It’s party time! Friday night, and everything’s right.
For your consideration, there’s celebration in the air (that’s no exaggeration). We’re talking ’bout elation; lookin’ for participation. Ya gotta feel the situation. Join with the recreation; enjoy the circulation (and the conversation).
Listen to that good vibration, trackin’ jubilation destination. Forget your reputation; forget your moderation; ain’t no humiliation (that’s a stipulation). There’s no registration, no identification authentication.
I’m sure it’s no revelation; fermentation fascination will bring inebriation (and hallucination). Hesitation just won’t do; you have an invitation! There is no limitation at this here presentation.
That was my narration; how ’bout a small ovation?
[pop (goes the cork)]
I wrote about the falling fall recently. Today I got a small zap when I touched metal. Winter’s bad enough; I hate the Season of the Spark! (Ouch!)
[pop]
For the record: a light year is a measure of distance, not time.
Saying something happened 50 light years ago is wrong unless you mean it in the same sense as something that happened 50 miles ago.
(Which you certainly could.)
Fans (and detractors) of Star Wars have endless debates about what Han Solo meant when he said, “You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon?… It’s the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs.“
The problem is that it’s the equivalent of something like, “[Making] the Kessel Run in less than 1200 miles.“
It doesn’t really parse unless somehow the Falcon makes the distance shorter than normal ships would.
(And, yes, there are a number of Star Trekking It possibilities.)
[Or maybe the writer was just confused about light years and parsecs.]
Bonus Question: how many light years in a parsec?
[pop]
While we’re out in the space place, something else to keep straight:
We live on Earth (I know you know that; I have to start somewhere).
Earth circles the sun along with seven other planets.
From the sun out, we have: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, a big bunch of asteroids, Jupiter, Saturn (our showpiece), Uranus (no jokes, please) and Neptune.
[And Pluto, dammit. Fuck the precise definition of what a planet is; I get it. I just think Pluto should be grandfathered in. Let’s all raise a glass to Pluto: a Planet in Perpetuity!]
But I figure most of you know the planets, too.
Where some lose their way is this: That bunch above, the sun and the planets (and the asteroids and some other stuff hanging around); that bunch comprises the solar system.
It’s called solar, because our sun’s proper name is Sol.
Other groups of suns and planets are called star systems. Our sun is a very ordinary yellow star.
Our solar system is just one of billions of star systems in the galaxy. In our case, the Milky Way galaxy (the candy bar came much later).
When you are out in a dark enough place, that band of stars we call the Milky Way is made of those billions of other star systems. Every star you can see is in our galaxy.
The universe (at least the bit we can see) is filled with billions of galaxies, each containing billions of star systems. There’s a whole lotta real estate out there!
Most of it is unreachably far away. We may someday be able to explore some of the nearby stars in our galaxy.
Given enough time (100s of thousands of years), we may well spread through the whole Milky Way. But other galaxies are so much farther away it’s going to be quite a trick to visit them.
[pop]
If you’re wondering at the science-lust direction of the blog lately, it’s because school is back in session!
Summer’s over, and it’s time to hit the books. This blog has always been about science-lust (and philosophy-lust). That may come as a surprise to those who’ve joined us recently.
I’ll try to make it as fun as possible, but I will understand if you tune out some.
If I may just say, this is fundamental stuff upon which so much is built. I’ve had the benefit of an effective education, and I’ve picked up so much interesting stuff along the way.
I hope to inspire others to be effective with their education.
Anyway, I hope you’ll stick with it as much as you can stand. It may give you some interesting things to ponder.
When I get to the Computer Science and Math Theory stuff, feel free to tune out. That stuff’s only going to interest hard-core programmers and other über-geeks of that stripe.
Don’t worry; it’ll be clearly labeled!
[pop]
And why the bubbly? Because of the celebration!
“What celebration,” you ask?
“Ah, that’s my secret!” says I, “But there are some clews strewn about the morning post.
“I’m covert, rather than overt, for fear of identity-stealing thieves.
“All wizards keep their true names and numbers hidden!”
Logos con carne 
September 15th, 2012 at 7:44 am
I like the stimulation of the verbalization at the beginning of your narration. And yeah the Pluto thing pisses me off too!
September 15th, 2012 at 9:05 am
Thank you for the affirmation! Glad you liked my publication! (Condemnation would have stung. Admiration’s much more fun!) And here’s another declaration: I really like our conversation!
😆 😆 😆
September 15th, 2012 at 9:17 am
Yeah me too but no ‘ation’s’ left for me to express!
September 15th, 2012 at 9:30 am
Once I had my inspiration, I didn’t lose much perspiration. I had some help in its creation, using this here compilation. (Help me, I can’t stop! :eek:)
September 15th, 2012 at 9:34 am
Not sure a support group for that particular situation has been created yet! 😉
September 15th, 2012 at 9:37 am
-Ation Anonymous? Yeah, I guess “AA” is already taken…
July 6th, 2013 at 7:02 am
It was your Birthday!!!
July 6th, 2013 at 9:44 am
Color me impressed!! (The post before this one is part of the clues, of course.)
July 6th, 2013 at 10:03 am
No, no. Your clues were actually vague. How come I haven’t seen any comment that uncovered the secret celebration? Hah! 🙂
Well ok, you did mention in one of your comments on my blog that you were born on the same year with a (homey) co-blogger. So when you mentioned the magic number here, I already knew… he he
July 6th, 2013 at 10:16 am
Heh, the clues were actually meant to be too opaque for anyone to guess, which is why I’m so impressed. (You must be the only one smart enough and interested enough to work it out. Kudos!!)
July 6th, 2013 at 10:44 am
I don’t think I deserve the “smart enough” part, though. 🙂
Nonetheless, I deserve the glass of drink again up there as my prize. If not, I can settle for the bottle of Heinz tomato ketchup on this date’s morning post. 😀
July 6th, 2013 at 10:55 am
If we should ever meet, I will personally treat you to a fine bottle of champagne! In the meantime, sadly, you’ll have to content yourself with the pictures. 🙂
September 13th, 2013 at 7:27 am
No prob. I can settle for the pictures – as long as the bubbles stay right there.
Uhrm, so how is tomorrow’s birthday boy doing?
I hope to be the first to greet you here.
September 14th, 2013 at 10:05 am
Feelin’ kind of down and pointless, actually.
September 14th, 2013 at 10:04 am
Happy Birthday, Wyrd! It really feels good to have you around on our blogosphere. I do admire your intelligence, eloquence, humor, and selfless enthusiasm to teach. Thank you, too, for being kind to me.
I hope you’re having a grand day, dear pal. Take care.
September 14th, 2013 at 10:06 am
Thank you.
September 14th, 2013 at 10:08 am
You can’t feel down and pointless. It’s your birthday! Are you ok? Are you having any problem there?
September 16th, 2013 at 10:22 am
Nothing I haven’t mentioned (or at least alluded to) before. Birthdays alone are kind of the perfect thing for feeling down and pointless!
One post that really sums it up is this one here (about buffalo and impedance). And I don’t know if you ever saw this one about Quasimodo.
September 16th, 2013 at 6:51 pm
I already read Impedance Mismatch and the Quasimodo posts in the past. I even commented on “I, Monster” last June. Frankly, I thought you weren’t fair to yourself for using the word “monster.” It’s a fact some people are just quite complex and some are not.
In the same vein some people are quite smart, most are not. No need to beat yourself up about it.
September 17th, 2013 at 10:06 am
Ah, sorry! I haven’t been tracking well lately. I checked the first one (which is more significant for what I’ve been feeling these past few months) and didn’t see any sign of visitation, but I didn’t check the second one (which is more generic). My bad, sorry! (That said, I really don’t feel the post is about me beating myself up because most people aren’t that smart. I was trying to say something quite different about myself and how people have treated me!)
September 14th, 2013 at 10:29 am
Birthday blues? I hope your mood gets better as the day progresses. If you need somebody to talk to, I’ll just be right here.
Oh Mister Birthday Boy, please cheer up. Just for this special day? 🙂
September 14th, 2013 at 11:46 am
Life blues.
September 14th, 2013 at 6:57 pm
Ah, who doesn’t have them? My Saturday just sucked, too, here. Life…
Today (and tomorrow) is the day you can do whatever pleases your senses. I still hope you’ll feel better before the day ends.
Again, Happy Birthday, Wyrd. I wish you well.
September 16th, 2013 at 10:18 am
Thank you. Sorry your Saturday sucked, too!
September 14th, 2014 at 1:04 am
I haven’t forgotten:
Happy Birthday to you, dear friend of mine. ❤
The privilege of being alive–to still be able to enjoy life counts a lot, we both believe (I think 🙂 ).
September 14th, 2014 at 1:15 am
Thank you! Yes, as an old friend of mine (constantly) says, “Better than the alternative!” (I do confess, after riding this rock for 59 orbits, I question how true that is anymore. But I’m no quitter. I’m the kind of guest where you have to start dropping hints that maybe it’s time to leave. (Back in college we used to party with a guy who’d put on this one particular record album [Breakway, Art Garfunkel] when he wanted us all to leave.))