Stuff like this keeps me awake at night

[Occhidiangela]

Uh, several things here...

A rotation is when something spins on its axis. Revolution is when one thing orbits another. Planets revolve around the sun; they don't rotate around it. For Earth, we count one revolution to be one year and one rotation to be one day.

"Ovular" relates to ovaries. An orbit that is oval is said to be elliptical. In general, orbits are elliptical. Kepler (correctly) suggested this several hundred years ago, and Newton's calculus and physics backed him up on this. The rumor you heard was invented by someone with medieval notions of basic celestial mechanics.

-Lemmy
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Professor Lem, sir, a query regarding your distinction between revolution and rotation -- for which I thank you in an astrophysical sense, likewise the ovular versus elliptical correction. I am a bit confused, either due to coommon usage or because the rotating door at the bank whacked me in the head as I attempted to exit, too slowly, this morning just after I had deposited some money in my revolving account. :wacko:

Is my six cylinder, .357 Magnum pistol actually a rotator, not a revolver? :lol:

Are the "revolutions per minute" measured as rpm on my tachometer, or my turntable's old platter rotation speed of 33 1/3, actually a measure of "rotations per minute?" Are South and Central American calendars measured in the Bolivaran scale of RPD -- revolutions per decade? Something about a Villan frame of reference is nagging at the back of my brain.
:whistling:
Anything you can do to resolve my confusion would be appreciated, Professor Lem. (Who looks suspiciously like Sergeant Pygmy) My brain hurts due to a local caffeine shortage.

Occhi

[Rhydderch Hael]

The esoteric training one needs to understand the difference between "rotation" and "revolution" is— well, astronomical— to say the least.

Keep a sharp lookout for the saucer people.

[Occhidiangela]

The esoteric training one needs to understand the difference between "rotation" and "revolution" is— well, astronomical— to say the least.

Keep a sharp lookout for the saucer people.
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The only saucer I will be on the lookout for is the one upon which my coffe cup rests. :D

Occhi

[Griselda]

The only saucer I will be on the lookout for is the one upon which my coffe cup rests. :D

Occhi
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If you're using a saucer at the moment, does that not make you a saucer person? :shuriken:

[LemmingofGlory]

Professor Lem, sir, a query regarding your distinction between revolution and rotation -- for which I thank you in an astrophysical sense, likewise the ovular versus elliptical correction.  I am a bit confused, either due to coommon usage or because the rotating door at the bank whacked me in the head as I attempted to exit, too slowly, this morning just after I had deposited some money in my revolving account.  :wacko:   

Is my six cylinder, .357 Magnum pistol actually a rotator, not a revolver?  :lol: 

Are the "revolutions per minute" measured as rpm on my tachometer, or my turntable's old platter rotation speed of 33 1/3, actually a measure of "rotations per minute?"  Are South and Central American calendars measured in the Bolivaran scale of RPD -- revolutions per decade?  Something about a Villan frame of reference is nagging at the back of my brain.
:whistling:
Anything you can do to resolve my confusion would be appreciated, Professor Lem.  (Who looks suspiciously like Sergeant Pygmy)  My brain hurts due to a local caffeine shortage. 

Occhi
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It's all space jive, you hoopy frood. They gotta sass the difference 'tween when somethin' spins and when somethin' goes the distance.

-Lemmy

[Grayloch]

He was probably trying to annoy his wife. :P

(A cookie for the person who can pinpoint the reference.)

-G.[right][snapback]102334[/snapback][/right]

Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy, and the "Total Perspective Vortex", if I'm not mistaken. Extrapolating the whole of the universe from a piece of Fairy Cake. :)
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*hands Klaus a plate of Oreos and a big glass of milk*


Well done, sir.

-G.

[Occhidiangela]

If you're using a saucer at the moment, does that not make you a saucer person?  :shuriken:
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Not sure, since I am still on the look out for it, and am missing it, so that might make me a saucer missing person. Have you seen my face on the back of a milk carton lately? :blink:

Occhi

[Doc]

Not sure, since I am still on the look out for it, and am missing it, so that might make me a saucer missing person.  Have you seen my face on the back of a milk carton lately?  :blink:

Occhi
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Would a well educated Rogue be a Chaucer person?

[Sheep]

He was probably trying to annoy his wife. :P

(A cookie for the person who can pinpoint the reference.)

-G.
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May I have some cake with my cookie?

Edit: Alas, the Oreos have already been awarded...

[Bob]

May I pop up with another interesting fact?

Since the light from both the sun and betelgeuse is travelling at the speed of light (duh). Special relativity tells us that the progression of time, from the perspective of the individual photons of light, is slowed to zero. This means that from the point of view of the individual photons it has infact taken them no time at all to reach earth from being created, however long they seem to have taken from our point of view.

Interestingly enough, my planetary systems lecturer was telling me, only on Wednesday, about betelgeuse possibly going nova in our lifetimes.
By the way, if you consider the huge brightness in the optical wavelengths of the supernova and the fact that it'll be sat in a nice blackbody curve, you'll see that there will be a huge amount of E-M radiation at other wavelengths hitting us as well as the optical light. While this may not wipe out life on the planet you can be sure that your GPS won't be working for a while.

-Bob

edit: whoopsie, forgot the lounge' threading system and didn't put this in appropriate thread. Sorry.

[--Pete]

Hi,

. . .it's like they say, "the proof is in the pudding."
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Damn, I hate that. What 'proof' is in the effing pudding? 100 proof rum? The proof of Fermat's last theorem? Proof that this society is increasing in ignorance faster than Micro$quish products are increasing in bloat?

Think about it: "the proof is in the pudding." makes no sense at all.

The expression is, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." Which does make sense. Now, my son, say three Hail Marys and four Our Fathers, get the damn thing right, and sin no more ;)

--Pete

[Taem]

Hi,
Damn, I hate that.  What 'proof' is in the effing pudding?  100 proof rum?  The proof of Fermat's last theorem?  Proof that this society is increasing in ignorance faster than Micro$quish products are increasing in bloat?

Think about it: "the proof is in the pudding." makes no sense at all.

The expression is, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating."  Which does make sense.  Now, my son, say three Hail Marys and four Our Fathers, get the damn thing right, and sin no more ;)

--Pete
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The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Okay, got it ;) .