All the Pages Are My Days

We went to the McPherson Gem and Mineral show today and picked up a few interesting pieces. They had a pretty good selection of dealers, and only one had prices that were out of line.

Among the treasures found today was some never seen before Turritella agate from Wyoming. The agate is in the form of thin slabs, maybe 1/4 inch thick, and contain slices of sea shell fossils. Their flat nature lent the slabs to being "copied" on my flat-bed scanner.

Sheryl found a very interesting geode that had nice color and looked a bit like the classic Mandelbrot fractal shape. It was only 3 bucks, though it could use a little more polish; you can barely see the cut marks if you look at the piece just right.

Show below are 3 photos of the geode, and 4 of the Turritella agate. The geode is a bit under 2 inches in size and the agate about 4x4.5 inches.

You can visit Flickr and see more of each specimen, as well as larger versions, in our Mineral and Fossil set.

Posted by mike 1:58 AM | Comments/Permalink (0)
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Back in January of 2007, I posted an image of a junco that I had taken in our back yard. Earlier this year, Carol, a student at Johnson State College, sketched a great image of a junco based on my photo. She was kind enough to share it with me, and with her permission, I'm sharing it with you. Enjoy!

Posted by mike 12:11 AM | Comments/Permalink (0)
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Here's a fascinating time-lapse picture of the night sky, taken in Toronto last month.

There's also a wonderful video showing the image as it's built up over time, starting with a dark sky and then filling in with the plane, helicopter and star trails. You can click the image to see a larger version, which was taken by wvs and shared via the same Creative Commons license I utilize for most of my images.

Posted by mike 12:59 PM | Comments/Permalink (0)
Categories: General | PhotoBlog | top of page

I've spent time visiting our local nursing home since I was a young cub scout performing Christmas carols, and I'm pretty sure the residents of Bethany Home would enjoy a visit from the balloon hat man. His creations are so whimsical and colorful that it makes me interested in learning more about how they're done!

Until then, there's this video:

Thanks to Boing Boing for the link!

Posted by mike 11:36 PM | Comments/Permalink (0)
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You know it's cold when the local temperature, measured in Farenheit, is far less than the temperature expressed in Celcius at your remote office locations:

And I thought it was cold when it was 6F in Lindsborg and 6C in Bristol!

Posted by mike 8:55 AM | Comments/Permalink (0)
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If you or one of your loved ones is having a hard time coping with life's issues, I strongly recommend you read this article, written by someone who's been there, and is much happier being here. Read it, think about it and then, do something; you don't have to suffer!

Especially during the Christmas holiday season, with both the seasonal loss of light and all the pressures the holidays bring, it's important to remember that you don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders; help is available.

Posted by mike 4:00 PM | Comments/Permalink (0)
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Thanks to Tom at Random Acts of Reality for the links to a tragic tale of cars, alcohol and young drivers. Given the new school year has just begun, and with it a zest for new experiences, this is a timely story.

I am reminded of a terrible accident in San Jose in the early 90's, where there were multiple fatalities caused by an extremely drunk teenager at the wheel. It was after that that we tried to make it clear to our daughter (who didn't drive at the time) that she should never accept a ride with someone who had been drinking. She just needed to call and we would come and get her, with no questions asked.

I'm also reminded of the first time that I, as a young adult, realized I was in a car that I shouldn't be in. No, I wasn't smart enough to get out, but there 4 eyes on the road the rest of the way home, and I've never ridden with someone who's been drinking since then.

Anyway, the story that follows, told from the perspective of a police officer, a paramedic and a hospital nurse, provides both a compelling read, and could save a life if just one young person reads it and makes a better decision. And parents, make sure your kids know that they can call you anytime for a ride home, with no recriminations. That doesn't mean you can't calmly discuss what happened the next day, but remember the most important fact: they got home safely.

Scene: a small town, anywhere in America.

The closest on-duty officer takes a call around 3am.

On the scene of the accident, we hear from one of the paramedics.

And finally, the conclusion, brought to us by a nurse on duty at the hospital.

Be safe out there!

Just to be clear, click on each of the links above to read the 1st hand perspectives from the officer, paramedic and nurse.

Posted by mike 5:34 PM | Comments/Permalink (0)
Categories: General | Personal | top of page