Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror
×

Comment Re:I consider Pluto a planet... (Score 1) 196

I considered Pluto to be a planet up until about five minutes ago. I came upon this picture showing the major bodies that could also be considered planets. Being unfamiliar with Orcus, I decided to read its Wikipedia entry, and I came across this:

Orcus is a plutino, locked in a 2:3 resonance with Neptune, making two revolutions around the Sun to every three of Neptune's. This is much like Pluto, except that it is constrained to always be in the opposite phase of its orbit from Pluto: Orcus is at aphelion when Pluto is at perihelion and vice versa. Because of this, along with its large moon Vanth that recalls Pluto's large moon Charon, Orcus has been seen as the anti-Pluto.

Orcus and Pluto have "mirror image" orbits, and are both tied to Neptune's orbit. Then it struck me that that makes them like Jupiter's trojan satellites, or the asteroid that is in a horseshoe orbit around Earth.

Pluto just happens to be in a gravitational "sweet spot" with respect to Neptune. Orcus is at another. That gravitational sweet spot also explains why Pluto has five moons, and maybe even rings. Pluto is just a piece of dirty ice that got caught in a gravity divot. Same with its moons. Apparently, all of the other Kuiper belt "planet candidates" are also in gravitational resonance with Neptune.

Comment Re:In search of... (Score 1) 411

Spock was always one for a joke, though.

In the Naked Time - after a swashbuckling, sword wielding Sulu is subdued: "Take D’Artagnan here to Sick Bay"

Mudd's Women
McCoy: Well, we found a whole world of minds that work just like yours - logical, unemotional, completely pragmatic - and we poor, irrational humans whipped them in a fair fight. Now you'll find yourself back among us illogical humans again.
Spock: Which I find eminently satisfactory, Doctor, for NOWHERE am I so DESPERATELY needed as among a shipload of illogical humans.

McCoy: Besides, he has avoided two appointments that I've made for his physical exam without reason.
Spock: It's not at all surprising, Doctor. He's probably terrified of your beads and rattles.

Mirror, Mirror:
Indeed, gentlemen. May I point out that I had an opportunity to observe your counterparts here quite closely. They were brutal, savage, unprincipled, uncivilized, treacherous - in every way splendid examples of homo sapiens, the very flower of humanity. I found them quite refreshing.

Friday's Child:
Spock: The child was named Leonard James Akaar?
McCoy: Has a kind of a ring to it, don't you think, James?
Captain James T. Kirk: Yes, I think it's a name destined to go down in galactic history, Leonard. What do you think, Spock?
Spock: I think you're both gonna be insufferably pleased with yourselves for at least a month... sir.

A piece of the Action:
Spock: [balking at the prospect of another ride in a car with Kirk at the wheel] Captain, must we?
Capt. Kirk: It's faster than walking.
Spock: But not as safe.
Capt. Kirk: Are you afraid of cars?
Spock: Not at all, Captain. It's your DRIVING that alarms me.

The Changeling - After Kirk argues the Nomad/Tan-Ru probe into self destriction:
Spock: Your logic was impeccable, Captain. We are in grave danger.

Comment Re: Note that this is a little different from sof (Score 1) 207

So you should be able to copy a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle (I.e., copy the bourbon, bottle, and label), tie a label to the bottle that reads "made by J. McDonald" and sell it?

Sure. Why not? Who would be harmed? Certainly not the buyer, who knows exactly what they're getting. Who else would have any standing?

The buyer's buyer.

Either the buyer's buyer was also informed about who the original manufacturer was, or the initial buyer/reseller is obviously committing fraud. But that has nothing to do with the original transaction, which was not fraudulent and harmed no one.

Comment Re: Note that this is a little different from sof (Score 1) 207

So you should be able to copy a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle (I.e., copy the bourbon, bottle, and label), tie a label to the bottle that reads "made by J. McDonald" and sell it?

Sure. Why not? Who would be harmed? Certainly not the buyer, who knows exactly what they're getting. Who else would have any standing?

Slashdot Top Deals

Top Ten Things Overheard At The ANSI C Draft Committee Meetings: (5) All right, who's the wiseguy who stuck this trigraph stuff in here?

Working...