Chocolate derives from a plant, so you could argue that it's a vegetable

I've been there too, finding one back in the corner of the fridge.

Good choice. Fat Tire would be good also.

That's an oversimplification. There are some iconic names that came from astronomers: the Big Bang, Pulsars, Supernovae, and others.

...but a series of measurements using rational units could approach the true circumference as a limit. That's essentially the same as the decimal expansion of pi.

I think that doesn't work. The step 2 measurement implies that the circumference is commensurate with units of measurement marked on the ruler. That will not be possible because the circumference is not a rational number.

Congratulations on the Porto talk...! Presumably you will discuss Proxima..?

Congratulations...! (On Cycle-5, not the karaoke..!)

I knew it would be today, in order to ruin everyone's weekend. But I'm happy at least.

When I was a Lab Chief at Goddard (years ago), an intern asked me if we had a dress code. I replied, "yes, you must dress. But what you wear, we don't care". (scientist attitude).

Maybe Friday, so they can ruin everyone's weekend.

And Vanguard-1 is still in orbit....

I think you could make it to 128

I think he plays beer league hockey, so that's the draw.

That's not ancient. I have neckties that are older.

I haven't started a paper that way for about 20 years now. The fact that there are large numbers of planets discovered isn't news to professionals. It's an amateurish way to begin a paper.

The rationale has always been to publish work rapidly that may affect other ongoing investigations. arXiv makes that unnecessary, except that some authors may not want to post before being reviewed. Nevertheless, on balance you are right.

Comet Ikeya-Seki, 1965....!

If Avi Loeb has been able to see so far, it's because he has stood on the shoulders of giants like vonDaniken.

Jar opening is a solved problem in technology. Oxo sells a jar opener that makes it easy.

It "defies the rules of planet formation" because it isn't a normal planet. It's the stripped core of an AGB star.

conda

OJA

Well, it wouldn't be SkyNet if it wasn't in the sky.

John Carter was here.

I have to admit that I'm not pissed off at Avi Loeb. I just ignore that stuff, I have my hands full with real work.

They might mean GISS, not GSFC per se. But still bad for GSFC.

It's my understanding that Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves. Look it up - wikipedia.

Was the central pressure of Camille measured?

Ah, I see the difference. Google AI gave me the wrong number for the TNT, but then several lines later it quoted the correct number, without even commenting on the contradiction. I should remember that AI has to be checked carefully. (so, what good is it?)