atx_aquarian

I'd had this over my front door for however long it took for them to build it. My pest control service said the size of the nest can affect how aggressively defensive they might respond to perceived intruders. I guess maybe I was just lucky we caught this one before it got any more developed.

I thought it was because he’s afraid he sounds like he's saying "lion" instead of "lying", and he doesn't want to risk sounding complimentary.

Data can be beautiful. I just found a similar but maybe clearer example from 2016 with a nice write-up about it.

Teaser from that article:

I think the common term for these is "cartogram".

For me, it's helpful to remember what the underlying reality is.

Skewed for population and colored on a red-blue scale to reflect vote mix.

When those votes are counted, the resulting electoral votes align to those votes, which results in maps like what you showed. When strategists tune their messages to target demographics they can divide (e.g., rural vs. urban), they're playing a game of inches and shades on this map of purple goo, and that's still the reality behind the ultimate electoral vote, even if it doesn't feel like it.

Keep voting, everyone!

edits: So much autocorrect.

warships

Ooh, what we got?

The naval group, consisting of a training ship, patrol frigate and refueling tanker,

Oh, *cough* ha, ok.

The arrival of the vessels comes mere weeks after another squadron of Russian warships, including a powerful nuclear-powered submarine, visited Havana as part of planned military exercises last month.

Oh, well, ok, I guess.

Small event that may only have been exciting to me.

I'm casually into amateur astronomy and stargazing. I like to count satellites if I'm outside on summer evenings, maybe haul the telescope out if some night is particularly clear. But I really don't get out very often. Emphasis on "casual."

We moved to our current house some years ago and were just enjoying the nice, big backyard for one of the first times, sitting in some folding chairs fully reclined to look straight up at the sky. Whenever we do that, which is maybe once every several years, even then it's always too cold, too hot, too many mosquitos, etc., so this was rare and nice.

Right above our heads, right where we were both looking, an Iridium flare swept across us. I'd heard of those satellites reflecting "flares" being particularly spectacular, and I'd thought about trying to get in the path of a predicted one someday, but I don't think I really thought I'd ever really make the effort or have any luck if I did. Not expecting it and seeing it happen, I couldn't decide if I was dreaming. I hopped on heavens-above.com right afterwards and, although I didn't see that flare predicted, it confirmed an Iridium pass had coincided with the sighting, so I'm convinced.

So, something spectacular and somewhat scarce that many people wouldn't notice and many would either find boring or think was a UFO was something we got lucky to accidentally see together right in our backyard.

Am I understanding this correctly? NOLA was arguing that, since they tax satellite radio for listeners in their city, they should be able to tax internet streams for the same listeners? If so, I feel like the two things should be comparably applicable (if it weren't for the ITFA), but also fuck all the way off, NOLA government. Get fucked, seriously.

Eating plants isn't more expensive than eating meat, just eating plant-based attempts at mimicking meat.

In anything, if you want to go

From just a beginning to a pro

You need a montage! (Montage!)

Even Rocky had a montage (Montage!)

edit: Oh, but sorry, not under 30. I'll see myself out.

The occupation of a person’s non-residential property without their permission is not a crime in England

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edit: TIL! Thanks for reminding me that if something seems far out, chances are that my understanding just hasn't caught up.

WPWJG?

Does anyone not see a howling wolf there?