Nasa and the Music....[ 1684 ]

Nasa's new 'Idol' song competition 'to give new music to space astronauts'

Nasa astronauts are to be roused by new music first thing in the morning during space missions, after an "Idol" style compeition was launched.

 

Use of music to wake astronauts on space missions dates back to at least the Apollo Program. Photo: REUTERS

 

The "American Idol for space" competition will give budding musicians the chance to create a new original tune for the Endeavour mission early next year. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

By Andrew Hough
Published: 8:00AM BST 21 Aug 2010

Space agency officials have created the first ever “wake up” competition, which will help choose a catchy tune to rouse the Discovery’s shuttle crews during their final two flights later this year.

Meanwhile, the “American Idol for space” competition was announced, where budding musicians were urged to create a new original tune for the Endeavour mission early next year, the last scheduled space shuttle flight.

 

Traditionally, the songs played to wake up astronauts are selected by friends and family of the crew members.

But the "Wakeup Song Contest" competition has opened that privilege up to the general public for the first time, who can select songs from a list of the top 40 previous “wakeup calls”. 

The choices include Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" and Tom Petty's "Free Fallin," as well as some U2 and Elton John.
Countdown, by Rush, was the early leader after the competition was announced on Friday, followed by the Star Trek theme and U2’s Beautiful Day.
The two songs with the most votes will be played to crew as crew wakeup calls on the final scheduled flight of space shuttle Discovery in November before the fleet retires.
The newly created song will be played during the Endeavour, which is set to launch Feb. 26 next year.

After 130 space shuttle missions, only four remain before the fleet is scheduled to retire.
"We're looking forward to hearing which songs the public wants played for us," said Steve Lindsey, the Discovery mission’s Commander.
"It's going to be a difficult choice, because there have been so many great songs played over the years."
Mark Kelly, the Endeavour’s commander, added: “Space shuttle crews really enjoy the morning wake-up music.
“While we don't have the best quality speaker in the space shuttle, it will be interesting to hear what the public comes up with. We are looking forward to it."
Use of music to wake astronauts on space missions dates back at least to the Apollo Program.

Astronauts returning from the moon were “serenaded by their colleagues in mission control with lyrics from popular songs that seemed appropriate for the occasion”.

In June, Nasa revealed a stellar line up of musical stars which were used to entertain astronauts while they are on space missions.
The usually serious ground control, play everything from The Beatles' Here Comes the Sun as the spacemen wake up to Sinatra's Fly Me To The Moon as they set off.

A record of the records played was published by the space agency’s “Historical Division” tracing songs in space right back to the 1965 US Gemini Mission.

The song competition has echoes of Nasa’s “Face in Space” contest after the space agency announced it will fly photographs of anyone who uploads a head shot onto their Face in Space website to the International Space Station.

The "Merchant of Death". to stand trial, in U.S..[ 1683 ]

Thai court orders extradition of Russian arms dealer to U.S.

Viktor Bout, a suspected Russian arms dealer, listens to reporter's questions from inside a court cell at the criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand Friday, Aug. 20, 2010. An appeals court ruled in favor of a U.S. request to extradite the elusive Russian businessman dubbed "The Merchant of Death." (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

By Jerry Seper

-

The Washington Times

12:55 p.m., Friday, August 20, 2010

International arms dealer Viktor Bout, the so-called "Merchant of Death" named in February in a federal grand jury indictment in New York on charges of conspiring to finance an aircraft fleet to arm bloody conflicts and support rogue regimes worldwide, will be returned to the United States to stand trial, a court in Thailand ruled on Friday.

In overturning a lower court's decision that blocked his return, a Thai appeals court agreed with U.S.Mr. Bout, 43, should be returned to answer the accusations. He was being held in Thailand on a U.S. indictment handed up in 2008 accusing him of selling weapons to Marxist rebels in Colombia to kill Americans. prosecutors that

The U.S. government, which summoned the Thai ambassador in Washington this week to push for extradition, had considered the case as one of the nation's highest priorities, according to the State and Justice departments.

"We are extremely pleased that the appeals court in Thailand has granted the extradition of Viktor Bout to the United States on charges of conspiring to sell weapons to a terrorist organization for use in killing Americans," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler.

"We have always felt that the facts of the case, the relevant Thai law and the terms of our bilateral extradition treaty clearly supported the extradition of Mr. Bout on these charges," he said, adding that while the Bout prosecution was "of utmost priority to the United States," the criminal charges he faces are not solely an American concern.

"He has been sanctioned by the United Nations for alleged arms trafficking activity and support of armed conflicts in Africa," Mr. Grindler said.

Justice Department officials based at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok were in court to hear the verdict, and declined comment to the media. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov blasted the ruling, saying his country intended to have Mr. Bout returned to that country.

"This decision, according to the information that we have, was taken under very strong pressure from the outside. This is sad," Mr. Lavrov said, referring to the United States . "I assure you that we will continue to do everything necessary to obtain his return to the motherland."

Mr. Bout and an associate, Richard A. Chichakli, were accused of money-laundering, wire-fraud and of conspiring to purchase two aircraft from companies in the U.S. in violation of economic sanctions that prohibited such financial transactions.

According to the indictment, Mr. Bout carried out a massive weapons-trafficking business by assembling a fleet of cargo planes capable of transporting weapons and military equipment to various parts of the world, including Africa, South America and the Middle East.

Australian Elections..[ 1682 ]

Too early to celebrate - Abbott

Sky News com.au., 

Updated: 00:21, Sunday August 22, 2010

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says it's too early to celebrate an election win.
Mr Abbott told a jubilant crowd at the Four Seasons ballroom in Sydney it was time for 'measured reflection on the magnitude of the task ahead'.
'There should be no premature triumphalism tonight,' he said.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard earlier declared the election 'too close to call' and congratulated independent MPs who could be vital in the likely case of a hung parliament.
Mr Abbott, whose speech was punctuated by repeated chanting of 'Tony, Tony, Tony', thanked the Australian people for their commitment to democracy, no matter who they voted for.
Mr Abbott said he was proud of every coalition supporter around the country.
'I have to say to you that I feel humbled as I think of the responsibilities that could lie ahead.'
The opposition leader singled out Nationals leader Warren Truss, deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, the Liberal party president Alan Stockdal, campaign director Brian Loughnane and opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey in his round of thank yous.
Mr Abbott thanked party members and supporters, and recognised Ms Gillard, saying it had not been an easy eight weeks for her as prime minister.
'She has certainly worked extremely hard for her cause under difficult circumstances,' he said.
Mr Abbott said Labor had definitely lost its majority.
The declaration was greeted by more cheers of 'Tony, Tony, Tony.'
'And what that means is that the government has lost its legitimacy,' he said.
A government which found it hard to govern effectively with a 17 seat majority would never be able to govern effectively in a minority government, Mr Abbott said.
The number of votes Labor had picked up at this election was 'a great fact,' Mr Abbott said.
'We do not have a clear result from tonight, and I want to say that until a clear result has emerged from this election, that the caretaker conventions under which the government has been operating for the last five weeks must continue,' he said.
Mr Abbott said the election had been a win for the public, whose judgment must always be respected.
Mr Abbott said the Labor Party had achieved the lowest primary vote of any governing party since World War II.
Australians had also responded to coalition policies, he said.
Mr Abbott called the election a 'referendum on the political execution of a prime minister', referring to Kevin Rudd.
'The Australian people have said that whatever else might characterise our political culture, it should never be characterised by the knock on the door at midnight from the faceless men of the Labor factions,' he said.

Iran: the Bushehr nuclear power plant ..[ 1681 ]

Iran to start up nuclear reactor

Standard co.uk.,.,21.08.10

Ιranian and Russian engineers have begun loading fuel into Iran's first nuclear power plant.

The news is a major milestone as Tehran forges ahead with its atomic programme despite United Nations sanctions.

Media stand near the Bushehr nuclear power plant with its reactor building in the background

The week-long operation to load fuel into the reactor at the Bushehr power plant in southern Iran ends years of foot-dragging by Russia, which signed a £640 million contract in 1995 to build the plant but delayed its completion several times.

Russia is one of six world powers leading efforts to ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon and Moscow says the Bushehr project is essential for persuading Iran to co-operate.

But the US disagrees, saying Iran should not be rewarded while it defies UN demands.

Iran insists its programme is only for energy production.

"The start-up operations will be a big success for Iran," conservative MP Javad Karimi said in Tehran. "It also shows Iran's resolve and capability in pursuing its nuclear activities."

Russia has pledged to safeguard the site and prevent spent nuclear fuel from being shifted to a possible weapons programme.

The first truckload of fuel was taken from a storage site to a fuel "pool" inside the reactor building. Over the next 10 days, 163 fuel assemblies - equal to 80 tons of uranium fuel - will be moved inside the building and then into the reactor core.

TimeS / CNN Photos.. ..[ 1680 ]

Picture from Spain

Joseba Etxaburu / Reuters

Cattle Call
 
A fighting bovine leaps over participants during the second running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/picturesoftheweek/0,29409,2002667_2163122,00.html#ixzz0xBrNXERz