They’re watching us too

Hundreds gather to watch turtles on Poipu Beach in Kauai.

Overheard. In Hawaii:

“I was only following odors.”

“I didn’t catch his name. I think he said “Mahalo.”

Your next Aurora

From Spaceweather.com (slightly edited to explain stuff):

A NASA model predicts a CME (Coronal Mass Ejection from the Sun) will arrive on March 19th, mere hours before the northern vernal equinox (~10  AM EDST)

This is perfect timing because auroras love equinoxes. It’s called the “Russell-McPherron effect.” At this time of year, the magnetic field of Earth can link to the magnetic field of the sun, providing a superhighway for solar wind to enter our planet’s magnetosphere. Even a weak CME can can penetrate to spark mid-latitude auroras. NOAA is currently predicting a G2-class geomagnetic storm.

There’s more: A New Moon on March 19th will provide dark skies for long exposures. Even if you can’t see the auroras, you might be able to photograph them. Point your smartphone at the sky and take a nighttime exposure. You could be surprised by what appears on the screen.

Here in Hawaii, we’ll miss it. But we have Hawaii stuff, such as the big turtles.

Time/Place capsule

My shots of Delhi in 2018.

CSAT journalism!

Karl Bode, via Gary Marcus: “CEO said a thing!” Karl: “‘CEO said a thing!’ journalism involves parroting the claims of a business leader or executive with absolutely no context, correction, or challenge whatsoever, no matter how elaborate the delusion.” His examples—from Altman, Musk, Zuckerberg—are spot-on. Reminds me of why no major tech magazine ever hired me. (Mainly, I didn’t want to do vendor sports coverage.)

Look toward your nearest pole

Spaceweather: Might have auroras tonight.

Before the Fall

Pop was a Republican in the same way he was a fisherman, a carpenter, a Brooklyn Dodgers (and later a Mets) fan, and a Ford man. As a kid, I thought of myself the same way. Republicans stood for fiscal prudence, limited government, personal freedom and responsibility, stuff like that. But then I went to a Quaker college and became a pacifist who marched for civil rights and against the Vietnam War. Later, as a journalist, I thought it was best to register as an independent, which I’ve been ever since.

But I have never lost touch with Pop’s sympathies, especially around personal freedom. I am also sure that, were he alive today (he died in 1979), he would hate what Trump has done to the Grand Old Party, to conservative norms, to the whole world.

So Pop came to mind this morning when I read what Wired says about the many ways the Trumpist GOP is fucking with (small d) democratic norms, and democracy itself. I hope as many perps as possible get voted out next November. And I say that as a partisan for democracy, not for the Democratic Party. We need conservatism, but not this kind.