The Watering Hole: August 17 — Phoenix Cluster

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In an artist’s conception, cooler, star-forming gas flows from the Phoenix Cluster’s central galaxy.
Illustration courtesy M. Weiss, CXC/NASA

Data being gathered by telescopes all over Earth and in space indicates that there’s an absolutely amazing galaxy cluster in the universe — the first we’ve discovered anyway.  It’s made up of thousands of galaxies, and lives about 5.7 billion light years away from us.  Isn’t that cool?

It seemed too good to be true: a superbright newfound galaxy cluster possibly more massive than any other known, forging fresh stars nearly a thousand times faster than normal.

Science is just neato.  Go here to read the whole article.

This is our daily open thread — Happy Friday!

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84 thoughts on “The Watering Hole: August 17 — Phoenix Cluster”

  1. A most fascinating
    From, your, extraordinary out-of-this-world post to the sensational depths of the Ocean:

    Munching on Bamboo (Shark)
    Pictures: Shark Swallows Another Shark Whole

  2. QOTD:

    “{Paul Ryan) is the embodiment of the machine our music rages against” — Tom Morello, leader of Rage Against The Machine, Paul Ryan’s self professed favorite band. (Will he now diss them like his other love, Ayn Rand?)

  3. I was watching a program on the 100th anniversary of the Dakota Wars (In Minnesota) and reading about it daily in the local newspaper and I’ve come to realize, what we did to the native Americans back then, we are still doing today to indigenous people around the globe via our military and multinational corporations.

    As I read the online article from the Star Tribune about the “massacre” of 200 white settlers, a commentor criticized the author for trying to lessen what the Dakota did.

    What would this idiot person or ourselves do if our land was stolen from us? If we were forced to change our way of life and culture? If our elderly, men, women and children were dying from starvation? If government agencies and traders were robbing us of payments from treaties? If treaties and promises were continually broken?

    • I’m sure the idiot person likes to believe he would bust out his ammo stockpile and fight back. In reality, folks like that would likely join the oppressors and feast on the crumbs from their tables.

  4. “What would this idiot person or ourselves do if our land was stolen from us? ”

    Our land is being stolen from us. A substantial number of “Murkans” are continuting to vote to put in power the people who support the folks that are stealing our land from us.

    We are being forced to change our way of life, through bankruptcies and foreclosures, unemployment and the cutbacks in the social safety net. Government agencies (through lax oversight) and stock traders have robbed us of our pensions.

    And when was the last time anybody kept a campaign promise???

    • The 1% are trying to turn us into serfs beholden to them for the littlest bit we get while they amass their bounty.

  5. absolutely amazing galaxy cluster –good
    Repuglycan political cluster_uck –bad.

    • You just gots to love their reasoning. Evolution is a theory that has tons more evidence supporting it in some 150 years than Creationism with a couple millenia behind it. Last time anyone checked the only proof for Creationism is faith.

    • Any state filled with an abundance of white, young disability recipients who voted for Rand Paul obviously has really stupid people.

    • Poor Pol Ruin…methinks he’s going to have bad dodge-ball experience with this election thingy

  8. Wow. Romney really is that unpopular.

    Obama better for world economy: poll – Yahoo! News

    LONDON (Reuters) – Twice as many business executives around the world say the global economy will prosper better if incumbent President Barack Obama wins the next election than if his Republican challenger Mitt Romney does, a poll showed on Friday.
    Democrat Obama was chosen by 42.7 percent in the 1,700 respondent poll, compared with 20.5 percent for Romney. The rest said “neither”.

  10. I’ve finally figured out how Romney plans to win and why he’s not even trying. He and his masters have funneled millions of dollars into China, where the money can be used to bribe high-level officials. At least one of those officials will announce, in late October, that thanks to Romney China will be forgiving our entire debt to them. Bazanga! Election in the bag.

    Of course, in early November it will turn out that this official — no longer in the government or anywhere above ground — perpetrated a hoax on the entire planet. No debt forgiveness. More proof that the Chinese can’t be trusted. Oh, and the hoaxster is hiding in Tehran. The Iranians refuse to extradite him (since they don’t have him); first act of the Romney administration is to invade Iran.

  11. The old people are going to be back today with their dog — a day early — which throws a monkey wrench into all my plans, but I can handle it. We’re outta here now.

    My internet is already set up in the new place, so no gaps. :)

    Laters!

  12. “the American people are ready to confront those problems head-on and endure some sacrifice.”
    -Chris Christie

    Apparently that sacrifice doesn’t include the wealthy. The GOTP plan is to make them exempt from any sacrifice. Their taxes are the lowest they’ve been since the 1920′s and incredibly, RMoney wants them even lower.

    • I’m sure he takes time out of his taxpayer-funded day to use taxpayer-funded exercise facilities. Damn socialist.

    • Hilarious, but during the regular season, opposing defensive backs will become his favorite target.

      • During the season, Our Savior will get reacquainted with wood that he’ll be ‘nailed’ to: the bench.

        • Slightly off topic. Not sure if many saw it, but a few people started combining Tebowing with Usain Bolt’s pose. The called it Tebolting. it was quite amusing.

    • Obama retroactively closed it before he became President, after he became President, in an obvious move to discredit Bush.

    • One parent overreacting to something she doesn’t understand is a little sad. The comments, on the other hand, are depressing. Most of them seem to have jumped to the conclusion that these kids are going to get a tattoo or a “chip” implanted in their little paws. So many kids never really have a chance unless and until they reject the fears, biases, and superstitions of their parents.

      • Yes, some of those comments send a chill down my back.

        And on the other hand, I listened to a BBC segment on the Pussy Riot travesty, which included an interview with a Russian who was highly offended by their protest and fully supportive of Putin. According to him, Pussy Riot are pawns of Satan and pawns of Satan deserve the harshest punishment. The conviction was for hooliganism prompted by a hatred of religion (i.e. Christians). Boy, does that sound familiar.

    • Can’t they just get a toaster that puts burns Jesus’ image on toast to protect them?

  20. Is this getting any traction?

    I’d not heard of the LA incident and am guessing because it wasn’t a commiesocialistfascist left winger..

    Picture of suspects in St. John Parish shootings starting to emerge

    Authorities believe that suspect, Kyle Joekel, 29, may have ties to anti-government groups, in particular a loose organization known as Posse Comitatus that generally doesn’t recognize authority above the level of county sheriff.

  23. Even if his allegations are true; doesn’t this freak realize that his contention is that President Obama’s alleged father was a U.S. citizen and therefore any doubt about Obama’s eligibility is moot? I’ve read the Constitution and there’s nothing in there about a father’s political affiliations even if the speculation is true. BTW. President Obama got Bin Laden and his predecessor failed.

    http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/08/17/709231/founder-of-obama-swift-boating-group-im-a-birther/

    • Going back nearly four years a fellow with the name (Mark Kaleokualoha Davis) and dedication to fight the dis-information is found here. Chances are this poster is legitimately the son.

      Mark Davis · Top Commenter · University of Maryland University College
      Bailey’s delusions reflect the reach of the Conservative Disinformation network. Obama NEVER said Davis was his mentor, nor is there any evidence that Davis ever met Obama’s mother.

      As a retired Air Force Intelligence Officer and the ACTUAL son of Frank Marshall Davis, I have been fighting the disinformation campaign against the Obama-Davis relationship online since 2008 under my middle name Kaleokualoha.

    • Even if his allegations are true; doesn’t this freak realize that his contention is that President Obama’s alleged father was a U.S. citizen…

      pete, they really don’t have the logic gene to follow that to conclusion!

      • True. When I’m in the mood to laugh at them I actually enjoy the lack of logic! I’m having a good day since I got out for 3 hours of flying with my neighbor who I got hooked on it again. His new plane isn’t quite ready to go but we took turns with mine and had a ball. I’ve been a lone eagle for so long that I had forgotten how much more fun it is to have someone to gab with.

  26. Romney: Trust me, no really, just trust me:

    “The nature of running a presidential campaign is that you’re communicating direction to the American people,” a Romney adviser, who is not named, told Politico. “Campaigns that are about specifics, particularly in today’s environment, get tripped up.”

    • Assuming that the goal of imprisonment is geared towards rehabilitation rather than mere torture; I’ve always thought that prisoners should be allowed pets to some extent. I’ve known some pretty unpleasant people who lighten up when they are petting something fuzzy and pets give people a reason to go on under bad circumstances.

    • I have no problem with prisoners having pets. It might teach them a little compassion. They could always train them to be rescue animals.

      • Back when I was still a dog person, and before “therapy animals” were common, I used to bring by Belgian Sheppard to visit my aged grand uncle at the nursing home. They wouldn’t let me bring Teddy inside but after awhile we would attract quite a crowd. People who hadn’t left their rooms in years couldn’t wait to pet the dog and feed him a treat. I can’t claim that anyone lived any longer but there sure were a bunch of smiles.

        Large dogs probably wouldn’t be a good option except for possibly “country club” prisons where said big dog could have a proper outdoor pen and be a communal pet but I would think that cats wouldn’t be too much trouble for all but “super max” type prisons. Even then I would think that a hamster, other small critter that could live in a cage, or a small plastic fish tank would be a viable option. Anything other than a prisoner feeding on his/her own rage and desperation would, I would think, make life a bit easier for the inmates and guards alike.

    • Tony Perkins’ Norman Bates wasn’t nearly as certifiable as the Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council.

  33. Wow! Tweety destroyed Ryan. I’m really wondering if the way the foreign press pegged Mittens has emboldened our journalists to do their jobs. Soledad O’brien, Chuck Todd, and even Wolf Blitzer have all called Reichwhiners on their lies with my favorite phrase. “That’s just not true”. And they’ve stuck with it. I really, really, hope this is the beginning of a trend. The Reichwhiners will call them all “libruls” no matter what they say so they might as well show some spine.

    http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/chris-matthews-ryan-abortion-laws-rad

    • It’s great that they’re interrupting the lies to say “That’s just not true,” but eventually the Republicans will answer with Dick Cheney’s favorite reply, “So?” The next step is to explain, in front of the viewers, how presenting false statements in support of your viewpoint does not make your viewpoint a valid one.

    • News coverage, Mormonism, and racism are the wild cards. All other things being equal; Mittens just might be the guy to break the unholy union of the neocons and the fundamentalists/teabaggers. If nothing else it seems like seniors are not liking the hostility towards SS and Medicare. I don’t foresee a whole lot of GOoPers moving towards Obama but they might stay home or write in Zombie Ronnie Raygun or Zombie Jesus.

        • No worries. :)

          I’ve got lengths of fabric hanging on the curtain rods in all the windows. It looks so white trash classy. ;)

      • She’s all confused and depressed, but I think it’s mostly the move. The vet gave me a bunch of pills for her, but I’m not going to let her get much worse. She’s scared, and I can see it in her face.

        The weather is heating up! 102 today, 104 tomorrow. Next week we might get down to the low 90s. *shiver*

    • Honey’s confusion is probably coming from her sense of smell which dogs rely heavily on, and for her they don’t compute; it’s all new for her. Add her loss of sight, and I’m sure she feels some stress. You’ll know when the time is right for her relief. My best to you both.

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