Screengrab from YouTube video What if we were to geoengineer a ring around the sun, specifically for human habitation? What would that look like? Artist Simon Terrey decided to visualize it for us. Check out the video animation of planet Earth as a ring around the sun. … Read the full story on TreeHugger
More here:
Beautiful View of a Ringworld, the Ultimate in Geoengineering (Video)
Posted in Gossip, Hollywood, Hot Stuff, News
Tagged around-the-sun, bennyhollywood, Culture, earth, gray-squirrel, healthy, laboratory, ringworld, stars, travel & nature
Chris Matthews is still getting a thrill up his leg, and even further, whenever he hears Barack Obama speak, as the MSNBCer, on Monday’s Hardball, announced to the world “I get the same thrill up my leg, all over me,” whenever he listens to Obama’s 2004 Democratic convention speech. Matthews also revealed he is really sensitive about how his “thrill” moments are described, as he took offense when a guest inaccurately labeled it a “tingle” as Matthews shot back: “It wasn’t a tingle, up my leg, that’s what right wing fascists say. I got a thrill up my leg. Okay? You’re reading the right wing blogs. Start tuning your station.” [ audio available here ] Matthews, however, is quite aware that the rest of the country doesn’t share the same all over body thrill he does as he asked his guests, Roger Simon of the Politico and Jim Kessler of Third Way, “Can President Obama stir us again and help his party keep power this November?” The following is the full segment as it was aired on the September 7 Hardball: [5:17pm] BARACK OBAMA: I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story. That I owe a debt to all of those who came before me and that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible. CHRIS MATTHEWS: Wow, that was America’s introduction to Barack Obama in 2004 in his acknowledgment that only in America was his story possible inspired us. And as he battled through the 2008 primaries he retold that story, and it was electric. OBAMA: My own story tells me that in the United States of America there’s never been anything false about hope, at least not if you’re willing to work for it. Not if you’re willing to struggle for it, not if you’re willing to fight for it. I should not be here today. I should not be here today. I was not born into money or status. I was born to a teenage mom in Hawaii. My father left us when I was two. But my family gave me love. They give me an education. And most of all they gave me hope. Hope, hope that in America, no dream is beyond our grasp. If we reach for it and fight for it and work for it. MATTHEWS: I get the same thrill up my leg all over me, every time I hear those words. I’m sorry, ladies and gentlemen that’s me. He’s talking about my country and nobody does it better. Can President Obama stir us again and help his party keep power this November? Jim Kessler is co-founder and vice president of Third Way, a progressive think tank. Roger Simon, our buddy is chief political columnist for Politico. Gentlemen, with a little bit of sentiment, Roger, try here. ROGER SIMON, POLITICO: I’m sentimental. MATTHEWS: Try to stick with me. It seems to me, that what’s thrilled me, and I admitted it so many times, is when he talked about America. He wasn’t saying “I’m going to do this because I’m a big shot and I’m a brain.” He said, you know, “I was lucky and also I was fortunate to live in this country and, and we can do things on our own without a lot of help from government and big stuff. On our own we can do things. That’s what your piece is about, isn’t it? He doesn’t talk like that any more. JIM KESSLER, THIRD WAY: Right. I think it’s hard to talk like that when you’re in the middle of a lot of legislative battles, but if you look back 10.8 percent unemployment, 6.3 percent inflation, decline in GDP, doubling of the deficit over the previous years and presidential approval ratings south of 40 percent, Ronald Reagan, November of 1982, at the exact moment of the midterm elections he held all 54 Republican Senate seats, they lost a couple dozen House seats, which is basically par for the course. It shows you can have an economic environment as bad or worse as what the Democrats and Barack Obama are facing- MATTHEWS: If? KESSLER: If, you have to own one thing. You have to own optimism. And that’s what, that’s what President Reagan was selling to the American people. A destination, a vision about success and where America was going. MATTHEWS: Was that a confidence in themselves or in his program? KESSLER: I think it was confidence in himself, as a leader, because there was doubts about Reaganomics. Reaganomics hadn’t worked for one moment, at that point, but they understood the destination where he wanted to take this country. And they said, “You know what we’re gonna hitch a ride with this guy. I’m not sure about the program but I know where he wants to take this country” and, you know, he, he, ya hitched a wagon to him. And people stuck, stuck with him. MATTHEWS: Somebody is giving him other advice here. He’s getting somewhere else because this, they’re talking, “They’re treating me like a dog.” This whining almo-, not whining. That’s a knock. But, you know, he’s talking like he’s being put down. He’s not being put down. He’s being criticized. SIMON: No, he’s the President of the United States. He can’t portray himself as a victim. One other thing that the Republicans had going for them in ’94 is that the Democrats were fat and sassy and lazy and didn’t see it coming. Also they had a movement leader in Newt Gingrich, and his Contract With America which was more symbolic than real. But people said, “Oh here it is in writing. This is a good deal.” MATTHEWS: Yeah, but only about one-fifth of people knew about that so-called contract. Let me ask you about Jim’s point, about the basic speech he used to give about America. No one questioned Barack Obama’s Americanism when he was running as a candidate. They didn’t talk about his religion. They knew he had an exotic name, Barack Obama. But that was so much like a lot of our names, they’re accidents of our parents or grandparents. It wasn’t who we are. Now the Republicans have tagged him with that, it’s his identity. He is Barack Hussein Obama. That’s who he is, it’s an identity because he doesn’t seem to wow us with his love of country like he used to, that’s my thought. SIMON: Well I think he’s suffering under the belief that he’s got to something for an encore. You can’t go back to the past. And you saw on the podium the past placard. “Change you can believe in.” MATTHEWS: Yeah. SIMON: “Change we can believe in. Well now people have the right to say, “Where is the change? Where is it? It didn’t happen.” MATTHEWS: Well it’s a year-and-a-half. SIMON: People are impatient. MATTHEWS: Yeah. SIMON: They want to see something. MATTHEWS: But why did they put up with Reagan for a year-and-a-half of nothing but 11 unemployment, 11 percent unemployment? SIMON: Reagan, as Barack Obama is, though in different ways, a very magnetic personable figure that people liked and trusted. Barack Obama, as I said, is the same. By Election Day he cannot improve the unemployment figures. But, by Election Day, he can goose up the Democrats. He can make them confident. MATTHEWS: Yeah okay. Here’s the question. Let’s watch Reagan for a second and then I’m gonna ask you Jim, can a Democrat be turned on the way a Republican can? I know I can. Somewhere in the middle, slightly left but I’m there and I can get it turned on by America as anybody on the right. But maybe, I’m gonna ask you whether Democrats really want to be positive. Here he is, Reagan being positive, maybe talking to the choir. Here he is in January of 1982. Let’s look. RONALD REAGAN: Don’t let anybody tell you America’s best days are behind her, that the american spirit has been vanquished. We’ve seen the triumph, too often in our lives, to stop believing in it now. MATTHEWS: Can a Democrat talk like that? KESSLER: Yes. I mean, look, you talked about that tingle up your leg. I mean you know… MATTHEWS: It wasn’t a tingle, up my leg, that’s what right wing fascists say. I got a thrill up my leg. Okay? You’re reading the right wing blogs. Start tuning your station. KESSLER: My, my apologies. MATTHEWS: No it’s not enough, because you’re reading the wrong stuff. But go ahead, I was just kidding. I can take it. I’m sorry.
Link:
Matthews Reveals His Obama ‘Thrill’ Has Moved Up From Leg to ‘All Over Me’
Jolie dropped out of the sci-fi drama last week. By Adam Rosenberg Natalie Portman Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” premiered at the Venice Film Festival last week, and critics are still buzzing over the ballet-centric thriller and star Natalie Portman’s standout performance. Also in the news last week was Angelina Jolie’s departure from Alfonso Cuaron’s sci-fi drama “Gravity,” in which she was set to star alongside Robert Downey Jr. With the role vacated, a long list of potential replacements surfaced, including “Swan” star Portman. Now it seems that Portman may be the top choice to step in for Jolie. The young star received a formal offer from Warner Bros., according to The Hollywood Reporter . The next step is for her to read the script and make a decision. “Gravity” is an “$80 million [budgeted] 3D survival story,” which Cuaron will direct. The male and female leads play astronauts who are stranded after a disaster leaves their space station inoperable. Downey’s role is a small one in comparison to the one Portman is now up for — the story primarily revolves around her character’s desire to get back to Earth, where her daughter is waiting. Portman already has a 2011 jam-packed with work. She’ll be promoting three features — medieval stoner comedy “Your Highness,” romantic comedy “No Strings” and Marvel superhero summer blockbuster “Thor” — as well as continuing development on the adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” which David O. Russell is writing/directing and Portman will produce/star in. THR also reports that Terence Malick is after the young actress for a role in a “Jerry Lee Lewis-related project” that he is developing with Brad Pitt, and that Tom Stoppard is seeking her out for yet another project. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos The Evolution Of: Natalie Portman
Go here to read the rest:
Angelina Jolie’s ‘Gravity’ Role Reportedly Offered To Natalie Portman
Posted in Celebrities, Gossip, Hollywood, Music
Tagged after-the-young, celeb news, earth, festival, Hollywood, Images, Mtv, natalie-portman, Photos, pulsing-electro, read-the-script, rihanna, songs, space, terence-malick
The Earth's magnetic poles flip around every 200,000 years or so, with north becoming south and vice versa. Normally, the process takes 4-5,000 years and it ought to be impossible for the flip to be much faster, if models of the Earth's core are correct, but now for the second time evidence has been found of a flip that appears to have taken only a few years. The first time evidence was discovered of a rapid geomagnetic field reversal was in 1995 when well-preserved lava flows were found at Steens Mountain in Oregon in the US. Research on the rocks by a team led by geologist Scott Bogue of the Occidental College in Los Angeles revealed the lava flow had an unusual magnetic pattern that suggested the magnetic field had been shifting over 10,000 times faster than normal, at six degrees a day. The magnetic patterns are preserved within the magnetic crystals in the lava, formed as the lava flow cooled. The first findings remained controversial and many scientists have challenged the fast flip-flop theory, but now Bogue and colleague Jonathan Glen of the US Geological Survey have found evidence in ancient lava rock in Battle Mountain, Nevada of a second fast flip, dated around 15 million years ago. The record in one particular lava flow in Nevada suggests the magnetic field moved by 53 degrees in a single year. The lava started to cool, but was then heated again within a year as it was buried under fresh lava. The crystals in the rock were re-magnetized by the fresh lava, producing a shift of 53 degrees. This finding could mean the poles swapped over a period of only four years, but Brogue said it could also suggest there was a rapid acceleration period within the steady movement of the field. According to some geologists a polarity reversal is overdue, since the Earth’s magnetic field has been weakening for the last century, and the last stable reversal was about 780,000 years ago. Even if it was a super-fast flip-flop, however, it would not be noticeable to most people. No one is certain why such reversals take place, although many scientists believe they are connected in some way with the convective movements of the liquid iron in the Earth’s outer core. http://www.physorg.com/news202971192.html added by: pjacobs51
Posted in Celebrities, Hot Stuff
Tagged battle-mountain, convective, earth, Hollywood, lava, magnetic, magnetic-field, News, occidental, oregon, rock, stars, steens-mountain
Mass extinctions have served as huge reset buttons that dramatically changed the diversity of species found in oceans all over the world, according to a comprehensive study of fossil records. The findings suggest humans will live in a very different future if they drive animals to extinction, because the loss of each species can alter entire ecosystems. Some scientists have speculated that effects of humans — from hunting to climate change — are fueling another great mass extinction. A few go so far as to say we are entering a new geologic epoch, leaving the 10,000-year-old Holocene Epoch behind and entering the Anthropocene Epoch, marked by major changes to global temperatures and ocean chemistry, increased sediment erosion, and changes in biology that range from altered flowering times to shifts in migration patterns of birds and mammals and potential die-offs of tiny organisms that support the entire marine food chain. Scientists had once thought species diversity could help buffer a group of animals from such die-offs, either keeping them from heading toward extinction or helping them to bounce back. But having many diverse species also proved no guarantee of future success for any one group of animals, given that mass extinctions more or less wiped the slate clean, according to studies such as the latest one. Looking back in time, the diversity of large taxonomic groups (which include lots of species), such as snails or corals, mostly hovered around a certain equilibrium point that represented a diversity limit of species' numbers. But that diversity limit also appears to have changed spontaneously throughout Earth's history about every 200 million years. How today's extinction crisis — species today go extinct at a rate that may range from 10 to 100 times the so-called background extinction rate — may change the face of the planet and its species goes beyond what humans can predict, the researchers say. “The main implication is that we're really rolling the dice,” said John Alroy, a paleobiologist at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. “We don't know which groups will suffer the most, which groups will rebound the most quickly, or which ones will end up with higher or lower long-term equilibrium diversity levels.” What seems certain is that the fate of each animal group will differ greatly, Alroy said. His analysis, detailed in the Sept. 3 issue of the journal Science, is based on almost 100,000 fossil collections in the Paleobiology Database (PaleoDB). The findings revealed various examples of diversity shifts, including one that took place in a group of ocean bottom-dwelling bivalves called brachiopods, which are similar to clams and oysters. They dominated the Paleozoic era from 540 million to 250 million years ago, and branched out into new species during two huge adaptive spurts of growth in diversity – each time followed by a big crash. The brachiopods then reached a low, but steady, equilibrium over the past 250 million years in which there wasn't a surge or a crash in species' numbers, and still live on today as a rare group of marine animals. cont. added by: JanforGore
Posted in Celebrities, Hot Stuff
Tagged change-the-face, climate-change, diversity, earth, higher-or-lower, mma, paleozoic, researchers, stars, wiped-the-slate
Director Daniel Stamm explains the controversial ending to the #2 movie in country this week. By Adam Rosenberg Ashley Bell in “The Last Exorcism” Photo: Lionsgate SPOILER WARNING: Before you read past this point, be warned: This article discusses the end of “The Last Exorcism” in depth, so stop reading if you intend to see the movie and don’t want to know how it ends. Director Daniel Stamm’s mock documentary concludes on an open-ended note. As predicted earlier in the film by Nell’s (Ashley Bell) paintings, the cinematographer gets his head chopped off, the producer is hacked to pieces and the preacher, Cotton (Patrick Fabian), his faith seemingly restored, walks into the flame to ward off Hell, his cross held high and his ultimate fate left unclear. That ending has spurred quite a bit of discussion among many who have seen it. MTV News talked to Stamm about that response and his reaction to it. “I don’t mind the passion that the discussion has spurred,” he said. “I’m getting threats now, which is a whole new thing for me. People are [tweeting] me, telling me to jump headfirst off the Empire State Building, really hateful [comments], which I can only take as a compliment. Which movie do you care about so much that you get so hateful and so passionate about it?” Of the dialogue that’s sprung up, the director admits that he understands where the dissenters are coming from. “I think that a lot of the people that are upset by the movie [feel] that they are paying for you to enlighten their world a little bit with an answer about what’s going on around them,” he said. “They want a statement that is clear. That is a very legitimate position to me, but that is not what the movie does. The movie leaves you with a question. And it was very true to the format of the documentary style that you don’t understand everything. ” By “staying true to the documentary style,” Stamm is referring specifically to the death of the camera operator in the film’s final scene. “Yes, it’s abrupt, because your point of view is gone, you’ll never find out what happened after that. There is no scene that neatly ties it all together and explains it all to you because that’s not how it would go down. I think the rest of the movie is naturalistic enough … that it would be a complete betrayal of the movie [to tie things together].” He appreciates that the film’s conclusion has a very definable impact on the scale of the story, from an intimate gathering of concerned individuals and one troubled little girl to a community full of Devil-worshipping Satanists. “I understand that people are maybe overwhelmed by the openness of the ending, but at the same time … I can’t think of a different ending to this movie. I think it completely does it justice and I think it does the characters justice.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Last Exorcism.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
More here:
‘The Last Exorcism’ Director Enjoys Viewers’ Debate Over Conclusion
Posted in Celebrities, Gossip, Hollywood, Music
Tagged bennyhollywood, cinematographer, director, earth, exorcism, film, Hollywood, News, patrick-fabian, preacher, singer, stars
Photos of the singer from the movie’s set surface online. By James Dinh Rihanna on the set of “Battleship” on Wednesday Photo: Splash News While rumors of a new single spread across the Internet, Rihanna is already beginning work on the set of her feature film debut in “Battleship.” Photos of the Barbadian songstress surfaced online yesterday showing a brunette Rihanna dressed in character. Donning a traditional U.S. Navy getup with gloves and work boots, the singer was spotted in Hawaii on the set of the Peter Berg-directed science-fiction movie, wearing a nametag with the name “Raikes.” The board-game adaptation is the story of naval officers who use Earth’s ships to fight against alien intruders. According to one of Rihanna’s latest tweets, the singer is scheduled to continue work in Hawaii for two weeks. “HAWAII…Hawaii…hawaii……who wouldn’t want to work here for 2 weeks,” she tweeted , along with a photo of her posing on a balcony. In addition to the pop star, the film’s cast lineup includes “True Blood” star Alexander Skarsg
Posted in Celebrities, Gossip, Hollywood, Music
Tagged bennyhollywood, earth, from-the-board, Hawaii, Music, night, singer, thoughts
The singer also praises the crop of ‘young talent’ who are unafraid to be ‘unique and hard-core.’ By Shaheem Reid Lauryn Hill Photo: MTV News Lauryn Hill was feeling jovial on Saturday at Governor’s Island in New York City. One of the main attractions on the lineup, Hill was making her second stop on the Rock the Bells Tour , where we grabbed the opportunity to ask her when she might release her first studio album since 1998. “We’re getting closer,” she said with a chuckle. “We’re getting closer. That’s all I can say.” One thing seems certain when she does drop the follow-up LP: There won’t be many, if any, collaborations. She has too much to express after being mostly gone for more than a decade. “I have respect for what people do,” Hill said. “I also like to hear the eclectics, I like to hear the mixture. There’s a lot of different creative energies out there right now. I respect the different sounds that I’m hearing. It’s been such a long time since I’ve gotten my voice and my ideas [out]. In terms of collaborations, that’s not even something I’ve been thinking about per se. I’m happy that people are still making music. That we still have a platform with which to make music. It’s gonna be interesting to see what the future holds.” When Hill thinks about the current musical landscape, the iconic MC/songstress said she realizes it’s very different from the ’90s, but that there is nothing wrong with that. “It’s a lot going on,” Hill said. “It’s interesting energy. It’s not what it was, it’s different. That doesn’t necessarily means it’s a bad thing — it’s a different thing. Just like any new opportunity, it’s ripe for a lot of different things. You got a lot of young talent out there. Because we don’t necessarily have the same sort of industry complex that used to exist, people don’t always give, I want to say, proper respect to. But they’re doing it in a really kind of unusual, unique and hard-core way. Because the system is not necessarily in place like it used to be.” Are you excited to hear Lauryn is working on new music? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Lauryn Hill Gets Fresh At Rock The Bells Related Artists Lauryn Hill
Read the original here:
Lauryn Hill Says She’s ‘Getting Closer’ To Releasing New Album
Posted in Celebrities, Gossip, Hollywood, Music
Tagged celeb news, earth, garden, guitar, lauryn-hill, News, opportunity, party, rock-the-bells, TMZ
Footage for his upcoming 3-D movie was shot at Madison Square Garden concert. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber performs at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday Photo: Larry Busacca/ Getty Images Right up until Justin Bieber took the stage at New York’s Madison Square Garden, it was an almost typical stop on the My World Tour, complete with hype man and opening sets from Jessica Jarrell and Sean Kingston, who stepped up his game and brought out Iyaz. But once Bieber, who was using his New York stop to film the concert footage for his 3-D movie , hit the stage, it was on, and the crowd’s screams reached a deafening pitch. Dressed in his white and purple tour regalia, he kicked off the show with “Love Me,” complete with karate-friendly dance moves. Any signs that Bieber had fallen ill only two days before weren’t remotely evident. He turned his swag on for “Bigger” and for the cameras filming the show for his upcoming film. “What’s up, New York City? Welcome to my world. We are gonna have a lot of fun tonight. I got a lot of surprises in store for you guys!” he told the crowd before going straight into the fan favorite “U Smile,” the next single he’s expected to release. The catch: He was joined by Boyz II Men for the Motown-flavored track. “Boyz II Men sing it,” he told the legendary R&B act before exchanging high fives. “These people are the ones who made me want to start singing.” And then the group performed their tune “On Bended Knee,” which they dedicated to Bieber’s mom. Bieber reclaimed the show with his song “Runaway Love,” with no Kanye West or Raekwon in sight. “New York City, are you ready to have some fun? I’m filming good. We’re shooting the movie,” he told the crowd before getting into his heart cage and flying over the audience for “Never Let You Go” and “Favorite Girl,” all while playing the guitar. “You know, I guess I was right. There are a lot of people in here!” he proclaimed before bringing a girl onto the stage for “One Less Lonely Girl.” Bieber was then ready to bring out the big guns. Usher would be the next special guest of the night, setting the party off during Bieber’s rendition of “Somebody to Love,” giving the pop sensation a big hug before leaving the stage. But Usher was only the first of the super superstars. Teen queen and 3-D movie vet Miley Cyrus then joined Bieber onstage as he slowed things down a bit for “Overboard.” “I got to tell you something,” Bieber said. “My motto to live by, there’s gonna be times in your life when people tell you you can’t do something. This is what I tell ’em: ‘Never Say Never.’ ” And as rumored, Jaden Smith took the stage to rap his heart out to one very excited crowd during the track. Left alone again, during “Up” Bieber flew over the stage in a cage and every girl went nuts. And after the crowd was reminded to make some noise, Bieber showed his fans how much he loves them by singing “One Time” followed by “That Should Be Me.” “It’s gonna get crazy in here! You ready to get crazy?” he asked the crowd, which pretty much had been getting crazy all night. Then Sean Kingston hit the stage with Biebs for their collabo, “Eenie Meenie.” Soon the crowd was instructed to light up the room by waving their cell phones while Bieber sang “Down to Earth,” during which he played a white baby-grand piano. Blowing kisses to the crowd, he departed the stage before his encore. “I heard you screaming, so I thought I’d come back out here. I want to thank everyone. Madison Square Garden is a big deal for me … and I’m really blessed,” he said. “So I want to say thank you! Anyways, let’s do another song!” He closed out the night with his megahit “Baby” and was joined by Ludacris and lots of fireworks. The MSG show proved that when Bieber asks you to show up for his massively fun 3-D movie taping, you show up. Related Photos Justin Bieber Brings His My World Tour To NYC Related Artists Justin Bieber Usher Miley Cyrus
Here is the original post:
Justin Bieber Joined By Miley Cyrus, Usher At New York Show
Posted in Celebrities, Gossip, Hollywood, Music
Tagged bieber, celeb news, cell-phones, earth, garden, guitar, Hollywood, miley cyrus, movie, news article, night, party, TMZ
‘Tik Tok’ singer/nominee racked up massive digital downloads, opened for Rihanna and survived ‘SNL’ on road to Video Music Awards. By James Montgomery Ke$ha Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images She is, without question, one of the biggest breakout stars of 2010. A slurring, whirling, hard-partying pop oddity (who may also be a genius) with a #1 album and a boatload of hit singles to her name, not to mention more than a few enemies . She even has under her star-spangled belt, her very own, very public WTF debacle in the form of a rather, uh, divisive “Saturday Night Live” performance .
Originally posted here:
Ke$ha Breaks Through To The Big Time: A VMA Cheat Sheet!
Posted in Celebrities, Gossip, Hollywood, Music
Tagged artists, Britney Spears, earth, Hollywood, Mtv, Music, News, news article, night, party, process, video-music
Breaking Sports Video
Pac-12 NCAA Sports
Justin Bieber Fan Site Breaking News
