Dave Blewett
@planet-daveb.bsky.social
Planetary scientist - mainly Moon, Mercury, asteroids. Opinions are my own and do not represent my employer or funding agencies. Namesake of asteroid 8997.
The Liar's Dictionary – a fun, low-key novel about the link between two lexicographers working for the same second-rate dictionary 100 years apart. Some funny wordplay and clever made-up words.
November 16, 2025 at 11:06 PM
The Liar's Dictionary – a fun, low-key novel about the link between two lexicographers working for the same second-rate dictionary 100 years apart. Some funny wordplay and clever made-up words.
Winter melon mania. Thanks to one of my wife's co-workers.
October 15, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Winter melon mania. Thanks to one of my wife's co-workers.
The new White House decor is so . . . classy. Did someone say “fool's gold” ?
October 10, 2025 at 9:57 PM
The new White House decor is so . . . classy. Did someone say “fool's gold” ?
Happy Moon Festival (aka "Mid-Autumn Festival"). In celebration, here is a photo that I took in a bar in Beijing in 2015. There was a glass-door drinks fridge, with this lighted sign across the top. Clearly the U.S. needs to get on the capitalist road and designate an official beer for Artemis.
October 7, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Happy Moon Festival (aka "Mid-Autumn Festival"). In celebration, here is a photo that I took in a bar in Beijing in 2015. There was a glass-door drinks fridge, with this lighted sign across the top. Clearly the U.S. needs to get on the capitalist road and designate an official beer for Artemis.
Subscribe to Jay Kuo's “The Status Kuo”. Every Sat. he sends out a collection of the best things he's seen on social media, like this gem.
October 5, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Subscribe to Jay Kuo's “The Status Kuo”. Every Sat. he sends out a collection of the best things he's seen on social media, like this gem.
The distinctive color of glacial lakes comes from light scattered and absorbed by fine particles of “rock flour”, formed by the glacier grinding against bedrock, suspended in the water. Banff, Alberta, last month.
September 28, 2025 at 3:20 PM
The distinctive color of glacial lakes comes from light scattered and absorbed by fine particles of “rock flour”, formed by the glacier grinding against bedrock, suspended in the water. Banff, Alberta, last month.
Our miraculous “Immaculate Pollination” pawpaw tree gave its first fruit. This was our first time to try pawpaw – creamy with a mild banana/mango flavor. Hooray for native North American fruits.
September 10, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Our miraculous “Immaculate Pollination” pawpaw tree gave its first fruit. This was our first time to try pawpaw – creamy with a mild banana/mango flavor. Hooray for native North American fruits.
Just finished Chris McKinney's Mililani Mauka. I read his first novel, The Tattoo in 2004. Stories about the realities of life in Hawaii that are faced by many locals. Great writing. It is fun to see references to Star Market, Longs, and highways, neighborhoods, and beach parks that I know.
August 29, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Just finished Chris McKinney's Mililani Mauka. I read his first novel, The Tattoo in 2004. Stories about the realities of life in Hawaii that are faced by many locals. Great writing. It is fun to see references to Star Market, Longs, and highways, neighborhoods, and beach parks that I know.
I was happy to find a sampler pack that did _not_ include an IPA.
August 29, 2025 at 1:20 AM
I was happy to find a sampler pack that did _not_ include an IPA.
Gov. Newsom's posts in the style of a certain world leader are fantastic.
August 21, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Gov. Newsom's posts in the style of a certain world leader are fantastic.
Pawpaws can't self-pollinate, more than one is needed to have fruit. To my surprise, I found three fruits on one of our two trees. The other tree is much smaller and has never had blossoms. So the fruit is a miracle! I plan to start a new religion, The Church of the Immaculate Pollination.
July 13, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Pawpaws can't self-pollinate, more than one is needed to have fruit. To my surprise, I found three fruits on one of our two trees. The other tree is much smaller and has never had blossoms. So the fruit is a miracle! I plan to start a new religion, The Church of the Immaculate Pollination.
I heard recently that David Thomas of Pere Ubu has died. I remember that I had the “Datapanik in the Year Zero” EP, which was released in 1978. Check out episode #1015 of the Sound Opinions podcast for more on Thomas, his art, and influence.
May 25, 2025 at 7:56 PM
I heard recently that David Thomas of Pere Ubu has died. I remember that I had the “Datapanik in the Year Zero” EP, which was released in 1978. Check out episode #1015 of the Sound Opinions podcast for more on Thomas, his art, and influence.
Eartha Day 2025. I think it's great that there is an annual celebration of Ms. Kitt.
April 23, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Eartha Day 2025. I think it's great that there is an annual celebration of Ms. Kitt.
You're fired! If the Founding Fathers had to deal with the likes of President Mump.
February 25, 2025 at 1:51 AM
You're fired! If the Founding Fathers had to deal with the likes of President Mump.
Headline in the journal Science.
February 23, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Headline in the journal Science.
My parents had a postcard that I sent from the American Geophysical Union meeting in 2012. Seems that I spilled the secret.
December 20, 2024 at 7:53 PM
My parents had a postcard that I sent from the American Geophysical Union meeting in 2012. Seems that I spilled the secret.
I'm looking forward to this - the latest issue of Granta. Got it after listening to a recent episode of the excellent Sinica podcast. On my shelf there are a couple issues of Granta from the 1990s - Best of Young American Novelists and BoYBritishN.
December 18, 2024 at 2:40 AM
I'm looking forward to this - the latest issue of Granta. Got it after listening to a recent episode of the excellent Sinica podcast. On my shelf there are a couple issues of Granta from the 1990s - Best of Young American Novelists and BoYBritishN.
I recently finished this book. BPD is set in 2008 in NYC during the financial crash. I had read McInerney's earlier novel "Brightness Falls", which has the same characters earlier in their life, in 1994.
December 16, 2024 at 4:27 AM
I recently finished this book. BPD is set in 2008 in NYC during the financial crash. I had read McInerney's earlier novel "Brightness Falls", which has the same characters earlier in their life, in 1994.
Last month I attended a tech symposium at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, sponsored by the Planetary Exploration Science Technology Office (PESTO). We got to tour several of the amazing labs at Glenn, including the SLOPE facility - for planetary rover mobility tests.
November 21, 2024 at 2:20 AM
Last month I attended a tech symposium at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, sponsored by the Planetary Exploration Science Technology Office (PESTO). We got to tour several of the amazing labs at Glenn, including the SLOPE facility - for planetary rover mobility tests.
Matt Johnson of The The. It was a very enjoyable show - first the entire new album (Ensoulment), followed by a second set of songs from their back catalog. I must say that the lead guitarist Barrie Cadogan was really good - expressive playing without making any grimacing faces during the solos.
November 18, 2024 at 3:35 AM
Matt Johnson of The The. It was a very enjoyable show - first the entire new album (Ensoulment), followed by a second set of songs from their back catalog. I must say that the lead guitarist Barrie Cadogan was really good - expressive playing without making any grimacing faces during the solos.
Last month I went to see The The in WashDC.
November 18, 2024 at 3:26 AM
Last month I went to see The The in WashDC.