[BLOG] Some Thursday links

[rfmcdonald]

• Centauri Dreams looks at how the inability to make contact with the long-departed ISEE-3 probe offers hints as to the problems with long-duration spaceflight.


• The Dragon's Gaze considers Beta Pictoris' planets, one paper considering the orbit of Beta Pictoris b and another wondering if the identified planet might in fact be massive dust clouds from planetesimal collisions.


• The Dragon's Tales explores the latest in Ukraine.


• Far Outliers notes the collapse of Japanese forces in Papua New Guinea, from Phillip Bradley's Hell's Battlefield (1, 2, 3).


• A Fistful of Euros' Alex Harrowell considers the extent to which electronic communications are compromisable.


• The Planetary Society Blog celebrates Yuri's Night, an upcoming celebration of spaceflight on the 12th of this month.


• The Power and the Money's Noel Maurer wonders how many Salvadorans were displaced from Honduras after the Soccer War of 1968 and considers certain parallels in ethnic minority politics between French Algeria and Russian Crimea.


• Strange Maps notes that Portugal's territory is almost entirely water, a combination of its extensive coastline, associated seas, and dispersed archipelagos.


• Transit Toronto notes that the stretch of Yonge subway by Eglinton will be closed down this Saturday owing to emergency repairs.


• Whatever's John Scalzi describes the many ways in which he has sold his books.


• Window on Eurasia argues that Kazakhstan is taking greater care regarding the Russian language after Crimea, and notes pressures in Kyrgyzstan.