perfidy

Phil has an excellent and nearly Clueless-length post on Gay Marriage up over at Catch Me If You Can. While I fondly remember Gay Marriage Day here at Perfidy, I don't particularly want to revisit it. So go over there and bother Phil.

120 extrasolar planets have been discovered over the last decade, orbiting 105 different suns. All of the planets so far discovered are Jupiter sized or larger, due to the limitations of current astronomical instruments, and none are believed capable of supporting life. However, an Open University team has conducted a study of extrasolar planetary systems to determine whether or not earthlike planets could possible exist.

Using computer models of the known characteristics of a sample of the extrasolar systems, they have calculated the possibility of Earth-sized planets orbiting in the habitable zone - that region of a solar system that is neither too warm nor too cold to allow the existence of liquid water.

By launching 'Earths' (with masses between 0.1 and 10 times that of our Earth) into a variety of orbits in the habitable zone and following their progress with the computer model, the small planets have been found to suffer a variety of fates. In some systems the proximity of one or more Jupiter-like planets results in gravitational ejection of the 'Earth' from anywhere in the habitable zone. However, in other cases there are safe havens in parts of the habitable zone, and in the remainder the entire zone is a safe haven.

Nine of the known exoplanetary systems have been investigated in detail using this technique, enabling the team to derive the basic rules that determine the habitability of the remaining ninety or so systems.

The analysis shows that about half of the known exoplanetary systems could have an 'Earth' which is currently orbiting in at least part of the habitable zone, and which has been in this zone for at least one billion years. This period of time has been selected since it is thought to be the minimum required for life to arise and establish itself.

Furthermore, the models show that life could develop at some time in about two thirds of the systems, since the habitable zone moves outwards as the central star ages and becomes more active.

The team also examined the possibility of planet-sized moons of large gas giant planets might also exist in the "Goldilocks Zone" and also be capable of supporting life. A poster setting out the possibilities will be presented during the RAS National Astronomy Meeting.

Most of the planets so far detected have been (in galactic terms) close neighbors. If half of them could harbor earth like worlds, then the possibility for life is certainly much greater than we thought only a decade ago. Which raises again the Fermi Paradox - where are they? If habitable worlds are common, why have they not developed intelligent life? And why has that life not visited Earth?

Perhaps intelligent life is far rarer than we think it should be. Or perhaps the galaxy is a more dangerous place than our imagined in Star Trek's Federation of Planets, and the really intelligent races don't go around shouting at the top of their lungs - because they know that they'll get whacked.

Sharon says that Israel might move against Arafat

Al Franken has launched his new liberal talk radio show, the O'Franken Factor. His most famous book has, as its title, a reference to a hugely successful conservative talk radio host. The name of his new talk radio show is a rather lame rip-off of the name of a hugely successful conservative TV host's show.

Franken might have more success if he didn't appear to be reacting to conservatives; and instead was offering his own ideas, humor, or whatever.

Meanwhile, Marcland has some good thinks on the whole Air America phenomenon.

Salon is running a fascinating interview with Walter Yetnikoff, grade-A bastard and architect of CBS/Sony records in the 1970s-1990s.

Best known for being, what's the phrase, a colossal prick, Yetnikoff in his retirement is heavily involved in addiction-treatment programs (both himself and as a volunteer and donor), social services, and various charities in and around New York City. He's still a prick, an opinionated jerk with an opinion on every question you didn't bother to ask, but somehow, fascinatingly, he's at peace with himself as well.

Go read! Amazing stuff about him, the music industry, and why Paul Simon is a waste of space.

As much as I appreciate the effort that the creator of worlds has put into his epic photoshopped picture series, the medium just leaves me cold. Just like Opera, really. I recognize the talent and artistry, but in the end it's just fat people singing in languages I don't understand.

But this one panel really worked for me. Connected, you know, on a deep and personal level. As Allah might say, it makes a kufr feel funny in the pants:

[wik] As an added bonus, I'm unilaterally adding the Creator of Worlds to the blogroll. You got a problem with that, Jew?

No middle-aged white guy should go there. Check out the screedly ignorance from WorldNetDaily about hip-hop moon units Outkast performing at a Democratic fundraiser.

This dude has no idea who the hell Outkast is. That much is clear, or he'd have understood that Andre 3000 brandishing a pink pistol in the liners to "The Love Below" was sort of the opposite thing of what he thinks it is.

Politicians should stay the hell away from hip-hop. It makes them look stupid at best, and like grade-a buttholes at worst.

[wik] At the very least, it should be recognized by all that Outkast's reliance on sex songs means that they don't do the drug-dealing and killing songs so much. And let's not forget that their biggest hit to date was about a gentleman apologizing to the mother of his baby-mama, promising to grow up, be a good father and make with the child payments already.

That's right... it's your old buddy #4... aw, c'mon... help an old friend out? Hey... you can't just walk away like that... I used to BE somebody, you ungrateful schmendrick! Remember Miranda? Remember no-knock rules? Remember when you usedta be able to drive from San Diego to Puerta Vallarta without getting your rectum probed? You got a lot to thank me for! I used to BE somebody, dammit! Don't you walk...

Hey... come back.

Please?

[wik] In response to Buckethead's reasonable observation that this decision isn't too much out of left field, I had actually meant to tie this post to this one that weakened search-and-seizure protections in Louisiana. Two isolated decisions don't make a convincing case that the IV Amendment is in imminent danger, but this is a weblog, I'm a little hysterical, so I'm calling it like I sees it.

Via Drudge, this gem:

"I'm fascinated by Rap and Hip-Hop" said Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry during an MTV Choose or Loose forum. Offering up a heavy dose of street credibility, Kerry defended gangsta rap, freedom of speech and the realities of street life.

The Boston-born heir by marriage to the Heinz Ketchup fortune, offered his perspective on rap music as the voice of the streets.

"I'm fascinated by rap and by hip-hop. I think there's a lot of poetry in it. There's a lot of anger, a lot of social energy in it. And I think you'd better listen to it pretty carefully, 'cause it's important."

Middle aged white candidates should just not go there. Ever.

Female genital piercings will soon be illegal in Georgia. Your schlong, fine. Go ahead, get a Prince Albert, a dumbbell, get your member split in two, staple your scrotum to your leg for all we care. No problem. That's all fine by us. Just don't pierce your clit.

Why? Because it's a crime, okay? It just is. It's... its, its sick, and wrong, and I've never seen anything like that. It's wrong, and sick, and that makes it a crime, okay?

...Democrats love bumpersticker slogans. It's their major contribution to modern political discourse, after all. A little while ago he Bush-Cheney campaign had a automagic poster creator. It allowed you to enter your own text and create a customized Bush campaign poster. Naturally, many people (apparently starting with Wonkette and The Politburo Diktat but also including all these people - that last one has the biggest list) started having a little fun at the administration's expense. 

Here's my favorite:

Sadly, the Bush-Cheney campaign decided to end all the fun, and now the campaign posterator only can create boring signs with state and coalition group names. It's so boring, I won't even link it. I wrote a letter to the campaign, complaining of their lame attitude. Do they think that conservatives are incapable of keeping up with the vitriolic moonbats of the left? Are we incapable of pithy remarks? I find their lack of faith disturbing.

More of my favs below the fold.

And lastly, my second favorite:

Dodgeblogium has one of the best linkfests I've seen in a while. Rather than poach his stuff, I'll just send you over there. Klingons for Christ! Best of Me!Islamic Country Songs! Damned!

Also from Andrew, but not in that post, is a link to the answer of whether guns cause violence, and the International Jewish Conspiracy's magical demormonizer.

He's on fire, he is.