Friday, January 23, 2015

"'Spirit In The Sky' Norman Greenbaum"

"Terry Gilkyson & The Easy Riders -'Marianne' 45 rpm!"

Poll: "Should We Drug Test for Medicaid, Food Stamps, Unemployment?"

From Racine County Eye:

By Heather Asiyanbi in Government · January 22, 2015

"Gov. Scott Walker is proposing legislation that would require recipients of Medicaid, food stamps and some residents collecting unemployment to pass a drug test as part of the benefit eligibility requirements.

"The governor announced the change ahead of his 2015-2017 proposed budget and said in a statement that the drug testing will help workers fill jobs across the state, a story on journaltimes.com reads.

"Not everyone agrees.

“'Rather than getting distracted by presidential posturing, we need to work together and find real solutions that will create jobs, grow our economy and put Wisconsin on a path to success,' Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-LaCrosse, is quoted as saying."

Vote in the poll: http://racinecountyeye.com/2015/01/22/drug-test-medicaid-food-stamps-unemployment/


How about we also drug test people in office?  Hell, just drug test the entire nation and deport the druggies.

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone and welcome back! Work, work, work.... that is all I really did all last week. Just a little overtime at the end. I wonder what the weekend will bring. Anyways, here are your questions....

1) Have you ever worn braces?

2) Do you wear glasses?

3) What shoe size do you wear?

4) How many house plants do you own?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday


Well, most of us did.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Fetch Addiction


Maybe it's time to start Fetch Anonymous.

"Town of Lyons woman is new Wisconsin poet laureate"

From The Journal Times.com:

January 17, 2015 10:00 pm  • 

"Poetry has been part of Kimberly Blaeser’s life since she was a young girl living on the White Earth Reservation in northwestern Minnesota. Storytelling and other oral entertainment were important elements of her early family life, in a home with no electricity or running water, said Blaeser, who now lives in rural Town of Lyons near Burlington.

"Both of her parents loved poetry and she grew up hearing her father recite poems and having her mother read frequently to her and her older brother. Such exposure inspired Blaeser and her brother to become good at making up games and stories, she said. And, as soon as she could write, she began writing poetry."

Read more: http://journaltimes.com/lifestyles/relationships-and-special-occasions/town-of-lyons-woman-is-new-wisconsin-poet-laureate/article_2a3a0d57-6ec5-5195-a6fd-d21b65132051.html

Alltime10s Thursdays

Open Blog - Thursday


A meal in a bottle.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

"Dad Exposes Racists Who Harassed His Daughter"



Yeah, there are walking-talking pieces of shit everywhere. The twins' father sounds like he has mental health issues. Trust me, it takes one to know one.

Hang in There


I know, I have a sick sense of humor.

"Heavy police presence at the transit center"

Update: "Racine Police- Shooting at transit center"

Read more: http://racineuncovered.org/2015/01/racine-police-shooting-at-transit-center/


Originally published on Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 1:34 PM:

From RacineUncovered:

"12:37 p.m. There is a heavy police presence at the transit center at Liberty Street in Racine. There are no official reports released from the Racine Police Department at this time, this is a very active scene at this time. Multiple witnesses are reporting that a party may have been shot and there may have been multiple suspects. It is not known the condition of the victim, or if all suspect is in custody at this time. Police are also out on the 6th Street bridge More on this as it develops."

Read more: http://racineuncovered.org/2015/01/heavy-police-presence-at-the-transit-center/

"Thursday January 22nd-Meet & Greet for Mayoral Candidate-Eddie Diehl"

From RacineUncovered:

“'Meet and Greet'

"Eddie Diehl
Candidate for Racine Mayor


"Hear Eddie’s plan for Racine, ask him
questions and enjoy refreshments!


"Eddie’s 3 Goals as Mayor:
 Accountability to the Taxpayers
 Improve Racine’s Small Business Climate
 Rethinking Community


"Join Us!
Thursday January 22nd 7-8 PM
Henry & Wanda’s, 501 6th Street
Authorized and Paid for by Diehl For Mayor"


Read more:  http://racineuncovered.org/2015/01/thursday-january-22nd-meet-greet-for-mayoral-candidate-eddie-diel/


None of the above is to be construed as an endorsement of a candidate.  I'm just trying to keep the community informed.

Politically Correct Cartoon


That looks like last winter.

c w swanson

"Introduction: Just a regular guy, married to a regular girl, living in a regular house, in an irregular world."

https://www.blogger.com/profile/02735507642689652780


That quote is poetry.

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my sweets!  How are you?  I’m so sorry about missing my blog last week, but I’m still feeling a bit ill.  Everywhere I go, I see people are sick.  The flu has hit us hard this year, and I think there are various strains going around.  Some people get sick for a few days.  Others have told me of it lasting three weeks (!).  Some people get it more than once.  Whatever it is that I have, I couldn’t take it for three weeks.  I can barely tolerate what has already happened to me.  Achoo!

Glorious weather we’ve been having.  Compare us to last January.  You just never know about the weather until it’s here.  I’m sure we’ll see wintrier conditions before it’s over, but I’ll take whatever breaks we can get.

The Packers.  The Green Bay Packers.  Boo-hoo.  What the h-e-double hockey sticks happened late in the game?  This loss is especially difficult to accept because it appeared that the Packers had it nailed.  Instead, their coffin was nailed shut.  I just try not to think about it.  Nonetheless, I love the Green Bay Packers.  There are wins and losses throughout life, just like in football games.  You have to learn how to deal with them both.  In the off-season, I hope our gladiators heal and thrive, and return better than ever.

The spring elections are already drawing a lot of attention and campaigning.  I’m sure it will worsen as the elections approach.  Try to stay on the positive side, no matter who you endorse.  Politics are filthy.  There’ll be much more dirt to come.

Speaking of politics, I’m sure that President Obama’s State of the Union Address yesterday contained many wonderful things.  That said, President Obama is becoming the most obtrusive and intrusive president ever.  I don’t want to live in a world where the government makes my decisions for me.  Surprisingly (to me), I think most people would like cradle to the grave instructions on life.  I’m sorry, but not me, Mr. President, sir.  Please stop interfering in the lives of “free” citizens.  We’re the ones who still believe in the United States Constitution and personal responsibility.  I guess we’re a dying breed.

Finally my dears, here is a picture of an advertisement for an “English Tooter.”


So, what?  A British guy farts for a fee?

Thank you for reading my blog today.  I love the company and I love you.  Madame Zoltar has the love jones for her friends and readers.  Stop by and share the love.

The meaning of meaning: MadameZoltar@jtirregulars.com

Enjoy the weather while we have it.  While it’s certainly not an equal to a warm, sunny day, the overcast skies and temps in the 30’s are fine with me.  See you next week, my loves.  Absquatulate!

Open Blog - Wednesday


As my old pal Larry Welk used to say, "It's wunnerful, wunnerful."

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

"Confusion Through Sand"

Confusion Through Sand from ornana films on Vimeo.

Comet Lovejoy From Kitt Peak

I was on Kitt Peak last night and had some time to shoot Comet Lovejoy. It was great to get out to a real dark site and give it a shot. Here are some of my pics.
First, a closeup.
IMG_7363
Now zoomed out to see it next to the Pleiades.
IMG_7365
Now zoomed WAY out! Note the Zodiacal light on the right arching upward and the winter Milky Way on the left. The Pleiades and the Comet are at the top of the shot.
IMG_7375
Next I played with a new fisheye lens I recently bought. Here is a full sky view of Kitt Peak outside the Visitor Center Telescope.
IMG_7471
Finally, I stayed up late to get the comet as it was setting. Here it is above a telescope on Kitt Peak. 
IMG_7513
Great night and abnormally warm for January on Kitt Peak. Upcoming schedule will make it hard to get more pics for me before the Moon comes back...get out there and see it soon!

"Jerry Garski for Mount Pleasant President"

Submitted by Richard Head:

https://www.facebook.com/GarskiforMtPleasant

http://www.jerrygarski.com/ 


None of the above is to be construed as an endorsement of a candidate.  I'm just trying to keep the community informed.

Open Blog - Tuesday


Time to pretend we're working.

Monday, January 19, 2015

"Richest 1 percent will own more than the rest by 2016-Oxfam"



"Jan 19 (Reuters) - More than half the world's wealth will be owned by just one percent of the population by next year as global inequality soars, anti-poverty charity Oxfam said on Monday

"In a report released ahead of this week's annual meeting of the international elite at Davos in Switzerland, Oxfam said the top tier had seen their share of wealth increase from 44 percent in 2009 to 48 percent in 2014.

"On current trends, it will exceed 50 percent in 2016.

"The charity's executive director, Winnie Byanyima, who is co-chairing the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, said an explosion in inequality was holding back the fight against poverty.

"'Do we really want to live in a world where the one percent own more than the rest of us combined?' she said on Monday."

Read more:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/19/davos-meeting-inequality-idUSL6N0UY1A620150119

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

"Alabama man explains how to stay out of prison"



That's a vented, floating rotor. Brings back memories of the brake repair business.

Open Blog - Monday


There's no joy in Packerland today. Be kind to each other and kick someone from Seattle instead.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Quick Comet Lovejoy Pics

Finally back from a long trip...clouds in Seattle and Florida kept me from getting good opportunities to see and photograph Comet Lovejoy (I saw it from Florida, but the light pollution kept me from getting great pics). Back in Tucson and got some tonight. Here they are...all with a Canon 60D on an iOptron Skytracker. Various exposure times and focal lengths.
IMG_7214 IMG_7225 IMG_7228 IMG_7229 IMG_7231
I also was visited by some javelinas tonight. Had my thermal camera with me.
Taken with SM-N900T, Android 4.4.2

"Don McLean - The meaning of 'American Pie' (UPDATE)"



And now you know what it all means.

"Vet Ranch: Animals Helped in 2014"



How cool.

https://www.youtube.com/user/VetRanch

Meteor Showers in 2015