In the Center of Reflection

from NASA

The dust is so thick in the center of NGC 1333 that you can hardly see the stars forming. Conversely, the very dust clouds that hide the stars also reflects their optical light, giving it a predominantly blue glow the general designation of a reflection nebua. Visible near the image top are vast blue regions of dust predominantly reflecting the light from bright massive stars. Visible in the thick central dust are not only newly formed stars but red jets and red-glowing gas energized by the light and winds from recently formed young stars. The nebula contains hundreds of newly formed stars that are less than one million years old. It lies about 1,000 light years away, toward the constellation of Perseus.

Text Messaging Bans Becoming Popular

from KOMO Seattle TV 4

Hang up or pay up: Using your hands to talk on the phone or tap out a text message while behind the wheel of a car will be illegal next year, in Washington State. Gov. Chris Gregoire signed measures into law, flanked by children who suffered serious injuries after being hit by distracted drivers. Under the new laws, drivers who read and compose text messages or talk on a cell phone without a hands-free device could face a $101 ticket.

The text-messaging ban takes effect in Washington, on Jan. 1; the cell-phone law will be enforced starting in July 2008. Drivers are exempt in some situations, including emergencies, and neither offense will be enough to get a driver pulled over by the police.

from WCAU Greater Phila. TV 10

New Jersey legislators pushed forward a plan to make it illegal to text message while driving.
The Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee voted unanimously to release the proposal after several legislators admitted frequently firing off text messages while behind the wheel, even though they know doing so is dangerous.

The proposed bill would fine drivers up to $250 if caught using mobile devices to send text messages. Unlike the state's ban on using a hand-held cell phone while driving, police would be able to stop anyone they see sending text messages while driving. Police can only give tickets for using a hand-held cell phone while driving if they pull over a driver for another reason.

Arizona and Connecticut are among the states considering similar laws to ban text messaging while driving.

Mother Indicted for Selling Daughter

from KDFW Dallas-Fort Worth TV 4

A 37 year old woman was indicted Monday on charges that she sold her teenage daughter for $3000. Tina Valdez is accused of selling the 15 year old girl to a man last August. At first, Valdez saif that her daughter had run away. She even gave police a note that she said her 15 year old daughter had written about going to look for her father.

But Valdez admitted last month that she sold the girl to 35 year old Jason Carlile who took her to Mexico. Carlile was already facing charges of indecency with a child and possession of child pornography. Valdez and Carlile are being held on $150,000 bond each. The girl is back in Texas and has been placed in foster care.

LOCAL Police Officer Baked Magic Brownies

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Police commanders in Dearborn are taking heat for not prosecuting a police officer caught spiking brownies with marijuana. Cpl. Edward Sanchez was allowed to resign last year after admitting he and his wife baked brownies with marijuana he had taken from a drug suspect.

The officer's troubles began with an April 2006 call to 911. On the tape, he's heard saying, "I think we're dying. We made brownies and I think we're dead, I really do." He also asked the 911 dispatcher what the score was on the Detroit Red Wings hockey game being televised that night, explaining, "I just want to make sure this isn't some type of, like, hallucination that I'm having."