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Posts Made By: Steve Hollenbach

October 4, 2010 02:38 PM Forum: Home Observatories

Observatory Orientation

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

Hi Louis,
I had similar problems with where to locate a dome observatory on my property, mostly due to neighbor's floodlights and a stand of mature cacti. It's due south of the tallest cactus, which is about twenty three feet high and forty feet away.

I can see everyhing within 10* of Polaris. I'm pretty much unobstructed to the south. There's a mountain range to the east but just under 15*. The city of Phoenix is west of me so anything below 35* from that horizon is in the light dome.

Anything within 15* of horizon is not going to show up well anyway just because of atmosphere. I mounted the dome six feet up to keep my eyes well away from the anoying lights, and the scope is tucked in with just enough vertical space to give me that 15* and let the lip of the dome block direct light from the floodlights down the road.

Hope that helps.
Thanks,
Steve
8)

October 28, 2010 03:11 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

What mount is this?

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

Jimmy Vick said:

I am looking at buying and older C14 from a guy. I cant tell if the mount in a Losmandy G11 or an Older Celestron CGE. Any help would be great.

Ron's right. It's a CI-700 all right. I owned one for years. A good solid mount, but a C-14 might be a bit much. If it starts slipping the O-rings are dirty. Just remove the knurled knobs on the RA drive and clean off the grease. The bearings are where that belongs. I'd think you'll be OK for visual observation. You might need an extra counterweight.

Steve
8)

November 14, 2010 02:16 AM Forum: Politics

GWB - President of the Century?

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

Lee Spain said:

GWB looked very comfortable in his interview with Hannity and it was interesting to gain a little insight into his decision making process. I'm looking forward to reading his book.

So far, I think he is the best president of the 21st century! wink How about you guys?

How about the worst in US history!

Two front war, one of which (Iraq) was for his buddies who are getting very fat on our tax money.

His biggest oil buddy and business partner is the brother of our worst enemy by the way. No big deal. Really want Bin Ladden? Look in Saudi Arabia.

Major failures in diplomacy, bypassing or running rough-shod over the UN.

Major flaw in understanding how terrorism works, attacking Iraq allowing al Queda to grow and send thousands to their biggest training camp ever.

Major flaw in understanding how modern conventional war works. It's not really profitable.

Got rid of the Clinton surplus and replaced it with a trillion in debt and a downward spiral.

Presided over the dissassembly of all the regulation that hold the financial markets together. You know, those pesky rules that prevent another "Great Depression"...well we're in it now. Housing market lost an estimated 12 trillion in value, and it cascaded from there. Oh he & his buddies made out with billions. Some of them live in the Caymen Islands.

Think back to how his legislation and decisions put us in this mess. Do the math. There is no best of the 21st century. The way things are going we won't live to see the best.

Steve

November 23, 2010 09:26 PM Forum: No Holds Barred

Contrail revisited...

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

Doug Matulis said:

Although the U.S. Defense Department and North American Aerospace Defense Command have speculated publicly that the unidentified contrail of a projectile soaring into the skies off the California coast – and recorded by a KCBS television crew – came from a jet and posed no security threat to the U.S., several experts are raising provocative and disturbing questions about the government's official response.

Who?

Two governmental military experts with extensive experience working with missiles and computer security systems have examined the television video and conclude the mysterious contrail originating some 30 miles off the coast near Los Angeles did not come from a jet – but rather, they say the exhaust and the billowing plume emanated from a single source nozzle of a missile, probably made in China.

Again who? Credible eye witness? Someone grandstanding? someone with access to more footage than on the internet?

They further suggest the missile was fired from a submerged Chinese nuclear submarine off America's coast, and point out that the timing of the alleged Chinese missile shot coincided with an increasing confrontation between the U.S. and China, and was likely meant to send a message to Washington. Indeed, the Federal Aviation Administration documents that there were no aircraft flying in the area at that time, the night of Nov. 8.

Suggest? If they're experts wouldn't they KNOW? November 8th just after sunset; that's a Monday evening. Having travels extensively in and out of the LA area, I find it hard to believe there was no air traffic at a peak hour in the most crowded corridor on the west coast.


"The question that still must be answered is why NORAD's muted response was simply that North America was not threatened, and later our government approved the lame excuse that the picture recorded was simply an aircraft leaving a contrail," said retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Jim Cash.

A former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and commander of an F-15 squadron and an F-16 wing, Cash was assigned to NORAD as an assistant director of operations at the Cheyenne Mountain complex near Colorado Springs, Colo., and is fully knowledgeable of NORAD procedures.

"There is absolutely no doubt that what was captured on video off the coast of California was a missile launch, was clearly observed by NORAD, assessed by a four-star general in minutes, and passed to the president immediately," he said.

Even more ominously, cautioned Cash: "We must question the timing of this shot across our bow. The president was abroad being diplomatic, which means trying to placate China which is becoming overly concerned with our handling a totally out-of-control deficit in spending.

Wayne Madsen, a former naval officer who has worked at the National Security Agency and the Naval Data Automation Command, said the inability to pick up what he described as a Chinese Jin-class submarine-launched ballistic missile isn't the first time U.S. Navy anti-submarine warfare sensors have failed.

Madsen, who today is an investigative journalist, said the Pentagon is working "overtime with the media and on the Internet to cover up the latest debacle. However, even some reporters who cover the Pentagon full-time are beginning to question the Pentagon's version of events ... over the skies west of Los Angeles."

Dr. Lyle J. Rapacki of Sentinel Intelligence Services, LLC, said the contrail incident off the Los Angeles coast is "fraught with peril" due to the defense systems and protocols in place that should have detected the alleged submarine.

"The decision to officially announce that North America was not threatened," he said, "and all the excitement was due to an aircraft leaving a contrail is a decision that reaches beyond the four-star general level and goes directly to a decision made by the commander-in-chief."

I still have seen no more than 4 seconds of the video made of this "thing". How much fotage was shot? From what I've seen, I'd have to say it's aircraft.
Steve
8)

December 4, 2010 01:13 AM Forum: Religion

The Bible

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

Doug Matulis said:

Does the Bible have any authority in humanity? Are it words powerful?

Hi Doug,
There are at least two views on "authority". Legal authority would be an official government policy or stance. Refferent authority is supported only by opinion, yet is what most people fall back on.

An example would be a young officer giving an order to his troups. He has the legal authority to do so. Should that order be something questionable, his men may turn to the most experienced enlisted man for advice. He may hold no power over the officer, but his opinion is respected.

I would say the Bible has refferent authority. Legal authority in the USA resides within the frame of the Constitution, and flows down to our law makers and police who hold positions of responsibility.

Thanks,
Steve
8)




December 4, 2010 01:13 AM Forum: Religion

The Bible

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

Doug Matulis said:

Does the Bible have any authority in humanity? Are it words powerful?

Hi Doug,
There are at least two views on "authority". Legal authority would be an official government policy or stance. Refferent authority is supported only by opinion, yet is what most people fall back on.

An example would be a young officer giving an order to his troups. He has the legal authority to do so. Should that order be something questionable, his men may turn to the most experienced enlisted man for advice. He may hold no power over the officer, but his opinion is respected.

I would say the Bible has refferent authority. Legal authority in the USA resides within the frame of the Constitution, and flows down to our law makers and police who hold positions of responsibility.

Thanks,
Steve
8)




December 5, 2010 01:32 AM Forum: ASTRONOMY

Spanish Woman Claims Ownership of Sun

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

Hi Linton,
Just two minor legal snags. First, the sun was not the property of the Spanish government to grant, gift or otherwise transfer title to. By her line of thought, their government could have recognized her claim to the state of California, yet they would not be in a position to grant a deed of trust or title. Second, even so, what constitutes "use" and how would she enforce her claim?

Now back to whimsy. I do hereby claim ownership of the Earth and all its resources. Feel free to use it all within your individual abilities. I tend to need so little myself. However, I'd consider it a kindness if you don't leave a mess!

Thank you all and a hearty warm welcome to my world,
Steve
8)

December 6, 2010 12:41 AM Forum: No Holds Barred

Cleric Puts Price On A Head

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

That's a convenient way to win an argument; accuse the opponent of something hard to disprove which will result in death. Cowardice followed by organized cowardice.

If Doug's reading this, it answers a question from several threads back. This defines "puny".
Steve
8)

December 7, 2010 12:14 AM Forum: Religion

Fellow Christian: It's a dead Universe

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

Keith Lawson said:

It's a dead universe... At least on this side of the veil. The earth is the only island of life in this vast creation. Some have said that "If God created the universe and the earth is the only place that has life, it would seem such a waste of space." Those that hold to this earthly wisdom have no understanding as to the universe's destructive history. There are powerful things that happened eons ago. The Bible has this information. The Prophets knew. Solomon knew. Now you can know.

There is a reason why the earth is the only island in this vast universe with life. Send me a PM and I will send you the information as to why. It's deep bible scripture that you won't get from Sunday School or from the pulpits of America. It's too wordy to put here but it is a short read.

[email protected]

Keith

Hi Keith,
I disagree. All manner of changes and interactions occure. Just because you don't see buildings or footprints on Mars, doesn't mean there can't be life elsewhere. We haven't discovered it yet. That discovery might not be limited to our definitions!

In 1489, when Columbus proposed a new route to the east by going west he mentioned claiming any new lands and the inhabitants for the country who mounted the expodition. Portugal was considering it at the time. His skeptcs claimed no people could inhabit such undiscovered lands even if they did exist. They too had to re-think things.

I would agree the Earth is a rare island of living beings, but what do you consider "living"? The stars are alive with fire, the planets experience eons of passing events. Even if we are the only "people", what remains of the Universe is vibrant.

So, here's a question. If in five years we discover viable microbial life on one of the moons of Jupiter or some sort of acidic cells floating in the atmosphere of Venus, or if in twenty years we discover an signal from a distant star, indicating inteligent life; would that discovery ruin your outlook on life or cause you to loose faith?

Even as staunch as you seem on the surface, I doubt if you'd be so shaken. Rather than being the end of one element of Biblical dogma it would be a beginning for a new understanding of how infinite the infinite really is.

Steve
8)


December 23, 2010 12:27 AM Forum: No Holds Barred

Merry Christmas

Posted By Steve Hollenbach

I don't know... Doug "merry" implies so much! 8)
Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!
Steve
8)