Zada Connaway Author of "Mother's Journals : parts 1, 2 and 3"

Random Thoughts

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 23:39:00 +0000

I am becoming increasingly aware of the ill treatment men are given in the advertising sector. They are portrayed quite often as stupid and inept in many commercials.

Commercials are doing to men what they have done in the past to women. The term 'dumb blond' and 'fiery redhead' come readily to mind.

In the same vein, there are more women 'super hero' types in tv dramas. Cops, scientists ,attorneys and more. Are they trying to undo previous damage done to the image of women?

It would be nice if things were more 'real'. By that I do not mean more reality shows, which are scripted and phony. While we are on the subject, if the tv shows about 'the real housewives of_____' are real, where are the shows about the phoney housewives? Who are they? I have never met one. Never having watched it, I don't know what the show is about, but I find the title intriguing.

TV sucks, for the most part. I can see I haven't missed much, while I have been gone. The pickings must be pretty slim, as they are bringing back 'Roseanne' and 'Dallas'. Resurrecting the dead, they are probably trying to pick up some viewers.

Did you know?

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:39:00 +0000

While in Az. I discovered that Road Runners do NOT say MEEP! MEEP! They coo like a dove. I think it may have been mating season, and he was calling to a potential mate.

And it appears that Wile E. Coyote has retired. I saw no ACME wrappings on the desert floor, and the only coyotes I saw were in fine shape, just trotting along, minding their own business.

I miss those old cartoons, even if they were violent.

Still on the road!!

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:05:00 +0000

We are still in the motor home, and seeing lots of country. We haven't slain one another yet, so I think we are enjoying our travels.

We are currently in sunny Arizona, and very glad we are missing the snow and rain. It seems to have snowed everywhere we have been after we left.

We expect to be home in March, if all goes well, and I promise to be more active when we are once again settled.

Stey happy and take care of yourself in this new year.

bits and pieces

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:49:00 +0000

I can't believe how long it has been since I made an entry here! It has been a busy time for me.

We have purchased a motor home and will be heading south in a couple of months. Tuneups and maintenance go without saying. Making sure the unit is sound, checking for leaks and functionality of all the important things like brakes has been time consuming.

We are also making sure that the house is ready to hit the market. We may not list it until spring. Yes, I know this is not the best time to enter the market, but we are not in a distressed situation where a sale is absolutely necessary. We can sit back and wait at this moment in time.

We are anxious to be gone, and ready to hit the road. Well, almost! I still have much sorting of things for a yard sale to do. I am becoming a minimalist, as there is only so much room in a motor home! This is a drastic change for a pack rat like myself.

News is so discouraging. I have a friend who cries a lot about all the bad stuff going on, and I really feel bad for her. But all I can do is write my congressman and hope it is read. At least, I know I tried.

I have been reading....

Thu, 14 May 2009 07:41:00 +0000

Taking a break from tragedies, I read a few books to lift my spirits.The first one to really lift me was "Life Is Like Making Chocolate Cookies", By L. Sue Durkin.

There were two romances, "The House On The Shore", by Victoria Howard, and "Beyond The Quiet" By Brenda Hill. Both were very good and I would recommend them to anyone.

I also read "Peas, "Pills" and Parkinsons" By Alice Crooker. It deals not with the disease, but her humorous outlook on things, especially the way she overcomes the effects of her disease and how she deals with life in general.

I also read "A Study In Red" By Brian Porter. A psychological thriller about Jack the Ripper's origins, and a compelling read. One need not be a psychiatrist to get into it. He quite skillfully omitted blood and gore, but the effect is raather chilling.

At any rate, that is what I have been up to. You can find my reviews of these works in the section titled: 'My Reviews of Other Works'.

Binghamton, New York

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Dead and wounded counts are in flux at the moment, but my heart goes out to all who are impacted. What possesses a person to go on a shooting spree? The opinions are varying, and I doubt anyone knows for sure.

I do have to wonder what would have happened if there had been an armed citizen (legally, of course) who 'took out' the assassin?

In the same vein, I would wonder if I were in that situation, would I have been able to save a few lives? It is certainly a question to ponder.

I would like to think I could have stopped it, but would I then have become the target for the police and the courts? And given the opportunity, would I have been able to shoot another human being?

Hmmm...

I should think I could shoot in a 'him or me' scenario, but the moral issue remains.

Of course, is it even legal for normal folks to be armed in New York?

Watching the skies

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:42:00 +0000

Do you get as tired of so called celebrities parading around as I do? Well, here is something much more important than Hollywood 'stars':

Ahad’s constant

derives from an astro-mathematical formulation by Abdul Ahad (1968- ) in his astronomical paper, The Music of the Night Sky, published c. July 2004.

The constant has been provisionally assigned the symbol, mAhad, and is calculable from the following algorithm, whose input parameters are stellar magnitudes in the v-band part of the electromagnetic spectrum:

where mi is the apparent visual magnitude of the ith star

For an observer located anywhere within the Solar System - excluding the contribution of light from the Sun (Solar constant) - provisional integrations using stellar magnitude data sourced from astronomical catalogs places an approximation for this constant in the range:

having a mid-point value of -6.5 magnitudes as a consensus within the astronomical community. This is the total integrated brightness of the night sky that we visually experience from Earth.

Mathematical properties and scientific use

The terminating approximation of the above algorithm yields a value of the net amount of natural sky light an observer would visually experience from any desired location in the universe. It thus has real world, universal applicability for modelling the local environment at any given point in space-time. The number itself is not a true ‘constant’, of course; its value would differ, at least infinitesimally, depending on where and when one makes the measurements. Hence, some astronomers prefer to call this phenomenon ‘Ahad’s magnitude’ (see note 2 at the foot of this article).

In mathematical terms, this constant has the properties of being a real and an irrational number, that is computable, though it is both transcendental and asymptotic.

Once determined in magnitude terms via the given algorithm, the value of Ahad’s constant can then be expressed in a variety of other luminous flux measures, such as watts per square meter, or however else one desires. For example, in the vicinity of the Solar System and in local interstellar space, it is of the order of ~ 1/300th of a Full Moon’s worth of light.

In observational astronomy, the algorithm enables one to compute the net contribution of stellar light that would illuminate objects beyond the luminous dominion of the Sun. For example, in the area of telescopic and CCD programs hunting to detect dwarf planetary bodies residing within the Oort cloud, the value of Ahad’s constant would be a measure of the amount of incident light from the surrounding cosmos illuminating such objects that are too far out from the Sun for its flux to have the greatest, or close to overwhelming, contribution to their total surface lighting.

In the fields of deep-sky astronomical scrutiny, such as the observation of dark nebulae in far-off locales within the Milky Way galaxy, which have no intrinsic luminosity of their own, Ahad’s constant enables one to compute the total flux contribution to their illumination from stars and other sources of incandescent light in their surrounding 3D neighborhoods. The observed surface brightness, contrasted against the theoretical surface brightness predicted by Ahad’s algorithm of such molecular clouds, would then hint at core nested unseen protostellar sources, warranting further multispectral investigation.

Ahad Radius and Ahad’s Sphere of the Sun

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=66837154&blogId=212645210

At a distance of circa 11,500 astronomical units (0.18 light-year) going radially outward from the Solar System in any chosen direction, the Sun's apparent light output matches Ahad's constant.

It is thus possible to draw an imaginary sphere around the Sun of such a radius, within which the Sun would remain the most supreme source of light, relative to the universe's total background illumination:

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=66837154&blogId=212645210

The outer edge of such a sphere, in principle, defines an edge of the Sun's monopoly of light and heat provision to our Solar System and nearby interstellar space; an effective end of its light dominion.

References

1. How bright is the sky beyond our Solar System? A. Ahad, Journl Brit.Astron.Assoc. Vol. 115, No. 5, p. 297

2. The Sky this Week - David Oesper, October 23, 2008

3. Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Stars by James B. Kaler (Cambridge University Press, 2006), p. 50

4. Scientist quantifies the darkness of outer space, The Mathaba News Network, February 1, 2007

Republished with permission--see links to observe the charts and formulas.

Depression? Recession?

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:21:00 +0000

It doesn't matter what you call it. These times are hard on and for everyone.

No matter your circumstances, weathering a recession or a depression can be depressing and very stressful. This is when we need to be mindful of those around us. A cross word can make someone's day a little darker. And a kind word just might brighten someone's day.

I expect domestic violence to reach a very high level these days. Stress is a constant threat to our well being. It is so easy to blame a spouse or partner for financial woes.

And children don't escape the wrath, either. Our mouths can overrun our brains sometimes, it seems. And if we are financially strapped, it occurs more frequently.

These are times when we need to support one another, not take cheap shots in any direction. Adults wield a lot of power with their words; and while children may seem forgiving, they can carry verbal wounds that go on forever. Some spouses and partners are like that, too.

What I am suggesting is that if you are angry at anyone, take a deep breath before you speak. It just might prevent you from saying something hurtful and unfair that you will regret later.

Depressions have happened before, and they always get turned around. We just need to be patient. Do what you can for yourself and anyone you are responsible for. Be kind to others. Your attitude can set the tone, even for strangers.

Try to eliminate as much debt as possible from your finances. Have high interest rates? If you can't afford to pay your credit cards, shop around for a better rate, and try transferring your blances. Just be mindful of charges for that service. It may not be a good deal. Getting lower rates will relieve some of the stress.

Try talking to the institution to get the rates lowered. They would most likely prefer a little less interest gained from your account than to lose your business altogether. And don't make minimum payments. If you can, add to it. Even a few dollars can make a big difference. Double up on payments where possible.

Most of all, be kind to yourself. A little pampering never hurt anyone. And try to spread your smile around.

Special Days

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:11:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is over now, New Year's too.

President's Day, to celebrate presidential birthdays has just passed, Now we have saint Patrick's Day and Easter to look forward to. And then we also have The Fourth of July (Independence Day), Labor Day, Memorial Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas.

I may have forgotten a few, like the birthday of the Marine Corps, Jeremiah Johnson's birthday, Groundhog Day etc.. Don't forget your own birthday and that of loved ones!

I think in all fairness there should be an everyone's day. Perhaps every day!

We have Mother and Father's Days and even a grandparent's day. I think this is just a way for card makers everywhere to boost their sales.

It shouldn't take a special day marked on the calendar for people to send each other cards or express affection for one another.

So if there is someone you admire or care about, you can always send a card, or email some special wishes! It just might brighten their day!! :D

Valentines Day

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:41:00 +0000

Are you alone on this day for lovers? Don't despair. There are 'lovers' who are alone together. Now, that is real loneliness!

:o

If there is no one special in your life right now, be your own best friend. Do something special for yourself.

Treat yourself to a day at a spa.

Have a massage.

Take yourself out to dinner some place you have been wanting to go.

Go to a movie.

See a play.

Take a long bubble bath.

Don't dwell on your aloneness, revel in it. The day is yours and yours alone. If you have been invited to a party -- go. You might have a lot of fun, and who knows? You might meet at least one interesting person.