Parasite Puppeteers Published

Posted on 2015-08-08 by arjaybe

cover-red-200x300The sequel to Green Comet – Parasite Puppeteers – is now finished and available for download. It’s on this site in ePub, PDF and ODT formats, so download one of them, or download them all.

Blurb

Elgin and Frances wake up to find Green Comet deserted and open to the vacuum of space. Together they try to find out why. Has the deadly Visitor found them? Did they sacrifice so much just to find it was in vain? The one way they can find the answer is to face their deadliest peril, and the mysterious beings who sent it their way. They do it the only way they know how, with bravery and determination.

Those of you who have been following Elgin and Frances will find the whole story, all together and polished up at last. If you’re new to this and haven’t read Green Comet yet, take both books and get it all at once.

I’m moving on to the audio recording now. It will be out before too long. Then it’s on to book three. See you there.

rjb

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Update to Happy Birthday Copyright Case

Posted on 2015-07-28 by arjaybe

A couple of years ago Green Comet featured a story about silly copyright claims to the song “Happy Birthday.”  The post was called Happy Birthday – Pay Up, and it was about some filmmakers who were fed up with the hassle.  Now there are some new developments, and things are looking up.

It’s been two years since filmmakers making a documentary about the song “Happy Birthday” filed a lawsuit claiming that the song shouldn’t be under copyright. Now, they have filed (PDF) what they say is “proverbial smoking-gun evidence” that should cause the judge to rule in their favor.

Source: Filmmakers fighting “Happy Birthday” copyright find their “smoking gun” | Ars Technica

rjb

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Fall Streak Hole

Posted on 2015-07-27 by arjaybe
Dollsworth - Public Domain

Dollsworth – Public Domain

Cloud of the Day – Fall Streak Hole

Pfranson - CC-BY-SA

Pfranson – CC-BY-SA

A fall streak hole can appear in altocumulus or cirrocumulus cloud. It looks as if part of the cloud just fell out, leaving a hole. Often you can see streaks of ice crystals extending down below it. A fall streak hole is also known as a hole punch cloud, a skypunch or a cloud hole, among other names.

Beckachester - CC-BY-SA

Beckachester – CC-BY-SA

The hole is caused by the sudden freezing of super-cooled water in the cloud. Water can cool to well below freezing without forming droplets or crystals if there is no source of nucleation to allow it. The sudden introduction of a nucleation process sets off a domino effect, and the hole and fall streaks can form very rapidly. One source of nucleation is the disturbance caused by a passing aircraft.

H. Raab - CC-BY-SA

H. Raab – CC-BY-SA

Other than its association with the mentioned cloud types, a fall streak hole does not signify any particular kind of weather. Neither does it indicate that a UFO just punched through the cloud.

Kittelschurze - CC-0

Kittelschurze – CC-0

Tap pictures for large originals.

rjb

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 7 Comments