Check Out Spectacular August Perseid Meteor Showers

*** Look up in the middle of the night to see as many as 100 shooting stars above your head for a spectacular show brought to you by the Universe!





From Denny: Every August we night sky watchers get to enjoy the Perseid meteor showers. This year it's supposed to be spectacular with hundreds whizzing by in the sky for our enjoyment. It peaks from midnight to dawn. In my area there will probably be cloud cover like most years but I'm still getting up in the middle of the night hoping to catch a glimpse. Hot and humid Louisiana is not exactly the best viewing of astronomical events. :)

Meteor showers are made up of what?

This famous meteor shower is actually the exhaust plume of the comet called 109/Swift-Tuttle. We really have to work on getting scientists to employ a Romance era English professor - who secretly writes modern day romance novels on the side for outrageous income - to come up with some better and more creative names.

So here's what happens as this ST comet enters the inner solar system. As it whips around the sun it starts heating up. The ice pockets on the comet melt, pretty much skip the liquid stage just for fun, and turn into gas. Those ice pockets also spew out dust and rock chunks as the ice is coming loose. Like any good drama queen exiting the stage, as this comet exits the inner solar system, there is still the long train of a debris trail that remains for our Earth to pass through. And we on Earth find this process terribly romantic as we gaze up toward the heavens.

Planet Earth started its move into Swift-Tuttle’s stream of dust by the middle of July. "The debris is a very old stream that has been building for a long time and is a very dense concentration of dust," says Peter Jenniskens, a meteor researcher at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif.

"Indeed, if you look back at records from the Middle Ages, you can see that people in the Middle Ages were seeing the Perseid meteor shower," he says. This year the Perseid shower is trumpeted to be above average.

How much will you see?

Under the best of conditions this meteor shower may generate up to 100 meteors an hour. It all depends upon just how dark your skies are going to be so you have to know your area. If you are in an area where you can hike up to the top of a mountain you can expect to see up to 108 meteors an hour. The peak viewing hours are from 3 AM to 4 AM Eastern Standard Time. And the official word is too that our night sky will be having a double feature: a waning-gibbous moon. Read that as it's a new moon so the Perseid shower won't have to compete with a lot of moonlight.

"Earth will be passing through a denser patch of Swift-Tuttle's dust stream than usual," according to William Cooke, who heads NASA's Meteroid Environment Office at the Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. "The main dust stream got a slight stir from Saturn, and we're also running into a patch of material the comet off-loaded in 1479," Cooke explains.







Why called the Perseid shower?

The meteors appear to be emerging from the area of the night sky that contains the constellation Perseus. For some good advice of how to photograph this event and some more detailed viewing tips check out the American Meteor Society's website.

Check out the "Fluxtimator." You can check out what is likely to happen in your area for meteor showers besides this August show of the Perseid. The graph will automatically adjust itself to give you the best viewing times for your location when you select which meteor shower, your nearest major urban area, your viewing conditions and the date. It will even tell you how many of those famous shooting stars you are likely to see.

If your alarm clock fails to rouse you tonight, don't worry. You still have a chance the next morning at about the same times.

History of the Swift-Tuttle comet

This comet was discovered as far back in history as 1862 by two astronomers: Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle. They both saw this comet within days of each other. I guess they agreed to both claim bragging rights - so the astronomy community decided to split the difference and name the comet after both of them.

This comet swings around our sun once in every 133.28 years. The last time we saw it was back in 1992 and it will return again in 2126, assuming we all survive the Mayan predictions of 2012. Astronomers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are pretty excited about the next visit. They say it should be spectacular because the comet will pass so close to Earth, by a distance of only 14 million miles.

The Oort cloud is where the Swift-Tuttle comet originated. The Oort cloud is this huge spherically shaped cloud made up of frozen leftovers from when the solar system was formed, about 4.6 billion years ago. The word is that when the ST comet was passing through the inner solar system that planet Jupiter took an interest and captured it. After that event about 160,000 years ago the comet's orbit around the sun shrank.

While Jupiter was successful at rounding up this comet into the zone Jupiter's gravity was not able to reel in this comet to become part of the short-period comets stable. Those guys reappear about every 20 years or even in less time. This ST comet proved difficult to tame and joined the ranks of comets like Halley's Comet, having an orbital period that could range from 20 to 200 years.

Every time the ST comet tours through the inner solar system it makes a teasing pass across Jupiter's orbit. Yet it manages to remain just out of reach of grasping Jupiter so the ST comet's travel plans and path are never significantly altered. This is one crafty stealthy comet determined to remain free to do as it will. One thing is for sure is that every time the ST comet passes by it slowly thickens that famous dust stream it leaves behind for us all on Earth to admire.

The best place to view this comet will be in the Northern Hemisphere. Yeah, since I live in south Louisiana on the Gulf of Mexico I only get to view about 30 to 40 meteors an hour - and that's at the peak. It's still worth the spectacular view in the wee hours of the morning.






To enjoy your night out watching the sky for free from the University of Texas's McDonald Observatory:

* Try to drive out to a safe and secure dark spot outside your city or town where you can reduce the light pollution that will interfere with your viewing. Be sure to arrive early enough to allow for your eyes to adjust to the dark. Here in Louisiana we do have a small observatory in a large park setting where city residents go for these events.

* Make sure you have a low horizon to the northeast. This is where the constellation Perseus will rise.

* Either lay on a blanket or a chaise lounge you've brought just for this purpose (you plan-ahead person, you) and position yourself so the horizon is just within your peripheral vision. Since Perseus moves across the night sky, be ready to tweak your viewing position as it does so.

* As the folks at the observatory say: "Treat meteor watching like you would the 4th of July fireworks. Pack comfortable chairs, bug spray, food and drinks, blankets, plus a red-filtered flashlight for reading maps and charts without ruining your night vision. Binoculars are not necessary. Your eyes will do just fine."

* If you need a quick red filter for your flashlight, try picking up a tail-light repair kit from your local auto-parts store. The red plastic works well and is fairly easy to cut.

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

Astronomers and the night sky Photo by Peter Petrov


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

How Northern Lights Are Created By Sun Flares

*** Check out 3 video clips of the solar flares and magnetic filament in action as they create the Northern Lights on Earth.





From Denny: The Northern Lights are quite the spectacular celestial show. Right about now I wished I lived back up in Maine or along the Canadian border to be able to view this month's show in the night sky. The past few days our sun has been busy throwing off sun flares and magnetic filament to create the Northern Lights phenomenon.

The three clips feature just how spectacular the sun looks right now while space expert James Oberg explains how this celestial show can affect us here on Earth. With sun flares there are often satellite issues and that involves bank transactions like when you go to pump gas and your credit card won't scan or record the transaction because of the magnetic interference from the heavens. Oh, well, stuff your pockets full of cash if you want to travel or sit back and just enjoy the show in the night sky.







Space expert James Oberg explains what's behind the Northern Lights show:

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

Spectacular video of the sun in this news clip:

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

Check out NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory capturing sun flares which create the wonderful Northern Lights phenomenon:

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

*** Update 5 Aug 2010: Missed Tuesday's northern lights show? Another is on its way.

For folks along the northern rim of the US, a second chance to see the northern lights will come when another solar outburst hits Earth Wednesday or Thursday.

Aurora-forecast page


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Giant Asteroid Threatens Earth In 170 Years

*** Crank up the planet asteroid defense system because Earth is expecting an asteroid impact soon - by astronomical time.




An artist's impression of what an asteroid impact with Earth might look like - photo from Newscom

Hollywood Asteroid Destruction Movies

From Denny: And you wonder where Hollywood gets these scary ideas for their movies. There's a new study out suggesting Earth might get hit by a giant asteroid in 2182. So, folks, that gives us about 170 years and a number of generations to get our proverbial act together to figure out how to destroy it, derail it off a collision course or evacuate the planet. Of course, that's if it hits at all. I do wish these guys would make up their minds. Is the human race scheduled for extinction or isn't it?

Scientists, being the annoying beings they know how to be, they are alarmists while they are also double speaking us about how unlikely it is that this giant asteroid will slam into Earth. Don't you just want to chick slap these guys into another time zone for the way they jack up your emotions and then deflate them like some helium balloon?

The official glamorous name of this giant asteroid

What's this giant asteroid's name? It's a terribly exotic one: 1999 RQ36 and it sounds like something off a Formerly Known As Prince music album. So now fading rock stars are naming killer asteroids?

The odds of impact

Well, the Vulcan Spock look alikes in the science world have declared this giant asteroid only has a one in a 1,000 chance of truly smashing into Earth. Thanks, guys, I feel so reassured now. The co-author of the study, María Eugenia Sansaturio of the Universidad de Valladolid in Spain, says half of the risk calculated corresponds to what are potential impacts in the glorious year of 2182. Listen, folks, we still have to live past 2012...

Sansaturio and the study team said they employed mathematical models to determine the risk of this asteroid impacting Earth as far in the future as 2200. What they discovered from the model is there were two opportunities for this possible collision in 2182.

More about their research is detailed in the science journal Icarus.

How big is this asteroid?

Just how large is this giant asteroid? It measures about 1,837 feet across which is about 560 meters. The National Academy of Sciences says in a recent report that a space rock of this dimension could cause widespread devastation at the impact site. "Ya think?"

This giant asteroid has been tracked by scientists through as many as 290 observations and 13 radar surveys like a pack of FBI agents watching a house of prostitution. Yet there is still some uncertainty because of the small influence it gets from the gentle push of the so-called Yarkovsky effect.

The Yarkovsky Effect

What's the Yarkovsky effect? Glad you asked because I didn't know it either. Of course, it was named for a Russian engineer (I.O. Yarkovsky) who talked about this effect way back in 1900. He described how an asteroid gains momentum from thermal radiation that it emits from its night side. After several hundred years go by, this effect's influence on an asteroid's orbit could be monumental.

The erratic asteroid orbit makes it difficult to pin down odds

Back to the study team in Spain as they figured out that up until the year of 2060, Earth's chances of getting hit by this giant asteroid is minimal and downright remote. That's so comforting, guys. However, the odds start increasing by a magnitude of four by the year of 2080 because the the orbit of the asteroid brings it closer to hanging out near Earth.

Those scary odds of impact start dipping down as the asteroid moves away from Earth. Then those odds rise again in 2162 and 2182 as the asteroid's orbit swings back toward Earth. It's an erratic orbital dance and therefore difficult to know exactly the odds of impact. "The consequence of this complex dynamic is not just the likelihood of a comparatively large impact, but also that a realistic deflection procedure (path deviation) could only be made before the impact in 2080, and more easily, before 2060," Sansaturio said. "After 2080, it would be more difficult to deflect the asteroid." Read that as we are screwed on this planet if the mathematicians are correct.

"If this object had been discovered after 2080, the deflection would require a technology that is not currently available," Sansaturio said. "Therefore, this example suggests that impact monitoring, which up to date does not cover more than 80 or 100 years, may need to encompass more than one century. By expanding the time frame for potential impacts, researchers would potentially identify the most threatening space rocks with enough time to mount deflection campaigns that are both technologically and financially feasible," she said.

Tell your children's children what to expect or deal with asteroid now

And there you have it. Make sure to leave a journal for your descendants so they can be scared the hell out of their minds too. Meanwhile, I'm taking a trip to Area 51 to find me some aliens with asteroid busting technology. Being proactive is the way to go. Let's go blast some giant asteroid out of the sky!


Congress Proposes Commission to Study Asteroid Impact Threat

Fresh Spin on Solar Powered Asteroids

NASA Panel Calls for Asteroid Defense Office


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Passionate Volcano Chasers: Photographing Eruptions Around the World

*** Check out the risks these amateurs take as they take vacations just to photograph erupting volcanoes all over the world.






From Denny: Do you ever wonder how those awe-inspiring photos get to us from the media? There are those crazy and downright obsessed volcano photographers out there in the science world. When word gets out that a volcano is erupting in the world, these guys jump on the first plane out to run to the volcano. Most people have more sense and run away from said erupting dangerous volcano. :)

Check out the personal story of one German photographer, Martin Rietze. To give you an idea of the ground conditions of what it's like for a photographer, Rietze's experience tells it all. He didn't sleep for three nights straight. (Smart move in my book.) Turns out the volcano was throwing out huge chunks of rock the size of cars like some screaming diva in a world class hissy fit. That would prompt anyone to stay awake and on alert.

He hugged a nearby boulder as a shield against the lava-spewing volcano. Yeah, that's right. Why? Because that protective boulder was only 1,600 feet from the mouth of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Crazy or brave, you decide.

Rietze is an engineer by day who builds delicate electronics for planetariums. He is also a volcanophile, one of a small group worldwide who like to spend their vacations traveling to erupting volcanoes. Molten magma, choking ash clouds, poisonous gases, smoking-hot boulders raining down upon them are all part of the thrill for this mostly male band of thrill seekers. The estimate is they number at about 200 and hail from Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, the USA, France and Switzerland. The majority of them are professional engineers: computer, electrical, chemical and mechanical.

This crazy pursuit is one of those adventures they know they can't make a living doing so it is a labor of love. Once this adventure was a solitary pursuit but with the advent of the web this small band of volcanophiles are able to share their adventures and tips.

Just when you think this pursuit is such a great idea, the professionals urge caution like from those who shoot for National Geographic: ""They put fire in people's eyes and their brain is left behind," say Donna and Steve O'Meara, a husband-and-wife team. They caution that because volcanoes are so incredibly alluring that inexperienced people tend to take far too many chances that are risky and not wise.

They remind us experienced volcanologists, Katia and Maurice Krafft from France and Harry Glicken from the USA, perished in an eruption on Mount Unzen in Japan on June 3, 1991. With them were 41 journalists who also risked their lives and died with the scientists.

Some in the academic community disdain the amateurs because of their risk taking. There are other academics who welcome them as a good resource. Richard Wunderman, editor of the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. says he counts on amateurs for reports and photos of eruptions that would otherwise go unrecorded. "They're an amazing resource."

One reason it is so dangerous to photograph a volcano is because of the amount of time required to get a clear shot. Clouds, fog and steam often obscure the view and what makes for a stunning photo. The more time you spend in the dangerous chaotic environment the greater the risk.

For safety gear in this vicious environment, Patrick Koster, a chemical engineer of Spijkenisse, the Netherlands, dons a climbing helmet, gloves, goggles and a gas mask to filter ash as well as neutralize chemicals in the gases emitted by the volcanoes. Koster says this gear is "very important because fresh lava can be razor-sharp. If you put your hand down on something, you can get cut badly."

Cinematographer Sean Stiegemeier, of Los Angeles, remarked about how much easier it was to photograph the Iceland volcano Eyjafjallajökull since it was so accessible compared to most volcanoes that erupt in remote places in the world. "The one good day of weather we were there, there were probably 10 cars out next to the volcano, most of them photographers with gigantic lenses," he reported. "It was so loud, every now and again it felt like it was rumbling its stomach at us and then it would spit out lava."

Yeah, these crazy amateurs are definitely dedicated. :) Good hunting, guys. I'll definitely keep you in my prayers.







*** Photo by Helen Maria Bjornsd/Nordic Photos/Getty Images

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Editorial Cartoons 2 Jan 2010

From Denny: Here's a sampling of editorial cartoonists' opinions, love 'em or hate 'em, as to the news and the year and decade that was and what the New Year might bring us:

See Cartoons by Cartoon by R.J. Matson - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

A short video of a few of the New Years fireworks worldwide:

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

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Mike Keefe - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

It's the big ugly fact that if government does not spend the economy will crash down upon our ears. As it is, the banks are still not lending much for car loans and demanding 20% down for houses, creating a shaky economy:

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Larry Wright - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Gary McCoy - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Milt Priggee - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by David Fitzsimmons - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Jeff Parker - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

*** For the full post, full of more grinners, over at The Social Poets, go here.

*** THANKS for visiting and have a great weekend!

Catch Up on This Weeks 51 Posts At Dennys Blogs 17 Nov 2009

From Denny: After a year of blogging, I turned around and suddenly realized I've been producing a lot of content. Nor am I silly enough to think you check in every day with every blog. :) So, in case you missed anything this week, here's a menu of various posts all in one place for an easy read - and bookmark - so you can read when you feel like it:

From The Social Poets:

Roundup of Sunday Funnies 16 Nov 2009

Life Advice Poem by Rudyard Kipling

This Weeks Editorial Cartoons 14 Nov 2009

Reflections of That Moment - Libations Friday! 13 Nov 2009

5 Powerful Soul Affirmations, Soul Journey Poem

Funny Money Advice - Cheeky Quote Day! 11 Nov 2009

Musicians Are Territorial Animals, Funny Post by David Thomas

Roundup of Late Night Funnies, Cartoons 9 Nov 2009

From the funny posts at Dennys Funny Quotes and Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd:


From Dennys Funny Quotes:

Funny Secret to Longevity Photo and Story

10 Funny Love Quotes, Funny Cat Photo

Funny Money Advice, Cheeky Quote Day at The Social Poets

Video: Weirdest American Gluttony Foods

3 Paradoxically Funny Head Scratching Quotes

Awww, 7 Funny Dog Photos to Make You Laugh

What's stupidly popular at Dennys Funny Quotes these days:

42 Monday Morning Funny Coffee Quotes, Coffee Cartoon

25 Weird Coffee Trivia to Astound and Amuse You

10 Funny Work Quotes for Monday Morning

5 Monday Morning Posts to Get You Laughing!

From Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd:

9 Funny Socially Inappropriate Store Signs - what gets lost in translation from Chinese or Japanese into English, some really tacky ones!

Ouch! Best Love Story in Three Pictures: Prez Bush and Sec Condi Rice - a bit silly.

Outrageous Video: Overview of World Censorship on the Web - serious look at how content is heavily censored and in which countries, interesting overview.

First Lady Michelle Obama on Leno Show - how the Obamas don't take themselves too seriously.

Odd News Video: Liquor Warehouse Implodes in Russia

Weird News: Man in Breathalizer Costume Arrested by Police

10 Outrageous Glenn Beck Quotes That Prove Insanity

From the food blogs, Romancing The Chocolate and Comfort Food From Louisiana:

From Romancing The Chocolate:

Savory Chocolate Recipe: Mini Hamburger Sliders with Sauce

Chocolate Trivia from Horror Director Hitchcock

Video: Cool Food Gifts for the Holidays, Southern Sweet Chocolate Coconut Pie Recipe

3 Quick Awesome Chocolate Recipes for the Holidays

Chocolate Trivia - Who Are the Biggest Chocolate Gluttons on the Planet?

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake

From Comfort Food From Louisiana:

Video and Recipes: Holiday Challah and Ciabatta Stuffings, Vegetarian and Sausage

Cajun Joke: Boat For Sale by Beaudreaux and Thibodeaux

Video and Recipes: 3 Fabulous New Orleans Sweets

Cajun Joke: Boudreaux and Thibodeaux Fix Destroyed New Orleans Levee

Video: Unbelievable, OK, Weird, Foods and Recipes

Cajun Joke: Boudreaux and Thibodeaux Play Golf

Video and Recipes: Lobster Grits Polenta, Turkey Andouille Sausage Grits Casserole

Coca-Cola Glazed Baby Back Ribs

From Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:

Life is a Gift!

Whats Your Attitude Toward Life?

Veterans Day Quote, Links to Memorial Poems, Peace Quotes

3 Wonderful Quotes About Joy

5 Powerful Soul Affirmations, Soul Journey Poem

How Do You Know If You Have a Weak Mind?

When Something Inside You Dies, Do You Know How to Renew Your Life?

Do You Sell Your Soul For Others Admiration?

From The Healing Waters:

Video: Tim McGraw Making a Difference

Video: Halle Berry Making a Difference for Battered Women

The Perfect Work Quote to Keep Your Head Straight on Monday Mornings

Video: Awareness, and Gibran Quote

*** Thanks for visiting and come back often! :)

Its Cheeky Quote Day at The Social Poets! 9 Sept 2009

From Denny: It's Cheeky Quote Day over at The Social Poets and today I'm featuring another early American entertainer who was a big hit during the dreary Depression years: actress Mae West.

The woman was known for being a bit saucy and downright risque for her time period. She was a child actress in Vaudeville who grew up to write her own comedic material and star in many a Hollywood movie during the 1930's.

To read more about her and enjoy many more rib-tickling quotes from her and a couple of short videos from her movies, go check out Cheeky Quote Day, here.

3 Quotes From Mae West

* I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it.

* Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.

* Don't keep a man guessing too long - he's sure to find the answer somewhere else.

For Cheeky Quote Day featuring Mae West, go here.

Libations Friday! over at The Social Poets

From Denny: It's Libations Friday! over at The Social Poets! Featured is a new poem that is rich with wonderful art photos: Soul Journey. If you are a blogger or writer you can place these wonderful photos in your posts and articles as they are from flickr's Creative Commons.

To read Soul Journey and enjoy its wonderful art photos, go here.

Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Bloggers Unite: Global Human Rights Abuses

From Denny: This is a post I ran over at The Social Poets Friday evening for the Bloggers Unite Human Rights Day post on 17 July 2009. Bloggers everywhere are all blogging on the same day about human rights.

***

Humanity is at a crossroads in our world history where we must make a profound decision. It’s time to live better.

Currently, human rights abuses are no longer exclusive to certain regions of the globe. There is a sharp increase in human rights abuses worldwide for decades now and situations are increasing in violence yearly.

Stories abound globally of the most heinous crimes to humanity. Nothing good is accomplished by mankind trying to annihilate mankind. Just what is going on in the world? Here are just a few areas:

• Hamas and Taliban Islamic terrorists and other terrorist groups worldwide are on a bloodthirsty killing spree with bombings of civilians, women and children in many places in the world.



Photo by azrainman @ flickr

• Rogue unstable governments, covertly cozy with terrorist groups, working feverishly to acquire the nuclear bomb so they can kill off their neighbors they don’t like because they are another religion, a different economic or another kind of social system – or just plain won’t give them what they want.

• Genocide in Africa because people of different tribes can’t work out their differences like civilized people.



• Jailing journalists - trying to report the truth - as political temper tantrums to get their own way: North Korea and Iran.

• Tortured prisoners worldwide with the most notable recent heinous acts perpetrated during the Bush years on terrorist suspects never given trials, mainly because there was no real hard evidence.



• Under Taliban Islamic law and culture women are still regarded as subhuman and not deserving of first class treatment like men.

• Here in the United States, during the Bush years, women were raped, often savage gang rapes, at our military universities yet went unreported.

• Then there are battered women worldwide from Islamic to Christian countries whose husbands will not stop pummeling them.



We, the majority, are allowing the few to terrorize us, our neighbors and our loved ones. We must mobilize to stop it. How? Education for starters.
In the end, in order for humanity to not come to an end, we must consider a working alternative to what exists today in the way of abuses. It is a basic human right to be loved. Loved, you say? Yes, loved. We all have the right to be loved.

Love comes in many forms. We have the human right to certain expectations of basic decency and civility. We have the human right to healthy drinking water and sanitation and affordable housing. We have the human right to expect our political leaders that are guardians of our country to be honest and get serious about addressing pressing social and economic issues.



Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Human rights abuses worldwide, in our own countries, in our homes will continue until the average person stands up and says "No!" to it all. Human rights abuses will continue until we all get serious about connecting up to create a tsunami force to push humanity along until we all do better, choose better and, in the end, start living better. Now that’s Love in action! We all have the human right to be loved. Let’s give Love.

A few places you can go for education and plug in to help:

Bloggers Unite where you can help by blogging

Youth Movement For Human Rights - worldwide

Human Rights Watch

Amnesty International, dedicated to bringing world attention to human rights abuse


North Korea, United States, denny lyon, Human rights, Nuclear weapon, Africa, Amnesty International, Human Rights and Liberties, Sharia, The Social Poets

Read a Tribute Poem About Michael Jackson

Word Cloud Photo by Denny Lyon
Copyright 2 July 2009
All Rights Reserved

Read a tribute poem about the passing of a music legend over at The Social Poets blog under this post of a coffee recipe and a poem:

Libations Friday! 3 July 2009

Have a safe weekend, everyone! Thanks for visiting!

Denny

Totally Ridiculous Comedy: Jacks Nightclub

Totally Ridiculous Comedy: Jacks Nightclub

By Denny Lyon @ HubPages

From Denny: "I like nonsense - it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope... and that enables you to laugh at all of life's realities." - Dr. Seuss

Wrote this recently as a raucous fast-paced ridiculous short story. It's really a bit long to post here and when that happens I park those writes over at HubPages. Take a look and you will be amused! Thanks for visiting!

Here's an excerpt from my world of the ridiculous:

"Jack jumped over the electric blue fox - who was hunting down the orange cat - who was preying upon the stupid cockroach that was having an identity crisis - and believed he was a popular dragonfly down at the local Irish pub - because he sang Irish songs everyone loved and wrote some damn good poetry.

The orange cat circled back to chase the identity crisis cockroach - who just knew he was really Irish in a former life - while the blue fox preened and bathed in the fast-paced lights of the nightclub – this fox enthusiastically embraced blue as the new fashion neutral - it was Jack who was looking for the weird alien orange cat that kept eluding him - who was stalking the brave Irish-singing cockroach determined to make it to Broadway.

The powerful-singing cockroach drowned out the elegant Irish pub-singing dragonfly - and soon the people customers complained about the strange odd noises blaring from the rising platform – it was two ants standing on a leaf singing opera - and more ants joined them from the audience singing 49 Bottles of Guinness Beer on the Wall and Get Down Tonight! – and soon the nightclub was jumping and bumping - and the people were dancing and squishing and splatting the friendly ants - who got the place hopping on a Saturday night in the first place."

For the rest of the story just click on the title link!

New Additions to Photo Blog Roll!

From Denny: "Can I tell ya?" Spent hours and hours this past weekend pouring over some awesome photo blogs, amateur and professional alike, sifting through them to place the BEST on my blog roll for you! There are about 70 choices now - around there, I lost count... :)

If you enjoy looking at photos and want to see what is going on in the photo blogosphere then this is a good place to start. My blog roll list is located at my photo blog, Visual Insights.

Talk about a wonderful way to while away a few hours with beautiful and thought-provoking photos! Take a look and enjoy! Go here.

Astronomy: Countdown to Space Shuttle Launch

Launch Pad 39a Image via Wikipedia

Space Shuttle STS-127 Endeavour's crew in June 2009

From Denny:

How favorable is the launch?

Two days and counting! Good weather by 90% is predicted for the launch on Saturday in Cape Canaveral, Florida at the NASA Kennedy Space Center. Considering I also live on the Gulf of Mexico, I know that is a very favorable weather outlook. There is one concern, lightning, which could be triggered by the slight chance for clouds over the launch pad.
Even if they "happen to delay launch the weather still looks good," says the Shuttle's weather officer Kathy Winters. The shuttle's liftoff is planned for 7:17 AM EDT (1117 GMT) from the launch pad 39a. If they cannot launch Saturday it still looks 90% favorable for the next 24 hours into Sunday and 80% for Monday.



What is the mission of the 7 person Endeavour crew?

The 16-day mission is all about visiting the International Space Station to deliver a porch-like experiment platform to the Japanese Kibo lab as well as other gear.

The mission's schedule will be nocturnal so the crew is sleeping in today, according to the veteran astronaut Mark Polansky. They are scheduled to wake up tonight at 8:15 PM EDT (2415 GMT). The two Canada Space Agency mission specialists, Julie Payette and Chris Cassidy, will conduct practice flights in NASA's T-38 training jets.

In order to install the new piece to the Kibo lab there will be at least five difficult spacewalks and a series of challenging robotic arm operations. They will also install a set of spare equipment for the space station.

Once Endeavour's STS-127 crew is onboard it will be quite crowded quarters as the population will double to thirteen. Mike Moses, the Endeavour's mission management team remarked, "It's like having your family descend on you for the holidays and they're gonna stay for a very long time ... and they're going to bring all their stuff!" Moses expects things to go smoothly as the team was able to train together before launch. He even thinks there "will be unprecedented efficiencies."

If, for some reason, Endeavour is unable to launch it will have to stand down after Monday. Why? There is another launch scheduled nearby at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on June 17th. What is set to launch is an unmanned spacecraft headed toward the moon.

Another window for launch opportunity if this June date is missed for Endeavour is July 11th. So far "all systems are go" as the launch countdown for Saturday began on Wednesday for liftoff.

Written by Denny Lyon

Passed 100th post milestone!

From Denny: Well, I hear we blogger types are supposed to jump up and brag about reaching the 100th post milestone. ;) You can tell I'm really "great" about some anniversaries as I've already passed that milestone with now 140 posts. Oh, well, so much for showing off!

Dennys Tapas Style Brownies

Dennys Tapas Style Brownies: "Want your chocolate brownie but also want a healthier yet tasty version? Read on!

For the past twenty years or so the American brownie has grown to gargantuan proportions. One brownie really could serve four people! The trend has been to undercook the batter to a gooey center. Well, folks, read that as why Americans have gotten so fat."

From Denny: Cooking and baking is the pleasurable part of science. I'm especially proud of this latest recipe I developed as it charts a new course away from the usual excessive American dessert. The decade long trend in America has been for huge portions and gooey undercooked desserts which have created massive weight gain.

Well, I'm not one to give up my chocolate so I asked the question: Why not treat a dessert like the Spanish do tapas? Small intense bites of pure pleasure with a lot fewer calories.

I'm good, I'm really good! :) Enjoy!

Photo by Denny Lyon

Simple Easy Ways to Update Loved Recipes to Healthy

Simple Easy Ways to Update Loved Recipes to Healthy: "Bon Appetit!
There are small tweaks you can do to update and still retain the pleasure of eating well! 4 videos."

Have you learned how to make ghee or clarified butter? The simple science of it is as much fun as the eating!

By Denny Lyon
Photo by iLoveButter @ flickr

Newest Health Care Plan: Food as Medicine

Newest Health Care Plan: Food as Medicine - "OK, so what does the minor political rant have to do with food as medicine you ask? Plenty. When jobs are scarce or people are underemployed – like most of America right now with 100,000 each week entering those unhappy ranks – people make really bad food choices.

Because of job and ensuing financial stress they go to sugar, lots of carbohydrates and low quality meats. With stress on the rise during this tough economic time worldwide, wallets and bank accounts depleted, it’s time to think of food as medicine."

By Denny Lyon
Photo by TimWilson @ flickr

Ten Illustrated Quotes: Humor

Ten Illustrated Quotes: Humor: "Collecting humorous quotes is always a laugh out loud moment well spent. Well, I’m always advising people to live out loud…"

By Denny Lyon
Photo by Midnight-digital @ flickr

The Artist Soul

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."

- Henry Ward Beecher

Photo by WTL photos @ flickr

Obama is now the 44th President!

Just finished watching Obama's speech and other news coverage - what an historic time, what emotion for millions around the world. There must be millions of people crowded together on the Washington Mall. It reminds me of when the Pope in Rome, Italy celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Square and a million strong gather.

Interesting is that the ceremony ran a little long and by so doing Obama became the 44th President exactly at noon BEFORE he took the oath of office four minutes later. How many of you knew that bit of trivia?

Congrats Mr. President! May you be successful in all endeavors.

Denny

A new day is here!
Photo by stephentrepreneur @ flickr