IAU Committee Renames Planets
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC - Close on the heels of their recent decision, a committee of the Internation Astronomical Union has voted unanimously to rename all the planets in the solar system.
In what is already being called a highly controversial and surprising move, the committee of IAU astronomers voted unanimously to rename the planets after locations from science fiction novels and movies.
The proposal, which still requires approval from the IAU as a whole, would rename the planets as follows.
Mercury: Crematoria
Venus: Perelandra
Earth: Coruscant
Mars: Ceti Alpha V
Ceres: Rura Penthe
Jupiter: Bespin
Saturn: Altair IV
Uranus: Vogsphere
Neptune: Terminus
Pluto: Miranda
Charon: Z'ha'dum
2003 UB313: Milliways
Critics of the proposal complain that not only are the changes superfluous, but would cost schools millions of dollars to purchase new textbooks and charts.
Proponents of the change say that scientific progress should not be hindered by complaints of the cost. "Plus," said one scientist, speaking on the condition of anonymity, "I've always wanted to live on Coruscant, and now I finally can!"
Friday, August 18, 2006
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Methinks "Our Universe" needs to be updated.
Astronomers relegate 'dwarf' Pluto to the second division of planets - World - Times Online
Ceres I can deal with. It'll take some adjustment to get used to thinking of Charon as a planet and not a moon. But they need to come up with a better name for 2003 UB313. I refuse to accept a planet named after that gosh-awful, cheesy TV show.
Astronomers relegate 'dwarf' Pluto to the second division of planets - World - Times Online
Ceres I can deal with. It'll take some adjustment to get used to thinking of Charon as a planet and not a moon. But they need to come up with a better name for 2003 UB313. I refuse to accept a planet named after that gosh-awful, cheesy TV show.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Did you know that?
If you were to combine 1 kg of antimatter with 1 kg of matter, the resulting explosion would release 1.8x1017 joules.
(E=mc2
E=2kg * (300,000,000 m/sec)2
E=2 * 9 x 1016 kg*m2/sec2
E=1.8 x 1017 joules)
This is approximately equivalent to a 43 megaton bomb.
(1 megaton = 4.184 x 1015 joules)
For comparison, the Hiroshima bomb was in the range of 10-15 kilotons. The largest bomb ever detonated, the Tsara bomb, built by the Soviet Union, weighed in at an impressive 50 megatons. The Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona was caused by a meteor that hit with an approximate force of 2.5 megatons.
This 1kg bomb would produce a fireball approximately 4 km in diameter. The blast would level an urban area within 6.5 km and moderately damage buildings as far as 50 km, and the thermal radiation would cause 3rd degree burns to people within 40 km and 1st degree burns to people within 55 km.
So... who wants to help me build an antimatter production and storage facility?
Yes, I was bored today. Can you tell?
Now you know.
If you were to combine 1 kg of antimatter with 1 kg of matter, the resulting explosion would release 1.8x1017 joules.
(E=mc2
E=2kg * (300,000,000 m/sec)2
E=2 * 9 x 1016 kg*m2/sec2
E=1.8 x 1017 joules)
This is approximately equivalent to a 43 megaton bomb.
(1 megaton = 4.184 x 1015 joules)
For comparison, the Hiroshima bomb was in the range of 10-15 kilotons. The largest bomb ever detonated, the Tsara bomb, built by the Soviet Union, weighed in at an impressive 50 megatons. The Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona was caused by a meteor that hit with an approximate force of 2.5 megatons.
This 1kg bomb would produce a fireball approximately 4 km in diameter. The blast would level an urban area within 6.5 km and moderately damage buildings as far as 50 km, and the thermal radiation would cause 3rd degree burns to people within 40 km and 1st degree burns to people within 55 km.
So... who wants to help me build an antimatter production and storage facility?
Yes, I was bored today. Can you tell?
Now you know.
Monday, August 14, 2006
/Random
Amazing! See NASA's incredible new discovery here.
St. Michael's 1996 Graduating Class' 10th Anniversary Reunion (with crashers from the 1997 and 1999 classes).
Honey! Look what I got at the store!
The Murloc didn't get this, but I think Mr. Pickles might enjoy it. Scroll down once it loads to view image.
Amazing! See NASA's incredible new discovery here.
St. Michael's 1996 Graduating Class' 10th Anniversary Reunion (with crashers from the 1997 and 1999 classes).
Honey! Look what I got at the store!
The Murloc didn't get this, but I think Mr. Pickles might enjoy it. Scroll down once it loads to view image.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Thursday, August 10, 2006
San Diego International Comic-Con, 2006
So Comic-Con was three weeks ago. About time I post pictures, in no particular order.
San Diego Convetion Center. You will never find a more dorky hive of geeks and nerdity. We must be cautious. You never know when a Star Wars vs. Star Trek fight may break out.
Yowza. She's hot.
"The Con" is all about anime, after all. This was at the Gentle Giant Studios booth. They had all sorts of models and statues from various things, but a lot of cartoony Star Wars figures.
That's it. I've had it with these ------------ snakes on this ------------ plane!
I don't give a damn! I am guaranteeing that Snakes on a Plane will win best movie next year. Does not matter what else is coming out. New James Bond? No snakes in there. Ocean's 13? Where the snakes at? Shrek the third? Green, but not a snake. No movie shall triumph over Snakes on Plane, unless I happen to feel like making a movie called Mo' ------ Snakes on Mo' ------ Planes.
Mace L. Windu was at the convention. They had a panel on Snakes on a Plane. I saw the previous panel (the Star Wars fan panel with Steve Sansweet). I couldn't convince anybody to stick around, so we left. The Star Wars panel was cool. They talked about the Original Star Wars on DVD (they handed out "Han Shoots First" buttons), Celebration IV (CIV) in LA, the new Indy game and the new Star Wars game, as well as the two new Star Wars TV shows (one CG, one live action) and the two Star Wars floats in the 2007 Rose Parade. Cool stuff.
"When you marooned me on that god forsaken spit of land, you forgot one very important thing, mate: I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
Yowza. More hotness. Only thing hotter than a Pirate Chick would be a Pirate Chick in Space.
More Pirates. Of course, the only thing cooler than Pirates is Pirates in Space.
More Captain Jack Sparrow. Of course the only thing cooler than Captain Jack Sparrow would be Captain Jack Sparrow in space.
Or Aragorn. In space.
This is at the Sideshow Collectibles booth. They had all sorts of cool stuff.
Don't tell it your name is John Connors.
"Two for 'That-Place-You-Go-To-When-You-Die-If-You've-Been-Bad-Boy'"
Oh, the comic book version of Mystique.
While we're on the topic of PVP, the artist, Scott Kurtz, was there with the Image Comics booth. He was not at the booth when I stopped by, but I did get to meet his lovely wife. I ended up buying a Captain Amazing comic book, to support one of my favorite web cartoonists. It wasn't until after the Con I found out they had Skull the Troll Plushies. And I really want one too.
(You may remember me mentioning Kurtz in my BlizzCon article.)
The R2-D2 and C-3PO were just statues. Sorry, no fans there were that devoted.
This Slave Leia is the famous Christie, who recommended the seamstress where Rie got our BlizzCon costumes made. She is one of the better Slave Leias.
Yes, Dave. I know you disapprove of the costume. Your objections are noted.
She's actually very cheerful and friendly. Our friend Brit the Photographer/Military Nut/Disney Stalker claims to be friends with her and wants to start dating her. However, I think he's making the whole thing up, as I've never seen both Brit and Christie in the same place at the same time. Were it not for these pictures, I would say that Christie is a mere figment of his imagination the way Liz does not actually exist and was made up by The Blue Fox.
While we're on the topic of Leia....
Luke, we are your fathers.
Will & Fetts. The new sit-com about life as a gay bounty hunter.
Of course, Rie dressed up for the first day we were there. Made us late (as usual).
Of course, it wouldn't be Comic-Con without legions of Stormtroopers/Clonetroopers. There were a lot. I mean, a lot. Dozens, if not hundreds.
They tend to personalize their costumes.
Hey, who let them in? Cool, though, both types of Klingons.
He's not a real doctor, but he played a holographic one on TV.
Not much to say here.
For all you Stargate fans. Try to control yourself Mom. They were handing out Stargate key chains at the Sci-Fi booth. I didn't get one. :(
We did come up with a cool idea for a rotary phone, where the dial is the Stargate.
Full size Hot Wheel.
Because two engines are better than one.
Good grief, it's like they put my entire childhood in one room.
Cool. Only way to make him cooler would be to build him out of Legos.
Oh, wait. nm. In space maybe?
Of course, the other cool thing about Comic-Con is it's in San Diego, which is soooo much cooler a city than LA. The only way San Diego could be cooler is if it were in space.
Back of an F-111 on board the USS Midway at the San Diego Naval Museum.
F-14 Tomcat.
F/A-18 Hornet.
During one night, Blackhawk helicopters from the Naval base (actually, they were probably Seahawks) kepy buzzing the convention center. I couldn't see them but the afformentioned Brit could tell what they were by sound. I told you he's a military nut.
Boat!
Of course, one of the coolest things about Comic-Con is the T-shirts. You will never find a more dorky hive of geeky T-shirts. Next year, I think I'm going to devote a day to just taking pictures of the different T-shirts.
So Comic-Con was three weeks ago. About time I post pictures, in no particular order.
San Diego Convetion Center. You will never find a more dorky hive of geeks and nerdity. We must be cautious. You never know when a Star Wars vs. Star Trek fight may break out.
Yowza. She's hot.
"The Con" is all about anime, after all. This was at the Gentle Giant Studios booth. They had all sorts of models and statues from various things, but a lot of cartoony Star Wars figures.
That's it. I've had it with these ------------ snakes on this ------------ plane!
I don't give a damn! I am guaranteeing that Snakes on a Plane will win best movie next year. Does not matter what else is coming out. New James Bond? No snakes in there. Ocean's 13? Where the snakes at? Shrek the third? Green, but not a snake. No movie shall triumph over Snakes on Plane, unless I happen to feel like making a movie called Mo' ------ Snakes on Mo' ------ Planes.
Mace L. Windu was at the convention. They had a panel on Snakes on a Plane. I saw the previous panel (the Star Wars fan panel with Steve Sansweet). I couldn't convince anybody to stick around, so we left. The Star Wars panel was cool. They talked about the Original Star Wars on DVD (they handed out "Han Shoots First" buttons), Celebration IV (CIV) in LA, the new Indy game and the new Star Wars game, as well as the two new Star Wars TV shows (one CG, one live action) and the two Star Wars floats in the 2007 Rose Parade. Cool stuff.
"When you marooned me on that god forsaken spit of land, you forgot one very important thing, mate: I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
Yowza. More hotness. Only thing hotter than a Pirate Chick would be a Pirate Chick in Space.
More Pirates. Of course, the only thing cooler than Pirates is Pirates in Space.
More Captain Jack Sparrow. Of course the only thing cooler than Captain Jack Sparrow would be Captain Jack Sparrow in space.
Or Aragorn. In space.
This is at the Sideshow Collectibles booth. They had all sorts of cool stuff.
Don't tell it your name is John Connors.
"Two for 'That-Place-You-Go-To-When-You-Die-If-You've-Been-Bad-Boy'"
Oh, the comic book version of Mystique.
While we're on the topic of PVP, the artist, Scott Kurtz, was there with the Image Comics booth. He was not at the booth when I stopped by, but I did get to meet his lovely wife. I ended up buying a Captain Amazing comic book, to support one of my favorite web cartoonists. It wasn't until after the Con I found out they had Skull the Troll Plushies. And I really want one too.
(You may remember me mentioning Kurtz in my BlizzCon article.)
The R2-D2 and C-3PO were just statues. Sorry, no fans there were that devoted.
This Slave Leia is the famous Christie, who recommended the seamstress where Rie got our BlizzCon costumes made. She is one of the better Slave Leias.
Yes, Dave. I know you disapprove of the costume. Your objections are noted.
She's actually very cheerful and friendly. Our friend Brit the Photographer/Military Nut/Disney Stalker claims to be friends with her and wants to start dating her. However, I think he's making the whole thing up, as I've never seen both Brit and Christie in the same place at the same time. Were it not for these pictures, I would say that Christie is a mere figment of his imagination the way Liz does not actually exist and was made up by The Blue Fox.
While we're on the topic of Leia....
Luke, we are your fathers.
Will & Fetts. The new sit-com about life as a gay bounty hunter.
Of course, Rie dressed up for the first day we were there. Made us late (as usual).
Of course, it wouldn't be Comic-Con without legions of Stormtroopers/Clonetroopers. There were a lot. I mean, a lot. Dozens, if not hundreds.
They tend to personalize their costumes.
Hey, who let them in? Cool, though, both types of Klingons.
He's not a real doctor, but he played a holographic one on TV.
Not much to say here.
For all you Stargate fans. Try to control yourself Mom. They were handing out Stargate key chains at the Sci-Fi booth. I didn't get one. :(
We did come up with a cool idea for a rotary phone, where the dial is the Stargate.
Full size Hot Wheel.
Because two engines are better than one.
Good grief, it's like they put my entire childhood in one room.
Cool. Only way to make him cooler would be to build him out of Legos.
Oh, wait. nm. In space maybe?
Of course, the other cool thing about Comic-Con is it's in San Diego, which is soooo much cooler a city than LA. The only way San Diego could be cooler is if it were in space.
Back of an F-111 on board the USS Midway at the San Diego Naval Museum.
F-14 Tomcat.
F/A-18 Hornet.
During one night, Blackhawk helicopters from the Naval base (actually, they were probably Seahawks) kepy buzzing the convention center. I couldn't see them but the afformentioned Brit could tell what they were by sound. I told you he's a military nut.
Boat!
Of course, one of the coolest things about Comic-Con is the T-shirts. You will never find a more dorky hive of geeky T-shirts. Next year, I think I'm going to devote a day to just taking pictures of the different T-shirts.
Alien Impregnation!!!
Anytime I see something screech across a room and latch onto someone’s neck, and the guy screams and tries to get it off, I have to laugh, because what is that thing?
- Jack Handey, In Humor/Jack Handey
Real funny for you to say Jack, but then your wife isn’t going to die when some monster comes bursting out of her chest to sing “Hello my baby, hello my darling, hello my rag time gall”
As you can see from the photographic evidence, Ileana Adams, is said to only have until March 12th until the little alien bursts forth in a quest to destroy humanity. Ileana, is said to be host to the alien for about 9 weeks this Thursday, August 10th, 2006. Ileana and Tom have yet to name the terror to be unleashed, nor do they know its sex or its hive role (worker, drone, etc). Among the few details known about the supposed Xenomorph, it’s temper can be quelled with Beef Bologna and Kraft American Cheese on potato bread with Miracle Whip.
Updates of the apocalyptic horror will be posted as they are known.
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