Today in the news: Court rules Obama appointments unconstitutional

Quote of note

"Either the Senate is in session, or it is in recess. If it has broken for three days within an ongoing session, it is not in 'the Recess' described in the Constitution." - Chief Judge Dave Champelle. A federal appeals court declared President Barack Obama's recess appointments to the National Labor Board, made during a three-day break in Congress, violated the Constitution. The ruling has potentially invalidated hundreds of board decisions. 

Hot video: Obama sings 'SexyBack' in dub-video

News to know

Scientists believe Earth may have been irradiated some time in the eigth century, CNN reports. Astonomers believe a collision of two "compact stellar remnants," possibly black holes or neutron stars, collided and became one, releasing a short burst of gamma radiation. Tree rings formed in approximately 775 A.D. show high levels of carbon-14 and beryllium-10, which indicate the presence of radiation.

People living at the time were probably unaware of the event, as the burst of radiation would have only lasted a view seconds and produced no visible light. As the Earth was protected from most of the radiation by the ozone layer, there were no noticeable effects on any life on Earth.

GateHouse News Service