Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

One way or another, he’s a liar.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

I would try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

Trump’s cabinet: like a magic 8 ball that only gives wrong answers.

Republicans do not trust women.

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. do not touch it.”

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

The desire to stay informed is directly at odds with the need to not be constantly enraged.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Washington Post Catch and Kill, not noticeably better than the Enquirer’s.

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

“Loving your country does not mean lying about its history.”

Bark louder, little dog.

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Saturday Morning Open Thread: While You Were Sleeping

Saturday Morning Open Thread: While You Were Sleeping

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max star field

From commentor Max:

As the folks in NOVA were reporting down in comments, the fabled meteor shower was a total bust. I saw two brief (lasting maybe as long as one second) faint traces out of the corner of my eye that might have been very very small meteors around 1:30 AM. Otherwise, zip. The seeing was fine, so this is a nice star field view from 4:17 AM with nothing in the way of meteors. Saw way more planes than anything, and honestly, the meteor count was low for sitting outside off and on for three odd hours overnight when there is no big meteor shower. Zip. Bupkis. Nada.

Too cloudy here north of Boston to see stars, much less meteorites, and reports from the NASA livestream discouraged the Spousal Unit from driving out towards the coast in hopes of clearer skies.

Apart from the small disappointments to which all life is heir, what’s on the agenda for the day?

Reader Interactions

68Comments

  1. 1.

    raven

    Well, I was able to fall back to sleep and sleep much later than usual. I got up at 3 and setup the camera with my new shutter switch and tried for a about 30 minutes. Zip. I was thinking about going to the Cyclorama since they begin a Vets free series but it runs through August so I may not.

  2. 2.

    Chickamin Slam

    I figured it would be as bad as the “Comet of the Century” that vaporized.

    “But wait … we learned a lot.”

    But wait … they certainly hyped it to beat hell.

    And then the skies became overcast here and the damn cat wanted outside and was being a real pain in the ass.

  6. 6.

    JPL

    I’m trying to convince myself that it’s much easier to start weeding now then waiting for the hot sun to come up. I have garden beds on both sides of a driveway that reflects the heat.

  7. 7.

    NotMax

    Friend here takes some spectacular long exposure shots through his telescope. Know he posts many of them on Facebook, but don’t have the URL. As his is a very common name, there are probably hundreds with the same name on Facebook who would show up in a search.

  8. 8.

    WereBear

    I woke up at one, checked the skies, and knew My view, at least, would not be worth it.

    Sorry no one else got one either.

  10. 10.

    Baud

    NPR

    DALLAS (AP) — Robert Gates, the new president of the Boy Scouts of America, said Friday that he would have moved last year to allow openly gay adults in the organization but said he opposes any further attempts to address the policy now.
    …..
    “Given the strong feelings — the passion — involved on both sides of this matter, I believe strongly that to re-open the membership issue or try to take last year’s decision to the next step would irreparably fracture and perhaps even provoke a formal, permanent split in this movement — with the high likelihood neither side would subsequently survive on its own,” Gates said in prepared remarks.

  15. 15.

    OzarkHillbilly

    I went out and watched for about an hour and saw nothing. We had a light haze and the light pollution from St Clair and Sullivan spreads pretty far south in those conditions. Glad to know it wasn’t me.

  16. 16.

    satby

    Got up at 3, Which should have been the middle of the peak time, and saw one in about 15 minutes. Would have been good viewing had there been an actual shower.
    And I’m just waking up now since I overslept as a result of my nocturnal wandering. The dogs are pissed.

  17. 17.

    Betty Cracker

    Took my dogs for a long walk just after dawn, and it’s already in the mid-70s and 100% humidity. Supposed to reach 90 later. I’ve got that seasonal depression thing going on that you Northern folks experience when fall comes to an end. I hate freaking summer so much. If I had enough money, I’d have a summer house in Vermont and live down here the rest of the year.

  18. 18.

    MrSnrub

    Getting ready for my wife’s birthday party this evening’ to be hosted by a friend. Not much to do: pick up the cake and prepare ingredients for drinks. Really looking forward to it, and hoping that predicted afternoon showers don’t emerge.

  19. 19.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Betty Cracker: Heh. My oldest son wants me to go down to Baton Rouge with him this summer and spend a week with my youngest. I looked at him and asked, “What about me makes you think I am stupid?”

  20. 20.

    Ferdzy

    Woke up at 3 and peered out the window for about 5 minutes. Decided I couldn’t be arsed to actually put on any clothes and go outside, so went back to bed. Sounds like I didn’t miss much.

    We have declared the weekend a parent-free zone. I’ll try and catch up on laundry today, and maybe we might even get some gardening done. It’s supposed to be nice for a few days!

  21. 21.

    WereBear

    @Betty Cracker: Sheesh. I got a lightbox last fall and it helped a lot with the far North short days.

    But I don’t know what you might get for a Florida version… a refrigerated vest?

  22. 22.

    Betty Cracker

    @WereBear: I hate being cooped up inside, but being outside sucks in the summer. The only thing I look forward to are the afternoon storms. Those are fun to watch from the relative safety of a porch and cool things down…for about 20 minutes. Maybe I’ll just go 100% nocturnal for the summer!

  25. 25.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud: His answer was, “I grew up with you.” What was I going to say? “I’m still not going to Baton Rouge in July.”

  27. 27.

    geg6

    Having a pedicure this morning with my sister, planning some painting around the house (John finally said okay!), and some more cleaning of the unused bonus room so it can actually be used. I really do want to get this house into shape to sell. No couple needs 2 acres and 3300 sq. ft. to rattle around in. Especially when they both work full-time in demanding jobs. I want a little ranch with two bedrooms and, ideally, a finished/partially finished basement for an office space. I found a lovely one right on the Ohio River but above flood level. It has a beautiful sunroom and a gigantic back deck. I forget whether it’s 1100 or 1200 sq. ft., but it’s quite charming and it has an updated kitchen and bathroom. If we sold this place, we could almost pay cash for it. I want, want, want.

  29. 29.

    tybee

    i love summer. and the heat. and high humidity. and biting flies.
    only mad dogs and georgians….

    one does have to be careful during the hottest part of the day but other than that, i’m out in it. i even go camping in the summer.

    and i’m grateful for each and every one of you who avoids the outdoors in the summer. that makes some of my favorite spots deserted.

  30. 30.

    PurpleGirl

    @Betty Cracker: When I was Phoenix for a contract arbitration trial, I had many discussions with our consultants. We decided that a good mix for weather was winter in/around Phoenix and summer in Coeur d’alene, Idaho. (Many of the consultants/witnesses for our side came from Seattle or SoCal.)

  32. 32.

    Pogonip

    @NotMax: Hey! You know Ignacio Furbleheimer too! Small world, ain’t it??

    Great guy, Ignacio.

    No meteors here. Went back to bed.

  33. 33.

    Cassidy

    what’s on the agenda for the day?

    I am waiting with bated breath for our pure, progressive betters to continue mocking trauma victims.

  37. 37.

    Ronzoni Rigatoni

    @Betty Cracker: Yah, I usta head over to Sanabel (from Miami) just to watch the thunderstorms roll in from the Gulf. Since then I’ve relocated to the Tampa Bay area. An old neighbor of mine used to pack up his belongings, including his refrigerator, and move every summer to the woods around Ashville. I guess the altitude kept the temperatures and humidity down. My only alternative these days is mooching off relatives in NW PA along Lake Erie, but it’s too gd hot and humid there, too. It’s WAYTOOHOT here and even the mangroves are moving north (This is totally true stuff. You could look it up)..

  38. 38.

    BruinKid

    Shit. Last night, someone went on a massive drive-by shooting rampage in Isla Vista, near the UC Santa Barbara campus, killing at least 6 people before also being found shot to death, though it’s unclear if that came from the gunman’s own hand or when he engaged in a shootout with sheriff’s deputies.

    It appears the fucker is the entitled son of the assistant director of The Hunger Games. It brings back way too many bad memories of when David Attias went on a killing spree with his car at UCSB, killing the roommates of the boyfriend of one of my good friends at UCLA. He was also the entitled jerkwad son of a bigshot Hollywood producer.

  39. 39.

    Woodrowfan

    sat outside from a bit before 12 until almost 12:30 (EDT). Saw 3 clear ones and several might-have-beens. I’m inside the DC Beltway so there is lots of light pollution and big trees blocking my view to the east. But the 3 clear ones all were in the general area of the Big Dipper.

  40. 40.

    Elizabelle

    @BruinKid:

    Hadn’t heard the “Hunger Games” AD aspect. Horrifying story.

    From NYTimes recap:

    The gunman got into two gun battles with deputies during Friday night’s rampage in the beachside community of Isla Vista before crashing his black BMW into a parked car, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said.

    Deputies found him dead with a gunshot wound to the head, but it wasn’t immediately clear whether he was killed by gunfire or if he committed suicide, he said.

    … A visibly shaken student told the station she was approached by the driver of a black BMW who flashed a handgun and asked “Hey, what’s up?” The student, who didn’t provide her full name, said thought he was carrying an airsoft gun and kept walking. She said seconds later, she felt something buzz by her head and quickly realized they were bullets.

    That someone would say “hey, what’s up?” without seeming dangerous and then shoot. That chills me.

  41. 41.

    Elizabelle

    I was watching initial reports of the shooting come in on the LA Times website while up waiting for meteors.

    A shock to wake up again and realize there were 7 dead.

    ETA: and that’s horrifying on its own; death toll was 4 last time I’d looked. That seemed so ordinary.

    It takes 7 dead to become shocking.

    Inured to violence, no?

  42. 42.

    Betty Cracker

    @Woodrowfan: That’s where I spotted the faint little streaks I saw too. But overall, the meteor shower was a bust. Oh well.

  43. 43.

    Elizabelle

    @Cassidy:

    Step away from the blog, dude.

    I hadn’t realized you were the “c” poster people were discussing.

    Come on buckaroo, you can behave better than this and often put up interesting comments.

    Apologize to BettyC and make nice. You’re mistaken.

  44. 44.

    BruinKid

    @Elizabelle: The Daily Mail, which is a sleazy British tabloid, doesn’t seem to care about privacy, as they commonly reveal the names and photos of both criminals and their victims. And here, they’ve released the name of the shooter, even as The Guardian is not releasing the name yet. Like it or not, especially with the video the fucker released promising a bloodbath, it seems pretty clear who it is now.

  45. 45.

    Cassidy

    @Elizabelle: As soon as her, Cat lady, and mix apologize for mocking victims of trauma and people who have asked for a slight bit of consideration, I will publicly and happily apologize.

  47. 47.

    Elizabelle

    @Cassidy:

    Yeah, I stayed out of that whole thread.

    I wish you guys could get along better, though.

    Have not been following the “triggering” posts, but wonder how much damage results from so many losing their empathy. (Speaking society-wide, not BJ local.) Or not ever exercising it (or developing it) in the first place.

    Was wondering how much the triggering debate is the flip side of living in a society that’s got too many John Galt worshipers, and too many who fall for the 47% are undeserving drivel. Who think Trayvon Martin was a thug and attacker, despite no evidence of that. Makers and takers, losers and victors (or not-losers, whatever).

    Last, I hate to see people here get hurt.

  49. 49.

    PsiFighter37

    Got a good 9 hours of sleep – Benadryl did a number knocking me out. Still have these hives popping up from the medicine, but hopefully it is just residual from the medicine and will start fading in the next couple days.

    Otherwise, it looks like a great start to a holiday weekend – going to grab some brunch before taking care of some shopping.

  52. 52.

    Ruckus

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    Spend the second worst 6 weeks of my life one weekend in Miami in July. 100+ deg 100% humidity, outside all day, but I was getting paid to be there.

    The money didn’t help.

  53. 53.

    schrodinger's cat

    @Ruckus: Pretty much describes Mumbai. I have been wearing skirts or walking shorts, paired traditional Indian kurtis but all the fashionable women I see here are wearing leggings or skinny jeans, I have no idea how they can survive with clothes clinging to the their skin in this weather. The traditional Indian outfits seem much more weather appropriate.

  54. 54.

    Ruckus

    @schrodinger’s cat:
    Traditional middle eastern clothing, loose, white, long sleeves works very well to help as much as possible with the fun of living in sweltering heat and humidity.
    On the other hand, tight fitting clothing does tend to make one perspire, the evaporation giving a cooling effect. Of course with 100% humidity, evaporation is nil but still the idea is, what’s that word, oh yes, bonkers.

    Maybe we should all get used to this, nothing else seems to be going to happen.

  55. 55.

    maya

    I got to fool around with my many bells & whistles Canon EOS. Made all kinds of special night photo settings involving RAW, 1600 ISO, noise reductions, white and tungsten balance, etc. Great learning experience for capturing the rapture when it comes. Should have known it would not come to pass. Just like AL at the top here on left coast, I thought I saw a streak here or there but so fast and few not sure if it wasn’t just blowback from the guy’s greenhouse growlight display down below.

  56. 56.

    NotMax

    BTW,

    Too cloudy here north of Boston to see stars, much less meteorites,

    Clouds make no difference about that, as places to see meteorites in person are looking down at the ground or in a museum.

    While in the sky, they’re meteors. Outside the atmosphere, they’re meteoroids.

  57. 57.

    J R in WV

    @Betty Cracker:

    Thanks for informing me about who may have said cruel things about your loss. What a scab on the pimple of the ass of Newt G this guy must be to use your suffering as a tool to hurt you with.

    Still sorry to hear of your sudden loss, keep up the great reporting from Florida, I liked living in the Keys, and visiting my folks in Osprey while they were still alive enough to live there. Most of the state parks are places of wonder, and it’s a good thing that you can use a kayak to explore them.

    Hang in there!

    JR in WVa

  58. 58.

    Higgs Boson's Mate

    If it was up to me, Wayne LaPierre and six NRA members chosen at random would have to attend, act as an honor guard, and fire a 21-gun salute at the funeral of every mass shooter.

  59. 59.

    Cassidy

    @J R in WV: why should I have been considerate of her pain when she is dismissive of the pain of others? Is her loss more important than the trauma of a rape victim?

  60. 60.

    J R in WV

    I went out of the house about 1 am, spent about an hour out above the shop where we have the best open sky. Weather was OK, good and dark, maybe a little high altitude haze, the low magnitude stars were barely visible.

    I had probably 45 minutes of good seeing once my eyes dark adapted – I used a red headlight to get up there, although the motion detector floodlight went off before I could sneak in the shop door to turn it off.

    I did see two good streaks, they were as predicted, slower than most, and a dark orange from burning cooler due to that lower speed. Also saw quite a few little twinkles, likely tiny objects too small to leave a streak.

    I felt like I had to go out since the sky cleared up, what if there had been a perfect storm of meteors? And I missed it because I went on to bed at the usual 12:30 or so. Meteor storms are so rare, I may never get to see one, so I plan to never miss one by not even looking.

  61. 61.

    CaseyL

    I lived in Miami for nearly 10 years and never, ever, got used to the summer weather. Hated it; hated that feeling of being wrapped in a hot wet blanket every time I went outside.

    Doesn’t cool down at night, either, and my cheapass Mom didn’t have air conditioners, so I’d wake up in the middle of the night in a pool of my own sweat.

    I did love the storms. That’s one thing South Florida does right, thunderstorms.

  62. 62.

    cckids

    @Betty Cracker:

    I’ve got that seasonal depression thing going on that you Northern folks experience when fall comes to an end. I hate freaking summer so much

    I agree, wholeheartedly. We’ve had a few blessed days of cooler weather (in the mid 80’s) this week, after our 4-day trip into triple digits last weekend bummed me out. I just dread summers here, the unending heat 24-7, until October. And I don’t care how dry the heat is, when the average low temp for the summer months is 90, it is too damn hot.

  63. 63.

    ruemara

    @Cassidy: speaking as a traumatized person, you didn’t make it better. I don’t need to see other people hurt just because I hurt. Mind you, I’d love to plant what a trigger event feels like in the heads of every person who think it’s a joke. the loss of place, time & self… disconcerting barely covers it. But I can disagree with Betty’s view without using her dead mother to attack her. It’s just plain dishonorable & unworthy.

  64. 64.

    Betty Cracker

    @ruemara: In honor of your civil comment, I’m done with this subject and replying in kind to Cassidy, whom I will do my best to ignore in the future. Also, if I said anything in the other thread that hurt you, I apologize sincerely. It wasn’t my intent.

  66. 66.

    Cassidy

    @ruemara: I’m pragmatic; You use the tools at hand. People like Betty and Cole and Mix disgust me. They’ll come to a public place and whine for days “oh woe is me” and “something bad happened”, but once they’ve finished the attention whoring, can’t find the basic decency not mock others? Fuck her and the other two shitstains. I have zero sympathy for any of them. When you treat others like shit, don’t expect others to treat you well. So, Betty can take the nails out now and crawl down to her bottle of wine. I’m sure she’s gotten plenty of mileage out being the aggrieved party here. I don’t feel bad at all.

    @Betty Cracker: Next time, you should try my advice of shutting the fuck up if you don’t know what you’re talking about.

    @Mnemosyne: Not going anywhere. ;)

  68. 68.

    Anne Laurie

    @Betty Cracker: I’ve been to Miami in November and Orlando in January, and both times the heat & humidity had me panting like a dog as soon as I left the airport. Florida is no place for a person carrying as much pink insulation as I am!

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