[BLOG] Some Thursday links

[rfmcdonald]

• Bad Astronomer Phil Plait notes that our first confirmed extrasolar visitor has been named, I/U2017 U1.


• Centauri Dreams examines the dynamics allowing Enceladus to keep its subsurface water ocean.


• Crooked Timber reacts to the alarming rift opening up between Saudi Arabia and its Shi'ite neighbours, including Lebanon and Iran.


• D-Brief notes that the New Horizons team planners are seeking a new name for their next target, (486958) 2014 MU69.


• Dangerous Minds takes a look at some of the greeting cards designed for American Greetings by Robert Crumb.


• Hornet Stories notes the rise of explicitly homophobic and transphobic ideologues in Paraguay, and its implications for wider South America.


• Lawyers, Guns and Money notes growing Democratic strength in Washington State.


• The Map Room Blog shares a New York Times map of the Virginia election for governor.


• The NYR Daily looks how the brutally quick shutdown of DNAInfo and the Gothamist network reflects the generally parlous state of journalism (among other things).


• Roads and Kingdoms takes a look at the humble momo, a breakfast food in (among other places) Bhutan.


• Starts With A Bang's Ethan Siegel explains why quark fusion can never be a potent energy source.


• Understanding Society celebrates its tenth anniversary.


• Window on Eurasia notes the disinterest of most Russians in personally costly revolutionary actions.