Image of the day

Captured by
GERALD KREITZBURG

Eastern Veil Nebula

My Account

New to Astromart?

Register an account...

Need Help?

Posts Made By: Tom Rodstrom

May 20, 2006 03:01 AM Forum: Telescope Making

Perplexing Refractor

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

The lens is from am opaque projector. It is designed to project a picture of a brightly lit object inside the machine onto a wall 10 to 20 feet away. It is not designed to focus at infinity and performs poorly as a telescope. I doubt that it can handle anything over 15X at all and that would be a 25mm eyepiece.

Opaque projector lenses come in different focal lengths. I think that 15 inches is the most common. The 18 inch lens may be better than I've seen with the 15 inch versions.

Good Luck
Tom

November 11, 2006 02:16 AM Forum: Politics

Stroll down memory lane

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

TR - 11/02/05

"As I've said in the past, Republicans will be lucky if there isn't a bounty on them before Bush done!"

http://www.astromart.com/forums/viewpost.asp?forum_post_id=386205&poll_id=&news_id=&page=

We still have two years before the next election. By that time the housing bubble will take the economy down and it will be clear that it will take decades to clear up the Bush mess!


June 18, 2007 08:55 PM Forum: Politics

Libby Trial/Bush's Hardcore Base

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

Rod Kaufman said:

What's left of Bush's hardcore base (28% approval rating as per latest poll) is evidently taking a break from their bible study classes (advanced) in order to write to the judge in the Libby trial with such hatred that the judge is saving the mail in case something happens to him.
One wonders why they're acting so irrationally when, in all likelihood, Libby will receive a pardon from Bush, especially when you take into account Libby's wife has stated publically that if her husband does any time, they'll xxxx 'em if they don't get a pardon.
The Bush crew, in fine form....
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/14/ap/preswho/main2929393.shtml

June 24, 2007 04:34 PM Forum: Politics

Above The Law

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

Much, much worse.

"Cheney has even succeeded in getting President Bush to give him the power to prevent the release of vice presidential papers after Cheney leaves office."

"Cheney's inventive argument is that because the vice president also serves as president of the Senate, his is "a unique office" that is not part of but rather "attached to" the legislative branch. Yet the vice president is funded and housed by the executive branch, travels on Air Force Two, enjoys Secret Service protection and seldom appears in his (mostly symbolic) Senate office. And he has never subjected his staff to the even more restrictive Senate rules on handling classified material. Apparently, Cheney sees himself as a fourth branch of government that enjoys all the authority of the presidency but is bound by none of its rules."

"On Friday, the White House defended Cheney yet again, saying the president never intended the veep to have to comply with the presidential order. Bush should stop enabling his errant No. 2 and enforce the rule of law"

June 29, 2007 11:19 PM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

Do you believe in ghosts?

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

Of course there are ghosts. For proof, just look at the Politics forum. PK is back! wink wink wink


September 5, 2007 05:01 AM Forum: Politics

Very good news!

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

Jim Babcock said:

Simply put President Bush gets all of the blame for everything from Iraq to male pattern baldness. The MSM and their friends on the left ignore all good news or give credit elsewhere. This President is a big boy and we all understand the politics played by the left.

President Bush is in great company when it comes to leaders on the left trying to use untruths, scare tactics and spin to convince the public that their opinions are worth listening to. They hated it when President Reagan told Gorby to tear down the wall, but they hated it even more when his programs brought down the USSR. Jane Fonda and the actions of others on the left are well documented. I have read about the left and their appeasement attitudes during WWII. This is nothing new.

The left has been consistent through history in supporting policies that are remarkably similar to the enemies of this country. They have continuously pressed their peacenik agenda and therefore must do everything they can to not allow the US to have any military or diplomatic victory, especially if the President is a Republican. It is sad how they come out of the woodwork when the US has a success to either take credit themselves or give credit to some third party.

History will give the President both the blame and credit for what happens on his watch.
Simply put, Bush gets the blame for his failed policies. I know that you are a retired civil servant (intelligence service as I recall) and that you are a contractor supporting the military in Afghanistan, but surely you must realize by now that:

1. Bush's war with Iraq was an ill advised, poorly planned disaster.
2. The war in Iraq has turned millions of moderate Muslim's against us.
3. Any victory in negotiations with North Korea pales in comparison to the damage done in the middle east.



September 10, 2007 11:40 PM Forum: Politics

Re: Isn't it great...

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

Jim Babcock said:

Al Gore has been very vocal and gotten a lot of press on the topic of global warming. Interestingly most of this occurred once he and Billy were out of office. So his opportunity to have a real impact was lost.

The reason that he gets so much attention when he gets caught on this issue is because his followers are the same ones who point out any hypocrisy by Republicans. So what comes around goes around. He is as much a hypocrite as the idiot Republican who played footsie in the bathroom. Using the logic that was presented by those of the left here on this forum, based on his hypocrisy he is not credible when it comes to the global warming issue. Additionally, he is less than credible because he used pseudo-science in his movie about global warming where he is essentially saying that anyone except the most extreme dooms day chicken littles are global warming deniers.

All of this is OK. In a short while Hillary will be President and we will then see global warming disappear as an issue. I am sure that as part of the Clinton duo, which is composed of the most brilliant people on the planet, she MUST by now have a plan to save us all from certain extinction due to global warming. 8O
Unlike yourself and your STUPORHERO in the white house, Gore believes that global warming is a serious problem. Bush tried to pretend it didn't exist and hoped it would go away. Since the consequences of global warming COULD BE devastating I would like to see us error on the side of caution BEFORE it is too late. Sadly, because global warming is so difficult to reverse, it may be too late to avoid catastrophic consequences.

Imagine how nice it would be for you Republicans if Rumsfeld erred on the side of caution and used enough troops and planning to prevent the disaster we now have in Iraq.


September 25, 2007 03:31 PM Forum: Politics

Re: Bush advising Clinton

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

Clinton was a horn dog, certainly not a moral standard bearer. It could have been worse. He did waste a good cigar, but even I would have been uncomfortable is he had kept a battery powered device ready in the oval office. wink


October 4, 2007 02:09 PM Forum: Politics

This Politico is almost quaint

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

The bright side is that he was a Democrat and the picture was of a nude woman. I imagine that he also uses toilet stalls for their intended purpose. wink


October 4, 2007 11:34 PM Forum: Politics

Interesting piece on Bush by the BBC

Posted By Tom Rodstrom

"Even the most ardent Bush-basher has to admit that W has evolved"

Too little to late. He only evolved because he realized that he was going to be tagged (rightfully so) as the worst president in a century.