Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight
Yes, Keith, it cleared up beautifully here at about 6:30. When you posted this, I was right at my bedroom window. Sound asleep. :P -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Date : Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:06:11 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com i know! Think it's okay now, though. - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 7:47:37 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Dangit! It *would* have to get cloudy hereabouts. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Date : Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:29:31 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20090811/sc_space/strongmeteorshowerexpectedtonight The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show this week for those willing to get up in the wee hours of the morning and wait patiently for the shooting stars . In North America, the best time to watch will be between midnight to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, but late Tuesday night and also Wednesday night could prove fruitful, weather permitting. The Perseids are always reliable , and sometimes rather spectacular. The only things that puts a damper on the August show are bad weather or bright moonlight. Unfortunately this week, as the Perseids reach their peak Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the moon will be high in the sky , outshining the fainter meteors. Still, skywatchers around the globe will have a good chance of spotting the brighter meteors. Some already are enjoying the show . Already underway The Perseids are bits of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which has laid down several streams of debris, each in a slightly different location, over the centuries as it orbits the sun. Every August, Earth passes through these debris streams, which spread out over time. They are typically fast, bright and occasionally leave persistent trains, says Joe Rao, SPACE.com's Skywatching Columnist. And every once in a while, a Perseid fireball will blaze forth, bright enough to be quite spectacular and more than capable to attract attention even in bright moonlight. Low numbers of Perseids, including some bright fireballs , have already been reported as Earth began entering the stream in late July. Seasoned observers have counted up to 25 per hour already, or nearly one every two minutes. Most meteors are no bigger than a pea. They vaporize as they enter Earth's atmosphere , creating bright streaks across the sky . The Perseids appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which rises high in the sky around midnight and is nearly overhead by dawn. Like most meteor showers , the hours between midnight and daybreak are typically the best time to watch, because that's when the side of Earth you are on is rotating into the direction of Earth's travels through space, so meteors are scooped up by the atmosphere at higher rates, much like a car's windshield ends the lives of more bugs than does the rear bumper. Astronomers expect up to 200 meteors per hour in short bursts of up to 15 minutes or so. But many of the fainter meteors will simply not be visible due to moonlight, and rates will go down even more for those in urban areas. More likely a typical observer under reasonably dark skies might hope to see a meteor every couple minutes when the bursts come, and fewer during lulls. When to watch The best time to watch is between midnight and dawn Wednesday. Forecasters say the best stretch could come between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. ET (1-2 a.m. PT), which would be after daybreak in Europe. Some Perseids might be visible late Tuesday night, and Wednesday night into Thursday morning could prove worthwhile, too. Meteor forecasting is still in its infancy, however, so the best bet for anyone truly hungry to spot shooting stars is to get in as much observing time as possible from around 11 p.m. Tuesday night until dawn Wednesday, and if you miss that show, try the same time frame Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. Meteors should be visible in the pre-dawn hours, weather permitting, all around the Northern Hemisphere . Earth passes through the densest part of the debris stream sometime on Aug. 12, said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. Then, you could see dozens of meteors per hour. Viewing tips The best location is far from city and suburban lights. Ideally, find a structure, mountain or tree to block the moon. Then scan as much of the sky as possible. The meteors can appear anywhere, heading in any direction. If you trace their paths backward, they'll all point to the
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Walking Dead Going to the Small Screen
It's pretty much a consensus among fans of the show that The Prisoner was a sequel to McGoohan's Danger Man (Secret Agent on this side of the Pond), when McGoohan's John Drake decided that he'd had enough of the spy game, but couldn't be allowed to retire, as he knew too much. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Walking Dead Going to the Small Screen Date : Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:28:50 -0500 From : Omari Confer clockwork...@gmail.com To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com The Prisoner will undoubtedly be a bit disappointing...but fun... McGoohan did the project as a post modern answer to the spy What is after post modern? c w m On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 7:05 PM, Martin Baxter wrote: Bosco, I'll have to reserve judgment on it until I see how AMC handles The Prisoner remake, to know how dedicated they are to giving us good SF. Mad Men and Breaking Bad is ample proof that they can put out good stuff, for examples. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] Walking Dead Going to the Small Screen Date : Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:03:45 -0700 (PDT) From : Bosco Bosco To : Sci Fi Noir I'm not sure how I feel about this. AMC has picked up the option for Walking Dead. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3idee9d1f93a71c575e5cdd4d9a8b8450e Bosco http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds -- clockworkman blog http://centralheatingblog.blogspot.com STRING THEORY http://www.stringtheory.mypodcast.com Netflix Friends http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/P5Vr384ukvNnY78xUJOT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds
[scifinoir2] Black Age of Comics Onyx Con in Atlanta this weekend
I just got this today on another listserv. I wish I had gotten it a week earlier. I plan to be in Atlanta next week. I would have altered my plans to arrive earlier. ~rave! ONYX CON! This weekend Onyx Con (aka Black Age of Comics-Atlanta), the latest edition in the Black Age of Comics Movement, will held August 14th 15th, 2009. The main event of the convention will be held on Saturday, August 15th from 10am-7pm. The convention will be held at the SW Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road, Atlanta GA, 30331. Admission is $5 to get in, free for those 12 years and younger. Be there and meet some of the best in the business doing their own thing. Witness the art of MShindo Kuumba I, Afua Richardson, Andre Batts of Dreadlocks fame (Urban Style Comics), The brothers from Trimekka Studios behind such titles as Black Bird, Deadly Artisans, and Abraham; Dawud Anyabwile of Brotherman fame, who recently held a highly successful art exhibit last week; author Milton Davis of Meji fame, and much mush more For more information please call 404-613-3220, or go to the website at www.onyxcon.blogspot.com, or email the coordinators at onyx...@ Power to the Black Age!! Kevin Sabio Knowledge As Supreme BCLAF
Re: [scifinoir2] Re: Walking Dead Going to the Small Screen
Looks like there wont be much else to watch in 2009-2010 other than AMC.. On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 8:28 PM, ravenadal ravena...@yahoo.com wrote: Darabont wrote and directed two of my favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption (I have a poster of Red and Andy Dufresne on the wall of my upstairs office), and The Green Mile. He went off the rails with 2001's The Majestic and didn't direct again for six years. ~rave! --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com scifinoir2%40yahoogroups.com, B. Smith daikaij...@... wrote: I would have been leery except for one fact, it's being done by Frank Darabont. After watching the Mist I'm convinced that he is a great fit for the job. I just hope that he gets a big enough budget to do later parts of the series right. --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com scifinoir2%40yahoogroups.com, Bosco Bosco ironpigs3@ wrote: I'm not sure how I feel about this. AMC has picked up the option for Walking Dead. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3idee9d1f93a71c575e5cdd4d9a8b8450e Bosco -- clockworkman blog http://centralheatingblog.blogspot.com STRING THEORY http://stringtheory.podbean.com Netflix Friends http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/P5Vr384ukvNnY78xUJOT
[scifinoir2] FW: newfound planet orbits the wrong way
From: Chris de Morsella [mailto:cdemorse...@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 8:33 AM To: tdemorse...@multiculturaladvantage.com; 'Paul de Morsella'; 'S. Drasnin'; 'Jose Alvavez' Subject: RE: newfound planet orbits the wrong way http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20090812/sc_space/newfoundplanetorbitsbackward Planets orbit stars in the same direction that the stars rotate. They all do. Except one. A newfound planet orbits the wrong way, backward compared to the rotation of its host star. Its discoverers think a near-collision may have created the retrograde orbit, as it is called. The star and its planet, WASP-17, are about 1,000 light-years away. The setup was found by the UK's Wide Area Search for Planets (WASP) project in collaboration with Geneva Observatory. The discovery was announced today but has not yet been published in a journal. I would have to say this is one of the strangest planets we know about, said Sara Seager, an astrophysicist at MIT who was not involved in the discovery. What's going on A http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/space/sc_space/storytext/newfoundplanetorb itsbackward/33019905/SIG=124cf9s7v/*http:/www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090 119-mm-massive-stars.html star forms when a cloud of gas and dust collapses. Whatever movement the cloud had becomes intensified as it condenses, determining the rotational direction of the star. How planets form is http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/space/sc_space/storytext/newfoundplanetorb itsbackward/33019905/SIG=123jmrbs9/*http:/www.space.com/scienceastronomy/spi tzer_planets_041018.html less certain. They are, however, known to develop out of the leftover, typically disk-shaped mass of gas and dust that swirls around a newborn star, so whatever direction that material is moving, which is the direction of the star's rotation, becomes the direction of the planet's orbit. WASP-17 likely had a close encounter with a larger planet, and the gravitational interaction acted like a slingshot to put WASP-17 on its odd course, the astronomers figure. I think it's extremely exciting. It's fascinating that we can study orbits of planets so far away, Seager told SPACE.com. There's always theory, but there's nothing like an observation to really prove it. Cosmic collisions are not uncommon. Earth's moon was made when http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/space/sc_space/storytext/newfoundplanetorb itsbackward/33019905/SIG=12btj6fuf/*http:/www.space.com/common/media/video/p layer.php?videoRef=071120TugMoon our planet collided with a Mars-sized object, astronomers think. And earlier this week NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope found evidence of http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/space/sc_space/storytext/newfoundplanetorb itsbackward/33019905/SIG=120ha925v/*http:/www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090 810-planet-smash.html two planets colliding around a distant, young star. Some moons in our solar system are on retrograde orbits, perhaps at least in some cases because they were flying through space alone and then captured; that's thought to be the case with Neptune's http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/space/sc_space/storytext/newfoundplanetorb itsbackward/33019905/SIG=121s1cp7e/*http:/www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060 510_triton_origin.html large moon Triton. The find was made by graduate students David Anderson at Keele University and Amaury Triaud of the Geneva Observatory. Bloated world WASP-17 is about half the mass of Jupiter but bloated to twice its size. This planet is only as dense as expanded polystyrene, 70 times less dense than the planet we're standing on, said professor Coel Hellier of Keele University. The bloated planet can be explained by a highly elliptical orbit, which brings it close to the star and then far away. Like exaggerated tides on Earth, the tidal effects on WASP-17 heat and stretch the planet, the researchers suggest. The tides are not a daily affair, however. Instead it's creating a huge amount of friction on the inside of the planet and generating a lot of energy, which might be making the planet big and puffy, Seager said. WASP-17 is the 17th extrasolar planet found by the WASP project, which monitors hundreds of thousands of stars, watching for small dips in their light when a planet transits in front of them. NASA's Kepler space observatory is using the same technique to search for Earth-like worlds.
[RE][scifinoir2] FW: newfound planet orbits the wrong way
On behalf of the peoples of Earth, I hereby name this planet... Dubya's World. Martin (come on... you *know* I'm onto something there) -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] FW: newfound planet orbits the wrong way Date : Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:46:13 -0700 From : Tracey de Morsella tdli...@multiculturaladvantage.com To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com From: Chris de Morsella [mailto:cdemorse...@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 8:33 AM To: tdemorse...@multiculturaladvantage.com; 'Paul de Morsella'; 'S. Drasnin'; 'Jose Alvavez' Subject: RE: newfound planet orbits the wrong way http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20090812/sc_space/newfoundplanetorbitsbackward Planets orbit stars in the same direction that the stars rotate. They all do. Except one. A newfound planet orbits the wrong way, backward compared to the rotation of its host star. Its discoverers think a near-collision may have created the retrograde orbit, as it is called. The star and its planet, WASP-17, are about 1,000 light-years away. The setup was found by the UK's Wide Area Search for Planets (WASP) project in collaboration with Geneva Observatory. The discovery was announced today but has not yet been published in a journal. I would have to say this is one of the strangest planets we know about, said Sara Seager, an astrophysicist at MIT who was not involved in the discovery. What's going on A itsbackward/33019905/SIG=124cf9s7v/*http:/www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090 119-mm-massive-stars.html star forms when a cloud of gas and dust collapses. Whatever movement the cloud had becomes intensified as it condenses, determining the rotational direction of the star. How planets form is itsbackward/33019905/SIG=123jmrbs9/*http:/www.space.com/scienceastronomy/spi tzer_planets_041018.html less certain. They are, however, known to develop out of the leftover, typically disk-shaped mass of gas and dust that swirls around a newborn star, so whatever direction that material is moving, which is the direction of the star's rotation, becomes the direction of the planet's orbit. WASP-17 likely had a close encounter with a larger planet, and the gravitational interaction acted like a slingshot to put WASP-17 on its odd course, the astronomers figure. I think it's extremely exciting. It's fascinating that we can study orbits of planets so far away, Seager told SPACE.com. There's always theory, but there's nothing like an observation to really prove it. Cosmic collisions are not uncommon. Earth's moon was made when itsbackward/33019905/SIG=12btj6fuf/*http:/www.space.com/common/media/video/p layer.php?videoRef=071120TugMoon our planet collided with a Mars-sized object, astronomers think. And earlier this week NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope found evidence of itsbackward/33019905/SIG=120ha925v/*http:/www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090 810-planet-smash.html two planets colliding around a distant, young star. Some moons in our solar system are on retrograde orbits, perhaps at least in some cases because they were flying through space alone and then captured; that's thought to be the case with Neptune's itsbackward/33019905/SIG=121s1cp7e/*http:/www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060 510_triton_origin.html large moon Triton. The find was made by graduate students David Anderson at Keele University and Amaury Triaud of the Geneva Observatory. Bloated world WASP-17 is about half the mass of Jupiter but bloated to twice its size. This planet is only as dense as expanded polystyrene, 70 times less dense than the planet we're standing on, said professor Coel Hellier of Keele University. The bloated planet can be explained by a highly elliptical orbit, which brings it close to the star and then far away. Like exaggerated tides on Earth, the tidal effects on WASP-17 heat and stretch the planet, the researchers suggest. The tides are not a daily affair, however. Instead it's creating a huge amount of friction on the inside of the planet and generating a lot of energy, which might be making the planet big and puffy, Seager said. WASP-17 is the 17th extrasolar planet found by the WASP project, which monitors hundreds of thousands of stars, watching for small dips in their light when a planet transits in front of them. NASA's Kepler space observatory is using the same technique to search for Earth-like worlds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds
[scifinoir2] Riker is directing Leverage
Hey fans of First Contact, I saw Riker listed as director of a recent episode of Leverage
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press?
I feel you, man...Sorry for the late comment, but I have the same feelings when I watch the docs on the marine's Pacific campaigns with no mention of the black marines who did there fair share of fighting in that war... --- On Sat, 6/27/09, votomguy votom...@yahoo.com wrote: From: votomguy votom...@yahoo.com Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Saturday, June 27, 2009, 10:39 AM I have Brothers in Arms. :) I'm a little sick of the Tuskgee Airmen tho. Too many of our folk only know them. I'm surprised you forgot the 92nd infantry Division. I have their unit patch as well as the unit patch of the 555th. They were the first Smoke Jumpers. Also the 555th was folded into the Screaming Eagles during the Vietnam War. I've met several of those guys. You should see their faces light up when you ask them about being a paratrooper. I always get pissed when I see D-Day landings with all white troops. **shudder** And I know about the 9th and 10th. Especially the 10th as they fought alongside the infamous Roughriders, but pretty much had to take Roosevelt under their wing as they were the only unit in the Spanish American War that had combat experience. Sorry got a little carried away there, but when you look at the fact that blacks have been fighting for this country before it was a country (cough, cough 7 Years War cough). ok I'll try to behave now --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, Reece Jennings mcjennings124@ ... wrote: You have hit my passion...Blacks in WWII. Since my dad was on a few ships during the War, including the USS Colorado, and the Ajax, and he was in the Philippine campaign, I developed a passion for books about how Blacks were treated. I'm sure I don't have to tell you about the 761st Tank Battalion and General Patton, or the 9th and 10th Cavalry, or the 555th (Triple Nickle) Paratrooper battalion... _ From: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:scifino...@yahoogro ups.com] On Behalf Of votomguy Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 10:52 AM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? True. I love the hard science/ military scifi books so those were always the books that I looked for. I got tired of not being able to find hard science/ military scifi books writen by blacks or that have blacks as the main character (real characters not cheeseballs) . I took to studying the Black presence in WWII and I picked up a couple of books. Alot of males in general (hey let's face it white guys don't read as much as everybody thinks). I would love to see another book like Dark Matter come out. It went along way towards pointing me to Black scifi writers. I always took solace in my favorite comic writers (Dwayne McDuffie and Christopher Priest). Not only do they write comics, but they also write comics I can read. --- In scifino...@yahoogro mailto:scifinoir2% 40yahoogroups. com ups.com, Milton Davis mv_media_atl@ wrote: I do book signings at least once a month. The majority of the books I have sold have been to black women. I did a book club meeting last year, all women. I have a book club meeting sheduled in August, all women. I'm confident I'll find more black men willing to read my books and I am seeing more interest among the brothers, especially the young ones. I'm convinced that when made aware of what's available the brothers will come. I hope I'm right. --- On Thu, 6/25/09, votomguy votomguy@ wrote: From: votomguy votomguy@ Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia Butler underrated in mainstream sci-fi press? To: scifino...@yahoogro mailto:scifinoir2% 40yahoogroups. com ups.com Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 9:07 PM Before the hiphop/street novel craze, my mom told me about an article (this was in the 90s) that said that Publishers refuse to publish books because black men don't read enough. To which I replied, If they never publish the books then how will we ever find anything to read. My mom simply said that maybe publishers don't want black men to read. --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, Reece Jennings mcjennings124@ ... wrote: It might be a combination of all of that, Milton. Yes, Black Women will set up book clubs, and discuss books, etc. But when I mention Sci-Fi to most Black Women, and even try to get the to read some of Ms. Butler's books, they tend to pre-judge and reject without looking. So I keep it to myself...except here, of course. I think a lot of women are cutting off a vast expanse of great reading by pre-judging SF. _ From: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:scifinoir2@ yahoogro ups.com] On Behalf Of Milton Davis Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 1:38 PM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: RE: [RE][scifinoir2] Is Octavia
Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13
Or...check it out on Hulu or Fancast like us cable TV-challenged folk... --- On Wed, 8/12/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 9:07 PM same here! - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter truthseeker013@ lycos.com To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 7:58:07 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 Me as well, Keith, though I'll have to rewatch last night's ep on Friday, as I was tied up in a few things last night as I tried to watch. I really need to get back to my old habit of turning off the computer before shows come on. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 Date : Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:40:08 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com It's growing on me. Pilot was a bit tepid, but the subsequent shows are more engaging. It has a decent mix of humour and scifi. Still at times reminds me of a lightweight Friday the 13th. Some of the things, like using old video communicators, is both quaint and kinda silly, but you roll with it. Interesting that the artifacts are some combination of scientific and mystical at times. In that, they remind of the Green Lantern rings, which have been described as both super science, and magick. I enjoyed tonight's show about the ancient artifact that attaches itself to a person's spine, turning them into a crazed warrior with electrical powers (sucked from the victim's body). The artifact reminded me of nothing so much as the famous Tingler from the classic movie of the same name. Brought back some memories: that tingler scared the bejeezus outa me as a kid! - Original Message - From: Keith Johnson To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 9:14:20 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 on Now Anyone watching Warehouse 13 on the--wait for it, Martin--all new SyFy? I'm just into the first ten minutes, so no way i can make a judgement, but wondered if anyone heard any early buzz on the show? I do recognize a couple of the actors. The lead actress played Jeremiah's traitorous lover on the show of the same name. And the mad scientist guy is memorable as Fajah (sp?), in the TNG ep about a rich dude who collects things, and tries to add Data to his collection. As always with Sci--er, SyFy, I'm divided. If the show sucks, it's another sorry show commissioned by the network. If it's good--and I must admit they've shown some good stuff here and there over the years--I fear it'll be canceled to soon. And when I see a show like this, I must confess it makes me wonder why the likes of Level 9, The Dresden Files, and others of this type were canceled. Throw in shows on other stations, like The Chronicle, John Doe, Jake 2.0, and G vs. E, and you wonder what this show's chances are. Maybe it'll catch on like Eureka? http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JQdwk8Yntds
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight
I couldn't see spit...I live deep in the middle of light-polluted Chicago --- On Wed, 8/12/09, Martin Baxter truthseeker...@lycos.com wrote: From: Martin Baxter truthseeker...@lycos.com Subject: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 6:47 AM Dangit! It *would* have to get cloudy hereabouts. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Date : Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:29:31 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight http://news. yahoo.com/ s/space/20090811 /sc_space/ strongmeteorshow erexpectedtonigh t The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show this week for those willing to get up in the wee hours of the morning and wait patiently for the shooting stars . In North America, the best time to watch will be between midnight to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, but late Tuesday night and also Wednesday night could prove fruitful, weather permitting. The Perseids are always reliable , and sometimes rather spectacular. The only things that puts a damper on the August show are bad weather or bright moonlight. Unfortunately this week, as the Perseids reach their peak Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the moon will be high in the sky , outshining the fainter meteors. Still, skywatchers around the globe will have a good chance of spotting the brighter meteors. Some already are enjoying the show . Already underway The Perseids are bits of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which has laid down several streams of debris, each in a slightly different location, over the centuries as it orbits the sun. Every August, Earth passes through these debris streams, which spread out over time. They are typically fast, bright and occasionally leave persistent trains, says Joe Rao, SPACE.com's Skywatching Columnist. And every once in a while, a Perseid fireball will blaze forth, bright enough to be quite spectacular and more than capable to attract attention even in bright moonlight. Low numbers of Perseids, including some bright fireballs , have already been reported as Earth began entering the stream in late July. Seasoned observers have counted up to 25 per hour already, or nearly one every two minutes.. Most meteors are no bigger than a pea. They vaporize as they enter Earth's atmosphere , creating bright streaks across the sky . The Perseids appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which rises high in the sky around midnight and is nearly overhead by dawn. Like most meteor showers , the hours between midnight and daybreak are typically the best time to watch, because that's when the side of Earth you are on is rotating into the direction of Earth's travels through space, so meteors are scooped up by the atmosphere at higher rates, much like a car's windshield ends the lives of more bugs than does the rear bumper. Astronomers expect up to 200 meteors per hour in short bursts of up to 15 minutes or so. But many of the fainter meteors will simply not be visible due to moonlight, and rates will go down even more for those in urban areas. More likely a typical observer under reasonably dark skies might hope to see a meteor every couple minutes when the bursts come, and fewer during lulls. When to watch The best time to watch is between midnight and dawn Wednesday. Forecasters say the best stretch could come between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. ET (1-2 a.m. PT), which would be after daybreak in Europe. Some Perseids might be visible late Tuesday night, and Wednesday night into Thursday morning could prove worthwhile, too. Meteor forecasting is still in its infancy, however, so the best bet for anyone truly hungry to spot shooting stars is to get in as much observing time as possible from around 11 p.m. Tuesday night until dawn Wednesday, and if you miss that show, try the same time frame Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. Meteors should be visible in the pre-dawn hours, weather permitting, all around the Northern Hemisphere . Earth passes through the densest part of the debris stream sometime on Aug.. 12, said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. Then, you could see dozens of meteors per hour. Viewing tips The best location is far from city and suburban lights. Ideally, find a structure, mountain or tree to block the moon. Then scan as much of the sky as possible. The meteors can appear anywhere, heading in any direction. If you trace their paths backward, they'll all point to the constellation Perseus. People in locations where any chill might occur should dress warmer than they think necessary to allow for prolonged viewing. Seasoned skywatchers advise using a blanket or lounge chair for comfort, so you can lie back and look up for long periods. Allow at least 15
Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human
(snapping fingers) Yeah, like Comcrap! --- On Wed, 8/12/09, Mr. Worf hellomahog...@gmail.com wrote: From: Mr. Worf hellomahog...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 3:05 AM Vampires have that whole mental manipulation thing so they could hypnotize someone into giving them money. I have always had a problem with the no reflection thing. It never made sense to me. Why wouldn't their image reflect? A mirror or video camera isn't a supernatural thing that views a soul's reflection right? On Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 9:03 PM, Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net wrote: I think the thing with vamps and most other supernatural creatures is twofold: one, they don't exist in the same numbers as us. Even a thousand powerful vamps would fall before a human army. And two, they have specific weaknesses which further allow humans to defeat them, such as sunlight, garlic, silver, religious symbols for vamps (depending on the treatment, not all of these are effective), silver for werewolves, etc. - Original Message - From: Mr. Worf HelloMahogany@ gmail.com To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 1:06:47 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human I am hooked on the show now. I was just telling someone about it last night.. I believe that a theme of the show is that bad things happen to good people. The thing about the characters is that they are just regular folks that have been turned into monsters (and a ghost) that was outside of their control. I have been wondering if there are any other supernatural creatures in their universe. Also, why are the vampires trying to take over the world (again)? Seems like they should have been able to do that a long time ago. On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 9:37 PM, Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net wrote: I know a couple of people mentioned Being Human. Anyone watching it other than them and me? I enjoy the show. It's light at times, but then very serious at times, even scary and creepy. Only the Brits can strike that balance in scifi so well. I like the characters-- i'll even forgive the eleventy millionth rendition of the young, hunky, angst-filled vampire. I find the whole society of vamps who look out for each other interesting (don't mind me brother; you just keep doing your orderly duties and let me sip a little blood from the patient in the bed. What? You won't let me feed off a patient? You want to be an outcast?!) The young ghost who can hold objects but can't be seen by many is interesting. The actress is good as a bright spirit (no pun intended) whose natural ebullience is tempered by the fact that she's a mostly insubstantial shade who can't yet crossover. Among all the curses suffered by the roomies, I'd think being a ghost would be the worst. At least the guys can enjoy some measure of life--at least even the vamp can hold a woman, and in this show, he even eats regular food every now and then. But what got me most recently is a show dealing with the young nebbish dude who's a werewolf. The show starts off with him transforming, and a voiceover speaks of the pain of the transformation. It states that, since the werewolf frame is smaller than a human, the organs all have to shrink: the heart must reduce in size, which is painful, as do the liver and the kidneys.. As the organs are rearranging themselves, bones break and reform, hormones are flooding into the system. At the height of the change, the narrator says in a eerily clinical tone, the organ restructuring is so bad that the organs literally shut down as they're reformed--the lycanthrope is effectively dying. But, he can't die, as adrenaline is pumped into the body in huge amounts, constantly keeping him alive, and of course the animal savagery starts kicking into gear. it's like a series of deaths-and-resurrec tions, all painful because none of the regular pain-killing hormones are working. I'm not quite accurate with my description, but the gist was I never ever thought of a werewolf change in those terms, and it was quite disturbing. kudo's for that. -- Bringing diversity to perversity for 9 years! Mahogany at: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/mahogany_ pleasures_ of_darkness/ -- Bringing diversity to perversity for 9 years! Mahogany at: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/mahogany_ pleasures_ of_darkness/
Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13
I think it's slow but entertaining...and a slightly obvious ploy at bring back steampunk to TV...I mean, since they did it on The Wild Wild West...unless there has been other attempts that I am aware of... --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:40 PM It's growing on me. Pilot was a bit tepid, but the subsequent shows are more engaging. It has a decent mix of humour and scifi. Still at times reminds me of a lightweight Friday the 13th. Some of the things, like using old video communicators, is both quaint and kinda silly, but you roll with it. Interesting that the artifacts are some combination of scientific and mystical at times. In that, they remind of the Green Lantern rings, which have been described as both super science, and magick. I enjoyed tonight's show about the ancient artifact that attaches itself to a person's spine, turning them into a crazed warrior with electrical powers (sucked from the victim's body). The artifact reminded me of nothing so much as the famous Tingler from the classic movie of the same name. Brought back some memories: that tingler scared the bejeezus outa me as a kid! - Original Message - From: Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 9:14:20 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 on Now Anyone watching Warehouse 13 on the--wait for it, Martin--all new SyFy? I'm just into the first ten minutes, so no way i can make a judgement, but wondered if anyone heard any early buzz on the show? I do recognize a couple of the actors. The lead actress played Jeremiah's traitorous lover on the show of the same name. And the mad scientist guy is memorable as Fajah (sp?), in the TNG ep about a rich dude who collects things, and tries to add Data to his collection. As always with Sci--er, SyFy, I'm divided. If the show sucks, it's another sorry show commissioned by the network. If it's good--and I must admit they've shown some good stuff here and there over the years--I fear it'll be canceled to soon. And when I see a show like this, I must confess it makes me wonder why the likes of Level 9, The Dresden Files, and others of this type were canceled. Throw in shows on other stations, like The Chronicle, John Doe, Jake 2.0, and G vs. E, and you wonder what this show's chances are. Maybe it'll catch on like Eureka?
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9
Oh well...That kills my speculations about District 9 going to be a tongue in cheek comedy... --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:04 PM I knew about it, but never made the connection until I heard it on Slice of SciFi. - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter truthseeker013@ lycos.com To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 8:00:28 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Thanks for that, Keith. I really didn't know about the Halo movie. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Date : Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:41:07 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com I heard on the podcast Slice of SciFi a fan call in and say how District 9 reminded him of ID4 and the videogame Halo. The hosts said, yeah it looks a lot like 'Halo', down to the aliens. They said that this is the case because, if you remember, Peter Jackson was initially engaged to do a movie version of Halo. Ultimately that project fell through, but the rumour is he was so far into planning for Halo, he decided to do a different concept, and gave the project over to another guy to direct as District 9. Not sure if this is true, but I do remember Jackson was working on a Halo movie. So i guess it's not a big stretch to think that the production setups he might have had in place for that were then moved to this flick. I need to do some research for the truth of this... - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Saturday, August 8, 2009 7:51:36 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Keith, I'm hyped for it as well. I've been avoiding any websites that hawk it in anyway, primarily because of my aversion to critics. All but one person I've spoken to regarding it are keen to see it as well. (That one refers to it as an 'Alien Nation' ripoff.) -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Date : Sat, 8 Aug 2009 06:55:00 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com The District 9 flick has me really intrigued. with its locale of South Africa (so different from usual Hollywood story locatons), it's gritty look, and the fact that it's a Peter Jackson joint, i have high hopes. Indeed, I'm actually looking forward to it more than I have any other movie so far this year, including Star Trek. Anyone heard any early buzz? I did find favorable reviews via jumping from Rotten Tomatoes (something I loathe to do, but as local newspapers fire more critics, I'm having to venture further afield to even find real critics). http://www.rottento matoes.com/ m/district_ 9/ * * * * * * * http://boxoffice. com/reviews/ 2009/07/district -9.php District 9 is about the apartheid struggle in South Africa. For those under the age of 35 or so, apartheid was the system of racial segregation legally established by the government of South Africa between 1948 and 1994. No matter what else it seems to be about, District 9 , a film made a young, white, South African director, is about apartheid. Co-writer/director Neill Blomkamp spent his formative years living under the system of apartheid and has conscientiously insinuated the issue into his film. The attitudes, ideals and actions of the characters, from everyday citizens to government officials and those in business, reflect those that were common during the apartheid regime. The filmmakers, including producer Peter Jackson, have stealthily laid the artifacts of these dark days beneath the guise of an Alien invasion movie that is intense, graphically novelistic (though it’s an original story) and just funny enough to keep you thoroughly entertained, even while the s! ! ubtext is of a very serious nature. Buzz and an also clever marketing scheme suggest this should be worth a few bucks at the box office—especially if the audience is mostly under 35. The film is told using a number of cinematic modes including documentary footage, mockumentary footage, newsreel accounts, surveillance cameras and the standard story elements of narrative fiction. This is actually less chaotic than it sounds and serves to move the narrative along at a brisk pace. There’s little need here for filler. The filmmakers can justify any narrative exposition by putting a camera on the action (any potential camera) and just showing us, or having the characters explain the action to the cameramen. When all else fails Blomkamp inserts a
Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human
It must be on a cable channel...I feel like I'm so far outside...(wah!!!) --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:04 PM Maybe they don't want to be too conspicuous. Hiding just within reach of power, but not so close that their comings and goings and doings would attract attention. - Original Message - From: Tracey de Morsella tdli...@multicultur aladvantage. com To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 3:00:15 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: RE: [scifinoir2] Being Human I love this show too. I have a question. Why are vampires Orderlies and Cops and Not heads of Hospitals and Police chiefs? From: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:scifinoir2@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Mr. Worf Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 10:07 PM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human I am hooked on the show now. I was just telling someone about it last night.. I believe that a theme of the show is that bad things happen to good people. The thing about the characters is that they are just regular folks that have been turned into monsters (and a ghost) that was outside of their control. I have been wondering if there are any other supernatural creatures in their universe. Also, why are the vampires trying to take over the world (again)? Seems like they should have been able to do that a long time ago. On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 9:37 PM, Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net wrote: I know a couple of people mentioned Being Human. Anyone watching it other than them and me? I enjoy the show. It's light at times, but then very serious at times, even scary and creepy. Only the Brits can strike that balance in scifi so well. I like the characters-- i'll even forgive the eleventy millionth rendition of the young, hunky, angst-filled vampire. I find the whole society of vamps who look out for each other interesting (don't mind me brother; you just keep doing your orderly duties and let me sip a little blood from the patient in the bed. What? You won't let me feed off a patient? You want to be an outcast?!) The young ghost who can hold objects but can't be seen by many is interesting. The actress is good as a bright spirit (no pun intended) whose natural ebullience is tempered by the fact that she's a mostly insubstantial shade who can't yet crossover. Among all the curses suffered by the roomies, I'd think being a ghost would be the worst. At least the guys can enjoy some measure of life--at least even the vamp can hold a woman, and in this show, he even eats regular food every now and then. But what got me most recently is a show dealing with the young nebbish dude who's a werewolf. The show starts off with him transforming, and a voiceover speaks of the pain of the transformation. It states that, since the werewolf frame is smaller than a human, the organs all have to shrink: the heart must reduce in size, which is painful, as do the liver and the kidneys.. As the organs are rearranging themselves, bones break and reform, hormones are flooding into the system. At the height of the change, the narrator says in a eerily clinical tone, the organ restructuring is so bad that the organs literally shut down as they're reformed--the lycanthrope is effectively dying. But, he can't die, as adrenaline is pumped into the body in huge amounts, constantly keeping him alive, and of course the animal savagery starts kicking into gear. it's like a series of deaths-and-resurrec tions, all painful because none of the regular pain-killing hormones are working. I'm not quite accurate with my description, but the gist was I never ever thought of a werewolf change in those terms, and it was quite disturbing. kudo's for that. -- Bringing diversity to perversity for 9 years! Mahogany at: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/mahogany_ pleasures_ of_darkness/
Re: [scifinoir2] Re: GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS
Try Hulu...Or Fancast... --- On Tue, 8/11/09, angelababycat asrobin...@mindspring.com wrote: From: angelababycat asrobin...@mindspring.com Subject: [scifinoir2] Re: GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 8:58 PM Has B5 ever gone into syndication? Hard to believe, but I actually never watched the show (I was in my mid-20's with a good job, nice car and no responsibility so I was never home). I thought of ordering it, but there's a giant price difference on Amazon between the 2004 and June 2009 release: $121 vs $270. Anyone know why? Wikipedia has some discussion that the transfer of Babylon 5 from fullscreen to widescreen (originally for the Sci-Fi Channel; later released on DVD) created significant problems with regard to special-effects/ CGI footage. But I can't tell it that's what got fixed in the 2009 release. Unlike in 1994, I now have a todler and am too pooped to do anything but watch TV at night. Angela --- In scifino...@yahoogro ups.com, Augustus Augustus jazzynupe_007@ ... wrote: i liked sinclair as the ambassador. i think they should have used his character in the later seasons. especially 45 when they were tying up all the loose ends. --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ ... wrote: From: Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ ... Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 12:25 AM  Yeah, fresh from the days of Scarecrow and Mrs. King and his many TV westerns and such. I thought he was okay in the role, but I always missed Sinclair for some reason. His understated performance worked for me in that world. - Original Message - From: Augustus Augustus jazzynupe_007@ yahoo.com To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 12:16:42 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS  Keith, i remember when they replaced Sinclair. that is what they wanted. someone a little younger and a little better known. at the time, boxleitner was a bigger star. Fate. --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 12:12 AM  I thought the first season of B5 was good. Lots of setup there: the introduction of Mr. Morden, the first appearance of a Shadow vessel (barely seen), an appearance of one of the other First Ones ships, the slow buildup of tension with Earthgov--it' s a great foundation for what came later. Never did understand why Sinclair was replaced: I guess they wanted a more Kirk-like character, rather than the more sedate Sinclair? - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter truthseeker013@ lycos.com To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Sunday, August 9, 2009 8:17:39 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS  I'm with you on Babylon 5 as well, Mr Worf. Aside from that snoozer of a first season and the jarring effect of the removal of Commander Sinclair and being replaced by Captain Sheridan, that series cooked with gas. I really can't see how thw Dominion War was dragged out. It lasted four years, shorter than WWII. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [scifinoir2] GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS Date : Sat, 8 Aug 2009 17:14:48 -0700 From : Mr. Worf HelloMahogany@ gmail.com To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com I would agree to Babylon 5 but not DS9. They were dragging the war out. The only thing that I did enjoy was the development of Odo's character. On Sat, Aug 8, 2009 at 5:22 AM, Martin Baxter wrote: On that, I have to disagree, Mr Worf. For me, the last two seasons of DSNine were some of the best TV I've ever watched. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [scifinoir2] GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS Date : Fri, 7 Aug 2009 16:32:13 -0700 From : Mr. Worf To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com I think DS9 ran out of steam about a year before it ended. The writing was starting to slack off a bit. On Fri, Aug 7, 2009 at 12:13 PM, George Arterberry brotherfromhoward@ yahoo.com wrote: Cleoptara 2525 --- On *Fri, 8/7/09, Bosco Bosco * wrote: From: Bosco Bosco Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] GREATEST CANCELED SCIFI SHOWS To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Date: Friday, August 7, 2009, 12:04 PM Jim Baker and Tammy Faye Bakers 80's show, The PTL Club. Jim J and Tammy Faye Baker's 90's day time show, The Jim J and Tammy Faye Show.
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight
ha! - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter truthseeker...@lycos.com To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 7:43:43 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Yes, Keith, it cleared up beautifully here at about 6:30. When you posted this, I was right at my bedroom window. Sound asleep. :P -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Date : Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:06:11 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com i know! Think it's okay now, though. - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 7:47:37 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Dangit! It *would* have to get cloudy hereabouts. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Date : Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:29:31 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20090811/sc_space/strongmeteorshowerexpectedtonight The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show this week for those willing to get up in the wee hours of the morning and wait patiently for the shooting stars . In North America, the best time to watch will be between midnight to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, but late Tuesday night and also Wednesday night could prove fruitful, weather permitting. The Perseids are always reliable , and sometimes rather spectacular. The only things that puts a damper on the August show are bad weather or bright moonlight. Unfortunately this week, as the Perseids reach their peak Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the moon will be high in the sky , outshining the fainter meteors. Still, skywatchers around the globe will have a good chance of spotting the brighter meteors. Some already are enjoying the show . Already underway The Perseids are bits of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which has laid down several streams of debris, each in a slightly different location, over the centuries as it orbits the sun. Every August, Earth passes through these debris streams, which spread out over time. They are typically fast, bright and occasionally leave persistent trains, says Joe Rao, SPACE.com's Skywatching Columnist. And every once in a while, a Perseid fireball will blaze forth, bright enough to be quite spectacular and more than capable to attract attention even in bright moonlight. Low numbers of Perseids, including some bright fireballs , have already been reported as Earth began entering the stream in late July. Seasoned observers have counted up to 25 per hour already, or nearly one every two minutes. Most meteors are no bigger than a pea. They vaporize as they enter Earth's atmosphere , creating bright streaks across the sky . The Perseids appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which rises high in the sky around midnight and is nearly overhead by dawn. Like most meteor showers , the hours between midnight and daybreak are typically the best time to watch, because that's when the side of Earth you are on is rotating into the direction of Earth's travels through space, so meteors are scooped up by the atmosphere at higher rates, much like a car's windshield ends the lives of more bugs than does the rear bumper. Astronomers expect up to 200 meteors per hour in short bursts of up to 15 minutes or so. But many of the fainter meteors will simply not be visible due to moonlight, and rates will go down even more for those in urban areas. More likely a typical observer under reasonably dark skies might hope to see a meteor every couple minutes when the bursts come, and fewer during lulls. When to watch The best time to watch is between midnight and dawn Wednesday. Forecasters say the best stretch could come between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. ET (1-2 a.m. PT), which would be after daybreak in Europe. Some Perseids might be visible late Tuesday night, and Wednesday night into Thursday morning could prove worthwhile, too. Meteor forecasting is still in its infancy, however, so the best bet for anyone truly hungry to spot shooting stars is to get in as much observing time as possible from around 11 p.m. Tuesday night until dawn Wednesday, and if you miss that show, try the same time frame Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. Meteors should be visible in the pre-dawn hours, weather permitting, all around the Northern Hemisphere . Earth passes through the densest part of the debris stream sometime on Aug. 12, said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. Then, you could see dozens of meteors per hour. Viewing tips The best location is far from city
Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13
What makes this project steampunk? c w m is the answer - C.W. Badieastromancer2...@yahoo.com wrote: I think it's slow but entertaining...and a slightly obvious ploy at bring back steampunk to TV...I mean, since they did it on The Wild Wild West...unless there has been other attempts that I am aware of... --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:40 PM It's growing on me. Pilot was a bit tepid, but the subsequent shows are more engaging. It has a decent mix of humour and scifi. Still at times reminds me of a lightweight Friday the 13th. Some of the things, like using old video communicators, is both quaint and kinda silly, but you roll with it. Interesting that the artifacts are some combination of scientific and mystical at times. In that, they remind of the Green Lantern rings, which have been described as both super science, and magick. I enjoyed tonight's show about the ancient artifact that attaches itself to a person's spine, turning them into a crazed warrior with electrical powers (sucked from the victim's body). The artifact reminded me of nothing so much as the famous Tingler from the classic movie of the same name. Brought back some memories: that tingler scared the bejeezus outa me as a kid! - Original Message - From: Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 9:14:20 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 on Now Anyone watching Warehouse 13 on the--wait for it, Martin--all new SyFy? I'm just into the first ten minutes, so no way i can make a judgement, but wondered if anyone heard any early buzz on the show? I do recognize a couple of the actors. The lead actress played Jeremiah's traitorous lover on the show of the same name. And the mad scientist guy is memorable as Fajah (sp?), in the TNG ep about a rich dude who collects things, and tries to add Data to his collection. As always with Sci--er, SyFy, I'm divided. If the show sucks, it's another sorry show commissioned by the network. If it's good--and I must admit they've shown some good stuff here and there over the years--I fear it'll be canceled to soon. And when I see a show like this, I must confess it makes me wonder why the likes of Level 9, The Dresden Files, and others of this type were canceled. Throw in shows on other stations, like The Chronicle, John Doe, Jake 2.0, and G vs. E, and you wonder what this show's chances are. Maybe it'll catch on like Eureka?
Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13
Steampunk is basically anything that has the look of mechanically or electrical that was made in the 18th and 19th century. Their communicators, computers, access system all has that vintage look. It is something that grew on me. It is very popular in Japan, and ties in well with the Victorian style clothing. On Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 8:03 PM, Omari Confer clockwork...@gmail.comwrote: What makes this project steampunk? c w m is the answer - C.W. Badieastromancer2...@yahoo.com wrote: I think it's slow but entertaining...and a slightly obvious ploy at bring back steampunk to TV...I mean, since they did it on The Wild Wild West...unless there has been other attempts that I am aware of... --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:40 PM It's growing on me. Pilot was a bit tepid, but the subsequent shows are more engaging. It has a decent mix of humour and scifi. Still at times reminds me of a lightweight Friday the 13th. Some of the things, like using old video communicators, is both quaint and kinda silly, but you roll with it. Interesting that the artifacts are some combination of scientific and mystical at times. In that, they remind of the Green Lantern rings, which have been described as both super science, and magick. I enjoyed tonight's show about the ancient artifact that attaches itself to a person's spine, turning them into a crazed warrior with electrical powers (sucked from the victim's body). The artifact reminded me of nothing so much as the famous Tingler from the classic movie of the same name. Brought back some memories: that tingler scared the bejeezus outa me as a kid! - Original Message - From: Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 9:14:20 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 on Now Anyone watching Warehouse 13 on the--wait for it, Martin--all new SyFy? I'm just into the first ten minutes, so no way i can make a judgement, but wondered if anyone heard any early buzz on the show? I do recognize a couple of the actors. The lead actress played Jeremiah's traitorous lover on the show of the same name. And the mad scientist guy is memorable as Fajah (sp?), in the TNG ep about a rich dude who collects things, and tries to add Data to his collection. As always with Sci--er, SyFy, I'm divided. If the show sucks, it's another sorry show commissioned by the network. If it's good--and I must admit they've shown some good stuff here and there over the years--I fear it'll be canceled to soon. And when I see a show like this, I must confess it makes me wonder why the likes of Level 9, The Dresden Files, and others of this type were canceled. Throw in shows on other stations, like The Chronicle, John Doe, Jake 2.0, and G vs. E, and you wonder what this show's chances are. Maybe it'll catch on like Eureka? Post your SciFiNoir Profile at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/app/peoplemap2/entry/add?fmvn=mapYahoo! Groups Links -- Bringing diversity to perversity for 9 years! Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight
What about from the planetarium on Lake Michigan? - Original Message - From: C.W. Badie astromancer2...@yahoo.com To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 8:22:59 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight I couldn't see spit...I live deep in the middle of light-polluted Chicago... --- On Wed, 8/12/09, Martin Baxter truthseeker...@lycos.com wrote: From: Martin Baxter truthseeker...@lycos.com Subject: [RE][scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 6:47 AM Dangit! It *would* have to get cloudy hereabouts. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight Date : Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:29:31 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight http://news. yahoo.com/ s/space/20090811 /sc_space/ strongmeteorshow erexpectedtonigh t The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show this week for those willing to get up in the wee hours of the morning and wait patiently for the shooting stars . In North America, the best time to watch will be between midnight to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, but late Tuesday night and also Wednesday night could prove fruitful, weather permitting. The Perseids are always reliable , and sometimes rather spectacular. The only things that puts a damper on the August show are bad weather or bright moonlight. Unfortunately this week, as the Perseids reach their peak Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the moon will be high in the sky , outshining the fainter meteors. Still, skywatchers around the globe will have a good chance of spotting the brighter meteors. Some already are enjoying the show .. Already underway The Perseids are bits of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which has laid down several streams of debris, each in a slightly different location, over the centuries as it orbits the sun. Every August, Earth passes through these debris streams, which spread out over time. They are typically fast, bright and occasionally leave persistent trains, says Joe Rao, SPACE.com's Skywatching Columnist. And every once in a while, a Perseid fireball will blaze forth, bright enough to be quite spectacular and more than capable to attract attention even in bright moonlight. Low numbers of Perseids, including some bright fireballs , have already been reported as Earth began entering the stream in late July. Seasoned observers have counted up to 25 per hour already, or nearly one every two minutes. Most meteors are no bigger than a pea.. They vaporize as they enter Earth's atmosphere , creating bright streaks across the sky . The Perseids appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which rises high in the sky around midnight and is nearly overhead by dawn. Like most meteor showers , the hours between midnight and daybreak are typically the best time to watch, because that's when the side of Earth you are on is rotating into the direction of Earth's travels through space, so meteors are scooped up by the atmosphere at higher rates, much like a car's windshield ends the lives of more bugs than does the rear bumper. Astronomers expect up to 200 meteors per hour in short bursts of up to 15 minutes or so. But many of the fainter meteors will simply not be visible due to moonlight, and rates will go down even more for those in urban areas. More likely a typical observer under reasonably dark skies might hope to see a meteor every couple minutes when the bursts come, and fewer during lulls. When to watch The best time to watch is between midnight and dawn Wednesday. Forecasters say the best stretch could come between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. ET (1-2 a.m. PT), which would be after daybreak in Europe. Some Perseids might be visible late Tuesday night, and Wednesday night into Thursday morning could prove worthwhile, too. Meteor forecasting is still in its infancy, however, so the best bet for anyone truly hungry to spot shooting stars is to get in as much observing time as possible from around 11 p.m. Tuesday night until dawn Wednesday, and if you miss that show, try the same time frame Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. Meteors should be visible in the pre-dawn hours, weather permitting, all around the Northern Hemisphere . Earth passes through the densest part of the debris stream sometime on Aug. 12, said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. Then, you could see dozens of meteors per hour. Viewing tips The best location is far from city and suburban lights. Ideally, find a structure, mountain or tree to block the moon. Then scan as much of the sky as possible. The meteors can appear anywhere, heading in any direction. If you trace their paths backward,
Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13
I wouldn't really call it steampunk, at least, not in the manner of Wild Wild West, The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., etc. It has some elements, of course, but the fact it takes place in modern times gives it a different flavor. - Original Message - From: C.W. Badie astromancer2...@yahoo.com To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 10:16:07 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 I think it's slow but entertaining...and a slightly obvious ploy at bring back steampunk to TV...I mean, since they did it on The Wild Wild West...unless there has been other attempts that I am aware of... --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:40 PM It's growing on me. Pilot was a bit tepid, but the subsequent shows are more engaging. It has a decent mix of humour and scifi. Still at times reminds me of a lightweight Friday the 13th. Some of the things, like using old video communicators, is both quaint and kinda silly, but you roll with it. Interesting that the artifacts are some combination of scientific and mystical at times. In that, they remind of the Green Lantern rings, which have been described as both super science, and magick. I enjoyed tonight's show about the ancient artifact that attaches itself to a person's spine, turning them into a crazed warrior with electrical powers (sucked from the victim's body). The artifact reminded me of nothing so much as the famous Tingler from the classic movie of the same name. Brought back some memories: that tingler scared the bejeezus outa me as a kid! - Original Message - From: Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 9:14:20 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [scifinoir2] Warehouse 13 on Now Anyone watching Warehouse 13 on the--wait for it, Martin--all new SyFy? I'm just into the first ten minutes, so no way i can make a judgement, but wondered if anyone heard any early buzz on the show? I do recognize a couple of the actors. The lead actress played Jeremiah's traitorous lover on the show of the same name. And the mad scientist guy is memorable as Fajah (sp?), in the TNG ep about a rich dude who collects things, and tries to add Data to his collection. As always with Sci--er, SyFy, I'm divided. If the show sucks, it's another sorry show commissioned by the network. If it's good--and I must admit they've shown some good stuff here and there over the years--I fear it'll be canceled to soon. And when I see a show like this, I must confess it makes me wonder why the likes of Level 9, The Dresden Files, and others of this type were canceled. Throw in shows on other stations, like The Chronicle, John Doe, Jake 2.0, and G vs. E, and you wonder what this show's chances are. Maybe it'll catch on like Eureka?
Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9
Oh definitely not! Check those trailers to see it's pretty darn serious... - Original Message - From: C.W. Badie astromancer2...@yahoo.com To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 10:23:07 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Oh well...That kills my speculations about District 9 going to be a tongue in cheek comedy... --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:04 PM I knew about it, but never made the connection until I heard it on Slice of SciFi. - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter truthseeker013@ lycos.com To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 8:00:28 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Thanks for that, Keith. I really didn't know about the Halo movie. -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Date : Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:41:07 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com I heard on the podcast Slice of SciFi a fan call in and say how District 9 reminded him of ID4 and the videogame Halo. The hosts said, yeah it looks a lot like 'Halo', down to the aliens. They said that this is the case because, if you remember, Peter Jackson was initially engaged to do a movie version of Halo. Ultimately that project fell through, but the rumour is he was so far into planning for Halo, he decided to do a different concept, and gave the project over to another guy to direct as District 9. Not sure if this is true, but I do remember Jackson was working on a Halo movie. So i guess it's not a big stretch to think that the production setups he might have had in place for that were then moved to this flick. I need to do some research for the truth of this... - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Saturday, August 8, 2009 7:51:36 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [RE][scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Keith, I'm hyped for it as well. I've been avoiding any websites that hawk it in anyway, primarily because of my aversion to critics. All but one person I've spoken to regarding it are keen to see it as well. (That one refers to it as an 'Alien Nation' ripoff.) -[ Received Mail Content ]-- Subject : [scifinoir2] Looking forward to District 9 Date : Sat, 8 Aug 2009 06:55:00 + (UTC) From : Keith Johnson To : scifino...@yahoogro ups.com The District 9 flick has me really intrigued. with its locale of South Africa (so different from usual Hollywood story locatons), it's gritty look, and the fact that it's a Peter Jackson joint, i have high hopes. Indeed, I'm actually looking forward to it more than I have any other movie so far this year, including Star Trek. Anyone heard any early buzz? I did find favorable reviews via jumping from Rotten Tomatoes (something I loathe to do, but as local newspapers fire more critics, I'm having to venture further afield to even find real critics). http://www.rottento matoes.com/ m/district_ 9/ * * * * * * * http://boxoffice. com/reviews/ 2009/07/district -9.php District 9 is about the apartheid struggle in South Africa. For those under the age of 35 or so, apartheid was the system of racial segregation legally established by the government of South Africa between 1948 and 1994. No matter what else it seems to be about, District 9 , a film made a young, white, South African director, is about apartheid. Co-writer/director Neill Blomkamp spent his formative years living under the system of apartheid and has conscientiously insinuated the issue into his film. The attitudes, ideals and actions of the characters, from everyday citizens to government officials and those in business, reflect those that were common during the apartheid regime. The filmmakers, including producer Peter Jackson, have stealthily laid the artifacts of these dark days beneath the guise of an Alien invasion movie that is intense, graphically novelistic (though it’s an original story) and just funny enough to keep you thoroughly entertained, even while the s! ! ubtext is of a very serious nature. Buzz and an also clever marketing scheme suggest this should be worth a few bucks at the box office—especially if the audience is mostly under 35. The film is told using a number of cinematic modes including documentary footage, mockumentary footage, newsreel accounts, surveillance cameras and the standard story elements of narrative fiction. This is actually less chaotic
Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human
Yeah it's on BBC America... - Original Message - From: C.W. Badie astromancer2...@yahoo.com To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 10:24:27 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human It must be on a cable channel...I feel like I'm so far outside...(wah!!!) --- On Tue, 8/11/09, Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net wrote: From: Keith Johnson keithbjohn...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:04 PM Maybe they don't want to be too conspicuous. Hiding just within reach of power, but not so close that their comings and goings and doings would attract attention. - Original Message - From: Tracey de Morsella tdli...@multicultur aladvantage. com To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 3:00:15 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: RE: [scifinoir2] Being Human I love this show too. I have a question. Why are vampires Orderlies and Cops and Not heads of Hospitals and Police chiefs? From: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:scifinoir2@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Mr. Worf Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 10:07 PM To: scifino...@yahoogro ups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Being Human I am hooked on the show now. I was just telling someone about it last night. I believe that a theme of the show is that bad things happen to good people. The thing about the characters is that they are just regular folks that have been turned into monsters (and a ghost) that was outside of their control. I have been wondering if there are any other supernatural creatures in their universe. Also, why are the vampires trying to take over the world (again)? Seems like they should have been able to do that a long time ago. On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 9:37 PM, Keith Johnson KeithBJohnson@ comcast.net wrote: I know a couple of people mentioned Being Human. Anyone watching it other than them and me? I enjoy the show. It's light at times, but then very serious at times, even scary and creepy. Only the Brits can strike that balance in scifi so well. I like the characters-- i'll even forgive the eleventy millionth rendition of the young, hunky, angst-filled vampire. I find the whole society of vamps who look out for each other interesting (don't mind me brother; you just keep doing your orderly duties and let me sip a little blood from the patient in the bed. What? You won't let me feed off a patient? You want to be an outcast?!) The young ghost who can hold objects but can't be seen by many is interesting. The actress is good as a bright spirit (no pun intended) whose natural ebullience is tempered by the fact that she's a mostly insubstantial shade who can't yet crossover. Among all the curses suffered by the roomies, I'd think being a ghost would be the worst. At least the guys can enjoy some measure of life--at least even the vamp can hold a woman, and in this show, he even eats regular food every now and then. But what got me most recently is a show dealing with the young nebbish dude who's a werewolf. The show starts off with him transforming, and a voiceover speaks of the pain of the transformation. It states that, since the werewolf frame is smaller than a human, the organs all have to shrink: the heart must reduce in size, which is painful, as do the liver and the kidneys. As the organs are rearranging themselves, bones break and reform, hormones are flooding into the system. At the height of the change, the narrator says in a eerily clinical tone, the organ restructuring is so bad that the organs literally shut down as they're reformed--the lycanthrope is effectively dying. But, he can't die, as adrenaline is pumped into the body in huge amounts, constantly keeping him alive, and of course the animal savagery starts kicking into gear. it's like a series of deaths-and-resurrec tions, all painful because none of the regular pain-killing hormones are working. I'm not quite accurate with my description, but the gist was I never ever thought of a werewolf change in those terms, and it was quite disturbing. kudo's for that. -- Bringing diversity to perversity for 9 years! Mahogany at: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/mahogany_ pleasures_ of_darkness/
