Get Ready for Harry Potter VI

It's from Motley Fool, a major financial information portal. It's got some neat tid-bits including the title of the next book (warning in case you want to be surprised). I am all stoked about the upcoming movie and even more-so about the next book (although the release dates for neither have been set).

I was, however, somewhat horrified by this statement: "Prisoner of Azkaban has seen a sharp drop after an initial blockbuster opening weekend, and stands at $211.7 million to date. I suspect this is more an indication of mounting disappointment with the direction of new director Alfonso Cuaron -- who deviated drastically from the original course of the story -- than any waning interest in the franchise." Can this be true? I take his word on the income so far, i mean it's a financial website. but... but... did he really deviate from the story? Or was it just a different style? I liked the new style a lot, especially compared with the last one. I mean PLEASE! I just wanted to kick someone in the neck when they all applauded Hagrid at the end of the second movie. I mean, PUKE! Most of the kids don't really like Hagrid anyway, and that was SO not in the book.

Ok, I need to go take a time-out or something.

I was having a discussion about what would happen to you if you were exposed in deep space (ie without a space suit). There are a few considerations for what would happen. This sort of event happens a lot in space movies, but the film industry doesn't really have a clear vision. The things I came up with to worry about are:

1. ~0 atmospheres of pressure
2. very low (like, a few kelvin) temperatures
3. radiation

so what really would happen? My guess is that the zero atmospheres of pressure would do you in first. Your innards would probably come exploding out of your body, and those that couldn't get out would just pop.

Of course, freezing isn't too healthy either. And if you live through that, the X-rays and such would probably be pretty uncomfortable.

Here's the simile I came up with:

You could compare being in deep space to floating down the Amazon river on your back with your ass painted red and honey on your belly. It's hard to say what would get you first, but you're pretty much fucked.

So I did some google searches, and i'm pretty much completely wrong. According to info on this nasa page, "If you don't try to hold your breath, exposure to space for half a minute or so is unlikely to produce permanent injury. ... exposure to vacuum causes no immediate injury. You do not explode. Your blood does not boil. You do not freeze. You do not instantly lose consciousness." However, the radiation would be problematic after much of any time.

What Would John Titor Do?

So it's probably an elaborate hoax. It's well thought out and cleanly presented though. Well worth the read, even if just for the discussion of black holes. And if it's not a hoax, well, read up on what to do when the civil war breaks out.