Farewell, Jack.

The world of amateur astronomy took a pretty hard hit on Friday at the passing of Jack Horkheimer. Jack was perhaps most popular for his PBS series, the Star Gazer, formerly Star Hustler. He helped popularize, or better yet, returned amateur astronomy to "naked-eye" astronomy.

Personally, I'll miss Jack. I found him shortly after David introduced me to astronomy, and I made it a point to watch him as often as I could.

Thanks, Jack, for all you've done, and bringing astronomy to the masses.

Farewell.

For your consideration

For once, no politics, beating down the doors of religion, or the incessant barking of a lunatic in some town, smack dab in the middle of Pennsylvania. No swearing or long-winded diatribes. Nothing more than something for you to consider.

Publish Post

What more should we expect?

You may have heard recently that right-wing cretin, Newt Gingrich, released a book in which he claims he has moral high ground over the rest of us because he has God on his side. Keep in mind, this is the same man (using the term very loosely) who cheated on his first wife and summarily left her when she was bed-ridden with cancer. He went on to marry that woman, only to cheat on her as well with his current wife, Calista Bisek.

Fast forward to August 10 - Esquire magazine published a scorching tell-all about Newt from his second wife.

In an interview with Christianity Today in April of last year, Newt said "The Democratic Party has been the active instrument of breaking down traditional marriage..." Two failed marriages filled with infidelity. Moral high ground? Oh, I don't think so.

If you're a Christian or even a Republican, can you vote for this man next November with a clean conscience? Luckily for Newt, most conservative Christians are quick to sweep dirty little secrets under the rug.

Save the date!

Meet Harold Camping. Harold is the founder of Family Radio and host of Open Forum, which you can listen to weeknights at 88.3 FM here in State College if you want a good laugh.

Harold is an elderly fellow with a soft voice and gentle demeanor. That is, until you give him grief about his belief that the Rapture is to take place on May 21, 2011, and that the world will end on October 21 the same year. Give him any sass or question his sanity, and the gloves come off.

Even most Christians think this guy is a clown. Albeit, a clown who thinks he's genuinely doing the right thing, but a clown, nevertheless.

A challenge for Mr. Camping: if you're so sure that the Rapture is set to take place on May 21 next year, I want you to send all of your money to my Paypal account on May 20th. If not that, then on May 22, 2011, I want you to give all of the money back to everyone you ever duped into believing your crap.