Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

June 2006

Squirrel at La Purisima Mission

One of the more charming landmarks along El Camino Real in California is the La Purisima Mission near Lompoc. The ambience in the mission is set by docents dressed in the attire and playing roles as though the original occupants were still there. On our last visit, we snapped this picture of a squirrel on a low tree limb in the picnic ground. We liked the composition and lighting of this picture very much. Click the image for a larger view.

More about the mission itself:

La Purisima Mission

Misión La Purísima Concepción De María Santísima (Mission of the Immaculate Conception of Most Holy Mary) was founded by Father Presidente Fermin de Lasuén on December 8, 1787 and was the 11th of 21 Franciscan Missions in California. During the Mission’s early years, several thousand Chumash Indians were baptized into the Catholic Church; over 100 large and small adobe buildings were built; a water system developed; crops and livestock raised and La Purisima grew and prospered.

11 Jun 2006 by California Culture Photography Religion

Screwy “Second Moon” Leaving Earth

Few of us know that planet Earth has been host to a “second moon” for the past seven years. And now, this fickle little rock is going to move along. An Earth-orbit-crossing Space Rock got a little too close to the gravitational influence of our planet and has been screwing around for the past few years — but not for long.

NASA – Corkscrew Asteroids

June 9, 2006: News flash: Earth has a “second moon.” Asteroid 2003 YN107 is looping around our planet once a year. Measuring only 20 meters across, the asteroid is too small to see with the unaided eye—but it is there.

This news, believe it or not, is seven years old.

“2003 YN107 arrived in 1999,” says Paul Chodas of NASA’s Near Earth Object Program at JPL, “and it’s been corkscrewing around Earth ever since.” Because the asteroid is so small and poses no threat, it has attracted little public attention. But Chodas and other experts have been monitoring it. “It’s a very curious object,” he says.

Right: The typical corkscrew path of an Earth Coorbital Asteroid.

[more]

10 Jun 2006 by Astronomy Science Space Rocks

Some College Students Get It

The College Republican National Committee has a nice web page dedicated to the dissemination of the truth about Global Warming:

Global Warming

Certainly, the environment concerns us all. Unfortunately, many groups use scare tactics and hyperbole to send listeners into a tailspin about global climate change. While the issue of climate change should be investigated and addressed, it shouldn’t be guided by cataclysmic predictions and “what ifs” that bypass reason, the markets, and effectiveness. Temper the global warming hype with some sobering facts.

FACT: While some scientists have warned of a global warming, not all scientists are in agreement as to just what type of threat this poses. Many reputable scientists predict no substantial warming in the future; they predict a raise of merely 1 to 1.5 degrees Celsius over the next century, which is well within the range of human adaptability.

FACT: The Kyoto Protocol will do little to slow carbon dioxide emissions, and has enormous costs. [read more about Kyoto]

FACT: Polar Bears are Drowning. Did you know that ice caps melting is causing extinction for homeless polar bears??? Just kidding, but some people seem to think so. [Are polar bears dying?]

09 Jun 2006 by Environment Global Warming

Coalition Forces Kill Al Zarqawi

VIDEO UPDATE: Little Green Footballs — Candygram for Zarqawi

Maybe this is only symbolic since there is almost certainly going to be another Zarqawi terror clone, but it’s good news for the Military and for progress in the war on terror. It looks like cooperation between Iraqi security forces and the Coalition is finally starting to kick in.

From CENTCOM:

ZARQAWI DEAD

Coalition forces kill Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Multi-National Force-Iraq Commanding General, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., announced the death of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi in the following statement during a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad June 8:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Coalition forces killed al-Qaida terrorist leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi and one of his key lieutenants, spiritual advisor Sheik Abd-Al-Rahman, yesterday, June 7, at 6:15 p.m. in an air strike against an identified, isolated safe house.

“Tips and intelligence from Iraqi senior leaders from his network led forces to al-Zarqawi and some of his associates who were conducting a meeting approximately eight kilometers north of Baqubah when the air strike was launched.

“Iraqi police were first on the scene after the air strike, and elements of Multi-National Division – North, arrived shortly thereafter. Coalition forces were able to identify al-Zarqawi by fingerprint verification, facial recognition and known scars.”

Images: Al Zarqawi — Before and After (courtesy CENTCOM)

Hot Damn! The only good terrorist is a DEAD terrorist!

UPDATE Excerpt from President Bush’s statement this morning:

“Now Zarqawi has met his end, and this violent man will never murder again. Iraqis can be justly proud of their new government and its early steps to improve their security. And Americans can be enormously proud of the men and women of our armed forces, who worked tirelessly with their Iraqi counterparts to track down this brutal terrorist and put him out of business.”
. . .

“We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continued patience of the American people. Yet the developments of the last 24 hours give us renewed confidence in the final outcome of this struggle: the defeat of terrorism threats, and a more peaceful world for our children and grandchildren. ”

08 Jun 2006 by Current Events Degenerates Islamic Terrorism Military

UN — A Danger to America

Just who do these %$@#!? people think they are?

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan’s deputy, Mark Malloch Brown (a Briton), assailed the United States yesterday for “withholding support from the United Nations, encouraging its harshest detractors and undermining an institution that,” he said, “Washington needed more than it would admit.”

Well that’s a crock — we really do not need the UN nor any of the crap they spew!

US Ambassador John Bolton strongly rebuked Brown’s remarks. He said further that “to mitigate the damage to the United Nations” was for Annan to “personally and publicly repudiate this speech at the earliest possible opportunity.”

I have a better idea — just get us out of the UN and kick their freeloading asses out of the United States!

(Ahem!) The theme of this post gives me the opportunity to call attention to our revamped “Four Dangerous Men” animation, usually seen in the bottom of the sidebar.

UPDATE: More proof that Kofi and the entire kit and kaboodle needs to just get the %$@#!? out!

From Annan’s spokesman:

“The secretary-general stands by the statements made by his deputy. So there is no question of any action to be taken against the deputy secretary-general.”

Screw the UN and the hearse they ride out on . . .

07 Jun 2006 by Degenerates International United Nations Whacko Politics

A Good Start for 2006

Yesterday, California held it’s primary elections. Of interest to us, locally, was the race pitting our over-developing mayor and city council against challengers who ran on a “less-development and fix the infrastructure first” platform. Damsel and I often noted the outrageous development and resulting load to the streets, sewers and other services in the city. Today, we have a new mayor and two new members on the council, displacing cronies of, and the soon-to-be former mayor.

Also of interest to us, were two propositions on the statewide ballot; one under the guise of “Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation,” and the other would place 4-year old children in “free” pre-schools for a year. Both would unnecessarily fleece taxpayers for progressive/socialist purposes. In other words, pump more money into failed educational systems and increase debt. Fortunately, both went down to defeat.

There was also a national interest in the results of Congressional District 50 to the south of us; the district vacated by “Duke” Cunningham when he admitted to bribes. Republican Brian Bilbray emerged victorious after a costly and contentious special election race against Democrat Francine Busby, a local school board member. That’s a good thing since the Democrats would have been given a net gain had this woman been elected. And who knows what momentum it may have stirred up for them.

All in all, we were satisfied with most of the election results, and look forward to re-electing Arnold as governor and electing Tom McClintock as lieutenant governor in November.

07 Jun 2006 by California Congress Whacko Politics

Spouting More Hot Air than Al Gore

Who are Al Gore and his enviroloons going to blame for this reckless discharge of greenhouse gasses?

From Astronomy Picture of the Day:

An Alaskan Volcano Erupts

What is happening to that volcano? It’s erupting! The first person to note that the Aleutian Cleveland Volcano was spewing ash was astronaut Jeffrey N. Williams aboard the International Space Station. Looking down on the Alaskan Aleutian Islands two weeks ago, Williams noted, photographed, and reported a spectacular ash plume emanating from the Cleveland Volcano. Starting just before this image was taken, the Cleveland Volcano underwent a short eruption lasting only about two hours. The Cleveland stratovolcano is one of the most active in the Aleutian Island chain. The volcano is fueled by magma displaced by the subduction of the northwest-moving tectonic Pacific Plate under the tectonic North America Plate.

Image and story courtesy NASA and APOD

07 Jun 2006 by Aerospace Environment Global Warming Rocket Science

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