Friday, June 01, 2012

finishing fragments on Friday


Typically I write up my Friday Fragments on Thursday. Since I’m not a morning person it’s better to have my FF post ready for any international and early morning readers. This was a shorter week with Memorial Day holiday so that’s my excuse for a later FF post today. 

Play Monopoly? It’s been a long time since I played.  It's a favorite if you were not rushed for time.  Remember how you get $200 for just passing “GO”? Sure would be nice to find a pass “GO” station on the tollway. If you travel to Mrs. 4444’s blog you will find she has passed the 200 FF posting mark. 200 FF posts are worth more than 200 Monopoly bills.


Mommy's Idea


Want to buy some drachmas? Many of you are so sick of hearing bad economic news that you have tuned it out long ago. If you pick-up any investment related news then you probably heard about the Euro crisis. Now on the business channels you hear the word drachma come up because Greece may reach the point of being tossed out of the Eurozone. 

Back when I travel on business I usually kept a few bills and coins instead of converting them back and paying another fee. Because of the Euro creation much of my currency collection is no longer official currency. I might be able to find some buyers on ebay.


My wife and I went to Starved Rock state park on Memorial Day. They built a new visitor center since we were there last. I plan to post a few of the pictures from the trails soon. 

I claim that my wife tried to ditch me on the trails while I was photographing a stream. I continued down a trail for awhile before calling her cellphone. I was relieved that she answered. She had reversed direction and passed me without making verbal or eye contact. The whole mixed up was due to collective assumptions.


Don’t miss a once-in-a-lifetime event in space

Next Tuesday evening a planetary alignment will occur that will not happen again until 2117.  Venus will line up between Earth and Sun.  It's called transit.  I hope to watch this black dot cross the sun surface.  This alignment never took place during the whole 1900's.  It will be the evening of June 5th for North America and the morning of June 6th for Asia.  Being the non-morning person this timing works great for me.

Hey perhaps a future reader will read this post in some digital archive as evidence that there was some common interest in space events back in 2012.

Oh be safe.  Staring directly into the sun could permanently blind you.  The first included link shows a simple binocular method of projecting the image that I hope to use.  Here are a few Venus transit links:

Safe viewing
NASA's web site
Local transit times 




(proofreading provided by C. F. Eyecare)

28 comments:

OneStonedCrow said...

yup, the internet has changed things a lot hey ... remember when we used to have time to play Monopoly?

lisleman said...

 Yes times change.  After writing this I hope to get a board game going 
soon.  Monopoly or scrabble maybe.  I know many people play a scrabble
like game on their smartphones.

thanks for browsing by

Secret Agent Woman said...

I saw the transit of Venus in 2004, while on a barefoot cruise in the West Indies.  They provided us (the roughly 100 passengers) with the special glasses to watch.  It really did just look like the sun had a moving freckle.  Cool to witness, though.

lisleman said...

You might be the only person I know that saw that.  I didn't.  I would use special glasses but I didn't plan well enough.  When I went to find some online a week ago they were sold out.  Knowing what you are seeing makes it interesting.  Barefoot cruise - is that on a sailboat?

Profwaynewsmith said...

You never know the drachma may come back soon... 

lisleman said...

That is what some of the talking heads on CNBC are saying.

Frau said...

I lose my hubby in HomeDepot all the time.....never on a hiking trail....but then again i'm not a fan of hiking so I'm usually behind him whining! 

Stacy Artis said...

I would love to see the transit, but it will be a miracle if it isn't too cloudy.  We never get to see any of the cool stuff in the heavens because of cloud cover.  SW Pennsylvania is worse than Seattle these days.  :P

lisleman said...

The clouds might mess up my plans too.  You can watch it online but that's not as fun.  Hoping you have a clear sky.

lisleman said...

 Do they have a lost and found for husbands?  You know whining is for horses so you should take up singing on trail.  Remember the little guy song - Hi ho hi ho - oh wait that might be a rap song.  nevermind

savannah said...

what a great post, sugar, with so much information! i'd forgotten about the transit of venus which is actually rather insane since june 5th is the MITM's birthday and he has been constant in non-reminding reminders! i love your proofreader's name... xoxoxo

lisleman said...

C. F. Eyecare hires out if you need some proofreading.  He can sometimes be found at the liquor store proofreading.
thanks and tell MITM he gets a Venus transit on his birthday.

Pam said...

I heard about the Venus thing and hope I can remember to check it out. I remember those things we made in elementary school to watch the eclipse- I though it was so cool. Now it seems these space phenomena happen in the wee hours and I can't stay awake to enjoy them. LOL  

lisleman said...

Since we can't really see much of anything during the day except the sun most everything is happening at night.  The problem I have around here (common in most of the US) is city lights.  Depending on how dark it's around your home, the Milky Way may or may not be visible.  It's not visible here :(
The meteor showers are better in the middle of night too and I seldom stay up for them.

Barbara said...

I've never heard of a transit! Very cool! Thanks for the links on how to watch it safely. Love the picture of you and your wife passing each other on the path. lol

Barbara said...

Oh, and you are so right about monopoly - my friends and I would keep a game going all week in the summer!!

lisleman said...

I don't recall going a whole week but I played a few board games that stopped and were picked up the next day.  Glad to spread the word about the transit.  Gee I guess there could be some symbolism in path crossing with my wife.
thanks

TGL said...

I am too competitive for monopoly AND a sore loser to boot. Many are the day when I've upended a half finished board game. But that was mostly chess. 

Must keep an eye out for this black dot that you speak of!

afteam said...

Great dreams of great dreamers are always transcended.Guest house facility in Guindy 

lisleman said...

 playing a game should be relaxing.  thanks for sharing.

lisleman said...

playing these games should be relaxing.  thanks for sharing.

Laurie Matherne said...

While driving through Cajunland yesterday, I listened to a broadcast about the run on Greek banks. The drachma may return. Personally, I wish that Honduras would drop the lempira in favor of the dollar. El Salvador and Panama left their currency behind decades ago. 

lisleman said...

I didn't know that about El Salvador and Panama.  Seems weird to just use another country's money for everyday transactions.  I'm hoping they figure it out over there.
thanks

Laurie Matherne said...

Here's a thought: It's easier on this microcountries to trade with Big Brother when who acknowledges who is in control of security, trade, etc, in the region. If you can't beat 'em, join em.

Laurie Matherne said...

Lots of typos. Erase and start over. It's easier on micro-economices to trade with the US when they acknowledge who has the power, the military, the commerce that supports the regions. The CA countries are heavily dependent on the US economy. Less money is lost by not changing the currency. Honduras should swallow its pride and join the trend.

lisleman said...

(The edit feature works too you know)  I accept typos since I create so many of them.
You are right about swallowing pride but there are many  better symbols of culture than their currency.  I don't know anything about the arrangements between the US and these CA countries.  I suspect the Eurozone and Greece arrangement must include some support deal beyond just using the Euro.  You make a good point but I'm no economist so what do I know.

unknownmami said...

Your care for your international, early morning, and future readers is commendable. 

lisleman said...

 thanks for noticing.

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