Well I'm glad I didn't know about this.

"CLOSE ASTEROID FLYBY: On Jan. 8th, asteroid 2019 AS5 flew past Earth only 8600 km above our planet's surface. Nine hours after the flyby, it was discovered by the the Mt. Lemmon Survey telescope in Arizona. The asteroid was closer to our planet than many satellites.   If the 1 to 2 meter-wide space rock had hit Earth (and it almost did) it would have caused a brilliant fireball in the atmosphere with sonic booms and scattered meteorites on the ground--but no serious damage."  From Spaceweather.com  - there's an interesting map of where the various GPS and other satellites are along with the article.


I wonder when one of the satellites is going to get taken out, and what sort of chaos that will cause? 

"CLOSE ASTEROID FLYBY: On Jan. 8th, asteroid 2019 AS5 flew past Earth only 8600 km above our planet's surface. Nine hours after the flyby, it was discovered by the the Mt. Lemmon Survey telescope in Arizona. The asteroid was closer to our planet than many satellites.   If the 1 to 2 meter-wide space rock had hit Earth (and it almost did) it would have caused a brilliant fireball in the atmosphere with sonic booms and scattered meteorites on the ground--but no serious damage."  From Spaceweather.com  - there's an interesting map of where the various GPS and other satellites are along with the article.


I wonder when one of the satellites is going to get taken out, and what sort of chaos that will cause? 

My biggest brush with death involved a rattlesnake at the top of Mt Lemmon.   The telescopes up there are pretty small.  Nearby is Kitt Peak, with some really good ones that are open to the public.

Arizona?

There was one down in Big Bend... McDonald Observatory. Went there as a teenager. A long trip to get there. Was pretty cool, though.

Rattlers are nothing to take lightly. It's an unpleasant way to die.

Arizona?

There was one down in Big Bend... McDonald Observatory. Went there as a teenager. A long trip to get there. Was pretty cool, though.

Rattlers are nothing to take lightly. It's an unpleasant way to die.

Only 2 people died of rattlesnake bites in 2018, in South Dakaota and  Oklahoma.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_the_United_States

Having said that, I was walking in Arizona once at sundown and heard a rattler in a nearby bush. Scared the devil  out of me!!

Are rattlesnakes mean?

Because they are actually giving you a warning: "I want to be left alone!' "Big creatures scare me!"

Are rattlesnakes mean?

Because they are actually giving you a warning: "I want to be left alone!' "Big creatures scare me!"

I think most snakes just want to be left alone and most bites happen either when they are accidentally disturbed, or to young men followed shortly after the words, “Hold my beer and watch this”.

A work colleague of mine was bitten on the leg by a copperhead while he was digging over his potatoes. He said it was incredibly painful. He wore a surgical boot at work for many weeks until the swelling went down. He killed the snake with his spade and took it with him to the hospital. They decided that since it was a small snake that a limited amount of venom would have entered his system so it was safer to not give him any anti-venom serum.

Ouch!

This snake was not mean at all.  I was walking along the trail in an area busy with rock climbers  all around and heard them talking about a rattlesnake.  I figured the snake was where they were, until my wife grabbed me from behind and made me stop walking 2 feet away from the snake.  It was ready to strike and rattling hard.  I just stayed still and it went away in a few seconds. 

Everything I've learned about rattlesnakes says your best medicine is your car keys, just stay cool and get to the hospital..

Only 2 people died of rattlesnake bites in 2018, in South Dakaota and  Oklahoma.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_the_United_States

Having said that, I was walking in Arizona once at sundown and heard a rattler in a nearby bush. Scared the devil  out of me!!

When I was a kid, my father had a friend who was active in the annual rattlesnake roundup. (An insane few days where the locals go out and, well, round up every rattler they can find.)  The bed of his pickup truck had been modified - plywood panels put up around the sides. And they put all the snakes in there.  A pickup truck full of angry rattlers. This was insane, on every possible level.

So, one year, he was leaning on one of the boards, for some reason. It gave way. They were not able to count the number of bites he had. The poor man lived, yes. Only because he was 10 minutes from a regional center that had stocked up on antivenin, knowing the roundup was happening. He swelled like a balloon - the flesh on his arms and legs went various colors and literally split - and he was in ICU for months.

Five years later, he was back doing the roundup again. Oy. Men. 

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Sweetwater-Rattlesnake-Roundup-kinda-like-a-12746522.php#item-85307-tbla-15


My theory is that they were helping a new type of more dangerous rattlesnake to evolve. The ones that didn't rattle, didn't get caught. So the non-rattlers were left to breed more non-rattlers.  My theory anyway.

As to them being aggressive. It depends on the variety, and the time of year/temperature. There are some that are mean little bastards, and very aggressive in some circumstances. Not all of them rattle before they strike, too.  Most varieties just try to get away, I believe.

I have always heard that Southern Pacific rattlers were particularly nasty. Ran into one adult, who didn't like the cold water from the garden hose (jeez, it was a big snake!) and a couple of babies who periodically managed to squeeze through the 1/4 builder's fabric fence I had around my raised bed. (It was freakish - they dislocated their jaws to do it.) I have a photo somewhere that I'll post if I can find it. The babies are as lethal as the adults. And you will almost assuredly die if you do not get treatment for a rattlesnake bite.

When I was a kid, my father had a friend who was active in the annual rattlesnake roundup. (An insane few days where the locals go out and, well, round up every rattler they can find.)  The bed of his pickup truck had been modified - plywood panels put up around the sides. And they put all the snakes in there.  A pickup truck full of angry rattlers. This was insane, on every possible level.

So, one year, he was leaning on one of the boards, for some reason. It gave way. They were not able to count the number of bites he had. The poor man lived, yes. Only because he was 10 minutes from a regional center that had stocked up on antivenin, knowing the roundup was happening. He swelled like a balloon - the flesh on his arms and legs went various colors and literally split - and he was in ICU for months.

Five years later, he was back doing the roundup again. Oy. Men. 

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Sweetwater-Rattlesnake-Roundup-kinda-like-a-12746522.php#item-85307-tbla-15


My theory is that they were helping a new type of more dangerous rattlesnake to evolve. The ones that didn't rattle, didn't get caught. So the non-rattlers were left to breed more non-rattlers.  My theory anyway.

As to them being aggressive. It depends on the variety, and the time of year/temperature. There are some that are mean little bastards, and very aggressive in some circumstances. Not all of them rattle before they strike, too.  Most varieties just try to get away, I believe.

I have always heard that Southern Pacific rattlers were particularly nasty. Ran into one adult, who didn't like the cold water from the garden hose (jeez, it was a big snake!) and a couple of babies who periodically managed to squeeze through the 1/4 builder's fabric fence I had around my raised bed. (It was freakish - they dislocated their jaws to do it.) I have a photo somewhere that I'll post if I can find it. The babies are as lethal as the adults. And you will almost assuredly die if you do not get treatment for a rattlesnake bite.

I guess rounding up a bunch of rattlesnakes is something to do for fun.  And it also makes sense that you would want your revenge later on. 

Did you know that Tami can dislocate her jaw as well? 

I guess rounding up a bunch of rattlesnakes is something to do for fun.  And it also makes sense that you would want your revenge later on. 

Did you know that Tami can dislocate her jaw as well?

Hahahahah. Watch out, she'll get you for that.