Tyranny And Nutation

This Will Take A While -
Normally, the blog avoids Current Affairs, because reality is boring, and your humble scribe doesn't give a single stuff who won "Strictly Come Dancing", if indeed the program actually exists and isn't merely an extended joke at my expense.
     However, I did notice a story about the Ocker police arresting some hapless naturalised Nork, who had been attempting to break sanctions by brokering sales of Nork coal.  Art?

It may not look like much to you - and in fact it isn't.  It's just coal.

     This behaviour, which we call "following the rule of law", didn't go down too well in Norkland, with the Sulky Fat Lad threatening Australia.  Steady on, now, The Only Fat Man In Norkland!  You've already picked a fight with the South Canadians, at least get that one over before you start another one you can't win.  Sheesh.  Really, some people let the fact that they're a tyrannical despot go to their heads.*
     And things must really be desperate if the only thing you have to bargain with is fossilized tree.
     There you go, that's the tyranny bit over.  Next we have up another bit of science reporting that allows me to claim that BOOJUM! is achieving that default Facebook blurb about 'astronomy'.  Art?

No!  You idiot, Art -

     Excuse me whilst I apply the mains-powered Tazer - 
     There, that's today's lesson in picture discrimination applied.  What I wanted was the following illustration:


     This is the Kepler 90 planetary system, consisting of 8 exoplanets, a number which mirrors your own solar system.  Some of them are small and rocky, rather than large and gassy, meaning that they might have the same mass as Earth.  They are rather unlikely to harbour life, however, as these small rocky worlds orbit very very close to their parent star, and I think Art is ready with another illustration -


     As you can see, the exoplanet furthest out is in an orbit similar to that of Ol' Earth, meaning it may well sit in the "Goldilocks Zone" where water is a liquid, rather than a solid (i.e. ice) as it would be if the planet were further out, or vapour (i.e. steam) if it were further in.  A moot point, as it's a gas giant anyway, although it might have habitable moons too small for the Kepler telescope to detect.
     Going back to the inner planets, they might suffer from severe nutation, being that close to the star and each other.  "Nutation", lest you be unaware, is a variation in the axis of rotation of a planet, having a rhythmical pattern, which is caused by the gravitational effects of nearby bodies.
     There you go, another - what's that?  You were expecting something vastly different, since the blog title very nearly mirrors that of Blue Oyster Cult's second studio album, "Tyranny and Mutation"?  Well, I can't help it if your eyes cannot distinguish one letter from another, and I'm not putting the album cover up because you've had one bit of BOC already.
     Now, time to dip the motley in ants and dangle it in front of a beehive!**

That was such a long Intro we don't have much room for lengthy screeds about machine gun tactics of the First Unpleasantness.  Instead, let me check that Steely Dan are - oops.  Oh dear.  Apparently one half of The Odd Couple, Walter Becker, died back in September this year.  Dammit, I've been so busy checking on Ben Folds and Mystery Jets that I never thought to check on Steely Dan!  <sad face>  Art?

Walt in hairier times

     I think I like SD because their music is so relentlessly clever, as are their lyrics.  With them, "good" isn't good enough, it has to be the best, and no two ways about it.  Watching them break down "Deacon Blues" on a mixing desk, describing what you hear and why it' there, is an instructive experience.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfS5zCCZGWI

     Worth watching to see what makes the track, and the duo, tick.  That above is the link to the Youtube video, and don't forget I know your ISP address and can tell if you don't click on it.

Finally - 
Because this enables me to hit that other Facebook criteria, this one being about tanks. Have a look at this unlovely beast - Art?

Not British tank design's finest moment

     This is an adapted Mk IX tank, fitted with flotation tanks to render it bouyant, and thus able to go for a swim.  River-crossing without the need for bridges, don't you know, and all that.

Right, time to post these words of wonder and then go find something to eat.  A quest where I guess Edna will accompany me!

*  A mistake I shall not make, rest assured.
**  Have I got this the right way round?