Comments on: Drive-by Posting http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:59:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Cynthia http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-308773 Cynthia Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:35:12 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-308773 The party sounds great! I just wandered here through who knows what series of links but thought you might like to know about the "Special Effects Cookbook : easy to create recipes for food that smokes, erupts, moves, sings, glows, talks, cracks, pops, and swims!" It includes a volcano that erupts. Most of it relies on dry ice, effervescence, and other simple tricks but it's still pretty thought provoking for kids. Now I'm off to follow some of your links. The party sounds great! I just wandered here through who knows what series of links but thought you might like to know about the “Special Effects Cookbook : easy to create recipes for food that smokes, erupts, moves, sings, glows, talks, cracks, pops, and swims!” It includes a volcano that erupts. Most of it relies on dry ice, effervescence, and other simple tricks but it’s still pretty thought provoking for kids.

Now I’m off to follow some of your links.

]]> By: LSST Finds External Funding « Life as a Physicist http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-308572 LSST Finds External Funding « Life as a Physicist Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:57:40 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-308572 [...] is old news, especially if you read other science blogs (I first saw mention of it on the 4th). But I wanted to post it for several reasons. First - this [...] [...] is old news, especially if you read other science blogs (I first saw mention of it on the 4th). But I wanted to post it for several reasons. First - this [...]

]]> By: LSST Finds External Funding « Life as a Physicist http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-308573 LSST Finds External Funding « Life as a Physicist Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:57:40 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-308573 [...] is old news, especially if you read other science blogs (I first saw mention of it on the 4th). But I wanted to post it for several reasons. First - this [...] [...] is old news, especially if you read other science blogs (I first saw mention of it on the 4th). But I wanted to post it for several reasons. First - this [...]

]]> By: The Latest AAS Meeting, So What? http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-308024 The Latest AAS Meeting, So What? Thu, 10 Jan 2008 04:05:46 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-308024 [...] now, all the cool kids are playing astronomical kickball in Austin this week without me. Sure, they get lots of [...] [...] now, all the cool kids are playing astronomical kickball in Austin this week without me. Sure, they get lots of [...]

]]> By: B http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307944 B Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:26:52 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307944 Hi Count: Thanks, I feel much slimmer now. - B. Hi Count: Thanks, I feel much slimmer now. - B.

]]> By: Count Iblis http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307914 Count Iblis Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:07:03 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307914 The problem is: How to eat that cake without looking <a href="http://www.medgadget.com/archives/img/5412514.jpg" rel="nofollow">like this</a> afterwards. :) The problem is: How to eat that cake without looking like this afterwards. :)

]]> By: Dave S. http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307913 Dave S. Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:53:28 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307913 <i>The AAS has arranged a private screening of Real Genius. I am stoked!</i> I am jealous...is Val Kilmer showing up? The AAS has arranged a private screening of Real Genius. I am stoked!

I am jealous…is Val Kilmer showing up?

]]> By: Julianne http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307904 Julianne Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:46:56 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307904 The cake was two 6" rounds stacked on two 8" rounds, stacked on two 9" rounds, with frosting in between. A 9" and 6" round have nearly the same area as two 8" rounds, so you can just triple a normal recipe. (For the cake layers, I used the sour cream chocolate recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rosies-Bakery-All-Butter-Sugar-Packed-No-Holds-Barred/dp/0761106332/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199731307&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed, No-Holds-Barred Baking Book</a> -- Rosie's was (is?) a killer bakery in Cambridge from back when I was an undergrad). Frosting was a sour cream ganache (mix nearly equal parts of room temperature sour cream and melted bittersweet chocolate), which is fairly sturdy. I used a long serated knife and a lazy susan to slice down the sides to make the cone, before frosting the whole thing. The vertical Devil's Tower stripes were made with a standard <a href="http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E311442-475A-BAC0-5E16A14A599508CE&fid=3E32BB8A-475A-BAC0-53CD88D113C4602A" rel="nofollow">Wilton cake decorating tool</a> after the frosting firmed up a tad. Chocolate sprinkles and crushed mint oreos made the rocks and ash. The lava was made from a standard hard-candy base (water+sugar+corn syrup, boiled until it reached 295 degrees F, then poured into a Pyrex measuring cup with some food coloring -- you could also melt Jolly Ranchers). I then poured streaks of the molten candy onto a big sheet of foil to harden. After the candy cools, it can be peeled off and jammed into the frosting. If I had to do it again, I'd flavor the candy, because kids were way more interested in it than I'd anticipated. And B -- My mind was definitely on Close Encounters when I was squatting down scraping the sides, my nose about 2 inches away from the cake. We'll see what happens next time I have mashed potatoes... The cake was two 6″ rounds stacked on two 8″ rounds, stacked on two 9″ rounds, with frosting in between. A 9″ and 6″ round have nearly the same area as two 8″ rounds, so you can just triple a normal recipe. (For the cake layers, I used the sour cream chocolate recipe from Rosie’s Bakery All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed, No-Holds-Barred Baking Book — Rosie’s was (is?) a killer bakery in Cambridge from back when I was an undergrad). Frosting was a sour cream ganache (mix nearly equal parts of room temperature sour cream and melted bittersweet chocolate), which is fairly sturdy. I used a long serated knife and a lazy susan to slice down the sides to make the cone, before frosting the whole thing. The vertical Devil’s Tower stripes were made with a standard Wilton cake decorating tool after the frosting firmed up a tad. Chocolate sprinkles and crushed mint oreos made the rocks and ash. The lava was made from a standard hard-candy base (water+sugar+corn syrup, boiled until it reached 295 degrees F, then poured into a Pyrex measuring cup with some food coloring — you could also melt Jolly Ranchers). I then poured streaks of the molten candy onto a big sheet of foil to harden. After the candy cools, it can be peeled off and jammed into the frosting. If I had to do it again, I’d flavor the candy, because kids were way more interested in it than I’d anticipated.

And B — My mind was definitely on Close Encounters when I was squatting down scraping the sides, my nose about 2 inches away from the cake. We’ll see what happens next time I have mashed potatoes…

]]> By: astropixie http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307895 astropixie Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:20:12 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307895 i want someone to throw me a science-themed birthday party! see you in austin! i want someone to throw me a science-themed birthday party!

see you in austin!

]]> By: B http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307893 B Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:37:44 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307893 <a href="http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/wyoming/devils-tower-national-monument.php" rel="nofollow">photo</a> You sure you haven't heard any alien's voices lately? (sorry for the drive-by commenting) photo You sure you haven’t heard any alien’s voices lately? (sorry for the drive-by commenting)

]]> By: B http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307892 B Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:34:44 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307892 the cake reminds me of the movie 'Close encounters'. the cake reminds me of the movie ‘Close encounters’.

]]> By: tony http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307879 tony Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:10:47 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307879 Great cake! Recipe available? Great cake! Recipe available?

]]> By: rillian http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307865 rillian Mon, 07 Jan 2008 07:19:29 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307865 Wow, great cake! how did you make the volcanic ejecta? Wow, great cake! how did you make the volcanic ejecta?

]]> By: Julianne http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307861 Julianne Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:11:20 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307861 It's not just being high-n-dry, but also having a high fraction of laminar flow over the mountain. Thus, you usually find telescopes at the first peak on the east of a large flat plain/ocean/desert. Winds are typically from the west, and are undisturbed over the plain, then flow smoothly over the mountain, producing high quality images. When you're in the middle of a mountain range, the air is pretty turbulent, and image quality goes down. Chile and Hawaii are perfect sites. LSST was also considering a promising site in Mexico, but the fact that Chile has a stable infrastructure for telescopes (i.e. the legality has been worked out over several decades, there are lots of trained local astronomers and telescope staff, etc) tipped the balance. You also need a place that's remote, but that you can routinely get people and supplies to. Tibet and East Africa fail on a number of the above accounts. It’s not just being high-n-dry, but also having a high fraction of laminar flow over the mountain. Thus, you usually find telescopes at the first peak on the east of a large flat plain/ocean/desert. Winds are typically from the west, and are undisturbed over the plain, then flow smoothly over the mountain, producing high quality images. When you’re in the middle of a mountain range, the air is pretty turbulent, and image quality goes down. Chile and Hawaii are perfect sites. LSST was also considering a promising site in Mexico, but the fact that Chile has a stable infrastructure for telescopes (i.e. the legality has been worked out over several decades, there are lots of trained local astronomers and telescope staff, etc) tipped the balance. You also need a place that’s remote, but that you can routinely get people and supplies to. Tibet and East Africa fail on a number of the above accounts.

]]> By: Lab Lemming http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307860 Lab Lemming Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:04:34 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/07/drive-by-posting/#comment-307860 Why do people like putting big telescopes in the Andes, instead of Tibet or East Africa or some other high dry place? Why do people like putting big telescopes in the Andes, instead of Tibet or East Africa or some other high dry place?

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