Aphelion

Is anyone else annoyed by some mainstream media references to the recently-observed big gamma ray burst as having occurred 'on Dec. 27' -- when the source was estimated to be 50,000 light years away?<br><br>Star releases '150,000 years of sunlight'<br><br>ASSOCIATED PRESS<br><br>GREENBELT, Md. — A massive burst of energy exploded from a far-off neutron star last December, the brightest flash of light ever detected from beyond the solar system that packed more energy than the sun emits in 150,000 years, scientists said.<br><br>The Dec. 27 flare was by far the largest of three such giant outbursts of gamma rays detected in the last 35 years from neutron stars — densely packed and supercharged remnants of a collapsed star...<br><br>(Sigh)  I suppose it could be worse.  If the story had made the correct inference -- something arriving from 50,000 light years away has been travelling for 50,000 years -- some nit would have asked if it had wiped out the dinosaurs.<br><br>Robert M.

Maybe that gamma ray burst is what gave me this damn flu. LOL! I've been sick for ages, it seems. First a cold during the last half of my vacation, and now it seems to have mutated into some kind of flu. I missed two days of work this week over this bug. And I missed one day last week, too.
I'm in the chatroom with Rob Wynne right now. Come talk to me before I have to take more meds and pass out. LOL!
Dan

<br>Flu? Don't be silly. Gamma rays don't give you the flu. They make you gain about 400 kg of solid muscle and turn green and naked, except for your pants, which miraculously hang together in spite of the 300% expansion of your waist and thighs.<br><br>They also cause you to be confused about what your first and middle names are (Bruce? David? Robert Bruce?) ...<br><br>Is it some of that there California flu? Just like them Left Coasters to make an honest fiberglass-working guy sick! Just 'cause they don't believe in no R30 insulation in their flimsy, fall-apart-when-the-earth-shakes houses.<br><br>Robert M.<br>