sunday - september 17, 2017

R.I.P. Cassini

The NASA spacecraft Cassini burned up on Friday as it fell into the atmosphere of Saturn, after orbiting the planet for 13 years. During its mission, Cassini sent many images of Saturn and its moons back to earth. Here are some of the best:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/14/science/cassini-saturn-images.html?_r=0


Optional Good Deed

A Houston lady, Lisa Beckman, well known to the administrators of this site, is very active on the ground post-Harvey, bringing supplies and aid to people in hard-hit, low-income neighborhoods. Many buildings have only one storey and were flooded to a depth of several feet, ruining all the occupants’ possessions and leaving them returning to live in dangerously mold-infested dwellings. You have perhaps heard that sending supplies rather than financial donations to Houston is not the best use of your resources. However, in this case - where people are living without the basic necessities of life, and where helpers on the ground know exactly what is needed - gifts of supplies are extremely welcome.

Lisa has a wish list at Amazon and would be so grateful for any donations. I was at her house Saturday morning and witnessed the mailman arrive, bringing packages containing diapers, baking soda, bleach, cat litter, laundry detergent, and more. She put everything right into her minivan and headed directly to the neighborhood. Anything you send will similarly go straight to where it’s needed. Keep checking the list, as she’s planning to update it in the next couple of days. As you check out, when it comes to "Select Shipping Address," you should see "Randall Beckman" listed as one of your options - select that address.


Lisa’s Wish List for Houston