I’m sure we’d all agree what happens between a consenting adult and their pool float in the privacy of their own home is their business. But in this case, one man just couldn’t resist sharing his carnal love in the open for neighbors to see: [Read more…]
Hubble finds another blue planet! It needs a name — if we keep with the mythological gods and goddesses and demons and whatnot convention, we’re gonna run out of deities awful quick. There is however a one big complication with moving there, beyond it’s 63 light-year distance: [Read more…]
A friend of mine here in Austin was worried about me, and kind enough to donate some video games still in the box and game codes fresh off the press for me to offer you at any reasonable price. I honestly don’t care if you get it for half or less of what the item would cost in a store. If anyone’s interested, email me using the darksydothemoon -at- A and O and L, dot Com, put “games” in the subject line and include your FTB user name, and I’ll tell you exactly what all I have. If you end up buying it and for some reason it doesn’t work or you’re not happy once you get it, and of course with the understanding I can see you’re a regular here at FtB — not someone who heard about this and showed up to scam me — you will get an immediate and full refund.
I’ve been released by the cardiologist to return to work today, for all I know it will be my last. I missed several weeks in May and June due to a suite of confusing and worrisome symptoms after surgery to correct a serious ailment. At first I seemed to be recovering well. But beginning in late April I started having periods of dizziness, intense weakness, for several days I could barely crawl out of bed. Sometimes it would feel like my heart would jump or gurgle. Blood pressure was all over the place, soaring as high as 160/100 to as low as 100/60 over a period of an hour or two. The only time I would feel halfway normal was when I would walk a mile or two on a treadmill per doctors orders. Finally one morning in May, right after I got out of bed feeling extremely weak to go to the bathroom, I found myself suddenly staring at the ceiling; I had passed out so fast I didn’t notice the blood gushing out after my skull had apparently cracked against the ceramic toilet seat on the way down.
The last time I had symptoms like this, back in December, I downplayed them and kept working. Mostly because my employer ruthlessly penalizes absences regardless of the cause and I was terrified of missing work. But the symptoms persisted, eventually got evaluated by a specialist. That’s when I found out the effort to try and keep working over Christmas was probably the worst decision I ever made: I was suffering a massive heart attack, the kind where the first and most common sign of a problem is often instant death. [Read more…]
Lake Vostok has been buried under two miles of ice for 15 million years, but scientists can now say life has found a way to persist and thrive there. Pristine samples from the lake were examined and found to contain genetic signatures for thousands of species. Some sequences suggest more complex animals like worms or even fish may be lurking in the pitch black, sub-glacial water. Scientists say this has ramifications far beyond Antarctica: [Read more…]
Everybody’s surging now, come on and go surging with me! Yes, the GOP may have finally hit on a rebranding gimmick that will appeal to their own: border surge! If you like the the zillion dollar Iraq and Afghan surges, you’re gonna love this deal! [Read more…]
As a kid who loved fireworks I looked forward to this time of year for months. Neighbors used to come from all around to watch my fireworks shows. This year pyrotechnic displays are not limited to the US, they’re lighting up the skies in Egypt , too. The awe inspiring glare of rockets and star-shells don’t just signify independence, they harken back to antiquity, signifying ancient celebrations and, today, act as a potent reminder of the most ambitious and iconic projects ever undertaken by our young species. I speak here of rockets.
The pillars of flame lofting vehicles to the skies may appear at first glance to be the most complex and advanced technological creations ever dreamed up by human kind. But they are the first machines driven by means other than human and animal muscles ever created. What’s more, those mere curiosities led to directly to the engines that now fuel every facet of our modern civilization. And to think it all started with mystics and apprentices over a millennia ago in the Middle East and Asia, who could never not have imagined they were embarking on the first small step in a journey that would lead to the bloodiest wars on record, and the greatest modern marvels of peace and prosperity the world has ever witnessed. [Read more…]
Growing up it was common here in Texas to hear someone say “It’s gonna be a hot summer!.” It was a set up for sarcasm of all ages. This is Texas! It’s blazing hot every summer. But there is some relief afforded by the mild eccentricity of the earth’s orbit today: [Read more…]
Per usual I’m getting all kinds of obstacles thrown in my way on getting the lousy disability I paid good money to secure while a complication from heart surgery was taken care of. It’s getting grim financially as time drags on with no disability forthcoming, yet. Bad enough that I’ve had to start cutting important meds in half to to stretch them out. But I’ve been frugal with what you guys sent me last time. I’ll hopefully be released next week with a doc’s note to allow me to start working again. Best of all I have a job interview for something paying a tiny bit more next week! I’ve also improved my appearance and health, see below for the burlesque show.
If not for you
r generosity a few months ago when circumstances grew dire, when atheists helped save me from homelessness, while followers of Republican Jesus turned their back on me, I don’t know where I’d be right now.
I can’t thank you enough — those reader contributions greatly increased my prospect for a full recovery after the freak heart attack I suffered in Dec 2012. So here’s a pic of my progress, I hope you don’t think it’s too tacky. I’m posting it so that will readers will see I’ve made the most of those contributions by not wasting any money on luxuries or fattening foods, choosing instead to eat right even it sometimes costs a little more and leaves me short on food at the end of the month, and choosing to bust my ass getting into shape.
It took months, lots of aerobic work, hours a day of weight training, and more sits ups and crunches than I care to remember to get any results at all. I’m know I’m no Arnold Schwarzenegger. There is still a lot of work ahead obviously and I’m nervous and self-conscious just to show this much!
But I’m proud of losing almost forty pounds and putting on some small bits of muscle, none of which would have been possible without you. I already feel better than I have felt in many years and this healthy lifestyle offers me something I have sorely missed for those years: something personal to look forward to. Thanks again from the bottom of my godless heart!