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the Beast's Lair

Entries in this blog

Springtime in Dixie

English Dogwood (white), Azalea (red & pink)     Louisannia Iris     Red Azalea     Hibiscus     Dogwood     Blue-eyed Grass- a wildflower that appears if you don't mow your grass too soon
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

4

Nova Scorpii 2007!

V1280 Scorpii = Nova Scorpii 2007 (February 7, 2007) Source: American Association of Variable Star Observers   IAUC 8803 announces a new nova in Scorpius, independently discovered by Y. Nakamura and Y. Sakurai. The position is   16:57:40.91 -32:20:36.4 J2000   and the unfiltered magnitude is about 8.3 (T. Krajci, 2007-02-06).   Spectra indicate blue color, no emission blueward of 540nm, but Halpha emission with P-Cyg profile.   Report observations to the AAVSO as: 9999+99 V1280 S
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

0

Hobbit Galaxies?

Ooops, wrong hobbits.     New 'Hobbit' Galaxies Discovered Around Milky Way By Ker Than, Staff Writer for Space.com January 15, 2007 Source Link   Researchers from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-II) announced the discovery of eight new dwarf galaxies, seven of them satellites orbiting the Milky Way. They resemble systems cannibalized by the Milky Way billions of years ago and help close the gap between the observed number of dwarf satellites and theoretical predictions. Credit:
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

1

Sucking in the Seventies- Part III

A door labeled on-air opened and a short guy with entirely too much hair appeared and motioned for us to come into the studio. We followed him into a crowded nest of microphones, cables, albums, turntables and inexplicable electronics. Dust in the Wind by Kansas was ending and the DJ was coming up on a break.   Right on que the DJ keyed his mike and said, "It's Austin in the afternoon and I got Supertramp's Logical Song and the Rush's Spirit of the Radio coming right up after this word from ou
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

1

Elder care... cuz those old folks can be mean

No, I haven't fallen off the earth.   My Mom had surgery this morning. Nothing too serious but right now she is KOed for the next week.   My Dad has advanced Parkingstons and has lost the use of his right hand so he needs a lot of help.   At the moment, I'm carrying the ball for their household. Thinking back about some of the crap we've been through, I'm surprised that it worked out this way.   For years we hated each other and called each other names, I never hit them but I got punche
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

2

Sucking in the Seventies

Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest rock and roll band in the world, I give you the Rolling Stones!   Sucking in the Seventies Some Girls   It's May 1980. Me and all of my friends and a bunch of friendly strangers without many clothes have been partying since March. It is the graduation season: sangria in garbage drums, feasts of friend, alive we cried, stoned, immaculate, laid and luded, wasted and poluted...   I'm sitting on a bean-bag chair in my friend Scotty's houseboat hitting th
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

0

Cat Parole

I decided to board my cat during my Thank giving trip to Texas at the vet but I waited too late. My usual vet was full. I had to shop around to find him a space. He doesn't travel well and gets horrible gas when he's anxious.   I was down to the wire and desperate. I begged my usual Vet for a referral list. Tuesday I went down the list. Animal Medical Center? No vacancy. Sullivan's Animal Hospital? No Vacancy. Cat Hospital? No vacancy.   OK it's closing in on 4:00 and I'm getting desperate
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

6

Top 10 Reasons NOT to Program in C

Over on Digg.com, I saw an article called Ten reasons every programmer should know C. On a whole I have to agree with the author: if you are a computer science student or a professional programmer, you should know C. It is a powerful language but that power comes at a high price. It is one of the most difficult languages to learn, use and master. However, if you do manage to master C, there aren't any uglier languages to learn.   Most programs don't really require C and can be handled at a hig
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

4

Dinner in Dallas for Dozens, Discovery in Denton

The family gathered for Thanksgiving in Dallas area at my brothers place in Highland Village. Our family was there, their family was there- all in all, it was a fun, festive feast of turkey, cornbread dressing, pecan pie, football and flatulence.   Thankfully my brother and I escaped to explore a part of greater Dallas area that I like a lot: Denton. It's a lot like Mayberry but modern and multi-cultural without a Barney Fife in sight.   If you ever make it to Denton, check out Recycled Book
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

3

VLT Image of Starburst Galaxy NGC 1313

VLT Image of Starburst Galaxy NGC 1313 ESO Press Release November 23, 2006 Source Link   The central parts of the starburst galaxy NGC 1313. The very active state of this galaxy is very evident from the image, showing many star formation regions. A great number of supershell nebulae, that is, cocoon of gas inflated and etched by successive bursts of star formation, are visible. The green nebulosities are region emitting in the ionised oxygen lines and may harbour clusters with very hot s
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

2

Rare Double Supernova in NGC 1316

Two supernovae (circled) on either side of galaxy NGC 1316's bright core resemble eyes and a nose in this visible-light image from NASA's Swift satellite. Another bright spot at far left is a star in our own galaxy (Image: NASA/Swift/S Immler)   Supernovae explode in rare double-whammy November 20, 2006 NewScientist.com news service   A portrait of two supernovae that exploded just five months apart in the same galaxy has been made by NASA's Swift telescope. The galaxy, called NGC 1316,
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

2

Retirement

After a year and a half of service as a moderator, I have decided to "retire" and devote more time to writing.   Being a moderator is stressful. It is NOT a symbol of power or prestige but rather a badge of trust and masochism: the site's powers that be must trust you and you must be a glutton for punishment. Trying to read every post on a site full of authors, potential authors, editors, poets and miscellaneous unusually bright people is exhausting. :wacko:   I think that it is a good idea
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

7

Its Morning in America

The Democrats have gained a majority in the House and possibly the Senate!     CNN: Democrats Take Control of House   Yahoo: The Senate is Within the Democrats Grasp
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

1

Fifth of November

Remember, remember the fifth of November, The gunpowder, treason and plot, I see of no reason why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot.     In 1604 a group of disaffected Catholics decided that they had a belly full of Protestant King James.   One Guy Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament and King James with many kegs of gunpowder. It didn't work out and Fawkes was executed but November fifth has been an unofficial holiday in Great Britain and many countries in the Commonwealth ever
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

1

Retarded Science

World-class radio telescopes face closure   November 4, 2006 Jeff Hecht for NewScientist.com news service Source Link   Two of the world's best-known radio observatories
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

4

Hubble Space Telescope to get Onsite Service Call

Hubble mission will be devilishly complex Kelly Young for NewScientist.com news service 01 November 2006 Source Link     The space shuttle's final flight to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope will be one of its most complex yet, featuring five spacewalks and some quick bolt changes usually reserved for the pit stops of car races.   On Tuesday, NASA announced to great fanfare that it would send a shuttle to service Hubble as early as May 2008. If the mission were successful, Hubble would
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

0

plot element vs endorsement

A friend and fellow author that I have a great deal of respect and admiration for is having a crisis of confidence. I will not name him but I too have suffered from this type of criticism. Some people can not tell a plot element from an endorsement.   When a murder occurs in a story, is the author endorsing murder?   When drug use happens in a story, is the author glorifying it?   Silly questions?   As authors, I believe that the interesting stories are told on the edge. Somewhere on th
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

1

Odd behavior from an old friend

Discovery of Gamma Rays from the Edge of a Black Hole   Press Release of the Max Planck Society Oct 26, 2006 Source Link   H.E.S.S. discovers drastic variations of very-high-energy gamma rays from the central engine of the giant elliptical galaxy M 87   The astrophysicists of the international H.E.S.S. collaboration report the discovery of fast variability in very-high-energy (VHE) gamma rays from the giant elliptical galaxy M 87. The detection of these gamma-ray photons - with energies
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

0

Comet Visible! Get your binoculars and have a look

Wow! Striking Green Comet Suddenly Visible in Evening Sky Robert Roy Britt Senior Science Writer for Space.com October 26, 2006 Source Link     Tony Wilder of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin photographed comet Swan amid city glow this week. A faint meteor was captured streaking across the right side of the image, too. Credit: Tony Wilder   What had been a modest comet seen only with binoculars or telescopes flared up this week to become visible to the naked eye.   Comet Swan, as it is cal
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

3

Projects/Progress

I owe it to my fan to let him know what is up. The check is in the mail.   ________________________________________________________ Broken- on hiatus. Six to nine more chapters, 2 written, all outlined. This is a pretty emotional story to write and the climax of the story is coming. When it is released, it will be ready. I thought about finishing this story this fall but wasn't satisfied with it.   Operation Hammerhead- working There will be much more of this story.     Coming Soon
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

0

Remember

Matthew Shepherd Foundation     I remember when I heard about it. It was an ordinary day at work. I had the radio on. I didn't want to care about it. I had enough to care about.   I had been assaulted myself- many times. I'm alive myself because I've got a thick head. In fact all the fuss over a run of the mill gay bashing made me angry. When it had happened to me, the cops were completely disinterested.   It didn't really hit me until I saw the picture. He looked like a little kid. It m
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

1

Cat Personals

TOS: Kitty porn is strictly prohibited!   Mellow Yellow Hi My name is Boo and I live in Mississippi. I'm a 10 year old male yellow tabby. I like cat nip, long naps, music, birdwatching and hissing at other cats that get too close to my dinner dish. I dislike noisy humans, strangers, pedigreed cats that think they are better than everyone else and smart-assed squirrels.   My perfect mate likes to sleep as much as I do. I'm really mellow and don't like to fight.     Home Kitty I'm Bl
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

3

M42- Messier never saw it like this

This is a deep field image of the Orion nebulea (M42). It's the little glowy patch that you see along Orion's belt on winter nights. If you look closely at the left hand side, you can see the tiny Horse-head nebulea which is a region of dark gas back lite by the bright reflection nebulea.   Orion is an area of intense study. This is a stellar nursery that is home to many infant stars- t-tauri variables and ZAMS (Zero-Aged Main Sequence stars). The luminosity of young O and B embedded within th
JamesSavik

JamesSavik

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