I mean, this "coincidence" thing, how far can it stretch? The first item in today's blog was to be "N.E.A.R.", the acronym for "Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous". Got that? And, as usual, when feeling uninspired about the blog title, I opened up the Dictionary of Phrase and Fable and what immediately hailed into view? "The Way To The Stars" - a 1945 film set near an RAF airfield of the Second World War. The film is based on a Terence Rattigan play called "Flare Path". What was the first amateur dramatic that Wonder Wifey played in? Right. "Flare Path".
I bet Philip K. Dick would have an explanation, in no uncertain terms. Phil?
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| "Yessssss?" |
So N.E.A.R., So Far
Ah, what a horrid pun! Almost as bad as pepper in the salt cellar.
Getting slightly more serious, you recall that yesterday Conrad was banging on about the "Rosetta" space probe, whose mission is to land a smaller probe on a comet. 13 years ago the NEAR Shoemaker probe went into orbit around Eros, in order to (a la Wikipedia): "return data on the bulk properties, composition, mineralogy, morphology, internal mass distribution, magnetic field, regolith properties, interactions with the solar wind, possible current activity as indicated by dust or gas, and the asteroid spin state."
A space probe with a serious work ethic!
Here is the busy little chap:
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| No it does NOT look like a prog rocker's drum kit! |
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| Eros. Not so lovely close up, eh? |
NEAR Shoemaker made a successful soft landing on Eros. Imagine that Eros was due to impact Earth in 2020, and that instead of a gamma-ray emitter, NEAR S. carried a multi-megaton fusion warhead. When that baby popped, it would shift the asteroid's orbit, sufficiently to miss Earth.
I know, I know, it doesn't feature Robert Duvall or Bruce Willis and would make a terrifically dull film, but it's a lot more plausible
BMW! I Beg Your Pardon!
Yesterday Conrad ladled fuming nitric scorn o'er the flashy red BMW Series 2 Coupe, due to their use of the tagline "Barks as bad as it bites".
O noes!
How could I be so tragically wrong and misguided!
BITES AS BAD AS IT BARKS.
The new BMW 2 Series Coupé.
- is how the tagline for the BuM-Wagen actually goes.
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| Yep. Redcar. Close enough |
Conrad's mind resembles the National Archives - after suffering an earthquake, flash floods, a hurricane and a plague of
"Thrasybulus"? From classic Greek or Roman history, I seem to recall. Why on earth did I recall his name?"
Well, a quick referral to Wikipedia, reveals that Thrasybulus was an Athenian general, elected to command by democratic decision of his sailors. More appositely, this:
"After Athens' defeat in the Peloponnesian War, Thrasybulus led the democratic resistance to the new oligarchic government, known as the Thirty Tyrants, which the victorious Spartans imposed on Athens. In 404 BC, he commanded a small force of exiles that invaded Attica and, in successive battles, defeated first a Spartan garrison and then the forces of the oligarchy."
Normally BOOJUM! steers well clear of current events and <hack! spit!> politics, but - damn it, I can't help substituting "Crimea" for "Attica".
Thank you, Sub. I think you need a more fitting name. "Devious" suits you. Let's abbreviate that to "Dee".
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| One of the Thirty Tyrants. No, wait, hang on - |
Anna, aspiring make-up artist, mentioned this today as a substance that one slathers over the nails to build them up into awesome death-dealing razor-sharp talons - "You too can be a Velociraptor!" - at least I think that was the gist of the conversation.
Conrad was sure he'd heard of this stuff in a different context. Where does it come from? Let's look on Google -
- Ew ew ew!
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| Here's something nice instead |
And Finally
Yes, the traffic-baiting use of cute youngsters to promote BOOJUM! Carp all you want, it's not illegal*.
Here we have two-for-one, Darling Daughter, more normally called "Sally", and Edna the Domesticated Wolf. Yes, she is a little on the small side for a wolf. Give her time.
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| One farts and bites, the other barks and fights |
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