Plenty of Nothing

Mercurial

In the 1950s Isaac Asimov wrote a series of science fiction novels set in various parts of the solar system with plots spun from the physical properties of each location.  The one about Mercury was titled Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury.  I'm feeling the urge for a meander through the solar system, so this will be the first stop, which you might want to call Plenty of Nothing and the Retrograde Sun of Mercury, because because of Mercury's somewhat elliptical orbit the sun can actually be seen to move backwards during the course of its day, which I declare is just too cool.  Mercury is practically all metal core, to the extent that it's thought that early on in its history Mercury was brushed up against by another body, which caused the greater part of its rocky mantle to spin off into space.  In fact all of the inner planets seem to have been involved in this kind of billiards in the first billion years of the solar system.  A similar brush created the Moon.  The Moon and Mercury look very much alike, but that's just coincidence.  Or is it? [It is.] Douglas 

Cash Flow

Evangeline Brandt "Fourteen"

Tech Wall Today

Scottish Word of the Day: Thrawn

Thrawn, Thrawin, ppl. adj. thrown; twisted, distorted, misshapen; uneven, crooked; cross-grained, ill-tempered; perverse, stubborn; disobedient; used of the weather: disagreeable, bitter,--adv. crossly.
Chambers's Scots Dialect Dictionary

Second Vermont Republic

This sweet little banner pertains to the Green Mountain Independence Movement, who wouldn't mind dissolving Vermont's relationship with the US federal government.

Brant

At the Sign of the Bear

Readers of Plenty of Nothing will know that I like to have a camera on me to document the architectural details of downtown Ottawa as I head for work.  This morning I was snapping this frieze on Sparks Street when a commissionaire came outdoors and started claiming that it's against the law to take photographs of government buildings.  This a block away from the most photographed building in the country.  A short exchange of views ensued and then I passed on my way.  Whatever they're up to in there must be some secret ... but yelling about in the street might not be the best approach for keeping it so.  Douglas

Evangeline Brandt "Nictaux"

August Hockey Roundup

EHC Visp played EV Zug 3 on 3 in an ice cave in the Kleine Matterhorn Glacier at an altitude of 3883 metres above sea level.  Final score 6-6.

Ten of the top clubs in Sweden and Finland are playing for the Nordic Trophy.  This is the third year for the tournament, and there is some thought that it could develop into a new elite-level multi-national league like the NHL and the Russian+ KHL.  National leagues in Europe are worried that they are being cast into the role of feeders for those two pro leagues.  [Linköping won.  Previous winners are Kärpät in 2007 and Färjestad in 2006.]

The five Swedish clubs in the Nordic Trophy tournament are Djurgården, Färjestad, Frölunda, HV71 and Linköping.  Brynäs, Luleå, and Timrå are up against Leksand in the Clas Ohlson Cup.  MODO and Skellefteå face Björklöven and Finnish Lukko in the Hockeyfestivalen.  That leaves Rögle and Södertälje, who both play Swiss Kloten Flyers.