We live fairly close to the Chabot Space Center which, I have to tell you, is one very cool place.
They have a 36 inch reflector that can see practically to the beginning of time. The thing is humongous! It's awesome and sooner or later I will take a gander through it because it is open to the public.
Part of what blows my mind is that a reflecting scope, as opposed to a refractor, is basically the same technology that Isaac Newton came up with in 1668.
The one I recently purchased is known as a Cassegrain and is basically a combination of reflector, which uses mirrors, and a refractor, which employs lenses.
Galileo used a refractor in the early 17th century.
I once took a look at Saturn at Chabot. It's one thing to look at a picture, but to look through a telescope and see those rings - it really brings it home that this thing is real. I remember once seeing the Milky Way when I was far out in the desert at night. I'd never seen it before because I'd always lived to close to a city. This is what people saw regularly at night throughout human history before the recent invention of the electric light. It blew my mind.
He posits the idea of a coming civil war in Europe between Islamists and natives.
He suggests that there are three significant geopolitical forces operating the world, today.
1) Political Islam.
2) The Western Left.
3) The Nationalist Right.
His argument, essentially, is that the first two have teamed up to knock off the third and that it is very likely, very soon, that the blood is really going to start to flow in Europe as the Jihadi attacks continue, increase, and become something close to weekly or, even, daily occurrences.
I do not know if he is correct or not, but he certainly makes a compelling and frightening argument.
If he is right, however, the question is, does Europe have the will to stand up for itself?
I wouldn't bet on that proposition any more than I would call a standard raise with 10-7 off-suit.
Someone, by the way, needs to throw a large butterfly net over Angela Merkel and bring her to a calm, pastoral environment where she can contemplate beautiful, trout-filled streams and watch the clouds go by.
That is definitely my recommendation, in any case.
I don't know. Lots of security in place now after Paris but I suppose the jihadists could pull a 3rd intifada stabbing thing like in Israel. It may have already started if k's article is any indication. Good thing violent actions against Muslims in the US are Loretta Lynch’s biggest fear as a prosecutor. That should keep Jihadists safe in America. I suspect Europe will follow that lead.
People are getting more and more frustrated and, for the first time, last night, I saw fear in the eyes of a friend.
I am still one of those, however, who draws a distinction between Muslims, Islam, and political Islam.
Muslims, in general, are not the problem.
Even Islam, as practiced by Muslims, in general, is not the problem.
The problem is with those within the 1.5 billion strong Ummah who have alleged grievances, who want to impose al-Sharia on the rest of us, and who are either violent or supportive of violence for the purpose of revenging those grievances and putting fear into the hearts of the "infidel."
Y'know, I was at a party in SF tonight and a buddy of mine has a sister who lives not ten minutes from the attack site. She is familiar with that particular building.
I gotta tell ya, she was a little freaked, as you can well imagine.
I think that the first thing to do is quietly monitor the mosques and boot radical imams out of the country.
Evidently France is closing some 100 to 160 Mosques. They've closed 3 so far. Germany and Italy are also closing "unlicensed Mosques." Tough love, man; it's the only way.
Mike, You know, that's the thing. I hear a great many, maybe most, of these Mosques are built and the lands for them bought with funding from overseas, and the Imams imported from Allah knows where.
Jeff, most of the "mosques," Europe is contemplating closing are what they call "illegal Mosques," sometimes just meetings in some Jihadist/Wahhabi apartment or home. Looks like someone figures Islam needs to be regulated (as best as one can in free societies.)
" ISIS has recruited experts with chemistry, physics and computer science degrees to wage war with weapons of mass destruction against the West, a shocking European Parliament report has claimed.
The terror organisation, according to the briefing document, 'may be planning to try to use internationally banned weapons of mass destruction in future attacks'.
The document, which was compiled in the aftermath of the deadly attacks on Paris claimed that ISIS has already smuggled WMD material into Europe. "
"During the intense back and forth among speech writers and Jarrett, was a moment where Barack Obama is said to have pointed defiantly at Jarrett and declared, “This (San Bernardino attack) is just as much an Israel problem as it is a gun problem! Nobody wants to say it, but it’s true!”
Allegedly uttered by Obama during prep for last night's speech to the nation.
Current crop of black democrats running this country (Obama, Jarrett, Susan Rice, Loretta Lynch) are certainly not our friends, to put it mildly. Every time the mask slips off Jeremiah Wright is showing.
That's interesting if he said that. Appalling, but interesting. This article was linked to by John Schindler, absolutely not a fan of Obama, and is supposed to throw some light on how Obama actually views terrorist attacks such as the recent one in California.
It is by Peter Beinart ( just warning you ) and it references Robert Pape. It is an interesting read:
I give up! What is it?
ReplyDeleteIt's a rather unusual shot of Mercury.
DeleteWe are going to take a little trip through the solar system and beyond.
I recently purchased a Meade ETX-90EC telescope, mainly for moon watching.
We live fairly close to the Chabot Space Center which, I have to tell you, is one very cool place.
They have a 36 inch reflector that can see practically to the beginning of time. The thing is humongous! It's awesome and sooner or later I will take a gander through it because it is open to the public.
Part of what blows my mind is that a reflecting scope, as opposed to a refractor, is basically the same technology that Isaac Newton came up with in 1668.
The one I recently purchased is known as a Cassegrain and is basically a combination of reflector, which uses mirrors, and a refractor, which employs lenses.
Galileo used a refractor in the early 17th century.
I once took a look at Saturn at Chabot. It's one thing to look at a picture, but to look through a telescope and see those rings - it really brings it home that this thing is real. I remember once seeing the Milky Way when I was far out in the desert at night. I'd never seen it before because I'd always lived to close to a city. This is what people saw regularly at night throughout human history before the recent invention of the electric light. It blew my mind.
DeleteEnjoy your moon viewing!
'palestinian' homeworld.
ReplyDeleteI notice the famous red rivers of blood.
DeleteLet's have a "two planet" solution.
ReplyDeleteSorry, off topic:
ReplyDeleteMiserable news from London.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-uk/12035552/Knifeman-screams-this-is-for-Syria-in-London-tube-machete-attack.html
Just awful.
I am not generally a fan of Gates of Vienna because, much like Front Page Mag, I find them too strident.
DeleteBut this article by Matthew Bracken, who I have not read before, scared the holy crap out of me.
Tet, Take Two: Islam’s 2016 European Offensive
He posits the idea of a coming civil war in Europe between Islamists and natives.
He suggests that there are three significant geopolitical forces operating the world, today.
1) Political Islam.
2) The Western Left.
3) The Nationalist Right.
His argument, essentially, is that the first two have teamed up to knock off the third and that it is very likely, very soon, that the blood is really going to start to flow in Europe as the Jihadi attacks continue, increase, and become something close to weekly or, even, daily occurrences.
I do not know if he is correct or not, but he certainly makes a compelling and frightening argument.
If he is right, however, the question is, does Europe have the will to stand up for itself?
I wouldn't bet on that proposition any more than I would call a standard raise with 10-7 off-suit.
Someone, by the way, needs to throw a large butterfly net over Angela Merkel and bring her to a calm, pastoral environment where she can contemplate beautiful, trout-filled streams and watch the clouds go by.
That is definitely my recommendation, in any case.
I don't know. Lots of security in place now after Paris but I suppose the jihadists could pull a 3rd intifada stabbing thing like in Israel. It may have already started if k's article is any indication. Good thing violent actions against Muslims in the US are Loretta Lynch’s biggest fear as a prosecutor. That should keep Jihadists safe in America. I suspect Europe will follow that lead.
DeletePeople are getting more and more frustrated and, for the first time, last night, I saw fear in the eyes of a friend.
DeleteI am still one of those, however, who draws a distinction between Muslims, Islam, and political Islam.
Muslims, in general, are not the problem.
Even Islam, as practiced by Muslims, in general, is not the problem.
The problem is with those within the 1.5 billion strong Ummah who have alleged grievances, who want to impose al-Sharia on the rest of us, and who are either violent or supportive of violence for the purpose of revenging those grievances and putting fear into the hearts of the "infidel."
Meanwhile back in America lol:
ReplyDelete"Landlord of San Bernardino shooting suspect tells ABC: "They didn't say they were terrorists when they moved in."
https://twitter.com/RedBreakingNews
And you gotta wonder how many Americans are wondering how safe they are when any quiet couple next door could be like the 2 in San Bernadino.
ReplyDeleteY'know, I was at a party in SF tonight and a buddy of mine has a sister who lives not ten minutes from the attack site. She is familiar with that particular building.
DeleteI gotta tell ya, she was a little freaked, as you can well imagine.
I think that the first thing to do is quietly monitor the mosques and boot radical imams out of the country.
Evidently France is closing some 100 to 160 Mosques. They've closed 3 so far. Germany and Italy are also closing "unlicensed Mosques." Tough love, man; it's the only way.
DeleteMike,
DeleteYou know, that's the thing. I hear a great many, maybe most, of these Mosques are built and the lands for them bought with funding from overseas, and the Imams imported from Allah knows where.
Jeff, most of the "mosques," Europe is contemplating closing are what they call "illegal Mosques," sometimes just meetings in some Jihadist/Wahhabi apartment or home. Looks like someone figures Islam needs to be regulated (as best as one can in free societies.)
DeleteSucks to be Europe. Europe gonna go boom.
ReplyDelete" ISIS has recruited experts with chemistry, physics and computer science degrees to wage war with weapons of mass destruction against the West, a shocking European Parliament report has claimed.
The terror organisation, according to the briefing document, 'may be planning to try to use internationally banned weapons of mass destruction in future attacks'.
The document, which was compiled in the aftermath of the deadly attacks on Paris claimed that ISIS has already smuggled WMD material into Europe. "
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3347671/ISIS-army-scientists-set-wage-chemical-biological-war-West-Experts-warn-weapons-mass-destruction-carried-undetected-Europe-Union.html
Looks like Venezuela came to its sense. Th opposition won a majority of seats.
ReplyDelete"During the intense back and forth among speech writers and Jarrett, was a moment where Barack Obama is said to have pointed defiantly at Jarrett and declared, “This (San Bernardino attack) is just as much an Israel problem as it is a gun problem! Nobody wants to say it, but it’s true!”
ReplyDeleteAllegedly uttered by Obama during prep for last night's speech to the nation.
http://dcwhispers.com/obama-dragged-to-address-terror-threat-kicking-screaming/
If this is true, boy Howdy. You know what? Fuck Obama.
Current crop of black democrats running this country (Obama, Jarrett, Susan Rice, Loretta Lynch) are certainly not our friends, to put it mildly.
DeleteEvery time the mask slips off Jeremiah Wright is showing.
That's interesting if he said that. Appalling, but interesting.
DeleteThis article was linked to by John Schindler, absolutely not a fan of Obama, and is supposed to throw some light on how Obama actually views terrorist attacks such as the recent one in California.
It is by Peter Beinart ( just warning you ) and it references Robert Pape.
It is an interesting read:
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/12/obama-isis-speech-terrorism/419055/