Don’t miss Venus crossing the sun: Next time it happens you’ll be dead
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) – June 1 (Associated Press)
It’s a spectacle that won’t repeat for another century – the sight of Venus slowly inching across the face of the sun. So unless scientists discover the fountain of youth, none of us alive today will likely ever witness this celestial phenomenon again, dubbed a “transit of Venus.” It’s so unique that museums and schools around the globe are hosting Venus viewing festivities – all for a chance to see our star sport a fleeting beauty mark. Even astronauts aboard the International Space Station plan to observe the event. The drama unfolds Tuesday afternoon from the Western Hemisphere (Wednesday morning from the Eastern Hemisphere). Venus will appear as a small black dot gliding across the disk of the sun. As in a solar eclipse, do not stare directly at the sun; wear special protective glasses. The entire transit, lasting 6 hours and 40 minutes, will be visible from the western Pacific, eastern Asia and eastern Australia … University of Alabama astronomer William Keel was determined not to miss the 2004 transit, the first one in 122 years. But he only caught 45 minutes of the action before clouds rolled in. This time, he plans to set up telescopes on the roof and hopes for clear skies. The early Venus viewings were a big deal to scientists who used the alignment to measure the size of our solar system. The technique is still used today to search for alien worlds outside our solar system.
Marco Eagle (Marco, Fla.) – June 1
Athens Banner-Herald – June 1
Indianapolis Star – June 1
UA law professor says Edwards will never be trusted again
WCBS- Radio (National) – May 31
John Edwards might be off the hook… today the jury in Greensboro, North Carolina found him not guilty of accepting illegal campaign contributions and deadlocked on five other charges. The Associated Press quotes a knowledgeable law enforcement official as saying a retrial is unlikely. The former Senator admits to being a sinner, but he believes God thinks there were still some good things he could do. CBS News Correspondent Dan Revie takes a look at his prospects. Edwards says he doesn’t think he did anything illegal but “I did an awful awful lot that was wrong.” And if his reputation was on the line a law school professor says she can’t imagine anyone trusting the former senator now. Pam Pearson of the University of Alabama says the public heard about Edwards cheating on his wife who was dying of cancer and his attempts to cover up his affair and the child he fathered.
GSDP officials pitch ideas for senior village
Starkville Daily News – May 30
Greater Starkville Development Partnership officials say the development of a retirement community near Mississippi State University’s campus could provide seniors with a unique living experience while serving as a showpiece for the city’s retirement community and spurring economic development. Austin Shafer, GSDP vice president of membership and the chamber of commerce, said high interest from local seniors and developers prompted the partnership to begin pursuing a request for information on the project from interested developers…Previously, Shafer said GSDP officials toured Capstone Village, a premier, 100-plus unit retirement center located on the University of Alabama’s campus in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Starkville’s retirement community, Shafer said, could be modeled after the Tuscaloosa facilities. “(UA) is the draw here. Our residents have a desire to live in a community that offers independence and lifelong learning. I tell prospective residents … when you live here, you become, more or less, an extended student of the University of Alabama,” Larry Murphy, Capstone Village director of sales and marketing, said. “Residents get a student activity card; they audit classes, use the student recreational center, ride the university’s bus system and participate in all the activities our campus has to offer. We have residents from all over the country who represent alumni to local, blue-collar people who have decided to retire.”
WCBI-CBS (Columbus, Miss) – May 31
UA student talks about texting while driving
WCBI-CBS (Columbus, Miss.) – June 1
As much as we report on the effects of texting and driving, does it really sink it in? Let’s talk about it. Our panel this morning is all college students. They live, and probably understand their phones, better than their parents. Collin Whitten is a junior at the University of Alabama. Hal Sullivan is a sophomore at the University of Mississippi….