But do now watch it unless you have seen both Up and Inception...or you just don't care about potential spoilers.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wookieleaks
You might have heard of the website Wikileaks. Wikileaks recently made news for publishing documents on the Afghan war (although they have been around for a while). They have taken on everything from Apple to the Masons to sorority initiations.But now they have arrived as evidenced by the fact that geeks everywhere are satirizing them on Twitter. All you have to do is search Twitter for Wookieleaks. Wookieleaks is a Twitter meme where people are making up what secrets might be leaked a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. A few samples of the leaks.
"Cantina footage shows Greedos head went back and to the left. Back and to the left. BACK and to the left."
"Inquiry reveals cantina footage digitally altered; Han Solo discharged weapon first."
"Dumb Gungan and Republic leader, Parah Salin, banished from Hoth for hunting Wampa from snowspeeder."
"Strormtrooper armor has been found in effective, even from rocks thrown by Ewoks"
"YT-1300 light freighter recall after reports of unintended acceleration. Senate demands Corellian Engineering Corp. hearing."
"Protocol droid fluent in 6 mil languages discharged for violating DADT."
Obviously, there are all kinds of cultural references being sprinkled in there. Have fun coming up with your own "Wookieleaks".
Andy Griffith Pitches Medicare
They're stripping half a trillion dollars from Medicare to pay for uninsured people. Many seniors, having paid into the fund for decades, oppose that. The solution? Use more Medicare money to hire a pitchman.
These tactics remind me of our mayor, lying John Dickert, who also uses our money for propaganda purposes: http://news.racinepost.com/2010/07/flood-averted.html. And here I thought that rain had something to do with the recent flooding in SE Wisconsin. I should have known that lying John was in charge all along.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Four for Fridays
Hello everybody! Friday's back! This one kinda slipped up to me. This week's questions are about ecology.
1) Do you recycle?
2) What do you think of your communities' current recycling program?
3) Do you think, we the people, are doing enough about conservation?
4) Do you think the government should set aside more land for national parks and such?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) Do you recycle?
2) What do you think of your communities' current recycling program?
3) Do you think, we the people, are doing enough about conservation?
4) Do you think the government should set aside more land for national parks and such?
Enjoy your weekend!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
An Evening Grin -- Southern Baptist Woman
The lady was a Southern Baptist who attended services and taught Sunday School every week.
On one Sunday, an out of town acquaintance, a gentleman, was in the pew right behind her. He noted what a fine looking woman she was. While they were taking up the collection, the man leaned forward and said, "Hey, how about you and I having dinner on Tuesday?" "Why yes, that would be nice,"the lady responded.
Well, the gentleman couldn't believe his luck.
On Tuesday he picked the lady up and took her to the finest restaurant in that part of South Carolina. When they sat down, the gentleman looked over at her and suggested, "Would you like a cocktail before dinner?" "Oh, no," said our circumspect fine example of southern womanhood, "What ever would I tell my Sunday School class?"
Well, our gentleman was set back a bit, so he didn't say much until after dinner, when he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and asked, "Would you like a smoke?" "Oh my goodness no," said the woman. "I couldn't face my Sunday School class if I did!"
Well, our boy felt pretty low after that, so they left, got in his car and as he was driving the lady home, they passed the local Holiday Inn. He'd been morally rebuffed twice already, so he figured he had nothing to lose so he ventured forth with, "Ahhh ... mmmm, how would you like to stop at this motel?"
"Sure, that would be nice," she said in anticipation. The gentleman couldn't believe his ears, and did a fast u-turn right then and there, and drove back to the motel and checked in.
The next morning, after a wild and passionate night of the most incredible love making imaginable, the gentleman awoke first. He looked at the lovely Dixie darling lying there in the bed and with remorse thought, "What the hell have I done?
He shook her awake and pleaded, "I've got to ask you one thing, what ever are you going to tell your Sunday School class?"
The lady said, "The same thing I always tell them, "You don't have to smoke and drink to have a good time.."
On one Sunday, an out of town acquaintance, a gentleman, was in the pew right behind her. He noted what a fine looking woman she was. While they were taking up the collection, the man leaned forward and said, "Hey, how about you and I having dinner on Tuesday?" "Why yes, that would be nice,"the lady responded.
Well, the gentleman couldn't believe his luck.
On Tuesday he picked the lady up and took her to the finest restaurant in that part of South Carolina. When they sat down, the gentleman looked over at her and suggested, "Would you like a cocktail before dinner?" "Oh, no," said our circumspect fine example of southern womanhood, "What ever would I tell my Sunday School class?"
Well, our gentleman was set back a bit, so he didn't say much until after dinner, when he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and asked, "Would you like a smoke?" "Oh my goodness no," said the woman. "I couldn't face my Sunday School class if I did!"
Well, our boy felt pretty low after that, so they left, got in his car and as he was driving the lady home, they passed the local Holiday Inn. He'd been morally rebuffed twice already, so he figured he had nothing to lose so he ventured forth with, "Ahhh ... mmmm, how would you like to stop at this motel?"
"Sure, that would be nice," she said in anticipation. The gentleman couldn't believe his ears, and did a fast u-turn right then and there, and drove back to the motel and checked in.
The next morning, after a wild and passionate night of the most incredible love making imaginable, the gentleman awoke first. He looked at the lovely Dixie darling lying there in the bed and with remorse thought, "What the hell have I done?
He shook her awake and pleaded, "I've got to ask you one thing, what ever are you going to tell your Sunday School class?"
The lady said, "The same thing I always tell them, "You don't have to smoke and drink to have a good time.."
Help me understand, I just don't get it!
OK, I feel officially old.
I see things that I just don't understand.
I still don't get the fascination with wearing something
compatible only to an unwanted creeper.
Fashion trends are beyond me at times.
Then today on my way on an errand for work, I saw the
most unusual vehicle, it's name - the CUBE.
Seriously?
If you have one and love it, can you explain it to me?
Back in school many years ago, when we pondered what
it would be like in the 2000's, we dreamed up flying cars
and without question AERODYNAMIC vehicles.
I don't understand why vehicles are being made in the shape of
boxes, and so NOT aerodynamic. A CUBE?
Maybe I'm just too old to get it but help me out here
this is just too backwards for me.
Am I the only one?
I see things that I just don't understand.
I still don't get the fascination with wearing something
compatible only to an unwanted creeper.
Fashion trends are beyond me at times.
Then today on my way on an errand for work, I saw the
most unusual vehicle, it's name - the CUBE.
Seriously?
If you have one and love it, can you explain it to me?
Back in school many years ago, when we pondered what
it would be like in the 2000's, we dreamed up flying cars
and without question AERODYNAMIC vehicles.
I don't understand why vehicles are being made in the shape of
boxes, and so NOT aerodynamic. A CUBE?
Maybe I'm just too old to get it but help me out here
this is just too backwards for me.
Am I the only one?
Early Morning Grin - Life as a senior gentleman:
Yesterday my wife asked why I didn't do something useful with my time. She suggested I go down to the senior center and hang out with the guys. I did this and when I got home last night I told her that I had joined a parachute club.
She said "Are you nuts? You're 69 years old and you're going to start jumping out of airplanes?"
I proudly showed her that I even got a membership card.
She said to me, "You idiot, where are your glasses? This is a membership to a Prostitute Club, not a Parachute Club!"
I'm in trouble again and don't know what to do! I signed up for five jumps a week!
Life as a senior citizen is not getting any easier.
She said "Are you nuts? You're 69 years old and you're going to start jumping out of airplanes?"
I proudly showed her that I even got a membership card.
She said to me, "You idiot, where are your glasses? This is a membership to a Prostitute Club, not a Parachute Club!"
I'm in trouble again and don't know what to do! I signed up for five jumps a week!
Life as a senior citizen is not getting any easier.
The Hershey Company
Maybe I’m watching too much TV and the ads, but I feel The Hershey Company should be ashamed of themselves for the new M&M ad which has been running the past few weeks.
It involves sticking a pretzel inside of an M&M.
To me this is one of the sickest commercials out. It lets the mind wander way off track. This one makes me think of “shower buddies” too “prison pals”...
It involves sticking a pretzel inside of an M&M.
To me this is one of the sickest commercials out. It lets the mind wander way off track. This one makes me think of “shower buddies” too “prison pals”...
The Ongoing Conjunction
I finally got a nice night to take a few pictures of the ongoing gathering of Venus, Saturn and Mars in the west after sunset. Not from Tucson, as I am traveling. This time from the Hume Observatory, home of the GORT telescope, in Sonoma County, California. So without futher ado, let's get to the pics.
Venus is the bright bright guy on the right between the trees. Mars is just above the tree in the center...Saturn is right above Mars.
Although its summer, I tried to evoke the decoration on the top of a Christmas tree.
Just as I was about to leave, I snapped one more picture. During the exposure, a car started up and illuminated the trees.
The conjunction is ongoing and you can watch it progress for the next couple of weeks. No telescope necessary, just a clear sky after sunset.Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my beauteous rose bushes! How are you? I hope that none of you were caught in that terrible storm in and around Milwaukee last week. Oh my! The flooding was horrific. And the resulting damage is awful, just awful. Pictures like that one of the SUV in the sinkhole look surreal, but the devastation is genuine and many people have been adversely affected. It’s such a shame that these things occur. Sometimes I wonder if an anti-rainmaker (dry-maker? drought-maker?) could make a living around these parts. Perhaps that’s a career that Junior should give some thought to. He’s going to have to get serious sooner or later.I’m performing my civic duty this week by announcing that the Racine County Fair starts at noon today: http://www.racinecountyfair.com/ Hooray! They have everything from the BoDeans to a mooing contest to demolition derbies. Great fun for the entire family. Be there or be □ .
Also, don’t forget about the Starving Artists Fair this Sunday, August 1, in East Park on the Gateway campus, Main Street between 10th and 11th Streets. http://kiosk.racinepost.com/2010/07/starving-artists-fair-includes-food.html At the same time, and across Main Street, the Masonic Center will be hosting its annual Job’s Daughters Craft Fair. http://www.racinemasoniccenter.org/
There’s always so much to do in the summer in Racine. I can’t keep up with it all. I don’t even
try. One of my favorite summer pastimes is working in the garden. Just weeding and watering seems to soothe me. Here’s a secret I’m now broadcasting to the world: I like the smell of dirt. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been attracted to the fragrance of soil, especially rich, black dirt. I don’t know why. It’s not like I want to bury my face in a pile of dirt (at least, not for long…), but there’s something about the odor of organic products that gets me, maybe even in a primal way. Oh dear, I never really thought about it that much. Anyway, I always thought that someone in the perfume industry could make a lot of money with a line of products that smelled like soil from around the world. The magical scent of Sahara sand, or soil from the Sphinx, or loam from Luxemburg, . . . I would buy it. Hmmm, maybe I’ll make it! Madame Zoltar’s® Eau de Cologne “Cultivated Clay,” or “Saturated Sandstone,” or “Earthy Earth,” or a million others. Shower up to clean off that everyday grime and then splash on the scent of cultured dirt. Hmmm, . . .Hold on! I just checked the internet. I should have done that before: http://www.demeterfragrance.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=853 Demeter™ has had the fragrance “Dirt” on sale for years. I should have figured. My million dollar ideas haven’t made me a million, or anything, yet. But I do hope that I’ve made some friends along the way, because that’s what matters.
Thank you my dears for reading my blog today. I so enjoy our time together. You are each and every one special to me. Especially YOU! It’s always great when you are around.
If you have doubts or fears, or just too many beers, contact me at: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Enjoy the summer. I see lazy, hazy, crazy days ahead, filled with fun, sunshine, and good fortune. Get out there and grab some of it. Metagrobolize!
Kia Commercial
Have you seen the Kia Commercial were hamsters are singing, “you can get with this, or you can get with that”?
Some are going down the street in a toaster others in a cardboard box, etc.
My question is, “by watching this ad, what group of people do you think Kai is targeting”?
I have asked several people and the answers they gave me are different from what I would think.
Some are going down the street in a toaster others in a cardboard box, etc.
My question is, “by watching this ad, what group of people do you think Kai is targeting”?
I have asked several people and the answers they gave me are different from what I would think.
Kitchen Science...Try This at Home
One of my favorite podcasts is the Naked Scientists (and its sister podcast, Naked Astronomy). In spite of its name, this is a perfectly safe podcast for almost all audiences (save for an occasional mild double entendre). Both podcasts originate from Cambridge University. A rotating cast of faculty members tackle the science news on a weekly basis (monthly for Naked Astronomy) in a humorous fashion aimed at a general audience. One of their weekly segments is called Kitchen Science. Kitchen Science focuses on experiments that you can do at home. And since its does not originate in the U.S., they do more fun experiments that a U.S. based broadcaster would dare air for fear of being sued. Recently, they showed how to build a homemade cloud chamber to watch cosmic rays and radioactive particles decay, the science of Pop Rocks, and how to make a fire tornado.
Many of the activities have videos showing how to do them as well as the segments from the radio show. They are great activities to play with at home or for teachers to check out for classroom use. The podcast and all materials on the website are free, so the price is right for the cash strapped (and many of the activities have low cost, using readily available materials).
So it's a fun site to explore, whether you are a teacher looking for ideas or a bored tinkerer looking for something to put together and play with in your spare time.Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Pot, our VA, and a Dane Co. ballot.
Amazing! I might actually live to see it happen. Dane Co. Supervisors are including the question of, "Should Wisconsin Legislature make a medical marijuana law?" for this November's ballot. The VA in a surprise move that Orbs noted down below has decided to allow Vets in states with Med pot laws to use without putting their VA med benefits in jeopardy. This is important as one friend of mine in Arkansas has been denied some of his VA medical benefits due to his use. He is still screwed as Arkansas isn't one of the enlightened states, but we are closer than ever before. One news clipping stated that Vets in MML states may also use it if they live in VA nursing homes provided they have a private Drs. Rx to use.
When it finally goes to our state legislatures, please join with me in letting them know emphatically, YES! These brain tumors cause migraines that need either a couple Oxycontin or bit of the evil weed, and I'd much rather do the weed. Think of all those that have suffered with cancer and other maladies before you slam the door on what might help them in their suffering.
When it finally goes to our state legislatures, please join with me in letting them know emphatically, YES! These brain tumors cause migraines that need either a couple Oxycontin or bit of the evil weed, and I'd much rather do the weed. Think of all those that have suffered with cancer and other maladies before you slam the door on what might help them in their suffering.
Radio Controlled SR-71 Jet
OK, forget the plastic boat (below), I want one of these instead. I'm impressed.
What's the range of the remote control box and what's the range of the plane? If you gave it too much fuel and it got away from you, it could invade someone else's airspace, maybe start a war.
"Boat Made of Recycled Plastic Bottles Completes Its 9,000-Mile Voyage"
"After floating on plastic for more than 9,000 miles, the crew of the Plastiki arrived in Sydney, Australia today, more than four months after the ship set sail from San Francisco."
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/07/26/boat-made-of-recycled-plastic-bottles-completes-its-9000-mile-voyage/
Here's a video posted before the voyage:
I'm gonna save up my plastic bottles and build an aircraft carrier.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/07/26/boat-made-of-recycled-plastic-bottles-completes-its-9000-mile-voyage/
Here's a video posted before the voyage:
I'm gonna save up my plastic bottles and build an aircraft carrier.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Riding by the Root
After all the storms that blasted us with tons of rain and the temperatures dropping down to more comfortable levels, I decided it was a good day for a drive. Noticing that the water levels were high, I thought it would a good idea to take some pics of the river that flow through this town. The Root River. Glad I did! There were some flooding in areas, but nothing like what happened two years ago.
The river along side Spring Street
Overflowing at Island Park
Into Lake Michigan...
The Root River by Linwood Park in Caledonia
The river just north of the Horlick Dam
The Horlick Dam
The river just north of the Horlick Dam
The Horlick Dam
The river along side Spring Street
Overflowing at Island Park
Into Lake Michigan...
My Weekend Breakfast Companion is Gone...
That would be Daniel Schorr, longtime NPR commentator who I have been listening to for decades (he joined NPR as a correspondent in 1985 and I was listening to it already when I was in high school, so the times match up fairly closely).
Lots of tributes have been made to him the last few days on a variety of NPR new shows (he appeared on most of them). Strange that I got sick of all the Michael Jackson tributes, but I am not tired of hearing about Schorr. Guess I feel a much closer connection with Schorr so I like hearing more about him. The other thing that might be making it work is that most of the people reporting on it are his friends and colleagues making it much more personal that most coverage.
Two of my favorite Schorr moments they talked about. First, was the time when he was reading Nixon's famous Enemies list live for CBS News. He got down to number 17 and (surprise) read his own name!
The second one of my favorites was related to that. Nixon used the FBI to investigate Schorr under the pretense that Schorr was being considered for a government job. Schorr met Nixon many years later and went to talk to him. (I am paraphrasing the following since I haven't found the transcript yet). Schorr said, "I don't know if you remember me..." He was cut off by Nixon who said, "Daniel Schorr. I considered hiring you for a job once!" Talk about chutzpah!
And to top it off, he was friends with (and even peformed with) Frank Zappa.
I will miss your commentaries.
Lots of tributes have been made to him the last few days on a variety of NPR new shows (he appeared on most of them). Strange that I got sick of all the Michael Jackson tributes, but I am not tired of hearing about Schorr. Guess I feel a much closer connection with Schorr so I like hearing more about him. The other thing that might be making it work is that most of the people reporting on it are his friends and colleagues making it much more personal that most coverage.
Two of my favorite Schorr moments they talked about. First, was the time when he was reading Nixon's famous Enemies list live for CBS News. He got down to number 17 and (surprise) read his own name!
The second one of my favorites was related to that. Nixon used the FBI to investigate Schorr under the pretense that Schorr was being considered for a government job. Schorr met Nixon many years later and went to talk to him. (I am paraphrasing the following since I haven't found the transcript yet). Schorr said, "I don't know if you remember me..." He was cut off by Nixon who said, "Daniel Schorr. I considered hiring you for a job once!" Talk about chutzpah!
And to top it off, he was friends with (and even peformed with) Frank Zappa.
I will miss your commentaries.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
"Amish Teen Led Cops on Horse and Buggy Chase, Say Police"
"LEON, N.Y. (CBS/AP) Levi Detweiler, a 17-year-old Amish youth, allegedly led sheriff's deputies on a mile-long, presumably low-speed chase, after running a stop sign in his horse and buggy and refusing to pull over."Do they train for this at the police academy?
"Deputies said they spotted Detweiler ignoring the stop sign last week. According to police, the teen then led them on a chase that ended when he lost control on a sharp turn into a driveway and overturned the buggy into a ditch. He then fled on foot."
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20010971-504083.html
He was caught and is being held on $500 bond. I guess those teen years can be rough no matter what religion you are.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Unclaimed Money from the State
Well, let me tell you my tale of woe, guys. I filed a claim with the state for these funds.
They refused me because, there is one other (fill in name) in the State of WI. No, there isn't...there is a record of the scheming woman who stole his identity way back in 1900 and freeze to death. They have an address for a(fill in name again) in Racine County...Duh....This is the money from WI Energies.
The other check, which I think is also WI Energies suddenly appears to the state to be from M&I and I need to provide them with the check? Now if I had the check, don't you think I would have cashed it?
Oh well, my Mother in law got her lousy $50!
My claims came to about $300...well, I never knew I had it coming, so...but I did write WI Energies an perhaps they can provide me with proof that we are the only (name) in the state and particularly in Racine County. GRRRRRRR.
They refused me because, there is one other (fill in name) in the State of WI. No, there isn't...there is a record of the scheming woman who stole his identity way back in 1900 and freeze to death. They have an address for a(fill in name again) in Racine County...Duh....This is the money from WI Energies.
The other check, which I think is also WI Energies suddenly appears to the state to be from M&I and I need to provide them with the check? Now if I had the check, don't you think I would have cashed it?
Oh well, my Mother in law got her lousy $50!
My claims came to about $300...well, I never knew I had it coming, so...but I did write WI Energies an perhaps they can provide me with proof that we are the only (name) in the state and particularly in Racine County. GRRRRRRR.
Phil Plait's Bad Universe
My old friend Phil Plait has kept tweeting and talking about a Sooper Sekrit Project he has been working on for a while. I kind of figured it was probably a television project for the Discovery Channel and it has finally been revealed: Phil Plait's Bad Universe. A trailer has been released.
Show air dates are not on there yet, but I will be sure to update this when I find out. If you don't have his books Bad Astronomy or Death from the Skies, check them out. Both are geared toward a general audience and a very entertaining reads.
I have known Phil for years and worked with him on education programs for the Swift satellite and the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope (formerly known as GLAST).
Congratulations, Phil. Just remember, although you may be becoming a television star, I still have a lower Bacon Number than you!Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Do I need an Umbrella
Click Below
This is really neat!
Do I need an Umbrella
Four for Fridays
Hello everybody! Another Friday is here! Hope everyone is staying dry! This week's questions are about parks.
1) Where would you prefer to be at-in an amusement park or national park?
2) When was the last time you where at a national park? Or at an amusement park?
3) What national park you have been to or wish to visit?
4) What amusement park rides do you like?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) Where would you prefer to be at-in an amusement park or national park?
2) When was the last time you where at a national park? Or at an amusement park?
3) What national park you have been to or wish to visit?
4) What amusement park rides do you like?
Enjoy your weekend!
Open Blog - Weekend Version
"Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink."
- The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Thursday, July 22, 2010
ytykbydkaa Strikes Again
The local blogger, ytykbydkaa, who recently provided Racine Uncovered with an editorial cartoon entitled "Johnny Boy's Big Day!" (http://racineuncovered.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Dickerts-big-day.jpg), has submitted a couple more cartoons to the JT Irregulars. I hereby present "The Fountain"
Thanks again to Racine Uncovered (http://racineuncovered.org/?p=15966), we also know that ytykbydkaa has his own blog entitled "RaScene": http://rascene.wordpress.com/ It has been added to the blog list on our sidebar.
Thank you, ytykbydkaa!
Below is "Crime Cam B"
Thanks again to Racine Uncovered (http://racineuncovered.org/?p=15966), we also know that ytykbydkaa has his own blog entitled "RaScene": http://rascene.wordpress.com/ It has been added to the blog list on our sidebar.
Thank you, ytykbydkaa!
The Smoking Jacket
How many times have you been at work and wished you could have the thoughtful, insightful articles Playboy is known for but you couldn't because your boss blocked it due to the girlie bits? You are in luck because Playboy just unveiled its safe for work site called the Smoking Jacket according to an article on CNN. No nudity, just a site that "provides guys with smart and sexy distractions throughout the day." Just the way the boss wants you spending the day I am sure!
I have looked at the home page, but have yet to find a link to click on that does not scare me at least a little bit.
I have looked at the home page, but have yet to find a link to click on that does not scare me at least a little bit.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
It's Mars Hoax Season
Well, it's that time of year again. I got my first email of the Mars Hoax Season. The Mars Hoax Season reaches its height in August when emails are flying around the internet claiming Mars will be as big as the full Moon. Here is the one I got this morning.
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles (55,763,108 km) of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN
Well, there is almost always a kernal of truth in these things. This hoax originated in 2003 when Mars really did come within 35 million miles of Earth. That really was an unusually close approach and Mars appeared much brighter than usual. The problem is that the original article had a line about when viewed through a telescope at 75x (75 times actual size) Mars would appear the same size as the full Moon. In other words, Mars without a telescope, Mars would be 1/75 as large as the full Moon (not nearly as impressive).
Mars has a very elliptical orbit so sometimes we have closer approaches than others. The most recent opposition (i.e. closest approach) occurred on January 29th, 2o10 and Mars was about 99 million kilometers (about 60 million miles) away.
Now something cool is happening with Mars right now. Mars, Saturn, Venus and (for sharp eyed observers) Mercury are putting on a show in the west after sunset the next few weeks. I took this picture last night and have labeled the visible planets.
I was out a little later and Mercury already set (and is tough to see during this opposition). You might notice that Mars does not exactly look as big as the full Moon. To top if off, Mars is moving farther away from Earth!
During the next couple of weeks, Saturn and Mars will move closer to Venus. Mercury will hang out beneath them, but Mercury will never get very high in the sky and will be difficult to see. Mars, Venus and Saturn will make a lovely trio in their own right and you should get out there and take a look. Here is a snapshot of what you have to look forward to on August 9th (at 8pm from Tucson, your results may vary).
The crescent Moon will join the party on August 12th and 13th (just in time for the Perseid meteor shower...more on that later!) You can bet I will be out fighting the Arizona monsoons trying to find breaks in the clouds to take pictures of this conjunction!
Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
"Board rejects 'whiteman' ballot language from Milwaukee candidate"
"Madison — State elections officials narrowly rejected a Milwaukee Assembly candidate's attempt to run with the slogan 'NOT the "whiteman's bitch" ' under her name on the ballot.
"Ieshuh Griffin, a Milwaukee independent running to replace retiring Rep. Annette 'Polly' Williams (D-Milwaukee), said in response she would sue the Government Accountability Board for infringing on her freedom of speech.
" 'I'm not making a derogatory statement toward an ethnic group. I'm stating what I'm not,' Griffin told board members. 'It's my constitutional right to freedom of speech.'
"Unlike candidates from the established Democratic and Republican parties, independents are allowed a five-word statement of purpose on the ballot to explain to voters what their candidacy is about."
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/98941309.html
LOL. They shoulda let her keep the slogan on the ballot. Now I'm trying to think up good slogans (5 words or less) for independent candidates:
"NOT a Career Politician"
"NOT For Sale"
"NOT the Same Old Sh*t"
"NOT Becker or Dickert"
You got any?
"Ieshuh Griffin, a Milwaukee independent running to replace retiring Rep. Annette 'Polly' Williams (D-Milwaukee), said in response she would sue the Government Accountability Board for infringing on her freedom of speech.
" 'I'm not making a derogatory statement toward an ethnic group. I'm stating what I'm not,' Griffin told board members. 'It's my constitutional right to freedom of speech.'
"Unlike candidates from the established Democratic and Republican parties, independents are allowed a five-word statement of purpose on the ballot to explain to voters what their candidacy is about."
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/98941309.html
LOL. They shoulda let her keep the slogan on the ballot. Now I'm trying to think up good slogans (5 words or less) for independent candidates:
"NOT a Career Politician"
"NOT For Sale"
"NOT the Same Old Sh*t"
"NOT Becker or Dickert"
You got any?
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my magnificent marigolds! How are you? Have you been taking advantage of this glorious weather and going to some of our festivals and concerts? Maybe some out of town events? It’s that time of year and we better enjoy it while we can because in 6 months we’ll be talking about what we can’t do, in January. Oh dear, just the thought of that makes me shiver. Turn up the fan and sip some more iced tea. Be sure to get out and take advantage of all that Racine and the surrounding area have to offer. We are fortunate to live where we do.I know that one good source for information on upcoming events is the Racine Post’s Racine Kiosk: http://kiosk.racinepost.com/ Another source is Downtown Racine Corporation’s Calendar of Events: http://racinedowntown.com/calendar.html (Shame on you, Journal Times, for still having up last year’s Downtown Events page.) Oh my, it’s “Micros on the Monument” this Saturday: http://racinedowntown.com/microcar.html I’ve known a few men with micro brains and micro other things. I wouldn’t think it would be anything to be crowing about.
This week I received a missive from the illustrious and scholarly Mr. Hale-Bopp, entitled “Confusion.” In it, he wrote:
Dear Madame Z,
As an astronomer, it is common to be mistaken for an astrologer. I have also worked in physics and our dyslexia challenged population occasionally mistakes me for a psychic. This happens often enough that at universities we sometimes joke that we work in the department of Psychics and Astrologers (instead of the common name of the department of Physics and Astronomy).
So I was wondering if you were ever mistaken for a physicist or astronomer.
Hale-Bopp
Oh, Mr. Hale-Bopp, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy and important schedule
to contact me regarding an issue of mutual interest. Have you been invited to any more Washington beltway insider festivities lately, sir? Have you ever considered the advantages of escorting a certified psychic to such an event? We could entertain our hosts and their guests with our mesmerizing tales of psychic/physics mix-ups and astronomer/astrologer malapropisms.Yes, it happens to me, too, and to others in my line of work. I occasionally receive telephone calls asking me where to look for Uranus. It can be frustrating. Prospective customers turn out to be interested in, say, Hailey’s comet or your namesake, Mr. Hale-Bopp, instead of a reading. When I try to explain to them who I am and what I do, I get the strangest looks. Some have even laughed – not for long, of course. And the next fool who wants to talk about the Big Bang Theory may just receive the bang of his life.
Ahem, excuse me, sometimes I get a little worked up. It can be hard enough to eke out a living in these dark times, but it’s only made more difficult by what you rightfully call “our dyslexia challenged population.” I wonder how many prospective clients we have lost to each other because of their confusion. I would think that anyone seeking psychic advice who hears “E=mc²” will probably not be looking me up in the future. What a shame.
Thank you everyone for reading my blog this week. Was “magnificent marigolds” a greeting that I’ve used before, my dears? I’ve written so many blogs now that I can’t remember them all. No matter, you know that I love you and watch over you, irregular and regular alike. I try to return every iota of love that you give to me.
Don’t forget to send your love letters and hate mail to me at: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Keep enjoying the summer. There are lots of good fruits and vegetables in the stores and farmers’ markets. Be careful of too much sun, dears, and keep yourselves hydrated. Surf’s up! Perihelion!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Project Calliope and the Age of Personal Satellites
Yep, for the low price of only $8,000 you too can launch your own satellite. Interorbital Systems will launch a TubeSat for you for $8k, although you have to design and build the satellite to do what you want. The TubeSat is small satellite that is shaped like, well, a small tube. They are launched into very low Earth orbit, so low the satellite will reenter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up in a few months at the longest (this is intentional to avoid adding to space debris). It has a maximum mass of .75kg (or about 1.65 lbs) for everything you want to put in it...sorry, not big enough for a space based death ray!However, there are many interesting things you can do. Project Calliope is one of the first TubeSats. Headed by Alex Antunes, it will make measurements of Earth's ionosphere and translate its measurements into a midi file which will be sent back down to Earth. You can keep up with progress on Project Calliope blog or see the presentation given at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Washington DC.
I think this is a great project and hope it succeeds (I am speaking both of Interborbital Systems and Project Calliope). I was at the Satellite Educator's Association meeting last fall and they had a booth promoting TubeSats. I had dinner with a the woman at the booth (I can't remember her name) and she was very enthusiastic and had big plans. I was a little skeptical, but hoping they can succeed where others have failed. I will say she did a great job of answering all my skeptical questions giving me hope they could make it. They are expecting their first launch in the first quarter of 2011, so we will find out soon.
Good luck Project Calliope. I look forward to hearing some music from space!Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Editorial Cartoon from a Local Blogger
Here's the blog: http://racineuncovered.org/?p=15607
And here's the cartoon: http://racineuncovered.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Dickerts-big-day.jpg
Thank you, Racine Uncovered and ytykbydkaa. "Johnny Boy's Big Day" made my day.
And here's the cartoon: http://racineuncovered.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Dickerts-big-day.jpg
Thank you, Racine Uncovered and ytykbydkaa. "Johnny Boy's Big Day" made my day.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Make Your Own Pretty Pictures
Pretty pictures are a good way for astronomers to make the news. A lot of work goes into those images as they data is usually pretty ugly when it comes out of the scope. Once it is all cleaned up and made presentable, astronomers then have to make a nice pretty color picture out of it all.
While you might not be able to get time on one of the big telescopes, there are ways for you to do that last step and combine images to make your own pretty picture. Today's Chandra Blog talks about the Open FITS Project. Open FITS is working to give people the tools and knowledge to try their hand at some basic image processing. FITS is the file format (Flexible Image Transport System) that astronomical images use. You need special software to work with FITS files (or plug ins to allow your program to import FITS files).
Fortunately, there are some good free options out there. The Open FITS Project uses GIMP for a lot of their work (ImageJ is another option). GIMP is kind of the poor man's Photoshop (in the respect that it's free...doesn't quite do everything Photoshop does, but for a free program, it is very powerful). Once you install GIMP, you can use it to open FITS files and away you go.
Telescopes take all images in black and white. To make a pretty color image, you have to combine images through three different filters: One filter is assigned to the red channel, one to the green and one to the blue. If you use data from outside the visible spectrum, you still use three images for each of red, green and blue. Usually, the shortest wavelength (highest energy) image is assigned to blue and the longest wavelength (lowest energy) is assigned to red.
And that's what Open Fits does. Right now there are six different objects you can try your hand at. Open the three different images and combine them in GIMP. You can change the intensity of the colors and rescale them to bring out different features. Astronomers try to make decisions that are both visually pleasing and highlight the science at the same time.
If you have Photoshop, you can try your hand at Hubble data using FITS Liberator. I don't have Photoshop, but I am getting more into photography and might just have to use my academic discount to get myself a copy.
So give it a shot and play astronomer for a day.Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Science and The Arts
One of my friends tweeted today the LA Times posted a blog about an interview with musician Herbie Hancock. First, I must post the disclaimer that Herbie Hancock went to Grinnell College like me (although he left one course short of graduation...when you look at the list of famous people that went to Grinnell but did not graduate, some of my friend started joking that the biggest mistake we ever made was graduating since that ensures we will never be famous). He studied engineering for a couple of years which he credits with helping him in his music.
"It was easier for me because I was an engineering major in college for two years. So when synthesizers came in, they used terminology I knew. I knew what an amplifier was and I knew what it did."
It's good to see artists talk about the technical aspects of their work. I am more science, but I have a foot in the performing arts world as well. When I was teaching, I would incorporate the arts as much as I could whether it was how instruments produced sound, examining the waveforms of different instruments, or the different types of theater lighting and color mixing to produce different effects.
One of my former students went to college in theater. I ran into her after her first semester in the parking lot of the grocery store near my place. She told me she had to take technical theater and it was all physics..and she knew it! She playfully slapped me which, based on our relationship and her personality, I took as an annoyed thank you for being right that she would need to know this later in life.
With the increasing use of tech in music, theater, and movies, it is more important than ever that we don't let kids off the hook saying they don't need to know science because they are going to be an artist.
Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
The Tornados - "Telstar"
I loved growing up in the new space age. Someday, they were even going to put a man on the moon . . .
Friday, July 16, 2010
A Disapperaing Number
Thursday morning, NPR had a story about a play called A Disappearing Number now playing at the Lincoln Center Theater Festival. Since I am bringing it up here, you can bet that there are plenty of science connections in this show.A Disappearing number weaves a number of stories and themes together, some based in history and some original. One of the threads involved a young Indian mathematician named Srinivasa Ramanujan who goes to Cambridge to study with G.H. Hardy during WWI. Together, they worked on formulas which now have applications in string theory. Hardy is famous for writing A Mathematicians Apology, one of the books to read if you want to know how a mathematician thinks. The story is interwoven with that of modern day Ruth (a math professor) and her husband Al, a futures trader (which has plenty of math in its own right).
I love seeing science make its way onto the stage through shows such as Copenhagen, Proof, Next to Normal, Arcadia, the Farnsworth Invention and Hapgood to name a few.
I haven't seen the show and it only runs for five days (two of which are gone) so unless you have tickets, you probably won't see it live this time. Fortunately, it is being recorded for a broadcast to movie theaters in October. I just signed up for their twitter feed so I will not miss it!Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
I Write Like
"Check which famous writer you write like with this statistical analysis tool, which analyzes your word choice and writing style and compares them with those of the famous writers."
I copied and pasted a few paragraphs from a story I wrote. The result was:
I copied and pasted a few paragraphs from a story I wrote. The result was:
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