@elaterite@fosstodon.org cover
@elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

elaterite

@elaterite@fosstodon.org

Professional fine art photographer & art framer. All photos edited using Darktable on a Linux box & licensed Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0. I do not use machine learning apps. Any composites will be clearly noted. Mostly following science, history, & photography toots. Formerly, I was a civil rights & energy policy troublemaker. Also, former netcast producer & host for the Plug In America Show, This Week in Energy, & an occasional show for Hacker Public Radio.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. View on remote instance

elaterite , to Photography
@elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

So this is the place that I first stopped to photograph the aurora. I could easily see the vertical column structures while driving down the highway! I didn't stay here long because some residents turned on a bunch of lights & came out with barking dogs &c. I moved to a spot further away. Wish I could have stayed at this location because the railroad people were assembling the train & I may have captured some interesting lights of moving trains.

AkaSci , to Random stuff
@AkaSci@fosstodon.org avatar

Incoming! A severe G4 Geomagnetic Storm is expected to arrive around 02:00 UTC Friday night / Saturday morning.

At least 5 Coronal Mass Ejections took place over the past 24 hours, directed towards Earth. These originated from a large and magnetically complex sunspot cluster (NOAA region 3664).

There is potential for disruption of communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations.

And bright auroras as far south as Alabama!

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
1/n

elaterite ,
@elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

@AkaSci Wow, that is a really great graphic!

molly0xfff , (edited ) to Random stuff
@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io avatar

<s>Two</s> Three more questions. Please answer both!

  1. When were the "good old days" of the net?
elaterite ,
@elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

@molly0xfff Eek, looks like I was the rare old guy during the "good old days" ('96-'05) of the internet. But, >41 is not old, btw. Old doesn't happen until you're in your late '60s.

molly0xfff , to Random stuff
@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io avatar

If you've ever found yourself missing the "good old days" of the , what is it that you miss? (Interpret "it" broadly: specific websites? types of activities? feelings? etc.) And approximately when were those good old days?

No wrong answers — I'm working on an article and wanted to get some outside thoughts.

elaterite ,
@elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

@molly0xfff The web was great before marketer's and the monetization of everything ruined it. Also, for those of us with slow or spotty connections, the bloat of modern websites is a massive pain. Looking forward to your article!

MirrorAyako , to AllStarTrek group
@MirrorAyako@universeodon.com avatar

4/28: Starting at 8PM Eastern, we live toot Star Trek episodes playing on the H&I network, using the hashtag . If you don’t get the H&I station, you can also stream. Join our group @allstartrek for updates!

This is a silly but kind of fun episode.

TOS (8ET): Assignment Earth
TNG (9ET): Power Play
DS9 (10ET): Change of Heart
VOY (11ET): Elogium
ENT (midnight): Countdown





elaterite ,
@elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

@MirrorAyako @allstartrek Assignment Earth is one of my all time favorite Star Trek episodes!

petergleick , to Random stuff
@petergleick@fediscience.org avatar

Maybe it's time to consider taking down Glen Canyon Dam...

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/17/1245300155/damage-at-glen-canyon-dam

elaterite ,
@elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar
elaterite , to Random stuff
@elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

National Park Service needs help identifying public land vandals at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. If you can help ID these clowns please contact the Park at 702-293-8990. https://www.npr.org/2024/04/16/1245062311/lake-mead-rock-formations-destroyed

ALT
  • Reply
  • Loading...
  • luckytran , to Random stuff
    @luckytran@med-mastodon.com avatar

    You gotta respect the New York hustle

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @luckytran Good grief.

    Teri_Kanefield , (edited ) to Random stuff
    @Teri_Kanefield@mastodon.social avatar

    A word about all the people I've pissed off with this week's blog post:

    https://mastodon.social/@Teri_Kanefield/112187081021199665

    (When I woke up this morning, I removed about 25 comments !!)

    I wonder if I feel free to write a blog post that I know will anger people because I don't monetize.

    I have ads, but it pays a tiny fraction of the cost of maintaining a website and using MailChimp. People might be surprised at how much my blogging venture costs.

    A few years ago Substack tried to recruit me . . .

    1/

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @Teri_Kanefield Great blog post! The media outrage industry is systemic and you are the rare authority pointing that out. Thank you!

    MirrorAyako , to AllStarTrek group
    @MirrorAyako@universeodon.com avatar

    3/24: Starting at 8PM Eastern, we live toot Star Trek episodes playing on the H&I network, using the hashtag . If you don’t get the H&I station, you can also stream. Join our group @allstartrek for updates!

    This is the episode where the romance of the century takes place. 😳

    TOS (8ET): Devil in the Dark
    TNG (9ET): Data’s Day
    DS9 (10ET): The Begotten
    VOY (11ET): Workforce, Part 1
    ENT (midnight): Judgement





    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @MirrorAyako @allstartrek Ooo, the first two are great episodes. Devil in the Dark is one of my favorite TOS episodes and I love Data's Day. Well, because there is a cat in it. And it's funny they dim the lights at "night" on a star ship.

    scalzi , to Random stuff
    @scalzi@mastodon.social avatar

    Spent the last week on the JoCo Cruise, which was delightful, especially because on the last day of the cruise we had a surprise performer, fresh from his Oscar win

    (Edit of my photo by John Hudgens)

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @scalzi Oh, wow, Godzilla walks on water now, yikes!

    MirrorAyako , to AllStarTrek group
    @MirrorAyako@universeodon.com avatar

    3/6: Starting at 8PM Eastern, we live toot Star Trek episodes playing on the H&I network, using the hashtag . If you don’t get the H&I station, you can also stream. Join our group @allstartrek for updates!

    When are people going to learn that Data is not an object and is a sentient being?

    TOS (8ET): The Corbomite Maneuver
    TNG (9ET): The Most Toys
    DS9 (10ET): To the Death
    VOY (11ET): Unimatrix Zero, Part 2
    ENT (midnight): Dead Stop





    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @MirrorAyako @allstartrek I always liked seeing Jeffery Combs in ST episodes. He was good as Weyoun, but I liked the Andorian, Shran, best. I just saw on Wikipedia they were talking about making Shran a regular on Enterprise had it been renewed for a fifth season. Stupid Paramount suits. :/

    AkaSci , (edited ) to Random stuff
    @AkaSci@fosstodon.org avatar

    Near miss between 2 satellites today at 608 km altitude - the derelict Russian satellite Cosmos 2221 and the operational but non-maneuverable NASA satellite TIMED, both in near-polar orbits.

    The close pass was expected but the actual distance of <20 meters at ~14 km/s relative velocity is sobering.

    LeoLabs estimates that a collision would have added between 2,500 and 7,500 debris fragments to LEO space, which currently has nearly 12,000 fragments.

    @AstroMigration
    https://blogs.nasa.gov/sunspot/2024/02/28/nasas-timed-spacecraft-passes-safely-by-satellite/
    1/n

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @AstroMigration @AkaSci @sundogplanets Nice software, but Windows only, no Linux version. :(

    samlitzinger , to Random stuff
    @samlitzinger@journa.host avatar

    [Thread, post or comment was deleted by the author]

  • Loading...
  • elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @samlitzinger Absolutely disgusting.

    ScienceDesk , to Random stuff
    @ScienceDesk@flipboard.social avatar

    Microplastics are found just about everywhere and, apparently, infiltrated environments untouched by modern humans. A study published in the journal Science Advances details how a team of researchers found microplastics in sediment layers at three lakes in Latvia. Futurism has more. https://flip.it/NdQvR5

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @ScienceDesk Immediately above the Holocene epoch one can find the Obscene epoch clearly defined in lake strata in Latvia (and elsewhere around the planet, no doubt).

    elaterite , to Photography
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    Okay, one more contribution for . This is a Strix nebulosa, a I saw in Grand Teton National Park, a few years back. Great grey owls are one of the most amazing creatures. Their ability to hover, hear prey under lots of snow, and dive up to a foot into the snow to catch prey is amazing!

    petergleick , to Random stuff
    @petergleick@fediscience.org avatar

    Tip of the Day!

    Here is a reminder to everyone [rightly] pissed at the incredibly high cost of peer-reviewed journal articles behind paywalls:

    If you send an email to the lead/corresponding author (whose contact is almost always provided in the article, or easily found with google) and ask for a copy of the article, the author will almost universally be delighted to send a copy [legally] to you, free.

    We authors LOVE it when someone asks for a copy of our articles!!!

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @petergleick I've been doing exactly that for years.

    elaterite , to Random stuff
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    I had forgotten that last winter my old snowthrower was having drive problems. So when the first snow hit a couple of weeks ago my snowthrower barely worked. I thought it only needed a simple adjustment, or maybe a belt, but it turned out that the driveshaft was worn out. The driveshaft is no longer available & nearly worn out ones sell for ~$200 on eBay. Since I have a lathe & welder, I made one. Fortunately, new fiction drive wheel assemblies are still available. Now it's good as new!

    A pencil drawing of dimensions for a hexagonal driveshaft with the wornout driveshaft below the drawing and the newly made replacement driveshaft, with the gear welded on, below the wornout one. On the top left is a wood pencil and at the top right is a set of vernier calibers.
    A view inside the drive section of a snowthrower. The replacement driveshaft with fiction wheel is seen as well as two chains and the large metal disk that the friction drive wheel gets it power from to drive the wheels.

    elaterite OP ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @michaelgemar @dannotdaniel My Dad grew up during the Depression & he was a founding member of the Southern Calif Timing Assc. SCTA were guys in the Los Angeles area who hopped up Model Ts & As & ran them on the dry lakes in the Mojave Desert in the 1930s. There was no going to the speed shop to buy parts. You had to make them yourself. He also worked for Douglas Aircraft. He always said, "I've got more time than money so I do it myself." I grew up in a pile of metal chips. DIY is in my DNA.

    elaterite OP ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @nlarson830 @michaelgemar @dannotdaniel Very cool! I wish I had gotten into / done some blacksmithing. If you spent time out on El Mirage with the SCTA then you likely met, or maybe know, the inimitable Julian Doty. Doty was a fixture out there from before the War until he died a few years ago. What a character, Doty was. But then all of my Dad's old friends were characters...

    elaterite OP ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @JohnLoader6 @nlarson830 @michaelgemar @dannotdaniel I get your point. Newer cars, I've not worked on anything newer than a 2010 however, are certainly more complicated than a '60s or '70s vehicle, but one can still work on them. I bought a Blue Driver that plugs into the computer so you can retrieve any trouble codes. Most of the mechanical stuff is still the same. And the nice part is they are much more trouble free--especially EVs--than old cars that needed tuneups all of the time.

    elaterite OP ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @JohnLoader6 @nlarson830 @michaelgemar @dannotdaniel Oh, well, I've not had to deal with that ever. I really don't think cars should have touchscreens and all of the--super distracting--infotianment systems. Just give me a gas (or voltage) gauge, oil pressure, amp meter, speedometer, and a Bluetooth enabled radio with knobs I'll be happy.

    SilverRainbow , to photography group
    @SilverRainbow@photog.social avatar

    Hat And Scarf

    In the south-east of lie 20 km (12.5 miles) of the almost flat outwash plains of Skeiðarársandur and the mostly wet river delta Núpsvötn.
    Strong winds from the southern seas crossed these flats and struck the flat face of Lómagnúpur, 671 m (2200 ft) tall.
    The result was this; stacked lenticular clouds forming in layers around and above the mountain.

    Please read the ALT tag for more.
    @photography

    ALT
  • Reply
  • Expand (3)
  • Collapse (3)
  • Loading...
  • elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar
    elaterite , to Photography
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    I think I finally landed on an image to print for that large dark brown frame with light yellow-gold highlights and a Native motif that I have. This was dawn breaking at my campsite after a very rainy night in SE Utah (10/20/2018).

    ALT
  • Reply
  • Loading...
  • + wa7iut
    elaterite , to Random stuff
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    Our society is broken.

    At CES, I read everything is "AI"--confirming my suspicion that AI is all about marketing and not about intelligence, especially in the consumer.

    Among the "AI" products on display are: AI pillows, AI vacuum cleaners, AI refrigerators, AI bird feeders, AI shoes, AI belts, AI dog bowls, AI baby strollers, AI plant pots, AI mirrors, AI baby cry translators, AI BBQs, AI toothbrushes, and so on. Oy.

    ChrisMayLA6 , to bookstodon group
    @ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us avatar

    For this of us accused of buying too many - Umberto Eco was on our side:

    'It is foolish to think that you have to read all the books you buy, as it is foolish to criticize those who buy more books than they will ever be able to read. It would be like saying that you should use all the cutlery or glasses or screwdrivers or drill bits you bought before buying new ones'

    h/t Subir Dey (LinkedIn)

    @bookstodon

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @ChrisMayLA6 @bookstodon Hm, I'm completely onboard with buying more books than I can possibly read, but as a mechanic / machinist I don't buy tools I don't use. And as a hobby cook, same goes for kitchen equipment, although, I do have some dishes and glasses I inherited that I don't use. But books are special. There's nothing like a book. And as I like to say, books serve two purposes: Books decorate your mind with knowledge when read and when sitting on a bookshelf they decorate your home.

    MirrorAyako , to AllStarTrek group
    @MirrorAyako@universeodon.com avatar

    1/8: Starting at 8PM Eastern, we live toot Star Trek episodes playing on the H&I network, using the hashtag . If you don’t get the H&I station, you can also stream. Join our group @allstartrek for updates!

    It’s not the three tenors but a bunch of mourning Klingons.

    TOS (8ET): Journey to Babel
    TNG (9ET): Heart of Glory
    DS9 (10ET): Tribunal
    VOY (11ET): Extreme Risk
    ENT (midnight): Storm Front, Part 2






    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @sezduck @MirrorAyako @allstartrek Of all of the Star Trek characters, up through Enterprise, Miles O'Brien was the toughest. Poor guy lead a rough life.

    GossiTheDog , (edited ) to Random stuff
    @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social avatar

    [Thread, post or comment was deleted by the author]

  • Loading...
  • elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @GossiTheDog Wow, what a tragedy.

    georgetakei , to Random stuff
    @georgetakei@universeodon.com avatar

    I was 86 years old.

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @georgetakei Welp, just today, at 65. Now I won't be able to unsee it. Thanks, George.

    MirrorAyako , to AllStarTrek group
    @MirrorAyako@universeodon.com avatar

    12/24: Starting at 8PM Eastern, we live toot Star Trek episodes playing on the H&I network, using the hashtag . If you don’t get the H&I station, you can also stream. Join our group @allstartrek for updates!

    There are worse things than spending time with Edith on Christmas Eve.

    TOS (8ET): The City on the Edge of Forever
    TNG (9ET): Justice
    DS9 (10ET): Armageddon Game
    VOY (11ET): Retrospect
    ENT (midnight): Harbinger






    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @MirrorAyako @allstartrek Ooo, there's a classic! One of the best TOS episodes.

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @lxskllr @petertrek1 @MirrorAyako @allstartrek Most Wesley Crusher stories were pretty cringy.

    elaterite , to Random stuff
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    Are you a / supporter? Do you have one of the following cameras? Please consider uploading sample images to https://raw.pixls.us thanks!

    • Creo/Leaf Aptus 22(LF3779)/Hasselblad H1
    • Fujifilm FinePix S9600fd
    • Fujifilm IS-1
    • GoPro FUSION
    • Kodak EasyShare Z980
    • Leaf Aptus-II 5(LI300059)/Mamiya 645 AFD
    • Leaf Credo 60
    • Leaf Credo 80
    • Minolta DiMAGE 5
    • Olympus SP320
    • Panasonic DMC-FX150
    • Pentax Q10
    • Phase One IQ250
    • Sinar Hy6/ Sinarback eXact
    • ST Micro STV680

    mattblaze , to Random stuff
    @mattblaze@federate.social avatar

    Checked in to a hotel yesterday afternoon. Settled in to take a nap. Shortly thereafter, what sounded like a 727 engine started up outside my door. Tried to ignore it until the periodic banging on the door started about 15 minutes later. Turned out to be this little fella, “Rosie 1049” which ran into the room as soon as I opened the door. I quickly got dressed and carried it to the elevator.

    The robot uprising is going to be amazing.

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @mattblaze I think I would have pulled the battery out and dropped it off at the desk when I checked out.

    elaterite , to Random stuff
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    A fun thing to do in canyon country is--without a map--drive to the end of a dirt road where a canyon begins, climb down into the canyon, hike along the canyon bottom or along the rim rock, turn a bend, and wham, there's a ruin and rock art!

    postfilm , to Art
    @postfilm@ieji.de avatar

    Inside a 250 year old French Violin. Photographed with a Medical Laparoscope adapted to a Lumix G9ii Camera. A 1770 violin by Augustin Chappuy.

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @postfilm That is totally awesome! At first glance, on this tiny phone screen, I thought it was a photo on an interesting underground vault or room of some sort. Gonna have to check this out on my desktop monitor! Very cool!

    AkaSci , (edited ) to Random stuff
    @AkaSci@fosstodon.org avatar

    When the OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule landed successfully on Sep 24, NASA had reported that the parachute system did not deploy properly. NASA offered an explanation today that the sequence of operations to deploy and to cut free the drogue parachute were executed in reverse order!

    The diagram below describes what transpired.

    Root cause: Incorrect wiring due to mislabeling in schematic.

    https://blogs.nasa.gov/osiris-rex/
    Image: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20150000809/downloads/20150000809.pdf

    1/

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @AkaSci That was a dumb mistake. Main means main, eh? I wonder to what speed the drogue chute was supposed to slow the vehicle down to? Good thing the main chute was over designed and handled the load!

    SJLahey , to BookHistodons group
    @SJLahey@mastodon.social avatar

    Pay attention! This is the important bit—right here.

    @bookhistodons @medievodons

    ALT
  • Reply
  • Expand (4)
  • Collapse (4)
  • Loading...
  • elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @SJLahey @bookhistodons @medievodons I just love looking at all of the little doodles, characters, and creatures in the margins of illuminated manuscripts. And this one is great! Love the extended finger, but I'm left wondering who kissed the monk on the cheek? (And did they have lipstick in the 13th century or whenever that book was written--lol.)

    georgiamuseum , to Random stuff
    @georgiamuseum@glammr.us avatar

    The isn't on here, but they're running on their socials (https://www.facebook.com/VermontHistoricalSociety) for Halloween, and it's fun. Here's Arthur Tress' photograph "Girl with Doll, Keystone, WV," from 1968, from our collection.

    ALT
  • Reply
  • Expand (1)
  • Collapse (1)
  • Loading...
  • elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @georgiamuseum I'd say most of that doll is missing. Very creepy!

    elaterite , to Linux
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    It's the "40th anniversary of the GNU operating system and the launch of the free software movement!"

    Fifteen years ago, on the 25th Anniversary of GNU OS, the comedian / actor Stephen Fry recorded the following tribute--which also serves as a great introduction to what free software is and the philosophy behind the free software movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_mS4CIXcLY

    @fsf

    davidho , (edited ) to Random stuff
    @davidho@mastodon.world avatar

    It's hard for people to visualize removing tons or billions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂). I propose we talk about CO₂ removal () like a time machine (e.g., this machine will take us back 5 minutes). For example:

    Q: How far back in time does planting 100 million trees take us?

    A: If one mature tree takes up an average of 25 kg of CO₂ per year, then 100 million trees will take up 2.5 MtCO₂. That's a time machine that takes us back 33 minutes and 6 seconds in a year. It's not a lot.

    elaterite ,
    @elaterite@fosstodon.org avatar

    @davidho Yup, and decarbonizing drastically requires energy democratization--such that everyone may participate equally and meaningfully in energy generation.

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • supersentai
  • WatchParties
  • Rutgers
  • jeremy
  • Lexington
  • cragsand
  • mead
  • RetroGamingNetwork
  • loren
  • steinbach
  • xyz
  • PowerRangers
  • AnarchoCapitalism
  • kamenrider
  • Mordhau
  • WarhammerFantasy
  • itdept
  • AgeRegression
  • mauerstrassenwetten
  • MidnightClan
  • space_engine
  • learnviet
  • bjj
  • Teensy
  • khanate
  • electropalaeography
  • neondivide
  • fandic
  • All magazines