USGS has reported a magnitude 6.2 quake in the Flores Sea, off Indonesia.
Category Archives: News
RIP: Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter
ABC news is reporting:
The naturalist and television star Steve Irwin has died in a diving accident in far north Queensland. He was 44. Police say he was stung through the heart by a stingray while diving off Port Douglas.
Update: Donna, my lovely wife, has written a nice piece about Steve Irwin.
SMART-1 Goes Out With A Bang
Spacecraft down at 0542 GMT, the BBC says:
Astronomers are now analysing a plume of fresh lunar “soil”, or regolith, kicked up by the crash. They have also been looking for the bright flash as the probe hit the surface. The impact was expected to leave a 3m by 10m crater on the Moon’s surface, spreading debris over 78 sq km (30 sq miles).
The Planetary Society reports:
SMART-1 scientist Detlef Koschy confirmed that mission control lost the SMART-1 signal at 10:42:19. He reported that folks at ESOC applauded when the “mission ended just as planned.” Team members at ESOC are now downloading final pictures. SMART-1 took images up to about 5 minutes before impact.
Astrobiology Magazine reports:
The European Space Agency’s Smart-1 mission ended on September 3rd 2006, at 07:42 CEST (05:42 UT). Its final lunar resting place is located at 46.2º West longitude and 34.2º South latitude.
Update: the Canada France Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea has the following image of the impact!
SMART-1 Lunar Impact Coming Up Today
By my reckoning SMART-1 will impact the moon at 15:43 Melbourne time (also see the BBC report).
Water Restrictions for Melbourne
Welcome to the first day of spring!
Today marks the beginning of stage one water restrictions in Melbourne, after a winter which has seen just half the long-term average rainfall.
Armless Man Arrested for Speeding
The BBC reports on a man caught speeding:
New Zealand police have dropped charges of dangerous driving against a man with no arms who was caught speeding.
The police are now satisfied that he can drive safely with only his feet, and he’s now got his learners permit.
Magnitude 6.8 Earthquake in PNG
Just got an email from the USGS saying:
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake IN THE BOUGAINVILLE REGION, P.N.G. has occurred at: 6.77S 155.47E Depth 54km Fri Sep 1 10:18:53 2006 UTC
There’s a USGS page for this quake with more details. The map is cached below (because it will expire over time), click on it for the current map.
Welcome to Australia, the Worlds Newest Police State
Please leave your common sense in the rubbish bins provided or customs will confiscate it and fine you.
Mr Thomas will be required to stay in his house between midnight and 5am and will report to police three times a week.
Reminder, this is a man who was freed on appeal.. To quote the AG:
“The issue is about protecting the Australian community, not punishing a person for an offence proven beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.
So now the government can “control” anyone they deem to be a threat ?
“And if you work on the assumption that only those people who could be convicted of an offence could be the subject of a control order, you wouldn’t have control orders.”
Update: ABC has more details now..
He also will need written approval to make telephone calls. His lawyer, Rob Stary, says he also has to identify all of his telecommunications devices. “Which might include Internet facilities, mobile phones, home phones, things of that nature so that presumably they can be monitored,” he said.
Written permission to make telephone calls ?
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The BBC is reporting that the text of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been adopted by the UN.
Those countries that sign up to it will have to enact laws and other measures to improve disability rights and also agree to get rid of legislation, customs and practices that discriminate against disabled people.
The US has abstained from the treaty, claiming it has no need to sign up because they already have such legislation.
One of Our Planets is Missing
Farewell Pluto, now demoted to being merely a dwarf planet.
I guess we should think ourselves lucky it’s not red. 🙂