Monday, August 21, 2006
A Day in the Life
Heading to bed soon, so let me cover a few things that marked my day as another adventure.
First, the conservatives concede things are going to the dogs. The Prez bitterly disappoints the pro-life crew at open book. My seditious sometimes-adversary laments:
My beloved wife (and the credit card bill this month was atrocious, but what the hey...) and I watched the second half of one of our favorite movies tonight. We watch it every Christmas, but it's a nice treat in the summer. I think it was David Niven night on AMC or something. Cary Grant is one of her favorites; Loretta Young one of mine, and I think the film is just about perfect.
Sad to say, they couldn't spare four hours for this Niven classic. It was also my favorite Shirley MacLaine movie, and you can take that as you will.
To top it all off, I'm mastering the various navigation techniques around the planet Saturn. Just this past weekend, I skimmed the upper atmosphere of Titan, moon of Saturn. An interesting maneuver that slows the spacecraft and alters my trajectory around the main planet. Aerobraking is being used by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to lower its orbit without expending fuel. The technique works in Orbiter, which I hearily recommend to all would-be space cadets. Last week, I spent all my fuel to get a ship in orbit around Mercury. I'm going to need to improve on that.
And the real mission posted these nice images today, featuring the "oppostion effect," the sun behind the Cassini probe reflecting itself on the rings. Cool, isn't it?
Good night, and good luck.
There was a time on St. Blog's when a post like this would generate sharp, spirited debate that was actually edifying. Todd, for instance, for all of my clashes with him, could produce a thought-provoking moment or two. Ditto for a poster like Peter Nixon.So nice to be well thought of, but I really have nothing to say. Peter is the bee's knees as far as I'm concerned. As a member of a debtor nation, I'm more in hock than I was six years ago, and I can't really blame my wife's credit card. The W solution: pass it on to my kid. Speaking of pro-life, my new pastor tells it like it is:
I an not unaware - as some of you have noted to me and other priests - that those who serve on pro-life committees and who work for life causes in other arenas are among the saddest people in our parishes, looking dour, even angry, rarely smiling or reflecting the joy of life that they promote.I spoke with one of our active parishioners about it this weekend, and he smiled and conceded Fr Don was absolutely correct. I've said for a long time that many of the people on the front lines may have been there too long. It's time to let go. With the ESCR amendment on the ballot this November, I think we're sunk if most of the dour team is up to bat for us. We can do better. What about the Royals?
My beloved wife (and the credit card bill this month was atrocious, but what the hey...) and I watched the second half of one of our favorite movies tonight. We watch it every Christmas, but it's a nice treat in the summer. I think it was David Niven night on AMC or something. Cary Grant is one of her favorites; Loretta Young one of mine, and I think the film is just about perfect.
Sad to say, they couldn't spare four hours for this Niven classic. It was also my favorite Shirley MacLaine movie, and you can take that as you will.
To top it all off, I'm mastering the various navigation techniques around the planet Saturn. Just this past weekend, I skimmed the upper atmosphere of Titan, moon of Saturn. An interesting maneuver that slows the spacecraft and alters my trajectory around the main planet. Aerobraking is being used by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to lower its orbit without expending fuel. The technique works in Orbiter, which I hearily recommend to all would-be space cadets. Last week, I spent all my fuel to get a ship in orbit around Mercury. I'm going to need to improve on that.
And the real mission posted these nice images today, featuring the "oppostion effect," the sun behind the Cassini probe reflecting itself on the rings. Cool, isn't it?
Good night, and good luck.
