Category: The Universe

Happy 303rd Birthday, Benjamin Franklin!

In 1783 he wrote to Sir Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society:

Furnished as all Europe now is with Academies of Science, with nice instruments and the spirit of experiment, the progress of human knowledge will be rapid and discoveries made of which we have at present no conception. I begin to be almost sorry I was born so soon, since I cannot have the happiness of knowing what will be known a hundred years hence.

We’re sure he would have been even happier to see what had been discovered 200 years thence, and would have felt right at home in the Hare & Hedgepig.

January 2009 Incredible Morphing Chameleon Thread

A new year, a blank slate!

Unlike the random thread, this discussion thread stays on topic until the topic changes or the month ends.

Newcomers should read The Rules and The Guide before plunging in.

Current topic: Silly laws

Happy 178th Birthday, Emily Dickinson!

In one of her letters she wrote:

If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. These are the only ways I know it. Is there any other way?

You pretty much have to celebrate the birthday of someone who feels like that.

December 2008 Incredible Morphing Chameleon Thread

Unlike the random thread, this discussion thread stays on topic until the topic changes or the month ends.

Newcomers should read The Rules and The Guide before plunging in.

Current topic: Snow, and things to do in/with it
Holiday “wish” lists

November 2008 Incredible Morphing Chameleon Thread

Unlike the random thread, this discussion thread stays on topic until the topic changes or the month ends.

Newcomers should read The Rules and The Guide before plunging in.

Current topic: Puzzles and riddles

O Canada!

By request of Kagcomix, a thread about Canada. About time, eh?

By request of Kagcomix, a thread about Canada. About time, eh?

Ô Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Our Reclusive Gardens, Part 2

This online daydream started with a comment by oxlin:

Bah. I’m sick of society. I want to go live in a shack somewhere with Teal and not pollute and eat mushrooms and herbs we gather and carrots we grow and draw and write and be happy.

Where would you rather be right now?

Continued from Part One.

MuseBlog Chess, v. 4

Most games on previous chess threads have gone inactive. We’ll move those still in progress to this thread to keep them visible.

Board 1: The Bookworm (White) vs. earthgirl Robert (Black)
###pgn###
1. d4 g5
2. e3 h6
3. c3 Nc6
4. g3 Bg7
5. a3 d5
6. Nf3 Nf6
7. Bd2 a6
8. Bd3 Bh3
9. Bf1 Bxf1
10. Rxf1 Qd7
%%%pgn%%%

——————————
Board 2: bookgirl_me (White) vs. Robert (Black)
###pgn###
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nf6
3. Nc3 Nc6
4. d3 Bb4
5. Bd2 d6
6. a3 Bc5
7. Be2 Nd4
8. O-O 0-0
9. Be3 Nxf3+
10. Bxf3 Bxe3
11. f2xe3 c6
12. d4 Re8
13. d4xe5 d6xe5
14. Qd3 Ng4
15. h3 Qxd3
16. c2xd3 Nxe3
17. f1e1 Nc2
18. Ra1c1 Nxe1
19. Rxe1 Rd8
20. Bg4 Bxg4
21. h3xg4 Rxd3
22. Rd1 Rxd1+
23. Nxd1 Rd8
24. Ne3 Rd4
%%%pgn%%%

——————————
Board 3: SyllabubSequoia (White) vs. Logogeo96 Cromwell(OB2012) (Black)
###pgn###
1. Nh3 d5
2. a4 e5
3. Nc3 c6
4. g4 f6
5. e3 Be6
6. Bg2 Bd6
7. f3 g5
8. Ra3 f5
9. Nxg5 Bxa3
10. b2xa3 Qxg5
11. Bh3 Qh4+
12. Ke2 Qxh3
13. Qf1 f5xg4
14. f3xg4 Qxg4+
15. Ke1 Nf6
16. Qxf6 Rf8
17. Qxe5 Nd7
18. Qd6 Bf7
19. d4 Bg6
20. Nd1 Qg2
21. Nf2 Qxf2+
22. Kd1 Qxc2+
23. Ke1 Qxc1+
24. Ke2 Qc2+
25. Ke1 Bd3
26. Qe6+ Kd8
27. Qg4 Rg8
28. Qxg8+ Kc7
29. Qg3+ Ne5
30. Qxe5+ Kd7
31. Qg7+
%%%pgn%%%

——————————
Board 4: Raynpho (White) vs. LadyGaladrielRoseQuartz (Black)

###pgn###
1. e4 c6
2. Bc4 g6
3. Qf3 Nf6
4. Nc3 Nxe4
5. Qxe4 d5
6. Bxd5 c6xd5
7. Qxd5 Qxd5
8. Nxd5 g5
9. Nf3
%%%pgn%%%
——————————

Board 5: Cello-Playing Mathematician (White) vs. Errata (Black)

###pgn###
%%%pgn%%%
——————————

Board 6: Enceladus (White) vs. Sequoia (Black)

###pgn###
1. e4
%%%pgn%%%
——————————

(For reference, the squares are coded like this:)

BLACK

a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 b6 c6 c6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1

WHITE