DNA goo is everywhere

Partial Ingredients for DNA and Protein Found Around Star
For Release: December 20, 2005



NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has discovered some of life's most basic ingredients in the dust swirling around a young star. The ingredients -- gaseous precursors to DNA and protein -- were detected in the star's terrestrial planet zone, a region where rocky planets such as Earth are thought to be born.

The findings represent the first time that these gases, called acetylene and hydrogen cyanide, have been found in a terrestrial planet zone outside of our own.

"This infant system might look a lot like ours did billions of years ago, before life arose on Earth," said Fred Lahuis of Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands and the Dutch space research institute called SRON. Lahuis is lead author of a paper to be published in the Jan. 10 issue of the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Lahuis and his colleagues spotted the organic, or carbon-containing, gases around a star called IRS 46. The star is in the Ophiuchus (pronounced OFF-ee-YOO-kuss), or "snake carrier," constellation about 375 light-years from Earth. This constellation harbors a huge cloud of gas and dust in the process of a major stellar baby boom. Like most of the young stars here and elsewhere, IRS 46 is circled by a flat disk of spinning gas and dust that might ultimately clump together to form planets.

When the astronomers probed this star's disk with Spitzer's powerful infrared spectrometer instrument, they were surprised to find the molecular "barcodes" of large amounts of acetylene and hydrogen cyanide gases, as well as carbon dioxide gas. The team observed 100 similar young stars, but only one, IRS 46, showed unambiguous signs of the organic mix.

"The star's disk was oriented in just the right way to allow us to peer into it," said Lahuis.

The Spitzer data also revealed that the organic gases are hot. So hot, in fact, that they are most likely located near the star, about the same distance away as Earth is from our sun.

"The gases are very warm, close to or somewhat above the boiling point of water on Earth," said Dr. Adwin Boogert of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. "These high temperatures helped to pinpoint the location of the gases in the disk."

Organic gases such as those found around IRS 46 are found in our own solar system, in the atmospheres of the giant planets and Saturn's moon Titan, and on the icy surfaces of comets. They have also been seen around massive stars by the European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory, though these stars are thought to be less likely than sun-like stars to form life-bearing planets.

Here on Earth, the molecules are believed to have arrived billions of years ago, possibly via comets or comet dust that rained down from the sky. Acetylene and hydrogen cyanide link up together in the presence of water to form some of the chemical units of life's most essential compounds, DNA and protein. These chemical units are several of the 20 amino acids that make up protein and one of the four chemical bases that make up DNA.

"If you add hydrogen cyanide, acetylene and water together in a test tube and give them an appropriate surface on which to be concentrated and react, you'll get a slew of organic compounds including amino acids and a DNA purine base called adenine," said Dr. Geoffrey Blake of Caltech, a co-author of the paper. "And now, we can detect these same molecules in the planet zone of a star hundreds of light-years away."

Follow-up observations with the W.M. Keck Telescope atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii confirmed the Spitzer findings and suggested the presence of a wind emerging from the inner region of IRS 46's disk. This wind will blow away debris in the disk, clearing the way for the possible formation of Earth-like planets.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at Caltech. JPL is a division of Caltech. Spitzer's infrared spectrograph was built by Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. Its development was led by Dr. Jim Houck of Cornell.

For graphics and more information about Spitzer, visit http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/spitzer. For more information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit http://www.nasa.gov/home/.


HOwzat. More goodies from "Out there". Soon we creatures on the little blue dot are going to have to commit to a major attitude change.

About time, I say!

God At His Desk

best2005_cosmic_bunny_03
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Whence we came from, stardust as we are, where we are going, one way or another. I'd like to say to Clone science nay-sayers -- we need to change our physical selves -- our bodies as they are, are Earth-bound, and need gravity, air, water, etc. Wouldn't it be easier to explore the universe without lugging all that around? If God didn't want us to explore, we would have never found a way to tamper with it all. Period. Use the brain given to us! Please! Also, we do need to go, oh you people who would we never step into space. Earth is not finite. Neither is the sun. It's time to learn how to high-tail out and find another planet and another solar system. Again we have the tools, we have the imagination. Let's get on with it! Every time we venture out and explore we come back with much more than we ever dreamed. The universe awaits!!! I'd rather see us, going as homo sapiens sapiens than just motes of dust from our exploded existences. We have the stuff. Let's go for it!

About 2 weeks --

The 'Hmmm" Department. Apparently some mega churches are closing Christmas Sunday. No services at all. Doors are closed. Now I'd like to say 'howscum'?? Even if it's NOT Christ's birthday, it's officially that. Some bureaucrats have been smoking too much interference potion. C'mon guys. Please, the human beings have far too much trivia to 'worry about' without adding some more.

Carl Sagan said it right. If you have been tuning into COSMOS running on DISCOVERY channel -- you'd know what I mean. We have far too much at stake to continue fighting over space in our sandbox. Let's call it a rest. Keep your religion to yourself in the best way you know how, and let others practice theirs the best way they know. Put away weapons. Put down arms. Stop committing murder in the name of a God. Our liittle blue marble in space is much too precious and vulnerable and humanity needs to grow up or it will perish.

Hug your mother. If she irritates you, hug her harder. The thorny roses have the best bloom and best perfume.

Stop whining "Why me", "I didn't ask to be born" and other put downs to rail at fate. For one, why not you. You charted for this when you asked for life, and Oh yes you did ask to be born. Most definitely. You don't remember because you aren't supposed to. No cheating!! Live your life, have fun, and stop being a crybaby.

Pain is a given on this planet. There is a lot more of Pain than of anything else. There's a reason for that too. Suck it up!

God answers ALL prayers. Sometimes He says 'no'. Sometimes He says not now. In all answers, he sends you love. He does care.

Death is this world's way of making room. You do not pass into oblivion, your essential being is still present, as is everyone's. Who wants to hang onto a diseased, warn out old carcass anyway?? Rather be 30 years old and flying!

And you will.

Trust me.

Have fun wrapping presents and spreading love --- K

Bambi2

Bambi2
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Good ol Wyoming. Over at Dave's 'little house on the prairie about a mile out of town. The deer come in when it gets cold, apparently. This lady brought her half-grown fawns and it makes it a nice addition to our fauna pics.

Kitty poem

12 Days of Christmas - A Cat's Rendition

On the twelfth day of Christmas my human gave to me:
Twelve bags of catnip!
Eleven tarter Pounce treats,
Ten ornaments hanging,
Nine wads of Kleenex,
Eight peacock feathers,
Seven stolen Q-tips,
Six feathered balls,
Five MILK JUG RINGS!
Four munchy house plants,
Three running faucets,
Two fuzzy mousies,
And a hamste-e-er in a plastic ball!!

Brings back memories for me. Its windy in my state. Hurricane force winds. Gusts up to 100 mph. Yowie. Don't open your coat, you'll be sailed off to Nebraska! Of course *ahem* that's not a blizzard. You gotta have SNOW for that, and so far --the blizzard conditions affect all living creatures shorter than a foot off the ground. That's how high up the 'white out' conditions are with the miniscule bit we've been getting. I should declare equal opportunity things and find poems for dogs and other critters... Pass the Ritz Bits! It's beginning to look like Christmas.

moose & Turtle

moose & Turtle
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

"I think this is the business end --" Moose is investigating turtle -- first time for the old dawg. Moose is now in Green Pastures but a beloved dog of my step-daughter-in-law. We are in the midst of jolly season time, and while I predict a lot of us are going to be tight this year, still, Christmas will be Christmas, and by the way --it's silly to be so politically correct as to call them 'holiday trees'. C'mon, the tradition is Christmas Tree!! and before that, pagan holidays so what does it matter?? Golly people can get worked up into a foamy swivet over the darndest thing. Christmas Tree! Get over it! Ol Moose here is more direct and pragmatic of something new within her line of sight. Turtle! Turtle! I think this is her backside!!Yup!!! Yup!!! Seasonal backside?? Who cares. From this end I don't get bitten!

Just for the hali-but ---

Not not cod. Not the wandering eye fish. Halibut. Honestly, I've got to clean out my memory closet. In the wrong file. Tis halibut that makes that transformation. Doesn't affect the taste tho. yummm. Oh now, oh, is it --- flounder??? Dang it, but I hate having to look it up. It's one of those fishes. All edible. If I were a scientist, I'd be more careful with my wild fluctuations.

Now, UFO's. Looky. I'm with the most sane. If the UFO's are extraterrestrials, they are not out to 'get us'. Or they have, would have already. I think they are naturalists, tourists, and whatever they need from butchering cows with lasers, I don't think we can help.

There are too many self-important, holier than thou hoaxers on our Planet who feel that somehow they are enlightening us as a species by their antics. You! Human! Cut that out!!! And I don't mean cow eyeballs and sex organs.

Word to the wise. Don't wait to become your idea, or your parents' idea of perfect. Have fun now. Love, Be Passionate, Cuddle! Don't wait on life. Grab it by the handles and go with it! I'm fair, fat and sixty. Can't see, can't hear, diabetic and a walking case for congestive heart failure. But I got a boyfriend! And we pounce on each other like you 20's do ---those who aren't "waiting for life to make them perfect." And dang it I'm happy and so is he!

track to nowhere

011_8a
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

At least at one time, it went somewhere, but now, not, sitting in a vacant lot next to the UP railroad Switch -- was taking pics of old trains and decided this looked nice.

Thanksgiving weekend. Gulp! All done, with a prime rib dinner at Dave's house with family. The poinsettas are coming, marching up the stairs ---I have 5 plants now. One to go to girlfriend...maybe another... I love em in all colors! Hijacked a turkey breast, bought it home so we could have the leftover turkey sandwiches. Goodness, Thanksgiving without cranberries and leftover turkey sandwiches?? Not possible. Not in my world. Winter finally arrived today, with nippy 25 degree and 50 mph winds... yikes! Drove me to put on my car coat! Now it's off to Ft. Collins to shop. That's traditional here on the front range. I25 becomes the 'mall corridor from Cheyenne south through Denver. Will it snow?

Odd as a cod, b'god --

Which start life as ordinary fish. Swimming normal, eye on each side. Then the eye drifts and the cod begins to swim sideways, no eye side down. Hmm, or is that flounder??
Know what you get when you cross an elephant with a rhino?? Hell if I know.

I've been staring at the moon too long. Realized that it has a tilt in its axis, just like earth does. The pole isn't "up" and the south bit isn't "down". If it were, you could no longer see 'the man in the moon.'(unless you tilted yourself, that is --)

Is it the 'ides of November'? Dang soon, it'll be mad mad shopping days, turkey day, and we will be having prime rib. Time to flush out all the holiday decorated sweatshirts. I have not yet succumbed to vibrant violet and hussy red outfits. I suspect years of being a redhead naturally and unnaturally has put a crimp in the urge. Now my hair color is gray and apricot streaks. The loud purple will have to wait a few more seasons.

I refuse to be THAT annoying. Had a loud discussion with one of my best friends. Don't worry, we are still friends! About I maintain that there is not one original thought from mankind since the very first written down. That dragons were at one time real creatures, and from a little speck of primordial memory, we took fossils from the ground and cobbled up creatures such as Griffons. All stories come from 5 or 6 basic plots, and whatever creativity we possess comes from acute observation.

She says No Way. Dragons and dinosaurs are not fictional cousins. I sez they are.
Loud discussion commences. I say psychics are the real deal, she says no way. I predict this will take a extended debate.

I'm on the side of angels.

Outlook --furry

cat_dakota
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Those of you --remember the idylic decades of the 40's 50's and 60's?? The end of a war, everyone off to the suburbs, full of optimism, and high visions of the future. The weather was steady, predictable, and prosperity seemed within everyone's grasp. Inventions bombarded us, as new cars --every year a new model, trade your old one in. 2.6 children, a pet and a home with a yard. Television became a household member, and electronics were born, with marvels everywhere one looked. Computers were coming, ready or not, and many appliances had them in already, however primitive. The microchip changed the world. Satellites --onward, upward!!!

Then things have changed. The weather is no longer reliable. That which we had taken for granted is no longer. We are not safe on our shores or in our homes. We must become flexible and responsible for our surroundings. No longer can we afford to leave rotting bodies in buildings for months, as had been done during hurricane Katrina.

Cabin 30 miles from Cheyenne

cabin
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Now in the town of Cheyenne, it's flat. Pretty much. In the distance are mountains, but nothing dramatic like down Denver way. But, hop in your car and drive west toward Laramie on I80, and soon enough you are in as wild and bumpy country as you can desire. We got billions and billions of 'photo op's' in the roadside -- from micro view to magnabig. Sorta like a time-pocket, where there hasn't been much change in 100 years or so. Out here you can easily imagine such desperadoes such a Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid riding by.

Got to talking about Psychics today. Lately thanks to Halloween, there have been TV programs about paranormal and other spooky stuff. Imagination. Such a maligned title for a little understood ability! We, as a species, look upon 'imagination' as something a bit unsavory. Its not the truth. When you realize that the table you are sitting near, and can rap on, isn't as solid as it appears, or that the air we breathe has volume and weight, we should know better than to accept proof of our five senses as a reliable gauge of 'reality'. Psychics are. We can all be psychic at one time or another, and some are much better at it than others. The reality of an artist existing, producing fine paintings to stir the souls of others, or of a signer able to transport an auditorium into the sublime -- proves that our species is, multidimensional in ability.

And that means knowing the 'unknowable'. Psychics are. Unfortunately, it is a skill that is uncertain. It is known that psychics rarely are psychic about themselves. They cannot rely on their talent for their own gain. It's hard to measure. It's hard to prove. But nevertheless, it does exist! Imagination cannot be spun out of whole cloth. There must be a seed or starter in it somewhere. Just as sure as there were once dragons! Of course there were, can't you believe it? We find bones all the time.

People do me a favor. When coming upon imagination in flower, in a child, in a story, in a person -- do not squelch it! Do not put it down, bad-mouth it, or degrade it in any way! Touch not the rare thing! It's probably the most -real thing one can come across in life. It's bad enough we grind down on psychics! Nearly lost that gift, what price will be paid if we lose imagination?

Killer Blogs!

Yikes. According to FORBES, November issue, there are certain blogs that slander and libel companies. Those often express ill-informed or partially formed ideas that are not flattering, and determental. Now look. This is a new member of the Fourth Estate, mass media, and it comes with responsibility. Ethics. If you don't know the word, look it up. I just did. When perusing a blog, the caveat emptor is brought to mind, as well as grains of salt --which I might admit might apply to enough salt drained from the Lake in Utah. What is 'said' in media is not necessarily gospel. It is an opinon. It could be gospel truth. It is often not total truth because that is difficult. Subjective opinion is that. Subjective, and that means it's how the author views it. Your right to say a thing in public is limited to ethical considerations -- fight back! Flag those offensive blogs! Submit your opinions! Just don't misrepresent them as more than your own idea about things.

We have a brave new world. It is public mass media. We had wanted something like this for ages. Well, with internet and e-mail and public broadcasting comes a huge responsibility for civilized behavior. Altrustic behavior. Let us grow up, behave ourselves and be on our best!

George Carlin on New Orleans

George Carlin on New Orleans
"Been sitting here with my ass in a wad, wanting to speak out about the
bull --t going on in New Orleans. For the people of New Orleans... First we
would like to say, Sorry for your loss. With that said, Let's go through a
few hurricane rules: (Unlike an earthquake, we know it's coming)

#1. A mandatory evacuation means just that...Get the hell out. Don't blame the Government after they tell you to go. If they hadn't said anything, I can see the argument. They said get out... if you didn't, it's your fault, not theirs. (We don't want to hear it, even if you don't have a car, you can get out.)

#2. If there is an emergency, stock up on water and non-perishables. If you
didn't do this, it's not the Government's fault you're starving.

#2a. If you run out of food and water, find a store that has some.
(Remember, shoes, TV's, DVD's and CD's are not edible. Leave them alone.)

#2b. If the local store has been looted of food or water, leave your
neighbor's TV and stereo alone.(See #2a) They worked hard to get their
stuff. Just because they were smart enough to leave during a mandatory
evacuation, doesn't give you the right to take their stuff...it's theirs, not yours.

#3. If someone comes in to help you, don't shoot at them and then complain no one is helping you. I'm not getting shot to help save some dumbass who didn't leave when told to do so.

#4. If you are in your house that is completely under water, your belongings
are probably too far gone for anyone to want them. If someone does want
them, let them have them and hopefully they'll die in the filth. Just leave!
(It's New Orleans, find a voodoo warrior and put a curse on them.)

#5. My tax money should not pay to rebuild a 2 million dollar house, a
sports stadium or a floating casino. Also, my tax money shouldn't go to
rebuild a city that is under sea level. You wouldn't build your house on
quicksand would you? You want to live below sea-level, do your country some good and join the Navy.

#6. Regardless of what Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton want you to believe, The US Government didn't create the Hurricane as a way to eradicate the black people of New Orleans; (Neither did Russia as a way to destroy America). The US Government didn't cause global warming that caused the hurricane (We've been coming out of an ice age for over a million years).

#7. The government isn't responsible for giving you anything. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave, but you gotta work for what you want. McDonalds and Wal-Mart are always hiring, get a damn job and stop spooning off the people who are actually working for a living. President Kennedy said it best..."Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

Thank you for allowing me to rant.


Now, THIS IS NOT ME. It's George. I copied because its become public domain via e-mail and I don't think he'd mind. Now what IS me, is that 99% of it I agree with totally. I know there were a few people who couldn't leave because they were taking care of the crippled, infirm, deathly ill etc. But, you know, in an ideal world they could have been shipped out too.

Different Planes

Let's discuss ghosts. We have several flavors of 'em, the kind that are residual, appearing over and over like a recording in a certain place. We have the ones that seem to see you, and those probably need help of some kind. Then there are poltergeists, the problem child ones who feed off the energy of a pubescent teen or very young adult. In most cases, it is often people who are haunted, rather than places. There will be resident ghosts but it takes a certain person to bring them out. They feed on energy, and if the energy is favorable, they come out to play. Like cats, they know when skeptics and non-believers come, and often will not manifest at all. This is because of negative energy. Ghosts are electrical and so are we. We can see them, hear them, smell them, get feelings from them. Any one, or all happen. Why do I say ghosts are a fact? Because there is far too much said on the subject. If they didn't exist, there would be no discussion at all. Are they dead people? we don't know.

My main thing is: if they are dead people, why don't they go to the light and go onto the next phase? If some do, and 'visit' back, what is the motive? I think haunting phenonema are like the weather. Caused by various factors, some overlapping and related, some not.

And yes, we will find out what these things are, someday. Without dying to do it.

Wyoming Aspen

Wyoming Aspen
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Yep. Pretty mountain tree. Got em in various states, only thing they want is altitude, although we can kid some to grow in town at a measely 6000+ feet.

It's Boo! Night!!!!

clip_art_landing_page_26
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Into the bag, that is!! Tonite, the ghosties drift, and I'm gonna put on Most Haunted on the telly -- That show, I'm still wondering if it's just entertainment or a pinch of truth copped up in a whole bunch of imagination. Like the tilting tables tho. Those of you who know Pacheco Pass in California raise your hands. Well, I do, and it's very interesting. I've driven through it in the wee hours of morning... several times. I did not know the history of this road, and wondered why I felt positively spooked driving that stretch. I am not a scardey-bones, have driven alone at night many times. Many places. But that one stretch of road makes me feel awfully uneasy and anxious. Well, imagine my surprise, and 'no wonder!' when I found out that the highway is haunted. No, I didn't see anything, hear anything, just had the willie-jumps and foreboding -- couldn't wait to get to Gilroy. It just so happens the stretch is in a vortex. Lots of really odd and unusual things have been experienced in that area. The depression-feeling is palpable. Many did report seeing covered wagons, people wandering the road, lights, spooky stuff. But I will stand on saying, Pacheco Pass is a really strange experience!

64and a half

Okay you. Since you asked. What is it like to be 64 and a half? Years? Old?? If you didn't ask, well then pook, I am going to tell you anyway. My grandmother didn't tell me. I thought you just got old, wrinkly and eventually white. Then one day your heart went kerthump one last time. Mother told me, but I largely ignored her in spite of seeing how distressing true some of her predictions were. I wasn't going to be that way. But --- I discovered that I did postpone a lot of random pain until I reached the double nickel (55) but it caught up with me. Random pain is pain you get when you are minding your own business and all the of sudden a category 4 twinge courses up your knee. Or you get the bursitis and it goes away in two days but now you have heartburn. Then that stops but your toes hurt. You get the idea. Random -- no obvious earthly cause. You get those, and the docs blithely label em as arthritis. Then of course some of your friends you grew up with die. Keel over with Cancer or a motorcycle accident. You go to reunions to see who is still alive. You read the obituaries because you don't wanna go around saying "How's ol so-an-so?" and find out he's been dead for a month. You go to doctors more often and find that they don't know much either. All the know is tests, and more tests which may or may not pinpoint the problem. I find, for instance that one 'sign of Cancer' is coughing. Well, that's a sign for a lot of stuff -- much of it annoying but harmless. Symptoms tell you less than you think they should. "It hurts when I do this!" "Don't do it!"
And then my favorite... stay in bed. Look doc, I live alone. Who's going to be my nurse and errand runner and maid?? You volunteering? Something has to be done with assisted living. Our society is very uncaring for the elderly. "Take a Pill! be Young again" and some 65 year old freak is running down the road 'exercising' with a grin on his face. Yep. Take the camera away and he comes to a screeching halt, they carry him away, and the smile on his face is gone, only coaxed back by a big paycheck. Look. Build houses with mommy-in -law apartments on. Educate via guys like Dr. Phil that it isn't cool to abandon mommy and poppy in a state home. People sometimes take better care of their animals! Make it a socially acceptable thing to have some old folks in residence!! Pay 'em a little! Getting old is not for wimps, people. Those venerable people need your respect and admiration! We will all go there if we keep breathing. Okay I did my monthly rant. Take care of your Moms.

MidOctober mutterings

laffin
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Every day this happens. Some human somewhere gets himself or herself in a dilly of a fix. If by some chance you have not, it's because you can't get out, or even off your chair, bed, whatever. It's good to see that scary costumes are popular again on Halloween. We've kinda gotten over the most immediate scare of 911. What we have going now is earthquakes and hurricanes. Kinda hard to dress up as those. Read that people should have their DNA analyzed to see just what they should eat. Danged good idea. Too bad that most people who need this service can't afford it. Some people just can eat cake! Gorge on it!! Some of us should never even get downwind from one. Did you know your sense of smell makes your body anticipate what it perceives? Then the digestive apparatus gears up for the food?? You can gain weight on weeds if you are smelling chocolate, gravy, and hot dogs.

009_6

009_6
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Nice ol Wyoming stuff --lessn 30 minutes from Cheyenne

scold

scold
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

a little chocolate is good for you!!! The Darker the better!! and shame on the M&M people for introducing the lovely dark chocolate bits and then discontinue! Yes, I am one of THOSE people. Gimmee my DARK chocolate.

For all you who try to sell me something in comments, or get me interested in what you got going on commercially, you HAD BETTER at least give me a short review on my blogs!! (BIG SMILE) Gotta draw that, and put it in my picture file, huh.

Oh! My friends brother, his apartment in Southern Texas near the gulf. Last news on it, untouched. Power on, water on. His, and my take on the whole thing --two hurricanes, that while awful in many places, was exaggerated. Some parts barely got any lasting damage at all. While this isn't making light of the many deaths, injuries and property damage, still some media will exaggerate beyond fact. The yellow kid* strikes again!

*For those who aren't a certain age, look up 'yellow journalism' in newspaper history)

creature2

creature2
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Boo!!! Do have fun, and for all you fathers among you, and those mothers who are guilty --don't help your kids divvy up their candy and help yourself to the best ones!!! HA! This year I think I will go as a mysterious Knock -- open the door and no one is there...Boo! I will look before I open my door. I do not want to invite my doppelganger inside! Happy Halloween and Smashing Pumpkin day!

October Meanderings

Like leaves, crunching and falling, all sorts of organic colors -- I do like the season with its apple-crisp air, but I don't like what comes after. I do not like snow because I cannot walk in snow. I can drive on snow and ice better than I can walk on it. My problem. I love the new white blanket, the non-smell, the big doilies falling from the sky, but once it's on the ground... HELP!

Born and raised here, I have noticed Global Warming. Here it isn't too bad once you realize it's going to be DRY! Tough on farmers and aranchers and gardeners but at least I can get out without falling on my non-padded rear end! I"m a fluffy person, weigh far more than I should, but I got an old-man non-existant butt. (Nice picture, huh.) Gotta protect those hip bones! Gotta learn to flip in the air and land on my generous tummy!

Well anyway -- More on quantum stuff -- all the Murphy's Laws do address the phenonemon. Also why we cannot prove Psychic ability. It relies on probability and is by nature random, but with a high predicability if you know how to measure it. Like trying to catch a greasy cat. Psychic ability does exist. The trick is: Prove it. Well, prove it isn't. If we want to travel someday like STARTREK, in transporters, we had better consider quantum theory.

Good stuff to ponder upon near Halloween.

snowbranches

snowbranches
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

wintry stuff in Wyoming starts in October -- sometimes it can be awfully lovely.


Hey, Been watching story of Einstein, and how he had trouble with the Quantum Mechanics, well actually I think I've discovered proof of Quantum mechanics. Life. The experience of life is full of probabilities. String theory, Just because everything happens identically, it doesn't mean the outcome will be identical. Life, the process, is proof that quantum mechanics is part of Physics, even though it appears not to adhere to laws in physics. It has to do with the random particles that caroom around in space, playing havoc with DNA chains causing mutations. Life. It's all organic, and being organic, you are dealing with probabilities not absolutes. It's like being a snake. Some of this stuff you have to unhinge your jaw to swallow.

sunny

sunny
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

There's my old garden varieties. Had some doubles, with fuzzy middles, and you see a Cosmo pink in back. Got a lotta those. Gotta get me more next year!!!

Black sunnies

Black sunnies
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Here they go. Had to go back to "Flicker" to get em on. I dunno what's with the Blogger picture machine. Anyway...yep. My black sunnies.

Sunflower (song)

Ummm I am having trouble with the pictures. My computer likes 'em fine but the blogger portal for them won't load up. hmmm. I was bringing in sunflowers. The pretty dark ones. Ever seen? They are a real dark mahogany brown with tips of yellow.
rats. Okay, we have comments!!!! Real Comments and I am so wildly happy and pleased. Good good good. Atta-girls on my shoulder. Keep forging onward! Thank you thank you thank you. Really made my day. I am being read. Kvelling!! Dance of Joy!! ok, enough.

Glad for all the good news in the media. Rita didn't do as much damage but a friend of mine has no idea how his apartment fared. He guesses it's underwater. stay tuned on that lil tidbit. He's coming to visit his sister Friday. He has lived in South America for quite a few years and the culture shock is getting to him. He's furious with our government. Oh well!!!! Do you guys know the old joke about the black man who pulled a snake out of his pants and said, I knew you were big, I knew you were black but where'd you get those baby blue eyes???? Our snake in grass government has to learn they can't fool us people as much as they used to.

Baby blue eyes.

Didya see the pictures they got back from Mars about the same space of land, several years (months) apart, and lo there is in the latest one, a channel looking suspiciously like a water rivulet where there hadn't been before? Hmmm. It's alive...

Well, thank the girls Katrina and Rita for putting a kbosh on NASA funding. I think many things will now go on back burners as the expen$$$$es mount. The way they talk about money, it sure doesn't seem real, does it? I predict a skinny scrawny Christmas season. And a verrrry interesting 2006! I know, I know. But all the retailers are jumping the season, I gotta do something to top the trend! Then when people ask me, "Can you believe it's (such and such date) already???" I can say, yes, heck I've been ready for weeks.

I'm off to talk to the picture wizard.

Way down yonder in New Orleans ---

Okay, we agree. This is a full-blown disaster. EVERYONE is going to feel this one. Bush was cought flat-footed on vacation, but lets lay the blame where it begins, FEMA and Brown. HE should have called BUSH immediately, but then Bush had to call him!! He-llooo! This is not a simulation. This is not a dry-run. It's a disaster, involving many many thousands of people and consequently, the whole nation. FEMA is a federal agency, sposed to field the emergency, get rolling and fix it. The governor of Louisiana needs to step aside and let the nation roll in there and do stuff. She wants the 'control' of this to stay in Louisiana. uh, he-lloo again, what control??? It's out of control! Disease is gonna have a field day! No sanitation, no water, --won't be long folks until various epidemics are going to check in, decimating all those who stayed, either by choice or by circumstance. Does anyone care that the busses supposed to ship people out of the area were left in a shopping center, to be drowned to the rooftops with water??? And water! Being drained into reservoirs via 4 " pipes. Okay. Can a body transverse through those pipes? Small ones, loaded with bacteria and other delights? It's time to roll, people. Never mind the finger pointing. Just do what needs to be done. ORGANIZE! ORGANIZE! i HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH DENIAL ! FEMA shame! Shame! What part of Emergency do you not understand?

And oh by the way. Check out Richard Hoagland. He's got some theories on ol Katrinka. What if. Dare we suggest? That Katrinka was an engineered storm? That Mother Nature got an assist from some really nasty if brilliant people? Follow the evidence, follow the events. Sure looks rather odd. If you slot in the (impossible!!) possibility that Katrinka was an artifically enhanced hurricane, then that explains all the footdragging, and stupidity that's been going on. oh well, I find it hard to swallow myself, but ----!!

*click!* Know what???

Hokay we have a buncha stuff -- for example "Yes dear, I paint."

I been thinking, which I do, all the time, (unfortunately) and I realize the older I get, the more conventional wisdom makes sense. What your mommy and daddy told you is true, unless they are natural jokers. God DOES have a sense of humor, and we are at the brunt of it. Remedy?? Laugh.

UFO's. My what a subject. Lets tackle UFO's, extraterrestrial type; never mind how they got here. They do not let us know what they are because we aren't ready to know. We are almost ready, thus they are sending us puzzles to figure out. They are not dwelling on the same sensory/reality plane as we do. Nor will we, once we die.
No, I have not tossed out the possibility that they are angels.

It's silly to be afraid of them, in any case.

The older I get the more I realize (sadly!!!) that being an expert or a doctor in any field does not mean that person is all-wise. Geniuses have the same ability to really pull a duh-doofus-boner as the rest of us. 'Caveat!!!'

I wanna go to Mars. I can't. Damnnit. Love to go, sink my fingers into the sand, explore the caverns and caves and ice fields. Can't. Body won't let us, yet. Send on the drones!!!! All those wonderful rovers and cameras. Dare we guess that the 'little green men' types are nothing but machinery?

I wonder if Venus, the planet, is only in a phase, and will eventually cool off, and change climate and become habitable??? Earth has done similiar things dozens of times. Ice Planet, Hot planet, No-life planet -- earth has been there, done that, and still the lil microbes keep on ticking.

And there's a lot still out on the other solar system balls.

Politics is an old ploy. It is a means of survival, that your genes will be passed on. In the name of politics, one cheats, lies, connives, plots, maneuvers, collects markers and grooms others. To render us worth saving as a species we are going to have to jettison some of these behaviors. Don't ask me which. It's a giant Gordian Knot, and one written about since the age of written language.

Will we panic when the "martians" come?? Or the Andorians, or the Romulans or the whatever CP3O arrives?? I don't think we'll do the "War of the worlds" thing but then I remain still the pie-eyed optimist I have been for decades.

Chow, Baby!!

paper or plastic

The latest from the smart fellas in the world of NASA and affiliates... plastic may be the skin of future spaceships. Hmmm Why do I think of Ziplock??

Travel

The latest from my buddy who took a plane to the East coast --- We should do these now. Airplane travel these days is slightly better than a livestock trailer haul. No food. Forgotten drinks, frisking and unpacking ... Let's do amtrack!
ALL ABOARD!!!!

now try this

Hey is that water I see??? Ice??? Good ol Mars. Keep us guessing.

Now about NASA and shuttles and repairs. Poor NASA is a political thing. The whole shebang is run by the goverment "committee". That means there will be grandstanding by people who don't really do anything except listen to lobbyists. Also the 'nervous nellies' in any program are going to continue to piss and moan about everything. Until private enterprise gets itself into space, this will continue-- with veiled threats to scrub the whole mission etc. Perhaps we need to repair --to the moon! Again. There is lots there to make useful, water (again with that!) god-awful many minerals -- a frontier strange and wonderful. An extended space station as we have now is crippled by the fact that human beings can only go so long without gravity. We are going to have to deal with that if we expect to get anywhere. Mars needs much exploration, by robots and man. For that matter robots on the moon too, doing the job of mining, exploration, pictures ---

And don't forget, we need to learn how to make nanotubes and buckyballs to utilize in space.

Hooray for the brave crew who patched up the Discovery! In spite of hand-wringing by publicity-minded nay-sayers, to save their little CYA campaign, the whole thing still can be successful. All the pessimism by such Cassandras are often blown out of proportion

It's okay, people. It's okay. Don't sweat it. We are going to have more casualties. We are going to have more accidents. Steady as she goes!

Party's Over

Well, the last day of our Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, last full week in JULY. Bunting comes down, people go home, over for another year --yippy skippy but as usual, a good rodeo party. Ridem Cowboy! Come back Next year!

And our astronauts are upstairs. Godspeed, guys

Another planet??? Depends on it's orbit, I think. Got a lot of rocks in our solar system. Me, I still wanna bum around Mars.

Flowers are blooming! Tomatoes are getting red! At least some things are alive in the garden. Oh by the way, a thought -- there is no such thing as a real cold call. The caller has to have SOME information handy.

Short story: it was late and dark, we were watching tv. a cat jumped up into the kitchen window and looked in on us from kitchen to living room. We have no cats, that we acknowledge anyway. Nothin but occasional wild cats --- I said, oh! kitty in the window! and Dave says, "Is he a peeping Tom?"

Play taps. Play Amazing Grace. Our lovely buddy, Jimmy is gone. To the enterprise in the other side. Bones was waiting for him, as well as all his past peoples -- we send our love and thank him for his life.

My Stars!

Circle October 30th of this year on your calendars. Mars visits us again darned near as close as it did 2 years ago. Umm! Saw it that time, nice and red and purdy in the sky -- Those of you with telescopes will have a little treat if it's not cloudy.

Discovery is still Earth-bound. Well, let's check it out, gang. I personally think the shuttles are a tad old. They need new models with new wiring and all that good stuff. In the meantime, lets not kill astronauts just to fire 'em off the Earth!! Go, by all means, but go safely. Gee yes, let's have a hand for that idea.

Off and Running

Tomorrow the Discovery goes off. I'm crossing my fingers and praying. We need this mission. Here's a little known fact. Sure you need this. It will be indelible in your mind forever. Sumi wrestlers never wash their loin cloths. The reasoning is: it would diminish their strength.

Okay-ee

Watched a crow this weekend while I was fishing. It was raining and we were waiting in the car for it to blow over. A crow hopped up to a picnic table and picked up something in it's beak -- then dropped it. Picked up. Dropped. Flew away; came back, picked up, and took it to the lake edge and dropped it in. Then it ate it. Flew up, got another. This is repeated 4 times. I went to investigate. Dog kibble! Way to go, Mother Nature!

Dogs don't think they are human. They think we are dogs. Funny weird dogs that act very stupid sometimes but they love us anyway.

Here's looking at you, Kid ---

Okay, in the field, we started a flower garden. Virgin field. I picked up a cactus, plunked it in, and several days later ---Bloom! Must have been holding my mouth right or something ---

Wet Birds Don't Fly At Night

Surveyor is a weird looking word. In fact so is Survey. The longer you look at it, the less it looks like it means. We are in the middle of June. IN Wyoming, the gardens are just barely going. Dang, just a short three months in clay soil 'tis tough coming up with anything. We try tho. That's what I've been doing, and healing a knee. Takes longer than you think. A major joint. Growl! Getting up and down off the ground or floor is harder than you think without knees.

Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens probably did get very chummy chummy. It depends on the situation and and the opportunity. The DNA stuff is still out on that score. Oh by the way, DNA!!! Did you know that chimeras can have two sets of DNA and depending on which organ or body parts are checked?? It's a result of very early twinning and then doubling up. If two sexes are involved, you get hemoprodites. One person, one body, two makeups. So, DNA is NOT infallible beyond all!

horses run

horses run
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Run! Run! They want to pen you up and put ropes on you! --- It was as ball watching the city police attempting to round up horses. Those horses knew better and will get rounded up when they are darned good and ready.

Here we go again, for the umpteenth time

Creationists vs Evolutionists. The Bible thumpers insist that the Book squelches all arguments. "Literally True!" they sing out, but my dears, have they READ the Book? In Genesis, word for word, step by step, it outlines exactly how life was formed on the Earth. Guess what. It's just like the evolutionists say! God created, light, day, night, sea, land, vegetables, animals.... in that order. Also the grass was formed before trees. Yep Yep Yep. It seems to me that God gave man a brain. Use It! If you really read it, and study evolution in it's classic sense, you'll see that lo! there are no dichotomies, no arguments, no disagreements. One just proves the other. I just think its amazing that the early writers of the Bible managed to get so much correctly, centuries before modern Archeology, Biology, DNA and all that technology tooling we can do today. C'mon people. Wakey wakey. Its time to recognize the essential study of mankind. We must understand our beginnings before we can evolve into the beings we could achieve, beings worthy of continuation. If we don't, well the, extinction of our species will be 100% certain.

creature2

creature2
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

All right you hoaxers. Stop it stop it stop it!! Put your models away, your boards and measuring string. Stop making with the crop circles and the UFO sightings and other nutty stuff you think is 'oh so clever' to create. There is enough actual 'questionables' going on, on this planet without you nudnicks horning in with your cute jokes. Scientists do not find you amusing. We, who have open questioning minds, tire of the jerking around. It's not funny, it's not productive, it's taking advantage of general good nature of people. Spend the energy in investigating the various phenonemas you are copying! Dang it, I never could understand the drive that makes people 'one up' on their fellows by practical jokery. You STILL have not explained all the crop circles!! Put the boards away, you idiots.

Stitches out!

Ping! Ping! Ping! Not too bad. It does sting tho -- which makes me a physical wimp. owell. Now it's time for me to exercise and bend knee ... walk, stretch, get it back into servicable order. The House passed the Cloning thing from placentas. Okay, senate next, and a lot of us are not really happy with Bush right now. Around the universe, things are as per normal. Nothing new but I'm happy to see the rover Opportunity is trying to dig out of the sand trap. Golf on Mars??? Do I dare predict that this will be a sport?

Ok so it was three holes

I'm back! Ambulatory. Three lil holes. Still achy,sore. Let us heal!!!! HEAL!!!It's Sunday!!! I am going to do a thing on me! HEAL!! I need to get back into the walkin' thing, as in exception to the hobbling thing. The garden awaits!!! all the seeds. Enough exclamation points. The seeds are in and are germinating as I type.

Get Out There. Outer space. Enough timid poking. Let's get on with the successes and explore the moon, get space stations out there, and traject to Mars. Send our cameras and our lil tiny shovels. It's time to play in that sandbox! Our robotics are getting awfully clever so I don't mind sending them out to gather.

Was it three shots or four ( or more?) Does it matter. Conspiracy monspiracy. The main point is: the government will have to find another way to handle our instant communication --- coverups are SO twentieth century, guys. Stop the lying. It doesn't work. It never did, really, but now we got the technology to prove you guys are confabulating big fibs. Cut it out.

P.S. trach tubes for general anesthesia are NOT fun.

tired

tired
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

So I kinda wore self out, going to store, Wallyworld, library, stocking up for fact that I'm gonna be on a walker and it's my driving knee --- no drivey car for awhile....Ahhhhgggghh! And of course I live in a 3rd floor walkup, no elevators, sweeties. And I've done this before, and So I Went Shopping!!! to stock up so I can hibernate a bit. Got walker in the car!! Off to see the wizard with his knife! Don't take your knees for granted, kiddies.

On to Disneyland ---

Tomorrow, its general anethesia time. Just for two lil holes in the knee. Dangit. But on the good side, I get a nice nap out of it. Don't get 'football' injuries when you are on the other side of 60!! take care of knees!! They really can be stinkers if they go on ya. What my problem is -a torn tendon, or ligament, or somesuch rubberband like thing that lets you pivot and twist on the knee joint. When you don't pivot anymore or twist, it's amazing what you can't do. Very well. Went to get a pic of how I feel tonite. Kinda pooped. Not in the mood for tomorrow. Can't eat until it's over and that's tomorrow night. Oh am I glad I'm gonna be asleep for part of it???? I don't do operations well. Tend to be confining, if you catch my drift. Specially on legs!!!!

UP Depot, Cheyenne, WY

Picture 076
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Allright. I gotta go in for a bit of knee surgery -- a coupla holes here and there, pick put arthritis and repair torn tendon ... so It may be awhile with the blog. This pic?? Well it's a bit of Union Pacific history in Cheyenne. Part of the beautiful UP Depot downtown, backside next to tracks. Neat stuff.

Cystis Fibrosis

Hello Ladies and Gentle beings --Got a bit of "wonderful news" (drip sarcasm here) -- seems my 4 year old grandchild, Megan has Cystis Fibrosis. Ahhh, nice. Well it did explain a lot of mysterious things in her short life from birth, and now we are armed with the knowledge, it's time for attack. I have been looking up this disease and find it's interesting, a possible connection in gene structure to chronic bronchitis, diabetes, and other digestive problems. I suspect with all the nice things I have, that I am probably a carrier, and so is my daughter who married a carrier and Bingo! As Krista said, "We should have played the lottery that day" (when they met...)Poor little Megan! Any of you people who wish you could eat everything and remain slender and petite, be careful of what you wish for. It's a good symptom of CF, meaning you aren't getting all your benefits from food and you have to eat a whole lot of it, plus supplements... ahhhh!

Our whole family is falling apart. Eldest daughter has diabetes. I can tell you from first hand experience, that's a joy.

So! Color me a pro-gene research person!!! Let's bring on the clones!~! Fight these diseases!! Remember, gene research and cell cloning does NOT mean killing babies. We can harvest those from placentas. There are many ways to clone for organs, (I need a new pancreas myself) --- While there is no truth to ostriches hiding heads in the sand, we homo saps do have a tendency to hide our ability to think and discover under dogma and outmoded belief systems.

Jump (More on Discovery Article)

Jump
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Great minds think alike dept: No sooner do I blog about the Discovery article, than next day I get card from daughter --"Well trained by their mother, they were perfectly content just to watch their friends jump off a bridge and felt no compulsion to join them"---

Lil Loco Train

Lil Loco Train
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Lil loco train from our old trainyard, UP railroad in Cheyenne. This one is in a city park. I remember those when they were running!

Follow the Leader

Discovery peoples have an article in their mag this month -- that sheep, and other herding animals will go however a few leaders go. Schools of fish, birds in air do same thing. It's not mental telepathy as much as just going where the few individuals take. Hmm. Peoples do same thing. A few leaders can influence a whole 'herd' of people. yeahhh, but not ALL Lemmings go over the cliff - some actually say "Hey waitaminit ---" and put on brakes. Okay, okay, they don't actually do that, but some will stop and not go over. So with people. Some do not go with the crowd. Therein lies the difference that sometimes makes a few changes resulting in increased survival of species. Jump? Or not jump? That is a common choice we all have. It never continues to amaze me how people insist we do not have instincts that guide our behavior. We do. The trick is, to know it and base choices upon that awareness. We are in for a wet week. Spring is doing its thing out here on the prairie! Still not enough water.

Kick this over!

goalpostcat
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Lately saw a program on Decisions That Changed the World, and it was an article On Lyndon B. Johnson. Maligned and devalued, he nevertheless made some very important strides in legistation to fix segregation. But, never mind his problem with the Viet Nam War, his real problem is he's uglier than JFK. We still react very much to charisma and good looks, not that its not deserved, but often it stacks the favors. I am not a real dog, kinda cute, grandmotherly, don't scare horses or small children, but I have been at the crux of such discrimination. It bites, both ways. When the time will come when homo sapiens is truly wise, and no longer judges by surface impressions only, then perhaps we can finally progress as human beings worthy of continuation as a species. Ugly is as Ugly does, but dumb, stupid ignorance is to the bone.

Pic again...pic-ing away --

Picture 104
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Okay this pic should come up twice because I'm slightly dycletic (yes, I know - speling)

Anyways, not our horses! So the town's finest has to round em up... P.S. it took several hours. The horses were having way too much fun.

Picture 104

Picture 104
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

There it goes. Easter morning, not eggs in the grass or even bunnies, but horses in the yard!!

copcars in the yard

copcars in the yard
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Now howscum we gots capcars in the yard?? Is it an episode of "COPS"? Noe, the reason is in the next pic

lionboy

lionboy
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

I know, I know. This is firstest of April, not March --- but The lion still roared out of March in some places. This guy is happy, He survived Easter --and Easter morning we looked out the front as we were putting batteries in our digitcam and LO!
Horses In The Yard!!
Six horses, one cop car. Soon four cop cars. Every one else gets rabbits and eggs. we get cop cars and horses!!!!

Speaking of the Devil

Been reading and drifting around in the blogs -- According to the fiction series, Humans, Hybrids, and Hominids, A good punishment for sex crimes, rape, child molestations, etc, is castration. Take the balls. Take the testosterone. Stop it right now. Any freedom abused, is freedom lost.

While I'm on the subject of rights and the forfeiting of same, I feel that if you take a life, (murder, sweeties), Then you forfeit your rights. ALL OF THEM. They catch you in the act, and kiss your "rights" goodbye. You have none. We can take your carcass and do what we want. Test drugs, try out mind-experiments, operation experiments ---

Death penalty?? Too boring and staid. No punishment.

Become a lab animal. Right. Deterrent right there.

NO it's NOT April fool. I serious. Behave yourselves out there!!

Rightous Huff

Rightous Huff
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Hey, here's a car for you. Cuts right through arrogant opinions and hurtful comments.

Long Shout Down A Hole

Just curious ---just what does one do to get a comment anywhere??

Yoo hoo!

heart

heart
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Face Schmace. Look at this lovely lil idea from the plains of MARS!

door

door
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Poicy Tomato would love to find The Door to Personal Fulfillment!

Knee-Jerks (Put The Hammer Away, Doc!)

Last cry on the Shiavo case -- Leave the poor woman alone! Let her go in peace! Amen!
Sheesh!!

The lilac bushes are coyly offering lil green tips now. Good ol Rocky Mountain high! We got it in Wyoming too. Spring, spring spring spring. This is by far my bestest time. Born in April, see. Break out in song!

Been reading a whole slew of Rob Sawyer's Human series. All in one gulp. Nice premises -- Nice yarns. Still makes me almost sure that the reason for all the misery and war and agony with us homo saps is because of an inherent inferiority complex and insecurity issues. This compels to grab and cling to all the material gains we can get. Can't have too much, oh no, sir. OH, Robert Sawyer. He writes science fiction. Pretty good at it. You'll find his stuff in the library, and just recently he's nailed down some pretty impressive awards. I'm not specific now because I can't look it up and write this too. Google him. He's got a website!

If I had money, I'd look into the medical and drug stocks. New stuff on horizon in the medical fields is gonna make those things look awfully lush and happy. Go, and enjoy you peops who can afford it!!

Also another guy to pick on is Http://posthumanblues.Blogspot.com. MacTonnies is the one who got me blogging in the first place, and he's got a ton of good stuff to explore!

Like I said, bits and pieces today. Sorry. Gotta do the laundry that's piling up, so its amazing what all is drifting around. Going to tackle The DiVinci Code next, thanks to my library card. Ummmm, libraries and computers. Can't beat either one.

Prosit!

Thought for the week

Nanotubes and Buckyballs! Look those critters up and prepare to be intregued. The Enterprise Mission is getting better and better all the time. I feel a nice lil story coming on. Hmmm. Dare I outline?? talk about exolife from the viewpoint of a young xenobiologist, who finds herself in space and has adventures on the tone of Lancelot Biggs, Spaceman. I love the idea of buckyballs anyway.

Will the xeno's be present or past tense?? We'll see. That's what's great about being
a writer like I am --- keep it loose and let the lil man in my seat write while I watch. Lots of times, I don't know where it's going until it does.

The Earth's been wobbling in and out and the magnetic North is now in Northern Canada. Yes, they (scientists) have been tracking like crazy. Look up polar tilt and you can find their notes.

Gotta clean out my freezer. Made some "Whatchagot stew" and got cocky. Never have poisoned myself before, but --- A bit old, some of the meat was. Out it goes. God bless Garbage Disposals. Had a nice hilarious bout of purging in my own personal Garbage disposal. Well, that's the spring tonic I've been thinking of having.

But I'm better now. Having nice, juicy spring snows in this area. Dare I hope for green grass this spring? OH please!

Pass the buckyballs.

killer_tomatox

killer_tomatox
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Ahhh, killer tomato? Interesting turn of events on this lil feller. Makes your mouth water doesn't it. Yummy

poiciy and susy

poiciy and susy
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Can you understand: Now our Goverment will tell us that UFO's are no threat to us, and there are no extraterrestrials, but do you know there's a law on the books about extraterrestrial exposure, and if you contact a UFO or terrestrial, you are in violation of law punishable by fine and imprisonment?? hmmm

Links

Google News

thppft

thppft
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Soon, time to be wearin' the Green. Yes, in spite of a married name, I am one/quarter Irish. O well, Skydiving. If at first you don't succeed, it's not the sport for you. -- observation -- Potty on those who use the English Language as a smokescreen. Life is uncertain enough without deliberate obsfucations. Is it just me or do we have a lot more raven-crows these days? Countdown: 8 more days til Spring? You can make a lovely color of brown if you mix red and green together. Add white for taupe.

janiemums in profusion

janiemums in profusion
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

There y go!! Wow. Had to freeze up my puter to turn this over right but that's okay. I'm not bullied by my puter. This is a reminder that it's coming, the season of growing. Yippee. Another season! Bless 'em all, you never'll know which comet, asteroid, mega-volcano, will do the nasty all over us. But those are pretty, huh.

Karen explode puter

Karen explode puter
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Ahh, today is take out the garbage day. Which I will. Yuck. Shlep it down three flights, no elevator, dears, and tosso. While I'm at it-- Parallel universes. Sposed to be 11. 10 kingdoms and then one more slightly different, I guess. Anyway there's a story out in paperback and TV about ten kingdoms, and it's good stuff. It explains it very well. Anywhoo, I think that's where all the junk goes from Black Holes, it Big Bangs out somewhere else. My reasoning?? you can't get rid of matter. It goes somewhere. Celestial landfills for one dimension just may be Black Holes and poof! there it is in the other, whichever one may be lucky. Another theory I had is the one of the hangers mating into paper clips, or vise-versa. Clips into hangers. Yeah, that explains the snarly pile in your closet.

fossilpede

fossilpede
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Here's my favorite pinup. Ain't it ravishing? A real honey, this lil thing. And all those lil cute marble-like things that strew the landscape. What a planet.

Quick, before the Month Marches away --

About time for serious sunscreen. Those of you who ski are exempt, you should sunscreen all the time. Ditto for those who spend gobs of time outdoors. I should. I don't. I have redheaded genes and boy, the sun (!) Yikes. The tug of war commences yet in the Middle East. You'd think these people would get tired of blood running in their streets. I know we all love color, and its fairly drab over there, sand beige being the predominant color scheme, but GEE!

Wanted to bring ol Fossilpede in here but I haven't go that wrinkle figgered out yet.

Ahuh, really?

It seems by the spate of news -- that the old nemensis, LSD and other similar drugs may after prove to be useful in medicine to alleviate terminal end cancer and those who are alcohol abusers. After years of non-study because of their bad name with experimenters, again work is being done with these drugs to see if they are indeed worth developing. Well now. First, marijuana and now these hallucinogens. Better living indeed through chemistry.

Saw a cute idea on CoastToCoast -- the idea that a family of dinosaurs evolved into space going "grays" before us homo saps came of age. Dang, I wish I thought of it first! Would that explain the cattle mutilations?

The cat with the goalposts. How us sixty some old codgers feel about the progress of things. "Just when I get to the finish line, they move the goal posts." I think the expression says it all.

The exercise of kissing, deep kissing, is exactly that, exercise, involving many parts of the body interior, eyes, nose, adrenal glands, sex organs, stomach, pancreas, skin, circulatory system, heart and lungs. Wha-hoo?? Yes, dear, this granny is still kissing, thanks to my sweet boyfriend. It took me (sadly!) this long to realize the extent and amazing confluence of this activity.

P.S. endrophins and dopamine!

Did they ever get around to measuring how far our poles are tilting? More stuff to look up. Stay tuned.

goalpostcat

goalpostcat
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

razzberrie

razzberrie
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

crosseyed zombie with blood on face

crosseyed zombie with blood on face
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Perhaps maybe the morning paper blew up in your face with the news of latest disaster --- COFFEE!!!!

Been thinking again. Yow!

Poor tired people at NASA-JPL, following the rovers. Now they are telling us "Hey we didn't say there's Life on Mars!!!" and they're right. No hard conclusive science yet. I feel sorry for 'em sometimes, but hey, you gotta have the fun speculating, and we know there's no concrete proof yet, but its fun supposing.Its exhausting work, all this stuff on our neighboring planet, and credit should go to those doing the work.

Since I discovered science fiction at the age of 8 with 'Voyage Of The Space Beagle' by VanVogt, I have embraced (literally at a convention) Isaac Asimov, to StarTrek, to points beyond; Clarke, and just enjoyed the heck out of StarWars. I am, actually, at heart, pragmatic. I do realize one thing. We have to go. No choice. If we are to continue as a species, we gotta go.

We gotta choice? Oh tell me where?

I stopped believing in the mindless American Fable back in the 60's remember the 60's? Then is when I was brought up short in the fact that not all rich and powerful people are wise and good. The bottom line is truly power. Money is means to power, and we are an insecure species. That is our strength. To adapt, to change, to survive and often the most toys, wins. Great theory but not at the expense of our human tribe, people. Hold on! Inspect that tub before you throw the baby out with bathwater.

Too many good things have been tossed in that manner. It'd be wise to recycle.
We don't live in trees anymore, its not 'bombs away', without consequence. There is free will, and freedom, but there is also a limit. Your right to throw your arms about ends where my nose begins. Only in responsibility to others will we earn real freedom, and those who lose their 'lives' will find it. Republic is a state or nation in which all the citizens who vote have a voice in government. Now, here's where it gets cloudy. We all can vote, but we vote for an electorate. That one votes for the office. Our nation can be a republic, only if each and every voting citizen is willing to be responsible for the outcome. Actively responsible. Therein lies the rub.

We can't be free and lie about, pursuing selfish desires. We really have to earn them.

This is going to be an interesting year.;-}

You don't wanna know what it took to get this picture in. Let's just say I tried chewing gum, walking, and stumbled over the keyboard when I patted my head. Anyway, the plea is out, so onward to something else. I hear they are laughing at bloggers now on the Daily Show on Comedy Central. Hmm, looks like I joined just at the right time. They were complaining at how we have nothing to go on except facts. Umm.

To those who 'bust their ass' getting those facts to us via Blogs, KUDOS! Long may you operate, dig, and needle the powers-that-be. (Y'all know who you are)

Me, I will rattle cages at times, but just with my own 'fact' mill. Like I posted before, take us semi-seriously. I may be earnest, but often a bit mistaken. Feel free to sort me out, a bad comment is better than none! (Five million tantrum throwers can't be wrong)

Parting shot across the bow -- What is there about Social Security they aren't telling us? Trust me, there is something!

Should I explain--?

tired
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Now it comes

I 'spose I should confess. I've written 3 novels. Yep. I now poise off highdive. I'm combing through the first one to correct errors, and grammar and all the rest of the snarlies that make publishers go 'eek!' and fling the ms (writerese for Manuscript) out the window. But Like newbie author-wanna-be's I hesitate. What comes first? the agent or the publisher? The novel is a apocolyptic story about a psychic who denies her gift as she considers it a curse. It is, in the sense that it compels her to tell people things they don't want to hear. Enter the bad guy who poisons the world through his breakfast cereal. He knows she's out there, and wants to find her, to annex her to him, or destroy her. I found it great to wipe out nearly 85% of the world population. (It's fantasy, people, fantasy, and the ending is good, solid, and compassionate.) Nice ending. Lots of humor. Lots of suspense. The hero is a heroine.
She's not drop-dead gorgeous, just like us regular folks except she's got this lil talent. The second novel is a sequel. The third is another slant on where the world is going, from the view of a reluctant anti-christ. He doesn't want the job, folks.
I got a trio! I've worked hard on these, Writ, rewrit, poured over, inspected and thrown out tons of verbiage. Now, I want these things to see the light of day. Sure I could publish on-line, but I do want recompense for nearly 20 years of writing. I could schlep these to writers conferences but that costs money, and I am on limited paltry income. If there be a kindred soul out there who could give me a leg up, I'm not proud. HELP?

I betcha

There is/was life on Mars. That would hold true of every inuitive flash learned men and women experience since written history. Jules Verne for instance. Just one. When a handful of various people come forth with ideas of what might be, and these 'guesses' all agree in many vital points, then you might think that the 'guesses' are a possibility. So far, all points from the Rovers and Orbiters have been hinting of water, water, everywhere on Mars, if only underground. Betcha.

The moons of Jupiter can be terraformed. Several have on it stuff we can use, water (again!) heat, gases --The only thing that might prove a challenge is the gravatational force of Jupiter itself, and oh by the way, water there too, so why not, floating-flying through those pockets wet life? Sorta like birdfishes? Like enormous gas bladders (no cracks now) enormous jellyfish types.

Then if there's a way of heating up Titan --

Yea, yea, I know. Don't crud up pristine planets! Or moons! But It'd be nice to go peek and perhaps even poke a bit, if we are careful. Knowing humans as I do, however, the inevitable will happen. If there is something out there that will generate wealth, the stampede will commence. The next moonshot will take shovels. Can McDonalds be far behind?

Well, the more things come, the more one can possibly imagine. We might just yet find the monolith on the moon!

Iapetus!!Dummy

Whew, mea culpa. I looked up spelling and also found out how to pronounce it. There. I usually spel purdy goot. Been flying around Saturn (via cyberspace, gotta love it) and realize Saturn has some really strange rocks going around it.

Bush is scaring the heck out of old people and borderline indigents. I'd rather he'd have the gov't subsidize artists and the unemployable-through-no-fault-of-their-own.
Make jobs. They do that anyway. Call them committees, and special offices. Basketweaving for America. Now hold on, I am one of those. See, I am one of those. Left handed, older, deaf, (but educated as hearing) artist and writer. I have worked at scrubbing floors, stocking shelves, baby-nannying, you name it. Mucked out horse stalls. Housesat. Assisted in spaying cats. You name it!!!! Worked in advertising! So I am really serious if they would create a special class of job-career that draws pay sorta like a comission thing. I don't belittle basketweaving. It's an art. The thing is, all are employed. All are producing. All are paid a LIVING wage for the area they live in.
How many 'empty' gov't jobs are there? Paid but they produce little if anything? Now one more. A Commission to hire the different and odd. Old and ugly. Any person who by some means -- puts them out of the marketable workforce. I have an equivalent of a PH.D! Yet, I'm unemployable and now, too old. (realistically). Boy I bet I get comments on this. Wahooo!

Merrily we roll along

Regarding recent space news: HOLY IEPETEUS!! Now that is some rock.

The more things we discover, the weirder and yet oddly similar it all is. If we were back in the time of Jules Verne, naturally the stories he told were outlandishly impossible. LIES! LIES! Well, such "liars" are living today, and his first name is Arthur. Just got the year wrong, that's all.

So the Prince is going to Take His Consort. Fine. About time. That poor family. Been slightly nuts for years. You'd be too if you lived in that fishbowl in England. Diana we all just loved, but -- if Cammie wants her Prince, she should have him. Blessings! There is always VIAGRA!

That does Rock and Roll, I think.

Has anyone figured out what Bush is doing?

Wednesday, already

It did. (Snow) Yay. Melting now. I am continually amazed by people who A) don't believe we went to the moon, B) Don't believe in Darwin's Theory of Evolution, and C) Refuse to consider that the Earth and Creation is more than 4000 years old. Such people believe it is unsafe to entertain possibilities. Whipping this old and hackneyed horse should be unnecessary, but voila, it is alive, ALIVE! These are the same people who turn on a signal for a turn in traffic as they execute it.

Media. A means of communication by means of various waves, sound, light, or by means of print. It is nearly universal, all you need is a receiver and a supplier. Events that happen are noted and broadcast as they happen, with commentators providing color and speculation. Instantaneous happenings. This is a thing that is new, within the last century, it started and grew to its present size. Now we know all the bad news as soon as it materializes, where before media, we did not. Ignorance was often indeed bliss, if inconvenient. There have always been war, catacylsm, Death, pestilence, flood, and earthquake. This planet is often a dangerous place for those living on it. If we would prophesy Doomsday, we would be correct. Somewhere on this lil blue marble in space, on ANY day, there is doomsday for someone. A bunch of someones, maybe even a whole area involving several regions. This is not something new. Or different. But now we know of it, from all over the planet, because of media.
So, what? Relax! Enjoy your life! Do what you can and don't worry about the rest. Wow! It's 4 days until Valentine's Day! Happy love day to you all!

scold

scold
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

Your assignment is to take us semi-seriously!

Let It Snow (dangit)

After disgustingly gorgeous weather, Us'n's in Wild Wooley Wyoming are going to dip into the 30s again. Well, any one who wants to pipe water to this corner of my world, pipe away! People don't realize that this area is semi-desert. We import trees, grass and flowers but those are exotics around here. Need water!

Time to rattle cages. Religion and science are not opposite disciplines. The more you know in either one, the more one discovers that there is agreement. It is not good to limit GOD. We beings are comfortable in putting down limits, fences, walls, parcels according to what we can sense outside of our being. There are other worlds than these. Open a window!

Is February officially "depression" month? If March blows, can April cheer us on? It May! In olden times when bathing was considered a luxury, we bathed in June. That is why people married in June.

laffin

laffin
Originally uploaded by Popokiknut.

I think she's got it!!!


While I'm at it, I think comedic relief is about the best I can do, jiminy!! All the brilliant bloggers!!! I have been reading around in other blogs and I'm blown away. I'm jes' me Opinionated grandma type who flies on her ol' pinions. I will anyway, so Hang on. Parachute optimal!

Tussle!! Tussle!!

Ahhhhhh!!!! I'm still working on this, but I gotta sign off now. Patience! Patience!
I'm in the process of gettin' my drawings in.

I don't think so

The world is coming to an end, PlipHHFFF! like that. No it's not. There are going to be mega disasters, but if you look at history, we've had those. Even at the time of the Great Dying, some of life continued. It's quite possible we need a glorious weeding out. Our Mitochondrial DNA illustrates that at one time there were not so many of us to carry on the Homo Sap line. But carry on, we did. I think we got a coupla more tries at actually doing something with our race that's noteworthy before we're done. History crawls with stuff from all over. Archeology does the same, as Paleontology and all the other gosh-0logies. We ARE going to be in for some interesting times, and I for one, have no illusions. I think I will be a casualty. I'm dependant on medicine and bionic assistance. I require batteries. You don't need me around, save possibly for comic relief.

Are we going to be invaded by ET's? Well yes, and no. It might be a good thing. Sorry, Martha.

Animals can think. They can reason. They have aware lives. Anyone who has spent a decent time with a pet and has sensitivities above pond scum knows that. I daresay they even talk to one another, and to us, if we sit still long enough to learn. They have societies. Ask Jane Goodall. They even teach their young foreign languages. Ask Koko. One thing I have learned. Potty humor is universal.

I'll bet that if they figure out what makes cancer tick, we could harness that puppy to extend our livespans.

Everyone, please do one thing for yourselves. Spend a moment, close your eyes, and humbly thank your life spirit for existing. It's a great experience! That was the politically correct version. Otherwise, Thank God. And mean it. That's it for today.

Well, FINALLY

Got posted. Great. Now to figger out how to do pics if you got Windows 95. Otherwise "HELLO" helps you. Don't tell me to upgrade. It costs money and I am one of those lousy wormets who have no money yet manage to finangle computers, and all that goes with it. A sum over $100 makes me sit and contemplate. Hmmm. Got any ideas?
P.S. I am a right-brained lass. I need information that a turnip can understand.

All of my action figures have had a conference. They decided not to worry about the Iraqi captive. "We've got plenty of clones."

Look it up section: seen that massive doses of salicylate might prove beneficial in treating type 2 diabetes.