Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

September 2006

Sign the Pluto Petition

Dr. Tony Phillips (NASA, SpaceWeather.com) has generated a vote and sign the petition webpage at PlutoPetition.org

You can vote either pro-planet or pro-discrediting-American-astronomers-who-discover-planets. As of this writing, Pluto-the-planet is winning.

Dr. Phillips also observes:

IS NEPTUNE A PLANET?

Consider this: According to the IAU, for a world to be a planet, it must “clear the neighborhood around its orbit” of competing bodies. How does a planet go about cleaning up? Simple. It uses its gravity to gobble up or fling away anything in its vicinity.

This is a problem for Pluto. Pluto’s “neighborhood” is cluttered with innumerable icy asteroid-like bodies called “Kuiper Belt Objects.” Pluto’s gravity is not quite strong enough to get rid of them. Thus, according to the IAU, Pluto is not a planet.

But wait! This is a problem for Neptune, too. Pluto itself crosses the orbit of Neptune. So, Neptune has not yet cleaned up its own neighborhood. Does this mean that Neptune is not a planet? Think about it.

06 Sep 2006 by Astronomy

Microstamping Dead in California?

AB352 debate is not over yet. Cam Edwards‘ blog linked to an article which had this dispatch regarding the California State Assembly ammunition microstamping bill AB252:

BULLETS – The Assembly also rejected legislation by Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, that was intended to help police solve shootings by creating a tracking system for bullets. The measure, AB352, would require new semiautomatic pistols sold in California after 2008 to stamp bullets with an identifying mark that would allow police to trace them. It got only 38 votes, three short of the bare majority it needed to move to the governor’s desk.

However, the Assembly has sent the bill back to the Conference Committee, so it will be back when the Legislature again convenes it’s next session. From the Official California Legislative Information webpage (HISTORY of AB352 – emphasis mine):

BILL HISTORY
2006
Aug. 31 Reconsideration granted.  Assembly refused to concur in Senate amendments.  To Conference Committee.
Aug. 30 Assembly refused to concur in Senate amendments.  (Ayes 40. Noes 37. Page  7438.)  Motion to reconsider made by Assembly Member  Frommer.
Aug. 28 In Assembly.  Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.  May be considered on or after  August  30 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.

Watch for this to return next session. Meanwhile, let your State Assemblyman and State Senator know what you think about this issue.

05 Sep 2006 by California Firearms Whacko Politics

A Green Orchid

Well not exactly green but a shade of yellowish-green which I’ve never seen in an orchid. What an unusual hue. Very pretty! I snapped this today at our local home supplies emporium in their tropical hothouse.

04 Sep 2006 by Home & Garden Photography

What a Croc

Steve Irwin, 1962-2006

Shortly after 11:00 a.m. local time (0100 UTC) on 4 September 2006, Irwin was fatally pierced in the chest by a short-tail stingray barb while diving in Batt Reef (part of the Great Barrier Reef), off the coast of Port Douglas in Queensland.

Now, with all due respect to the recently deceased, how in the hell can Rich Lowry and Alan Colmes (on H&C — Fox News) spend an entire freakin’ hour talking about this weirdo?

All I can recall about this guy was the time he carelessly dangled his infant son in front of a crocodile which prompted an Australian law change:

Steve Irwin baby concerns prompt law change

Steve Irwin’s decision to hold his baby son near a crocodile has sparked a review of Queensland Government crocodile enclosure guidelines.

The State Government yesterday released the new rules prohibiting children and any untrained adult from entering crocodile enclosures.

In January last year, Mr Irwin, known as the Crocodile Hunter, held his baby son Bob close to a crocodile at his Australia Zoo on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

The incident was captured by television cameras, sparking an international outcry and a review of crocodile handling practices.

Regardless of our personal opinions, we send condolences to Mrs. Irwin and Steve’s daughter and son.

04 Sep 2006 by Culture People

Banner Tow Early Warning System

Summertime brings outdoor crowds going to the seashore, theme parks, sporting events and what have you. Where you have outdoor crowds, you will have airplanes towing advertising banners in circles above the crowds. But they do have to refuel from time to time. And since the local airport is a banner-tow base, they generally pass close overhead departing from and returning to home base.


Our protective pets see these guys as aerial intruders and carry on with barking and growling as soon as they hear the airplane engines laboriously towing the extra weight. I can’t notice the difference, but they seem to. Remarkably, they couldn’t care less about other airplanes flying in the same pattern or low-flying helicopters. But let a helicopter pass with a banner behind it (yes there are a few) and the dogs go bat-shit crazy!

03 Sep 2006 by Aviation California Critters Photography

Designer Dishes

While on an errand to visit a gunsmith in a nearby town, we passed these two zany satellite dishes. One was sitting atop a parking structure for the Eight Ball Cafe and the other was on top of an old brownstone where a comic book store occupies the street level. I thought these were pretty interesting and humorous as well.

By the way, the weather today was just great. We enjoyed a drive along the South Santa Monica Bay coastline with the top down in my little Sebring.

02 Sep 2006 by California Culture Photography

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