Master Bates

The Big Bang theory depends on two major assumptions, the universality of physical laws, and the Cosmological Principle. The cosmological principle states that on large scales the universe is homogeneous and isotropic. These ideas were initially taken as postulates, but today there are efforts to test each of them. For example, the first assumption has been tested by observations showing that largest possible deviation of the fine structure constant over much of the age of the universe is of order 10−5. Also, General Relativity has passed stringent tests on the scale of the solar system and binary stars while extrapolation to cosmological scales has been validated by the empirical successes of various aspects of the Big Bang theory. If the large-scale universe appears isotropic as viewed from Earth, the cosmological principle can be derived from the simpler Copernican Principle, which states that there is no preferred (or special) observer or vantage point. To this end, the cosmological principle has been confirmed to a level of 10−5 via observations of the CMB. The universe has been measured to be homogeneous on the largest scales at the 10% level.

Photos of a mammoth spider devouring a bird in a Queensland backyard are sweeping email inboxes — and according to experts, it's all real. The photos — which are reported to have been taken this week in Atherton, west of Cairns — show the spider clenching its legs around a lifeless bird trapped in a web. Head spider keeper at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford on NSW central coast, Joel Shakespeare, said the spider was a Golden Orb Weaver. "Normally they prey on large insects… it's unusual to see one eating a bird," he told ninemsn. Mr Shakepeare said he had seen Golden Orb Weaver spiders as big as a human hand but the northern species in tropical areas were known to grow larger. Queensland Museum identified the bird as a native finch called the Chestnut–breasted Mannikin. The bird, which appears frozen in an angel-like pose, most likely flew into the web and got caught, according to Mr Shakepeare. "It wouldn't eat the whole bird," he said. But the spider would probably prepare a liquid soup with the finch — as it does with insects — and discard of what it doesn't need. "It uses its venom to break down the bird for eating and what it leaves is a food parcel," he said. Greg Czechura from Queensland Museum said cases of the Golden Orb Weaver eating small birds were "well known but rare". "It builds a very strong web," he said. But he said the spider would not have attacked until the bird weakened. "They blunder into [the webs] and their feathers get entangled," he said. "The more they struggle, the more tangled up and exhausted they get and they go into stress." The Golden Orb Weaver spins a strong web high in protein because it depends on it to capture large insects for food, unlike funnel web and wolf spiders that actively hunt their prey. Another species called the bird-eating spider does not actually eat birds. "If a spider gets a bird, it's a very lucky spider," Mr Czechura said.

That's why she was never raped.

Joke rape is when an animal rapes a human, has happened by dogs and a racoon.

Are you and Landy part of The Zimmers per chance?

Mine was Earth in the future, it's a bleak future i'm afraid.

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I think you're great! (great grandfather tee hee cough splutter cough)

Great thread!

The laydees would say this guy was fit enough to be Chairman.

Could be a good horror film "When Degenerates Breed"

Sorry I forgot them, Pebbles Clarke HSBC

She's a slut that's why. Wow, slut isn't filtered, I suppose if it was then PompeyLass would also have to be filtered

I just wish I could JUMP RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEM!

I've never had a ring when i've sat on an urn.

Since I was born and my Daddy had a telescope, remarkable things they are, actually can see the craters on the Moon, see Venus!!!!!! Space is the one place i'd love to visit.

Great presentation there DSM, you able to er do a Rule 1 if ya catch me drift

If the rumour about him being dead is true then no he's not fit enough.

Sorry Seatbelt, VV Cephei kicks Antares a$s, you have failed whilst I celebrate my last minute win, and look, no Pluto VV Cephei is an eclipsing binary star system located in the constellation Cepheus, approximately 3,000 light years from Earth. A red supergiant fills the system's Roche lobe when closest to its companion blue star, the latter appearing to be on the main sequence. Matter flows from the red supergiant onto the blue companion. VV Cephei A, the supergiant, is one of the largest stars known, and believed the third largest star in this galaxy (after the hypergiant WOH G64). It is of spectral type M2 and is approximately 1,600–1,900 times the Sun's diameter. If placed in our solar system, the binary system would extend past the orbit of Jupiter and approach that of Saturn. VV Cephei is 275,000-575,000 times more luminous than the Sun. As is true for many red supergiants, a stellar wind flows off the system at a velocity of approximately 25 kilometers per second. VV Cephei A's mass estimated from its orbital motion is about 100 solar masses, but its luminosity suggests a mass 25-40 solar masses. Consequently, the actual mass is unknown. Yes, VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) is the biggest. List of the largest stars Star name Solar radii (Sun = 1) VY Canis Majoris 1800-2100 WOH G64 2000 VV Cephei A 1600-1900 V354 Cephei 1520 RW Cephei 1260-1610 KW Sagitarii 1460 KY Cygni 1420/1440 Mu Cephei (Herschel's "Garnet Star") 1420 Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis) 950-1000 V509 Cassiopeiae 910 V838 Monocerotis 800 V382 Carinae 747 Antares (Alpha Scorpii) 700 S Pegasi 580 S Doradus 550 T Cepheii 540 S Orionis 530 W Hydrae 520 119 Tauri 510 R Cassiopeiae 500 Delta Canis Majoris (Wezen) 482 Chi Cygni 470 Alpha Herculis (Ras Algethi) 460 Rho Cassiopeiae 450 Mira A (Omicron Ceti) 400 Eta Carinae 400 R Doradus 370 HR Carinae 350 R Leonis 350 The Pistol Star 340 La Superba (Y Canum Venaticorum) 300 Deneb (Alpha Cygni) 220 LBV 1806-20 200 Epsilon Aurigae A 175 Zeta Aurigae 160 Epsilon Pegasi (Enif) 150 Gamma Crucis (Gacrux) 113 Beta Cygni A1 109 Gamma Andromedae 83 Alpha Leporis (Arneb) 77 Rigel (Beta Orionis) 70 Epsilon Carinae 70 R Coronae Borealis 65 Canopus (Alpha Carinae) 65 Delta Orionis (Mintaka) 60 Zeta Orionis (Alnitak) 60 Alpha Persei (Mirfak) 60 Zeta Geminorum (Mekbuda) 60 Eta Aquilae 60 Gamma Draconis (Eltanin) 50 Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) 43 Beta Ursae Minoris (Kochab) 41

So, I received this book and already it seems to be coming true. In the book I received, it said this Fall (autumn) would see the start of the demise of America, France, Italy, Germany, Japan & Britain.

Antares is at the upper left, the blue one is Rho Ophiuchi, down in the red is Sigma Scorpii. This picture shows an area around Antares. Antares is the brightest star in Scorpius. Given star's red-yellow color, and the fact that Mars is a similar color, Antares was given a name that means "The Rival of Mars." Antares is surrounded by a rare yellowish nebula. NGC6144 is the small globular cluster above center, while M4 is the large globular cluster on the lower right.

Oh, and it's 'Great' and not 'Graet' or 'Grate' for that matter.

Javi does still pop yes, spoke to him about a month ago and he was happy at the time.