Jennifer has changed my mind about plastic bodies. I think I had to overcome imy instinctual disgust. Big hurdle. I participate in Gallaxy Zoo so I very much enjoyed this diavlog. One comment that may be unwelcome, since we have a big sky we might need two eyes to look at it. Sorry it was distracting.

Great diavlog. Science saturday never fails to impress.

an astronomic version of the old joke? http://bloggingheads.tv/diavlogs/148...5:26&out=35:32

Quoting BeachFrontView: Great diavlog. Science saturday never fails to impress.

Agreed. It was fascinating to hear the details of a working astronomer's daily life.

Dalcanton: spurious event? spurious: of falsified or erroneously attributed origin. I hope not! I think your criterion for attribution is too restrictive for the computer age.

Quoting Baltimoron: Dalcanton: spurious event?

spurious: of falsified or erroneously attributed origin.

Huh. Learn something new every day. Until you noted this, I always thought that spurious could also mean a one-off, outlier, or some other unexpected appearance of a datum in a set of observations. I do think a lot of people use the word this way, especially those who look at data for a living, but the dictionary definitions are more in line with your complaint.

I thought Dalcanton at first defined "spurious" as you erroneously did, but what she's talking about is the role of the internet in scientific research. I think you confuse "spurious" with "spur of the moment".

Quoting Baltimoron: I thought Dalcanton at first defined "spurious" as you erroneously did, but what she's talking about is the role of the internet in scientific research.

I think you confuse "spurious" with "spur of the moment".

That's a good guess about why spurious is misused. I don't care to get into a debate about why Julianne used the word as she did, but as I recall it, she was using it to denote the unexpected appearance of the comet in the sky survey data, when she was looking for galaxies as opposed to things in this solar system.

Quoting bjkeefe: That's a good guess about why spurious is misused.

I don't care to get into a debate about why Julianne used the word as she did, but as I recall it, she was using it to denote the unexpected appearance of the comet in the sky survey data, when she was looking for galaxies as opposed to things in this solar system.

I think the link of meaning is with the use of spurious as related to data, or in this case observations. Spurious is applied to data that is "noise", or incidental but not really meaningful. One usually tries to get rid of spurious data because it's confusing. Julianne said that for the purpose of what she was studying the appearance of this near-object was a nuisance, something that was interfering with her observations. But ironically it was a true discovery.

Ocean's explanation seems most plausible. But, perhaps Dalcanton is more fluent (the Sean Carroll of lingo) with both words and figures than all of us.

Talking about science is fun and these two are exactly the sort to make science even more interesting. Applied science is especially fun, although I've never thought of naming a comet after myself. I have thought about being on the receiving end of a nuclear attack, however, which is a different kind of applied science. Michael Rubin has a good piece on that kind of applied science, the world-ending kind. It's worth a read if you're interested in living in a world with fewer nukes. The brightest minds in America seem to think sending US nuclear technology to rogue states is a good idea. India is getting a bunch from Uncle Sam which just might be why North Korea decided having nukes might be preferable to relying on American ideas about non-proliferation. My first memory of being on the receiving end of a nuclear attack occurred when I was a boy. Dad wheeled up early one afternoon with sleeping bags and a rifle in the back of the station wagon. Mom and Pop had lived through WWII. News that Dem President Kennedy was facing down Commie Cuba

Should we be reassured or worried that the Grammar-Language Big Brother is alive and well in this forum? FYI: http://www.languagehat.com/ http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/

Quoting kidneystones: Michael Rubin has a good piece on that kind of applied science, the world-ending kind. It's worth a read if you're interested in living in a world with fewer nukes.

Thanks for the link, kidneystones. Until now, I hadn't seen anything quite so explicit as this:

Only the most naive Democrat or isolationist Republican can ignore Iranian statements promising not only the acquisition of nuclear weapons but their use. On December 14, 2001, for example, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, perhaps Iran's second most powerful man and one often labelled a pragmatist by Western journalists, suggested that it may not be far-fetched to envision use of nuclear weapons against Israel.

Amid chants of "death to Israel", he declared: "The use of even one nuclear bomb inside Israel will destroy everything ... It is not irrational to contemplate such an eventuality."

Rafsanjani's statements soon became the rule rather than the exception. On February 14, 2005, Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer Kharrazi, secretary-general of Iranian Hezbollah, declared: "We are able to produce atomic bombs and we will do that. We shouldn't be afraid of anyone. The US is no more than a barking dog." And on May 29, 2005, Hojatolislam Gholam Reza Hasani, the Supreme Leader's personal

mvantony writes...[...] Good to see hear from you Your clear voice and independence of mind are brights spots on this board. I've posted several other links elsewhere that confirm, to me anyway, the myopic hubris of Americans still too scared to take on Bush. After 8 years of underwriting folly, many want nothing more than the world's forgiveness. These sorry souls in for a rude surprise, as you likely know. In any event, all will unfold as it will. Americans may well elect another glib charlatan capable of worming his way into an Ivy League college and not much else. I wouldn't be surprised. Many of us love nothing more than a happy story, whether it's 'Mission Accomplished' or some 2008 version of 'why we are all so wonderful'. Nuclear Iran will still be out there waiting for the self-enamored. Just received confirmation that I'll be presenting early in the New Year with several other projects competing for time. This is probably so long for a bit. Please continue to post here. I enjoy your comments very much. There's an excellent chance we're looking at 4-8 more years of ineptitude, arrogance, false promises, lies, and out-right carnage. The candidate of hope

Quoting kidneystones: Just received confirmation that I'll be presenting early in the New Year with several other projects competing for time. This is probably so long for a bit.

Well, pop in now and then, if you can. Aside from all of BhTV's wonderful intrinsic properties, it's also great for procrastination and work-avoidance, when you can manage that. In any event, all the best, and I look forward to seeing you back here.

Shalom Michael,

What worries me most in wondering how the US will respond to Iran -- whatever the best response is (diplomacy, sanctions, attack, some combination, etc.) -- is that the apparently overwhelming need of many Americans to repair the US's "image" abroad will be playing far too significant a role in determining its response.

The entire US military-industrial-congressional-executive complex is as committed to Israel as it is to Hawaii. This will not change, and it will determine US policy in the region to a far greater extent than any concern about America's tarnished image in the world. Palin, Obama, McCain and Biden all fervently support Israel, in all its intransigence, bellicosity and regional rogue nuclear domination. The only thing that has surprised me lately is the report that Bush would not green light Israel to attack Iran. It would be a rare instance in which the right-wing Israeli tail fails to wag the dog and an even rarer instance of Bush prudence. If true, I will utter these words for the first time in 8 years: Thank you, President Bush. The only opposition in the US political establishment to the neo-con, pre-neo-con and post-neo-con policy toward Israel is on the

I am trying to figure out how an astronomy topic was transmogrified into Nuclear War and Islamic concerns???

Quoting SkepticDoc: I am trying to figure out how an astronomy topic was transmogrified into Nuclear War and Islamic concerns???

Kidneystones and mvantony got carried away with the topic of applied science into nuclear weapons. It happens a lot. Threads take a life of their own. We are all guilty of derailing at times. I do wish one could have a break every now and then...

Maybe we can review the Hubble's origins as a spy telescope... http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/kh-11.htm Is "Big Science" motivated and/or funded by War and Imperialistic concerns?...

Quoting SkepticDoc: Maybe we can review the Hubble's origins as a spy telescope...

Is "Big Science" motivated and/or funded by War and Imperialistic concerns?...

Shhh... don't break the news yet. Humanity isn't prepared for this...

Maybe Physicians are the most altruistic scientists, most of us just want to relieve pain and suffering... (violin music please) Except for those that help with torture...

Quoting SkepticDoc: I am trying to figure out how an astronomy topic was transmogrified into Nuclear War and Islamic concerns???

kidneystones is entirely to blame.

Maybe Physicians are the most altruistic scientists, most of us just want to relieve pain and suffering... (violin music please)
Except for those that help with torture... How do you like the animation?

Good Job! (how many emoticons/smileys remain unused?)

Quoting SkepticDoc: Good Job! (how many emoticons/smileys remain unused?)

Way too many... Some would be close to impossible to use. Inappropriate I would say...

You can make new ones too! http://www.clicksmilies.com/

Quoting SkepticDoc: You can make new ones too!

http://www.clicksmilies.com/

You have created an even worse monster!!!! I'll never be able to stop now!

Quoting Baltimoron: ... spurious ...

She pleads nolo.

I am not a lawyer but doesn't "nolo contendere" mean "no contest", a no plea? Maybe Ms. Dalcanton could benefit from some therapy or even medications (propranolol?) before participating again. I hope she returns!!!

Quoting SkepticDoc: I am not a lawyer but doesn't "nolo contendere" mean "no contest", a no plea?

Maybe Ms. Dalcanton could benefit from some t