"Teaching our puppy how to catch"

It looks like puppy doesn't want to learn how to catch.

Sunset and Moonset in Chile

Today I am in Chile at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. I have been having a great time touring and doing night photography and observing (my camera is outside snapping shots for a timelapse I hope to put together tomorrow). I am sure I will post lots of pics and several blogs, but wanted to get tonight's sunset posted. The Pacific Ocean is to the west and you get great temperature gradients when you look down from the top of the mountain over the cold Pacific Ocean. Lots of great effects tonight. Here are three of my favorite pics.

First look closely at the top limb of the Sun for a hint of a purple flash. I have never recorded purple so early in a sunset.

Next, you can see a nice strong green flash at the top of the Sun.

Finally, there was this completely crazy thing that happened with multiple simultaneous green flashes, very strong ones.

Don't even ask me how that happened!

Finally, the same atmospheric processes that create these sunsets are also present at Moonset. Tonight the Moon became very distorted as it set. 

I really wasn't quite prepared for that and missed a great pic. I was watching the Moonset on liveview on my camera and saw a green flash FROM THE SETTING MOON! Unfortunately, I was not quick enough to capture it. I will have another chance from CTIO tomorrow night and will be ready!

It is late and getting cold and I am getting tired, so other posts will have to wait until tomorrow!

Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.

Open Blog - Weekend

See you at the gathering.

URGENT NOTICE

For those coming for the gathering tomorrow, 

please check your emails for change of location, 

sent just a few minutes ago. 

If you didn't receive it, please let me know here,

and I will check 1st thing in the morning 

and re-send if needed.

See you soon!

Happily Ever After??

What happened next?

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone! Welcome back to Four for Fridays after an extremely busy week! Sorry, that I'm a little late, but I took the day off from work and just slept in... Anyways, some questions for you....

1) If you owned a luxury yacht, what would you name it?

2) Who is your favorite super hero?

3) What environmental cause do you feel strongly about?

4) What kind of puzzles do like to do?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday

TGIF

"Pug vs Spider"

Oh, the drama!

Body Painting

Body Paint by a 19-year-old Japanese girl
               

"Trojan Condoms Unrolled"

Remember to always wear protection.

"Trojan Condoms Unrolled

Open Blog - Thursday

Thursday must be thirsty because all of the graphics say so.

"Pope Francis Resigns"

Holy cow!

"Why Your Phone, Cable & Internet Bills Cost So Much"

So, money was allocated to internet service providers to expand and upgrade our country's internet service, but they did something else with the money, maybe, or it just disappeared. I've heard numerous times that overseas internet connection speeds far surpass ours.

What's Your Internet Connection Speed?

That's my speed above. It's high for me.  Road Runner Turbo promises only 15Mbps download speed.

Take the test and see your results: http://www.speedtest.net/ Just click on "Begin Test" and let it happen.

"Two Men Watch Childbirth for the First Time"

After watching that for the first time, I don't think I could witness childbirth, either.

"Gay" is a Profanity

The Journal Times won't allow the word "gay" in their online comments.  It's considered a profanity. 

Sometimes living in Racine is like living a hundred years ago.  "Gay" is the word that homosexuals prefer.  There is nothing profane about it.  Of course, the Journal Times just keeps censoring the truth and publishing lies.

Party on, propaganda mongers!

Dear Lying Pigs at Time Warner Cable

SCREW YOU!

Even the Pope Knows Better

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my damp dears.  How are you?  A lot of our snow is melting.  That’s too bad because the ground is still frozen and the moisture just runs off to the sewers.  The runoff may be good for Lake Michigan levels, but we’ll need a lot more rain and snow to take care of that.  I sometimes wonder about the snow piles that the city puts on the lakefront to melt in Pershing Park.  I would think there would be road salt, oil, coolant, and other contaminants in the snow, leaching into the lake.

This coming Sunday, March 17, is Saint Patrick’s Day.  On Saturday, March 16, there will be a Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown.  Erin go bragh!

Dear Ms. B(utt)L(ard) Basketcase:

Please stop calling me fat.  The photo at right comes from an earlier blog: http://www.jtirregulars.com/2012/03/dear-madame-zoltar_21.html Do you understand?  I can be anything that I want.

Disrespectfully,

Madame Zoltar®

I look forward to seeing all of the Irregulars at the upcoming gathering (except for Ms. B(rawny)L(egs) Basketcase).  I predict that a great time will be had by all.  See you there.

Next up, my dears, is a video entitled  “Saint Patrick's Day: celebrating a life of mission.”  At no time does it mention beer, green or otherwise. 

Thank you for stopping by to read my blog.  You’re always welcome.  My favorite part of the week is now my blog.  Here I can be myself without worrying about pretense and profits.  You’re the ones who make it happen.

Need something un-happened?  Contact: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Daffodils, even early tulips, are sprouting near foundations.  Let’s hope that we don’t get another killing frost after so many plants have started to bud.  Mid-March approaches and we’re still battling snowstorms.  Oh my.  Be careful out there.  March winds can blow you over on ice.  Do the mincing steps.  Sapidity!

legalize the sale of raw milk

Should the law be changed to legalize the sale of raw milk?

You may select up to 3 answers.....
Click Here to read the complete article on JSOnline.

Open Blog - Wednesday

Enjoy your day.

Unjust Justice System

We must have the most unjust justice system in the world.

As an example, in the State of Wisconsin a 5th or 6th time drunk driver can receive a $600 to $10,000 fine and 6 months to 6 years imprisonment

Here is a person that has the high potential of seriously injuring or killing an innocent person!

BUT…copy (pirate) a DVD you can get 5 years imprisonment and $250,000 fine.

No wonder Dickert gets away with the shit he does……

Blind Justice.

Photos from my past

Here's one from my studly long hair days:

And here's one of me at last summer's JTI bash:

Boy, did I fatten up.

Open Blog - Tuesday

Enjoy your day.

Comet PanSTARRS Gets Brighter

I was out again tonight...and Comet PanSTARRS brightened a bit from last night. Tonight it was visible to the naked eye for a while...fairly easily as well. If you haven't seen it yet, try tomorrow night when the comet will be just above the crescent Moon. Unfortunately, I will be traveling but will try to get photos on my layover! Yes, I am that determined!

So here are a few shots from tonight...you can see a plane passing through a couple of them.

Common Merganser

Take a trip to the harbor or the marina and you may find a few of these.... Common Mergansers

A migrant from the north, the Common Merganser finds themselves paradise in the frigid open waters of Lake Michigan. Preferring to be farther away from the shore than the other ducks, the Common Merganser dives frequently into the water in search of fish and molluscs, capturing its prey with its saw like beak.

Easily mistaken for its close relative, the Red Breasted Merganser, the male Common has a green head with a scarlet bill with a CREAMY white belly and undersides and a black back. The male Red Breasted has a spiky crest on the back of its head. The females, however, are a little more difficult to decipher. Both female of the species of mergansers sport a shaggy red crest and a slate grey back , BUT the female Common has a white chin strap while the Red Breasted lack it.

During migration, I've seen literally hundreds of both kinds flying in the distance over the lake, using a friend's scope that is... There are times they will get close to the shores to feed.

The top picture of the male was taken at the Pugh Marina on 2/14/2013 and the female on the bottom was taken at the same place on the 1/3/2013. The seem to hang around the marina quite a bit....

      

Break.com has a thing for Barbie

http://www.break.com/pictures/coolest-pics-of-31113-truth-2423140

(I had to Google her. She's a singer and a judge on American Idol.)

Happy Birthday KK!!!

Happy Birthday Ms. KK!!!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Party On Gear

"Party On Gear features the Hand Lettered look that has been banned by City Hall and is strictly VERBOTEN! Keep away from all store front windows. Whether you're avoiding crumbling buildings, criminals, or the potholes in Racine, be sure to steer clear of City Hall's SWAT*. Store Window Aesthetics Team. Let City Hall know you are on to them."

http://www.zazzle.com/racine_exposed

Open Blog - Monday

How patriotic!

Comet Pan-STARRS Arrives

You may have heard about a Comet Pan-STARRS gracing our evening skies. It has been visible in the southern hemisphere for a couple of weeks now and is finally moving into the northern sky (if you can envision a comet approaching our solar system from below, that's roughly what is happening and now is is moving above the plane of our solar system so it is becoming visible from the norther hemisphere).

Tucson has been pretty cloudy for several nights in a row (I first looked for the comet last Monday without success then the clouds rolled in). Today the skies were clear and I was able to get the comet. It was not visible naked eye but it was easy in 8x42 binoculars. I am testing a pair of 22x100 binoculars this weekend for work and it was really nice through them!

Of course I had my Canon 60d out and the best pics were zoomed in with my EF 70-300mm lens. Here is what the comet looked like.

Today was the comet's closest approach to the Sun which is when they are usually brightest. However, it won't instantly disappear from the sky although it will start fading over the next week or so.  A great time to look is Tuesday night (March 12th) when the comet will be near the crescent Moon. You probably want to start looking about half an hour after sunset and the comet will set about an hour after sunset. Find a clear western horizon to maximize your chances.

Unfortunately, I won't get many more chances to see it. Tuesday I leave for my first trip to our observatory in Chile! I have looked at my flight and if it is on time, I will land in Dallas right after sunset and will have to find the top of parking garage or something to try and see it between flights. In Chile, the comet will not be visible (but I might get to see another southern hemisphere comet, Comet Lemmon!)

Open Blog - Wednesday

Mrs. Toad

Two weeks ago, Biggie D and I were at The Icehouse in Punta Gorda, Florida. After one of their fabulous burgers and a pilsner, we left. As I walked to my truck, I spy a white car with a WI personalized license plate. MRS. TOAD. Yesterday, I'm exiting my favorite grocery store, Publix. Yes, that's its name. Anyway in front of me is this white car....yep, Mrs. Toad again. I think she's hanging out in all my favorite haunts. Today, Biggie and I have to pick up a couple things. Will she be popping up again? Time Will tell. Oh, and she was at Bocca Lupo's on Thursday night too. Saw that darn car there as well. You guys send a spy down here?

Daylight Saving Time Begins

"Spring forward" one hour, or be late for everything.

Useless Information

Did you know:

In 1905 25% of Chinese men were hooked on opium.

The Agony of Aging

On the morning that Daylight Savings Time ended I stopped in to visit my aging friend.

He was busy covering his penis with black shoe polish.

I said to him, "You dumb shit! - You're supposed to turn your clock back".

Open Blog - Weekend

You heard what he said.

RSVP!!!!

Ok boys and girls, 

our upcoming get-together is just a week away,

next Saturday. 

I've heard from a couple, now time to hear from the rest

if you can make it or not. 

Cyg, Andy, Fungi, and the rest of the gang, 

please RSVP here so we have a rough head count.

If for any reason you didn't receive the info email, 

please let me know, and I will re-send it.

Thanks bunches!

Love, Lizardmom

lizardmom@jtirregulars.com  

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another week of Four for Fridays! It's been one of those weeks that go by and experience the same old. Then again, there has been some interesting spots... Anyways, some questions for you...

1) What historical culture fascinates you?

2) Would you rather be able to live in a 100 years into the past or a 100 years into the future?

3) What was the last thing that you had lost and then later found?

4) What is the best adaptation of a book to a movie?

Enjoy your weekend!

"Roof Snow Clearing"

That guy is good, very good.

Open Blog - Friday

There's our gal.

"Ba'noodle Dub"

Ba'ha-ha-ha!

Expanding table

I want of  these...

Warning: High brow humor ahead!!

Yeah, not really  most of you know of my love of fart humor, well this one got to me and I immediately thought of my friends over at JTI strangely enough.. enjoy =)

Open Blog - Thursday

Thank you, Mr. Raccoon.

"C for snowplowing"

From The Journal Times.com:

Letters from Readers - March 6, 2013

"As a former employee of the City of Racine with 18 years of experience, I feel I have to address the way the snowplowing operation is being done — grade C at best.

"I worked under Buzz Meteyard, then Joe Golden. If you didn’t get the street clear curb to curb, you went back out and did it again. If you plowed too fast and pushed snow over the panel onto the sidewalk, you went out and shoveled. I live in West Racine on Illinois Street and the snow is 3 feet away from the curb. They plow so fast, they put snow over the panel, over the sidewalk and onto my front yard. You have to start from the first snow — curb to curb.

"I have plowed in every type of snow that can happen here. I also know the city has a younger crew now that a lot of the older guys are retiring, but that’s no excuse. Curb to curb means just that.

"When I left in 1979, the pay wage was $17.03 an hour. So I know these guys are making more than $22 an hour. Just think — time and a half — how much these guys are making.

"They should take pride in the job they’re doing for the public. If Bill Folstrom, general foreman, can’t get his supervisors to get their men to do the job right, maybe he should step down. I’m speaking from experience — you’re not getting the job done."

Read more:  http://journaltimes.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-from-readers-regarding-haws-c-for-snowplowing-great-neighbors/article_09d128da-85ef-11e2-a9a6-0019bb2963f4.html

 

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my snowshoe hares!  How are you?  What’s on your mind?  I predict that it’s snow, snow, and snow.  Snow gone wild!  Sno-B-Gon.  Snow White.  Snow, snow, and snow and wind.  In March.  I thought we had an understanding that December, January and February are the months for snow.  March, April, and May are for rain.  So say it ain’t snow.

Unfortunately, denial never goes good.  It’s snow alright, and now it’s beginning to pile up on streets and in yards.  That’s great for snow forts, but not so much for traffic.  Please, please, and please be careful out there whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle.  Assume that all the other vehicles are driven by homicidal maniacs.  They probably are.  Oh my.

St. Patrick’s Day is only a week and a half away, and that can be a very good time.  Just remember not to overdo it, especially the green beer.  If you drink too much, you’re not being “Irish,” you’re just being an ass.

With all the talk that local politicians have spewed about the need for new businesses in Racine, I am befuddled by what occurred last Wednesday: “Buffalo Wild Wings stymied by no quorum at City meeting,”  http://journaltimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/buffalo-wild-wings-stymied-by-no-quorum-at-city-meeting/article_32bea4ee-8152-11e2-a72a-001a4bcf887a.html    Only one member of the Racine Plan Commission showed up for a meeting with representatives and employees of Buffalo Wild Wings to discuss Wild Wings’ desire to level the old Lone Star Steakhouse and put in one of their restaurants.  We are begging for jobs, but our representatives are too busy to attend a meeting for what appears to be a sure thing.  My blood boils at the infinite arrogance of our local “leaders.”  Fie, I say, fie upon you!  We know that you don’t give a damn about us, but you could at least make it look like you’re trying to do some good.  To insult prospective business owners and then to decry the lack of local business seems a little perverse, Mr. Mayor Dickert.  Naughty, naughty, Mr. Mayor, pants on fire.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today.  I hope that you found something to like.  Or someone.  Peruse, my pilgrims.

Who ordered all this snow? Find out: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Watch out, my dears, for the slipping and the sliding that is underway outside.  If you fall into a snow bank, they might not find you until the spring thaw.  Take great care in driving.  Watch out for people crossing streets and/or walking on them.  Take it slow, take it easy.  Knissomancy!