Insomniac's Corner

Diana Nyad's team responds to skeptics doubting her swim-

Mitch Roffer of Melbourne-based Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service Inc. said he got an email questioning whether Nyad's swim
was a hoax, so he decided to look at the charts for himself. What he saw convinced him that she could do it.

"Many times that current runs west-east and you're constantly fighting the current if you're swimming north. In this case, it was in
the shape of an S, and the angle was almost exactly from Havana to Key West," Roffer said.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/08/3613735_p2/nyads-team-responds-to-skeptics.html

http://www.roffs.com/category/mitchs-meanderings/

“We are here because one odd group of fishes had a peculiar fin anatomy that could transform into legs for terrestrial creatures;
because the earth never froze entirely during an ice age; because a small and tenuous species, arising in Africa a quarter of a million
years ago, has managed, so far, to survive by hook and by crook. We may yearn for a 'higher answer'--but none exists.”

—Stephen J. Gould, interview, Life (December 1988). Cited in Who's Who in Hell edited by Warren Allen Smith.

NASA celebrated by playing the “Star Trek” theme at a news conference in Washington

Did NASA’s Voyager 1 probe leave the solar system ?

"Voyager 1 actually made its exit more than a year ago, scientists said. But since there’s no “Welcome to Interstellar Space” sign out there,
NASA waited for more evidence before concluding that the probe had in fact broken out of the hot plasma bubble surrounding the planets."


"The new observations are fascinating, but “it’s premature to judge,” said Lennard Fisk, a space science professor at the University of Michigan
and former NASA associate administrator who was not part of the team. “Can we wait a little while longer? Maybe this picture will clear up the
farther we go.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...bd4-11e3-80ac-96205cacb45a_story.html?hpid=z1

Romance in Yorkshire- Another BBC leftover. *shrug* It is good TV.

01 / Jul / 2012

"....Patrick Stewart’s restrained yet deeply felt John of Gaunt delivered the famous
“this sceptr’d isle” speech in still close-up, as if in a dream;
his vision of England became half memory, half imagination.
When Whishaw sat upon “the ground to tell sad stories of the death of kings”
the camera rested on his face, registering his petulance."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...e-Hollow-Crown-Richard-II-BBC-Two-review.html

More UK leftovers, tonight! Keep'em coming. I do not know, what the first BBC show, that I ever saw, was.

Tuesday, 13 May 2008

The Pope's chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out.

Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7399661.stm

Pope said to accept extraterrestrials as sisters and bothers.

Pope said that extraterrestrials would not required to convert to Christianity because they are more highly evolved than human beings.

Vatican Holds Conference on Extraterrestrial Life

November 10, 2009

Vatican searches for extra-terrestrial life
Nov 10, 2009

http://phys.org/news177083464.html

April 29, 2010

The human race could be devastated if aliens were to learn of our existence and venture to Earth, warned British scientist Stephen Hawking.

http://www******.com/8310-extraterrestrials-invade-earth.html

Another chance, to watch the younglings interact (on film) Scarlett Johansson , 28 and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 32

When I had profs, that were this old, I was slightly disgusted about how ancient and wrinkly they were.

With a 10 year age difference between us, it was like thinking about fucking someone's grandfather. ewww

Now, I see them as very young adults. What do you want ? I am steps away from being an ancient wench.

Don Jon: "There's only a few things I really care about in life. My body. My pad. My ride. My family. My church. My boys. My girls. My porn."

VS
Barbara: She values herself, and she is looking for true love, and a future with someone who loves her.

Do female younglings still think like that, in this day and age ?

Sinking down into "Last Tango in Halifax." I developed much affection for Derek Jacobi, because of Cadfael and I, Claudius. ( Plus more)

More delicious U.K. leftovers. Not my usual choice, for viewing pleasures. I was open to it, because of DJ. I am getting sucked in!

Oh, for pity' sake. Fetish for muppets ? Really ? Rule 34 strikes again. Oh, well. better that, than....

Making gut decisions when your sleepy yet can't sleep...maybe not so good...

The official closing of Gourmet magazine was October 8, 2009 Conde Nast had problems years before that. The people who had subscriptions, had problems.

After having the magazine, as many years as I was married, the magazine delivery was erratic. Some issues never arrived.

It was useful. I would look up recommendations for My Ogre Husband. He traveled. I once sent him off to a Midwestern restaurant, in the middle of nowhere.

He, and his boss were well pleased. Especially, with the chocolate souffle for two.

That little French place, had three stars. Now, I cannot remember the name of the chef, or the restaurant. The inter-webs are eating my memory.

I have not thought about Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, for a very long time.
I thank David Stephen Mitchell, Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer and
Andy Wachowski. I thank all the actors and actresses of Cloud Atlas.
It is a precious thing, to see and hear, the good and noble qualities
of humanity praised and illustrated. Especially, in this day and age.

I waited until yesterday, to read the September 30, 2013 issue of The New Yorker magazine. Breaking Bad's Walt and Jesse were on the cover.

What I got, instead ? Romeo and Juliet, on Broadway. The critic is somewhat sour on this version.

This version, is a comment on racism, in America

Romeo- Orlando Bloom is channeling Marlon Brando from the "Wild Ones" ?
Juliet- Condola Rashad
Friar Laurence- Brent Carver
Nurse- Jayne Houdyshell
Lord Capulet- Chuck Cooper
Mercutio- Christian Camargo
Lady Capulet- Roslyn Ruff
Benvolio- Conrad Kemp
Tybalt- Corey Hawkins
Paris- Justin Guarini
Prince Escalus- Geoffrey Owens

I saw a rainbow, after the eye of the hurricaine passed over me. What does it mean, when the Northern Lights are strong, bright and spectacular ?

It has been so long, since the first time I watched Remo Williams. It still holds up well. Funny sight gags. Ah, the 80s.

Ka-Boom A cable carrying power for a quarter of a million people is contacted by salt water. The explosion is gigantic, and blinding.
The storm sends ocean water in, to flood a city. The wind is so strong, six glass sliding doors explode, all at once. Shocked homeowner.
(Why we were taught to "tape the windows ? That was a long time, ago. 45 years ago. The winds were not violent, compared to 2013.)

Manhattan 2012. 1991, was not that long ago.

The Perfect Storm comes into being-

explained by Bob Case, the 30-year veteran meteorologist

The high-pressure system, originating in northern Canada, provided a large pool of cold air. The edge of this cold air-the cold front- pushed off
the New England coast on Oct. 27. A weak low-pressure system was moving along the front.

The cold air behind the front and warm air ahead of it caused a strong temperature contrast to form over a relatively small area. Such a sharp
temperature change caused the low to rapidly intensify. The result was what meteorologists call an "extra-tropical cyclone."

Off the East Coast, extra-tropical cyclones are called "Nor'easters," since the wind blows strongly from the northeast along the Eastern Seaboard.

A third ingredient, Case says, was the addition of lots of moisture from Hurricane Grace, which had gotten caught up into the Nor'easter's large
circulation. By Oct. 31, the Nor'easter had stalled and even began moving backward (toward the west).

Yet the storm was far from being the strongest ever, says Mass, adding "that honor goes to the 1962 Columbus Day Storm."
(meteorology professor Clifford Mass of the University of Washington in Seattle.)

Close behind the 1962 Columbus Day Storm was the March 1993 "Superstorm," which affected an exceptionally large part of the United States,
setting records for snowfall, cold temperatures and low pressure up and down the East Coast.

In 1991, strong winds and rough seas occurred on top of a monthly high tide brought about by the full moon, exacerbating the damage and flooding, Mass says.

Arctic temperatures are rising twice as high as the rest of the USA. Is someone noticing how frequently, these mega-storms are occurring ?

Yes.

Have to love Snopes-

Do not pet the fluffy, hairy caterpillar!

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/insects/tussock.asp

DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — You might be itching to pick up that fluffy-looking grayish-white caterpillar but beware, you could be itching if you do.

Residents, too, have found the insect more abundant based on the number of reports Donahue’s office has received inquiring about the caterpillar.
“They are native to Maine and they do show up in numbers every now and then and this is one of those years,” Donahue said.

Clay Kirby, University of Maine Cooperative Extension entomologist, also said Tuesday that he has received more samples of the caterpillar forwarded
to his laboratory, more digital photos of the insect and more phone calls, all asking for identification.

Donahue advised people to leave the caterpillar alone because of the possibility of a reaction. They also should be cautious when cleaning up
leaf litter on the ground since any hairs left behind by the caterpillar also could cause problems with some people, she added. She recommended that
people wear gloves when cleaning up yards.

Some people aren’t bothered by the caterpillar but others could have a reaction that ranges from a mild to fairly severe rash, according to Donahue.

“It’s like poison ivy,” she said.

Parents also should keep an eye on their toddlers when outdoors, Kirby recommended. “It’s a cool thing to look at but you might not want to play with them,” he said.

The hairs of the Hickory Tussock caterpillar, which has black tufts on its back and black spikes, can cause an allergic reaction or rash for some people
who make contact with the insect. The caterpillars are being seen in abundance pretty much throughout the state, but more so in the northern part
of the state, according to Charlene Donahue, forest entomologist
with the Department of Conservation.

“There’s more of them than normal,” which was anticipated because of the high numbers of the Hickory Tussock moths observed earlier this year
Donahue said Tuesday. Donahue said her department conducts moth catches across the state and the number of Hickory Tussock moths caught
was quite high.

http://bangordailynews.com/2011/08/...ogists-beware-of-hickory-tussock-caterpillar/

April 06, 2011

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Conservation Department officials say an infestation of a noxious invasive caterpillar in the Brunswick area is worse this year
than last.

Entomologists say web surveys during the winter show extremely high levels of brown-tail moth caterpillar webs in the tops of oak trees.
Surveys were done in January and February in the southern Maine coastal area, from Belfast to south of Portland.

Entomologist Charlene Donahue says the number of webs in Brunswick, Bath, West Bath, Topsham and Bowdoinham appears to have doubled over
last year. The caterpillar also is showing up in Falmouth, Turner, Augusta and Lewiston.

The brown-tail moth is an invasive species that arrived in the U.S. in around 1910. Its hairs can cause a blistery, oozy rash or respiratory distress
for people who touch them.

"The Ride"

650 mile horse race, in Mongolia
Nightline
WCVB
Up next- Day 6

"The Mongol Derby is a loose re-creation of Genghis Khan’s 13th-century communication system—a fast-horse mail relay,
a precursor to our Pony Express of 600 years later."

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/All-the-Jittery-Horses.html

This year, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and his wife did not play safe. On a whim – their children called it “midlife crisis” –
they took part in a 1,000-kilometre race for charity, across the desolate steppes of Mongolia on semi-wild horses.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/ou...rby-the-worlds-most-gruelling-horse-race.html

The winner ?

Man Gets Penis Stuck In Toaster
10/08/2013

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/penis-stuck-in-toaster-firefighters_n_4064927.html

hmmmm....

"Clearly she had the misfortune to encounter a police officer who was not only ignorant of the law but abusive as well," she writes.
"She also was doing it by herself--which should be every woman's right, just as it is every man's, but is clearly riskier than doing it
in a group like ours."

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runni...ppreciation_society_jessica_krigsman.php#more

Must wait until 2014, for Season 4 of Downton Abbey. *sigh*
But, in the meantime, there are the Simpson's cartoon versions-

Grandpa "Abe" Simpson visits Downton Abbey, as a toddler. During the height of World War I ?

http://drawthesimpsons.tumblr.com/

September 26, 2013

"....the estimated population of people attempting to buy sex online in the Phoenix area per day could fill the US Airways Center three times over."

“How do we wrap our head around the idea that 78,000 people are trying to buy sex in our community?” she said. “That’s a lot of people, and how
are we ever going to change the way they feel about women and sex and intimacy?”

Late Night with gsgs-

I was watching Javier Bardem and Eddie Vedder talk with Jimmy Fallon. Bardem and Vedder look like adults, now. I am not sure that Jimmy ever will.

From the Land of Tastykakes, comes a list of recipes!

http://passthesushi.com/category/holiday/halloween/

"Darth Vader and a trooper reading Brony lit."

http://web.stagram.com/p/576018802797571056_32568193

Treason committed against God/god

He was excommunicated and publicly denounced following the sermon in the cathedral at Litchfield. He was condemned to burn at the stake the
following spring, on the 9th of March 1612, by a warrant issued by King James I. While the flames started to burn his flesh, Edward shouted out
unintelligible words that seemed to infer that he had changed his mind and was ready to accept the religion of the Established Church. The crowd
rushed forward and assisted the sheriff in releasing him from the stake. Later, however, as he refused to make a formal retraction in writing and
continued to preach his heresies, he was again tied to the stake and his body reduced to ashes on April 11th, 1612.

"It is said he died so cheerfully, and yet so cruelly, that the popular feeling created was so great the authorities feared to deliver another who
had been condemned to the same fate." To his last breath, "he died blaspheming". He was the last of the religious martyrs in England to be
burned at the stake.

http://www.wightmanfamily.com/wgtedwrd.html

Edward Wightman Memorial

Inscription-

Edward Wightman
of Burton-on-Trent
was burnt at the stake
in this Market Place
for heresy
11th April 1612
being the last person
in England so to die.

Location. 52° 41.01′ N, 1° 49.667′ W.
Marker is in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Marker can be reached from the intersection of Market Street and Breadmarket Street.

Plaque is mounted on the side of St. Mary's Church in the Market Place of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England.
Marker is in this post office area: Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13, United Kingdom.

http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=22661

Which one do you like ?

Hit the button that has this label - "Summon another calming manatee"

http://calmingmanatee.com/