both American Dad!, and his other better-known series Family Guy, rest. The man who’s just added to his workload with a spin-off called The Cleveland Show, plus his own hugely successful YouTube channel and a feature-length Family Guy movie.
Jack Bauer's Worst Hours
A look at the worst of Jack’s bad day’s over the past 7 seasons.
Astronauts aboard the international space station captured this striking view of Sarychev Peak in the Kuril Island chain, northeast of Japan, on June 12.
Volcanologists are excited about the picture because it captures several phenomena that occur during the earliest stages of an explosive eruption.
Click the photo to see the high resolution copy.
