vxbush 11/30/2020 5:45:04 AM

1

doppelganglander 11/30/2020 5:48:05 AM

2

doppelganglander 11/30/2020 5:52:42 AM

3

Reply to vxbush in 1:

Morning, VX! My tree is not up yet. The BF wasn't feeling well yesterday so he went home early. Either I put it together myself or wait two weeks until he comes over again.

vxbush 11/30/2020 5:56:46 AM

4

In #3 doppelganglander said: Morning, VX! My tree is not up yet. The BF wasn't feeling well yesterday so he went home early. Either I put it together myself or wait two weeks until he comes over again.

We rearranged to make room for the tree, so that's done, but I just couldn't make myself get up and do anything. I'll have to get started before too long. Once I start, the son is not happy until everything is up. He absolutely loves Christmas decorations more than anything now. 

Occasional Reader 11/30/2020 8:08:27 AM

5

Howdy there!

I am pondering where the hell I'll be able to fit a Christmas tree this year, what with things having been shuffled around to clear space for Knee-Recovery OR.

Also, I am open to input as to what sort of telescope to get for Little OR for Christmas.  Planets, space, astronomy, etc. are definitely what's hot with him now, and I think he would be thrilled to be able to, e.g., actually see the rings of Saturn.  There are plenty of cheap "kids' telescopes" out there; the other option is to go upmarket a bit, say a low-end Celestron, and think of it as a capital investment that both he and I will use for years... hopefully.  Obviously, living in the city as I do now, we won't exactly be experiencing prime viewing conditions, but I'd get something portable enough to take on trips out of the city. 

Kosh's Shadow 11/30/2020 8:25:46 AM

6

Reply to Occasional Reader in 5:

Get a telescope with a good mount, not a kid's telescope. Cheap mounts don't stay in place, are hard to point, as they move when you let go and when you focus. So frustrating you won't use it. Celestron should be good but their mass market ones are not as good as ones direct from them. Sky and telescope has an online buying guide, iirc

Occasional Reader 11/30/2020 8:28:17 AM

7

In #6 Kosh's Shadow said: Get a telescope with a good mount, not a kid's telescope. Cheap mounts don't stay in place, are hard to point, as they move when you let go and when you focus.

Thanks. What do you think of the "tabletop" type? 

Kosh's Shadow 11/30/2020 8:34:36 AM

8

Reply to Occasional Reader in 7:

Will have to wait until this evening to look at details. Tabletop ones need a table, more to carry if you are taking the scope outside

JCM 11/30/2020 8:38:48 AM

9

Reply to Occasional Reader in 5:

Get this book to go with it.

Occasional Reader 11/30/2020 8:40:48 AM

10

In #8 Kosh's Shadow said: Tabletop ones need a table

Whoa, whoa, slow down... run that concept by me again, slowly.... : P 

I'm figuring the most frequent use of the telescope in the coming months will be to go up to my building's rooftop with Little OR and get a better, if city-light-affected view of Saturn, Jupiter, etc.  In that respect, there are sturdy tables on the rooftop.  Of course, a tripod would come in handy for expeditions further afield. 

Occasional Reader 11/30/2020 8:52:20 AM

11

Reply to JCM in 9:

Thanks!

JCM 11/30/2020 9:26:57 AM

12

A Successful U.S. Missile Intercept Ends the Era of Nuclear Stability

Occasional Reader 11/30/2020 9:49:09 AM

13

Reply to JCM in 12:

Once again proving  Ben Rhodes correct on pretty much the only thing on which he was ever correct; journalists literally know nothing.

lucius septimius 11/30/2020 9:57:59 AM

14

Reply to JCM in 12:

These are the same people who kept poo-pooing "Star Wars" back in Reagan's day.  They always want us to be vulnerable to totalitarian despots because it's more virtuous or something.

Occasional Reader 11/30/2020 10:01:56 AM

15

In #14 lucius septimius said: These are the same people who kept poo-pooing "Star Wars" back in Reagan's day.

Back then, they laughed at it claiming it did not work. Now, they are screaming about the fact that it works.

JCM 11/30/2020 10:04:54 AM

16

Reply to Occasional Reader in 13:

Reply to lucius septimius in 14:

The don't even understand deterrence.

If an attack can be thwarted, and not succeed... that is deterrence.

lucius septimius 11/30/2020 10:46:39 AM

17

Reply to JCM in 16:

Back in the 70s, leftists believed that the Soviet Union was anti-war because various reasons.  They also believed the US was pro-war because Vietnam, defense spending, football (no, really) and various other reasons.  In their minds, in any war between the US and the USSR we would be the aggressor.  Of course they remained willfully ignorant of the role the Soviets played in fomenting conflicts around the world -- Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia -- completely buying into Khrushchev's dictum that the Soviets supported "wars of national liberation" against "imperialist powers."  

The latter has been updated into "anti-colonialism" and the the Soviets have disappeared from the equation, but they still believe that the US just starts war (as in the Gulf) for no other reasons than greed and blood-lust.

Kosh's Shadow 11/30/2020 4:14:05 PM

18

Reply to lucius septimius in 17:

In other words, today's leftists still believe Soviet propaganda

buzzsawmonkey 11/30/2020 4:25:46 PM

19

Kosh's Shadow 11/30/2020 4:38:57 PM

20

Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 19:

***GROAN***