Huge Solar Eruption Sparks Strongest Radiation Storm in 7 Years

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

A powerful solar eruption is expected to blast a stream of charged particles toward Earth tomorrow (Jan. 24), as the strongest radiation storm since 2005 rages on the sun.

Early this morning (0359 GMT Jan. 23, which corresponds to late Sunday, Jan. 22 at 10:59 p.m. EST), NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught an extreme ultraviolet flash from a huge eruption on the sun , according to the skywatching website Spaceweather.com.

The solar flare spewed from sunspot 1402, a region of the sun that has become increasingly active lately. Several NASA satellites, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and the Stereo spacecraft observed the massive sun storm.

Scientists call these electromagnetic bursts “coronal mass ejections” (CMEs), and they are closely studied because they can produce potentially harmful geomagnetic storms when the charged particles rain down Earth’s magnetic field lines.

In addition to generating stronger than normal displays of Earth’s auroras (also known as the northern and southern lights), geomagnetic storms aimed directly at our planet can also disrupt satellites in orbit, cause widespread communications interference and damage other electronic infrastructures.

“There is little doubt that the cloud is heading in the general direction of Earth,” Spaceweather.com announced in an alert. “A preliminary inspection of SOHO/STEREO imagery suggests that the CME will deliver a strong glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field on Jan. 24-25 as it sails mostly north of our planet.”

Sunday’s solar flare was rated an M9-class eruption, which placed it just on the verge of being an X-class flare, the most powerful type of solar storm. M-class sun storms are powerful but mid-range, while C-class flares are weaker.

From: http://ping.fm/HnF1u

Valverde content with comeback victory

Alejandro Valverde’s return to racing wasn’t cheered by everyone this week at the Tour Down Under, because some believe the Spanish star should be more upfront about what he did or didn’t do in relation to the Operación Puerto doping scandal that netted him a two-year ban.

But Valverde proved he could still be a factor on the bike, taking a morale-boosting victory in his first stage race since the Tour de Romandie in the spring of 2010.

Valverde kicked his way to victory with a trademark punch atop the Old Willunga Hill in Saturday’s penultimate stage.

Valverde didn’t hold back the pent-up emotions and called the win “the most special” of his career en route to second overall behind winner Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge).

“It’s been excessive emotions, being able to show off all the fury I was keeping inside,” Valverde said after the win. “I couldn’t resist to tears at the finish. To a sentimental value, I’d say this is the most special victory in my career. It’s been hard months of training at home, taking care of myself with no competition … and you remember all of that.”

The victory bodes well for Valverde, who will race next at the Mallora Challenge ahead of his first major goal of the season at Paris-Nice in early March.

Movistar sport director Jose Luis Arrieta said the team leaves Australia “very satisfied” and said the return of Valverde raises the level of the squad.

“The team was at the same level as last year, but with Valverde, everyone shines a little more,” Arrieta said. “Personally, I had no doubt that Valverde wouldn’t be back at his same level. He has something that only a few riders in the world, and when you do your work, and you stay in your place, it’s rare that things don’t go well. When we got here, everyone was asking if he was going to be the same, and everyone was watching him, and there was even more work to score the win.”

From: http://ping.fm/GgGwo

Greek Debt Deal Rejected As S&P Begins European Bank Downgrades

At least they were kind enough to wait until the close:

EURO ZONE FINANCE MINISTERS REJECT OFFER OF GREEK PSI REACHED WITH PRIVATE BONDHOLDERS, ASK NEGOTIATORS TO CONSIDER COUPON ON NEW GREEK BONDS BELOW 4 PCT-EURO ZONE SOURCES – RTRS
EURO FALLS VERSUS DOLLAR AFTER EURO ZONE FINANCE MINISTERS REJECT GREEEK PSI OFFER
And making things even worse, here come the long overdue S&P bank downgrades

CREDIT LYONNAIS CUT TO A FROM A+ BY S&P
BNP PARIBAS OUTLOOK NEGATIVE BY S&P; OFF WATCH NEGATIVE :BNP FP
Sarc-o-bot (that’s Sarcasm, not Sarakozy) screaming: “This is all priced in. Buy buy buy.”

From: http://ping.fm/mZxo1

BAE Systems mulls Portsmouth closure

The UK’s biggest manufacturing employer, BAE Systems, is considering closing its historic dockyard in Portsmouth, putting 3,000 jobs at risk and ending more than 500 years of naval shipbuilding in the city.

From: http://ping.fm/ITeId

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J.C. Penney to Eliminate Thousands of Jobs

Image via Wikipedia

J.C. Penney Co. (JCP), run by Apple Inc.’s former retail chief, will cut thousands of jobs as part of a plan to overhaul the company, the New York Post reported.
Chief Executive Officer Ron Johnson is eliminating positions that involve re-tagging merchandise and putting up temporary signs and displays, the Post said, citing people it didn’t name. The reductions will affect employees at almost all of J.C Penney’s 1,200 stores in the U.S.
The job cuts are part of a strategy to replace the company’s traditional sales and clearance events to offer everyday low prices, the newspaper said. J.C. Penney is holding an event on Jan. 25 to announce Johnson’s plans.
The Post said Johnson is being encouraged to cut jobs by J.C. Penney’s largest shareholders, William Ackman and Steve Roth.

From: http://ping.fm/qZkJI

IMF chief urges action to avoid 1930s moment

Image by World Economic Forum via Flickr

The “1930s moment” appears to be a reference to the Great Depression of the 1930s, when the crash on Wall Street in 1929 triggered an economic depression in the U.S. which later spread around the world.

Christine Lagarde called for stronger growth, larger firewalls and deeper integration in the euro zone to stem the crisis after the “many false starts and half measures” seen in 2011. She delivered this stark message in Berlin, the capital of Germany — Europe’s biggest economy and the most important player in resolving the long-running crisis.

“What we must all understand is that this is a defining moment,” Lagarde said at the German Council on Foreign Relations, according to the prepared text of her speech. “It is not about saving any one country or region. It is about saving the world from a downward economic spiral. It is about avoiding a 1930s moment, in which inaction, insularity and rigid ideology combine to cause a collapse in global demand.”

From: http://ping.fm/vtqB6

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• Christine Lagarde: European financial crisis is too serious for eurozone countries to solve alone – Telegraph (livingstrongandhappy.blogspot.com)

The Chase Giorgio Moroder Music

This is super musical piece. It is original musical theme for the movie “Midnight Express”. I just couldn´t resist to share it with you. I have it on my MP3 and play it like crazy when I am climbing a steep long mountain on my roadie; the music helps me to get to the top!