Wednesday Overnight Open Thread - June 4, 2025 [TRex]

Good evening Horde. The time has come for mid-week shenanigans of the overnight variety.

This is the Wednesday night ONT.

[Top photo: Madison Square Garden and Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, New York City]

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Truth:

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Also truth:

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More truth:

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Simple, but clever business model:

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Music news - anyone have this in their attic?

What happened to this "Back to the Future" guitar? Inside Gibson Guitars' efforts to solve the mystery

Michael J. Fox made history in 1985 when his "Back to the Future" character Marty McFly played Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" on a cherry red Gibson ES-345. That iconic scene influenced musicians from John Mayer to Coldplay's Chris Martin to pick up a guitar.
As the movie celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, producers and writers behind the classic film thought it would be fun to bring out the famed guitar.
Unfortunately, nobody knows where it is.
Mark Agnesi, director of brand experience at Gibson Guitars, said that while an official search launched in 2025, he's personally been looking for it since 2009.

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Good news for a change!

Milky Way and Andromeda Collision: Why the Cosmic Crash Might Never Happen

New research published in Nature Astronomy challenges long-held beliefs about the fate of the Milky Way and its closest large neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy. For decades, astronomers have predicted a grand collision between these two spiral galaxies in about 4 to 5 billion years, leading to a massive merger and the formation of a new galaxy sometimes called "Milkomeda." However, fresh simulations incorporating the latest astronomical data suggest that the outcome is far less certain. The chance of a merger in the next 10 billion years is now estimated to be about fifty-fifty.

Hmmm...still too possible for my liking.

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Perspective (since we're talking about things of the cosmic variety):

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Human nature is science too:

Southwest Flight Delayed By Preboarding Miracle: "They Needed Wheelchairs To Board - But Walked Off Just Fine"

Southwest Airlines had to take a delay on a flight from Las Vegas to San Jose on Thursday because of the sheer number of passengers in wheelchairs. At Southwest, customers asking for wheelchair assistance get better seats for free - and then usually walk off the plane and all the way out the terminal themselves on the other end of the journey. They don't all need a wheelchair. They've just cracked the code.
Southwest Airlines has more wheelchair passengers than any other airline.
It makes a tremendous spectacle: the "Jetbridge Jesus" flight where passengers come on with a wheelchair to get the best seats, and miraculously walk without any assistance when the flight is over.
Of course, this will all change in the first half of 2026, because Southwest is moving to assigned seating. Wheelchair passengers may board earlier but it won't get them better seats any longer. Magically solved!
This is also going to mean the end of seat saving. No more claiming 13 seats for your group or using a bag of donuts to claim a whole row of seats, and the ensuing conflict that comes from taking more space than your ticket allows.

Oh, the glamor of modern air travel!

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More science news!

Scientists Say They've Discovered a New Color - an "Unprecedented" Hue Only Ever Seen by Five People

Five people have experienced what scientists say is a brand-new color dubbed "olo," thanks to an experiment that involved firing laser pulses into their eyes.
The method allowed them to see a vibrant hue they described as a "blue-green of unprecedented saturation," according to a new paper published in the journal Science Advances last week.
Human retinas typically have three types of cone cells, which are what allow our eyes to detect various wavelengths of light. L cones detect long wavelengths, which we see as red. M cones detect medium wavelengths, which we see as green. And S cones pick up on short wavelengths, which we see as blue.
If the middle-wavelength M cones are activated under natural conditions, either S or L cones will also be activated, since the cones overlap a little in the wavelengths they detect. So, the researchers wondered what would happen if only the M cone was stimulated. To do that, they used a device called Oz, which is equipped with a laser that can stimulate single cone cells.
Five people - four male and one female - participated in the study, and three of them were on the research team. The other two participants were scientists at the University of Washington who didn't know anything about the purpose of the experiment.

If you EVER hear that TRex is volunteering for an experiment to shoot lasers into my eyes but I don't know why, please intervene. My personal policy is to limit access to my rods and cones.

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Bottom story of the day. Thought this was a parody when I read initially. Apparently not. But still a joke.

Ex-White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre left Democratic Party, publisher of her book says

In other news, Lizzy Borden is still complaining about being an orphan and OJ is still looking for the real killer.

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The Pittsburgh police scanner keeps giving:

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This feels like a future Darwin award candidate:

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Juice Newton for our big ONT finish:

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Written correspondence can be sent to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Are you lurking ?? Come out and play. No, TRex can't do the Macarena with you. Short arms.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:00 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Hah! Got you!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (with a beret and a Gauloises) at June 04, 2025 10:01 PM (mWSu4)

2
Good Evening

Posted by: four seasons at June 04, 2025 10:01 PM (3ek7K)

3 Karen Read update:
Snowplow driver Lucky Loughran testified today.
He did NOT see a body in the snow the evening John O'Keefe was murdered. First pass at 2:30a, second pass around 3:30a-4a(?), and third pass was blocked by emergency vehicles at 6:15a.

Interestingly, during the second pass, there was a Ford Edge parked where the body was subsequently found. Ford Edges are owned by multiple Albert family members.

And fucking mob lawyer (Whitey Bulger) Hank Brennan conducted the worst cross in history.

Lucky starts around 40 minutes in.

Karina Kolokithas, the next witness, is a hot 52(?) year old.

And Andrea was a smokeshow in her baseball cap, even though it is a Phillies cap.

https://www.youtube.com/live/edIuIIPf6tU?si=t21TBdD0hET5lWUo

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:01 PM (ufFY8)

4 Dammit.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:02 PM (ufFY8)

5 Top 10?

Posted by: morigu at June 04, 2025 10:02 PM (RDxgA)

6 !st?

Posted by: Admiral Spinebender at June 04, 2025 10:02 PM (hftn9)

7 Ball-turret gunner's view of Berlin 1943?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at June 04, 2025 10:02 PM (JkO4W)

8 Yay, Old Maid's Day ONT!

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at June 04, 2025 10:02 PM (lUFok)

9 first?

Posted by: Official Delurker at June 04, 2025 10:03 PM (Wgj4u)

10 Doh! Top 10

Posted by: Admiral Spinebender at June 04, 2025 10:03 PM (hftn9)

11 Sorry I'm late, I was playing Twister with a family of porcupine.

(Anybody got a pair of pliers and some Bactine I could borrow?)

Posted by: tankdemon at June 04, 2025 10:03 PM (yDFWv)

12 My mom's boyfriend is here...does anyone have any KY jelly?

Posted by: raimondo at June 04, 2025 10:04 PM (9iPPy)

13 My first Top 10.

A pleasant evening to all, horde.

Posted by: Official Delurker at June 04, 2025 10:04 PM (Wgj4u)

14
Ex-White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre left Democratic Party, publisher of her book says

_________

Likely she thinks the party is too conservative.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2025 10:04 PM (QnmlO)

15 Good evening good people.

Posted by: Tonypete at June 04, 2025 10:05 PM (cYBz/)

16 Until this very day I did not even know there was a Scrotum-Centaurus Arm of the Galaxy.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at June 04, 2025 10:06 PM (JkO4W)

17 Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:01 PM (ufFY

That whole thing is a clusterfuck. The prosecutors should have got out while the getting was good.

Posted by: More testilying than I've ever seen before at June 04, 2025 10:06 PM (TbWk/)

18
It makes a tremendous spectacle: the "Jetbridge Jesus" flight where passengers come on with a wheelchair to get the best seats, and miraculously walk without any assistance when the flight is over.

__________

Like AWFLs who would "rent" handicapped kids to beat the line at Disney World. Because people are assholes.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2025 10:06 PM (QnmlO)

19 I know of a "HyDads", "The Office", "Alibi", and two "Third Base Lounge".

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:06 PM (ufFY8)

20 Did I see that someone was looking for a career facing unspeakable evil?

Have you considered becoming the Congressional Exorcist?

The Congressional Exercist?

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at June 04, 2025 10:07 PM (VNX3d)

21 ONT!

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at June 04, 2025 10:07 PM (Splbu)

22 This new Tucker interview with John Kiriakou is absolutely insane and if I didn’t know what I know now I wouldn’t believe him.

Posted by: thathalfrican - The One at June 04, 2025 10:08 PM (eZwyX)

23 That 2 x 4 joke isn't a joke. One summer in college, I worked at a local lumber/paint store. My job was to cut lengths and get orders. I delivered a batch of 2 x 4s to a customer and he complained they were all bowed. I said, there's the bin. Good luck.

Posted by: RickZ at June 04, 2025 10:09 PM (gKDq2)

24 20 Did I see that someone was looking for a career facing unspeakable evil?

Have you considered becoming the Congressional Exorcist?

The Congressional Exercist?
Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at June 04, 2025 10:07 PM (VNX3d)

School board member?

Posted by: Belly of the beast at June 04, 2025 10:09 PM (TbWk/)

25 prosecutors should have got out while the getting was good.
Posted by: More testilying than I've ever seen before at June 04, 2025 10:06 PM (TbWk/)

Should never have gone to trial in the first place, and certainly not been retried. These Canton fuckers (and State Police and DA Office) are doing everything they can to protect their corruption.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:10 PM (ufFY8)

26 Too bad about that Milky Way- Andromeda collaboration getting canceled. I was a bit excited about meeting the new neughbors.

Posted by: tankdemon at June 04, 2025 10:10 PM (yDFWv)

27 I saw Juice Newton open for ZZ Top at the Capitol Center, Landover MD

no really, I did
great show

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I need you guys to get off the shed at June 04, 2025 10:10 PM (AOsQT)

28 Like AWFLs who would "rent" handicapped kids to beat the line at Disney World. Because people are assholes.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2025 10:06 PM (QnmlO)

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"What's the per-day rate on the gimp with the shriveled arm?"

Posted by: An AWFL Pixy Duster in a Hurry at June 04, 2025 10:10 PM (JkO4W)

29 CBD shoots 9mm

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 04, 2025 10:11 PM (mT+6a)

30 Andromeda is over 100,000 light years larger than the Milky Way which is about 100,000 light years diameter.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM (VofaG)

31 Hello, for a change. Been travellin some. Pretty nice ONT.

Posted by: LRob in OK, Moron and Lunatic at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM (ha1wR)

32 Good evening all, thx TRex for the ONT.
I for one welcome our five new color seeing overlords and I hope they govern wisely

Posted by: Smell the Glove at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM (lL4Sl)

33 I think I read that ee are part of the Virgo Supercluster?

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM (ufFY8)

34 Thanks for the dandy Wednesday Night ONT, TRex!

The Pittsburgh scanner never fails to bring a chuckle.

I have a crock for cooking implements. Saves beating up a drawer that becomes stuck on a rarely used cooking tool.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM (rxCpr)

35 CBD shoots 9mm
Posted by: nurse ratched at June 04, 2025 10:11 PM (mT+6a)

My daily carry is a 9 Makarov. I look down on .380 shooters.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 04, 2025 10:13 PM (D7oie)

36 I don't know if anyone else has noticed but.. . .

There is a recipe for "Meat Muffins" on page 234 of The Deplorable Gourmet. Of course.

Thanks Christopher R Taylor!

Posted by: Tonypete at June 04, 2025 10:13 PM (cYBz/)

37 "A cop just got on the air and said that a lady walked up to him and handed him a live rabbit."

I think she was turning Trix.

Posted by: tankdemon at June 04, 2025 10:13 PM (yDFWv)

38 Posted by: Kindltot at June 04, 2025 10:13 PM (D7oie)

*side eye*

Posted by: thathalfrican - The One at June 04, 2025 10:14 PM (eZwyX)

39 33 I think I read that ee are part of the Virgo Supercluster?
Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM (ufFY

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Speak for yourself, farm boy.

Posted by: Buck Rogers at June 04, 2025 10:14 PM (JkO4W)

40 34 I have a crock for cooking implements. Saves beating up a drawer that becomes stuck on a rarely used cooking tool.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM
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Sounds like a solution that is thoughtfully...sufficient. and legal.

Posted by: TRex at June 04, 2025 10:14 PM (IQ6Gq)

41 8 Yay, Old Maid's Day ONT!
Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at June 04, 2025 10:02 PM (lUFok)

I'll have to notify my sister.

Posted by: tankdemon at June 04, 2025 10:15 PM (yDFWv)

42 Dang it, would have been first if I hadn't watched that Queen of Hearts video again.

Posted by: Methos at June 04, 2025 10:16 PM (Dnobf)

43 Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:10 PM (ufFY

Why would they re-try if they are corrupt and open themselves to being exposed?

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:16 PM (VofaG)

44 ...and read the content.

Posted by: Methos at June 04, 2025 10:16 PM (Dnobf)

45 Speaking of bowed lumber, I lived in Japan an age ago. They use US spec lumber, mainly Weyerhauser. It is nearly perfect. They burn the ungood ones and charge BOTH arms and a leg for straight 2x anything.

Posted by: LRob in OK, Moron and Lunatic at June 04, 2025 10:16 PM (ha1wR)

46
The totality of utensils in a guy's place consists, at most, of one spoon.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2025 10:17 PM (QnmlO)

47 Why would they re-try if they are corrupt and open themselves to being exposed?
Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:16 PM (VofaG)

Yes, there is a dead cop involved, and they have to find someone, or admit they know and don't care.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 04, 2025 10:18 PM (D7oie)

48 I have a crock for cooking implements. Saves beating up a drawer that becomes stuck on a rarely used cooking tool.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM
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Sounds like a solution that is thoughtfully...sufficient. and legal.
Posted by: TRex at June 04, 2025 10:14 PM (IQ6Gq)

I use one, too. Really convenient. You can find a good crock jar at a flea market. Needs a wde mouth, almost vertical sides. Mine's about 6" tall and 4" in diameter. Big enough to hold a lot of ~~junk~~ utensils.

Posted by: RickZ at June 04, 2025 10:18 PM (gKDq2)

49 Old Maid's Day.

Years ago I spotted a personal ad in the London Review of Books.
"Woman, 60, looking for male life partner.
Spinster, but not the fussy kind.

Posted by: Winston AKA Pops at June 04, 2025 10:19 PM (Y7TJ9)

50 Much as we crap on the NYC of today, and it deserves most of it, it was a hell of a fun city when I was young.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:19 PM (viF8m)

51 11 Sorry I'm late, I was playing Twister with a family of porcupine.

I can top that.

Posted by: Kurt "Mr Love" Cobain at June 04, 2025 10:19 PM (gKWVE)

52 Hi and thanx TRex!

Fun content.
However, the Miklomeda disturbs me...Does Miklos know about this?!

Posted by: COMountainMarie at June 04, 2025 10:20 PM (FPGXM)

53 >> Andromeda is over 100,000 light years larger than the Milky Way which is about 100,000 light years diameter.

It's central supermassive black hole puts ours to shame as well. It's 100 - 200M solar masses, while ours is just 4M.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:20 PM (w6EFb)

54 A .22 can kill.

A 380 can get someone’s attention enough to escape

If you throw a hot cup of coffee in an assailant’s face you will distract them enough to get away.

Pepper spray can buy you an out.

Just be aware. Don’t be stupid. Don’t start trouble. And don’t insert yourself into someone else’s problem.

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 04, 2025 10:21 PM (mT+6a)

55 The totality of utensils in a guy's place consists, at most, of one spoon.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2025 10:17 PM (QmlO)

Only the take-out or eat out guys. If you cook, you need a little bit of everything, from whisks to wooden spoons. And I don't buy cheap cookware as that's a total waste of money.

Posted by: RickZ at June 04, 2025 10:21 PM (gKDq2)

56 Good evening morons y gracias Dino

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 04, 2025 10:21 PM (RIvkX)

57 Much as we crap on the NYC of today, and it deserves most of it, it was a hell of a fun city when I was young.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:19 PM (viF8m)

Preach it!

Bloomberg started its descent into shit.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (with a beret and a Gauloises) at June 04, 2025 10:21 PM (mWSu4)

58 Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:20 PM (w6EFb)

Latest I heard is that the Milky Way has slowed down in star creation. Have they changed that assessment also?

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:22 PM (VofaG)

59 >>Yay, Old Maid's Day ONT!

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at June 04, 2025 10:02 PM

Aww, for me? Thanks.

Posted by: huerfano, all alone at June 04, 2025 10:22 PM (n2swS)

60 51 I can top that.
Posted by: Kurt "Mr Love" Cobain at June 04, 2025 10:19 PM (gKWVE)

Oh, yeah? But can you wear a top hat?

Posted by: tankdemon at June 04, 2025 10:23 PM (yDFWv)

61
Latest I heard is that the Milky Way has slowed down in star creation. Have they changed that assessment also?
Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:22 PM (VofaG)

_________

Global warming. And Trump.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2025 10:23 PM (QnmlO)

62 Point of order!

Neither John Mayer nor Chris Martin are musicians.

Posted by: Cow Demon at June 04, 2025 10:23 PM (vm8sq)

63 Madison Square Gardens? Bit it's round!

Liars.

Posted by: Ciampino - you're going to tell me the Pentagon has 5 sides? at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (sPQoU)

64 Never been to NYC.

Don’t see the appeal.

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (mT+6a)

65 Bloomberg started its descent into shit.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (with a beret and a Gauloises) at June 04, 2025 10:21 PM (mWSu4)

Big Bird put the nail in the coffin. If the socialist mayoral candidate wins, he'll be throwing dirt on it.

I can't believe Randy Andy is a viable option.

Posted by: RickZ at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (gKDq2)

66 63
but not bit

Posted by: Ciampino - you're going to tell me the Pentagon has 5 sides? at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (sPQoU)

67 30 Andromeda is over 100,000 light years larger than the Milky Way which is about 100,000 light years diameter.
Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM (VofaG)

----------------------------

It bulges in the middle, 16,000 light years thick, but out by us it's just 3,000 light years wide.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (OGOaV)

68
Never been to NYC.

Don’t see the appeal.
Posted by: nurse ratched at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (mT+6a)

__________

To me, it's like visiting a foreign country.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (QnmlO)

69 I'm used the grimy, hot dystopian Penn Station. The heat and smell emanated up the stairways like chimneys.

"Moynihan Train Hall" is fake and teh ghey.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (RIvkX)

70 Why would they re-try if they are corrupt and open themselves to being exposed?
Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:16 PM (VofaG)

Hung jury first time, although she was actually acquitted on two of three charges ( another clusterfuck). The investigation was so crooked, there is no evidence left to prove who the actual killers are, unless someone squeals.

Planted evidence, conveniently missing video, omissions in police reports, missing chains of custody is prevalent.

I have two theories:

1. Drunken fight gone bad. ATF agent Higgins was jealous of JO, and kicked his ass at the Albert house, but died. And that's when the coverup started.

2. JO was snitching on corruption, and the McAlberts found out and whacked him. They intended to pin it on Lucky, the plow driver, but Karen messed up their plans by insisting on searching for him at 5am when he didn't come home.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:25 PM (ufFY8)

71 I could never frequent the "He's Not Here" bar. I'd likely ruin a good pair of pants. How would that happen, you might ask. Well, like this.

I'd be inclined to start up an adlib Abbott & Costello routine using the bar's name. Funny at first, but after about 20 minutes they'd get sick of me and my sense of humor. They'd likely toss me out on the sidewalk on my posterior, thus ruining a perfectly good pair of pants.

Satisfied?

Posted by: Orson at June 04, 2025 10:25 PM (dIske)

72 Evenin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at June 04, 2025 10:26 PM (sAmhv)

73 The days are dwindling down to a precious few now in the run up to Fathers Day. Have you reserved your Fudgie the Whale for your Whale of a Dad? At your participating Carvel dealer, the finest in custom-made ice cream cakes. Call today!

Posted by: Zombie Tom Carvel at June 04, 2025 10:26 PM (G5+As)

74 62 Point of order!

Neither John Mayer nor Chris Martin are musicians.
Posted by: Cow Demon at June 04, 2025 10:23 PM (vm8sq)

John Mayer is very well respected among top-teur guitarists. He can play.

Posted by: tankdemon at June 04, 2025 10:26 PM (yDFWv)

75
How big is the Milky Way? Start off with the 1000 yard model of the Solar System. Place a basketball to beach ball sized ball down on the ground. That's Sol. Now, pace out 25 yards. Put down a peppercorn. That's Erf.

Now, pace out to 132 yards from the center, and put down a pecan. That's Jove. At 1000 yards, put down a grain of sand. That's Pluto.

Now, scale the Milky Way to the width of the continental US. The thickness at the scale would be about 15 miles up and below, if the center plane were at ground level, 30 miles total thickness.

Now, how big is that 1000 yard solar system? It's a quarter thrown on the ground somewhere in East Tennessee.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:27 PM (w6EFb)

76 Much as we crap on the NYC of today, and it deserves most of it, it was a hell of a fun city when I was young.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:19 PM (viF8m)

Preach it!

Bloomberg started its descent into shit.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (with a beret and a Gauloises) at June 04, 2025 10:21 PM (mWSu4)

New York had their golden period with Giuliani. Dinkins was in charge when I lived there. Crazy that he would be considered a great mayor compared to the last two mayors.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:27 PM (VofaG)

77 >>Neither John Mayer nor Chris Martin are musicians.

Can't speak to Chris Martin but you are dead wrong about John Mayer. I know this because I was dead wrong about John Mayer.

He is one hell of a guitar player.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:27 PM (viF8m)

78 Neither John Mayer nor Chris Martin are musicians.

Can't speak to Chris Martin but you are dead wrong about John Mayer. I know this because I was dead wrong about John Mayer.

He is one hell of a guitar player.
Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:27 PM (viF8m)

Chris Martin is a decent piano player and a good song writer, and I agree Mayer is a great guitar player,

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:29 PM (VofaG)

79 "Mars Attacks" is a stupid movie, but it's also a huge amount of fun and is a perfect movie night movie.

It also gave me hope about CGI effects, because the effects here are really first rate and still hold up today--30 years later.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at June 04, 2025 10:29 PM (CHHv1)

80 I remember well flying SWA hobbling on a sprained ankle and getting everywhere with crutches. It sucked. But the guys and gals at the counter made sure I got the blue folder which at the time meant priority seating.

No getting up miraculously cured from those flights, though.

Posted by: Cow Demon at June 04, 2025 10:29 PM (vm8sq)

81 40 34 I have a crock for cooking implements. Saves beating up a drawer that becomes stuck on a rarely used cooking tool.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at June 04, 2025 10:12 PM
***
Sounds like a solution that is thoughtfully...sufficient. and legal.
Posted by: TRex at June 04, 2025 10:14 PM (IQ6Gq)
* * * *
*SNORT*

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at June 04, 2025 10:29 PM (rxCpr)

82 I really REALLY wanted to see John Mayer play during his solo tour in Seattle last year.

Tickets started at $300. Nope.

Oh well.

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 04, 2025 10:30 PM (mT+6a)

83 Never been to NYC.

Don’t see the appeal.
Posted by: nurse ratched at June 04, 2025 10:24 PM (mT+6a)
________________________

This might change your mind. I worked there for a number of years and got to know the nuances. One such nuance was a guy that pretends to be a chicken flapping fake wings and running down Houstin Street. He referred to as "Chicken George."

Posted by: Orson at June 04, 2025 10:30 PM (dIske)

84 The days are dwindling down to a precious few now in the run up to Fathers Day. Have you reserved your Fudgie the Whale for your Whale of a Dad? At your participating Carvel dealer, the finest in custom-made ice cream cakes. Call today!
Posted by: Zombie Tom Carvel at June 04, 2025 10:26 PM (G5+As)
===

We used to go to the Carvel right off the Cross Island Parkway, a drive in, lots of yellow fluorescent lighting and flying insects.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 04, 2025 10:30 PM (RIvkX)

85 Milky Way and Andromeda and a few others are called The Local Group

this group is part of the Virgo Supercluster, which itself is part of an even bigger cluster

strings of superclusters make up filaments, which are massive structures that form the parts of the universe we can see

https://tinyurl.com/5fvvatcd

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I need you guys to get off the shed at June 04, 2025 10:31 PM (AOsQT)

86 Can't speak to Chris Martin but you are dead wrong about John Mayer. I know this because I was dead wrong about John Mayer.

He is one hell of a guitar player.
Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:27 PM (viF8m)

Fine. He can’t write lyrics though. “Say” drives me fucking batty. “Say what you need to say” TWENTY PLUS FUCKING TIMES???

He was paid to write the anthem for the Department of Redundancy Department I suppose…

Posted by: Cow Demon at June 04, 2025 10:32 PM (vm8sq)

87 The thickness at the scale would be about 15 miles up and below, if the center plane were at ground level, 30 miles total thickness.

So you're saying that the earth is flat, right? Sorry, I've been watching flerffer vids on youtube. I can feel myself getting dumber by the minute.

Posted by: Oddbob at June 04, 2025 10:33 PM (/y8xj)

88 Isn’t Andromeda part of the Local Group?

Posted by: Cow Demon at June 04, 2025 10:33 PM (vm8sq)

89 Old Maid's Day.

Years ago I spotted a personal ad in the London Review of Books.
"Woman, 60, looking for male life partner.
Spinster, but not the fussy kind.
Posted by: Winston AKA Pops
===

This is what school reunions are for.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 10:33 PM (/lPRQ)

90 So...no Milky Way and Andromeda bash?
I guess I don't need on it out on the patio tonight huh?

Posted by: Diogenes at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (W/lyH)

91 >> Latest I heard is that the Milky Way has slowed down in star creation. Have they changed that assessment also?

The jury is still very much out on that. At one time, they thought the star formation rate was about 1 - 2 solar masses per year. Two Sols per year, which was a significant decline from the (galaxy evolution model) peak.

Then it got revised upwards to 6 - 7, and then some numbers as high as 20 came in from different observations looking at very different things that should correlate with star formation.

The latest estimate in 2023 was at 3.3 Sols per year. So, this all over the map.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (w6EFb)

92 Much as we crap on the NYC of today, and it deserves most of it, it was a hell of a fun city when I was young.
Posted by: JackStraw

Taxi Driver days?
Those were the real NYC.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (/lPRQ)

93 This is a very high-quality ONT, TRex! Thank you! I loved the memes.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (l3YAf)

94 one meeeellion miles

Posted by: 80's music fan at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (QSrLX)

95 Having a White Russian, pretzels, guacamole and a hunk of salami.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2025 10:35 PM (XV/Pl)

96 Hello, Horde! 😊💕

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Plucky Comic Relief, AoS Ladies Brigade - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at June 04, 2025 10:35 PM (SRRAx)

97 The older, smaller building to the right of Madison Square Garden is where I rescued a large 8'X9' fresco done on oak panel. I was running a renovation there and this panel was going to the dumpster. I set it aside and my wife drove down from Riverdale in our van to pick it up. Had to go on the roof.

It's dated 1941 and the artist is Louis Ross, who was a muralist and expert gold-leaf guy. I sit beside it in Eastern NC, as I write this. It's in an Art Deco style, featuring farm scenes, sheaves of wheat, chickens, cows, barn with silo. No one else has one of these.

Posted by: Local 257 UBCJA. at June 04, 2025 10:35 PM (G5+As)

98 We used to go to the Carvel right off the Cross Island Parkway, a drive in, lots of yellow fluorescent lighting and flying insects.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 04, 2025 10:30 PM (RIvkX)

Go to L & B Spumoni Gardens, in Brooklyn, for the homemade spumoni. Their Sicilian is to die for, too. Right on 86th St after the subway turns.

I saw a restaraunt order being picked up once, a gallon or more of the spumoni. It's the best.

Posted by: RickZ at June 04, 2025 10:35 PM (gKDq2)

99
Do a Grok on the Local Group, and the hierarchy of structures above that. It gets involved, but it's quite fascinating.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:36 PM (w6EFb)

100 strings of superclusters make up filaments, which are massive structures that form the parts of the universe we can see

Laniakes something or other, then the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Group (I am not precise here).

Can you imagine sending a letter?

Name
Address
City, State
Country
Earth
Sol
West Spiral Arm(?)
Milky Way
Virgo Supercluster
Laniakes...
Pisces-Cletus...
Universe
God

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:37 PM (ufFY8)

101 Posted by: Local 257 UBCJA. at June 04, 2025 10:35 PM (G5+As)

That’s really cool. Have you ever had it appraised.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 10:37 PM (VofaG)

102 Taxi Driver days?
Those were the real NYC.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (/lPRQ)

I still miss Checker cabs. 5 people easily fit thanks to the jump seat.

Posted by: RickZ at June 04, 2025 10:38 PM (gKDq2)

103
A collision wouldn't be that dramatic at the local level. Imagine a diffuse swarm of bees colliding. At the large scale, you see the swarms hit and merge. At the small scale, you just bees swarming around.

There wouldn't be any star collisions or anything. However, the structures of the galaxies would change dramatically, and the merged product would become an elliptical galaxy. And more that a few stars would be ejected, which could include Sol.

So, we might get thrown out of the galaxy into intergalactic space as a rogue star.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:38 PM (w6EFb)

104 I definitely want to see "olo". I will shoot lasers into my eyes if it lets me perceive a new color. That sounds flippin' amazing.

I've never flown Southwest. I have friends and acquaintances who swear by them, but I was always too afraid of the seating situation. Turns out my anxieties were well-founded.

I'm the kind of person who will fly first/business class just to avoid airplane seating stress. It's not worth it. If I have to fly coach, I pay extra for exit row or first-row seating so I can stand up to pee without having to have a discussion about my bladder status with a stranger.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 10:39 PM (l3YAf)

105 Fine. He can’t write lyrics though. “Say” drives me fucking batty. “Say what you need to say” TWENTY PLUS FUCKING TIMES???

Phil Collins has entered the chat.
("I don't care any mo, ee oh")

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:39 PM (ufFY8)

106 Microsoft should create a new AI, and name it Clippy. Just like its predecessor, it can pop up at any time and annoy you by breaking your train of thought.

I expect it to appear in the next three years.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at June 04, 2025 10:40 PM (VNX3d)

107 I still miss Checker cabs. 5 people easily fit thanks to the jump seat.
Posted by: RickZ at June 04, 2025 10:38 PM (gKDq2)

Last Checker Cab off the assembly line is at the Gilmore Museum near Kalamazoo in Hickory Corners. Got a Stanley Steamer and a few 109+ year old electric cars.

Great place.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:41 PM (ufFY8)

108 CBD shoots 9mm
Posted by: nurse ratched at June 04, 2025 10:11 PM

And that's when the fight started, officer...

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at June 04, 2025 10:41 PM (Wnv9h)

109 101 Posted by: Local 257 UBCJA. at June 04, 2025 10:35 PM (G5+As)

That’s really cool. Have you ever had it appraised.
Posted by: polynikes

No, but I've been thinking about taking some good pics to a local auction house. I'm getting old.

Posted by: Local 257 UBCJA at June 04, 2025 10:41 PM (G5+As)

110 Spent a week in NYC a couple weeks ago. Like any big city, if you throw enough money at it, it will show you a pretty good time. I had a pretty good time. One restaurant, called Taos, was fantastic!!!

Posted by: Diogenes at June 04, 2025 10:42 PM (W/lyH)

111 I once had a detached retina, and they used a green laser focused into my eye to "spotweld" it back in place. I do not remember seeing any unusual colors, but I remember thinking "I've had lots of laser safety classes, and I'm pretty sure not doing this is item one".

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2025 10:43 PM (s8j++)

112 "Place a basketball to beach ball sized ball down on the ground. That's Sol. Now, pace out 25 yards. Put down a peppercorn. That's Erf"
I'm always a little boggled when I contemplate my position on the northern side of the peppercorn, as it circles that distant basketball sun over the course of a year it tilts slightly, a seemingly insignificant very tiny amount of tilt in the grand scheme of the sizes and distances, yet I'll see daytime temperature highs from -30C to +30C depending on the time of year due to that tilt, that is one hot basketball waay over there.

Posted by: yop at June 04, 2025 10:43 PM (RKj5x)

113
Famous simulation run of the collision with Andromeda from a few years ago:

https://tinyurl.com/yy2nh3bw

Note the time scale involved. The Erf would no longer be able to support life by the time of the collision.

During the first pass, note how there's some "dust" being thrown out. That's stars being ejected.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:44 PM (w6EFb)

114 I was in the Carpenters Union in NYC in the 70s and 80s. Had to travel between jobs in cabs with a large tool box. The checker cabs were a godsend.

Posted by: Local 257 UBCJA at June 04, 2025 10:44 PM (G5+As)

115 Francisco Birad Jr

https://youtu.be/Mx_25B5jKko

Posted by: You Really Don't Want to Know at June 04, 2025 10:44 PM (uqyLy)

116 Taxi Driver days?
Those were the real NYC.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (/lPRQ)

I still miss Checker cabs. 5 people easily fit thanks to the jump seat.
Posted by: RickZ

The movie

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 10:45 PM (/lPRQ)

117 thanks to an experiment that involved firing laser pulses into their eyes.

Scientist: "What color do you see?"
Test Subject: "Some bluish green! Wait, it's all gone black now..."

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 04, 2025 10:46 PM (ynpvh)

118 John Mayer and BB King watching Derek Trucks, who is definitely a real guitar player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWmGH6eXZN8

Posted by: huerfano at June 04, 2025 10:47 PM (n2swS)

119 >> that is one hot basketball waay over there.

The power flux for the peppercorn is about 1325W/m^2. Total solar power output (luminosity, all wavelengths) is about 3.7 * 10^26W.

That's about half an Avogadro's Number of kW.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:48 PM (w6EFb)

120 I saw Gary Puckett and the Union Gap open for the Carpenters at the Rose.Garden in '72..

Posted by: Diogenes at June 04, 2025 10:48 PM (W/lyH)

121 I strongly dislike NYC. I am surprised at myself. You'd think I would like it. It's huge, it's American, it's full of wonderful history and culture. On paper it's perfect for me.

But it's just a nightmare. I'm not even talking its descent over the last decade or so. It's just an insane asylum. It's charmless and smell and weird.

This is probably just my stupid opinion. I love Boston. I think San Francisco is the most beautiful city on the planet. Amazing architecture (ignoring the new stuff) and hills rolling down into the blue ocean, all with perfect climate? It's staggering.

And it was the center of American tech development for decades? Sign me up!

But it just sucks. It's dirty and crime-ridden and run down. Seedy and weird. Homeless everywhere. Total Democrat Rule.

San Francisco was probably the peak of Western Civilization in 1960. Just an amazing place to be.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 10:48 PM (l3YAf)

122 >> So you're saying that the earth is flat, right? Sorry, I've been watching flerffer vids on youtube. I can feel myself getting dumber by the minute.

I'm still looking at those -- there's a couple of X accounts I have to look at every day. I'll tire of it soon, but right now, it's entertaining as hell. So damned dumb. Arrogant ignorance of the most basic physics and geometry.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 10:51 PM (w6EFb)

123 Thanks as always for the excellent content, TRex!

That "Fifty-year-old fighter" hits a bit too close to home, though.

Back to snoozing. Dawn is still an hour away.

Posted by: SPinRH_F-16 at June 04, 2025 10:52 PM (3897l)

124 The USS Nimitz (CVN-6

, the lead ship of its class and a symbol of US naval power for 50 years, is currently conducting its final patrol in the South China Sea before its impending retirement.

... projecting US presence in a contested region aimed at deterring Chinese assertiveness.

-This deployment underscores the Navy's strategy of maintaining at least two carriers in East Asia. ... its decommissioning marks the end of a significant era as new Ford-class carriers come online.
_MSN
--------

Maybe they ought to hold off on that decommissioning thing until we get things settled with China and Ukraine.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 04, 2025 10:52 PM (yQMZb)

125 we crap on the NYC of today, and it deserves most of it, it was a hell of a fun city when I was young.
Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:19 PM (viF8m)

Preach it!
Bloomberg started its descent into shit.
*************
Let's give Dinkins his due.....

Posted by: Grateful - the range bag lady at June 04, 2025 10:54 PM (IQ6Gq)

126 Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 10:48 PM (l3YAf)
====

Nailed it.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 04, 2025 10:54 PM (RIvkX)

127 Overtime.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 10:54 PM (ufFY8)

128 Lumber. Years ago two of the home repair stores in town would match competitors prices. Earnst had merch grade redwood dog-eared fence boards on sale for $1 per. Needed to build 50' of fence. I picked through 2 full units and found quite a few clear grained boards. Went to the competitor and picked through another full unit.

I found a 5 gallon bucket of Watco exterior Redwood stain - the metal can was dented and marked down. I used a metal fence post system with metal hangers. Coated and stickered the fence boards and left them dry for a month. (2 more coats over 6 years)

30 years later the fence still looks good - all of the soft cellular material has gone out of the redwood - but the structural fitness remains.

Posted by: 13times at June 04, 2025 10:55 PM (sbyvE)

129 When you try to comprehend the distances between objects in the universe, like from one galaxy to another, or even between 2 points in the same galaxy, it makes sense that we haven't found anybody else yet.

If you have the right planet, it takes about 3 billion years to go from single celled life, to life that can build a space program. And I believe the fact that we are here shows that the universe has a set of characteristics that allow life to emerge. But those instances of life are very far apart, and unlikely to find one another.

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I need you guys to get off the shed at June 04, 2025 10:56 PM (AOsQT)

130 A young John Mayer trading licks with Eric Clapton who can play a bit.

https://tinyurl.com/2vxs95vc

Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:57 PM (viF8m)

131 111 I once had a detached retina, and they used a green laser focused into my eye to "spotweld" it back in place. I do not remember seeing any unusual colors, but I remember thinking "I've had lots of laser safety classes, and I'm pretty sure not doing this is item one".
Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2025 10:43 PM (s8j++)

----------------------------------

Doctors and dentists - always doing stuff to us that they tell us not to do to ourselves.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at June 04, 2025 10:58 PM (OGOaV)

132 Stop and Frisk

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 04, 2025 10:59 PM (RIvkX)

133 I'm used the grimy, hot dystopian Penn Station. The heat and smell emanated up the stairways like chimneys....
Posted by: San Franpsycho

I don't know what it is like today, but years ago I had a layover at J.F.K. Airport. That was the dirtiest most disgusting airport I've ever seen.

Posted by: nerdygirl at June 04, 2025 10:59 PM (0Htd1)

134 I saw The Supremes open for The Drifters in Diddle Arena in 19 sixty something.

Posted by: javems at June 04, 2025 11:00 PM (8I4hW)

135
I've just seen two almost consecutive commercials for Thyroid Eye Disease. Methinks this will be the Shiny New Thing for mentally-anxious women to suffer from.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 04, 2025 11:01 PM (QnmlO)

136 Cool image of the Voyager 1. Thanks for the ONT, TRex.

Posted by: scampydog at June 04, 2025 11:01 PM (N25Wy)

137 Taxi Driver days?
Those were the real NYC.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (/lPRQ)

I just watched that for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I don't understand why people ever thought that was a "great" movie - personally, I didn't care for it at all. There really didn't seem to be much of a story, just a bunch of scenes strung together with one character in common.

There are other Scorsese movies that I have enjoyed much more - "The Departed" is one of my favorites.

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Plucky Comic Relief, AoS Ladies Brigade - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at June 04, 2025 11:04 PM (SRRAx)

138 If nobody's mentioned it, a bar named "He's Not Here" opened in Chapel Hill, NC, around 1970 or so. Excellent place, lots of outdoor seating, always a good crowd.

Posted by: Philip at June 04, 2025 11:04 PM (j9zDL)

139 @121

>>I strongly dislike NYC. I am surprised at myself.

I was born and raised in NYC and lived there from 1963 to 2009, I have absolutely no desire to ever step foot in that city, the only reason I go there now is for work, and thankfully as a PM I only ever have to go there periodically for site meetings and walkthroughs.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2025 11:04 PM (XV/Pl)

140 111 I once had a detached retina, and they used a green laser focused into my eye to "spotweld" it back in place. I do not remember seeing any unusual colors, but I remember thinking "I've had lots of laser safety classes, and I'm pretty sure not doing this is item one".

Posted by: Archimedes at June 04, 2025 10:43 PM (s8j++)
----
Sign in Physics Lab:

"DO NOT LOOK AT LASER WITH REMAINING EYE"

Posted by: Ciampino - you're going to look? at June 04, 2025 11:06 PM (sPQoU)

141 How long would it take a commercial airplane to reach the planets?

illustrated: https://tinyurl.com/363ykpuz

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 04, 2025 11:06 PM (yQMZb)

142 If you have the right planet, it takes about 3 billion years to go from single celled life, to life that can build a space program. And I believe the fact that we are here shows that the universe has a set of characteristics that allow life to emerge. But those instances of life are very far apart, and unlikely to find one another.
Posted by: Don Black. Message: I need you guys to get off the shed at June 04, 2025 10:56 PM (AOsQT)

Agreed. There's also the Great Filter: advanced civilizations probably die out quite frequently as their ability to wield power over nature exceeds their abilities to control power for constructive purposes.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:07 PM (l3YAf)

143 @129

>>If you have the right planet, it takes about 3 billion years to go from single celled life, to life that can build a space program.

Well, don't forget the miracles, you need a handful of miracles, and a lot of luck to make it in the topsy turvy universe.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 04, 2025 11:07 PM (XV/Pl)

144 Caller reporting a male dressed in all black walking through a construction site carrying a tank. PD arrived and talked to the male, he is just looking for something he dropped and the "tank" is just a whole log of salami.

.....when confronted, the man placed the salami in his pocket and told the officer he was glad to see him.

Posted by: mikeski at June 04, 2025 11:08 PM (DgGvY)

145 Hockey gone to overtime.

Posted by: From about That Time at June 04, 2025 11:08 PM (n4GiU)

146 You guys are missing the point about NYC. I lived in Boston for 20 years. I've been to pretty much every major city in the US and NYC was never the prettiest or the cleanest. Boston had NYC beat on both those points and still does. So did San Francisco and a number of others.

It was the pulse. Not LA. That's a hollow city and always has been. NYC was the heartbeat like no other city in the US or pretty much the world. Every musician wanted to play it, ever sports team wanted to as well. And NYC was where you went to get your business launched and then partied all night because the city never closed.

You had to experience the NYC vibe of the late 80s and 90s. It had everything including pointy elbows because that's where it was happening. It was a hoot.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 11:09 PM (viF8m)

147 Damn, I was really hoping we'd seen the last of Kareen Abdul-Jabber, aka Diversity Raggedy Ann.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 04, 2025 11:09 PM (qpyNK)

148 DOJ finally addressing issue in Texas that has made me angry for a couple of decades now and one reason not a big fan of Perry.

Tuition for illegal aliens is the same as in state tuition rates . Out of state American citizens are charged more for tuition than illegal aliens.

Posted by: polynikes at June 04, 2025 11:09 PM (VofaG)

149 How long would it take a commercial airplane to reach the planets?

illustrated: https://tinyurl.com/363ykpuz
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 04, 2025 11:06 PM (yQMZb)

See, I grasp the universe is large. But if you tell me I can reach Venus in 5.3 years and the Sun in 19 years on a commercial airplane that sounds less big. I don't know why.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:10 PM (l3YAf)

150
Evening, all.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 04, 2025 11:11 PM (H4vqY)

151 > "DO NOT LOOK AT LASER WITH REMAINING EYE"
Posted by: Ciampino - you're going to look? at June 04, 2025 11:06 PM (sPQoU)

Back when high-quality dye sublimation printers first became available, Steve Wozniak (the "other Steve" from Apple) bought one and started making his own gag ID cards.

One I recall was an imitation federal government ID from the "Department of Defiance", with a photo of an eyepatched Wozniak and the job title "Laser Safety Officer".

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 04, 2025 11:11 PM (qpyNK)

152
Sol is just a little dim baby, really. The most luminous star yet isolated is in the Large Magellanic Cloud dubbed R136a1. It's luminosity is 8.6 million times Sol. Add 6 more to the exponent for power output. It's a Wolf-Rayet with 315 solar masses.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 11:12 PM (w6EFb)

153 There are other Scorsese movies that I have enjoyed much more - "The Departed" is one of my favorites.

The Departed was a slick movie, with a parallel story structure. When I first saw it, I was confused as hell because Damon and Di Caprio looked the same to me, for some reason.

Of course, Nicholson was a Whitey Bulger type, whose real life lawyer is prosecuting Karen Read.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at June 04, 2025 11:12 PM (ufFY8)

154 > Agreed. There's also the Great Filter: advanced civilizations probably die out quite frequently as their ability to wield power over nature exceeds their abilities to control power for constructive purposes.
Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:07 PM (l3YAf)

I'd bet this occurs right around the time they invent communism.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 04, 2025 11:13 PM (qpyNK)

155 When you try to comprehend the distances between objects in the universe, like from one galaxy to another, or even between 2 points in the same galaxy, it makes sense that we haven't found anybody else yet.
Posted by: Don Black.

I like this interactive map of the solar system, scaled so the moon is one pixel. I've linked it here before.

https://is.gd/4BIGil

Turns out, space is really really empty.

Posted by: mikeski at June 04, 2025 11:14 PM (DgGvY)

156 57 Much as we crap on the NYC of today, and it deserves most of it, it was a hell of a fun city when I was young.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 10:19 PM (viF8m)

Preach it!

Bloomberg started its descent into shit.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (with a beret and a Gauloises) at June 04, 2025 10:21 PM (mWSu4)

I loved NYC. I grew up in NYC. I have no desire to live in NYC ever again.

Bloomberg's terms as mayor were pivotal in the city's history. After the Augean Stables were cleared by Giuliani, the city could have gone in one of two directions. As Bloomberg was a Dem who became Hizzoner as a RINO - literally - he could have set the city on a course that ensured its primacy. He was the sui generis outsider the city needed, post-Rudy. His inner lib set it in the wrong direction. He could have saved the city during DiBlasio's terms by simply saying that Bill was ruining the city, but he said nothing due to his political tribalism. By doing nothing, he - and he alone - doomed NYC. A terrible, terrible shame.

Posted by: Darrell Harris at June 04, 2025 11:14 PM (EgCB/)

157 9.9 years to Mars. How long is SpaceX supposed to take? I know they have to wait for a launch window, but during that window how far away is the planet in time?

I know they have to build up to actually taking humans, so it's more robots first.

Also, how's the trajectory supposed to work? They just go straight to Mars? Is it like translunar injection or is different?

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:14 PM (l3YAf)

158 97 The older, smaller building to the right of Madison Square Garden is where I rescued a large 8'X9' fresco done on oak panel. I was running a renovation there and this panel was going to the dumpster. I set it aside and my wife drove down from Riverdale in our van to pick it up. Had to go on the roof.

It's dated 1941 and the artist is Louis Ross, who was a muralist and expert gold-leaf guy. I sit beside it in Eastern NC, as I write this. It's in an Art Deco style, featuring farm scenes, sheaves of wheat, chickens, cows, barn with silo. No one else has one of these.
Posted by: Local 257 UBCJA. at June 04, 2025 10:35 PM (G5+As)

Please submit a picture of that for the Art Thread - I would love to see it! 😊💕

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Plucky Comic Relief, AoS Ladies Brigade - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at June 04, 2025 11:14 PM (SRRAx)

159 > I don't know what it is like today, but years ago I had a layover at J.F.K. Airport. That was the dirtiest most disgusting airport I've ever seen.
Posted by: nerdygirl at June 04, 2025 10:59 PM (0Htd1)

While I've never been to JFK, for me that title is held by the old Lambert Field in St. Louis.

I've seen ghetto bus stations that were cleaner and had fewer sketchy people wandering around.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 04, 2025 11:15 PM (qpyNK)

160 26 Too bad about that Milky Way- Andromeda collaboration getting canceled. I was a bit excited about meeting the new neughbors.
Posted by: tankdemon at June 04, 2025 10:10 PM (yDFWv)

***********

*waves excitedly*

Since the Third Amendment doesn't apply to galaxies, we're more than happy to squat in your space!

Posted by: The Triangulum Galaxy at June 04, 2025 11:15 PM (QEG4u)

161 During the first pass, note how there's some "dust" being thrown out. That's stars being ejected.
Posted by: publius

Yeah? I've been thrown out of better galaxies than this! Just you wait! I'll be big someday! Big!

Posted by: an ejected star at June 04, 2025 11:17 PM (DgGvY)

162 Evenin’, All. Hey, TRex.

Posted by: Bulg at June 04, 2025 11:18 PM (77rzZ)

163 Taxi Driver days?
Those were the real NYC.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 10:34 PM (/lPRQ)

I just watched that for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I don't understand why people ever thought that was a "great" movie - personally, I didn't care for it at all. There really didn't seem to be much of a story, just a bunch of scenes strung together with one character in common.

****

I get this. It's not a plot-driven movie.

I like it a lot. It's very immersive. It's a world I've never known (wasn't alive back then; grew up on a farm in the 90s and 00s in the rural middle of our country). It's just about a place and time and kind of person.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:18 PM (l3YAf)

164 > Also, how's the trajectory supposed to work? They just go straight to Mars?

Unless there's a really strong reason for doing it otherwise, it's gonna be a Hohmann Transfer Orbit, and yeah, I believe those are generally used for lunar missions as well.

You can carry way more cargo with the same amount of fuel, at the expense of only having a limited periodic launch window. For Mars, that's every 26 months.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 04, 2025 11:18 PM (qpyNK)

165 with current technology, we can get to Mars in 9 months

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I need you guys to get off the shed at June 04, 2025 11:19 PM (AOsQT)

166 I’m in NYC TODAY for the first time in 50(?) years. pretty amazing that anything works- mobs of people everywhere. $12 draft WTF
I would need to triple my income to be poor here.

Posted by: Free tibet at June 04, 2025 11:20 PM (+IlKz)

167 I've just seen two almost consecutive commercials for Thyroid Eye Disease. Methinks this will be the Shiny New Thing for mentally-anxious women to suffer from.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

It's a real thing. A relative of mine had Graves Disease, which resulted in her having bulging eyes. Once the thyroid issue was fixed, she needed to have a type of eye surgery because the lids were rubbing her eyeballs.

Posted by: nerdygirl at June 04, 2025 11:20 PM (0Htd1)

168 So, the guy backflipping while on fire reminds me of a couple summers ago when we (family fiddle band) played the Colorado State Fair. We're not a big name band, so we were on one of the small stages. Had a pretty good crowd, but they weren't paying us much attention because something was going on around behind us that we couldn't see. We had been called to play at the last minute, so didn't have a chance to look around before the show. About halfway through the set, the crowd roars and claps in the middle of a song, but none of them are looking at us. Turns out that behind a bit and to the side of the stage we were playing on, this dude was climbing a tower, lighting himself on fire, then diving into a pool - properly upstaged, we were.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at June 04, 2025 11:20 PM (/MmFf)

169
The bigger the star, the sooner they go boom. That 315 solar mass SOB, well what it does is something of an open question. The behavior of very massive stars when they burn up their fuel and start to collapse is very complicated, and uncertain.

A "hypernova" is the most likely outcome with what is known to date. However, in between really, really big, and just really big lurks a range where something dubbed a Pair-Instability Supernova will likely occur.

Here, the resulting explosion is so YUGE, the entire star just blows itself to bits, leaving no black hole remnant behind. Yet, get a little bigger, and then you're back to big black hole.

At some point there at the upper end of possible star mass, you may not even get much of an explosion at all. The thing collapses directly to such a big black hole that it sucks in all the explosion as it happens.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 11:20 PM (w6EFb)

170 I remember visiting the Chapel Hill He's Not Here around 1980. A basement bar. A friend complained how you could hit your head on the low ceiling of the stairway. I said," No, I don't have that problem."

Laughter

(5' 6")

Posted by: CapeFear at June 04, 2025 11:22 PM (+JzKz)

171 "What happened to this "Back to the Future" guitar? Inside Gibson Guitars' efforts to solve the mystery"
- - - - - - - - - -
Did it ever take a trip on United? Probably already met a grisly end.

Posted by: Another Anon at June 04, 2025 11:22 PM (4h45B)

172 Love the idiot sign.

Posted by: GWB at June 04, 2025 11:23 PM (KoK5d)

173
Imagine the view from such a rogue star. Imagine looking up at the night sky and seeing the Galaxy as a whole against a dark background. Such views in the "halo" clusters of the Milky Way would be possible now.

Look up and see that pinwheel looming large in the sky.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 11:23 PM (w6EFb)

174 Pittsburgh Scanner: Someone married well; someone best not marry soon

Posted by: Pikov Andropov at June 04, 2025 11:24 PM (y7zkd)

175 One I recall was an imitation federal government ID from the "Department of Defiance", with a photo of an eyepatched Wozniak and the job title "Laser Safety Officer".

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 04, 2025 11:11 PM (qpyNK)

That's good. Woz is truly a great American. The Better Steve.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:25 PM (l3YAf)

176 It's a real thing. A relative of mine had Graves Disease, which resulted in her having bulging eyes. Once the thyroid issue was fixed, she needed to have a type of eye surgery because the lids were rubbing her eyeballs.
_-_-_
That's a fact - there may be a lot that claim that thyroid trouble is why they're overweight that aren't legit, but I had that happen - hyperthyroidism(Grave's Disease). Resting heart rate of about 110, losing 2 pounds of weight per day. It was like everything was turned up to 11. Made me kinda touchy. My wife said that she was afraid that if somebody else didn't kill me , she might have to...and she's a peaceable woman! Yeah, I got the bulging eyes, too...and I weren't great to look at to start with....

Posted by: Sumdood who had Grave's Disease at June 04, 2025 11:26 PM (/MmFf)

177 Posted by: Don Black.

I like this interactive map of the solar system, scaled so the moon is one pixel. I've linked it here before.

https://is.gd/4BIGil

Turns out, space is really really empty.
Posted by: mikeski
-------------

I don't get any proportion from it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 04, 2025 11:26 PM (yQMZb)

178 Look up and see that pinwheel looming large in the sky.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 11:23 PM (w6EFb)

That would be really cool..

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:28 PM (l3YAf)

179 Tucker Carlson

@TuckerCarlson
Mark Levin was at the White House today, lobbying for war with Iran. To be clear, Levin has no plans to fight in this or any other war. He’s demanding that American troops do it. We need to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons, he and likeminded ideologues in Washington are now arguing. They’re just weeks away.

If this sounds familiar, it's because the same people have been making the same claim since at least the 1990s. It’s a lie. In fact, there is zero credible intelligence that suggests Iran is anywhere near building a bomb, or has plans to. None. Anyone who claims otherwise is ignorant or dishonest. If the US government knew Iran was weeks from possessing a nuclear weapon, we’d be at war already.

Iran knows this, which is why they aren’t building one. Iran also knows it’s unwise to give up its weapons program entirely. Muammar Gaddafi tried that and wound up sodomized with a bayonet. As soon as Gaddafi disarmed, NATO killed him. Iran’s leaders saw that happen. They learned the obvious lesson.

Posted by: Mister Ghost at June 04, 2025 11:29 PM (TGPs7)

180 Marty Feldman (remember him?) suffered from Graves' Disease.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 04, 2025 11:30 PM (qpyNK)

181 Wow, I didn’t know that Read investigation was done so badly. That’s a topic that really chaps me whenever anyone brings up the JonBenet Ramsey killing (not so much anymore). The sad fact is that in the first 72 hours the local police destroyed the crime scene and destroyed most of the forensic evidence through sheer incompetence. That’s why it’s never been possible to solve it.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 04, 2025 11:30 PM (3tIsI)

182 Nite all.

https://tinyurl.com/yr5pt47j

Posted by: JackStraw at June 04, 2025 11:31 PM (viF8m)

183 I get this. It's not a plot-driven movie.

I like it a lot. It's very immersive. It's a world I've never known (wasn't alive back then; grew up on a farm in the 90s and 00s in the rural middle of our country). It's just about a place and time and kind of person.
Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director

===

Apparently NYC was much more gun friendly then too.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 11:32 PM (/lPRQ)

184
The Laniakea Supercluster contains the Great Attractor. Some region of YUGE mass that all our little corner of the universe (of which the Milky Way is but a fly speck) are attracted to.

Anyway, the Milky Way is falling toward that at around 1.3 million mph.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 11:33 PM (w6EFb)

185 >> $12 draft WTF

Surprised it's not more, tbh. I've paid probably $9 in the middle of nowhere. Is it craft?

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:33 PM (l3YAf)

186 > I said," No, I don't have that problem."

Laughter

(5' 6")
Posted by: CapeFear at June 04, 2025 11:22 PM (+JzKz)

Reminds me of a guy from India I was in grad school with.

It was the first nice day of Spring, and I made a remark about it being a good day to go out and start working on a tan.

"That's never been a problem for me."

Funny guy.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 04, 2025 11:34 PM (qpyNK)

187 180 Marty Feldman (remember him?) suffered from Graves' Disease.

Remember the line in Young Frankenstein, "Damn you eyes!" To which he replies "Too late."

Posted by: Don in SoCo at June 04, 2025 11:36 PM (/MmFf)

188 Ever wish you could edit a post?

Posted by: Don in SoCo at June 04, 2025 11:37 PM (/MmFf)

189 Turns out, space is really really empty.
Posted by: mikeski at June 04, 2025 11:14 PM (DgGvY)

Space is big.
Space is dark.
It's tough to find
A place to park.

BURMA SHAVE!!!!

Posted by: Blast Hardcheese at June 04, 2025 11:38 PM (V362x)

190 12 draft WTF

Surprised it's not more, tbh. I've paid probably $9 in the middle of nowhere. Is it

Before tax and about 50:degrees. Craft if Sierra Nevada is craft.

Posted by: Free tibet at June 04, 2025 11:38 PM (+IlKz)

191 I think what Milo is saying, is less time on Fox News and more time arresting the Baddies...

MILO
@Nero
In case anyone thinks I am incapable of being constructive or helpful, here is a tip for Mr Bongino that will save his career:

Get throat cancer

Posted by: Mister Ghost at June 04, 2025 11:38 PM (TGPs7)

192 Iran knows this, which is why they aren’t building one. Iran also knows it’s unwise to give up its weapons program entirely. Muammar Gaddafi tried that and wound up sodomized with a bayonet. As soon as Gaddafi disarmed, NATO killed him. Iran’s leaders saw that happen. They learned the obvious lesson.
Posted by: Mister Ghost

Then again... Iraq pretended to have WMDs and got invaded.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 11:39 PM (/lPRQ)

193 Also the hotel room is big enough for a king size bed. Thank God it has a double so I can get out to pee at 3 am.

Posted by: Free tibet at June 04, 2025 11:40 PM (+IlKz)

194 Imagine the view from such a rogue star. Imagine looking up at the night sky and seeing the Galaxy as a whole against a dark background. Such views in the "halo" clusters of the Milky Way would be possible now.

Look up and see that pinwheel looming large in the sky.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley

The incomprehensible enormity of the Universe.

The unbearable insignificance of Humanity.

Kinda makes you think sometimes

*pees off back porch*

*pops another Natty Daddy*

Posted by: Deep Thoughts from Trailer Acres at June 04, 2025 11:40 PM (K6h4I)

195
For completeness, I'd better elaborate on what is meant by "moving toward the Great Attractor".

At this scale, curvature of the greater universe in the FLRW type metric with Lamba complicates things greatly. Imagine comoving observers following their geodesics in that metric. This would be the baseline Hubble Flow as they dub it.

That 1.3M mph is the "peculiar velocity" of the Milky Way, it's deviation from that Hubble Flow. IOW, at any instant, imagine a co-moving, Hubble Flow frame centered on the Milky Way. We're moving at 1.3M mph relative to that point, and toward the Great Attractor.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 11:41 PM (w6EFb)

196 911 is so suspicious and most likely a group effort of the usual agencies and Deep Staters with some help from their Mid East friends...

Collin Rugg
@CollinRugg
·

NEW: TMZ alleges there was a fifth plane on 9/11 that was covered up by the FBI.

In a new documentary, TMZ interviewed 3 flight attendants and the pilot who were on United Flight 23.

After being evacuated from the plane, the pilot says they later found that the hatch on the bottom of the plane had been opened.

"The airplane was locked and sealed when I left the airplane, so something else was going on that I couldn't explain."

The flight crew said there were four "Arabs" on the plane who demanded that the flight take off when flight attendants tried giving them food.

One of the men had requested to see the cockpit before takeoff.

The crew says they were interviewed by the FBI, but never heard back, and never found out if the men were questioned or not.

"We have requested information about Flight 23 ... we did not get a reply," TMZ said.

Posted by: Mister Ghost at June 04, 2025 11:42 PM (TGPs7)

197 The Andromeda Galaxy is the most distant thing you can see with the naked eye.

Posted by: Soledad O'Brien's Earpiece at June 04, 2025 11:42 PM (i0F8b)

198 Being my own frame of reference, I personally think we are not moving because I am tired.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at June 04, 2025 11:43 PM (/MmFf)

199 The Laniakea Supercluster

It is L'Anikea, cracker

Posted by: lady with extra booty in da trunk at June 04, 2025 11:43 PM (K6h4I)

200 >> The Andromeda Galaxy is the most distant thing you can see with the naked eye.

When one has sufficiently dark sky, alas.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 04, 2025 11:45 PM (w6EFb)

201
Posted by: Mister Ghost at June 04, 2025 11:42 PM (TGPs7)

=============

Where was flight 23 going?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 04, 2025 11:46 PM (H4vqY)

202 Before tax and about 50:degrees. Craft if Sierra Nevada is craft.
Posted by: Free tibet at June 04, 2025 11:38 PM (+IlKz)

Sounds right. Yep, SN is craft enough.

I don't doubt NYC is pricey. When I used to smoke, I took cartons with me when I travelled there. What instigated that was I was out partying one night in Manhattan and ran out of smokes at 2am. I went to the 24hr store and they were, like, $12 a pack or whatever.

Something like that. I starting bringing my own cartons I'd bought in Kentucky (at the time, the cheapest state for name-brand cigs.)

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 04, 2025 11:47 PM (l3YAf)

203 Then again... Iraq pretended to have WMDs and got invaded.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at June 04, 2025 11:39 PM (/lPRQ)

Iraq had used Sarin on the Iranians and on its own Kurdish population. It delivered it with mortar shells. It had stocks left, and had a small production research lab working on it.
"No WMD" was a lie to cover up for the Bushies and NATO

Posted by: Kindltot at June 04, 2025 11:48 PM (D7oie)

204 Phone sex circa 1910:
https://tinyurl.com/2s3phyac

Posted by: Can't Make gp's Shimmy Shake On Tea at June 04, 2025 11:49 PM (62qBb)

205 Oilers win 4-3 in OT

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I need you guys to get off the shed at June 04, 2025 11:49 PM (AOsQT)

206 After a while city life got on my nerves. Just got tired of the crime, noise, traffic, and it's expensive. Large cities are usually liberal, too liberal. I am happy that I decided to make a change and move away from the crap. People should be happy with their life and I have no problem with folks who like city life. But the older I got the shine of the city tarnished. I will never move back. I like a more settled life.

Posted by: Case at June 04, 2025 11:50 PM (a1g6Z)

207
Good evening, fine citizens of this most exceptional nation. May all effort from you result in extreme benefit to you and unconsolable anguish for the leftwit fungi plaguing us.

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at June 04, 2025 11:52 PM (hKoQL)

208
Damn, I was really hoping we'd seen the last of Kareen Abdul-Jabber, aka Diversity Raggedy Ann.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia

============

It's about time she quit her fake job as White House Press Secretary and got down to her real job: entertaining us.

Her book won't be out until October, but I'm sure it will have some laugh-worthy nuggets.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 04, 2025 11:55 PM (H4vqY)

209 If something like this (obviously built as a tubular container) had a hub and wheels connected it would be self balancing, self correcting.
The size of the satellite would be unlimited by the natural constraints that we experience. It would be self sustaining and able to exist in perpetuity. The inhabitants would be at home as they traveled to the asteroid or one of Jupiter's moons or what ever the mission.
https://tinyurl.com/mrr3zpva

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 04, 2025 11:59 PM (yQMZb)

210 "The Andromeda Galaxy is the most distant thing you can see with the naked eye.

When one has sufficiently dark sky, alas."

You'll be able to see it better in 5 billion years, when it collides with the Milky Way.

Posted by: Can't Make gp's Shimmy Shake On Tea at June 05, 2025 12:01 AM (62qBb)

211 I would kill for a Gibson ES 345. Favorite vintage guitar, also played by Chuck Berry, George Harrison, Steve Howe, Jorma and Bob Weir among others.

Posted by: Jerry Saves at June 05, 2025 12:02 AM (azVXo)

212 Space janitors complain that Andromeda is Messier than most galaxies.

Posted by: Can't Make gp's Shimmy Shake On Tea at June 05, 2025 12:04 AM (62qBb)

213 https://tinyurl.com/mrr3zpva
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _

Are you high right now?

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 05, 2025 12:04 AM (l3YAf)

214 Collin Rugg
@CollinRugg
JUST IN: Dave Portnoy has a meltdown, tells Barstool's Kirk Minihane to "shut the f*ck up you bald f*ck" after Minihane criticized Portnoy's approach to "Jew jokes"

Portnoy: "Shut up!... You work for me!"

Minihane: "Sure. You bet. For now..."

Portnoy: "For now? Quit! I'll save $500,000."

Minihane: "Is this a show or not a show? We can't have a conversation?"

Portnoy: "You're an idiot. You're literally saying people should be allowed to make Jew jokes whenever they want."

Posted by: Mister Ghost at June 05, 2025 12:05 AM (TGPs7)

215 It can be lunch time
I still wonder if any of my charges A-10s are still flying from 1979

Posted by: Skip at June 05, 2025 12:06 AM (0W19n)

216
Heh, just looking at some simulated views of what it will look like (from a vantage point of where we are now in the Milky Way) in the sky during the possible collision.

About 3.75B yrs from now, we'd see the Andromeda spiral looming large in the sky next to the band of the Milky Way we see now.

By 4B years, that band and the large spiral will be all messed up looking.

Once the merger is complete, there will be no more Milky Way band in the sky, just a spheroidal blob in the direction of the center of the Milkomeda elliptical.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 12:08 AM (w6EFb)

217 >>>As soon as Gaddafi disarmed, NATO killed him. Iran’s leaders saw that happen. They learned the obvious lesson.
Posted by: Mister Ghost

Then again... Iraq pretended to have WMDs and got invaded.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher
---

Hillary and her familiar Podesta killed him and several loyal Americans. She also lit the flame of the fire in the middle east.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 12:11 AM (yQMZb)

218 216 Very cool! Milkomeda is an ass-kicking galaxy name. Less gay than Androway.

Posted by: Can't Make gp's Shimmy Shake On Tea at June 05, 2025 12:13 AM (62qBb)

219 On Content- that map of universe how far Voyager travels in 1,000,000 years is why I say no other visitors have found us ever.

And not sure I am buying some people can see a new color.

Posted by: Skip at June 05, 2025 12:15 AM (0W19n)

220 >> Milkomeda

Sorry, it's actually, MLK-omeda. We renamed it in 1978. It's down in the bad part of the universe, now.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 05, 2025 12:15 AM (l3YAf)

221 I had a gif simulation of Starship leaving earth and intersecting with the closest position of Mars. It happens once every two years.
Can't find it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 12:16 AM (yQMZb)

222 @BeckoningChasm:

"Mars Attacks" is deliberately, delightfully stupid.
My favorite stupidity:
The alien "woman" chews gum which, it is said, gives off the nitrogen she needs to breath. Which sounds all sciencey and stuff, but of course, our atmosphere is 80% nitrogen.
Classic parody of how stupid 1950s scifi movie writers were.
Favorite prop: The translator with reel-to-reel tape.

Posted by: dave moore at June 05, 2025 12:17 AM (7qi4l)

223 Thanks for the ONT.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at June 05, 2025 12:17 AM (bss/y)

224 If you're looking for somewhere with good schools, may I recommend the Galaxy of Horrors?

Oh, don't worry about the name; it's gentrified. You'll love this place! It has three avocado toast places within wifi distance!

Posted by: Universal Realtor at June 05, 2025 12:18 AM (l3YAf)

225 213 https://tinyurl.com/mrr3zpva
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _

Are you high right now?
Posted by: Disinterested FDA
---

Ha! No. I've thought this for a long time. When they finally make a satellite for extremely long voyages it will so huge it will have gardens and beef animals. It will be circular like that to create artificial gravity. The multiple circles will create balance. It will be home for maybe generations.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 12:20 AM (yQMZb)

226 It's actually true, though. You move to a big city and people are like "Oh that guy? He lives in Decapitated and Sodomized Horse Bay."

And you're like "Holy hell, that sounds like the worst place to live ever."

And they're like "What? It's totally the trendiest neighborhood! $6000 /month apartments!"

Posted by: Universal Realtor at June 05, 2025 12:21 AM (l3YAf)

227 More than you want to know about flesh-eating Seattle supersyphilis:
youtube.com/watch?v=p6jITJbnUbs

Posted by: Can't Make gp's Shimmy Shake On Tea at June 05, 2025 12:24 AM (62qBb)

228 More than you want to know about flesh-eating Seattle supersyphilis:
youtube.com/watch?v=p6jITJbnUbs
Posted by: Can't Make gp's Shimmy Shake On Tea at June 05, 2025 12:24 AM (62qBb)

Sounds like some white hot iron is needed to slap against the affected area. Yikes.

Posted by: Count de Monet at June 05, 2025 12:26 AM (Aqu9a)

229 >>>Minihane: "Is this a show or not a show? We can't have a conversation?"

Portnoy: "You're an idiot. You're literally saying people should be allowed to make Jew jokes whenever they want."
Posted by: Mister Ghost a
---

Nothing like a little, airing out especially while broadcasting.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 12:26 AM (yQMZb)

230
Elon mentioned a much hotter Mars trajectory that would reduce the travel time. It's Hohmann transfer, but with apoapsis at Jupiter. That means much more relative speed at Mars to have to bleed off. Elon thinks that's about the limit, no faster than that.

Of course, if he'd just get on the ball and invent the Epstein drive, we'd be good. And we'd call the Elon Drive and not the unfortunate Epstein. Mars in 1.5 days.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 12:27 AM (w6EFb)

231 Sounds like some white hot iron is needed to slap against the affected area. Yikes.
Posted by: Count de Monet at June 05, 2025 12:26 AM (Aqu9a)

Seattle's too rainy for that to be cost-effective.

Posted by: gKWVE at June 05, 2025 12:28 AM (gKWVE)

232 188 Ever wish you could edit a post?
Posted by: Don in SoCo

Only
All the time.

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 05, 2025 12:29 AM (a7IDC)

233 After a while city life got on my nerves. Just got tired of the crime, noise, traffic, and it's expensive. Large cities are usually liberal, too liberal. I am happy that I decided to make a change and move away from the crap. People should be happy with their life and I have no problem with folks who like city life. But the older I got the shine of the city tarnished. I will never move back. I like a more settled life.
Posted by: Case at June 04, 2025 11:50 PM (a1g6Z)

Ever give the Gentlemen Farmer lifestyle a passing thought? I got just the place for you.

Posted by: Mr. Haney at June 05, 2025 12:30 AM (Aqu9a)

234
Some speculative fancy on a generation ship mission to Proxima Centauri B:

https://tinyurl.com/27522apl

And when the get there:

https://tinyurl.com/23j4alcn

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 12:32 AM (w6EFb)

235 publius, the Starshot tech is getting pretty good. Although I'd prefer testing it on Project Lyra (to oumuamua) first

Posted by: gKWVE at June 05, 2025 12:34 AM (gKWVE)

236 Daughter o' mine just sent me this:
'DAD
I passed NCLEX'
...and there was much rejoicing!

Posted by: Don in SoCo at June 05, 2025 12:36 AM (/MmFf)

237 Iraq had used Sarin on the Iranians and on its own Kurdish population. It delivered it with mortar shells. It had stocks left, and had a small production research lab working on it.
"No WMD" was a lie to cover up for the Bushies and NATO
-
The couple of times I searched for it, I couldn't find it, but I swear ace had a post about a bunch of Iraqi WMDs that had been discovered and moved out of country, I think by the Brits.

The news broke the same day as the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, and then no one ever commented on it again.

Posted by: Methos at June 05, 2025 12:37 AM (Dnobf)

238 I passed NCLEX'
...and there was much rejoicing!
Posted by: Don

AWESOME!

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 05, 2025 12:38 AM (mT+6a)

239 238 I passed NCLEX'
...and there was much rejoicing!
Posted by: Don

AWESOME!

_-_-_
Thanks! Pretty pleased with that gal. When she was seven years old, she said she wanted to be a nurse and never wavered on the idea. Graduated with all A's, too - better student than 8I ever was.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at June 05, 2025 12:42 AM (/MmFf)

240 Evening, T-Rex and Horde. Back from Wing Nite in Elnora, where I had wings, and beer, and watched the last two periods of the Oilers-Panthers game. Two very exciting periods of playoff hockey.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 05, 2025 12:42 AM (RAzDG)

241 Very cool! Milkomeda is an ass-kicking galaxy name. Less gay than Androway.
Posted by: Can't Make gp's Shimmy Shake On Tea

"What's an Androway?"

"About 9x10^31 pounds."

Posted by: mikeski at June 05, 2025 12:42 AM (DgGvY)

242 > And we'd call the Elon Drive and not the unfortunate Epstein. Mars in 1.5 days.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 12:27 AM (w6EFb)

I wonder how many people named Epstein have started going by other names.

Much like the popularity of the name "Adolf" plummeted after the mid-30s or so.

Too bad the NERVA tech got scrapped... it's at least twice as good as the best hydrogen/oxygen combustion engines in terms of Isp.

Maybe Musk will revive it.

Posted by: Rodrigo Borgia at June 05, 2025 12:42 AM (qpyNK)

243
California is hurtling into the sun.

- $.65 a gallon gas hike coming in 2026
- State Farm (one of the few insurers that hasn't bailed the state) raises property insurance 17% and they're going for 30%
- probation sentences slashed by 60%
- Gavin Newsom using a $2.4 million no-bid contract to a far-Left group to manage a phony hate hotline that referred zero actual crimes but cost $3,529.41 per verified caller

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 12:47 AM (H4vqY)

244 California is hurtling into the sun
_-_-_
And it has metastasized to Colorado.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at June 05, 2025 12:49 AM (/MmFf)

245 >>>few insurers that hasn't bailed the state) raises property insurance 17% and they're going for 30%
---

Asshoe ins co came around and inspected my house. Have to redu outside stairway to the deck. Deck rail not high enough, not enough banisters. Been OK for the last 10 years. It's so high I'm about ready to drop it. I'll take the money and put it in savings till something falls off.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 12:52 AM (yQMZb)

246 Insurance... bleh!

Our homeowner policy increased by 70 fking percent last year! SEVENTY!

Yeah, insane. We've *never* had a claim, and this POS house has surely not increased that much in "value."

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 12:56 AM (rdVOm)

247 Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 12:47 AM (H4vqY)

I think that .65 gas hike is coming next month. Pretty sure..

Posted by: Joe Kidd at June 05, 2025 12:57 AM (bA75n)

248
Re landing on Mars. It's hard. Mars is just about the sour spot for entry and landing. On the one hand, take the earth. More then enough atmosphere to bleed off velocity and slow down to something reasonable. Parachutes complete it at the end.

On the other hand, take the Moon. No atmosphere at all, so no drag, but then no heat to worry about. You have to slow down with thrust. But the Moon's gravity is low enough that you don't need all that much fuel to carry.

Mars is at the worst spot in between those two. Enough atmosphere to make heat a concern, but not enough to slow down enough. Terminal velocity on Mars is supersonic. You need thrust as well.

Venus is at the too thick end of this. Terminal velocity is only 25 mph near the surface. The Soviets ditched the parachutes near the end, otherwise it would fall too slow and fail due to the heat before it even go the surface.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 01:00 AM (w6EFb)

249 @233 Mr.Haney.

I'm happy where I am. Semi retired, settled in the country in a small town. Still work part time. I have relatives close to me and know most people around me. I have a few acres and a nice home. I'm very happy. As long as I keep busy and have my health and keep my faith I will do fine. My move several years ago has brought me a relief and a sense of calm. I am blessed. I wish that for everyone here at the AOS.

Posted by: Case at June 05, 2025 01:04 AM (a1g6Z)

250 Ha! No. I've thought this for a long time. When they finally make a satellite for extremely long voyages it will so huge it will have gardens and beef animals. It will be circular like that to create artificial gravity. The multiple circles will create balance. It will be home for maybe generations.
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 12:20 AM (yQMZb)

For the World is Hollow, and I have Touched the Sky.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 05, 2025 01:04 AM (3tIsI)

251
For landing big spacecraft on Mars, things like parachutes don't scale well at all.

Elon has this crazy idea of the "hypersonic roll of death" for entry. Now imagine coming in hot to Mars, lots of velocity you've got to bleed off. But you can't carry enough fuel for the required counter thrust, and the atmosphere is too thin for a traditional approach.

Is there any way to use the atmosphere to bleed that velocity off? Yes, but it's insane. You come in hot. Now, you use lift, but in the opposite direction, toward the surface!

At the initial high speed, Mars gravity isn't enough to curve you around and keep you in the atmosphere. So you use upside down lift to add to gravity, and curve through the atmosphere, at hypersonic speeds. At some point, you have to reverse, and then start normal lifting. That transition is the hypersonic roll of death.

And you continue to bleed off speed. That maneuver is so tricky, just the least little bit off, and you just disintegrate right then and there.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 01:06 AM (w6EFb)

252 One of the original NASA engineers sat down with the Bible an translated Ezekiel's Ophanim into a technical drawing and said. It works. Not that we have the technology but as described, as he put it down it was a functional machine.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 01:06 AM (yQMZb)

253
I think that .65 gas hike is coming next month. Pretty sure..
Posted by: Joe Kidd

===============

Could be. They're saying $8/gallon in 2026.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 01:06 AM (H4vqY)

254 Yeah, insurance has basically morphed from something rare to something useful to a total scam in about a century.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at June 05, 2025 01:06 AM (l3YAf)

255 Insurance (of all the various kinds) costs us *more* than our income.

Scam? Nah, bro... Extortion.

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:09 AM (rdVOm)

256
Asshoe ins co came around and inspected my house. Have to redu outside stairway to the deck. Deck rail not high enough, not enough banisters. Been OK for the last 10 years. It's so high I'm about ready to drop it. I'll take the money and put it in savings till something falls off.
Posted by: Braenyard

===========

wth it's bad enough the fire insurance changes they want, now this is something about not having handrails to suit them?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 01:09 AM (H4vqY)

257
Insurance (of all the various kinds) costs us *more* than our income.

Scam? Nah, bro... Extortion.
Posted by: JQ

=============

I think we're in "let it burn" territory there. Buy a trailer. Rob a bank so you can get your valve bypass in prison.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 01:12 AM (H4vqY)

258 Asshoe ins co came around and inspected my house. Have to redu outside stairway to the deck. Deck rail not high enough, not enough banisters. Been OK for the last 10 years. It's so high I'm about ready to drop it. I'll take the money and put it in savings till something falls off.
Posted by: Braenyard
------

Damn. Insurance company acting like a HOA?

That's messed up.

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:13 AM (rdVOm)

259 Damn. Insurance company acting like a HOA?

That's messed up.
Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:13 AM (rdVOm)

They probably had to pay a huge claim where some nimrod fell over a standard-height deck railing and broke his fool neck.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 05, 2025 01:15 AM (KppuM)

260
That hypersonic roll of death maneuver would require about 4 decimal places of control input precision.

No human pilot, not even Chuck Yeager 100x could manually fly such a trajectory.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 01:17 AM (w6EFb)

261 Top this! 6 minutes of inglorious bastards dancing to Staying Alive!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVGbkFxxOoE
The bar for Trumps Parade just got raised: UN-party ++

Posted by: MANFRED the Heat Seeking OBOE at June 05, 2025 01:20 AM (zDY5L)

262 That hypersonic roll of death maneuver would require about 4 decimal places of control input precision.

No human pilot, not even Chuck Yeager 100x could manually fly such a trajectory.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 01:17 AM (w6EFb)

So, what is the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere of Mars?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 05, 2025 01:20 AM (KppuM)

263 I think we're in "let it burn" territory there. Buy a trailer. Rob a bank so you can get your valve bypass in prison.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia
-----------

LOL, you joke, but maaaaannnnn....

I'm not 65 yet, quit job in 2021 to care for hubby-- COBRA has run out-- and don't qualify for ZeroCare subsidy this year because of all the $$$$$$ we've had to suck out of retirement, to pay for hubby's LTC facility. "Too high" income, ya know.

(And it's over $800/month for a sh1tty plan with high copays and over 9K annual deductible)

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:20 AM (rdVOm)

264 Vertical balusters between the top rail, which is not high enough, and the bottom rail are too far apart. The banisters, the end posts are OK. Raising the top rail without tearing the whole thing apart will be the trick.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 01:21 AM (yQMZb)

265 Our homeowners ins. probly went up due to all the fire damage claims from 2023.

Ain't socialism great?

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:22 AM (rdVOm)

266
Hate-watching Letitia James on Pod Save America. My God she sounds like one of those drunken old hags that used to call Art Bell. "Ohhhh wowwwww. The, um -- capitulation to... President Trump, is, you know, pretty disappointing. Ummmm, and we're at the brink of, uh, ehh, a constitutional crisis."

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 01:22 AM (H4vqY)

267 Raising the top rail without tearing the whole thing apart will be the trick.
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 01:21 AM (yQMZb)

Maybe a couple of strands of concertina wire?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 05, 2025 01:23 AM (KppuM)

268 re the 50 year old airplane meme...I feel the reason we are still building 50 year old aircraft is since then the Important People have put all the R & D money into computer stuff. Their biggest dream is to replace all the humans who aren't them with machines. Then they won't have to bother with pesky people any more. Saddest thing is that most of them have enough resources that if they really hated people that much they would already be able to exist without much contact. Perhaps they just can't be happy thinking other people could just live without ever thinking about them and their power

Posted by: azjaeger at June 05, 2025 01:23 AM (3/XaG)

269
Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:20 AM (rdVOm)

===============

I know, I joke, but DANG they've done it to you.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 01:24 AM (H4vqY)

270 263 I think we're in "let it burn" territory there. Buy a trailer. Rob a bank so you can get your valve bypass in prison.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia
-----

I'd do a trailer but I need more sq ft.
I'm looking for a tin barn with utilities. I don't want to mess with that. But an open area with no load bearing walls. I'm ready. And S. can the insurance.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 01:25 AM (yQMZb)

271 Maybe a couple of strands of concertina wire?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon
---

Wrap up that inspector.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 01:27 AM (yQMZb)

272 Can't wait for lawyer appt, later this month!

Gonna see about "asset split" to avoid "spousal impoverishment" and get hubby onto Medicaid after "spend-down"

Got a sinking feeling that Idaho has a very low amount of *allowed* assets.

We'll see.

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:29 AM (rdVOm)

273
I'm looking for a tin barn with utilities. I don't want to mess with that. But an open area with no load bearing walls. I'm ready. And S. can the insurance.

Posted by: Braenyard

==============

And they'll call you a crazy old buzzard for being so utilitarian after they've taken away all your other options.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 01:31 AM (H4vqY)

274 Just dropping in to see you all before I go to sleep. It has been a very long day here and I am exhausted. Good night, Horde, sweet dreams.

Posted by: Debby Doberman Schultz at June 05, 2025 01:32 AM (0nHVk)

275
Gonna see about "asset split" to avoid "spousal impoverishment" and get hubby onto Medicaid after "spend-down"

Got a sinking feeling that Idaho has a very low amount of *allowed* assets.

We'll see.
Posted by: JQ

===============

I hope the spend-down is at least worth it (insofar as $10k/month can be). Good LTC home where they're not ignoring or abusing him.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 01:32 AM (H4vqY)

276
Good night, DDS.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 01:32 AM (H4vqY)

277 Hi & 'bye, Debby! Good night!

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:33 AM (rdVOm)

278 >> So, what is the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere of Mars?

I had Grok do a ballpark calc, and it would be about 210 m/s compared to 240 m/s at the surface.

And interestingly, speed of sound on Mars is sort of bim-modal due to some non-ideal gas behavior of CO2. There's a sharp cutoff at 240 Hz, with speed of sound below that of 229 m/s, ~ 5% slower.

Starship will hit the Martian atmosphere at Mach 35.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 01:35 AM (w6EFb)

279 ==============

And they'll call you a crazy old buzzard for being so utilitarian after they've taken away all your other options.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia
-------------

They do that now. I need a home that fits the call.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 01:37 AM (yQMZb)

280 Blonde Morticia-- Thanks for the well-wish!

Hubby's in a good place. They're understaffed (natch) but the caregivers all seem dedicated and helpful as much as possible. I like them.

Hub hates it, but we're looking into new meds to help calm him and ease his confusion. It's a tough journey.

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:38 AM (rdVOm)

281 Time for me to roll out. It's been good. Yall have a good evening.
Bartender ought of be around sometime soon.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at June 05, 2025 01:40 AM (yQMZb)

282 'Night, Braenyard. Hope you can find a good solution!

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:41 AM (rdVOm)

283 I had Grok do a ballpark calc, and it would be about 210 m/s compared to 240 m/s at the surface.

And interestingly, speed of sound on Mars is sort of bim-modal due to some non-ideal gas behavior of CO2. There's a sharp cutoff at 240 Hz, with speed of sound below that of 229 m/s, ~ 5% slower.

Starship will hit the Martian atmosphere at Mach 35.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 01:35 AM (w6EFb)

So, about 70% of the speed of sound on Earth at sea level, then? But I expect the lesser air density would mean the buffeting, and heating effects of supersonic flight would be reduced?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 05, 2025 01:43 AM (KppuM)

284 This one's for hubby:

youtu.be/706BLHMoBPw

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 01:52 AM (rdVOm)

285 >> But I expect the lesser air density would mean the buffeting, and heating effects of supersonic flight would be reduced?

That I do not know myself, but Grok says the following. Stress loads and heat will be less in Mars atmosphere compared to entry to earth, but it makes the control inputs need to be much more precise. There is less wiggle room.

The heat and stress profiles on Mars are lower, but much longer duration for the trajectory, and required much greater control precision.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 02:01 AM (w6EFb)

286 Jello shots seem kinda sissy...

How 'bout pitchers of Margaritas?

Frozen glasses with (or without) salted rims all 'round!

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 02:02 AM (rdVOm)

287 ..And a Caesar, with slice of crispy bacon & spear of pickled asparagus, for AOP

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 02:04 AM (rdVOm)

288 Evening everyone.
Got offered a job at work. Swing shift maintnence. The safety guy saw through my thin veneer of incompetence. I really try not to let the skills I would rather never utilize again be known but that didn't work.
So I'm not sure what to do. I like playing with paper and stickers and having a computer desk and counting things. Turning wrenches is a young mans game I played until it physically broke me. This job on the otherhand would be maintaing brand new multi million dollar equipment. Nothing heavy duty. I think I could do it.
I should have asked about the pay. If I do do it I'll really piss off my boss as she depends on me for a lot now.
I don't know. Money isn't the object. I make enough. Happiness is the goal for these few remaining years of work and I'm pretty happy where I'm at.

Posted by: Reforger at June 05, 2025 02:08 AM (xcIvR)

289
I had go on about CO2 chemistry during re-entry. Yep, it's much worse chemically than air on earth. Air has a lot of O2 molecules, but on Mars, the shock layer during re-entry hits 10 - 20,000K, but at low pressure. You get a lot more reactive monatomic O, and ionized. It's much reactive than what happens to air during re-entry.

With the longer duration of the hypersonic "roll of death" trajectory, this prolonged chemical attack on the heat shield material is much worse.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 02:09 AM (w6EFb)

290 Interesting choices, Reforger.

Best of luck in deciding!

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 02:11 AM (rdVOm)

291 Well, it is past midnight here, and I am getting real sleepy. Night, Horde.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 05, 2025 02:12 AM (KppuM)

292 'Night, AOP!

*puts Caesar into plastic cup*

Don't forget your complimentary drink!

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 02:13 AM (rdVOm)

293 *kicks rocks*

*sigh*

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 02:16 AM (rdVOm)

294 ine. He can’t write lyrics though. “Say” drives me fucking batty. “Say what you need to say” TWENTY PLUS FUCKING TIMES???

Phil Collins has entered the chat.
("I don't care any mo, ee oh")

Have you heard "I am you captain"
you'll want to jam chopsticks in your ears after about 5 minutes.

Posted by: Grand Funk Railroad at June 05, 2025 02:23 AM (szqEY)

295 Continuing our discussion of trans-neptunian objects from the Cafe thread, here is the estimable Simon with "Are We About to Discover a New Planet in Our Solar System?":

https://tinyurl.com/2we8dpdv

It could be a massive planet, it could be another Earth-sized planet, or it could be a black hole.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 05, 2025 02:29 AM (kpS4V)

296
Reforger, it sounds like heaven. They're offering me my old, hated job back and I'm having such a time saying No considering I'm furloughed indefinitely on my current one.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 02:31 AM (H4vqY)

297 I hate when bands do that.
As well as when they la la la la. Only two people have ever been able to pull off la la la crap. Maynard Keenan and Ian Anderson.

Posted by: Reforger at June 05, 2025 02:32 AM (xcIvR)

298 It's actually the cleanest safest place I've ever worked. That was part of the conversation where I got offered the job.
I was just bullshitting with the guy and he says "come work for me."

Posted by: Reforger at June 05, 2025 02:34 AM (xcIvR)

299 youtube.com/watch?v=OIqAcijqWOg

Posted by: JQ at June 05, 2025 02:35 AM (rdVOm)

300 They're offering me my old, hated job back and I'm having such a time saying No considering I'm furloughed indefinitely on my current one.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 02:31 AM (H4vqY)

I was about to bite that bullet when I found where I am now.
I totally didn't want to go back. I was jobless for 8 months and had a standing offer to go back the whole time.

Posted by: Reforger at June 05, 2025 02:40 AM (xcIvR)

301 >> It could be a massive planet, it could be another Earth-sized planet, or it could be a black hole.

Yes! More strong evidence that a distant planet is out there. It would be very far away, semi-major axis of 400 - 800 AU, with maybe 700 AU being the most likely. It would be very eccentric (0.2 - 0.5), and inclined, 15 - 30 degrees, and maybe 5 - 10 earth masses, maybe tighter around 6 - 7. Orbital period would be 10 - 20,000 years.

It could be an ice giant like Uranus/Neptune, or a super-earth. This latter is a puzzle of why our solar system doesn't have any super-earths. If this was a super-earth, that could pin down some ideas about solar system formation. There is some weird migrating Jupiter and Saturn models that could have ejected super-earths. This might be one that barely managed to hang on and remain bound, but way out there.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 02:44 AM (w6EFb)

302
I was about to bite that bullet when I found where I am now.
I totally didn't want to go back. I was jobless for 8 months and had a standing offer to go back the whole time.
Posted by: Reforger

=============

Glad to see you moved up! I don't know what to do yet.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at June 05, 2025 02:45 AM (H4vqY)

303
The Vera Rubin observatory down in Chile, which is about to come online, will have enough resolving power to find this planet, if it's out there.

Vera Rubin's first light is expected in July.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at June 05, 2025 02:48 AM (w6EFb)

304 The weekend is here

Posted by: Skip at June 05, 2025 03:31 AM (+qU29)

305 Something was in my back yard as a auto light was on in my outbuilding

Posted by: Skip at June 05, 2025 03:35 AM (+qU29)

306 Talk about first world problems - I am bummed because somehow I missed completing Tuesday's NYT crossword puzzle in time, so my streak stopped at 340 days....😠😠😠

My current "streak" is now 2 days 😂😂😂

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Plucky Comic Relief, AoS Ladies Brigade - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at June 05, 2025 03:41 AM (SRRAx)

307 I have done daily challenge suduko online and could be up to 2 years

Posted by: Skip at June 05, 2025 03:42 AM (+qU29)

308 It's been 20 minutes since the last post. Might as well throw something up around here.

youtu.be/kD1ruD7-2-I

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at June 05, 2025 04:04 AM (sAmhv)

309 2 Melatonin and a glass of cognac

Posted by: Skip at June 05, 2025 04:07 AM (+qU29)

310 1 Hah! Got you!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (with a beret and a Gauloises) at June 04, 2025 10:01 PM (mWSu4)

How 'bout that!

Posted by: m at June 05, 2025 04:13 AM (CQE5S)

311 G'morning, all!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 05, 2025 04:27 AM (a1415)

312 308Might as well throw something up
Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at June 05, 2025 04:04 AM (sAmhv)

ewwwwww

Posted by: m at June 05, 2025 04:28 AM (CQE5S)

313 Gotta tell you, since this raid took place the other night, Home Depot parking lots seem to have fewer and fewer folks hanging out in the mornings.

Not too terribly far from stately VIA Manor. Several LEO friends helped with this one, as well.

https://instapundit.com/723659/

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 05, 2025 04:32 AM (a1415)

314 I hope Pixy's o.k.

Posted by: m at June 05, 2025 04:42 AM (CQE5S)

315 "I hope Pixy's o.k."

Same here.

Hope the Dingo's didn't get him.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 05, 2025 04:47 AM (a1415)

316 Was waiting for Pixy but giving up
Have a great morning everyone

Posted by: Skip at June 05, 2025 04:50 AM (+qU29)

317 I had a few hours nap and the bladder wakes me up to this vacuum .... Pixy you are being summoned.

Posted by: Ciampino - you're going to look for him? at June 05, 2025 04:51 AM (sPQoU)

318 Pixy's up!

Posted by: m at June 05, 2025 04:55 AM (CQE5S)

319 June 05, 2025
Daily Tech News 5 June 2025
—Pixy Misa

There will be news. Eventually. I think.

Stuck in a meeting.

Posted by Pixy Misa at 04:55 AM Comments

Posted by: m at June 05, 2025 04:56 AM (CQE5S)

320 Anybody else get the feeling that there is less enthusiasm for PRIDE month in general, this year?

Corporate involvement seems to be less and less visible as well.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at June 05, 2025 04:56 AM (a1415)

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