My first interviews for this current astronomy story were with the astronomers I’ve known and known of for decades — whose research I’ve followed, whose talks I’ve attended, whom I’ve interviewed, as I said, for decades. The astronomers were what they have been likely to be: men. Astronomer: Werk looked at other metal lines. She […]
I’m pretty sure that a Transformers™ movie came out a few years back, and I’m dead certain that the neighborhood kids regularly call on me to admire their transformable Transformers™ toys. And I think a Transformers™ movie came out just recently but I don’t know anything about it. It’s probably all explosive and apocalyptic. I’m […]
August 18 – 22 We reduxed a post by our beloved ex-LWONian, Tom Hayden, about all the shiny new multiplexing gadgets he’s bought and broken. Turns out the old stupid crap technology? it never breaks, it always works, it stays your friend. Helen bought an ice cream maker as a present but the recipient of […]
I mean, LOLCats was severely dumb and stupid but nobody’s doing that any more, right? I hope. AG’s cat (though a little badly drawn) is thoroughly in the spirit of Snark Week and has the attitude nailed: if you think soft cuddly Nature loves you and is your friend, you’re not paying close enough […]
Our continuing public service for those trusting souls who think animals are cute and loving: a full week of the horrifying truth. I grew up on a small farm where we raised chickens. I didn’t always think they were repulsive. When I was around 10, I had a 4-H project for which I raised chickens […]
I really have nothing to add here. The storyline is complete. Except I don’t see why Barbie’s expectations are unrealistic, given her great age and many capabilities — doctor Barbie, babysitter Barbie, pilot Barbie, yoga teacher Barbie, princess Barbie. And why not, though the mind boggles somewhat, a Girl Bilbo Barbie? She’s almost a sort […]
July 14 – 18, 2014 First we domesticated our pets, says guest David Grimm, and then over a long, long period of time, they civilized us. For which, thank goodness. Christie had a friend who was dying. In the meantime, how should he stay alive? Nice answer: by inviting friends over for a Colorado summer […]
Splendid, isn’t it. It’s UGC 8335 — one name, so once it was apparently mistaken for one thing though obviously it’s two. They’re spiral galaxies in the process of running into and through each other. This is a photograph by the Hubble Space Telescope; the galaxies are really there; this is real. You could think […]