Cancer

Re: The Last Word Nope. Just call it drive-by spectroscopy comments.

Re: The Last Word 6437.698A is a line of singly ionized Europium. It's got some unfortunate blends to it so its not as nice a line as 6645.127 of the same species and multiplet. Europium is perhaps unique among the elements spectroscopically accessible in red giant stars in that all its isotopes are r-process isotopes; that is, the element is made more or less exclusively in core collapse supernovae. (Just about all the other elements heavier than iron that you can hope to observe are formed at least in part by the s-process, which happens in stable stars.) Consequently, europium is oddly important in studies of galactic chemical evolution, providing an independent handle on how much supernovae have contributed to the material that's in a given star. (Sadly, my rep power skipped over the two forbidden lines of neutral oxygen, 6300 and 6363, the first of which is my choice for the most important single spectral line to get in a red giant's spectrum. Oh well.)

Re: A Thread for Random Musings The young'uns here may not understand, but with this place just a few blocks from my office, I have to see their current lead show before it ends in late April.

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER Durn. Can't rep ya again yet.

Re: The Last Word Well, some disadvantages can be chosen. Some cannot.

Re: The Last Word There once was a soft drink named Wink. Haven't tasted it in about 40 years.

Re: The Last Word Ahh, the bliss of ignorance.

Re: The Last Word ... until the heavens take notice and shake back.

Re: The Last Word Hard to say. It'd be different. I'd definitely think again about this DEX 6 I chose to take, that's for sure.

Re: Musings on Random Musings As opposed to, "Hi, welcome to WMDs-R-Us! How can I help you?"

Re: The Last Word Unluck is a disadvantage I'll never build into character. Unless I am trying to get him killed in the opening session.

Re: "Neat" Pictures

Re: The cranky thread Heh. Yeah, I knew that. Chances are, you'll be giving the vendor some wonderful new cases their QA couldn't be bothered to think of, and you get to pay them for the privilege.

Re: The Last Word When I rotate the right ankle, it sounds like someone gently squeezing a sock full of gravel. Not painful, nothing obvious visible, and doesn't give me much trouble. It can't take a whole lot of impact stress, though, without me feeling it. I've kept myself to low-impact stuff for quite some time.

Re: The cranky thread And, dammit, how do I get the main toolbar back on Firefox on the Mac? the one where the URL is there I can copy-paste to/from?

Re: The cranky thread Those filthy, piratical b******s churned out another infinitesimally different edition of the 101 textbook again. Rape those poor students for every last piastre.

Re: The Last Word Hm, I've had ankle sprains, one that I most certainly had to see the doctor for. Damaged that ankle for life. Again, playing basketball. As the famous "Miracle On Ice" 1980 Olympics hockey game was being played, in fact.

Re: The Last Word Indeed.

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER Collective stupidity you can bank on. Individual stupidity is much dicier.

Re: The Last Word Heh. In a not-so-naughty episode, I recall one gym session where the group of us had a decent workout, did a cool-down water break, and then started a 5-on-5 basketball game. First time I took a jump shot, both of my calves cramped solid about the instant I was no longer in contact with the floor. I learned that it's hard to do a breakfall when nothing south of your knees is functioning properly. Then I crawled off, unlocked my lower legs, and limped away to the shower.

Re: The cranky thread Gee, which Microsoft product are you trying to use today?

Re: The Last Word Distilled spirits are an acquired taste, but....

Re: The Last Word Actually, that isn't true. Sampling fine whiskey with one's father is just unspeakably cool.

Re: The Last Word AFAIK my folks have never tried it; but my dad was a 2+ pack a day tobacco user as long as Mom knew him, until he gave it up because they could no longer afford it about 3 years before he died. Of course, for that matter, I have never tried it, as implausible as that seems.

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER I would never call a moderator putrid. Not on the boards, anyway.