Chicago area folks:
NIU's STEM Cafe is having discussion of "The Physics of Game of Thrones"
he Physics of Game of Thrones
October 15, 6:30p.m. - 8:30p.m.
Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway Aurora, IL 60505
Join Dr. Rebecca Thompson, Head of Public Outreach for the American Physical Society, for a fun and fantastical discussion on the fundamental laws of science that Game of Thrones gets right. Find out how dragon fire matures, how ice walls keep white walkers out, and how summer can last for ten years. There’s even a surprise physics problem at the end for romantics!
I thought some people here might be interested.
NIU STEM Cafe's website.
Supermoon eclipse photos here: [link]
Taken w/ iPad camera & 6" dobsonian telescope.
Remember the traveling nail polish box? (Or, hey, even if you don't: look, it's a traveling nail polish box!)
I wasn't a part of the original traveling nail polish box, so I don't know when it stopped traveling. But amyth was purging her polish collection, and I've started a bit of a nail polish obsession, so she sent them to me. (Woo hoo!)
Is there any interest in reviving the traveling nail polish box? Because amyth sent me A LOT of polishes, and I won't keep them all. So I'd be happy to send them on to someone else (possibly with more from my collection).
If you're interested, email me at my profile addy.
Hi, all -
Our host is doing some upgrades on Monday, so there may be a few minutes of downtime around 10am board time. Do not be alarmed!
The annual Delurking thread is now open! (Late, oops, so we'll leave it open a bit longer than normal.) Come out and play, lurkers, the water's fine!
Liese S. "Delurking 1: Because we don't always check our e-mail." Oct 14, 2015 6:07:37 pm PDT
If anyone wants an Elf on the Shelf figure, send me a message at my profile address, and I'll send it to you. I think the one we have is supposed to be a girl.
Speaking of shopping and gifts...
We are very close to time to sign up for The Annual Funscapade of Love, Support and Gifts Shared Amongst Buffistae (AFoLSaGSAB. If everyone is ok with it, I will happily moderate again over on Elfster.
Sign up is open until 11/14/15 and ideally gifts will arrive by end of the year. If you have never done it before, please consider it this year. If fear you cannot manage it, you can always be a mayhem elf and drop things in the mail unexpectedly to spread confusing joy - (I share addresses and personal information WILLY NILLY(not our NILLY, but you know what I mean))
signup link is below.
[link]
I've been hosting a couple whose house burned down (2200-2400 degrees estimated) in the Valley Fire on Cobb Mt. (between Calistoga and Clearlake) in September. They are trying to get back on their feet. They're my age, and thought they had the equity in their house for their older age.
Insurers in CA now commonly decline to renew insurance based on reports from Cal Fire + reviews of Google maps. Entire zip codes are now excluded from coverage. They were caught in the worst sitch - insurance declined to renew in Aug., they couldn't find another insurer, the fire was Sept. 14. It's all gone. House, deck, art, books, guitar, computers, truck, woodshop. They spent the time they could have used to grab stuff making sure their neighbors got out instead, and saved the lives of about a dozen people, including my former roommate and her husband, their neighbor.
They won't get a. thing. from insurance, and FEMA etc. is helpful, but not all that, also. If you'd like to help a couple recover from fire losses, they have a GoFundMe going, or paypal (they take less out) to equuleus at gmail dot com, or contact me if you want to make a direct deposit to their bank, profile addy fine. Thanks.
[link]
eta link to Public Radio report on what insurers are doing. [link]
