16 November 2009

Leonid meteor showers tonight

from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20091116/sc_space/strongleonidmeteorshowerpeaksearlytuesdaymorning


One of the best annual meteor showers will peak in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday, and for some skywatchers the show could be quite impressive.

The best seats are in Asia, but North American observers should be treated to an above average performance of the Leonid meteor shower, weather permitting. The trick for all observers is to head outside in the wee hours of the morning – between 1 a.m. and dawn – regardless where you live.

The Leonids put on a solid show every year, if skies are clear and moonlight does not interfere. This year the moon is near its new phase, and not a factor. For anyone in the Northern Hemisphere with dark skies, away from urban and suburban lighting, the show should be worth getting up early to see.

"We're predicting 20 to 30 meteors per hour over the Americas, and as many as 200 to 300 per hour over Asia," said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. Other astronomers who work in the nascent field of meteor shower prediction have put out similar forecasts.

Urban dwellers and suburbanites will see far fewer, as the fainter meteors will be drowned out by local lights.

6 November 2009

Easy Tomato-Basil Pizza

Ingredients

  • 2 tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 cup sliced black olives
  • 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup pizza sauce
  • 2 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crusts (or make your own pizza crust easily enough)
  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Directions

    Mix the tomatoes and salt in a mesh strainer. Let mixture sit and drain for 15 minutes.
    Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) & combine the drained tomatoes, 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese, onion, basil, pepper, olive oil, jalapenos, olives, and mushrooms in a bowl. Spread the pizza sauce evenly onto the pizza crusts. Distribute tomato mixture over the two pizza crusts evenly. Sprinkle 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese over both pizzas.


    This soup would be great with this on a cold night too ...

    1 November 2009

    Hey World (Don't Give Up) - Michael Frenti & Spearhead

    Hey World (Don't Give Up)

    tell me why the grass was greener
    year ago
    I swear it used to grow here
    but no more here

    tell me why
    on this hill
    all the birds they used to come to fly here
    come to die here

    and tell my why i need to know
    sometimes i wish i didn't have to know
    all you show me

    hey world
    what you say
    should i stick around for another day or two
    don't give up on me
    i won't give up on you
    just believe in me like i believe in

    tell me why on the corner
    all the kids that used to come to run here
    load the guns here
    and tell me why
    it's okay
    to kill in the name of the gods we pray

    tell me who said it's okay
    to die in the name of the lies we say
    tell me why there's child soldiers
    tell me why they closed the borders
    tell me how to fight disease
    and tell me now won't you please

    the only thing i want to do
    is to be in the arms of someone who believes in me
    like i believe in you
    i try try try try
    i try try try try for you
    don't give up on me
    and i cry cry cry cry
    i cry cry cry cry for you
    just believe in me
    like i believe in you