Working on the Fourth of July

June 29, 2005 8:08 AM

What are you doing for July 4th? I just found out I'll be working. Our spacecraft Swift is going to be observing comet Tempel1 at the time of the Deep Impact encounter. (Previous discussed here on MeFi 2 years ago.) We'll probably have images and movies first, but the first images you'll see after the encounter will likely come from either JPL or Hubble. You can't have Penn State scooping NASA.

Oh well, at least we will have a barbecue at work to celebrate. Our acting Mission Director during this time is a great bloke from MSSL. It is oddly appropriate to be celebrating the Fourth with a person from the UK.
posted by Fat Guy (10 comments total)

self-link, crap, etc.
posted by ori at 8:25 AM on June 29, 2005

What are you doing for July 4th?

Oh, hanging out at a party on a houseboat on Lake Union, about a quarter mile from the barge from where the fireworks are luanched, which puts one so close to the fireworks that they are felt as much as heard. But if one has to be working, you have the job of jobs. Good luck !
posted by y2karl at 8:28 AM on June 29, 2005

You seem like a nice guy, but GYODB.

(you probably could have gotten away with a self-link if you hadn't gone out of your way to point it out.)

(I'll be on Munjoy Hill watching the big colored explodey.)
posted by selfnoise at 8:29 AM on June 29, 2005

You seem like a nice guy, but GYODB.

Um, looks like he already has a GD Blog
posted by R. Mutt at 9:20 AM on June 29, 2005

wow, another mefi'er from state college. you should come hashing sometime. or at least go get yerself a beer at otto's.
posted by slogger at 9:29 AM on June 29, 2005

I am not sure this qualifies as a self-link. How does he benefit from linking to a university web site + a bunch of random links? Are any of the linked sites actually his or is he at least someone of Great Importance in the project mentioned?
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 10:21 AM on June 29, 2005

It's certainly more self-indulgent than any post I can remember.

R.Mutt: Then I guess it should be UYODB.
posted by baphomet at 10:24 AM on June 29, 2005

You know a lot of people down in the lower employment castes work on the Fourth of July. And we don't even get barbecues. We just have to work because everyone who has this splendid barbecuing, fireworking holiday off still feels the need to spend about seven hours of it at the mall.
posted by dopamine at 11:01 AM on June 29, 2005

Fat Guy: You made a minor typo in that "barbecue" link - I replaced the c with a q ... but since that is just recipes, would this bbq grill be big enough for you to cook on? :) Looking forward to seeing the Deep Impact images - nice job timing it on Fireworks Day!
posted by RonZ at 11:06 AM on June 29, 2005

What are you doing for July 4th?

Fireworks viewing from a Cessna (at a SAFE altitude and distance) if the weather cooperates and the gummint doesn't put up TFRs all over the place. I'll see what AOPA has to say about the idea tomorrow. We have the schedule for regional towns' shows and should be able to make a circuit of them. Ain't that just special?
posted by tss at 5:15 PM on June 29, 2005