JIM'S JOTTINGS: August 11, 2017

Eclipse, anyone? OK, I get it, we’re gonna have an eclipse and we just can’t stand not being in the exact, direct, full path of the total darkness that will descend on August 21: David O. tells me that “The eclipse will peak at 2:36:38 pm EDT, when the moon obscures 83.1% of the sun.” That is for us locals. Get your special glasses and gear, by all means.  Until then, the papers, TV, radio, the special insert in the Times, yadayadayada will keep you more informed than you thought you needed to be. Let’s see…what does Ye Olde Farmer’s Almanac have to say about our weather for that day…”August 20-24—sunny, warm,” so it’ll be safe to go out and watch. More anon…

Solar Humor… An astronomer is on an expedition to Darkest Africa to observe a total eclipse of the sun, which will only be observable there, when cannibals capture him. The eclipse is due the next day around noon.

To gain his freedom he plans to pose as a "GOD" and threaten to extinguish the sun if he's not released, but the timing has to be just right.

So, in the few words of the cannibals' primitive tongue that he knows, he asks his guard what time they plan to kill him.

The guard's answered, "Tradition has it that captives are to be killed when the sun reaches the highest point in the sky on the day after their capture so that they may be cooked and ready to be served for the evening meal."

"Great," the astronomer replies.

The guard continues, though, "But because everyone's so excited about it, in your case we're going to wait until after the eclipse." [Santabanta]

The Really BIG news: No thanks to all my faithful readers, Bon and I do NOT have a pair of cute Siamese kittens, but we do have, as of this writing, a 7-week-old orange and white kitten with the promise of another one in a week or so. Our vet, PawPrints participates in a wonderful program of rescuing, healing and placing cats and dogs at no cost. We’ve been going there for 37 years so they do know us, but I still think it is a terrific service to our community. Pictures when she will sit or stand still long enough…not there by half.

Dog Days: Yep, it’s the Dog Days of Summer and our OLLI summer term will soon come to its end. Some classes, mine included, will go an extra week, and our interest groups will continue, so you need not roll up your sidewalks just yet. Autumn, my favorite season, is right around the corner and we’ll be able to get there IF Easton Hill really does open today and the students manage to get to their over-priced digs. Oh, and there will be at least another week without Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Sequel: Speaking Truth to Power” film at either of our cinemas…call-in campaign, perhaps? It IS playing at the Manor in Squirrel Hill, PA if you want to go on safari.

Keep Smiling…Just Jim