Izzard Star Wars skit with Legos: [link]

Heh. Emmett and I watch those about once a week.

Ah fuck - now where am I gonna put my stuff?

The Sun will vaporise the Earth unless we can change our orbit

New calculations by University of Sussex astronomers predict that the Earth will be swallowed up by the Sun in about 7.6 billion years unless the Earth's orbit can be altered.

Dr Robert Smith, Emeritus Reader in Astronomy, said his team previously calculated that the Earth would escape ultimate destruction, although be battered and burnt to a cinder. But this did not take into account the effect of the drag caused by the outer atmosphere of the dying Sun.

He says: "We showed previously that, as the Sun expanded, it would lose mass in the form of a strong wind, much more powerful than the current solar wind. This would reduce the gravitational pull of the Sun on the Earth, allowing the Earth's orbit to move outwards, ahead of the expanding Sun.

"If that were the only effect the Earth would indeed escape final destruction. However, the tenuous outer atmosphere of the Sun extends a long way beyond its visible surface, and it turns out the Earth would actually be orbiting within these very low density outer layers. The drag caused by this low-density gas is enough to cause the Earth to drift inwards, and finally to be captured and vaporised by the Sun."

Robert Smith? I think there's a joke in here somewhere... maybe he should title his paper "Disintegration."

Teppy!

Cool t-shirts, etc. from the Semicolon Appreciation Society

From the Dictionary Evangelist

Teppy!

Cool t-shirts, etc. from the Semicolon Appreciation Society

From the Dictionary Evangelist

Heh. I knew about those a couple of days ago, but I couldn't say anything until it was public in Dictionary Evangelist's blog. My only dilemma is which shirt to get.

I think if something vaguely resembling humanity is still around in 7.6 billion years, the world being burned up by the sun's red giant phase will be a problem on the order of "honey, you need to change the smoke detector batteries again."

I think if something vaguely resembling humanity is still around in 7.6 billion years,

Yeah, I think humanity will die out following the great human/intelligent house cat war of 2,743,910,443 AD.

Tooth question: I had a cavity filled several months ago. Now whenever I eat good-quality (i.e. chewy) bread on that side, I get serious pain that lasts for 5-15 minutes. Nothing else seems to cause pain (not hot or cold stuff.) Is it normal to have ongoing sensitivity like this? Should I call the dentist? Or just switch to Wonder bread?

Yeah, I had that with a filling for a long time, and apparently it's normal. Or at least, nothing to be done except wait it out.

I just realized I don't really have anything to eat for dinner. Hmm.

I just realized I don't really have anything to eat for dinner. Hmm.

Me neither. I'm thinking of calling this place down the block and ask them to make a pizza for me. Then I'll walk down and pick it up. I'll have to give them money in exchange, though....

I'm cooking up an ancient package of frozen edamame. We'll see how that goes.