Star Caught Circling Black Hole at Record-Breaking Speed

Astronomers have spotted a star in our galaxy that races around a black hole at a breakneck speed, orbiting once every 2.4 hours, scientists say.

The?black hole?in the spinning duo is known as MAXI J1659-152 and is at least three times more massive than the sun. The star, meanwhile, is a red dwarf with a mass just one-fifth that of the sun and is just 620,000 miles (1 million kilometers) from the black hole, according to the European Space Agency, which announced the discovery on Tuesday (March 19).

"The companion star revolves around the common center of mass at a dizzying rate, almost 20 times faster than Earth orbits the sun," astronomer Erik Kuulkers, of ESA's European Space Astronomy Centre in Spain, said in a statement. "You really wouldn't like to be on such a merry-go-round in this galactic fair!"

The two objects orbit a common center of mass. Because the star is the lighter, it has a larger orbit and has to travel at a remarkable speed of 1.2 million mph (2 million km/h), making it the fastest moving star ever seen in an X-ray binary system. The black hole, meanwhile, orbits at about 93,000 mph (150,000 km/h), ESA officials said. The space agency created a video animation of the black hole and ultra-fast star to illustrate the odd setup.

The pair was initially thought to be a gamma-ray burst when NASA's Swift space telescope first spotted it on Sept. 25, 2010.? Japan's MAXI telescope on the?International Space Station?also observed a bright X-ray source at the same place on that same day.

More observations revealed that the X-rays came from a black hole siphoning material from a tiny star companion. From dips in these X-ray emissions during a 14.5-hour observation with ESA's XMM-Newton space telescope, astronomers calculated that the star's orbital period was just 2.4 hours. This orbital period smashes the previous record of 3.2 hours, held by Swift J1753.5?0127.

The newfound pair lies high above the galactic plane, meaning it is out of the main disc of?our spiral Milky Way galaxy?? a characteristic shared by only two other black-hole binary systems, including Swift J1753.5?0127.

"These high galactic latitude locations and short orbital periods are signatures of a potential new class of binary system, objects that may have been kicked out of the galactic plane during the explosive formation of the black hole itself," Kuulkers said.

Follow SPACE.com on Twitter?@Spacedotcom. We're also on?Facebook?and?Google+. Original story at SPACE.com.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/star-caught-circling-black-hole-record-breaking-speed-150432317.html

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Afghan teenager fatally stabs U.S. soldier

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? An Afghan teenager killed an American soldier in eastern Afghanistan by stabbing him in the neck while he played with a group of local children, officials said Monday.

The killing comes as the monthly U.S. death toll rose sharply in March to 14 with the start of the spring fighting season when the Taliban and other insurgents take advantage of improved weather to step up attacks.

Sgt. Michael Cable, 26, was guarding Afghan and U.S. officials meeting in a province near the border with Pakistan when the stabbing occurred last Wednesday, two senior U.S. officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

The attack occurred after the soldiers had secured the area for the meeting, but one of the U.S. officials said the youth was not believed to have been a member of the Afghan security forces or in uniform so it was not being classified as an insider attack.

The official said the attacker was thought to be about 16 years old, but the age couldn't be verified.

The Afghan and American dignitaries were attending the swearing-in ceremony of Afghan Local Police in Shinwar district in Nangarhar province, senior district official Zalmai Khan said. Afghan Local Police, or ALP, recruits are drawn from villages and backed by the U.S. military.

The soldier was playing with a group of children outside when the attacker came from behind and stabbed him in the neck with a large knife, Khan said, adding the young man had escaped to nearby Pakistan.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the young man was acting independently when he killed the soldier but had joined the Islamic militant movement since fleeing the scene.

The Pentagon said in a statement last week that Cable, of Philpot, Ky., died from injuries sustained when his unit was attacked by enemy forces.

At least 14 U.S. soldiers died in March, compared with four in the previous two months, according to an Associated Press tally.

The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan has dropped sharply as international forces increasingly take a back seat while preparing to end their combat mission by the end of 2014. But they continue to face dangers ranging from roadside bombs to attacks by their Afghan counterparts or insurgents disguised as government forces.

___

Associated Press writers Kimberly Dozier and Amir Shah contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/afghan-teenager-fatally-stabs-us-soldier-105007454.html

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Sleepy Meerkat: Adorable, Hilarious, Exhausted

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/sleepy-meerkat-adorable-hilarious-exhausted/

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Ronda Rousey and winner of Miesha Tate/Cat Zingano to coach coed version of ?The Ultimate Fighter?

During the broadcast of UFC 158, UFC president Dana White announced that women's bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey and the winner of an upcoming bout between Cat Zingano and Miesha Tate will coach on the next season of "The Ultimate Fighter." The new UFC division made its debut just weeks ago at UFC 157, and this will be the first time women act as coaches on the show that helped launch the UFC to the company it is today.

White said the show will feature both male and female bantamweights who are trying to win a UFC contract. They will train together and live together in a house in Las Vegas. Tryouts for bantamweight hopefuls will take place on April 15 in Las Vegas.

The longtime staple of the UFC had faltered in ratings in recent seasons. However, the season currently airing, coached by UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and his upcoming opponent Chael Sonnen, has injected new life into the show.

Adding women to the mix for the first time should continue to boost ratings. If Tate wins her Apr. 13 bout against Zingano, it will add bad blood between the coaches. Tate and Rousey fought for the Strikeforce bantamweight belt last March, and had plenty of animosity with each other before the bout.

But Rousey will be a draw no matter who she coaches against. She is known for her outspoken personality, and drew a ton of interest for her UFC debut in late February.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ronda-rousey-winner-miesha-tate-cat-zingano-coach-022121554--mma.html

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Tips about Employing The correct Home Remodeling Licensed ...

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Source: http://www.hellofour.com/blog/125884/tips-about-employing-the-correct-home-remodeling-licensed-contractor/

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Shuttering of Google Reader prompts petitions, outrage

Google has said it will?permanently close the Google Reader app as of July 1. And that has made a lot of users very unhappy indeed.?

By Matthew Shaer / March 15, 2013

Google is facing criticism over its decision to shutter the Google Reader app.

Reuters

Enlarge

Earlier this week, Google announced it would do away with Google Reader, an RSS and news aggregation application launched way back in 2005.

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In a blog post,?Alan Green, a software engineer at Google, blamed the demise of Reader on declining usership numbers ? not particularly surprising in an age when a whole lot of folks get their news through social platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.?

"We know Reader has a devoted following who will be very sad to see it go. We?re sad too," Mr. Green wrote, adding that "as a company we?re pouring all of our energy into fewer products. We think that kind of focus will make for a better user experience."?

But Green may not have anticipated exactly how "sad" people would get.

"If Google won't keep Google Reader alive, then let's get them to open source the code and we will run it ourselves!" reads text?posted to KeepGoogleReader.com. "Who is with me?" More than 30,000 users have already registered their dissent.?

Meanwhile, a "keep Google Reader running" petition posted to Change.org garnered more than 100,000 signatures in two days.?

"Our confidence in Google's other products ? Gmail, YouTube, and yes, even Plus ? requires that we trust you in respecting how and why we use your other products," that petition reads. "This isn't just about our data in Reader. This is about us using your product because we love it, because it makes our lives better, and because we trust you not to nuke it."?

Perhaps the most scathing criticism of Google's decision to power down reader came from a freelance journalist named Rupert Goodwins, who penned an acerbic column for the Guardian. Google, Goodwins fears, is shifting its focus away from Reader in part because the platform isn't particularly profitable (as opposed to Google+, which he says can be more easily used to sell advertising).

Here's Goodwins:?

Google exists, it says, to encourage everyone to use the internet. It isn't in the business of supporting small groups of specialists, except through general purpose tools. But by angering and disenfranchising the very people who keep the internet fruitful and productive, it is poisoning its own fields ? and those of others. It betrays itself as not understanding that "social" isn't just about numbers, it's about?people?? people who might be hard to sell advertising to, but who create the conditions in which advertising can work.

The big question, of course, is whether Google is going to pay heed to all the criticism. The Next Web has called the petitions "pointless," and predicted that Google will stand by the cancellation of Reader. Google might have been able to avoid a mild racket, but the reaction to Reader's shuttering is more of an uproar.?

It's not an exact analogue, but it may be useful to look back at the firestorm faced in 2010 by Facebook. Users were upset about sweeping privacy changes; petitions were distributed and signed; Facebook was swamped with angry messages; and eventually, the social network "drastically simplified" its privacy settings. So there is power in the outrage of the crowds.?

For?more tech news, follow us on?Twitter @venturenaut.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/byChTaLqBQk/Shuttering-of-Google-Reader-prompts-petitions-outrage

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Fun Marketing Projects for Accounting Practices - CPA Site Solutions

The Internet has undoubtedly quickened the pace at which we communicate, and changed the volume of messages we get on any given day. But how can we cut through all the noise? At the end of the day, marketing still has the same foundation, even if the delivery methods have changed: human relationships.

The competition for clients in the accountant?s world can be cut-throat. This makes an effective marketing strategy all the more important. To reach potential clients, and to communicate the quality of services you?re able to provide, your business needs a comprehensive outreach strategy.

The following suggestions for marketing projects balance out creative (dare we say ?fun??) strategies that utilize online communication, yet still forge meaningful relationships with clients and potential clients.

Give free (or low-cost) workshops, podcasts, or webinars.
It?s tax season, which means clients are likely to reach out to you for advice before they file. Now is the time to flaunt your expertise and earn your client?s loyalty! You can give in-person workshops with frequently asked tax questions, or you can digitize your presentation to make it more accessible. A podcast is a downloadable file that can be voice-only (think of an NPR broadcast), or a full video. A webinar is a live, interactive online forum that usually involves a slideshow that the presenter narrates for an audience. Slideshare is one free resource you may use for this marketing project.

Whether you are sharing your skills and knowledge in-person or over the Internet, be sure to include an evaluation component. Really listen to your clients, and adjust your educational outreach services to best fit their needs.

Create a Digital Press Kit.
A generation ago, businesses created packets of documents, kept in brown envelopes, with letters of introduction to the community, or press releases announcing the launch of a new business venture. Today, you can upload all of these documents, and more, onto your web site, and have interested people from all over the world download them instantly.

Consider adding these links on your professional web site. You might create separate pages for different types of users?a page for potential clients, current clients, news media, and so on.

Take advantage of social media.
If you incorporate a social media component of your marketing plan, this will encourage anyone from the public to find and interact with your business online.

LinkedIn is a professional social network, and probably the best place for a CPA or small accountant firm to start. Upload your professional credentials to this page, and link to your LinkedIn profile from your company?s web site. This lets potential clients feel empowered, since they can easily review all of your professional experience before they decide to work with you.

Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are other popular social media sites which may or may not make sense for you to utilize in your accounting firm.

Here are some ways an accountant or CPA might use Facebook or Twitter in marketing:

• Ask other users what their biggest financial questions are.
• Post live updates from events, talks or other events
• Gather customer service feedback
• Post positive testimonials from clients
• Offer helpful tax and financial advice

How can you tell if your new marketing methods are working? There are lots of fun, and measurable, ways to find out. For example, use them to promote an in-person event like an open house, pot luck, barbecue, or cocktail party. You can measure your results by your turnout.

Take this online marketing concept to heart. Ideally you want all your digital interactions to eventually translate to in-person relationships with clients.

by Kenny Marshall

Kenny is a marketing consultant and blogger who specializes in marketing for accountants. To learn more visit his website at www.marketing-for-accountants.com.

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Source: http://www.cpasitesolutions.com/cpa-websites/2013/03/fun-marketing-projects-accounting-practices/

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