Bill Higgins-- Retired Beam Jockey
@beamjockey.bsky.social
910 followers 260 following 5.3K posts
Physicist at large. Speaker. Writer. Mono-instrumentalist. orcid.org/0000-0003-4608-8397 Avatar: Bill Heterodyne, smiling & tipping his boater, by Phil Foglio. Banner: Me, infinitely reflected in mirrors.
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beamjockey.bsky.social
CAPTAIN KANGAROO was a CBS show from 1955 until 1984 (thanks, Wikipedia!). I was a faithful viewer during the late Fifties and early Sixties.
📺

It says here that PBS played semi-reruns, with some new segments inserted, during the Eighties & Nineties. So you recall correctly.
beamjockey.bsky.social
Googling informs me that someone on Redbubble sells a Mathnet shirt, as well as other PBS logo shirts.

It's not clear whether or not PBS benefits financially from the sale of these, though, which was the original point of this discussion.
""To cogitate and to solve"" Essential T-Shirt for Sale by kryten4k
Buy ""To cogitate and to solve"" by kryten4k as a Essential T-Shirt
www.redbubble.com
Reposted by Bill Higgins-- Retired Beam Jockey
adapalmer.bsky.social
I super want a Square One shirt, especially Mathnet!
Reposted by Bill Higgins-- Retired Beam Jockey
jfoy.bsky.social
Maybe with the "To Cogitate and to Solve" shield on the front, and the back reading THE FOLLOWING IS A FIB, BUT IT'S SHORT
beamjockey.bsky.social
[I relay your joke to my wife]

ME: I admire this joke.

SHE: It does sort of whack you upside the head.
beamjockey.bsky.social
Time to expand your Asteroid Grain Trading Card collection!
elizabethtasker.bsky.social
New asteroid grain trading cards created by JAXA curation! @futuremeetings.bsky.social submitted the suggestion for the “collaboration” card, under the code name, Celery Penn! The grain resembles holding hands, with text “we are always stronger when we work together, even when we’re worlds apart”.
Ten new trading cards, showing an image of an asteroid grain above its “power” and description of ability.
beamjockey.bsky.social
We must know some hat experts who can tell us more about that chapeau, or even where to buy one, or even where to buy a *good* one.

#HatSky
beamjockey.bsky.social
There's no end to the things I learn about, hanging out on Bluesky.
beamjockey.bsky.social
Oops, I should have noticed that YOUR birthday is October 5th, and scrutinized Wikipedia for that day instead.

Sorry, Sputnik's birthday is the date I remember.
beamjockey.bsky.social
Just examining October 4th:

Edward Stratemeyer, Damon Runyon, Buster Keaton, or Sputnik?
beamjockey.bsky.social
Here's some good news!

As #DrDemento retires, @reed.edu tells the world it is proud of him.

Barret Hansen's alma mater, Reed College, in its wisdom, has just this week named him recipient of the Thomas Lamb Eliot Award for Lifetime Achievement by an alumnus.
Reed College Names Dr. Demento as 2025 Recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award - Reed College Newsroom - Reed College
www.reed.edu
beamjockey.bsky.social
All too easily underestimated, Doctor Demento has been a significant force in spreading appreciation of popular music.

Again I ask: Will a university, perhaps *your* university, award to Barry Hansen an honorary doctorate?

#DrDemento
danpasternack.bsky.social
October 11, 2025 is a milestone in comedy history. Not only is it the 50th anniversary of the 1st SNL, today is also the final new Dr. Demento show. After 55 years, Barret Hansen is hanging up his top hat. Please go to drdemento.com to hear his all time demented top 40 countdown special.
Dr. Demento
drdemento.com
beamjockey.bsky.social
Details on Uranus in your animation seem to be smeared less. Care to say why?
beamjockey.bsky.social
Taking a second look at that image--and at your explanation--I noticed the moons, which are faint clusters of hyphens for similar reasons.
beamjockey.bsky.social
Thank you.

Uranus has a rotation period of 17 hour 14 minutes, or 62040 seconds.

During a 450-second exposure, a feature seen on the planet moves through 2.6 degrees of longitude. So I expect it will be smeared out.

Bright cloud arcs in the first image you posted got me thinking about this.
beamjockey.bsky.social
Here’s a question:

Is there somebody, somewhere, whose lawn decorations portray a A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER theme?
beamjockey.bsky.social
I first encountered Don McHoull as @silentmoviegifs.bsky.social (in its Twitter version), carefully curated snippets of silent films. Well worth following!

Wearing his Youtube hat, he may be best known for "The Weird Zombie Existence of The Family Circus."
The weird zombie existence of the Family Circus
YouTube video by Don McHoull
youtu.be
beamjockey.bsky.social
The Comic Strip That Wouldn't Die:

Youtube's recommendation engine just flung up a new item by Don McHoull, whose work I love.

Back in 1919, the only Google was Barney.

His strip is still in the papers today, though during most of my lifetime, Barney appeared but rarely.

#Comics #Centenarians
The comic strip that won't die
YouTube video by Don McHoull
youtu.be
beamjockey.bsky.social
Wonderful. How long is the shutter open (i.e., what is the exposure time for these frames)?
Reposted by Bill Higgins-- Retired Beam Jockey
laworldcon.bsky.social
Of all the works ever shortlisted for a Hugo Award, possibly the most difficult to read or watch is Murder and the Android.

Your best opportunity to watch it will be during LAcon V next summer in Los Angeles.

The story about it is utterly wild. Strap in.

1/11
Rip Torn in Murder and the Android!
Reposted by Bill Higgins-- Retired Beam Jockey
tomgauld.bsky.social
One of the cartoons in my new book 'Physics for Cats' which is out now in the UK, USA, Canada, France and Germany. Order from your local bookshops or online: www.tomgauld.com/
Two beetles on a stick.
One beetle says to the other "Do you ever get the feeling we are being observed by another lifeform"
Zoom out to reveal that they are in a glass case with two scientists studying them.
One scientist says to the other "Do you ever get the feeling we are being observed by another lifeform"
Zoom out into space. Abouard a spaceship, two aliens watch the scientists on a screen.
One alien says to the other "Do you ever get the feeling we are being observed by another lifeform"
The aliens turn to look out at the reader.

Text below the cartoon reads: 
From 'Physics for Cats' by Tom Gauld. Preorder it at www.tomgauld.
beamjockey.bsky.social
Your headline is somewhat akin to rickrolling the reader… but I must agree with Matt. If I had written that headline, I would be very proud.