
##4021952 Three business partners integrate their working lives with their values . // Daylight fills the shop where the three partners in Wild Rose Timberworks-Dale Kittleson , Mark Webber and Chris Wasta-ply their venerable trade . The slate-dark floor is littered with sawdust and wood chips , the walls hung with tools of ancient pedigree : chisels , drawknives , bow saws and trammel points . Wasta sits among a pile of bur oak shavings , making timber frame pegs with a drawknife at his handmade shaving horse . He quotes an old saying , " Make a life , not a living . " Webber and Kittleson are quick to admit that everyone has to make a living , and that theirs has been hard earned . But they also find it enormously satisfying . Named after the state flower of Iowa , Wild Rose Timberworks operates out of a timber frame shop next to Wasta 's timber frame house in the wooded hills of northeast Iowa , near the area where all three men have their roots . All avid nature lovers , they grew up exploring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their livelihood . They 've been working together for 15 years . Kittleson and Webber already knew each other in 1992 . Having joined forces on numerous construction and woodworking jobs , they had discovered the rare joy of collaboration that may be found only among kindred spirits . Enter Wasta , who wanted to use timber-frame construction on his own homestead nearby . He realized he would need help for such an effort , and local inquiries led to Webber and Kittleson-and the discovery of a tradition of utilitarian timber framing in a neighboring Amish community . After the three men cut the frames for Wasta 's shop , an Amish crew organized and ran the raising . After the shop was finished , the Wild Rose crew started on a new house nearby . Wasta has been living in the beautiful result ever since . " Wood is good , " says Webber , grinning as he polishes a stunning piece of black cherry banister . " It does much more than you think it should , " he adds , to complete the line from Marjorie Weinman Sharmat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . On the other side of the shop , Kittleson is smoothing a large oak beam . Timber framing the Wild Rose way is significantly different from the rough-hewn barn construction of the Amish . After all , Wild Rose builds mostly modern 21st century homes , not 19th century barns . Aesthetics , and a deep reverence for wood and the forests that provide it , play a huge role in the lifework of these craftsmen . " Traditions are never static , " Wasta says . " They either change with the changing needs of the times or they die . " The Wild Rose Blossoms Three years after their collaboration began , the Wild Rose partners tackled their first commercial job . They also settled into a true partnership as their business model . They decided early on , based upon compatibility and shared values , to remain a collaboration of three and to make all decisions by consensus . Dealing directly with clients and doing nearly all the work themselves , by hand , became central tenets of the business . This approach dictated that they explore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timber . By doing their own logging , they discovered firsthand what kinds of wood best met their needs . Over time , they realized that they enjoyed the design process and the handwork more than the grunt labor of timbering . By selecting reliable , environmentally responsible local loggers and sawmills to provide most of their raw material , they freed up valuable time to concentrate on the work they loved best . Some of the timber frames Wild Rose has built over the years are open structures such as park shelters . But most , whether studios , shops , cabins or houses , are enclosed and finished after the frame is up , leaving the beauty of the timber frame exposed inside . In their early days , the Wild Rose team did the finish work . But , as with logging , they refined their business model even further and decided to concentrate on frame construction only . Now , with the exception of some fine interior woodworking such as stairs or banisters , they leave the finish work to other contractors . Any environmentally conscious person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if such a building consumes more wood than standard construction . " Yes , " say the Wild Rose partners . But what brings their work in line with their value of sustainability is that all the wood is local , and 80 percent of their hardwood is selected from the resource stream that supplies disposable pallets and railroad ties ( much shorter term uses ) . Most of it is white and bur oak from a two- or three-county area , but they also use black cherry , walnut and black locust . Lower grade trees from these supply streams are perfectly suited for timber framing and do not compete with trim , flooring and furniture grade hardwoods . White pine timbers come from plantation-grown trees in Wisconsin about 80 miles away . They also offer clients the option of using timber from the client 's own property . Respect for sustainability influences the way Wild Rose works with potential clients . As much as individual taste and circumstances allow , all three partners work closely with homeowners throughout the design process , from site selection to building design . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposure for maximum solar gain . Some have been off-the-grid houses . In fact , Kittleson built and lives in an off-grid , energy-independent home . Because they design frames around the size and kinds of wood available locally ( as opposed to often much taller western-grown conifers ) , their structures tend to have smaller footprints . Timber frame homes are so solidly built that they will have a lifetime far longer than that of pallets and railroad ties , which the same wood might have been used to make . And if local history is any indication of the future , the timbers will eventually be re-used in other structures . Many local homes have been built or remodeled with recycled timbers from old barns or pioneer log cabins . Not Like the Others Because of their scale of operation , shared values and philosophy of life , the Wild Rose craftsmen have carved out a unique niche for themselves in the larger timber frame industry . They realized just how unique they were in November 2006 , when they attended the Timber Framers Guild of North America conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses represented at the conference are larger and follow a more traditional top-down business model rather than a small partnership of equals . Most timber framers operate out of huge , highly mechanized shops , and many cater to a high-end market in which " McMansions " are more the rule than the exception . In some ways , Kitdeson points out , mechanization ( and the debt usually associated with it ) drives prices up rather than making machine-made frames cheaper . Observing this aspect of the industry confirmed that Wild Rose provides an exceptionally high quality , truly handcrafted product at a reasonable price . Wild Rose has been able to accomplish this by remaining small , by tackling only one project at a time , by emphasizing skilled labor rather than expensive machines , and by discovering new ways to grow the business without increasing size or volume . While still more expensive to build per square foot than conventional " stick construction , " Wild Rose frames have attracted a more middle-class clientele than has become typical in the industry . Prices ( for the timber frame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but range from $12 per square foot for a basic structure like a barn to $40 per square foot for more complex structures . A visit to the Wild Rose shop quickly reveals the handcrafted nature of their work . The design process with past clients has varied from a rough sketch on a napkin to full blueprints nine years in the making . After the design has been completed , detailed measurements are made for every necessary piece of wood . Source wood is located , rough milled and delivered outside the shop . Piece by piece , every timber is cut , shaped , notched and finished to exact specifications using the saws , chisels , planes and other hand tools that line the shop walls . The frames are built with housed joints where one piece is notched or grooved to receive the other , such as mortise and tenon , and must be measured and fashioned perfectly to fit together like a giant puzzle , square and plumb , when erected on the building site . As the pieces fit together , they are held tight with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mallets the partners make themselves . The Value of Balance The team 's evolution , now almost a decade and a half in the making , has had its share of ups and downs . " It 's been a long , slow grind , " Kittleson says , " but it 's easier to get over the rough spots if you are living your core values . " I have heard those values expressed and seen them in action repeatedly during the 20 years I have known these men and their families . They 're values honed by a Midwestern background and years of living close to nature : love of and respect for the natural world ; time for and love of family ; reverence for quality and craftsmanship ; respect for hard work ; respect for each other . And above all , balance and integrity . " Life is more than work , " they have all said to me . Besides time with family , each has his own hobbies to balance work . All three love camping . In his spare time , Webber builds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the kids arrived , still loves exploring the Mississippi River and other waterways with his family . I 've long known Wasta to be a skillful fisherman and fly tier , but it was n't until I spotted an unlikely rack full of giant bamboo poles in the shop that I learned he is mastering the highly refined craft of making bamboo fly rods . It is this consistency of core values guiding their lives , rather than making work choices that trump values , that impresses me so much about the livelihood they have created . As we sat amid the piles of wood shavings , smelling the sweet fragrance of oak and walnut , each in turn expressed the joy and satisfaction of knowing personally every piece of wood that goes into the making of the basic structure of a home , and knowing that those who live in that house will similarly come to know and appreciate each of those pieces . Webber says their work is honest and depends on the inherent beauty of wood . Kittleson says " We 're not trying to make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it gets . " They also speak of the long-term friendships they 've made with their clients , who come to revere the wood as much as they do , and who respect and appreciate their craftsmanship . I sense a quiet harmony as I watch Wasta , Kittleson and Webber quietly going about their daily tasks . This harmony stems from kindred spirits working together , from the wood itself and from life paths of integrity . And surely much of it must come from successfully integrating their work choices with their values . From left : Dale Kittleson , Mark Webber and Chris Wasta design and build hand-cut timber frames . Center photo : Traditional timber-frame structures use precisely fitted joints held in place by wooden pegs . No nails are used . It is this consistency of core values guiding their lives , rather than making work choices that trump values , that impresses me. // From left : Each timber is measured , marked and cut using age-old methods . Using hand tools results in exceptional quality . After the joints are complete , pep may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were measured and cut in the workshop . // Resources Wild Rose Timberworks ; 563-382-8500 ; **27;91;TOOLONG TIMBER FRAME INDUSTRY INFORMATION Timber Framers Guild ; 888-453-0879 ; www.tfguild.org TIMBER FRAME READING Timber Frame Construction : All About Post-and-Beam Building , by Jack Sobon and Roger Schroeder ( Storey Publishing ) Building the Timber Frame House , by Tedd Benson and James Gruber ( Simon &; Schuster ) The Timber-Frame Home , by Tedd Benson ( Taunton Press ) Timber Framing for the Rest of Us , by Rob Roy ( New Society Publishers ) // Structures made of timber are strong and durable ; they 're also attractive when the timbers are left exposed inside the building . Respect for sustainability influences the way Wild Rose works . // Author Affiliation David Cavagnaro is a freelance nature and horticultural photographer , author of several natural history books and frequent contributor to MOTHER EARTH NEWS . He has been homesteading in Iowa for 20 years and for eight of those was manager of the preservation garden at the Seed Savers Exchange . // 
##4021953 Why is this ' 90s rap-rock star who " did it all for the nookie " now directing a movie for children ? The strange , surprising reinvention of the Limp Bizkit frontman . SPORTING A BUSHY salt-and-pepper beard , skater shorts , and beat-up black sneakers , Fred Durst compulsively fidgets with his silverware in a corner booth of a sleepy L.A. diner . " I 'm OCD beyond comparison , " he explains , arranging his napkin and Diet Coke just so . Or perhaps he 's just nervous about sitting for a rare interview , remembering well the harsh treatment he endured from the press as the frontman for ' 90s n-metal superstars Limp Bizkit , and realizing the cycle of abuse could start all over again . You see , Durst is attempting a comeback -- as a Hollywood director . The singer 's first studio film , The Longshots , is getting a wide theatrical release on Aug. 22 . Starring Ice Cube and Akeelah and the Bee 's Keke Palmer , it 's a surprisingly sweet family film about a young female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movie , " says Durst , who has two kids of his own , ages 18 and 6 . " But by me and Ice Cube teaming up , we were able to fight it . I did n't want to do a throwaway , mindless movie with fart jokes just to make 6-year-olds laugh , " he says . " I want to provide my children with some substance . " A decade ago , Durst and Ice Cube were touring together as part of the hard-rock and rap Family Values Tour , and Limp Bizkit were about to explode into one of the biggest bands of the late ' 90s , eventually selling over 50 million albums worldwide . Durst , with his trademark red baseball cap and hyperaggressive stage presence , was rap-rock 's most visible star . But with the turn of the millennium , Durst 's popularity waned . After an embarrassing leaked sex tape and a public spat with Britney Spears , he went from bad-boy rock star to humbled laughingstock . " That guy 's gone , " the now soft-spoken 37-year-old says of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm still me , but that character , that alter ego , is backstage somewhere waiting to get on stage . The director has a whole other perspective going on . " Durst says he wanted to be a director long before he wanted to be a rock star . As a high schooler in Gastonia , N.C. , he fell in love with skateboarding and , along with it , the art of independent film . " I lived through skate videos , " he recalls . " I watched 1985 skate documentary Future Primitive every day for years . I was obsessed . " Durst 's enthusiasm for all things thrasher ignited his inner aggro , but other films , he says , brought out the softer side of an angry outcast . " I got really affected by the John Hughes experience in the ' 80s , " he says . " It touched me . It was the right blend of sappy and cool . I was 16 when I saw The Breakfast Club . ' Do n't You ( Forget About Me ) ' ? Forever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more sophisticated film fare , soaking up classics like Chinatown , Badlands , and Lawrence of Arabia and immersing himself in the work of Coppola , Kubrick , and Scorsese : " There 's something about their storytelling that I 'm very inspired by . " To hear Durst tell it , the astronomical success he had with music only served to derail his true ambition . Limp Bizkit , the band he formed at the age of 25 , first rattled the rock world in 1997 with a paint-scraping cover of George Michael 's " Faith . " A year later , the group skyrocketed to the top of the charts with Significant Other , which sold 635,000 copies in its first week and spawned four hit singles , including the ubiquitous " Nookie . " The band 's reputation for raunchy lyrics , rowdy crowds , and an overall " f -- - you " attitude made them stars -- and anointed Durst as n-metal 's equally revered and reviled poster boy . But as the band 's following grew , so did the ratio of bullies to freaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a kid who got picked on in school , and now the guys beating up those kids were wearing red caps and using my music to fuel that aggression , " he says . " But if they listen to the lyrics , the aggression is targeted at them . " It did n't help that Bizkit 's last effort , 2005 's The Unquestionable Truth ( Part 1 ) , only sold 93,000 copies ; the band has been on hiatus ever since . " It felt like a good time to step away , " he says , " grow a beard , disappear , and make a movie . " Later that afternoon , Durst drives his black pickup to the Sony Pictures lot , where he 's overseeing The Longshots ' last-minute color corrections , score , and credits . In a plush private screening room , he fixates on impressively technical moviemaking minutiae , scrutinizing tone consistency from frame to frame for well over an hour . Though he seems to have this directing thing down , it stands to reason that experience gained mostly by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit of a long shot . Indeed , it was quite a ways getting here . Right after Bizkit went limp , Durst got serious about his film career , taking meeting after meeting with execs , tirelessly trying to persuade someone to give him a chance . His name got him in the door , but despite Durst 's unbridled ambition , he also saw plenty slam shut . It seemed he 'd gotten his big break in 2002 : He was tapped to direct the skater flick Lords of Dogtown , but when the film 's budget spiraled beyond the scope of a first-time director , he was replaced . Undeterred , Durst pressed on , becoming a regular fixture on David Fincher 's sets ( a pal and idol ) while continuing to make the studio rounds , and got offered some " really bad horror films , " which he turned down . Finally , an indie film about a New York kid transitioning to college life and confronting the bully who tormented him through high school came along . It was a serious movie , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it . In 2006 , he was hired as the director of The Education of Charlie Banks . " I knew that as an independent film , I would reach the people who were important to me : filmmakers and film critics -- people who appreciated that it was n't a Freddy-versus-Jason , **62;2059;TOOLONG movie . " Banks screened at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival to surprisingly positive reviews . Though never released , it earned Durst a rep as a legitimate directing talent . Among the converts was his old tourmate Ice Cube , who by that time was already committed to The Longshots . " I was like , ' This guy can direct , ' " Ice Cube says . " ' He has the dramatic feel we want . He 's the right man for this movie . ' " Durst got the job . When it comes to the marketing rollout , however , do n't expect to see Durst 's name featured prominently in any of the Longshots campaigns . In fact , only after a final fade to black will audiences first see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly how he wants it . " I do n't think my name would necessarily draw people to come see the movie , " he says . " It might hurt the movie , honestly . " Matt Alvarez , one of the film 's producers and a longtime Ice Cube business partner , who played a critical role in recruiting Durst , does n't disagree . " It 's not what 's expected of him , " says Alavarez . " But I also think people are going to be pleasantly surprised . " If they are , and The Longshots pays off for director Fred Durst ? " Hopefully I can make a film that will become some quintessential experience for a generation , a landmark where you look back and it 's not just , ' Oh , Limp Bizkit , this is silly . ' Something important . Something substantial . If I leave the earth today , I 'll be very grateful . I 'm proud of myself . But s -- - : You ca n't stop wanting to move forward , right ? " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SHIRLEY HALPERIN &nbsp; Additional reporting by Vanessa Juarez &nbsp; // Illustration Photograph by CHRIS MCPHERSON ; STYLING : RITA RAGO/CELESTINE ; PROP STYLING : KENT CASEY/REX ; GROOMING : DIANA SCHMIDKE/CELESTINE ; SUIT : COSTUME NATIONAL ; HAT : TRAFFIC ; SHOES : PAUL SMITH ; PHOTO &nbsp; Photograph by CHRIS MCPHERSON ; PHOTO &nbsp; DAVID TITLOW/RETNA ; THAT 'S SHOW BIZKIT Durst with his bandmates in 2001 ; PHOTO &nbsp; // 
##4021964 Model , actress , wife , mom , designer , BEST FRIEND to Hugh Grant , Este Lauder spokeswoman , and international jet-setter : Yes , Elizabeth Hurley does it all TEXT BY ANNEMARIE IVERSON Leave it to Elizabeth Hurley to have not one , not two , but three men at her beck and call . There 's her best friend and former boyfriend of 13 years , Hugh Grant , who lives nearby and regularly comes along on holidays . Then there 's her husband of 16 months , Indian millionaire Arun Nayar , not to mention her six-year-old son , Damian , who calls Grant " Uncle " and Nayar " Daddy . " " If I 'm alone with Hugh , Arun , and Damian , I can turn off my cell phone , " says Hurley over lunch at Le Cirque restaurant in Manhattan . Wearing a low-cut white chiffon Oscar de la Renta dress that showcases her ample cleavage , she adds , " No one else really matters . " : New York state of mind . Mink jacket , $15,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's , NYC ; 212-705-2000 . Bracelet , $450,000 , Neil Lane for De Beers . 800-929-0889 . Ring , $20,000 , De Beers . Fashion editor : Mary Alice Stephenson//PHOTOGRAPHS BY TERRY RICHARDSON Recently , Hurley , 43 , decided on a permanent move to escape the paparazzi who ambush her as she zooms Damian out of their West London home to nearby Wetherby Pre-Preparatory School , the posh boys ' institution that Prince William and Prince Harry , as well as Uncle Hugh , attended . " I take him to school every day , and at least two out of five days , there will be a man on his knees outside our house , trying to get a picture of Damian 's face as he gets in the car , " says Hurley with a flash of aggravation . " He ca n't stand it . I ca n't stand it . " So we 're moving to the country and starting Damian in a beautiful , lovely school where 13-year-old girls play leapfrog instead of hanging out in a Starbucks , " she continues , unconsciously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " I mean , I just somehow could n't face a really London upbringing for Damian . " But her plan to flee the big city for her 400-acre organic farm in the Cotswolds , west of London , did n't immediately go over well with Damian . " I promised him a pony , " Hurley says with a smile . As for Hurley , the country should suit her well : She 's added farmer to her varied rsum . ( Hurley lamb and pork are already on the menu at the Barnsley House , a trendy Cotswold hotel . ) Damian 's biological father is , of course , Hollywood producer Steve Bing , who has no role in their lives and whose paternity was acknowledged in June 2002 , after a bitter public battle . " Damian was nine months old when I met Arun , " says Hurley , skipping over the painful bits . " He has never known a day in his life without Arun . " : Building a brand empire . Dress , $970 , Iceberg . Fred Segal Couture , Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bracelets , $80,000-$100,000 , and ring , $65,000 , De Beers . 800-929-0889 . Boots , $1,380 , Fendi. 800-FENDI-NY . Hair : Serge Normant for Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon ; makeup : Francelle for Este Lauder ; manicure : Christina Zuleta for Dior ; production : Tracy Whiting for North Six . Nonetheless , the boy is aware that he did n't come from Nayar 's " seed , " explains Hurley with a risqu grin . She breaks into giggles and recites typical Damian dialogue : " Mommy , I love that part in Austin Powers : International Man of Mystery when Alotta Fagina meets Austin . " Despite Damian 's urging , Hurley has n't returned to acting , believing that the long months on set would render an " as-normal-as-possible upbringing " for her son " impossible . " These days , Hurley , who is enjoying her 13th year as an Este Lauder spokesmodel , lives in a very satisfied present . Her only regret is the fact that she did n't start this phase of her life earlier . " Sometimes Hugh and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five children by now , because we were together since I was 21 , " she says . " But there was never a time when either of us wanted it . So you ca n't really regret that . " When I ask whom she 'd choose for Grant to marry , she turns circumspect , admitting only that Sandra Bullock would 've been a " great match for him " and that he needs to find the female equivalent of Nayar . " Women flock to Hugh . He 's like Austin Powers : Everyone worships him . " Hurley , though , is more than content with her new husband . Monogamy , she continues , is a great concept , especially since " planning another wedding would be hideous . " The first stage of the elaborate bicontinental Hurley-Nayar festivities took place last March in England , with Elton John giving away the Versace-clad bride amid a wedding party of 16 children , including Damian . Then it was off to India for a five-day affair involving dancing " virgins , " a hot-pink Versace bridal sari @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a black stallion for his groom 's entrance . " It was a big life change for both of us , because it was the first time he had dated anyone in the limelight , " recalls Hurley . " It was the first time I had dated someone not in the limelight -- someone who led a very normal life . " " Normal " in Nayar 's Mumbai existence , nonetheless , involves countless servants and significant wealth , money generated from both his parents ' extensive textile activities and his own software business . The couple wo n't divulge the pet name Nayar and Hurley 's clan call her . Yet she does spill that her sister , Katie -- upon petting her brother-in-law 's straight dark hair -- dubbed Nayar " the Silk . " Hurley says she 'd love to have a child with Nayar ( and that she 's " definitely not " yet pregnant ) , and when asked whether the security his wealth and family afford is part of his attraction , she states , quite believably , " I would have fallen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sure . " I 'm very attracted to Indians , " she continues . " There 's a slight chaos there that strikes a vibe with me . I am a terrible mixture of being organized , controlling , but chaotic . My desk is monstrous . I live in this semichaotic state , and I think that 's why Arun is a good match for me . He has the Indian chaotic side and then his phenomenal German side . His mother is German . So he has this dichotomy , and so do I. " Three years ago , while adjusting to single motherhood , the quite brilliant self-marketer launched Elizabeth Hurley Beach , a sexy swim and cover-up line . While it 's still a relatively small company , her wares are sold at stores like Scoop in New York City and Miami as well as online . A strong incentive to maintain her lean body is the constant prospect of bikini photo sessions for her brand . An admitted " one stone " ( 14 pounds ) heavier than she was before Damian , she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until a few years ago , if I wanted to lose five pounds or have a flatter stomach , it was just really cutting down for a week . That 's never going to happen now . Losing five pounds in a week is impossible . So now I just have to teach myself to be more disciplined on a day-to-day basis . " Her big taboo is wheat . " I 'm trying not to eat toast for breakfast , a biscuit midmorning , pasta for lunch , a sandwich at teatime . It 's a challenge . " She 'll often opt for a small steak and a salad , " but we 're going to Capri , and I 'm going to eat pasta every day , " she says gleefully . Outside the restaurant , a black SUV sits waiting to whisk Hurley and Nayar to JFK for their flight back to London . As Nayar waits patiently for Hurley , she naughtily gestures to him with a curling of her tongue . He grins back , acknowledging that a man must feel " very confident " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 
##4021965 THE NEXT GENERATION OF INFLUENTIAL LEADERS TAKES ITS PLACE AT THE TOP // EDITOR 'S NOTE : For the 45th year in a row , EBONY presents its annual list of " The Most Influential Black Americans . " Since 1963 , the section has been one of our most talked-about features , highlighting talented individuals whose influence not only shapes Black America , but America overall . This year , we kick off the " EBONY Power 150 " section with a look at 20 young rising stars who are emerging as part of the next wave of Black leaders in America . Then , on the next pages , you will find our complete list of the 150 Most Influential Blacks in America , focused on eight categories : Politics &; Law , Business , Religion , Arts , Entertainment &; Media , Education , Military and Public Service . This list highlights the hundreds of Black leaders across America , as compiled by the editors of EBONY magazine . Let us know what you think . Send your comments to editors@ebony.com . A Black man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network selects a Black woman to deliver America 's news from the White House . A hotshot district attorney controversially tests the DNA of his inmates to ensure no one is wrongfully imprisoned . Welcome to the new generation of power . OUR power . Black power . The aforementioned people-Tim Story , Suzanne Malveaux and Craig Watkins-represent the new sphere of influence that Black people wield in 2008 . They are a part of the New Black Power . They already hold positions of national prominence and have some influence in their professional arena , but are just emerging as the next source of Black power . " Our parents struggled , scrimped and scrapped for us to have these opportunities , " says Watkins , 40 , the powerhouse Dallas County , Texas , district attorney who is bucking all the trends with his new policy on DNA testing . " We understand the responsibility that we have . " Part of that role is not taking power for granted . " It 's important to me that I use the power and influence I have been blessed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joyner , 33 , the president of REACH Media Inc. , which owns radio 's Tom Joyner Morning Show . The other part these new leaders must play is keeping a low profile despite the paycheck and the visibility . " One of the things I 've learned in leadership is that once you start thinking on how powerful you are that 's a way to a quick downfall , " says Alonzo Fulgham , 49 , the chief operating officer of the U.S. Agency for International Development ( USAID ) , a billion-dollar agency . Fulgham specializes in giving millions of dollars away to nations needing help . " You may have the power and the tide , but if you 're not a good leader , you 're not really powerful at all . " For CNN White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux , who is covering this year 's presidential campaign , being one of a few Black people to be on a first-name basis with the president is a job with an awesome responsibility . Malveaux , who has strong ties to New Orleans , remembers questioning President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in a position to do what she did . " I think part of today 's power is about access and having access to people who have information and who are shaping world events , whether it 's the president or Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or Barack Obama , " explains Malveaux . " It 's about being in a position where you can ask the tough question and hold them to account . That 's where our power comes from , to be able to have a pkce at the table . And that 's not always been the case . " Kevin Liles , who at 40 is the youngest high-level music executive in the nation , agrees . " The work that we have to do is to make sure the next generation has another solid foundation to continue to knock down the glass ceilings , not because of color but because of what they bring to society , " says Liles , who is the executive vice president of Warner Music Group and responsible , in large part , for the musical careers of Jay-Z @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different sources than traditional Black power , which has been rooted in churches and the Civil Rights Movement . Still , it seems , the new power is following in the footsteps of those who came before . And it 's awe-inspiring . " So many times on these sets it 's just me and maybe I 'm the only Black person there , " says Tim Story , 38 , director of the Fantastic Four films and Barbershop . " I have to stop and have a moment of silence . There are so many people who dreamed about what I dream about but never were in a position to actually do it . Sometimes it 's almost too deep . It 's pretty amazing when you think back to where we 've come from and where we are now . " " You may have the power and the title , but IF YOU 'RE NOT A GOOD LEADER , you 're really not powerful at all . " -Alonzo Fulgham , COO , U.S. Agency tor International Development // 2008 EBONY NEW POWER LIST Joyce Beatty Minority leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Rep. Andre Carson ( Ind . ) Elected to complete the term of his deceased grandmother , U.S. Rep. Julia Carson Alonzo L. Fulgham Chief Operating Officer , U.S. Agency for International Development ( USAID ) Richard Gay Senior Vice President , Strategy &; Business Operation , VHl &; CMT John Fitzgerald Harris Assistant General Counsel , Ford Motor Company John J. Harris Chairman &; Chief Executive Officer , Nestl Waters LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star and product spokesman Oscar A. Joyner President and COO , REACH Media Inc . Alexis Levi Owner , CEO &; General Manager , Las Vegas Stars Kevin Liles Executive Vice President , Warner Music Group Suzanne Malveaux White House Correspondent , CNN Roland S. Martin Nationally syndicated columnist/author/ commentator/talk show host Bryndan Moore Founder of Bisonroundup.com and other social network Web sites for Black college alumni R. Donahue Peebles Chairman &; Chief Executive Officer , Peebles Corp . Marcus Samuelsson Chef and Co-owner , Aquavit Bakari T. Sellers South Carolina House of Representatives ( Dist. 90 ) Tim Story Filmmaker Reed V. Tuckson , M.D. , FACP Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NY Craig Watkins Dallas County District Attorney // 
##4021966 Following the trail of an adventurous scientist to its-and his-end // Like mystics and soldiers of fortune , field biologists are fond of exotic , far-flung places . It 's partly scientific : the study of wildlife requires wilderness . Yet sometimes there 's an irrational , almost addictive edge to the attachment . Joe Slowinski , a curator of herpetology at the California Academy of Sciences , had such a bond with Myanmar-or Burma , as much of the world still calls that Southeast Asian nation , preferring tradition over a name foisted on it by a military regime . Burma is about as far from San Francisco as it 's possible to be flung . In eleven trips beginning in 1997 , Slowinski led expeditions throughout the country . To biologists , he is probably best known for his identification , with herpetologist Wolfgang Wuster of Bangor University in Wales , of the first new species of cobra to be described since 1922 : Naja mandalayensis , the Burmese spitting cobra . Slowinski also cofounded , with the Smithsonian Institution 's George R. Zug , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stable scientific institutions . Late in the summer of 2001 , Slowinski led an expedition into Burma 's extreme north , in the foothills of the Himalayas near the frontier with China , to conduct the first large-scale survey of the region 's life-forms . On September 12 , while the world was reeling from the attacks on America , Slowinski died from the bite of a many-banded krait , Bungams multicinctus , the deadliest land serpent in Asia . He was only thirty-eight . It was a tragic loss to science and an exemplary tale of grace under pressure . A few hours after the bite , when Slowinski could no longer breathe on his own , his colleagues began mouth-to-mouth respiration . They kept him alive that way for more than twenty-four hours , waiting for a helicopter rescue mission that came too late . In January 2005 , I began researching a biography of Slowinski with a journey of my own , tracing the route of his expedition from Putao , a small district capital in the north of Burma , to the village of Rat Baw , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died . It was my fourth visit to Burma in twelve years , but the first time I ventured beyond areas ordinarily open to tourists . I began in Yangon , the nation 's capital , also known as Rangoon . The decrepit airport terminal was typical of the dilapidated infrastructure I saw everywhere , the ravages of more than four decades of dictatorial military rule . Also evident was the watchful eye of the junta . Posted on the way into the city were scarlet signs proclaiming in Burmese and English : " Oppose those relying on external elements acting as stooges holding negative views " and " Oppose foreign nationals interfering in the internal affairs of the State . " My first call in the capital was at the Forest Ministry , whose primary mission seems to be to look the other way while foreign loggers clear-cut Burma 's ancient hardwood forests . On the other hand , the ministry 's Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division , which sponsored most of Slowinski 's field expeditions , makes a valiant effort to protect what remains of the nation 's natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khin Maung Zaw , a courtly , soft-spoken zoologist , in a dim office lined with glass-doored cabinets full of scholarly books and old maps . He and Slowinski had been friends ; in fact , in 1998 Slowinski had named a new species of wolf snake after him , Lycodon zawi . Zaw was still sorrowful about Slowinski 's death . He was glad I was writing a book about his old friend , but there was a limit to what he could do . The area I wanted to visit had been a site of active resistance by guerilla groups until the mid-1990s , and the presence of foreigners there is restricted . I had only managed to obtain a ten-day pass to Putao and environs . A guide was also assigned to accompany me-a tall , serious , bespectacled man of twentyseven named Lynn Htut Oo , who continually reminded me of the importance of giving him a big tip . Our flight north was slightly terrifying , aboard an ancient commuter plane that looked ready for the scrap heap . When we skittered to a landing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broad plain encircled by distant blue mountains , the southeastern edge of the Himalayas . Concealed by the closer peaks , to my north lay Hkakabo Razi , at 19,294 feet the highest peak in Southeast Asia , which had been Slowinski 's destination . While Slowinski 's expedition was the first full-scale international scientific venture to the region , a few intrepid Western scientists had preceded him . As recently as 1997 , Alan Rabinowitz , the director of science and exploration for the Wildlife Conservation Society , in New York City , had made a quick trip through the area , discovering a new species of deer , the diminutive leaf muntjac , which is the smallest member of the deer family . Shortly before Slowinski 's expedition , Rabinowitz had helped the Forest Ministry establish a national park around Hkakabo Razi see " The Price of Salt , " by Alan Rabinowitz , September 2000 . With the aid of my government guide , I immediately set about organizing an expedition to Rat Baw . The village lies in a rugged area that is home to hill tribes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Known collectively to outsiders as the Kachin , they call themselves by the names of their tribal groups , among them the Jingpaw , Rawang , and Lisu . To my dismay , I found only one person willing to take me there . At the only decent restaurant in Putao , a town of 10,000 , I met with Yosep Kokae , an experienced guide who had served on Slowinski 's expedition . He said he would help me , but he could n't find porters on such short notice . Then the restaurant 's owner , a tall , dignified Kachin woman , told me that her son and his friends might be willing to take me to Rat Baw on their motorcycles . Her son , Khun Kyaw , a strapping , self-confident twenty-two-year-old , recruited two friends , making a party of six with me , my government guide , and Yosep Kokae . It was n't ideal , roaring through the wilderness on cheap Chinese motorbikes , but I had no alternative . Just as we were about to depart , the local constabulary decided that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so we were assigned a timid twenty-year-old policeman , whom Khun Kyaw and the others treated with open contempt . It was a cool , misty morning when we set off , seven men on six bikes , laden with bottled water and freshly killed chickens . On the outskirts of town we passed several Protestant churches , simple bamboo structures with wooden crosses surmounting their flimsy entrance gates . Burma is overwhelmingly Buddhist , but most of the people around here follow Christianity . The earliest known missionary to the Kachin was Eugenio Kincaid , a Baptist preacher from Wethersfield , Connecticut , who paddled a small boat loaded with bibles and religious tracts some 400 miles up the Irrawaddy from Mandalay in 1837 . A few miles out of town , we crossed a fine iron suspension bridge spanning a northern tributary of the Irrawaddy . Elephants were stacking freshly felled trees on the riverbank , awaiting a barge from Myitkyina , the capital of Kachin State , to collect them . It was the last evidence of logging activity I would see on the trip . A good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last outpost of relative civilization ; after that , the trail became narrow and overgrown , climbing steadily to an elevation of 2,000 feet . Although it lies north of the Tropic of Cancer , the forest here has a distinctly subtropical character , with towering dipterocarps , Chinese coffin trees , flowering magnolias , fragrant screw pines , and many fruit trees , including rambutan , mangosteen , and banana , all wrapped in thick ropes of lianas and other climbers . The British botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward described the terrain in his account of a collecting expedition in 1953 : " Here the forest is richer and denser-not only does frost never enter into these deep sheltered valleys , but throughout the winter they are steeped in mist till nearly midday , and so partake of the character of tropical rain forest . " Kingdon-Ward was the hardest-working and most productive of the foreign scientists who preceded Slowinski in the region . In ten epic journeys to Burma from 1914 to 1956 , he collected dozens of plant species new to science , and brought back hundreds of varieties of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plants , which became staples of English gardens . His vivid , often witty journals of those expeditions were popular reading for British Sunday gardeners . We made our first camp at a village called Htanga . It was wretchedly poor , malaria was rampant , and the people were obviously not getting enough to eat . Yet the inhabitants were wonderfully hospitable , giving us the best house in town , a rickety bamboo structure on stilts with a thatched roof . For dinner , Yosep Kokae made " bachelor 's chicken , " a mild , savory curry served with tiny fried potatoes , the size of garbanzo beans , which had a delicious , nutty flavor . Later , a few children sneaked up to see us . They were fascinated by my battery-powered lantern ; one little boy blew on the light bulb as if it were a flame or ember , trying to make it glow more brightly . We awoke to a misty morning . Yosep Kokae was already busy cooking fried rice with chilies . Breakfast began with pomelo , the fruit of Citrus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citrus fruits-fed us all . Its mild grapefruit tang was sharpened with a dash of salt . My bowl had a fried egg on top , the only one , laid overnight by the hen that lived on the back porch . One of the bikes would n't start , so we abandoned it there , along with our useless police escort . After we had been an hour on the road , our surroundings took on a wilder aspect , so I told the guys to break for a few hours . I went ahead on foot and was soon surrounded by dense forest . I saw a hornbill swoop overhead , a reliable harbinger of wilderness ; farther along I heard a pair of gibbons serenading each other . The most thriving forms of wildlife I observed , however , were the leeches . The morning mist gave them a congenial environment in low-hanging foliage . Kingdon-Ward wrote after an expedition to Putao District in 1937 , " It was rather horrible to see the hordes of famished leeches advancing immediately one entered the jungle . It is almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards him , the foliage shivering to their regular movements . " By midday the weather had cleared , and the landscape displayed an exquisite , rugged beauty-high rock cliffs with waterfalls plunging a hundred feet or more , soaring trees , ferns with fronds five to ten feet long , stands of many varieties of bamboo , and treelike rhododendrons . I passed some boys catching tiny fish in a creek with conical , thorn-lined traps . Where a tree had fallen across the trail , I sat to wait for my escort . In a shady recess by a small creek I found a black orchid-a rare flower , but not as beautiful as its name . At dusk , just as a light rain began to fall , we reached Rat Baw , tucked into a valley between two high ridges that vanished into swirling clouds . Home to forty-eight families , the village has a rustic , Tolkienesque charm : bamboo fences crisscross the gentle hillside , ruling off neat vegetable patches ; the low roofs of the houses , thatched with fan-palm leaves , blend imperceptibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back toward the river , leading to the schoolhouse , a solid frame building with a tin roof . It was here Joe Slowinski died . We pitched our tents in the main classroom . After dinner the schoolmaster , Joseph Tawng Wa , invited me to his house behind the school , just as he had Slowinski in 2001 . His house was almost in ruins , with gaping holes in the floor and roof . Wild spearmint grew all around , covering the mild funk of cow dung . A grave , placid man with two gold incisors , Wa wore a Norwegian ski sweater against the damp cold . He had lost three of his five children to malaria . He opened a bottle of homemade rum and we talked about our lives . He told me he loved America , and showed me a laminated portrait of Bill Clinton he carried in his wallet . Recalling the death of Slowinski , Wa said , " We were so sad , sir . The lady teachers all wept . The men teachers were also very sad . " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the local herbal cure for snakebite . He claimed that no one in Rat Baw ever died of snakebites , thanks to the plant 's miraculous curative power . Kingdon-Ward was the first to identify the herbal remedy as a species of the genus Euonymus . At that time a Kachin elder controlled the market for the precious herb . " This cheerful old rogue , " wrote Kingdon-Ward , " claimed a monopoly not only in purveying mashaw-tsi-at a price-to the public , but even in the occurrence of the plant , which he maintained grew only in the jungle near his village . " ( Later in Putao , I bought a sprig in the market for a few cents . ) In the morning , Wa told me , " You are very fortunate to find me here . " After six years as schoolmaster in Rat Baw , he had been offered a new job , and was leaving for good just four days later . My rush to get to Rat Baw and back before my permit expired was soon revealed to be pointless . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been cancelled indefinitely . So I was stranded there with a trio of British birdwatchers , staying in an unheated guesthouse next door to a karaoke club that catered to very drunk loggers . The birders told me that they had sighted the Burmese bushlark , hooded treepie , white-browed nuthatch , white-throated babbler , and several species of bulbul . They held out little hope for the pink-headed duck , Rhodonessa caryopltyllacea , a legendary waterfowl with a head as pink as bubble gum . It is almost certainly extinct ; the last reported sighting was in 1966 . A week later , an airlift was organized for us , serendipitously scheduled for the morning after Putao 's annual , festival . This country fair consisted mainly of dart-throwing gambling games , booths selling beer and fried snacks , and karaoke . The chief attraction was a performance by an inept rock band , Claptonian noodling laid over a thumping pop rhythm of bass and drums . Yosep Kokae was there with his wife ; Khun Kyaw and his compadres were flirting with the girls , boasting about their adventure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outside Burma it might have been accounted a pretty poor festival , but after my trip to Rat Baw it seemed like a jubilant saturnalia . Khun Kyaw , one of the young motorcyclists from Putao who accompanied the author , negotiates the suspension bridge at Rat Bam ( in background ) , the village where herpetologist Joe Slowinski died in 2001. // The forests in the valleys around Rat Baw " partake of the character of tropical rain forest . " So wrote the botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward ( above , photographed in China ) , who traveled to Burma ten times from 1914 to 1956 , bringing back showy species that became staples of English gardens . // Local children wait for a river ferry near Rat Baw. // Web links related to this article can be found at **25;302;TOOLONG // Author Affiliation A writer of both fiction and nonfiction , Jamie James ( above , in the red jacket ) grew up in Texas and lived in New York City for many years before settling in Indonesia nine years ago . His book about Joe Slowinski , The Snake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is being published by Hyperion this month . Previous books he has authored include The Music of the Spheres : Music , Science , and the Natural Order of the Universe ( Springer , 1993 ) . // 
##4021971 Gemini May 22-June 21 The planets are giving you the cosmic thumbs-up this month , so go after what you really want . The New Moon of the 3rd falls in your birth sign , making this the best time of the year to start off in a new direction , and with Uranus entering the picture on the 12th , you should n't hesitate to push your luck . The same could be said for whatever 's going on in your love life , and if nothing else , Venus in Gemini is bound to take your heart on a heavenly adventure . The fraught Full Moon of the 18th is likely to precipitate some sort of drama , but do n't let your emotions carry you away or you 'll say or do something you 'll sincerely regret . : Illustration by Olaf Hajek Cancer June 22-July 22 Until the 21st , the most interesting developments in your life seem to be taking place behind the scenes . And with Venus conjoining Mercury , news or offers arriving near the 7th are worth taking seriously . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sun in Gemini heralds the end of one yearly chapter and the start of another . Take your time mulling over your options . Nothing will firm up until Mercury turns direct on the 19th , and you 're going to have your hands full persuading associates and intimates to stop creating obstacles and go along with your plans before you can close in on your goals on the 25th . Leo July 23-August 23 This month friendships seem to be playing an important role in your affairs . You should be more than reassured that you 're admired and loved , because with Venus beaming down on the sector of your chart known as your House of Associations , old chums are doing their utmost to promote your interests and recent acquaintances are laying down the red carpet . June is also the right time to accept invitations and follow through on timely introductions . Unfortunately , decisions looming near the 18th appear to be putting your loyalties to the test , and you must be ready to tell it like it is and be true to yourself . Virgo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the first two weeks of this month . With Venus and the Sun beautifully aspected at the top of your chart , you wo n't have another such opportunity to scale the heights for at least a year . Details may hang in the air until the 19th , but go ahead and make firm commitments anyway . The Full Moon of the 18th brings a volatile personal situation to a climax ; perhaps the moment has come to consider a major move or a domestic change . What 's more , with the Sun in harmony with Saturn on the 25th , you can be reassured that any changes you do undertake will turn out to be for the good . Libra September 24-October 23 Venus , your ruler , is making a series of heavenly aspects as June begins , and everything you do seems charged with meaning and magic . Events will either take you far away from your usual environment or involve you in a new project that enhances your professional status . Unfortunately , your planets make an abrupt about-face near the 18th , throwing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight change or cling to old agendas . Even if you 're feeling insecure and defensive , you 'll succeed and achieve your aims when Mars trines Pluto on the 30th if you calmly adjust your perspective and go with what works . Scorpio October 24-November 22 Do n't spend too much time trying to analyze everyone 's motives or situations arising near the 7th and the 9th . The Sun in Gemini for most of the month accents contracts and financial arrangements , and with harmonious Venus dominating the skies , any terms you 're offered should be fair and greater than you expected . On the other hand , the volatile Full Moon of the 18th will be followed by a series of tricky aspects lasting until the 21st , triggering charged issues involving power and control . With Pluto , your ruler , clouding your reason , you 'll need to make a supreme effort not to go over the top and burn your bridges . Sagittarius November 23-December 21 Happily , all the key players in your life seem to be in a particularly cheerful mood this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposition when Mercury conjoins Venus on the 7th . But with the Sun at its greatest possible distance from your birth sign , you 'll probably find it difficult to share everyone 's enthusiasm and may even be in a bit of a slump . Do n't tune out , because with Venus on course toward a harsh opposition with Pluto on the 18th , partners and intimates will invariably turn sensitive and touchy . What 's more , you wo n't be able to reinstate yourself in their good graces unless you 're prepared to make amends . Capricorn December 22-January 20 It looks as if June is going to be a busy and creative period for you , but with Mercury moving backward , you wo n't be sure where anything is leading until the end of the month . However , you really do n't have much to worry about , because your ruler , Saturn , now in Virgo , is a marvelous protector . If anything , you should try to think on a grander scale and take full advantage of opportunities that crop up near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial security does tend to bring out the worst in you , though , so be sure to sit tight when Mars opposes deceptive Neptune in your money angle on the 21st . Aquarius January 21-February 19 Make up your mind that you 're going to have a wonderful time this month and you will . The Sun in Gemini accents social events and creative endeavors that steer your thoughts away from dreary personal problems or difficulties at work . Partners and intimates are overbearing and self-involved as Mars wends its way through the royal sign of Leo , so there 's no point in expecting their help or support . Luckily , you 're an independent Aquarius , and you 'll happily go your way and allow others to go theirs . Power shifts at work may send you into a panic near the 20th , but once the dust settles , you 'll see that you 're still perfectly safe and secure . Pisces February 20-March 20 You may be reconsidering your long-term career prospects , but with Mercury in retrograde motion until the 19th , you need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the dynamic influence of Uranus seems to impel you to throw caution to the wind this month and make some changes on the home front . Why should n't you be exactly where you want to be and doing what you enjoy the most ? Pisceans always tend to put the needs of loved ones first , and while it 's not in your nature to tramp on anyone 's hopes and dreams , you 're no longer willing to sacrifice your own best interests simply to keep the peace . Aries March 21-April 20 Mars in Leo makes you especially enterprising this month , and the Sun and Venus in Gemini fill up your head with grand plans and schemes . The real question , though , is how much you can reasonably take on without upsetting the balance at home . Arians might sometimes be accused of being selfish , but anyone who believes this does n't really know you . True , you do get caught up in your own pursuits to the point of tunnel vision , but you 'll drop everything without a second thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also your aphrodisiac , and anyone who tries to wrest it from you near the 20th should beware . Taurus April 21-May 21 This month your best planetary aspects involve innovative schemes and opportunities to capitalize on your creative talents . And with Saturn in Virgo , you can afford to take some risks and to branch out and explore your options . Venus , your ruler , is beautifully configured during the first two weeks of June , so why not relax , enjoy and indulge yourself for a change ? It seems as if you 've been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders for years , so stop feeling responsible for everyone and everything . Fortunately , the financial picture is encouraging , and you 'll be free and clear to finalize a favorable arrangement as June winds down . 
##4021974 WITH A SOUR U.S. ECONOMY THAT OFTEN IGNORES WOMEN 'S PARTICULAR NEEDS , IT 'S TIME FOR US TO WISE UP ABOUT GOVERNMENT MONEY MATTERS-AND THEN USE OUR PROVEN POLITICAL CLOUT TO MAKE OUR INTERESTS COUNT // TOO OFTEN AN ELECTION will be dramatically characterized as the " election of the century , " or " the most important election in our lifetime . " But this time it may be true . In the past eight years , the U.S. has gone from record surpluses to record deficits . We are at war in two countries with no end in sight . Gasoline prices have doubled since 2000 . Our country has been flooded with contaminated consumer products , including the toys our children play with , and our food supply is becoming less safe . Climate change is threatening the planet , yet the government is unresponsive . Women 's rights , for which we fought so hard in the 20th century , have been steadily eroded since 2001 . The first federal abortion ban in history became law in 2007 . Tide IX , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been weakened . Affirmative action for women and people of color has been attacked . A hostile Supreme Court has seriously curtailed our right to challenge employment discrimination on the basis of sex , age and race . The wage gap remains , and the U.S. and Australia are the only industrialized countries that do not guarantee paid pregnancy or family leave . The childcare system in the U.S. is a patchwork of " make-do " arrangements that leaves families struggling , and the few federal antipoverty programs that exist have been cut to the bone . Social security , women 's main retirement program , remains under pressure , and long-term care is an increasing problem that families must solve on dieir own . There are many other pressing national issues we do n't normally think about as women 's issues , but that is indeed what they are . The economy , the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan , the health-care crisis , tax policies-all affect women in different ways than they affect men , and all are growing concerns . If this sounds like a doomsday scenario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the opportunity in 2008 to take control and make the changes needed in the elections and beyond , but having the opportunity is not enough . We must also have the will , firmly grounded in essential knowledge . WOMEN HAVE THE NUMBERS AND THE VOTING POWER TO CONTROL any election , and we have the numbers to affect the national agenda after elections are over . The gender gap-the difference between women and men in their levels of support for a given candidate or issue-was first identified in the 1980 elections by Eleanor Smeal , then president of the National Organization for Women . The Equal Rights Amendment ( ERA ) was pending before the states , and the right to abortion had been upheld by the Supreme Court only seven years before . Ronald Reagan , the Republican candidate for president , ran on a platform that included opposition to both abortion rights and the ERA . His opponent , Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter , ran on a pro-choice , pro-ERA platform . Reagan won the election , but his support split along gender lines , with 54 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women . That gender gap has never gone away , and neither has women 's majority in the ranks of voters-and that 's why women-generated change is possible . Women 's votes have made the difference in many close elections , most recently contests in 2006 that turned over control of the Senate and the House of Representatives from majority Republican to majority Democratic . If men alone had voted , the Senate would still have a Republican majority . Voting is not the only place where gender gaps have developed . There are also gender gaps on issues , with women having different priorities than men . Looking at what women and men tell pollsters is one way to get behind the voting numbers and see what drives the gender gap in the voting booth . The economy has been increasingly cited as a major concern by women since early 2008 , when it started to sour on the heels of the subprime mortgage crisis and began dominating the news . Though not many people rated the national economic situation " excellent " overall , twice as many men did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even " good . " Women also rated their personal financial situations worse than men did , and far fewer women said their own money situation was " excellent . " These results are consistent with earlier polls going back to 2006 . An electioneve poll conducted that year by Lake Research Partners for Mr. magazine and the Women Donors Network asked people to assign a number from zero ( very low priority ) to 10 ( very high priority ) to a number of issues . Forty-one percent of women rated the economy and jobs a very high priority , compared to only 30 percent of men . We know that women are the majority of voters , and can control any election . And we 've seen what women care about . But do candidates and parties listen ? Too often the answer is no . In the economic realm , conservative candidates tend to ignore issues such as high poverty rates ( particularly among women of color ) and low wages , and instead posture on the " death tax " -a term used to describe the estate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are all going to die paupers , unable to leave any of our hard-earned dollars to our children and grandchildren . In reality , the estate tax is relevant to less than one-third of 1 percent of all U.S. estates-33 people out of every 10,000 deceased . While very wealthy families may care about inheritance taxes , it rarely gets mentioned by ordinary Americans when talking about their concerns and priorities , particularly not by women . Do n't let candidates get away with talking most of the time about fake economic issues such as the " death tax " when there are very real problems in the economy that affect women-like the subprime mortgage crisis taking us into a recession . TO UNDERSTAND SUBPRIME lending and that mortgage crisis , we have to know how interest rates affect our personal economics , and how the federal government influences these rates . The government 's primary agency for controlling interest rates is the Federal Reserve Bank , which can be thought of as a bank for bankers . To keep the money supply flowing smoothly , the Fed loans money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discount rate ) for short-term loans . As the discount rate goes up , banks have to pay more for money they borrow from the Fed , and in turn charge more to businesses and consumers who borrow from them . When borrowers have to spend more on interest , this effectively increases the cost of every purchase financed through debt ( cars , houses , student loans ) , so overall spending drops . In a shrinking economy , the Fed will often lower interest rates to induce both businesses and individuals to borrow and spend , thus stimulating economic growth . Interest rate is a big determinant of the monthly payments on credit cards , mortgages and auto loans , so if payments are " locked in " ( meaning they stay the same for the life of such loans ) fluctuations do n't matter much . But if interest rates go up on your big loan , and payments greatly exceed the amount you 've budgeted , you may be in trouble . That is exactly what happened in the subprime mortgage crisis . Subprime mortgages are highinterest-rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scores-predominately women and people of color . ( Subprime refers to the credit status of the borrower , not to the interest rate , which is very high . ) The loans now make up 13 percent of existing home loans , but account for 54 percent of foreclosures . And although women and men have roughly the same credit scores , women are 32 percent more likely to be targeted for subprime loans . Though this gender gap exists in every income and ethnic group , African American women have been especially victimized by the loans . Women do have less wealth than men , and that probably increases the likelihood they will be channeled into these loans . But plain old sex and race discrimination plays a role too . Institutions that buy loans from mortgage companies estimate that up to half of the subprime loans went to borrowers whose credit was good enough for standard rate loans . In the years leading up to the mortgage crisis , some lenders marketed subprime loans aggressively with initial low teaser rates-which increased greatly after a few months or the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Borrowers could no longer make the payments , so they defaulted on the loans and lost their homes . Through fall 2007 , mortgage defaults were up 94 percent over the previous year , with entire neighborhoods virtually abandoned . This , in turn , affected local and state tax revenues , forcing cuts in public services . As news coverage of the crisis exploded , people became more pessimistic and curbed spending , and recession talk in the news media increased . This prompted the Fed to lower interest rates drastically in winter 2008 in an effort to restore confidence and stop the slide . But it was not enough to convince people : A month later , nearly two-thirds of the public felt that the economy was suffering through its first recession since 2001 . SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE IN 2001 , PRESIDENT BUSH HAS HAD ONE solution to virtually every economic problem : tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthy , predominately white men . His philosophy is a simple-minded version of conservative arguments in general-if corporations and the wealthy individuals who fund them through investments pay lower taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will create jobs , such as building new plants , acquiring new subsidiaries or expanding product lines . This theory has been generally referred to as " trickle-down , " or " supply-side economics , " meaning change made at the top of the wealth pile eventually makes its way to workers at the bottom . This theory sounds pretty good-if you believe the tax savings really will be spent on creating jobs instead of multimillion-dollar bonuses for CEOs , fines and legal judgments for various corporate abuses or fatter dividends for stockholders . As for expanding facilities and building new plants , that might work as advertised-unless the facilities are already in China and the new plants will be in Mexico . Progressives believe that putting money in the hands of those who actually need it to live on is a better plan to keep the economy going , because they spend more of what they have instead of just adding it to stock and bond accounts . Very-low-income people , disproportionately women of color , have to spend it all , every month , just to buy the basics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive influence on economic growth through spending tax dollars , and that in a recession money should be injected into the economy as fast as possible . They would create some jobs by repairing infrastructure such as roads and bridges , funding green energy research and development and restoring government services that have been cut . We saw the contrast in these approaches in the debate over the stimulus package President Bush signed in February . Democrats wanted to implement one-time tax rebates to working families , expanded unemployment benefits , money to prevent home foreclosures and assistance to state and local governments . Republicans at first insisted that making the Bush tax cuts slated to expire in 2010 permanent was the only fix needed . But as public pressure for a solution mounted , they agreed that a short-term stimulus was warranted , and Congress passed a relief package . The entire House and one-third of the Senate is facing re-election-Bush is n't . The agreement reflected priorities of the Democrats ( rebate money directly to people who would spend it ) and priorities of the Republicans ( tax incentives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits and increase food-stamp aid , and Republicans wanted to remove the eligibility cap for the rebate payments ( give checks to the wealthy ) and make the 2003 tax cuts permanent . Neither side got these additional provisions , but Republicans were allowed to insert language prohibiting illegal aliens from receiving any benefits . Women were both winners and losers in the stimulus package . A last-minute provision adding benefits for the elderly who live solely on Social security benefited more women than men , because women are the majority of the elderly poor . Including rebates for low-income workers with children who earn too little to pay taxes was also good for women , as this group is predominately single mothers-and , once again , disproportionately women of color . Where did women lose ? While there was much talk about the subprime mortgage crisis , and indeed it was the initial impetus for the stimulus package , nothing was done to help . In fact , the " fix " will probably hurt those who need it most . Incredibly , it permits the federally chartered mortgage companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low-priced housing into very high-dollar mortgages held by the rich . This means women at the low end will continue to lose their homes as the mortgage interest rates reset to levels they ca n't afford . Women of color will likely be hit the hardest . The failure to include an increase in food-stamp benefits was also a loss for women . Nearly 70 percent of adult food-stamp beneficiaries are female . More money for food stamps would have been a particularly effective way to target the poor and boost the economy at the same time . Benefits could be quickly deposited on debit cards and used almost immediately at grocery stores , providing an economic jolt while aiding women . Women further lost out when Congress failed to include an extension of unemployment benefits-but they did n't lose as much as men , because women already get less unemployment insurance . The system was designed during the Great Depression , when men dominated the labor market . Unemployment benefits were crafted as a safety net for those who worked full time , met a certain income threshold and lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though women are now a permanent part of the labor force , fewer women than men meet these criteria because they are more likely to work part time or hold lower-wage jobs . And women are more likely to leave their jobs because of domestic violence , harassment or stalking , to follow a spouse , or to take care of their families . None of these reasons for job loss are covered by unemployment insurance . WHETHER THE ECONOMY IMproves in die short run or not , women must hold candidates and elected officials accountable for longterm solutions . Read their records . Go to town hall meetings and confront diem . Call in when you hear them on the radio . If they do n't mention women , ask why not Spread the word when they say something about our issues , good or bad . Email . Blog . Raise hell . Forget fancy speeches and red hot rhetoric : Arm yourself with knowledge and vote your mm interests . " GASOLINE PRICES HAVE DOUBLED SINCE 2000 . WOMEN ARE 32% MORE LIKELY TO BE TARGETED FOR SUBPRIME @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CARE ABOUT INHERITANCE TAXES , IT RARELY SETS MENTIONED BY ORDINARY AMERICANS WHEN TALKING ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND PRIORITIES- , PARTICULARLY NOT BY WOMEN . WOMEN MUST HOLD CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS . // NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF ADULT FOOD-STAMP BENEFICIARIES ARE FEMALE- // Author Affiliation Martha Burk is money editor of Ms. Excerpted from Your Money and Your Life : The High Stakes for Women Voters in ' 08 and Beyond . 2008 by Martha Burk . All rights reserved . // 
##4022054 Something unexpected has been happening to a pair of distant space probes . Could strange new physics be the cause ? // There 's no sweeping it under the rug . NASA 's twin Pioneer 10 and Piotteer 11 space probes , launched in the early 1970s and headed for stars in the depths of our galaxy , are both experiencing a mysterious , continuous force that is altering their expected trajectories . Calculations say the Pioneers should each be in a particular place , but the probes themselves have told us they 're each someplace else-as much as a quarter million miles closer to the Sun than they 're supposed to be . That mismatch , known as the Pioneer anomaly , first became evident in the early 1980s , by which time the spacecraft were so far from the Sun that the slight outward pressure of sunlight no longer exerted significant influence over their velocity . Scientists expected that Newtonian gravity alone would thenceforth account for the pace of the Pioneers'journey . But things seemingly have n't turned out that way . The extra little push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pioneers reached the point where the sunlight 's influence was less than the anomaly 's , both spacecraft began to register an unexplained , persistent change in velocity-a sunward force , a drag-operating at the rate of a couple hundredmillionths of an inch per second for every second of time the twins have been traveling . That may not sound like much , but it eventually claimed thousands of miles of lost ground for every year out on the road . Contrary to stereotype , research scientists do n't sit around their offices smugly celebrating their mastery of cosmic truths . Nor are scientific discoveries normally heralded by people in lab coats proclaiming " Eureka ! " Instead , researchers say things like " Hmm , that 's odd . " From such humble beginnings come mostly dead ends and frustration , but also an occasional new insight into the laws of the universe . Once the Pioneer anomaly revealed itself , scientists said , " Hmm , that 's odd . " So they kept looking , and the oddness did n't go away . Serious investigation began in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1998 , and since then all sorts of explanations have been proffered to account for the anomaly . Contenders that have now been ruled out include software bugs , leaky valves in the midcourse-correction rockets , the solar wind interacting with the probes ' radio signals , the probes ' magnetic fields interacting with the Sun 's magnetic field , the gravity exerted by newly discovered Kuiper Belt objects , the deformability of space and time , and the accelerating expansion of the universe . The remaining explanations range from the everyday to the exotic . Among them is the suspicion that in the outer solar system , Newtonian gravity begins to fail . The very first spacecraft in the Pioneer program-Pioneer O ( that 's right , " zero " ) -was launched , unsuccessfully , in the summer of 1958 . Fourteen more were launched over the next two decades . Pioneers 3 and 4 studied the Moon ; 5 through 9 monitored the Sun ; 1 flew by Jupiter ; 11 flew by Jupiter and Saturn ; 12 and 13 visited Venus . Pioneer 10 left Cape Canaveral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program 's final Moon landing-and crossed the Moon 's orbit the very next morning . InJuIy 1972 it became the first human-made object to traverse the asteroid belt , the band of rocky rubble that separates the inner solar system from the giant outer planets . In December 1973 it became the first to get a " gravity assist " from massive Jupiter , which helped kick it out of the solar system for good . Although NASA planned for Pioneer 10 to keep signaling Earth for a mere twentyone months , the craft 's power sources kept going and goingenabling the fellow to call home for thirty years , until January 22 , 2003 . Its twin , Pioneer 11 , had a shorter signaling life , with its final transmission arriving on September 30 , 1995 . At the heart of Pioneers 10 and 11 is a toolbox-size equipment compartment , from which booms holding instruments and a miniature power plant project at various angles . More instruments and several antennas are clamped to the compartment itself . Heat-responsive louvers keep the onboard electronics at ideal operating temperatures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with reliable propellant , to help with alignments and midcourse corrections en route to Jupiter . Power for the twins and their fifteen scientific instruments comes from radioactive chunks of plutonium-238 , which drive four radioisotope thermoelectric generators , sensibly abbreviated RTGs . The heat from the slowly decaying plutonium , with its half-life of eighty-eight years , yielded enough electricity to run the spacecraft , photograph Jupiter and its satellites in multiple wavelengths , record sundry cosmic phenomena , and conduct experiments more or less continuously for upwards of a decade . But by April 2001 the signal from Pioneer 10 had dwindled to a barely detectable billionth of a trillionth of a watt . The probes ' main agent of communication is a nine-foot-wide , dish-shaped antenna pointed toward Earth . To preserve the antenna 's alignment , each spacecraft has star and Sun sensors that keep it spinning along the antenna 's central axis in much the way that a quarterback spins a football around its long axis to stabilize the ball 's trajectory . For the duration of the dish antenna 's prolonged life , it sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ensemble of sensitive antennas that span the globe , making it possible for engineers to monitor the spacecraft without a moment 's interruption . The famous finishing touch on Pioneers 10 and Ii is a gold-plated plaque affixed to the side of the craft . The plaque includes an engraved illustration of a naked adult male and female ; a sketch of the spacecraft itself , shown in correct proportion to the humans ; and a diagram of the Sun 's position in the Milky Way , announcing the spacecraft 's provenance to any intelligent aliens who might stumble across one of the twins . ( I 've always had my doubts about this cosmic calling card . Most people would n't give their home address to a stranger in the street , even when the stranger is one of our own species . Why , then , give our home address to aliens from another planet ? ) Space travel involves a lot of coasting . Typically , a spacecraft relies on rockets to get itself off the ground and on its way . Other , smaller engines may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pull the craft into orbit around a target object . In between , it simply coasts . See " Universe " for June 2005 , " Fueling Up , " and July-August 2005 , " Heading Out . " For engineers to calculate a craft 's Newtonian trajectory between any two points in the solar system , they must account for every single source of gravity along the way , including comets , asteroids , moons , and planets . As an added challenge , they must aim for where the target should be when the spacecraft is due to arrive , not for the target 's current location . Calculations completed , off went Pioneers 10 and 11 on their multibillion-mile journeys through interplanetary space-boldly going where no hardware had gone before , and opening new vistas on the planets of our solar system . Little did anyone foresee that in their twilight years the twins would also become unwitting probes of the fundamental laws of gravitational physics . Astrophysicists do not normally discover new laws of nature . We can not manipulate the objects of our scrutiny . Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what to do . Vet they can tell us when something is n't following orders . Take the planet Uranus , whose discovery is credited to the English astronomer William Herschel and dated to 1781 ( others had already noted its presence in the sky but misidentified it as a star ) . As observational data about its orbit accumulated over the following decades , people began to notice that Uranus deviated slighdy from the dictates oFNewton 's laws of gravity , which by then had withstood a century s worth of testing on the other planets and their moons . Some prominent astronomers suggested that perhaps Newton 's laws begin to break down at such great distances from the Sun . What to do ? Abandon or modify Newton 's laws and dream up new ru es of gravity ? Or postulate a yet-to-be-discovered planet in the outer solar system , whose gravity was absent from the calculations for Uranus 's orbit ? The answer ca me in 1846 , when astronomers discovered the planet Neptune just where a planet had to be for its gravity to perturb Uranus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . . . for the time being . Then there 's Mercury , the planet closest to the Sun . Its orbit , too , ha iitualty disobeyed Newton 's laws of gravity . Having predicted Neptune 's position on the sky within one degree , the French astronomer Urbain-Jean-Joseph Le Verrier now postulated two possible causes for Mercury 's deviant behavior . Either it was another new planet ( call it Vulcan ) orbiting so close to the Sun that it would be well-nigh im possible to discover in the solar glare , or it was an entire , uncataloged belt of asteroids orbiting between Mercury and the Sun . Turns put Le Verrier was wrong on both counts . This time he really did need a new understanding of gravity . Within the limits of precision that our measuring tools im pose , Newton 's laws behave well in the outer solar system . However , they break down in the inner solar system , where they are superseded by Einstein 's general relativity . The closer you are to the Sun , the less you can ignore the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Two similar-looking anomalies . Two completely different explanations . Pioneer 10 had been coasting through space for less than a decade and was around 15 AU from the Sun when John D. Anderson , a specialist in celestial mechanics and radio-wave physics at NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL ) , first noticed that the data were drifting away from the predictions made by JPL 's computer model . ( One AU , or astronomical unit , represents the average distance between Earth and the Sun ; it 's a " yardstick " for measuring distances within the solar system . ) By the time Pioneer 10 reached 20 AU , a distance at which pressure from the Sun 's rays no longer mattered much to the trajectory of the spacecraft , the drift was unmistakable . Initially Anderson did n't fuss over the discrepancy , thinking the problem could probably be blamed on either the software or the spacecraft itself . But he soon determined that only if he added to the equations an invented force-a constant change in velocity ( an acceleration ) back toward the Sun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pioneer 10 's signal match the location of its actual signal . Had Pioneer 10 encountered something unusual along its path ? If so , that could explain everything . Nope . Pioneer 11 was heading out of the solar system in a whole other direction , yet it , too , required an adjustment to its predicted location . In fact , Pioneer ll 's anomaly is somewhat larger than Pioneer 10 's . Faced with either revising the tenets of conventional physics or seeking ordinary explanations for the anomaly , Anderson and his JPL collaborator Slava Turyshev chose the latter . A wise first step . You do n't want to invent a new law of physics to explain a mere hardware malfunction . Because the flow of heat energy in various directions can have unexpected effects , one of the things Anderson and Turyshev looked at was the spacecraft 's material selfspecifically the way heat would be absorbed , conducted , and radiated from one surface to another . Their inquiry managed to account for about a tenth of the anomaly . But neither investigator is a thermal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So in early 2006 Turyshev sought out Gary Kinsella , a JPL colleague who until that moment had never met either him or a Pioneer face to face , and convinced Kinsella to take the thermal issues to the next level . Last spring , all three men came to the Hayden Planetarium in New York City to tell a sellout crowd about their still-unfinished travails . Meanwhile , other researchers worldwide have been taking up the challenge too . Consider what it 's like to be a W spacecraft living and working hundreds of millions of miles from the Sun . First of all , your sunny side warms up while the unheated hardware on your shady side can plunge to 455 degrees below zero Fahrenheit , the background temperature of outer space . Next , you 're constructed of many different kinds of materials and have multiple appendages , all of which have different thermal properties and thus absorb , conduct , emit , and scatter heat differently , both within your various cavities and outside to space . In addition , your parts like to operate at very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the frigidity of outer space , but your cameras favor room temperature , and your rocket thrusters , when fired , register 2,000 degrees F. Not only that , every piece of your hardware sits within ten feet of all your other pieces of hardware . The task facing Kinsella and his team of engineers was to assess and quantify the directional thermal influence of every feature on board Pioneer 10 . To do that , they created a computer model representing the spacecraft surrounded by a spherical envelope . Then they subdivided that surface into 2,600 zones , enabling them to track the flow of heat from every spot in the spacecraft to and through every spot in the surrounding sphere . To strengthen their case , they also hunted through all available project documents and data files , many of which hail from the days when computers relied on punch cards for data entry and stored data on nine-track tape . Without emergency funds from the Planetary Society , by the way , those irreplaceable archives would shortly have ended up in a dumpster . For the simulated world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed at a test distance from the Sun ( 25 AU ) and at a specific angle to the Sun , and all the parts were presumed to be working as they were supposed to . Kinsella and his crew determined that , indeed , the uneven thermal emission from the spacecraft 's exterior surfaces does create an anomaly-and that it is indeed a continuous , sunward change in velocity . But how much of the Pioneer anomaly can be chalked up to this thermal anomaly ? Some . Perhaps even most . But not all . The team 's thermal model was based solely on the trajectory and hardware data from Pioneer 10 , which displays a smaller anomaly than that of Pioneer 11 . Not only that , the researchers have yet to calculate how the thermal anomaly varies with Pioneer 10 's ( let alone Pioneer 11 's ) distance from the Sun . So what about the as-yet-unexplained " not all " portion ? Do we sweep it under the cosmic rug in hopes that additional Kinsellan analysis will eventually resolve the entire anomaly ? Or do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws of gravity , as a few zealous physicists have been doing for a couple of decades ? Pre-Pioneers , Newtonian gravity had never been measured-and was therefore never confirmed-with great precision over great distances . In fact , Slava Turyshev , an expert in Einstein 's general relativity , regards the Pioneers as ( unintentionally ) the largest-ever gravitational experiment to confirm whether Newtonian gravity is fully valid in the outer solar system . That experiment , he contends , shows it is not . As any physicist can demonstrate , beyond 15 AU the effects of Einsteinian gravity are negligible . So , at the moment , two forces seem to be at play in deep space : Newton 's laws of gravity and the mysterious Pioneer anomaly . Until the anomaly is thoroughly accounted for by misbehaving hardware , and can therefore be eliminated from consideration , Newton 's laws will remain unconfirmed . And there might be a rug somewhere in the cosmos with a new law of physics under it just waiting to be uncovered . Author Affiliation Astrophysicist NEIL DECRASSE TYSON is the Frederick P. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Museum of Natural History . In 2007 Time named him one of the world 's 100 most influential people . // 