Longo has analyzed a sample of 200,000 of elliptical galaxies with redshifts Z < 0.2 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. They look round when their spin axes are pointing directly towards us, and like more or less eccentric ellipses otherwise. So, by correlating their observed shapes with their positions in the sky, one can see if their axes tend to point the same way.The author claims that yes, there’s a statistically significant tendency for them to point towards the direction with right ascension α=202 ∘ and declination δ=25 ∘. In fact, he claims the effect is very strong. Interestingly, the quadrupole and octopole moments of the cosmic microwave background radiation (or CMB) seem to pick out roughly similar directions as being important.

http://tinyurl.com/2fgx85

“…On the first flight, the aircraft, which has a wingspan of 18m (59ft), flew for more than two days before it developed a fault. The second, shorter flight was curtailed when thunderstorms threatened the propeller-driven plane.

“What was proved - and what was a world first - was that the aircraft was flown using its solar electrical power system through two complete diurnal cycles…The aircraft was flown on solar power and charged its batteries during the day, discharged its batteries during the night, and remained aloft the following dawn when the cycle was repeated.”…” Full Slice

I think this is Walter’s fractal of the week, but who knows?

The rapture is just a way to get rid of the idiots.

“Sea ice extent continues to decline, and is now at 4.42 million square kilometers (1.70 million square miles), falling yet further below the record absolute minimum of 5.32 million square kilometers (2.05 million square miles) that occurred on September 20–21, 2005…” Full Slice

“A satellite imagery study by the World Bank in collaboration with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates that despite efforts to reduce the practice, global gas flaring…has remained fairly stable over the last 15 years. The satellite data does suggest a slight upward [trend] over the past few years, with an estimated 168 billion cubic meters (BCM) flared in 2006…roughly equivalent to 27% of the natural gas consumption of the USA…Gas flaring is widely recognized as a waste of energy and an added load of carbon emissions to the atmosphere. It is, however, preferred to the companion process of venting: the release of gas without combustion. Venting is not only dangerous, but releases gases with higher global warming potential…” Full Slice - Absurd behavior