Astronomy Pic of the Day - Trifid Nebula

Stars and dust in the Trifid Nebula



Unspeakable beauty and unimaginable bedlam can be found together in the Trifid Nebula. Also known as M20, this photogenic nebula is visible with good binoculars towards the constellation of Sagittarius. The energetic processes of star formation create not only the colors but the chaos. The red-glowing gas results from high-energy starlight striking interstellar hydrogen gas. The dark dust filaments that lace M20 were created in the atmospheres of cool giant stars and in the debris from supernovae explosions...

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Saturday Video - "Accidently Like A Martyr"

The Man Warren Zevon:



"The days fly by
should of done
should of done
we all sigh.."


I'd love to have found a better quality video of this, but couldn't..audio's not great so turn it up...

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Tea Party Favorite Rand Paul Says Mountain Top Removal "Enhances" Land

KY-Sen: Paul says mountain-top mining "enhances" land











Photo

Paul also loves him some BP Oil. Probably thinks that the BP gulf oil spill "enhanced" the Gulf Coast.

Democrat Jack Conway may be in the pocket of BIG coal also but there is NO way that he's as batshit crazy as this guy. Rand Paul probably envisions hundreds of Country Clubs dotting flattened mountain tops all over the Appalachians.

Vote Jack Conway
Contribute to Jack Conway

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Where Did the Money to Rebuild Iraq Go?

A very clear graphic on what happened to all our money sent to rebuild the Iraq we'd destroyed. And it's clearly a Bush/Cheney wet dream because..No one knows:

Where Did the Money to Rebuild Iraq Go?


I'm sure pallets of bills were hawled off by nameless bureaucrats and shysters, among others.

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3D-Printed Fabrics the Future of Clothing?

Interesting...

Are 3D-Printed Fabrics the Future of Sustainable Textiles?















The “ability to make needle and thread obsolete..”

"The emerging technology, which uses ultraviolet beams to fuse layers of powdered, recyclable thermoplastic into shape, leaves behind virtually no waste. Its localized production and one-size-fits-all approach also racks up markedly fewer travel miles, requires less labor, and compresses fabrication time to a matter of hours, rather than weeks or months."

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The Fog of War, Rediva

Afghanistan: The war logs

The Fog of War, Rediva
John Louis Lucaites

The release of the “Afghan War Diaries” has been meet with expressions of outrage from both those who oppose the U.S. military occupation of Afghanistan as well as the administration that must now lay claim to the war as its own, but truth to tell, very little has thus far been revealed that we didn’t already know … or at least could have reasonably surmised from the available evidence.

Although it began in the shadow of our occupation in Iraq, our presence in Afghanistan now marks the single longest military expedition in US history—bar none: World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam … you name it. Is it a surprise, in this context, that hundreds (if not thousands) of civilians have been killed or wounded under the sign of “collateral damage”? Or that “friendly fire” has taken the lives of both US troops and its allies? Or that there are special black-ops units that operate under “dubious circumstances” with “capture/kill” lists? Or that the microchip technology that was supposed to provide us with a “bloodless victory” has turned out to be less effective than we imagined? Or that drone missions being executed by private contractors sitting safely before computer monitors in remote locations like Nevada are actually putting troops in the field at greater rather than lesser danger when they fail and have to be retrieved before the enemy finds them? Or that the Afghani military is underpaid and unreliable? Or—revelation of revelations—the US military has misled the public regarding the sophistication of the weaponry being employed against us by the Taliban, such as the use of heat seeking missiles to bring down helicopters? Or that Pakistan is not a trustworthy ally? And on and on and on.

The fact of the matter is that we have been shown evidence of virtually every one of these concerns over the past, long, ten years and we have chosen not to see them. Or perhaps the problem is that the reports of such incidents have been fragmented and piecemeal, and thus easily mitigated as “accidents” animated by human or technological error (take your choice), or rationalized as the “necessary and tragic” cost of a war fought to preserve our freedom. Like the soldier in the photograph above, caught in the rotor wash of a MEDEVAC helicopter and thus incapable of seeing the landscape that is directly in front of him, perhaps we have been caught in the swirl of government and mass media reports—too often indistinguishable from one another—to the point of not seeing (or trusting) what is directly before our eyes: a failed war that daily costs us ever more in dollars and human lives with no end or reversal of fortune in sight.

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Animation: The Flower | Animated Plea to End Marijuana Prohibition

I like this animation for an end to marijuana prohibition. It's "The Flower”, an animated short by Haik Hoisington:


Unfortunately, IMO, the keepers of National policy have decided it's more profitable for their corporations to keep it illegal, and make money through prisons, confiscations, lack of competition for drug companies, etc. Than to actually do the sensible thing, make it legal and tax the crap out of it. I don't agree but then WTF am I?

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Obama's Police State Moves Forward?

Barack Obama was on The View today playing cute and nice(lot's of B.S. but nice). Meanwhile his agents continue to seek even more warrentless spying on Americans:

Obama administration wants more warrantless surveillance of Americans

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Top 5 Social Security Myths

Or, things you won't learn watching corporate news. Thanks to MoveOn and Digby:

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Myth: Social Security is going broke.

Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.3 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a 'T'). It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever.1 After 2037, it'll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits--and again, that's without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers retirement decades ago.2 Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.


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Myth: We have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.

Reality: This is red-herring to trick you into agreeing to benefit cuts. Retirees are living about the same amount of time as they were in the 1930s. The reason average life expectancy is higher is mostly because many fewer people die as children than did 70 years ago.3 What's more, what gains there have been are distributed very unevenly--since 1972, life expectancy increased by 6.5 years for workers in the top half of the income brackets, but by less than 2 years for those in the bottom half.4 But those intent on cutting Social Security love this argument because raising the retirement age is the same as an across-the-board benefit cut.


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Myth: Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security.

Reality: Social Security doesn't need to be fixed. But if we want to strengthen it, here's a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share. If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come.5 Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income.6 But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.


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Myth: The Social Security Trust Fund has been raided and is full of IOUs

Reality: Not even close to true. The Social Security Trust Fund isn't full of IOUs, it's full of U.S. Treasury Bonds. And those bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.7 The reason Social Security holds only treasury bonds is the same reason many Americans do: The federal government has never missed a single interest payment on its debts. President Bush wanted to put Social Security funds in the stock market--which would have been disastrous--but luckily, he failed. So the trillions of dollars in the Social Security Trust Fund, which are separate from the regular budget, are as safe as can be.


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Myth: Social Security adds to the deficit

Reality: It's not just wrong -- it's impossible! By law, Social Security funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can't add one penny to the deficit.1

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Road Trip!!!

15 hour road trip from Ohio to Minnesota captured on a digital camera every 15 seconds.

Ohio to Minnesota Time Lapse from Dave Lucius on Vimeo.

Kind of makes me want to head out on a night's road trip myself.

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Death Squads in Afghanistan

Surprise! US Using death squads in Afghanistan.




I just can't imagine what Obama & Co. Think they're accomplishing by this. Dozens of women and children killed a few days ago...Are we winning hearts and minds yet Barack?

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The Haters From Westboro Church Meet Their Match

Geeks Lead Anti-gay counterprotest

The worst thing you can do to evil, holier than thou trolls is laugh at them..and the smarter you are the more you're likely to laugh.
























Don't mess with the nerds Westboro.

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Monday Video | "It's My Life"

From Talk Talk.



Didn't get the job...Siiigh.....
Didn't think I would, but was hoping. So, continue working the low level part time job and continue the search...

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NASA - Map Depicts Global Forest Heights

First-of-its-Kind Map Depicts Global Forest Heights

Using NASA satellite data, scientists have produced a first-of-its kind map that details the height of the world’s forests. Although there are other local- and regional-scale forest canopy maps, the new map is the first that spans the entire globe based on one uniform method.



...Scientific interest in the new map goes far beyond curiosities about tree height. The map has implications for an ongoing effort to estimate the amount of carbon tied up in Earth’s forests and for explaining what sops up 2 billion tons of “missing” carbon each year.

Humans release about 7 billion tons of carbon annually, mostly in the form of carbon dioxide. Of that, 3 billion tons end up in the atmosphere and 2 billion tons in the ocean. It’s unclear where the last two billion tons of carbon go, though scientists suspect forests capture and store much of it as biomass through photosynthesis...

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Jobs Bill With Jobs in It? Rachel Maddow

The unemployment bill used to actually have "JOBS" in it(and Boy Howdee could I use one!)
Rachel Maddow explains pretty well. This is from her show last night:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And speaking of jobs, I haven't heard anything from the interview I did on Friday. NOT a good sign. Didn't think I'd get it anyway but gave it my best shot, hoping...oh, well..

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Sunday Video - Tom Paxton, "The Last Thing On My Mind"

No meandering, unedited messages today. Just hope everyone's having a nice Sunday.
Here's my Sunday afternoon video. Tom Paxton & Liam Clancey with a great version of "The Last Thing on My Mind". One of my favorite love songs of all time:


It's worth the viewing just for Tom's joke about having no fear after having to follow Black Sabbath on stage one time:-)

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Blog Check! - Photo; Orchidaceae, Summer Day, Close-up

Still around Net surfers(crickets...)!
Just awfully busy for someone who's barely makin'it. I did have a job interview yesterday. It went well and I knew going in that I didn't have a very good chance of getting it. It's just a receptionist/secretary position(yes, I'll GLADLY take a secretary/receptionist job, if it's FULL time with benefits!). I'm pretty sure they're looking for someone half my age, not my gender and probably a degree. It would be a pretty good little job though. We'll see, I gave it my best shot. If I don't hear by Wednesday I'll know I didn't get it.
Have to work tonight at my low-end part time job:-( Gotta start getting ready in a few minutes for that.
Anyway, I'm still kickin' and just wanted to check in.
Not much Blogging, Tweeting or anything going on these days. Here's one of the photo shots I took today on the deck.



An orchid I rescued that's been doing great out there in the semi-shade. Be back later. Going to look at some news. Like everyone I've been keeping my fingers crossed that the gulf oil leak is shut off for good. More later.

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Pic of the Day - "Memories"

WoW is back up. I have a job interview on Friday. Things are looking slightly better.


This photo is from an old home site down in the KY mountains.

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RIP Harvey Pekar

"Cleveland comic-book legend Harvey Pekar dead at age 70"












I believe the film "American Splendor" only gave a hint of his funny/strange. Legendary underground comics writer Harvey Pekar dead at the age of 70. His comic series "American Splendor", about an everyday frumpy, depressed, bummed out average guy;
"Suggested a different sort of heroism: The working-class, everyman heroics of simply making it through another day, with soul -- if not dignity -- intact.

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Monday Video - Feel You in My Bones

Today's mood...Depressed.
I'm going to have about thirteen work hours this week in my "part time job while I look for job". Things never seem to get better.
Here's WoPairs with some WoW Machinima, "Feel You in My Bones":


I like the tune. The video could have been more interesting. Found here.

Note: If Good Samaritans could donate I'd sure appreciate it. Help us at the Paypal just below Daisy on the right. Really desperate times right now..

Hope BP's latest newfangled idea on stopping the oil flow works. Back sometime later, gonna (good)job search a while.

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Democratic Strategy? Where? Where?

Yep...

"..Let’s say Obama’s people have correctly deduced that there’s no chance in hell of getting anything through Congress. They have two basic options. First, they could get on the teevee every day and say, “This is my plan to help. Republicans in Congress won’t pass it.” They could hold rallies in Maine. Allies could run ads. At least people would know who is for and who is against…and just what it was that people are for or against.
Option two is back off proposals you’ve previously made and have Axelrod get on the teevee and say, “there is some argument for additional spending in the short-run to continue to generate economic activity.”

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World of Warcraft/Blizzard's "Customer Support" Sucks!

Hereafter, the Blizzard "customer support" shall be in quotations. I'm sure there's thousands of Blog posts like this(heck, here's one).
We all know it's important to vent, so here goes. It's been nearly a week since my My World of Warcraft account was hacked and I can't get into my account and all characters deleted. I spent five minutes trying to come up with a clever twist of phrase for this Blizzard "customer service Sucks" post. It took me that long to realize that the title itself is the clever joke. This past week I've sent at least seven emails to their "customer support"(no caps). Not. One.Reply....their "customer support" phone line tells me that, "unfortunately the wait time is to long for us to help you, so kindly f*ck off"...
The ONE time I finally talked to someone, ANYONE was by phone; "Trevor" by name. I had to stay on hold for 1 hour(toll free at least). I told my wife if the house had caught fire I'd probably hold onto that phone, Trevor says he'll send me an email(he does) with his email addy on it, "if I still need more help". Trevor says I'll automatically be back up and running in a few days and, since I mentioned that Blizzard's "support" web site wouldn't let me change my email, he'd go ahead and do that now.
That was Friday, I gave him the wrong email or he wrote it down wrong. NOW I can't even log into my account online or in game(for those without WoW problems that's where i go into the game as a new character, contact "customer support" "in game" and wait for a "Game Master", who never shows up).
Being the weekend now, I'm sure "Trevor" is sitting on his deck sipping a cafe latte. While I continue to do what I've been doing for a WEEK. While I spend hours hitting redial on the Blizzard "customer support" phone number, then hold my finger dis-connect for when the "customer support" voice says go away. cruising through different Blizzard "customer support" websites sending pleading emails which have NEVER been answered.
I've never seen anything like this. A company who has millions of users, but who can ignore them and/or tell them to f*ck off when they have a game crash. It's...Hold On time to hit re-dial on the phone again....there, I'll just get told to go away again and...HOLY CRAP, looks like I'm being accepted...my "wait time" will be "42 minutes"). More later surfers. HAVE to hold for this call! What'll happen now? Will they make it even worse,aaand how will they do it. It might even be "Trevor" again!
If you're looking for an online MMORPG(oh, come on, you know what that is!) with decent Customer Support, seriously don't pick Blizzard. That is all....
Will try and edit this later.

P.S. This is time I could be job searching. I've only managed about 3 resumes in the last week. Instead I'm ignored and on eternal holds at Blizzrd "customer support".

Update: Sunday night; Well at least they've got me to where I can now log in the game and on my account. Still no characters though but I can now log on.
I'd love to edit this down, instead I'm going to go read some news.
Very sleepy, this late night job I'm working while I look for a "good job" is kickin' my arse. I'm still looking for an "office job" employers, have keyboard, will travel...some anyway.

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My Weekly "Old Album" Picks

Okay, here's my week's picks out of my stacks to listen to again for the gazillionth time:


It's; The Moody Blues, "Seventh Sojourn"(STILL holds up well, the signature is a friend who's long dead, so it's a momento to), Bruce Springsteen; "Darkness on the Edge of Town"(a long string of great albums), David Bowie; "Space Oddity"(Major Tom), Janis Joplin; "Pearl"(for "Cry Baby" and other gems), The Who; "Who Are You"(wish I could find a good video of "3.905"). There you have it. Stay tuned (old)rockers!

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Today's Surprising(Not!) Fact

It's so totally weird how the teabaggers are no different than Republicans.














pic-Republicans & teabaggers

Who woulda thunk it? Everyone but other rightwing Republicans, and our National corporate "News" media obviously.
Hey, Let's ask DICK Armey! He'll know.
BWAHHAHAHA! Cough....

Actually I tend to agree with the floosie's shirt in many ways. Absolutely none of the ways she means it. But in many other ways...

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New Jobs Programs and Other Fairy Tales

As often happens I agree with Atrios:

"..They* should unveil a major new jobs plan like today, and then spend the next few months talking about it nonstop even if they can't pass it..."
*Democrats & the Obama admin.)














pic here

But we're just DFH's and all the serious, centrist tv talking heads knows that's crazy talk along with, cutting the defense budget, taxing the filthy rich more, off shore corporate tax havens, two eternal wars, etc, etc....Sooo don't hold your breath for anything even close to a decent jobs bill.

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Krugman: Punishing The Jobless

From Paul Krugman:

"A coalition of the heartless, the clueless and the confused"

That does sound like today's Republican Party doesn't it? Sadly quite a few Democrats to.

Speaking of low desperation jobs I have to clock in at 6:00pm today...off to take a shower...

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Heartfelt Happy 4th America!

With all your faults America you're still the best and brightest hope for humankind. I'm kinda tired. This new job is kicking my *ss, but I'm hanging in there and I'm still looking.
I got to see some pretty good fireworks on my way home from work tonight. So for our birthday here's one of my favorite "America" videos.
A live 9/11(and very eclectic) celebrity sing-a-long of "America the Beautiful" led by Willie Nelson that's very heartfelt(I think that's Neil Young rocking in the background). The "god" part is a bit over the top for me but I still like the video:



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Petraeus Endeavors to "Win" in Afghanistan

Of course by "win" he means stalemate forever:

Petraeus takes over Afghan fight, vows to win it

Has anything been going on in Iraq lately?

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