Today's life lesson from the world of XKCD

[Dimensional Traveler]

Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
(And don't forget the hover-over text.)


--
Inquiring minds want to know while minds with a self-preservation
instinct are running screaming.

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

In article <omsnoq$nb7$1...@dont-email.me>,

Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
>Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
>(And don't forget the hover-over text.)
>
>

OTOH, somebody else may bring water:

http://www.peanuts.com/comicstrips/3257907/#.WZHlBnApCCi
--
------
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

[Peter Trei]

On Monday, August 14, 2017 at 2:00:08 PM UTC-4, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> In article <omsnoq$nb7$1...@dont-email.me>,
> Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
> >Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
> >(And don't forget the hover-over text.)

> OTOH, somebody else may bring water:
>
> http://www.peanuts.com/comicstrips/3257907/#.WZHlBnApCCi

Peanuts did a whole week of strips for the 1963 eclipse.
Here's a link, but unfortunately, its in reverse order; start at the
end and work back.

http://www.peanuts.com/search/?keyword=eclipse&type=comic_strips&cpage=2#.WZHy_caQzmE

pt

[Dorothy J Heydt]

In article <omsnoq$nb7$1...@dont-email.me>,
Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:

>Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
>(And don't forget the hover-over text.)
>

If only it wouldn't disappear so quickly.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com

[Kevrob]

6-year-old me actually built one of Linus's projection
devices to watch that eclipse. It kinda worked, too!

Kevin R

[Robert Carnegie]

With a slightly longer wait, you can use:
<http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page>
Where the coda joke is displayed below the comic.

Windows 10 God Damn It (strictly "Creators Update")
gives my tablet a simulated-pointing-device option,
a virtual trackpad, without which (or an actual
pointing-device) hover text such as on XKCD isn't
accessible.

[Steve Coltrin]

begin fnord

djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) writes:

> In article <omsnoq$nb7$1...@dont-email.me>,
> Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
>>Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
>>(And don't forget the hover-over text.)
>>
> If only it wouldn't disappear so quickly.

"There were traffic jams for the eclipses in 1970 and 1979, and that
was *before* we had the potential for overnight viral social media
frenzies."

--
Steve Coltrin spco...@omcl.org Google Groups killfiled here
"A group known as the League of Human Dignity helped arrange for Deuel
to be driven to a local livestock scale, where he could be weighed."
- Associated Press

[Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)]

On 8/14/17 2:00 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> In article <omsnoq$nb7$1...@dont-email.me>,
> Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
>> Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
>> (And don't forget the hover-over text.)
>>
>>
>
> OTOH, somebody else may bring water:
>
> http://www.peanuts.com/comicstrips/3257907/#.WZHlBnApCCi
>

` You stay standing in the rain to hide your tears.

--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Website: http://www.grandcentralarena.com Blog:
http://seawasp.dreamwidth.org

[Kevrob]

On Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at 7:38:35 AM UTC-4, Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor) wrote:
> On 8/14/17 2:00 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> > In article <omsnoq$nb7$1...@dont-email.me>,
> > Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
> >> Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
> >> (And don't forget the hover-over text.)
> >>
> >>
> >
> > OTOH, somebody else may bring water:
> >
> > http://www.peanuts.com/comicstrips/3257907/#.WZHlBnApCCi
> >
>
>
> ` You stay standing in the rain to hide your tears.

Wisdom from the Temps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-es4Q8AJaU

Kevin R

[Peter Trei]

On Monday, August 14, 2017 at 8:56:05 PM UTC-4, Steve Coltrin wrote:
> begin fnord
> djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) writes:
>
> > In article <omsnoq$nb7$1...@dont-email.me>,
> > Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
> >>Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
> >>(And don't forget the hover-over text.)
> >>
> > If only it wouldn't disappear so quickly.
>
> "There were traffic jams for the eclipses in 1970 and 1979, and that
> was *before* we had the potential for overnight viral social media
> frenzies."

Over on https://www.reddit.com/r/solareclipse things are starting to get
panicky over traffic and accommodations (hotel are rooms getting cancelled,
and apparently re-rented at 10x the original price).

There's an astonishingly detailed analysis of the expected traffic situation
here: https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/statistics/

pt

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

In article <a038651b-bc47-4fe1...@googlegroups.com>,

We drover 150 miles in 1970 and I don't recall any traffic problems.
Certainly once we got to our destination (Pawleys Island SC) there were
no more folks on the island than you would expect in the off season
(at that time, basically none..).

[Peter Trei]

The price gouging on hotel rooms is real, and indicates that in some areas,
accommodations are maxed out.

I just price checked the Cody, Wy Super 8: $309 for the night before the
eclipse, $160 a week later.

pt

[Scott Lurndal]

Peter Trei <pete...@gmail.com> writes:
>On Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at 9:33:43 AM UTC-4, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
>> In article <a038651b-bc47-4fe1...@googlegroups.com>,

>> We drover 150 miles in 1970 and I don't recall any traffic problems.
>> Certainly once we got to our destination (Pawleys Island SC) there were
>> no more folks on the island than you would expect in the off season
>> (at that time, basically none..).
>
>The price gouging on hotel rooms is real, and indicates that in some areas,
>accommodations are maxed out.
>
>I just price checked the Cody, Wy Super 8: $309 for the night before the
>eclipse, $160 a week later.

Supply vs. Demand. I'd not call it gouging, it's not like one must
travel to the totality zone, and camping is always an alternative.

[D B Davis]

My home town of Casper Wyoming is at ground zero for this eclipse.
Casper's in the high desert and tends to be dry (in case you haven't
noticed, LOL). The eclipse starts at 11:43 MDT on Monday and lasts for
2 minutes and 26 seconds. The weather forecast for that date is:

Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy.
Highs in the lower to mid 80s.

The Astronomical League booked all of the available rooms in Casper
years ago. Campgrounds were also booked years ago.

People from around the world intend to land their jets at the airport
and view the eclipse from the tarmac. All of those slots are booked.

One guy told me that he thinks that automobiles will slowly ingress
into the town during the days leading up to the eclipse. Five minutes
after the eclipse there will be massive gridlock when everyone tries
to leave town at the same time.

There's a rather nasty dystopic rumor going around that at least one
nearby town has ordered five hundred body bags. Apparently some cults
feel the need to commit suicide during an eclipse to reach nirvana.

Prognosticators predict that anywhere from thirty thousand to one
hundred thousand people will visit my town, which has a nominal
population of forty thousand people. Sturgis South Dakota lies a couple
of hundred miles to the East of Casper. A record one million people
visited that town for the 75th Sturgis motorcycle rally. One person
pointed out that most people arrived at Sturgis on tiny, maneuverable,
two-wheeled motorcycles, and not on large, massive, four wheeled
vehicles.

OTOH, the 2017 eclipse path stretches for thousands of miles. So there's
little need for non-professional observers to gather at one specific
location. The best advice for most people is to simply live in the
moment, experience the eclipse, and leave the videos to the pros.

Thank you,

--
Don

[Harold Hill]

On Monday, August 14, 2017 at 5:09:25 PM UTC-4, Robert Carnegie wrote:
> On Monday, 14 August 2017 21:15:05 UTC+1, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> > In article <omsnoq$nb7$1...@dont-email.me>,
> > Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
> > >Bring water. https://xkcd.com/1876/
> > >(And don't forget the hover-over text.)
> > >
> > If only it wouldn't disappear so quickly.
> >
> > --
> > Dorothy J. Heydt
> > Vallejo, California
> > djheydt at gmail dot com
>
> With a slightly longer wait, you can use:
> <http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page>
> Where the coda joke is displayed below the comic.
>

Or, use the mobile version, m.xkcd.com. That gives a alt-text that you can click on and it just stays displayed.

--
-Harold Hill

[Peter Trei]

Perhaps. Its actually come down a bit. A couple months ago they wanted $1000.

pt

[Scott Lurndal]

Now, the $160 rate for a Super 8 (remember, that originally meant $8/night)
in rural Wyoming, does seem to be gouging. Ah, I see it's close to
Jellystone park, that explains it.

[Jack Bohn]

Among the things D B Davis wrote:

> The Astronomical League booked all of the available rooms in Casper
> years ago. Campgrounds were also booked years ago.

It's like they knew it was coming!

--
-Jack

[Ahasuerus]

On Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at 10:50:47 AM UTC-4, D B Davis wrote:
[snip]

> My home town of Casper Wyoming is at ground zero for this eclipse.
> Casper's in the high desert and tends to be dry (in case you haven't
> noticed, LOL). The eclipse starts at 11:43 MDT on Monday and lasts for
> 2 minutes and 26 seconds. The weather forecast for that date is:
>
> Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy.
> Highs in the lower to mid 80s.

[snip]

... except during the eclipse. One of the more memorable things about
an eclipse is how quickly and precipitously the temperature drops.

[Peter Trei]

I just looked at Expedia for Casper, which is right on the totality line.
I see just 7 rooms available, 2 at $2100, 5 for $1346. A week later, the latter is $70, and the former is still booked up.

$70 -> $1346 is a big jump.

pt

[Scott Lurndal]

Kinda like a courtside seat at a Warriors game.

[D B Davis]

You might want to take Expedia's claims with a grain of salt. The
surveillance system at a very (most?) popular local motel falls under my
purview. Mercy! The stories that are told by that system. But we'll save
those tales for another day.

This motel heavily networks with all of the other motels in town, and
they assure me that there's no vacancy. OTOH, situations are always
fluid, people cancel reservations, and so forth.

My sister-in-law in Cody says that she sees a marked increase in the
number of tourists in town. Cody sits about an hour away from the East
Gate of Yellowstone National Park.

The motel seasons in both Cody and Casper alternate between a three
month summer season and a nine month school season. On weekends during
the summer season motels typically fill up with tourists. On weekends
during the school season motels typically fill up with out-of-town
school sports teams.

During the recent oil boom some motels became quasi apartment complexes
and rented rooms to oil field workers by the week or by the month at
exorbitant rates. But the owner of "my" motel wanted none of that. He's
a smart man. That's why people in-the-know put his motel at the top of
their list.

Anyhow, it looks like every traditional summer event, except for the
Central Wyoming State Fair, has now been crammed into "eclipse weekend."
One of the more exotic offerings is eclipse yoga. There's multiple
simultaneous athletic events, music festivals, dance events, stage acts,
public picnics, and talks. The Astronomical League's professional talks
are probably not open to the public.

Thank you,

--
Don

[Peter Trei]

A couple months ago, we (belatedly) tried to find space in the area. The
Motel 6 was $1000/night at that point, so we gave up one that, and made
other arrangements.

I've seen reports of people with long-standing, inexpensive reservations
getting told that their hotel is 'closing' for 'unexpected maintenance' on
the 20th, and so their reservation won't be honored. Various State
Justice Departments are getting involved.

pt

pt

[D B Davis]

You said it. It's only too easy to imagine that a shady operator
(psycho) who jacks rates from $70 to $1346 will also overbook. Pity the
people with reservations who arrive and find themselves in a
cash-on-the-barrel-head bidding war for one of the remaining rooms.

Thank you,

--
Don

[Jesper Lauridsen]

On Tuesday, 15 August 2017 16:50:47 UTC+2, D B Davis wrote:
>
> My home town of Casper Wyoming is at ground zero for this eclipse.
> Casper's in the high desert and tends to be dry (in case you haven't
> noticed, LOL). The eclipse starts at 11:43 MDT on Monday and lasts for
> 2 minutes and 26 seconds. The weather forecast for that date is:
>
> Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy.
> Highs in the lower to mid 80s.

I have booked into Sheridan, hoping to beat the traffic by being north
of it. Unfortunately forecasts are getting worse and worse.

[D B Davis]

Those menacing Lows in the Great Northwest can't be good. :( OTOH if
those Rocky Mountain Highs stall out everything will be perfect.

http://weather.unisys.com/forecast.php?Name=82601

MONDAY
HI: 82
Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 80s.

The temperature was in the forty's this morning with my birth sign Ares,
along with Triangulum, Perseus, Pegasus, and Cassiopeia high in the dark
morning sky. Orion's partially visible on the Eastern horizon. Trees
tend block the view of Ursa Major from my house.

Thank you,

--
Don

[Peter Trei]

After finding myself priced out of Casper, I had to look for other options.

I decided to roll the dice, and arranged house-sitters.

I'm booked on Royal Caribbean's oddly-named 'Oasis of the Seas', which will
sail in the path of the totality Monday afternoon.

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/7NightEasternCaribbeanCruise-OA07E154

It was surprisingly affordable.

Unknowns:

* Crowding. OotS is a *big* boat, with 5000-6000 passengers. While
not all will be eclipse nerds, and many will be drawn by the DNCE
'Eclipse Concert', I suspect my favored viewing spot (top deck, stern,
at the rail) may be quite popular.

* Weather. Its the North Atlantic, in hurricane season. I'm managing my
expectations by I'm telling myself I have a 50:50 chance of clear skies.

Even if I can't see the sun, I'll see it get dark. I'll have to console myself
with merely being on a 7 night luxury cruise to the Bahamas.

South America is in two years, and the next US one is in seven (and is a
much easier drive).

pt

[D B Davis]

John Walker, of AutoCad fame, likes to view eclipses. He watched the
2008 eclipse from the deck of a boat. [1] The eclipse was clearly
visible through a partially overcast sky. If anything the clouds helped
to mitigate the Sun's glare.

Note.

1. https://www.fourmilab.ch/images/eclipse_2008/L026.html

Thank you,

--
Don

[Default User]

On Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at 10:13:23 AM UTC-5, Peter Trei wrote:

> South America is in two years, and the next US one is in seven (and is a
> much easier drive).

Carbondale IL is the largest city that is well into the totality area for both 2017 and 2024. The actual best spot for both is like a wilderness area or something.


Brian

[Moriarty]

On Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 1:13:23 AM UTC+10, Peter Trei wrote:
<snip>

> After finding myself priced out of Casper, I had to look for other options.
>
> I decided to roll the dice, and arranged house-sitters.
>
> I'm booked on Royal Caribbean's oddly-named 'Oasis of the Seas', which will
> sail in the path of the totality Monday afternoon.
>
> https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/7NightEasternCaribbeanCruise-OA07E154
>
> It was surprisingly affordable.
>
> Unknowns:
>
> * Crowding. OotS is a *big* boat, with 5000-6000 passengers. While
> not all will be eclipse nerds, and many will be drawn by the DNCE
> 'Eclipse Concert', I suspect my favored viewing spot (top deck, stern,
> at the rail) may be quite popular.
>
> * Weather. Its the North Atlantic, in hurricane season. I'm managing my
> expectations by I'm telling myself I have a 50:50 chance of clear skies.
>
> Even if I can't see the sun, I'll see it get dark. I'll have to console myself
> with merely being on a 7 night luxury cruise to the Bahamas.

You may(*) want to re-think that. I've just read that Royal Caribbean have hired Bonnie Taylor to sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" at the exact moment the eclipse starts. If anything's guaranteed to raise sunken R'Lyeh from the deep, it's that.

(*) Unless big-haired, 80s power ballads are your thing. In which case, carry on! Give my regards to Cthulhu.

-Moriarty

[Joe Pfeiffer]

I think that may have the squickiest video of any song I've ever seen....

[Cryptoengineer]

Moriarty <blu...@ivillage.com> wrote in
news:2645cb32-747c-46fc...@googlegroups.com:

That would be sooo appropriate. I knew there was a 'mystery performer',
but didn't know who.

I'm honestly more interested in experiencing the eclipse. Doing so
on a crowded ship isn't my ideal, but what I could get. I intend
to be as high as I can, with a view of the sun, and also to the
west: I hope to see the shadow rushing in at 1800 mph, for one
thing, and the viewlines out from the stern amphitheatre were
the concert is held are pretty constrained:

https://chocolatecitytravel.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/rci_oasis_aerial0
07.jpg

I'm still thinking I have a 50:50 chance of seeing anything.

pt

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

In article <1bo9rdw...@pfeifferfamily.net>,

You have never experienced it until you've experienced it like *this*:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgWUq0fdKk

[Juho Julkunen]

In article <XnsA7D4F29FFB...@216.166.97.131>,
treif...@gmail.com says...

>
> I'm honestly more interested in experiencing the eclipse. Doing so
> on a crowded ship isn't my ideal, but what I could get. I intend
> to be as high as I can, with a view of the sun, and also to the

It didn't occur to me to watch the eclipse high, but then I was only
twelve at the time.

It was at five in the morning, so the sun was still rather low in the
sky.

--
Juho Julkunen

[Titus G]

On 17/08/17 03:13, Peter Trei wrote:

> Even if I can't see the sun, I'll see it get dark. I'll have to console myself
> with merely being on a 7 night luxury cruise to the Bahamas.

This has been a fascinating thread for me as I was barely interested in
the cartoon not realising it was more than just a joke.
I would be interested in hearing your thoughts about the cruise as well
as your experience of viewing the eclipse. Thank you.

[D B Davis]

The short version seems to be the thing for hundreds of millions:
303,583,495 views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo

The longer, less popular, version works best for me:
606,295 views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcVdQXwjQcw

Then there's _Wuthering Heights_:
46,605 views https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B4ieRgp9Rk

Catherine
You and Edgar have broken my heart. And now... you come to me
as if you were the one to be pitied. I shall not pity you.
- You've killed me.

Heathcliff

-No...

Catherine
Will you forget me? Will you be happy when I'm in the earth?

Heathcliff
Are you possessed with the devil to talk in that manner to me
when you're dying? Can't you see that all those words
will be branded in my memory and eating deeper eternally while
you are at peace?

Catherine
I shall not be at peace. I don't mean to torture you.
Please, Heathcliff...do come to me. Please.

Heathcliff
Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy? You loved me...
and what right had you to leave me? The poor fancy you
felt for Linton? Nothing that God or Satan could inflict
would have parted us. You, of your own will, did it.
I've not broken your heart, Cathy. You have broken it,
and in breaking it, you've broken mine.

Thank you,

--
Don

[David Goldfarb]

In article <evn741...@mid.individual.net>,
Ted Nolan <tednolan> <tednolan> wrote:
["Total Eclipse of the Heart" video]

>You have never experienced it until you've experienced it like *this*:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgWUq0fdKk

This version briefly turned Making Light into a "Total Eclipse of
the Heart"-themed blog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K64ipl_xwqY

--
David Goldfarb |"It's okay to disagree with me. However, once I
goldf...@gmail.com |explain where you're wrong you're supposed to
gold...@ocf.berkeley.edu |become enlightened and change your mind.
|Congratulating me on how smart I am is optional."
| -- Karl Johanson

[Anthony Nance]

Oh that's awesome - I had no idea that existed. Thanks!
- Tony

[Cryptoengineer]

Titus G <no...@nowhere.com> wrote in news:on5q4d$vbg$1...@dont-email.me:

A lot of people have seen partial eclipses. That's all I've seen up
to this point in my life. However, I'm aware that a total eclipse is
a totally different animal, quite literally the difference between
day and night.

It is definitely a bucket list item.

Read this:
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/08/annie-dillards-total-
eclipse/536148/

or view this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgxZ4H3gJ8c

"If someone tells you they 'think' they once saw a total eclipse, they
haven't. That's like a woman saying she 'thinks' she may have given
birth."

pt

[Jerry Brown]

On Thu, 17 Aug 2017 20:16:53 -0700 (PDT), Moriarty
<blu...@ivillage.com> wrote:

>On Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 1:13:23 AM UTC+10, Peter Trei wrote:
><snip>
>
>> After finding myself priced out of Casper, I had to look for other options.
>>
>> I decided to roll the dice, and arranged house-sitters.
>>
>> I'm booked on Royal Caribbean's oddly-named 'Oasis of the Seas', which will
>> sail in the path of the totality Monday afternoon.
>>
>> https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/7NightEasternCaribbeanCruise-OA07E154
>>
>> It was surprisingly affordable.
>>
>> Unknowns:
>>
>> * Crowding. OotS is a *big* boat, with 5000-6000 passengers. While
>> not all will be eclipse nerds, and many will be drawn by the DNCE
>> 'Eclipse Concert', I suspect my favored viewing spot (top deck, stern,
>> at the rail) may be quite popular.
>>
>> * Weather. Its the North Atlantic, in hurricane season. I'm managing my
>> expectations by I'm telling myself I have a 50:50 chance of clear skies.
>>
>> Even if I can't see the sun, I'll see it get dark. I'll have to console myself
>> with merely being on a 7 night luxury cruise to the Bahamas.
>
>You may(*) want to re-think that. I've just read that Royal Caribbean have hired Bonnie Taylor

"Tyler"

>to sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" at the exact moment the eclipse starts. If anything's guaranteed to raise sunken R'Lyeh from the deep, it's that.
>
>(*) Unless big-haired, 80s power ballads are your thing. In which case, carry on! Give my regards to Cthulhu.
>
>-Moriarty

--
Jerry Brown

A cat may look at a king
(but probably won't bother)

[Default User]

On Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 11:01:09 PM UTC-5, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:

> You have never experienced it until you've experienced it like *this*:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgWUq0fdKk

I had 99% certainty what that was without clicking. But I did anyway because - totally worth it!


Brian

[Default User]

On Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 10:16:57 PM UTC-5, Moriarty wrote:

> You may(*) want to re-think that. I've just read that Royal Caribbean have hired Bonnie Taylor to sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" at the exact moment the eclipse starts. If anything's guaranteed to raise sunken R'Lyeh from the deep, it's that.

ObSF (like anyone gives a shit anymore) - So a violation of the DEEP BLUE HADES treaty?


Brian

[Kevrob]

If the Big C shows up, we'll "need a Hero." :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBwS66EBUcY

Could Arthur Curry make Chthulu go sleepy-bye?

I'd prefer having Namor Mackenzie rip him apart and sever him
up in pieces for a shore lunch. If Old Ghodz are edible.

Kevin R

[Dimensional Traveler]

"...And I've joined the Glee Club of The Damned..."

ROFLMAO


--
Inquiring minds want to know while minds with a self-preservation
instinct are running screaming.

[Default User]

On Friday, August 18, 2017 at 10:20:28 AM UTC-5, Cryptoengineer wrote:

> A lot of people have seen partial eclipses. That's all I've seen up
> to this point in my life. However, I'm aware that a total eclipse is
> a totally different animal, quite literally the difference between
> day and night.

Yeah, there have been a few partials here, and they were interesting. Currently the forecast for the St. Louis region is promising, so I'll be planning to travel a bit south to get into the totality area. I have my safety glasses ready.


Brian

[Robert Carnegie]

On Friday, 18 August 2017 18:48:30 UTC+1, Jerry Brown wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Aug 2017 20:16:53 -0700 (PDT), Moriarty
> <blu...@ivillage.com> wrote:
>
> >On Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 1:13:23 AM UTC+10, Peter Trei wrote:
> ><snip>
> >
> >> After finding myself priced out of Casper, I had to look for other options.
> >>
> >> I decided to roll the dice, and arranged house-sitters.
> >>
> >> I'm booked on Royal Caribbean's oddly-named 'Oasis of the Seas', which will
> >> sail in the path of the totality Monday afternoon.
> >>
> >> https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/7NightEasternCaribbeanCruise-OA07E154
> >>
> >> It was surprisingly affordable.
> >>
> >> Unknowns:
> >>
> >> * Crowding. OotS is a *big* boat, with 5000-6000 passengers. While
> >> not all will be eclipse nerds, and many will be drawn by the DNCE
> >> 'Eclipse Concert', I suspect my favored viewing spot (top deck, stern,
> >> at the rail) may be quite popular.
> >>
> >> * Weather. Its the North Atlantic, in hurricane season. I'm managing my
> >> expectations by I'm telling myself I have a 50:50 chance of clear skies.
> >>
> >> Even if I can't see the sun, I'll see it get dark. I'll have to console myself
> >> with merely being on a 7 night luxury cruise to the Bahamas.
> >
> >You may(*) want to re-think that. I've just read that Royal Caribbean have hired Bonnie Taylor
>
> "Tyler"

Or Langford?

> >to sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" at the exact
> >moment the eclipse starts. If anything's guaranteed
> >to raise sunken R'Lyeh from the deep, it's that.

I wonder if renewed activity by "The Darkness" -
Justin Hawkins was a guest on radio the other night -
is tying in to this opportunity.

I'm not crazy about the event. I see the Sun's light
getting blocked by another space body every twenty-four
hours or so. On the other hand, I happen to like "our"
star, so why would I want to watch it being eaten by
the space demon?