Apologies for the lack of activity, but the feeling of fresher's week has carried on quite a bit. And I haven't really had much to tell you. However, my professor got back today, and I managed to find him in his office earlier. Apparently* the dark sun has been shown to give the same rates of water evaporation as the old one did. This may be due to a spike in the radiation levels at some higher-than visible wavelength, or maybe a lower one. Studies are under way to pinpoint the issue.
No news from africa, although I hear there's a student in a friends History class whose family are african, so I'm gonna see if any of their contacts know anything. It's not simple.
*Although, given the subject matter, he may be lying
Saturday 29 September 2007
Sunday 23 September 2007
Intriguing. And happy anyway.
Apparently my astronomy lecture tomorrow morning is cancelled because my professor has been called to a discussion with government officials on the Dark Sun issue. I was chatting to him about it earlier this week, and he mentioned that the stars do seem to be dimmer on some frequencies, in some cases. It sounds like Earth-shielding, but not a simple sort. I look forward to learning more.
Anyway, I'm happy not to have a 9am lecture :-D
Anyway, I'm happy not to have a 9am lecture :-D
Saturday 22 September 2007
Sorry for the lack of updates.
My apologies for the lack of updates since I started this place, it's just that once fresher's week started I came to a realisation: You're not meant to put childish things behind you until AFTER fresher's week.
So I went on a hiatus, and my lack of internet access at home meant I didn't post at all. Anyway, enough about me; well not quite, there is the fact that my physics textbook is a new edition, almost 2000 pages long AND with an online section too, but on to the Dark Sun news.
Not really much to tell that you won't have seen on the other news media. Except this: The news on Africa is downplaying things, something fucked is up with the diseases down there. If you're not in an infected area, flee like fuck. If you're near an infected area, I suggest killing yourself, do not try to run, you might just kill us all. I highly doubt that whatever is going on there is natural, but I also find the ideas of things like Lycanthropy being involved somewhat unlikely. Most likely, the Powers That Be (or a subset) decided that as the Earth can't support us all anymore; so they're getting rid of the people they don't value.
I guess I should be thankful that the powers that do this value the educated and free. But I still think it's a really bad move.
So I went on a hiatus, and my lack of internet access at home meant I didn't post at all. Anyway, enough about me; well not quite, there is the fact that my physics textbook is a new edition, almost 2000 pages long AND with an online section too, but on to the Dark Sun news.
Not really much to tell that you won't have seen on the other news media. Except this: The news on Africa is downplaying things, something fucked is up with the diseases down there. If you're not in an infected area, flee like fuck. If you're near an infected area, I suggest killing yourself, do not try to run, you might just kill us all. I highly doubt that whatever is going on there is natural, but I also find the ideas of things like Lycanthropy being involved somewhat unlikely. Most likely, the Powers That Be (or a subset) decided that as the Earth can't support us all anymore; so they're getting rid of the people they don't value.
I guess I should be thankful that the powers that do this value the educated and free. But I still think it's a really bad move.
Thursday 13 September 2007
I'm going to Bristol
Your loyal blog-writer is making his way to university.
It's odd, apparently Bristol's normally one of the last places to take students up, but this year it's earlier for some reason. Not a Dark-Sun reason though, the sun didn't darken until after this was sorted out.
Still, this oddity may mean I don't get internet access again for slightly longer than would otherwise be the case. Don't worry though, I'll be back and posting more info ASAP.
It's odd, apparently Bristol's normally one of the last places to take students up, but this year it's earlier for some reason. Not a Dark-Sun reason though, the sun didn't darken until after this was sorted out.
Still, this oddity may mean I don't get internet access again for slightly longer than would otherwise be the case. Don't worry though, I'll be back and posting more info ASAP.
Tuesday 11 September 2007
High coastal winds with you guys too? Yeah, thought so.
You may have noticed, if you're near the coast, that the news is reporting high winds right at the coast. I know this because it's not just your coast like they're implying, it's EVERY coast.
This is due to the somewhat noticeable temperature drop over the past few days. As the sea is still warm, the air above it is warmer than above land, causing high winds on the coasts.
Whether the problem is gonna get better or worse, I don't know yet, but it's been causing some problems. Not many examples on gale-force-winds AFAIK, but then, who'd be reporting them?
This post (כ) Kingreaper: Too busy preparing to go (and partying like it's the end of the world) to fully analyse.
This is due to the somewhat noticeable temperature drop over the past few days. As the sea is still warm, the air above it is warmer than above land, causing high winds on the coasts.
Whether the problem is gonna get better or worse, I don't know yet, but it's been causing some problems. Not many examples on gale-force-winds AFAIK, but then, who'd be reporting them?
This post (כ) Kingreaper: Too busy preparing to go (and partying like it's the end of the world) to fully analyse.
Monday 10 September 2007
What should we be afraid of?
You know, looking into the sort of cooling we should be expecting from the decrease in incident light from the sun has got me caught up in a spiral of anxiety. There are far too many potential problems from this change in the sun to really deal with, and we have no idea what else about the world may change at instant.
No wonder the media are being a voice of calm.* Excited people, they buy newspapers. Angry people, they make news. But people who realise that this may indicate the sun is about to go supernova,** they kill the messenger. Well, maybe not deliberately, but riots aren't good for business, and if the world doesn't end the news companies would rather still be in business.***
If the sun doesn't go nova, we've got crop failures worldwide, of course. Not just due to decreasing sunlight, but have you noticed how clear the skies have been the past two days? Evaporation is powered by sunlight. And hell, no-one seems to know how fast the temperatures should be changing, but when the icecaps start moving outwards, we're sure gonna know about it.
Renovating the sahara desert has never been more important.
I'm not looking forward to the riots when the common people actually realise this shit.
*You didn't think there was something weird about that? Seriously, it's never happened before.
**Yeah, I know, our sun would only go nova, but most people don't even know what a nova is, let alone the difference between it and a supernova.
***Sometimes companies look a little too like living things for my liking. I mean, do you look after your skin cells? Would you really like to be one of the cells of some corporate hyperorganism?
I think this whole thing is bringing out my inner paranoiac.
No wonder the media are being a voice of calm.* Excited people, they buy newspapers. Angry people, they make news. But people who realise that this may indicate the sun is about to go supernova,** they kill the messenger. Well, maybe not deliberately, but riots aren't good for business, and if the world doesn't end the news companies would rather still be in business.***
If the sun doesn't go nova, we've got crop failures worldwide, of course. Not just due to decreasing sunlight, but have you noticed how clear the skies have been the past two days? Evaporation is powered by sunlight. And hell, no-one seems to know how fast the temperatures should be changing, but when the icecaps start moving outwards, we're sure gonna know about it.
Renovating the sahara desert has never been more important.
I'm not looking forward to the riots when the common people actually realise this shit.
*You didn't think there was something weird about that? Seriously, it's never happened before.
**Yeah, I know, our sun would only go nova, but most people don't even know what a nova is, let alone the difference between it and a supernova.
***Sometimes companies look a little too like living things for my liking. I mean, do you look after your skin cells? Would you really like to be one of the cells of some corporate hyperorganism?
I think this whole thing is bringing out my inner paranoiac.
Shouldn't The Dark Sun be cooling us?
I don't know if you've noticed, but while it's certainly been reasonably brisk, we don't seem to be freezing quite yet. Given the decrease in light levels, shouldn't we be cooling down rather more than this?
Sunday 9 September 2007
An australian connection
Just a quick update here: I've confirmed, through some friends, that people on the day-side (or at least australia) DID see the sun go out entirely for several seconds before the dim sun came on. No stars were seen during this time either, although that may be simply due to lack of time for eyes to adjust.
And now I'm gonna crash out. More tomorrow perhaps, though I've gotta prepare for getting to uni.
And now I'm gonna crash out. More tomorrow perhaps, though I've gotta prepare for getting to uni.
A quick reality check.
About my last post, Neo* reminded me of something: It'd be hard to tell with the naked eye is the stars were dimmer, and a shield of the Earth could cover the satellites.
I'll be looking up some astronomers to find out about what's actually going on with the stars. Keep 'em peeled.
*A friend of mine, not the character from the movie.
I'll be looking up some astronomers to find out about what's actually going on with the stars. Keep 'em peeled.
*A friend of mine, not the character from the movie.
Shielding the Earth darkens the Sun?
I feel like exploring one of the more likely possibilities first: That someone has placed some sort of shield around the Earth that is preventing the suns rays reaching us. But first a quick proviso: This post is based on the belief "absence of expected evidence is evidence of absence"; not everyone admits to agreeing with this, but people still seem to assume that an inability to see money means you haven't given it to them.
I believe the fact that satellite transmissions haven't been reported as weakening, nor the stars as dimming* means these things haven't happened.
So, if an Earth-borne shield is actually the cause of the dark sun, it is curiously specific, It is blocking only the Sun's light, not other light passing through the same point in a different direction.
The technology to do this is even more implausibly advanced than even basic forcefields seem, so if we're dealing with technology it's likely that whoever's running it is capable of shielding themselves from any attacks, and quite possibly of making themself invisible. Of course, if it's being done with magic, well, we really can't guess at what's going on.
*In fact, due to low cloud cover, the stars have been more visible than usual.
I believe the fact that satellite transmissions haven't been reported as weakening, nor the stars as dimming* means these things haven't happened.
So, if an Earth-borne shield is actually the cause of the dark sun, it is curiously specific, It is blocking only the Sun's light, not other light passing through the same point in a different direction.
The technology to do this is even more implausibly advanced than even basic forcefields seem, so if we're dealing with technology it's likely that whoever's running it is capable of shielding themselves from any attacks, and quite possibly of making themself invisible. Of course, if it's being done with magic, well, we really can't guess at what's going on.
*In fact, due to low cloud cover, the stars have been more visible than usual.
Saturday 8 September 2007
Who caused The Dark Sun
Even this soon after it happened, theories abound as to just what's going on with the sun, but there's one thing all good scientists* have agreed on: it isn't natural.** It may not be supernatural, but it's certainly extranatural.***
This event wasn't caused by something, it was caused by someone. The question isn't "What?" it's "Who?" "Why?" and "How?"
Who?
*No, I haven't asked all good scientists, hell I haven't asked any: I'm still right
**Provided, of course, you use a definition of natural which excludes sentient beings.
***Interesting that "extra" means more, and "super" means better version of, but neither meaning applies here.
This event wasn't caused by something, it was caused by someone. The question isn't "What?" it's "Who?" "Why?" and "How?"
Who?
- A secret superadvanced organisation
- Aliens
- People with access to magic
- Terrorists with access to magic
- Vampires with access to magic
- Accidental
- A simple way of modifying the Earth's biosphere
- Attempting to conserve Sol's energy
- To threaten the world powers
- To avoid severe sunburn problems
- A side-effect of an FTL probe
- A side-effect of investigating Sols structure
- Some form of shield around the sun
- Some sort of advanced shield around Earth
- Increased internal solar reflection
- Magic
*No, I haven't asked all good scientists, hell I haven't asked any: I'm still right
**Provided, of course, you use a definition of natural which excludes sentient beings.
***Interesting that "extra" means more, and "super" means better version of, but neither meaning applies here.
Qualifications on The Dark Sun
Some of you may be wondering why you should listen to me* on the issue of The Dark Sun. The simple answer: The Blogosphere is made up mostly of people who're too shocked and scared by this change in reality to really talk about it.** As for the establishment press; well let's just say; I've never been one to believe conspiracy theories, but I've also never been one to question whether the sun that rises tomorrow will be the one that set yesterday. Clearly it's time for me to reassess my beliefs.
As a corollary to that, I advise you not just to listen to me, I'm on google software,*** they could subvert this blog at any instant; hell for all you know it's astroturf to begin with. No, don't stick to me and those I link, make your own contacts. But check in here to hear what I know, and believe what rings true.
*No, I don't intend to podcast: some idioms are somewhat out of place online. Although, this isn't a new problem, I mean "do you read me" is never used for written things.
** Okay, so maybe I should give them a little more time, but even those who've commented don't seem to be entirely taking it seriously enough.
***Maybe I shouldn't be, but Google would know about this anyway, and honestly, if they're the ones hiding something the internet is a lost battle.
As a corollary to that, I advise you not just to listen to me, I'm on google software,*** they could subvert this blog at any instant; hell for all you know it's astroturf to begin with. No, don't stick to me and those I link, make your own contacts. But check in here to hear what I know, and believe what rings true.
*No, I don't intend to podcast: some idioms are somewhat out of place online. Although, this isn't a new problem, I mean "do you read me" is never used for written things.
** Okay, so maybe I should give them a little more time, but even those who've commented don't seem to be entirely taking it seriously enough.
***Maybe I shouldn't be, but Google would know about this anyway, and honestly, if they're the ones hiding something the internet is a lost battle.
This is the first blog of the rest of your life
Hello, and welcome to Blogging Under The Dark Sun: Your source for news and views* on the strangest crisis to strike the Earth since a T-rex was left in charge of a nuclear arsenal with the dead-mans-switch at the back of the console.
Those of you who followed me here from my livejournal are probably wondering why I've left it. It's simple really; something about the world is fundamentally broken, just as I'm going off to university; the time for childish things has passed.**
The goth image I maintained over there was only fun so long as there was nothing worth being depressed over; as long as the vampires, werewolves, etc. were just a joke.
Now that I'm not sure of all that, it's not fun anymore. Those of you who stay with me here will be getting something much more real. Don't worry though, it'll still be good fun.
*well, just the one really. View that is, not just the one new, that'd make this a pretty pointless blog.
**And, let's be honest, this blog's name is much cooler.***
***I know I'm contradicting myself, I just don't care.
Those of you who followed me here from my livejournal are probably wondering why I've left it. It's simple really; something about the world is fundamentally broken, just as I'm going off to university; the time for childish things has passed.**
The goth image I maintained over there was only fun so long as there was nothing worth being depressed over; as long as the vampires, werewolves, etc. were just a joke.
Now that I'm not sure of all that, it's not fun anymore. Those of you who stay with me here will be getting something much more real. Don't worry though, it'll still be good fun.
*well, just the one really. View that is, not just the one new, that'd make this a pretty pointless blog.
**And, let's be honest, this blog's name is much cooler.***
***I know I'm contradicting myself, I just don't care.
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