picture source: BBC
The Zephyr, a solar plane has managed to stay in the air for seven days:
The UK-built Zephyr solar-powered plane has smashed the endurance record for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The craft took off from the US Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona at 1440 BST (0640 local time) last Friday and is still in the air. (read more)
The Solar Impulse, a Swiss project and a manned flight has made it through the night, which is another milestone for solar powered aircrafts.
It’s a momentous achievement—Solar Impulse has made it through its first night flight, running entirely on batteries charged with solar power during the day. It’s the first time a manned plane has done this. WRS’s Conor Lennon spoke to our reporter Tony Ganzer, who has been watching the plane’s progress since it took off on Wednesday morning and we catch the plane’s pilot, André Borschberg, who spoke to us from inside the aircraft in the early hours of this morning. (read more)
Solar is the kind of energy that will get us a long way.
This is our open thread, please feel free to comment on this and other things that cross your mind.
The TP trolls slept in this morning. Discussion was possible until 9:40 MDT — practically a record. Then the plagiarizer showed up, followed by fuzzy whatevers and voila, dumb descended. I’m outta there, in the process of swearing it all off.
Now, if I could just find a way to beat back the temptation to take a peak every now and then ….
Frugal, I may be able to resist commenting (except yesterday), but I can never resist checking the posts on TP. Seems like it’s part of my DNA now.
I can’t believe it is July whatever day it is and tonight will be the first night of summer that I will sleep out of doors…
That is totally cool, EV. Or hot.
We need to massively jump start our efforts toward alternative energy — wind and solar. Two things we’ll always have, and they are clean.
Seriously Zooey did you watch the toilet video or not. I am very selective of the friends I share my best stuff with you know….
db, I forgot.
Crap.
There’s a windpower plant under construction some 20 miles up the road on the outskirts of Pueblo. Should be successful provided it’s properly constructed. The Chinook Winds here sometimes feel strong enough to knock down a windmill! They sure sent most of my shingles down the road back in April.
Wish there was some way to harvest enough wind to save the shingles, also a way to harvest enough solar so I don’t have to use my AC so much in weird HOT summers like this one is turning out to be!
wise ass. For real Zooey. I think you will get why it is so so important. Do you still have the link?
I’ve got it started, db.
There’s a guy saying that weeks of shit conditioning enables him to walk down the road with a cup of warm, fresh shit and not gag.
Is there a reason I need this running around my brain?
Yes there is. I need you to help me decide if the video is age appropriate for young environmental science/ecology students.
How young? The guy already said “shit” several times.
Wow! Fantastic… solar flight machines. Thanks.
Here’s something to look for:
db, is that the “toilet crisis video you are referring to?
16 to 18. I agree the use of the word shit is a bit gratuitous but the significance of the issue and the potential awareness of the realities of a world that the entitled spoiled children of the developed world never take two seconds to consider is what I am after.
db, it will definitely have an impact, and 16-18 year olds can handle naughty words.
I was going to have breakfast this morning…
yes it is lass.
Frugal,
Just log out of TP and go back to check the articles and comments. You can view the comments while logged out, but you can’t vote anything up or down and you can’t report abuse. And voted down comments still appear as they normally do, but you can’t see how many votes down they got.
Still, it’s a good way to keep informed about the things you won’t be informed about in other places. (Unless you regularly go to the places from which TP gets their news.)
EV – what a remarkable story in regards to human endurance. Yoga and meditation are all part of training. It’s inspiring. I better roll out the yoga mat and start using it.
Alright the shrimp is cooked. the oysters, dogs, salmon and halibut are packed. Time to get this camping trip going. Shit I forgot the fishing tackle. A quick shower and it is pond side time. You all have a good weekend and appreciate the concept of waste water treatment and indoor plumbing
Sorry Zooey. The public awarness poop hunt is sort of weird and that river in India is just mind boggling
Obama Defends Economic Policies at Michigan Battery Plant
You’ve probably seen news of this somewhere in the past several days, including Governor Jennifer Granholm (she’s a doll!) on MSNBC, promoting the projects and the jobs for her state. I’m thrilled for them getting the jobs up there!
This morning I was listening to a Best of Bill Press, and they were talking about electric-only vehicles vs. plug-in hybrids. They were discussing their living arrangements not providing for convenient charging of an electric-only vehicle. This is where the free market can step in and be proactive, with convenient charging facilities becoming a desirable amenity in both rental property and owned homes. Over time, these problems would solve themselves, as would the business opportunity of charging stations for longer distance driving.
Currently, a plug-in hybrid has much greater range than an electric-only vehicle, but in any transportation, the less weight, the better. There needs to be a method engineered into these battery propelled vehicles, to allow the owner to add or remove batteries, and tailor the weight carried to the duration of the planned trip, plus a margin for flexibility. Spare batteries could also be left at home, on the charger, giving a quicker turnaround time when needed. For individuals not as strong as some, a small hoist system could be available to aid the owner in exchanging batteries. This also allows the opportunity for battery exchanges on highways where depleted batteries are swapped for charged ones to extend travel distances.
There’s no reason why cars can’t collect solar energy to extend their range, and top off their batteries sitting parked at work or while shopping. I bet they will be able to make them cosmetically attractive as body panels, if it’s not already possible.
There are challenges to overcome on the road (pun absolutely intended!) to a green energy future, but the solutions are definite opportunities for businesses willing to take the plunge early in the transition from fossil fuels.
I’m with Wayne on the TP stuff. There is some good information on TP. I’m also finding some interesting stuff on HuffPo’s sidebars. Sometimes reading all this political stuff can be down right depressing.
Hot as hell again today. The shades are drawn, a few windows open just a crack and the fans are spinning on low to medium. This allows me to set the air conditioning at a higher number and still function comfortably while in the house. Saves on energy.
db, my daughter just served two years in Turkmenistan as an assistant to the Minister of Health, and is leaving for India in a few weeks to do similar work; we actually talked about this vid before I left …
As to age appropriateness, if they are gonna “get the message” that you are after, they will see past the over usage of the word “shit” … Just my 2 cnts
HoR
There needs to be a method engineered into these battery propelled vehicles, to allow the owner to add or remove batteries, and tailor the weight carried to the duration of the planned trip, plus a margin for flexibility. Spare batteries could also be left at home, on the charger, giving a quicker turnaround time when needed. For individuals not as strong as some, a small hoist system could be available to aid the owner in exchanging batteries. This also allows the opportunity for battery exchanges on highways where depleted batteries are swapped for charged ones to extend travel distances.
My husband and I were having this very same conversation the other evening. There should be some way to easily remove the depleted battery and install a freshly charged battery.
Lass… hope you are enjoying your adventure
Lass – I’ll email my daughter’s contact information to you later today. Check your Sunday morning email.
Thanks, Cats – I am! And I will surely check my email about your daughter!
And EV, thanks for posting this ~ the name “lass o delight” is derived from my work with renewables
All the contiguous 48 states will top 90 today, and 11 will hit 100.
House, the highest my town will be for the next ten days is 85 — unusually cool.
Of course, the weather site always lies.
Damnit where is my wallet? Why does this shit always happen right when I am ready to go and why aren’t this kids better lookers for shit that their father has misplaced?
db, that was a good program — disgusting, yes — but valuable.
I feel quite rich having two toilets in my home.
I lose my keys and wallet if I put them in the wrong pocket.
db, if it is any consolation, I usually lose my keys “in my hands”
Zooey, I guess the statement is true as long as some part of your state gets to 90.
House, rest assured, some part of Idaho will reach well past 90.
I’m getting ready to go meet our MizzJ in Spokane. So excited!!
Hey, give MsJ a hug from me!! And tell her we miss her here!
I’ll do that, EV.
It is 85 in the shade at the back of my house. Out in the sun it is much warmer but since most locality temps are taken at airports and pumping stations the weather site says 82.
The idea of swappable batteries in cars is a good one but the logistics of it are rough. They could be treated like propane tanks except for two things.
There would have to be a common design. Getting all the car makers to standardize on a single package would be incredibly difficult.
All the cars would have to be designed and built so that the batteries would be easily accessible. The darn things are both heavy and cumbersome.
The electric forklift industry has done a pretty good job on both of these counts but there are still hazards in handling the batteries.
Happy (day before) Birthday to Nelson Mandela
He is gracing the world with his presence but this was one of the greatest pleas to have him released from prison.
Tell MsJ hi for me, and tell her to drop in on Ron at Crooks and Liars sometime. I told him I’d pass that along if I ever got the chance.
Will do, House.
I’m off to Spokane! Laters!
The rechargeable lithium battery on my drill is easy and safe to change. The only thing that concerns me is that you can not be sure of the condition of the battery being swapped in.
Electric forklifts use lead-acid batteries. Most car-enthusiast electric conversions do also. I want to convert one of my 914s to plug in electric, but it won’t be using lead-acid.
The modern hybrid and all-electric cars will use nickel-metal hydride or some similar type. Hopefully, the interchangeability issues can be solved.
From wikipedia
I’ve stated before, the oil companies aren’t in research to help humanity, but to keep technology off the market until they’ve squeezed every last bit of profit from fossil fuels, which, by then, will be too late for the climate, if it isn’t already.
The car battery makers stamp the date of manufacture on the batteries, for warranty purposes, so if you lose the receipt, they can still prorate a battery. I’m sure the battery exchange business could work out a similar proration, and the makers could honor the warranty to the exchange business, so no one would get stuck with a ‘dud’.
That’s true, House. From all I have read the auto batteries will be some sort of ‘dry’ battery which will help keep the weights down. They are also safer than wet batteries. The few car designs I’ve seen seem to either put the batteries in the floor boards or in the trunk deck. If they brought back running boards they could use them as handles to slide out the battery tray for replacement.
I have a small solar panel that I can put on the dashboard and plug into the lighter receptacle. I use it in winter to help keep my battery charge up if the car is going to be parked during cold days. I’m sure they could incorporate solar panels into the hood, top and trunk deck.
If they come up with a battery exchange system for cars it might bring back the old pump jockey jobs. You pull into a service station and the battery jockey wheels out replacement batteries, swaps them out and away you go. They then take the batteries inside to the charging station, go over them and put them on the charger for later use.
I think we’ve had good enough technology for fifteen or twenty years, and if it had begun to be used more widely, innovation would have improved even more. The only thing standing in the way was oil companies and Republicans!
Plus, you get the tire pressures checked and the windshield cleaned by the kid who needed a part time job! We could return to calling them ‘service stations’!
At least. If we had listened to Carter in the late 70′s, the world would be a much different place today. Much nicer.
“The only thing standing in the way was oil companies and Republicans!”
The retrograde republicans —-
started with st. ronnie tearing down the solar panels from the WH.
My very first job was pumping gas at a Texaco station. Gas was about .35 a gallon and would dip to .25 during a gas war. In the winter you got a free ice scraper with a fill up.
MSNBC may be the place for Politics, but Fox News Channel is the place for homophobia.
Seems to me I read somewhere a year or two ago that some outfit in, I think, California had developed a paint that, once applied, dried, and connected, functioned as a solar collecting cell. My first thought was auto paint. Haven’t heard anything of it since, though. I’ll see if I can hunt something up.
And yet, Wayne, none of them say boo about people taking their preschool children to church and bible school where they are taught these things are bad. It’s ok to start indoctrinating the mat mice as soon as they can lift a crayon on religious ideas but very bad to try and educate them.
And Ingraham’s plant life snark might mean she is remembering a certain tree stump fondly.
Solar Paint on Steel Could Generate Renewable Energy Soon
by Jane Burgermeister
Published: October 1, 2008
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2008/10/solar-paint-on-steel-could-generate-renewable-energy-soon-53714
“would prevent teachers from criticizing the “gay cannibal” Jeffrey Dahmer.”
I am certain every grade school teacher in the nation has a study plan that includes this.
‘Children, today we are going to study gay cannibals and Marxist Socialism and why as 3rd graders it is important that you wear your Glock at all times.’
Repression, regression, obsession.
“Jebus loves me! I can crow!
For the Bible tells me so.
Little minds to him belong.
We are right and you are wrong.”
Gots to start as soon as they can talk otherwise kids might learn to think.
Frugalchariot,
Thanks for finding that for us. I read the comments, and all the quibbling was amusing about the units of measuring the generated power, comparing to the generated power of the world, etc.
What they needed to consider, is how much power is wasted in transmission line losses over great distances, and how on-site solar has little line loss at all. None of them mentioned that.
Yuck. The Matha Nematode just hit one of the dumbest statements fundies make. The sole purpose of good Christian sex is to make more good Christians. It’s all about reproduction and the more the better.
Maybe if you are a virus or bacteria or some other simple single cell organism. Most beasts of the field are smart enough to know that making more beasts of the field when there isn’t enough food to support them is a bad idea.
It royally chaps me that they take the one thing humans are capable of experiencing that no other creature on the planet (that we know of) is capable of doing (enjoying sex and closeness) and make it bad.
Maybe I’ll go over to TP and set martha muffin’s mind at ease reminding her that:
We are all aware that ‘the stork’ brings babies.
All living things on this earth are programmed for reproduction – it’s in the ‘hormones’.
Speaking of solar – most are driven by the lengthening or shortening of daylight.
We are among the few who can pick and choose when to have sexual intercourse .
HoR — Yes, I thought it to be an interesting concept, and was also amused by some of the comments. People are funny: if “it” doesn’t immediately give “me” what I’ve already got, then it’s no good.
Every time I hear that, I remember my first computer: a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 3. 48K Ram and a pair of 5.25″ floppy drives. Compared to what I have today (which cost a lot less, I should add), that old thing was nothing. Still, compared to what I had before (an electric typewriter) it was AMAZING!
Nothing happens overnight, a concept that seems to both confuse and discourage a whole lot of people. But we have to start somewhere, so why not invest in energy research and practical applications of same, even as we slowly move AWAY from fossil fuels. No one ever said the transition would happen in a day, but it’s gotta happen, no matter what the oil and coal companies thing, no matter what Sarah Palin says. Meanwhile, of course, wind and solar are laughed at and mocked because they won’t fully replace tomorrow what we have today, so what good are they?
I’m old enough to remember the JFK promise to land a man on the moon before the decade was over. I watched it happen, partially from the inside when I worked in the aerospace industry in the middle sixties. I watched as technology, sped up by the necessity implicit in a defined mission, soared into the stratosphere.
But that was then. Today, I can imagine where huge government investment in energy research would be seen as a “shakedown” of the oil/coal industry, or maybe a “slush fund” designed to destroy oil/coal.
Well, anyway, you know what I mean. I shouldn’t rant. But how to kick this country off its greed-based butt and get it moving again?
Where are my goddamned solar roofing shingles! These should be subsidized to make it a reality to have every roof in America solar shingled.
Go Stan Ovshinsky!
ebb: All living things on this earth are programmed for reproduction
If you look at it purely through a logical eye, reproduction is life’s — ALL of life’s — ONLY purpose to exist. Birth, eat, grow, eat, mature, eat, REPRODUCE, and voila, a successful life has been lived. Whether a housefly or a Christian fundamentalist or any life form in between, above or below (of which there are a great many), the biological mantra is the same: reproduce. But there remains a huge tolerance for those who do NOT reproduce, but contribute in other ways. The omega wolf, for example, will likely never reproduce, but rather will assist with raising alpha litters.
I know, I know, I didn’t mention wealth and power as being the sole purpose for existence. Maybe next time (but don’t count on it!)
“But how to kick this country off its greed-based butt and get it moving again?”
Frugal, I hate to say it but it will probably take the collapse of what we know. Not partially, but total. Just as the Great Depression reset a lot of thinking. We’ve had ‘everything’ and gotten very spoiled. And we have a machine that is continuing to sell the ‘everything for nothing’ idea.
It may take America getting voted off the island before we can get some real change.
ebb, while all life forms are programmed for reproduction, man is the only one that knows about it and the whys and why nots of it.
Man has a gift. It’s called imagination. It gives us communication of complex ideas. It gives us appreciation of music, art and literature. It gives us cooking! And it gives us the ability to enjoy our fellow travelers in ways no other species on the planet has. (With the possible caveat of cetaceans).
In case you missed my last sentence:
“We are among the few who can pick and choose when to have sexual intercourse .”
I agree, whole-heartedly with both of you gentlemen, perhaps my intent didn’t translate – apologies on that.
Bonobo chimps use sex as a ‘peace’ offering – to quell tensions.
Sorry, ebb. I saw that. Between bouncing in and out getting the grill going for ribs and reading the Montana thread, I guess I got my hobby horse.
frugal, I’m trying your Pemnic rub on some country style ribs.
got on my hobby horse. Pay attention, boy!
Agreed – intimacy is a human alone thing – we can pick and choose when/where to have partners.
Not driven by the lengthening/shortening days light like many animals.
Romantics – that’s what humans are capable of where other spices are not -
Hooda: “frugal, I’m trying your Pemnic rub on some country style ribs”
Wish I could say that. The boss here is on a diet. We’re having Sopa de Fideo. Meatless, tasty thanks to the Pemnic.
Don’t forget the sauce!
The mangoes in the store were pretty poor and pricey so I will have to make do with my sauce. And I decided to go with the leaner country style ribs. This getting older crap is a bitch.
ebb: “Romantics – that’s what humans are capable of where other spices are not -”
Indeed, and isn’t that grand! Unfortunately for fundies, I don’t think they understand the gifts that unencumbered caring and unencumbered love really bring to the table. I think they mainly see sex — repro — as something dirty, yuk. But fun. And fun is a sin because sex is dirty.
Love? Not in their world. Sex is dirty.
I’m sure glad I don’t have to live that way, with that baggage.
Hooda: “This getting older crap is a bitch.”
My uncle, many years ago, told me about when he turned 85 and went in for his physical. He asked the doc what he should eat, what he shouldn’t eat. The doc looked at his chart and said, “You’re 85, for chrissake! Eat whatever the hell you want!”
I’m not quite there yet, but am getting closer every day.
For a “rockin’ good time” call 555-1212 ;>
Hi cats,
Watched GASLAND last night…
… What are we doing to ourselves?
I have a link to the whole film.
http://www.theonlydevice.com/2010/07/01/gasland/
It’s a mirror site and it can be d/l from several links. Most have pop-ups you have to deal with to get to the film. But it’s the film, none the less.
Enjoy.
test
OK…
… Do posts regularly dissapear or was the last one a fluke?
Cats,
I watched GASLAND last night.
Here is a link to a mirror site that has it for d/l.
http://www.theonlydevice.com/2010/07/01/gasland/
Just get past the pop-ups and enjoy.
It’s the tween years. Where you are feeling older and slower but haven’t reached the age of fugdoIcare?
Well, it must be the link I’m trying to send.
Cats,
I watched GASLAND last night.
It can be viewed here
http://www.theonlydevice.com/
Just scroll a few pages back and it will be on the list. Page four, as of today. By Monday, it may be on page five or deeper.
The Zoo does not like the link I’m trying to send.
http://www. theonlydevice .com/
Just eliminate the spaces and you can scroll a few pages and watch GASLAND.
WTF!?!?!
The Zoo does not like my link.
Max, links sometime make posts disappear. I retrieved them for you. Just shout out if it happens next time and one of the critters will be there to help.
RUC,
Re: solar shingles
… But the coal.
Who’s gonna need to burn the coal to power the lights?
/snark
Max-1. I rescued your comments from the spam bin. Not sure why they ended up there.
Wayne, jinx.
Max, see, were a helpful lot!
Max, there are some things Zoosters can’t include in their comments. I don’t know the details of what that includes. One of the Critters will have to explain the details.
Hooda,
If your comment does not contain both your Social Security number and your bank account routing ID, your comment goes straight to the spam bin.
Too funny EV,
Sorry about all the posts then folks.
LOL
Thanks Wayne.
Max-1, Josh Fox (GASLAND) is a keynote speaker at this years PAEnergyFest! Cats, I hope you can put up a link for folks, as this funky little device makes it impossible from the road … So glad that the world is getting to understand what we in PA are calling “frack whores” … !
There’s a local politician, my current NYS Assemblyman, Greg Ball (who is not without his unrelated controversies) is trying to pull a fast one on people. Next Saturday, on some property about five miles from my house, Ball is hosting a sort of combination Tea Party/Tax Revolt/BBQ/Music Fest. There is a big billboard (I hope to get pictures of it, as soon as I get a battery for my Mom’s digital camera) that says that next Saturday, from 10 AM to 12 Noon, there will be a Tea Party/ Tax Revolt with speeches, etc. From 12 Noon to 7PM there will be a BBQ with ribs and rock music bands. Though being held on the same property, the billboard makes it clear these are meant to be two separate events.
But they also planted little white signs all around Pawling and Patterson in two styles. One says there’s a Tea Party./Tax Revolt July 24 from 10 AM to 12 Noon. The other says there a BBQ and music July 24 from 10 AM to 7 PM. If you don;t see the billboard (or ad int he newspaper) and only see the small white lawn signs, you might show up at 10 AM unaware that you are walking into a Tea Party/Tax Revolt event.
Lass,
LOL. FRACK WHORES…
… Here in the city, he just get the kinky crack variety.
Wasn’t it Laurence Olivier who once said (something like), “Some men like clams, and some men like oysters, and some men like clams and oysters.”?
Hey Lass!
Max Thanks for the link. I’ll try to catch it later.
Here’s the link to the PA Energy Festival.
http://www.paenergyfest.com/
I’ll be there, parking cars, again. We usually party hardy on Saturday evenings.
Wayne – are you planning on stopping by?
Conservative philosophy at its very best. Don’t miss it!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/7/17/885033/-Saturday-Hate-Mail-a-palooza
I am really pissed about the treatment of the Iroquois nation in the current “International” Lacrosse Tournament being held in “Great” Britain.
The Brits initially set one set of conditions and then changed the rules of the game after the United States acquiesced. Perhaps, I should have raised the issue on the Zoo when I was first aware of the situation, but at that time (two days before my post), I felt that saner minds would prevail.
The Iroquois Confederacy, along with the Hurons actually invented the game at least 500 years prior to being expelled from their lands..
WaltTheMan, it is disgraceful and shameful that a
sovereign Nation is not fully recognized.
I don’t quite understand the reluctance/stubbornness of the UK on the issue.
Politics and Pride at the World Lacrosse
Not related to the lacrosse story.
To the prior conversation about the homophobia of fauxnews.
New Doctor Who tonight, called ‘The Pandorica Opens’. It’s part one of a two parter.
Indycar races tomorrow, Danica starts 12th, better than usual on a street circuit, but all four of her teammates start ahead of her. Simona de Silvestro starts 21st, out of 26 cars, that’s worse than usual for her. Milka Duno didn’t qualify, and starts 26th.
houseofroberts, some of us somehow saw those during the UK schedule. But still, it is cool that there are so many “Doctor Who” fans around here.
If you saw this one, I’m about two or three weeks behind on BBC America.
‘Who shot JR’ has nothing on these writers!
For what it’s worth, I had some fun on the Montana school thread over at TP today. Best part:
Leftside Annie – Item 6 on Teh Gay Agenda says:
71 and 82 – BnF – my inner troll bows to your inner troll, all while exclaiming, “I’m not worthy!!”
~A
(humble bow)
If you can’t beat them, join them!
To those of you who know me here, thank you for allowing me to indulge in a little play time!
For some reason, when I reflect on my discourses with Martha and Sir B. today, I am reminded of this dialogue, from the movie “Hook”,
houseofroberts, I am still convinced that Series Six is going to reveal that River Song is Jack Harkness.
You have the advantage of me. I haven’t seen the conclusion of tonight’s show, so I don’t know if River Song survives yet.
Maybe that will be revealed in the Christmas Special!
I think this is funny, but then I’ve been in the wine. Aneo-Nazi name “J. T. Ready” is patrolling the AZ border:
http://www.statesman.com/news/nation/man-with-neo-nazi-ties-leading-border-patrols-808820.html
I hope he meets some of those narcotraficantes.
JT and his ilk would lay to rest the ‘Obama is Hitler’ claims from the Teabag Taliban, if they were capable of logical thought processes.
OK, a little about wind power … 80+ mph w/multiple spinouts and rotations along I94 in MN/WI … A bit of an adrenaline rush … I’m about to sign off for the night ~
Who spun, Lass?
HoR, the wind – funnels!
I was driving on 94 for the last 2 hours … I saw a touchdown to my north @ Baldwin/Hammond area about 1/2 hour ago – over 6 touchdowns have been reported in the area over the last two hours …
I am at my destination for the night…hopefully, I’ll “key down” a bit …
houseofroberts, since you already know River died in the end of “Forest of the Dead”, it kind of loses any nailbiting there.
Serious atmospheric rotation! I thought you had been traveling 80 mph when the wind spun you out!
I am sorry as I did not think that you might not have seen the season from a couple of years ago.
Seriously, I am sorry if I goofed there, houseofroberts.
Egads, gobs of nasty weather just passed through the Twin Cities this evening.
glamourdammerung,
I’ve seen the two parter Silence of the Library/Forest of the Dead. BBC America runs the older episodes every day at 4pm.
zxbe, hope everything’s okay. We’ve just got the heat. Here it is nearly midnight in NY and it’s still 79 degrees…and we don’t have any AC.
Jane,
Y’all are going to have to buy air conditioning, before I have to learn to drive on snow!
Hello, all.
House, you’re gonna love both parts of “The Pandorica Opens.” I’ve kept my lip zipped for so long about the conclusion to this series!
Hey, Zooey.
House, we used to have a couple of air conditioners, but they finally crapped out last year. Right now, between vet bills and car repairs, not much is left over for the ‘luxury’ of AC.
But at least I now have working brakes and exhaust system, and my cat Tweak feels infinitely better without the growth plugging her ear!
Should be next Saturday night!
So, don’t keep us in suspense, how is MsJ?
MizzJ is a hoot. We drove around Spokane in her rented car, exploring places I’d never ever heard of before, and then had Thai food — a first for me, yum! — and chatted even more. I had a great time!
It was only about 85 today, and the sun went down a little while ago. The temp has plunged to 60, so far.
Jane, I won’t fault you for taking Tweak to the vet. Mine get ear mites sometimes, and they have this new treatment. It’s a one time thing, but the vet does it. The once a week treatment doesn’t work as well either, and the pump spray treatment is off the market. My older cat will slice me to pieces if I mess with his ear, when it bothers him.
How (not) to impress:
Urban birding: waiting for the cross signal – never miss an opportunity to look skyward.
Was checking six blks away.
Hear this voice: “You can take my picture for free if you come home with me.”
I took the binoculars from my eyes and see this drunken fool, being propped up by a buddy -
me: unless you’re a Peregrine or can fly I’m not interested –
I hear him say to his buddy – “I tried”.
Well if the fool can’t tell binoculars from a camera –
It was rather humorous, from my perspective anyway.
House, poor Tweak had had this pea-sized growth in her right ear, blocking clean-up attempts on an infection behind it. We tried antibiotic/anti-inflammatory drops which temporarily shrunk the growth, but Tweak would constantly scratch it ’til it bled and the whole thing was a mess. She was miserable and probably in a lot of pain – I have ear problems, too, but nothing like what she was going through. I have to say that the surgery was worth it, she’s like a whole different kitty, happier and more affectionate.
Zooey, right now I’d kill for 60 degrees. Seriously.
Oh, and I’m glad you liked my comment at TP. I couldn’t help myself.
Jane, was it a benign growth? Do they know the cause?
The pressure on her little ear – it hurts just to type that – glad to hear she’s on the mend!
Yes, ebb, it was benign. If they told me the cause, I don’t remember it. One of our other cats (who is related to Tweak) had to have polyps removed from way inside her ear a while back.
Several years ago, I suddenly got hit with such terrible pain in my ears that I was crying with the pain. When I went to the doctor’s the next day, we found that I had contracted some rare virus or something that causes blisters ON the ear drums–no wonder it was so painful! My doctor was excited, though, and dragged one of her partners in to see my ears, because they had never seen an actual case of whatever-this-was outside of textbooks. So I guess I had that goin’ for me.