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Colonel Flagg · #**301**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pentegarn

you did start podcasting Preston & Steve though right?

Yeah, and what I missed by limiting myself to drive-time radio is nothing short of astonishing. And hysterical.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsa

I used to subscribe to This Week In Science out of UC Davis, but it got so there were so many backlogged podcasts that I got hopelessly mired.

NPR Science Friday 'casts are wickedly long and exceedingly informative, but I find it very easy to get bogged down.

Pentegarn · #**302**

I urge you to check out this site then Colonel

http://prestonandsteverock.com/

A large percentage of the shows they have broadcast since 2006-ish

Colonel Flagg · #**303**

Thanks.

Oh, those crazy Brits.

http://www.periodicvideos.com/

Pentegarn · #**304**

Here's some science stuff... in space!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ap_on_sc/..._space_mystery

Colonel Flagg · #**305**

Cool!

On a sad note, the Matian Rover "Spirit" seems to be stuck in quicksand, perhaps forever.

http://www.scientificcomputing.com/n...43,01273409034

Tadao · #**306**

I hear that Spirit hasn't done jack shit.

Pentegarn · #**307**

I remember reading that yesterday. It reminds me of those remote control 'lunar vehicles' we have at our Science museum. One is always stuck somehow :P

Colonel Flagg · #**308**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tadao

I hear that Spirit hasn't done jack shit.

That's "Jack Schitt". One of the Schitt brothers.

Actually, Spirit has done Jack, from the perspective of analytical science. Mostly it confirmed all the crazy stuff that Opportunity fell into (literally) making the findings from both rovers much more credible, and giving some more insight as to Martian geomorphic history.

On the engineering front, the problems encountered and experienced by Spirit made the JPL scientists devise workarounds that were innovative. Eventually this learning will advance the development of future rover missions to Mars, and perhaps beyond.

But.

Strictly speaking, there have been very few original discoveries by Spirit, so in a pure sense, you are correct.

Colonel Flagg · #**309**

So I obtained approval for a new piece of analytical equipment, and scheduled installation and training. The trainer just got in touch with me to finalize the arrangements. His name?

William Batson.

That's right. Captain Marvel will be training me in three weeks. SHAZAM!

Pentegarn · #**310**

You should call him Captain Marvel a lot too, I bet he's never heard that :P

Colonel Flagg · #**311**

Gee, ya think?

EDIT: His v-card

gives his full name (with initial) and Ph.D. - I'm guessing he doesn't go by "Billy".

Pentegarn · #**312**

He still has his v-card? /callback :P

Kitsa · #**313**

It's so sweet that he sent you a Valentine's card.

Colonel Flagg · #**314**

Getting down to the wire, Kit. What, about a week to the "grand opening"?

Kitsa · #**315**

:/

If I make it to Tuesday, they'll schedule my C section. They say I can "physically tolerate" the pregnancy to 39 weeks. We'll see. I'm not thrilled about major abdominal surgery, and I'm even less thrilled about my limited anesthesia options. All I want to do is get everyone through the ordeal alive.

My two previous babies were both under 2 lbs, so having one that is potentially 9 lbs or more will definitely be a new experience.

Colonel Flagg · #**316**

9 pounds?? That's a bigun.

Good luck, and good karma your way.

Kitsa · #**317**

Her dad is 6 and a half feet tall and very large-framed, so we kind of knew this was coming

All of the people of the doctor's office say, "Well, have you seen the father?" like that explains it all. And they go on at length about the size of her feet.

The one good thing is that they tell me she has a large brain. So at least there's potential there, although brain size doesn't necessarily mean anything.

Thanks, I'll need all the help I can get.

kahljorn · #**318**

My uncle's a big guy and he was born 6 pounds but my mom is tiny and she was born 9 pounds :O
:STORIESTHATGRANDMOTHERSTELLWHILELOOKINGATPICTURES SHORTLYAFTERCHRISTMAS

Colonel Flagg · #**319**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsa

And they go on at length about the size of her feet.

My son has size 12's and is still growing. I can comfortably wear his shoes now, with room to spare.

As I understand it, relative foot size is a pretty good gauge of future ultimate height. On a separate note, how tall are you?

Kitsa · #**320**

5 foot nothing.

Colonel Flagg · #**321**

http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/01/Ge...begin-in-2010/

I find it an interesting oxymoron that a detector so massive (7 tons) is necessary to determine the mass of the lightest known elementary particle (the neutrino) - if it has any mass at all.