Saturday, October 2, 2010
Ferris Wheel Stuck at Party on the Pavement
I had the police scanner on and the call just came in: the ferris wheel at 6th and Main is stuck, with people on it. Racine Rescue is on the way.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Hot off the Press
Park High School’s Homecoming football game was cancelled tonight!
NO REFEREES!!!
No money back but you can go Monday night for free!!
People are pissed!
Four for Fridays
Hello everybody! This week just flew! I can not believe how fast it went! Here are this weeks' questions.
1) Is there a celebrity/famous person out there that you would like to meet?
2) If so, whom? What would you like to talk about?
3) If you were an actor/actress what role would you like to play?
4) If you were in a band, what instrument do see yourself playing?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) Is there a celebrity/famous person out there that you would like to meet?
2) If so, whom? What would you like to talk about?
3) If you were an actor/actress what role would you like to play?
4) If you were in a band, what instrument do see yourself playing?
Enjoy your weekend!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
The Phases of Venus
Look west shortly after sunset. That bright object is Venus and it rapidly catching up to Earth due the fact that Venus travels faster around the Sun. As it passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, two things happen. First, it Venus appears larger because it is getting closer to Earth. Second, we see more of the dark side of Venus and less of the light side of Venus. In other words, Venus shows a phase just like our Moon.
Tonight I went out with my Canon Digital Rebel Xti and the 55-250mm EFS lens, zoomed in on Venus, and was pleased to see the little crescent of Venus.
Venus will get a little lower in the sky each night and soon be too low to observe. If you want to see this phenomena, now is the time!
Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
5SecondFilms.com
Like it says, the films are five seconds long. There's too many to watch in one sitting, but here's a couple I liked:
http://5secondfilms.com/watch/bedtime_for_bonzo/
http://5secondfilms.com/watch/maximus_lonelinus/
"Free" Refrigerators for Millionaires
The owner of my apartment building invited a couple of activists from Madison to spend the day here yesterday signing up low income tenants for the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program. "Gee," I thought, "he's never done that before." Then I found out why the sudden interest in the welfare of his poorer tenants: he's going to get "free" refrigerators and a new boiler for the building if enough tenants sign up.As a result of the "stimulus," the US government (i.e., the taxpayers) will buy my landlord dozens of energy efficient refrigerators and install a new energy efficient boiler. I figure that's worth tens of thousands of dollars. That's just in one building. He owns at least a dozen. And he's just one landlord out of how many in this country?
My landlord is a millionaire many times over. I do not begrudge him his money. He inherited most of it, but has also earned quite a bit. He works hard and he is successful. That is the American dream. What I don't understand is why US taxpayers should subsidize improvements to his properties. When I questioned the wisdom of this, one of the Madison activists was all over me like stink on poop. She jumped right into my face and yelled, "We are putting hundreds of thousands back to work!" I didn't argue. The fangs came out instantly and it wouldn't be in my best interests to go against "free" money for my landlord.
I hope your grandchildren enjoy paying for my landlord's property improvements. I hope that "free" money brings jobs and prosperity and peace to Racine. I know my landlord is feeling more prosperous these days. How about you?
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my autumn dreamers! How are you? In case you haven’t noticed, we have had some beautiful, sunny, crisp days lately. It has been very pleasant outdoors. Thank you, Mother Nature, for gracing us with your charms. How nice of you to be so nice to us, you nice Mother Nature, you. You are such a sweetie. Thank you.I watched in dismal disbelief and disarray the other night as our beloved Green Bay Packers fell prey to the evil Chicago Bears. I took a special, personal interest (if you know what I mean; wink, wink, nudge, nudge) in that final field goal by the Bears. I was predicting a different outcome for the kick and I am still wondering what happened. Sometimes the “stadium effect” interferes with psychic powers because of an astral echo created by the surroundings. Usually, I can compensate for that. Hmm, so many strange happenings of late… Anyway, I expect the Packers to maul the Detroit Lions this Sunday, October 3, in the arena of Lambeau Field. Our glorious gladiators in green and gold will triumph once more!
Party on the Pavement, downtown Racine’s annual fall celebration, is this Saturday, October 2. http://racinedowntown.com/party.html The RacinePost has a wonderful article (as always) on the Party, too: http://kiosk.racinepost.com/2010/09/party-on-pavement-takes-over-downtown.html There is so much to see and do. Unfortunately, one of them will not be me in a customized Segway Zoltar booth. Downtown Racine Corporation remains cool to my overtures at establishing a presence in the area. “Phony baloney, hocus pocus” indeed! We shall see, DRC, we shall see. In any event, Party on the Pavement is a wonderful event for all ages. Head downtown Saturday and expect to have fun.
And where else but the RacinePost would you read news that TNA Wrestling is returning to Racine? http://kiosk.racinepost.com/2010/09/tna-wrestling-bringing-superstars-back.html Mr. OrbsCorbs reminded me, repeatedly, that he thought it was a good idea to mention this event in my blog. I’m not a big fan of professional wrestling, but Mr. OrbsCorbs assures me that many of you are, so enjoy the spectacle on Friday, October 15.
Finally, my friends, here is a short video which succinctly expresses my feelings about the intrusions which cell phones have become in our daily lives:
Oh my! Sometimes I wish I could do that. Thank you so much for reading my blog, dear Irregulars. I look forward to this every week. We are family.
Skeletons in your closet? You better tell Madame Zoltar: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Enjoy the brisk mornings and cool nights ahead, my dears. “Good sleeping weather” is the way it is often stated. Some trees are already turning color. On with the show! Dehiscence.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Everyone Has A Talent
Or two:
Until I saw that, I never, ever thought of breasts as weapons of mass destruction.
Update: I substituted a different video above because the original one appears to be no longer available. It was hosted here: http://videosift.com/tag/Das+Supertalent+Kandidatin+mit+den+Monster+Titten The above video is more or less a shorter version of the same sort of thing.
Sept. 29, 2010 11:18 PM
Until I saw that, I never, ever thought of breasts as weapons of mass destruction.
Update: I substituted a different video above because the original one appears to be no longer available. It was hosted here: http://videosift.com/tag/Das+Supertalent+Kandidatin+mit+den+Monster+Titten The above video is more or less a shorter version of the same sort of thing.
Sept. 29, 2010 11:18 PM
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Neil Young, Robert Plant, Led Zeppilin?
Was reading the news, saw they had a Levee break up in Portage. It isn't even the wild Spring time. What pops into my head but Led Zep, When the Levi Breaks. While hunting up the tune (I remember the songs better if I see them performed), I ran across this rarity. Neil Young shredding it on the stage with Led Zep. A little older, a little more worn, but looks like Rock and ROLLLLL
Jupiter and Uranus
I was up in Flagstaff on Friday night and decided to visit Lowell Observatory. Near the top of Mars Hill is a little pullout where you can stop and look down at Flagstaff. I snapped a pic of the Moon and Jupiter rising over the city.
A little later in the evening, I slapped the 250mm zoom lens on my camera to try a close up of Jupiter. Although it won't win any awards, it was interesting.
Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.