BLOGS

Illustration of the quartz plates used to measure heat transfer. The coloured regions are electrodes used to position the plates. Courtesy: M Ghashami et al/Phys. Rev. Lett.)

Topics: Electrical Engineering, Experimental Physics, Thermodynamics

Surface phonon polaritons boost heat transfer, Hamish Johnston, Physics World

a) Schematic shows the band structure of the semiconducting HfS2/HfO2 when under strain, and the consequent charge funnelling. b) The strain is induced in the semiconductor by creating a region of oxide using intense laser light. c) A photocurrent map of the device; the photoresponse drastically increases when a region (dashed circle, bottom) is oxidized, compared with the same device before oxidation (top), a sign of the charge funnelling effect. Figure reproduced with permission from the authors and Nature Communications.

Topics: Green Energy, Green Tech, Laser, Nanotechnology, Semiconductor Technology, Solar Power

Source: United Nations World Energy Assessment: Energy and the Challenge of Sustainability

Funneling charges to boost solar-cell efficiency, Lauren Barr, PhD, network contributor for nanotechweb.org

The 100th meridian west (solid line) coincides with the climate divide between the relatively moist eastern U.S. and the more arid West. Climate change may already be pushing the divide eastward (dotted line). Credit: Richard Seager Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Topics: Climate Change, Greenhouse Gases, Weather

*****

1. A Nation Divided: Arid/Humid Climate Boundary in U.S. Creeps Eastward, Shannon Hall, Scientific American

2. Thawing permafrost produces more methane than expected, Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, Phys.org

>>>> Please excuse the typos and mistakes. This is still a work in progress, but I wanted to share it here first<<<<<

During the first season of my life my great-grandmother played an intricate role in shaping who I was to become. During our times together after school or on the weekends my mom decided she wanted go have a good time with my dad or her friends, she taught me lessons. Some lessons related to the things a child would experience in the school yard and in their daily comings on a goings. Other lessons, when I look back now, were well beyond my experience, but even as a seven year old somehow I understood her perfectly.

By the time I was born most of the grandfathers in my life had either passed away or were in the process of drinking themselves to death. During that time it wasn't much else for black men in Mississippi to do. You would either be worked to death, drank to death or in most cases both. So the closest I ever got to Mama Fancy's other half was an old black and white picture of him proudly standing in front of our house in Easter day. 1958 was the date on the picture, long before my arrival in 1979.

The evening light poured into the living room window casting a hard shadow of the window's checker board pattern. And although dinner was about forty-five minutes ago, the fried chicken's aroma still permeated the front half of the house.

“Is that skillet still burning on the stove?” My grandmother asked.

I my mother hopped up off the couch running into kitchen.

“Yes!” Mom shouted back.

“Shit, I told you to turn that skillet off! Girl, you don't want no grease fire up in here. Them be the hardest ones to put out. And I ain't got no more flour either. I used the last little bit frying that chicken.”

“Sorry Mama. I forgot.” My mom said opening the back door then fanning the air in the kitchen with a damp dish towel.

“Don't be sorry, be careful.” Grandma said. “Make sure nobody mess with that cake before Brenda and Ogdan gets here.

Aunt Brenda and Uncle Ogdan were my mom's older brother and sister. They both had lived in Jackson and had good jobs. My grandmother was always proud of their accomplishments. My mom was the only child to put having kids before getting a college degree. This caused a lot of animosity between her and her older siblings, especially Aunt Brenda.

“Why are they coming here today?”

“Because, we have to talk about mama and the thing that been going on lately.”

A pained look cross my mother's face at this answer. “Mama, don't say that. It's no where near time for that yet. You know how Mama Fancy just likes to talk out of her head sometimes. We shouldn't even be thinking about this.”

“Yes, we should and we is. I remember how it happen to Big Mama and now mama is doing the same stuff. We got to face it head on and make sure what needs to be done is done. I'm sad about it too, but it's only right.”

Uncle Ogdan's laugh could be heard throughout the house. He scooped up huge chunk of chocolate cake onto his fork stuffing it into his mouth. I wondered if there would be any left for the rest of us. My grandmother sat in the corner sipping her signature searing black coffee. I sneak and tried it once while she had her back turned. It took a whole day to get the taste of coffee beans out of my mouth. I still don't drink coffee in any form to this day. My Aunt Brenda sat beside her proudly talking about her new teaching assignment in the biology department at Jackson State University. My mother on the hand, fixed a nice hefty plate for Mama Fancy who preferred to take her meals in her bedroom lately.

The change in Mama Fancy started a month ago. Her conversations grew short and her memory even shorter. She started to obsess over being a burden to all of us. And most troubling, she started talking about the past. First it was the recent past such as fond memories of recently holidays or events. Then it was the distant past, very distant past. She spoke of people and things and places we never heard of or knew existed.

After finally being allowed to have our fill of the delicious chocolate cake, me along with my cousins were sent to my room to play and allow the adults to have their private conversation. However, I was more interested in hearing what they had to say bout Mama Fancy than playing Barbie dream house with my cousin Hannah.

“A choice got to be made soon.” My grandmother said.

“Well, I'm sure everything will work out in it's perfect timing.” Aunt Brenda smiled with confidence. “Don't worry so much mama. This has been done before and it will continue to be done.” She added rubbing grandma's back.

“I know it's been done before” Grandma pulled away from her. “Just this time I don't know if she in her right mind to do it. She barely know where she at half the time. This time, I... I think we gone have to choose it for her.”

“So now you want to take that away from her too?” My mother cut in. “You already treat her like a helpless child! Now, not only do you want to rush the process, you willing to take away her last dignity too.”

“Don't you accuse me of wanting to take nothing.” Grandma hissed. “It got to be done whether she can do it or not.”

“Is all of this really important?” Uncle Ogdan asked. “Can't we just let this end and live like a normal family? You know, try to be normal people who have to deal with normal things. Hell, we might even like it!”

Aunt Brenda nodded in half-hearten agreement. My mother scoffed and rolled her eyes at his absurdity. But Grandma leaned back and sat quietly then said, “You speak like a fool. The more you educated the dumber you get. Don't you get it? What this family got... What she got is more than any college or grad school could ever teach.” She pointed a long, curved shaky finger at my uncle. “If we lose this, we lose everything.”

“Well.” Aunt Brenda looked around at her mother and each of her siblings. “The choice is obvious.” She shrugged.

“Let me guess.” My mother said. “It should be you.”

“Well, yes!” She replied. “I am educated and successful. I can do a lot more with what I already have to offer.”

At this, my mother raised up from the back of her chair. “So you believe education and success and money makes you deserving of it? We was all taught that those things were fleeting. What about the things Mama Fancy taught us, like kindness and character and respect for spiritual things. You barely believe in going to church, Brenda.”

“Stop this.” My grandmother spat. “When the time comes...”

“If!” Mom cut in.

“If and when the time comes, I will do the choosing. We won't mention this no more, for now.”

That night I decided to ask to sleep with Mama Fancy. All the talk about her had me very worried. I needed to be near her. I didn't want to take my eyes off her or leave her side.

“Come on in baby.” Mama Fancy said looking over her should at me. “Close that door all the way so the cool won't get out. The cool night air from the box fan in the window hummed a tune that I knew would soon sing me to sleep. “You can fold that big cover back, baby. The sheet will be all you need tonight. It's been so hot lately, but I feel like Fall is still coming sooner than it did last year.”

“Yes ma'am” I replied. It was a long silence before I said, “They was talking about you tonight.”

“I know.” She replied. “They just worried things won't work out. Yo grandmama always been a worrier, every since she was a child.”

“They said they don't think you can decide.” I snitched. To this she laughed a rough coughing laugh.

“Folks in this family been choosing for a thousand years or more, the choosing ain't about to stop now. If you want the honest truth I don't choose nothing. My job is to assign. God do the choosing.” She said.

“So God gonna choose?” I asked.

“He already did.” She said. “He choose seven years ago.”

Just then the blinding green light illuminated from her eye sockets and nostrils and mouth connecting to mine. Fright poured into me as my body froze in instant suspended animation. And although she didn't physically speak, she spoken to me in thoughts. “Don't be scared, Sadie. This is what's necessary to pass on the knowledge of our family, the things that lay secret in our blood. God showed me it was you. The day you were born I saw the light surround you. We was taken from our home, our land and our people. But it didn't get took from us. We made it we kept it, all of it. We made sure it survive. And now you will too.

A flood of unfamiliar memories spill into my mind. There were memories of my grandmother as a young woman raising a family. Then the memories went back further to when she was just a little girl running around in her father's yard barefoot playing with sticks in the dirt. I even saw the moment that she received the family's legacy. It was her mother who passed it to her.

Then the pictures and sequences further back into time. I saw members of my family on plantations and then sailing to this land chained up in the belly of ships surrounded by blood, bowels, sickness and death. Suddenly we were back in Africa, watching daily tribal life play out when there was peace and freedom and wholeness playing out among the people. There was a shaman who created an elixir to be given to bride who was at least six months pregnant. “This life will not always be. There is trouble ahead and everything you are, know and love you will be stripped away from.” He said. “But with this gift, I can never be stripped away from you.”

The pregnant woman drank the elixir in it's entirety. I saw her thoughts go back deeper than anyone could think humanly possible, all the way back to the beginning of time to the birth of what we consider the universe. And all went black. I fell into a deep comatose sleep among newly birthed stars that were looked upon by my ancient nonhuman ancestors, the ones who were the first and to my recently acquired knowledge, will be the last.

The next morning I awoke to my mother's screams. From that day to my last day I will remember every thing I saw. My mother said at the kitchen table wailing as my held Mama Fancy's body up in a chair to keep it from falling onto the floor. Later, I was told that Mama Fancy awoke early that morning walked into the kitchen (something she hadn't done in over a week), fixed a cup of coffee, happily took several sips and died.

After her funeral members of my immediate and distant family gathered to sort things out. First it was the mundane subjects like money, property and personal belongings. It wasn't long before the subject of the family legacy came up. The collective consensus was that it was lost. Everyone assume Mama Fancy died before she could choose a successor to pass it along to.

Most of family were distraught over the loss. My grandmother's sister Delilah even went so far as to blame her for now caring for Mama Fancy adequately. But there were a few who were relived. I guess they felt that since the great superstition was gone we could now be what society deems as a normal family.

But I knew. I knew it all and felt it and experienced it on a daily basis. Which each new day there was a new lesson for me to learn. I knew download about the history of our people and sometimes the origins of this world. My grandmother passed away the year I turned 23. I last time saw her was that Fall. It was her birthday so I went to visit her in the nursing home.

When my mother and her siblings decided to put her in there, she fell into a state of depression. But with time, she grew accustomed to her new living situation and even started participating in the extra curricular activities. The fishing rodeo was her favorite. However, around the time of her birthday during her second year there her health began to fade.

The strong ointment odor pierced my nostrils before I even stepped into her room. I took my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dull white light that spilled itself upon the room. Her frail weak hand grasped the crisp what sheet that draped itself across her lower abdomen and legs. “I told you I don't need another sheet. It's hot as it is!” She complained.

“It's me grandma, Sadie.” I said

“Oh hey baby.” She smiled. “I thought you were that new girl. My god, she thinks everyone in here is about to freeze to death.”

“I'm sure she's just trying to do her job.” I said moving across the room to sit in the chair next to her bed.

“Yeah, I reckon so. It's been weeks since anybody came to visit. Your mother and aunt called. But, I have a feeling your Uncle Ogdan will make an appearance since it's my birthday. Yeah, his witch of a wife will allow it, I reckon. She barely wants him to keep up the money I need to stay in this place.” She said turning to face me. “With all his smarts and wit, how did he manage to marry such a woman?” She asked herself more so than me.

“I don't know, grandma. I guess he just... He just fell in love.”

She grinned. “I guess so. That's the only way anybody can explain it I assume.”

I smiled and took her hand in mine. “Is that for me?” She asked finally noticing the small round chocolate cake sitting on the table.

“Yes ma'am.” I replied. “Happy birthday grandma.”

She softly stroked my hand and a serious look appeared on her face. “I always knew it was you.” She said. I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could speak she spoke again. “That morning... The morning she died I was so worried that it was lost.”

“Then you came out of her room. Standing there in your little white gown, I saw the spirit all around. It was in your eyes and I knew that all was not lost and that everything would be alright. She knew too, that's why she didn't worry, because she always knew it was you.”

A week later she made the transition. And although her, along with Mama Fancy and so many others are gone now, I still feel them all around me. I feel their hopes, their fears, dreams and aspirations. Not only can I feel their past, but also their wants for their descendents today. I do not know who will come after me, but whoever it may be, I must remember that all will never be lost.

- END -

Here's what's up BSFS!

For the past few years,  I have been putting together a comic book story that I would like to share with 50 other people.  The trouble is getting them to be invested in the story.  Why can't this be done here?  If you would review the comic pages for the others, then it would it would be like an investment of your time and effort which will be rewarded (unpaid co-ownership). Thank you for considering this opportunity to build my brand!  Leave a comment if this sounds like something you can do and I will send you a pdf.

Image source: 1984 - Part 2, Chapter 9 by Luca

Topics: Commentary, Climate Change, Existentialism, Politics

*****

1. Scientists Favor Transparency, but Say EPA Plan Will Limit It

Directive to exclude certain research will harm public health and environment, critics say, Scott Waldman, Scientific American

2. Orwell Today dot com: Doublethink

Map of unusual cold temperatures in Europe during the summer of 1816 Credit: Creative Commons, authored by Giorgiogp2

Topics: Climate Change, Existentialism, Global Warming

Muse for post title:

Mount Tambora and the Year Without a Summer, Center for Science Education

Related book:

The Madhouse Effect, by Michael Mann, Climate Scientist and Tom Toles, Pulitzer Prize political cartoonist

#P4TC links:

Terraforming Earth...April 8, 2015

On Stupid...June 2, 2017

Collision course: two atoms held in optical tweezers before forming a molecule (Courtesy: Lee Liu and Yu Liu)

Topics: Chemistry, Laser, Optical Physics, Optical Tweezers, Particle Physics

Optical tweezers create a single molecule from two atoms, Sam Jarman, Physics World

No, I wasn't starving for food. I was starving or opportunity, direction, human interaction and friendship, but mostly I was starving for innovation and success. You see, around this time last year I found myself in a rut. I was doing hair, writing stories, making dolls etc etc. It felt like being on a hamster wheel to nowhere. And top on of everything else, our family was in a financial bind. Yes, I our ends didn't meet and we have more month at the end of our money.

One day while trying to complete a doll and at the same time worried if our gas would be cut off, something just told me to stop. I was trying to put out so much, but was taking nothing back in in return. Yes, I had burned out and what's worse our family was broke. So, I suggested to my husband that me and the baby move back to Mississippi with my family for a while he stayed back and searched for a better job and a more affordable home for our family.

When I moved back home I decided to get in a place of receiving and a place of rest. Instead of doing hair I decided to research hair. I spent hours and hours on Pintrest looking at hair styles and techniques. What I discovered was that I prefer to work with locs over m

ost other styles. They are low maintenance, yet versatile. While researching dolls, I discov

ered that if I made my dolls into mermaids it would save me a lot of time. Instead of writing I read. Nnedi Okorafor became my new best friend. I consider her God's apology for taking Octavia so ea

rly.

My mind went on many journeys in African-based culture, places and spirituality.

From Who Fears Death to Akata Witch and Akata Warrior and my latest read Kabu Kabu. I learned so many about what interests me as a reader and writer. I realized that as creatives it is our passion to give, but it should also be our priority to rest and take-in from time to time. I pray that I've taken in enough to start again and be better than I've been in the past. We shall see. Be blessed. Be favored.

Jackie

Effortlessly I pulled the tan stocking above my knee, sliding it across the thickness of my thigh before securing it to the garter. My hand now moved to my large, plump lips, where I dotted a speck of moisturizer before rubbing them together to get a perfect, even distribution. They now taste and smelled of cherry spice. Now for some color, I thought, opening the pallet of endless lip stains to see which would suit my attire for the evening.

This one! I decided as my finger tapped near the burnt orange circle titled Pale Sunbeam. The laser brush slid across airbrushing my top lip, then the lower. Blotting my lips, I smiled in the light-framed mirror, satisfied with my choice of color. The spotlights illuminated my sequin bra top, creating dazzling sparkles of purple and gold.

The multicolor bra top and matching boy shorts fit my medium sized five feet, four inch frame perfectly. I strategically paired burnt gold and lavender with a hit of black to enclose the eyeshadow on my slightly large mud brown eyes. The colors were exaggerated against my deep brown skin. My freshly ironed coal black hair fell down to one side over my breast. Yes! My smile widen, revealing my perfectly straight pearly whites. This girl was glowing and she knew it!

“How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from my dressing station?” Zienna fussed, her milky white tone reflected in the mirror behind me.

I jumped in surprise, dropped the laser brush almost breaking it.

Zienna was of slim build and a couple inches taller than me. Her green eyes bucked as she nod her head, a motion for me to get out of her way. As soon as I was she knelt down peering in the mirror, fluffing her yellow blonde curls that loosely fell on her shoulders.

“Oh...ah...sorry Zienna.” I blushed almost tripping over her shoes.

“Watch it!” Zienna shouted. “Just stay away, alright! And stop using my makeup.”

I slumped my shoulders in a playful motion and moved closer to her.

“But you have the best collection! All the new, top quality shit.” I pouted.

Zienna smiled and shook her head before sitting down to change her hair and makeup for the next set.

“It's a mad house out there tonight. Mistress Bea wants us to dance four sets each tonight. I swear I won't be able to move tomorrow.” She rubbed a wet cloth across her face. “Pass me the costume for my next set.” She demanded pointing to the yellow dress tagged Zienna #2 hanging amidst the costumes and feathered frocks on the clothing rack.

I ran to grab it. The dressing room was a medium, tight space with wooden floors. The walls were lined with makeup stations. Each station had a mirror completely surrounded with circular solar lights. In the back of the room was an endless array of cocktail dresses, evening gowns and themed costumes. Any idea the dancers had for their routine, Mistress Bea had a dress or costume for it.

“Oh, I forgot to mention it.” Zienna said, applying a new shade of lip stain.

“What?” My eyes widen with curiosity.

Zienna grinned at my nosiness. “Koto is looking for you. He's pissed. He said you were suppose to be up there an hour ago and he's threatening to go to the Mistress.”

“Ah fuck!”

I forgot he was the bartender tonight. Most of the others just let me get away with my bullshit, but not Koto. He stays on my ass like sun rays on the colony's solar panels. Last time I worked with him was a month ago when I earned myself a full one week of work suspension, with no pay of course. He took a full two weeks sick leave over the gash I left over his left eye.

He was frustrated because I got a few drink orders wrong and was behind on busting a couple tables. He called me a lazy bitch and one thing lead to another. Damn near got me kicked off the colony and sent back to Earth. I guessed we would be back to bullshit tonight as well.

Koto's slanted black eyes stayed on me as I made my way to the bar. The scar above his left eye stood out on his green skin. He was the one alien that made me have a distaste for all grays. I guess you can say I was prejudice since most grays who visited the cabaret were quiet and seemed not to have any type of personality at all. Which was always strange to me because they left the largest tips. One night a gray tip me five hundred (500cc) cosmic credits.

It had been two hundred years since most of Earth's nations fell and were forced to join the United Cosmic Federation. Each inhabited planet in the federation built colonies to revolve around it's space, but different colonies served various purposes. My colony, Lovejoy, was for vacations, relaxation and entertainment for interstellar visitors, diplomats, space travelers, astronauts and business people.

The downside is the colonies have limited population capacities. In order to remain on Lovejoy, us workers had to maintain employment to keep our work visas. Once a worker loses their job, it's back down to surface we go. And back to a shit job in some factory, department store, farm or mine. Fuck that shit!

“Good evening, Koto.” I smiled.

“It would be even better if you did your damn job.” He grumbled, never looking up from the drink he was mixing.

I sighed then leaned against the bar being careful not to get my uniform wet.

“Koto, I'm sorry about last time. Lets not go through it again tonight.” I pleaded.

Koto stopped and turned around facing me. I almost grinned. He donned a blue plastic jacket with extremely oversized shoulder pads. It cover his gaudy vest which was overrun with lavender and lime rhinestones.

“Then get your ass out there and wet those whistles.” He said handing me a tray with four drinks. “And go backstage as well. I know the dancers will be thirsty by now.”

I happily took the tray. It was a relief that it wasn't going to be another evening of Koto acting like a bitch to me. Maybe we will finally get along... NOT!

The afternoon sun rays beamed through the wall-size windows. I shifted anxiously outside Mistress Bea's office. Her assistant, Drissel had a smirk on her face. Her salt and pepper hair was up in two buns on opposite sides of her head.

As always she had one signature coil that dropped in her face. It was a style I've never understood. The chair squeaked under her heavy set frame. At the cabaret the secret nickname we all had for her was Roly Poly. However, no one has yet to call her that to her face.

She smirked as she informed me the Mistress was ready to see me.

“Go on in.” Drissel smiled, motioning with her hand for me to enter.

I rolled my eyes at her and brushed my hands down my sides to straighten my knee-length black cotton dress. I chose a periwinkle and silver print scarf and ankle-high black boots to match.

“Girly, get in here!” Mistress Bea commanded.

Mistress Bea's hair was up in a top knot centered on her head. She had dyed it a deep purple to cover the gray. Unfortunately she didn't get it all. Looking at the lines on her face, one would say she was a woman in her late fifties. However, her tall, lean frame was the clear sign of a woman who has taken good care of herself over the years and she was probably a former dancer herself.

She examined me with her eyes as I entered the office. It wasn't five steps before I reached the guest or victim chair. Behind her was a plethora of books and sculptures. Some were of Earth origin and others from various parts of the universe.

This was only my second time in her office, but by the look on her face two times were already too many. She took a puff from her vapor pipe still peering at me through her eye glasses. I always wondered why she still wore them since laser surgery was so cheap now, even I could afford it. Maybe it was to make her look dignified.

“Little girly, I believe you and me got us a problem.” She said, blowing smoke from her pipe.

“What type of problem?” I shifted nervously.

She tilted her head to the side and looked at me curiously.

“You tell me.” She said. “You're the one late for you shifts, running behind on your orders, assaulting your co-worker and messing up my money.”

“I... I'm...” I got out before she raised her hand to silence me.

Mistress Bea leaned back in her chair still watching me.

“Do you know why you're here?” She asked.

“I'm here to work, Mistress.” I quickly answered.

“No my dear, I mean, do you know why you're here on this colony and not back on Earth working in a dusty factory somewhere?” She asked.

I opened my mouth, but I was at a loss for an answer.

“Oh, you don't know, do you? Well, let me help you. You're here because I needed you here.” She said.

Her black talon-like nails softly scratched across the desk in front of her.

“You're here because I got rid of the lazy ass before you. But even after she was gone, I still needed another underachiever to serve patrons and bust tables.” Her smile stretched across her face stopping at her eyes. “So you see, you have only two purposes on this colony.” Mistress Bea said holding up two long slender fingers.

“Only two things are keeping you from rotting away in a factory on the surface and that's serving patrons and busting tables. And if you fail to do that, then it's bye bye colony and any chance of having a future that doesn't include working yourself to death doing hard labor. Do you understand that little girly?”

“Yes Mistress.” I said rubbing my sweaty palms together.

“Are you sure?” She asked

“Yes ma'am.” I squeaked.

“Good.” She smiled. “And remember, only two things.”

My roommate, Peyten, was sprawled across the sofa when I entered our small apartment. Her green tipped black hair was in a braid down her back. She donned my brand new scarf around her neck. Freshly steamed salmon hit my nose as soon as I closed the door.

“Fish again?” I frowned.

Peyton rolled her blue eyes and jumped off the couch headed toward the kitchen.

“It's a delicacy!” She said opening the pantry door. “Besides, I have something else for you too.”

She pulled out a paper bag which only meant one thing. Peyton had made a trip to the fresh market and without me! She dumped the bag on the table.

“Pomegranate!” I smile. “How did you get it?”

“Well, as you know it's been a while since anyone has been able to get any up here from the surface. But one of my clients had a crate shipped up here just for me.” She gushed.

“Well, thank him for us.” I said grabbing one off the table.

Peyton pursed her lips, moved her hips seductively and pulled down one shoulder of her oversized tee.

“I already did.” She smiled.

“Ugh, you're such a little floozy.” I shook my head and broke the fruit open.

I flopped on back onto the couch then unbutton the first three buttons of my blouse. I was so excited about our new shipment of pomegranate I almost forgot how tired I was.

“How did the meeting go with Mistress?” She asked.

“Horrible.” I replied spitting out a seed into my towelette.

Peyton frowned and sat a cup of searing green tea and lemon in front of me.

“Hopefully this will make you feel better. Koto must have gave you a lot of shit last night too.” She said.

“Not really...” I said thoughtfully. “Other than being pissed about me being late, he was actually okay last night..”

Peyton furrowed her brow while pouring her own cup of tea.

“Wow that's so not like him. Maybe you knocked some sense into him.” She laughed. “Anyway, I'm on tonight. Mistress got me down for four sets.”

“FOUR?” I took a sip savoring the tart lemon combined with honey.

“Yep, I've been putting costumes together all morning. The patrons are going to get bored seeing the same old girls on stage.” Peyton shook her head. “We need to get some new girls.”

“And fast!” I added.

She paused and her eyebrows crinkled the way that always do when she gets an idea.

“Hey!” She said. “Why don't you dance.”

“For the hundredth time, NO!” I protested.

“Oh come on, Sierra! You're a great dancer. I know you're trying to save to pay the fees to join the African Cosmic Dance Company. And if you become a performer, you can save more money faster.”

“First of all Mistress Bea hates me. Secondly, dancing is not all you have to do to serve the patrons. Third, Pey, it's just not my thing.” I shook my head and took another sip of the tea.

“It can be your thing! And the other stuff is not so bad once you get used to it. That's how we make most of our money. And don't mind Mistress Bea, she hates everybody, unless you're getting her money.”

She stood up as if she was about to make a great point.

“You're always giving me and the other girls tips on our movements, steps and timing. And I swear your makeup and costumes ideas far supersede any other girl there. Sierre, just think about it.” She pleaded.

“Okay! Alright!”

I threw my hands up to surrender.

“I'll think about it.

“Yay!”

Peyton threw her arms up and fell back into my lap.

“You're such a dramatic hoochie I grinned playfully.

Tonight was busier than usual. A massive star fleet arrive to the colony this morning and this ships were full of extraterrestrials and human soldiers and astronauts coming from their ten year tenure in Sirius. The cabaret was full of patrons telling tales of travel and adventures.

There was also a group of aliens I've never seen before. They were humanoid with nearly black skin and slightly larger heads. They features were similar to that of a West African, which they were definitely not. Koto said they were called Yawiens. They were a race of extraterrestrials from Sirius. As strange as they were, they were also very beautiful.

Most of the lower ranking soldiers were only on the colony for the weekend but the higher officials had longer stays due to endless debriefings and conferences. I was willing to bet my next pay day that every conference room on the colony was booked solid for the next month.

Koto was moving like a whirlwind mixing drinks and taking orders at the bar. My tray stayed packed with drinks and food. I walked so much my feet were starting to ache. And the musky scent from our new visitors wasn't making my night any easier.

“Service lady!” One of them called. “Can I get an apple water with vinegar.” He asked.

It was a relief to know they were fluent in English. I guess a decade was enough time to learn.

“Of course, Sir.” I typed it in on hologram projector on my wrist.

I looked over at Koto shaking his head behind the bar. He hated the smell of vinegar, but there were quite a few lifeforms who loved it. The hardest part of our job was learning who from where liked what. We had the greys down packed. They mostly sat quietly and just drank water. The reptilians on the other hand favored swamp water tonic. It wasn't actually swamp water, just a flavor the Mistress created some years back when there was a demand for the taste.

“Why you're not up there dancing?” One of the human astronauts asked.

The question caught me off guard. I almost spilled the apple vinegar on the Yawien.

“Oh no Sir, I'm better off right here wetting everybody's whistle.” I blushed.

“Bullshit.” He spat. “You should be on stage with the others. “I've seen the same girl three times. We need some new blood up there! Right fellas?” He asked.

Nearly the entire room shouted in agreement and they all started chanting, “Dance! Dance! Dance!”.

And then it happened.

“Hey Bea!” Another astronaut shouted. “How much would we have to pay to get the pretty little barmaid

on that stage?” He asked.

“Oh no! She's no dancer.” Mistress Bea shook her head in protest.

“She is tonight!” He shouted. “Alright, come on men, put up or shut up.” He continued.

They snatched an empty wine box off the bar and started to fill it with money. By the time the box got to Mistress Bea it was completely full almost overflowing.

“Is that enough?” The same astronaut asked.

“Well see what we can do.” She smiled then shot me a look. She motioned her head which told me to head to the back to the dressing room.

My mind was moving a thousand miles per hour.

Image from Science ABC dot com "The Feynman Technique: How-to Learn Anything New in Four Easy Steps"

Topics: Quantum Computer, Richard Feynman, Nanotechnology, Nobel Prize, Quantum Mechanics

Quantum computing could revolutionize nuclear and particle physics, Hamish Johnston, Physics World

Whether you base your information on my real name or my Bill McSciFi nom-de-plum, I've been a busy little writer this year. I've got two releases out on Nerdanatix, two more in development, and another release, for a different company, running through the inking phase. Legends Parallel - the series for those of you who think quantum physics isn't violent or sexy enough - continues to earn rave reviews, Svarožič - the story of a woman trapped inside a man and a god trapped inside a human - debuted on Nerdanatix' top 5 most requested releases and continues to impress. You can click her name to read the 8 page character introduction for free.

Pestilent - the dystopian futurescape wherein humans harvest the essence of dead aliens to increase their life spans - and Bob: Sins of the Son - the son of Death wants to be a superhero, what could possibly go wrong?- are both in the hands of artists.

Hybrid Zero: Jungle Grrl - the story of the galaxy's oddest amusement park built on a simulacrum of Earth - is an extension of the Hybrid Zero universe created by Cyril Brown. Cyril's, mostly NSFW, work has been featured in numerous publications and he's now set to pop on an international scale. 

Plus, of course there's more, my trilogy, The Brittle Riders, has been released as three individual print releases and a complete trilogy digitally. Think of it this way, if David Brin came off a three day tequila bender and dropped acid, he would have written The Brittle Riders. Essentially, after the death of every man, woman, and child on the planet things get a little weird. Apocalypses are funny that way. 

I now return you to your regularly scheduled internet.

Illustration shows the nanoresonator coating, consisting of thousands of tiny glass beads, deposited on solar cells. The coating enhances both the absorption of sunlight and the amount of current produced by the solar cells. Credit: K. Dill, D. Ha, G. Holland/NIST

Topics: Alternative Energy, Green Energy, Green Tech, Nanotechnology, NIST, Solar Power

Psst! A Whispering Gallery for Light Boosts Solar Cells, Ben P. Stein, NIST

Image source: AZ Quotes

Topics: Civil Rights, Commentary, Existentialism, History, Politics

Systemic (Merriam-Webster):

: of, relating to, or common to a system: such as

a : affecting the body generally

b : supplying those parts of the body that receive blood through the aorta rather than through the pulmonary artery

c : of, relating to, or being a pesticide that as used is harmless to the plant or higher animal but when absorbed into its sap or bloodstream makes the entire organism toxic to pests (such as an insect or fungus)

Related Link:

The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism, Edward E. Baptist, Amazon

Book Title Free For Two Days...

Greetings BSFS, 

Just stopped by to give you guys an update on my graphic novel project, and also thank you for all the support. Even if it was a dollar, every bit counted. We reached our original goal and actually hit the mark for one of our stretch goals! I had a great time on the podcast, you guys are wild! lol. 

This is a really exciting time for me. Literally, a dream coming true. 

If you'd like to check out the project. Click the link below. 


http://kck.st/2EL4LtO

A cutaway rendering of the ADMX detector. Image: ADMX collaboration

Topics: Dark Matter, Particle Physics, Theoretical Physics, Quantum Mechanics

ADMX announces breakthrough in axion dark matter detection technology, Fermilab

March for Science, Washington DC, 2017 Credit: Becker 1999 Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0)

Topics: Education, Politics, Research, Science, STEM

Greek: ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι, "what was to be demonstrated," QED.

The March for Evidence:

Scientists and many others are frustrated by public decisions based on ideology or wishful thinking

Scientific American

Russ D. Holt, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Topics: Education, Diversity in Science, STEM, Women in Science

In their order of appearance:

Project #21, Burglar alarm (3D snap kit)

Project #11, Flying Saucer

Project #53, Flashing Laser Light with Sound

Project #548, Rechargeable Battery (solar panel)

Warning signs: the greater blue-ringed octopus changes its appearance when threatened using techniques that have inspired an adaptive infrared reflector. (CC BY-SA 2.5/Jens Petersen)

Topics: Bioengineering, Biology, Optical Physics, Materials Science, Nanotechnology

Octopus skin inspires new infrared reflector, Michael Allen, Physics World