On the DEWLine 2.0: Dwight Williams

Humble Bundles: A Question About a Specific Graphic Design Bundle

2026-03-08T15:06:48Z

Looking for informed opinions on any or all of the books in this bundle:

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/visual-design-branding-mastery-quarto-books

I've bought a 3D design tools bundle from Humble already, and am considering this as well. In addition to my question about the specific books, I'm considering that this may be one of the few legitimate ways for a Canadian to support the ACLU right now.

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Weird Happenstance of 21 October 2025

2025-10-21T22:37:11Z

As noted on Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/dewline.bsky.social/post/3m3qezg6ud225

"Blocked by our security service"?

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Checking In - 27 Sept. 2025

2025-09-28T01:10:46Z

Something called "National Security Presidential Memorandum 7" is now a thing?

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Star Trek Mapping: A Question of Rotarran

2025-08-21T00:03:12Z

A StarTrek StarCharts/StellarCartography question:

I suspect that HD 29172 used to be the preferred host star for Rotarran, thanks to the Hipparcos Mission data. Gaia Mission seems to have corrected the location of that star from 204 ly from Sol to 521 ly, though.

Granted that the shows as broadcast from 2017 are mostly sticking with the XY placements of known stars as published back in 2002. That's an editorial decision I mostly accept.

Here's some of the candidates I'm looking at, encircled for your review and discussion. Among them, HD 17224 is an A0V, and the thing that gives me pause about that star is that it's over 300 ly "below" Z=0.

I'm looking for opinions, rather than definitive answers here.

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Star Trek Mapping: Confirming a Binary?

2025-08-19T00:26:09Z

I'm wondering about two stars, WT 767 and 768, both in Indus (I believe, after checking Gaia Sky), and it looks to me as if they're barely a light-year from each other. If I'm correct, they might be a candidate as "host" stars for Sullivan's Planet from "The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail".

In which case, maybe HD 205156 can serve as "Helicon"?

I'm also asking my WT 767+768 question on the Celestia Discord server.

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Star Trek Mapping: Surveillance Station Question

2025-07-28T01:55:58Z

Do the Epsilon stations have to be located in actual star systems? Or can they be "freestanding"?
(Also wondering if "Epsilon" stations imply the existence of series of stations designated "Alpha" through "Delta".)

Yeah, this is tied to the Edge of Midnight map projects.

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StellarCatalog.com Query

2025-05-28T02:23:07Z

Is anyone having issues accessing stellarcatalog.com at the moment?

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A Question of Manners

2024-09-22T14:27:13Z

For consideration: if you comment on a topic where I can see you and you don't state otherwise and/or actively prevent replies, I assume that there is an implied invitation to reply.

(Not sure whether to be angry with myself, certain other people, or both here.)

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ASTRONOMY: Lalande 8 AKA...?

2024-08-25T13:32:03Z

I went looking and it turns out that Jérôme Lalande's star catalogue has been preserved and translated to English.

Having since discovered by such means that Lalande 8 - from John M. Ford's Star Trek novel The Final Reflection - is in fact a real star, I am now trying to find out what names or catalogue numbers that star is currently best known by. Any suggestions on the matter? Apparently, as of 1847, it was deemed to be in the constellation Cassiopeia?

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Keyboards

2024-06-30T00:41:15Z

I went shopping at Staples this afternoon, and there are several good options on offer. The trouble was in making up my mind which one to go with.

Opinions and suggestions, anyone?

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Software Dilemma

2024-06-25T01:46:57Z

I'm not going to name the item in question at the moment, because the issue's bound to come again with something else later. I figure that this is going to be an "evergreen" sort of question.

Anyway.

There's a piece of software I'm considering buying an update for tonight, because severe discount on offer, limited time offer.

Complication: I don't have the hardware needed to run it right now. I don't know when/if I'll be able to get that hardware. I *do* like using the software's older version with the hardware I *do* have at the moment.

Thoughts?

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Trek: Andorian Language(s)

2024-05-30T02:16:47Z

Anyone here into Andorian language(s)?

I want to work up a world name. Or maybe five...

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Edge of Midnight: Base Map Progress XVII

2024-03-09T01:52:02Z

Are there any stars within 1-5 ly of a direct spline between GJ 9247 (Satterfeld) and UCAC2 12366750 (Colil)?

Yes, this is probably a question for players of Elite Dangerous at the moment, or someone who knows their way around Gaia Sky or other planetarium-software much better than I.

There's a thing from a favourite fanfic webcomic series that I want to work into the map.

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Edge of Midnight: Base Map Progress XVI

2024-03-04T02:41:54Z

What I've got left to nail down in the Triangle:

R'o
Mantiev
Stork's Rest
Actonn
Altharra
Deerlam
Fooled Again
Freeman's Port
Newlin
Overlinn
Passarra's Dream
Fenris
Soroya

The last two have to fit with the maps in Firewall. Not sure whether I should pick stars for Vashti and Qiris as well.

For anyone newly interested: The Edge of Midnight home page

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Quiz: TV Series Set in Toronto

2024-02-25T02:21:15Z

Let's see how many of them are known to my circle here on Dreamwidth.

(Yes, I blame L&O: Toronto: Criminal Intent for this impulse. No, I haven't seen the first episode.)

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Elite Dangerous Astrogation Question

2023-12-25T22:15:40Z

I need to know which systems are closest to a direct sightline between LTT 3741 and HD 21539.

And the closer to LTT 3741's end of the flightline, the better?

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Fandom Wikis and the "Y" Key

2023-11-16T00:15:19Z

Is anyone else having trouble using the "y" key in typing stuff on Fandom.com's wiki sites?

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Pandemic: Mask-Shopping

2023-10-04T22:21:50Z

Has anyone on my friendlist here tried this company?

https://www.ppe-supply.com/

A stranger I encountered at a Shoppers location over the weekend was wearing an orange KN95 that she attributed to them, and I finally tracked down the website. Looking for opinions on their product...

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Astronomy Question: Memory and Star Catalogue Numbers

2023-09-07T02:58:38Z

Which would you say is going to be easier to remember for a layperson? An SAO catalogue number or "BD ##º #####"?

I'm betting on the SAO number over the Bonner Durchmusterung.

Yes, this is for the Edge of Midnight base map project.

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Astronomy Question: Gliese 361-iota Leonis Route

2023-08-15T03:38:01Z

Is there a direct-line route between those two stars?

I tried digging one up with Celestia and Gaia Sky, and neither software seems to have Gliese 361 in the databases available to it.

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Star Trek mapping query: two options for Betazed homestar:

2023-07-31T00:29:11Z

Yes, this is for the Edge of Darkness project.

Right now, I'm re-reading Star Charts and Stellar Cartography

1. GJ 3414
2. HD 10226

The latter is 150+ ly below "galactic equatorial". The former is 21 ly above it.

Other considerations for my choice?

Needs to be close to the core systems because of events in the DS9 episode "In the Pale Moonlight" where Betazed is taken by Dominion forces. Quoting Memory Alpha: "With Betazed captured, other nearby worlds, including Vulcan, Tellar, Alpha Centauri, and Andor, were at risk of Dominion attack."

(If you've got those systems within striking distance, Sol's in range, too, right?)

Also, it needs to be on the "roads" between those systems and Bajor/Cardassia's neighbourhood, which is roughly 100 ly above "galactic equatorial". If you look up from Earth towards the Ursa Major-Draco constellation border with a strong enough telescope, you should see the alleged home stars of those planets.

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Hundred Faces Challenge?

2023-07-26T02:35:21Z

Artists: have any of you heard of such a thing?

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Design: Brushes

2023-06-26T00:18:29Z

Good evening, everyone.

Digital artists: you've all found yourselves gravitating to specific brushes in whatever programs you use, haven't you.

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Conventions: Collingwood, Ontario?

2023-05-16T14:43:41Z

Does anyone here know of any events being held in Collingwood this year?

I've been asked over on Canadian Conrunners Central on Discord about this.

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Morning Travels

2023-04-25T13:06:19Z

I went for a walk, partly for exercise, partly for newspapers and other essentials-to-me.

The hand sanitizer apparatus at the local grocery and pharmacy were still out of order when I got there, the former for about a week now and the latter being hour-by-hour iffy.

I am pleased to note that my polite complaints about this were not met with indifference or disrespect. Both establishments took measures to either get the equipment working again or to provide a workable substitute system until repairs/resupply can be properly done.

Should I name these stores as examples of making positive efforts to assist their customers?

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