Up At The Ranch And Beyond

[Bluegreen]

(The History of) Lemons


















In this video, we take a look at the history of lemons and lemonade, stretching across the ages, from its mysterious origins in the ancient world, to a long-standing tradition in kids' money-making schemes.

(15:20)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=TRqDrDo2DG4

[Bluegreen]

Henri's Women









Henri hard at work

[Bluegreen]

"When The Stars Go Blue"





by Ryan Adams

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=FDZys3nrYLY

[Bluegreen]

Artemis 2 Update: NASA Eyes February Launch to the Moon




NASA's first mission to take humans to the moon in half a century is creeping ever closer.

The space agency has announced that the rollout of its Artemis 2 Space Launch System rocket and Orion Module began Saturday (Jan. 17), ahead of a launch as early as Feb. 6.

Embarking from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 11 million-pound (5 million kilograms) stack will be transported at a speed of about 1 mph (1.6 km/h along a 4-mile (6.4 kilometers) route. The site will be streamed live on NASA's Youtube channel.

"We are moving closer to Artemis II, with rollout just around the corner," Lori Glaze, the acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said in a statement released Jan. 9. "We have important steps remaining on our path to launch and crew safety will remain our top priority at every turn, as we near humanity's return to the Moon."

Artemis 2 is the first crewed spaceflight in the Artemis Program, which aims to send humans back to the moon for the first time since 1972. Four astronauts will take a 10-day flight around the moon and back to Earth, testing systems ahead of the Artemis 3 mission, which aims to deliver astronauts to the lunar surface by 2028.

Published 16th January 2026 by Ben Turner – Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/space/sp...d-this-weekend

The Crew



Clockwise from top left are: Victor Glover, pilot; Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; Christina Hammock Koch, mission specialist; and Reid Wiseman, commander.

[Bluegreen]

THE CME HAS ARRIVED--A SEVERE STORM IS UNDERWAY

Arriving earlier than expected, a CME struck Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 19th (1930 UT). The impact has sparked a G4-class (severe) geomagnetic storm. Sky watchers at all latitudes should be alert for auroras after local nightfall. There is a chance that this storm could escalate to category G5 (extreme) in the hours and days ahead.

THIS WAS A VERY FAST ONE

The CME that struck Earth today crossed the sun-Earth divide in only ~25 hours. That's fast. For comparison, most CMEs take 3 or 4 days to get here. The high speed of this CME (~1660 km/s) places it in the top few percent of all CMEs observed in the SOHO era.





www.spaceweather.com

Since the launch of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) in 1995, SOHO coronagraphs have cataloged thousands of coronal mass ejections. The vast majority are slower than 1,000 km/s. The fastest, observed on July 23, 2012, was clocked at 2,900 to 3,500 km/s; it narrowly missed Earth.

[Bluegreen]

The Onboard UFO Encounters of Leo and Mike Dworshak



This is an amazing story that gets weirder as it goes on. The brothers had 12 encounters.

One of the most astounding cases of UFO contact is that of Leo and Mike Dworshak, two brothers from the small town of Killdeer, North Dakota. In the summer of 1932, Leo (age 12) and Mike (age 8) were hiking near their home when they came upon a landed silver flying saucer. At that time, neither of them had heard of UFOs (few had!) so they had no idea what they were seeing, but they knew it was unusual. They became even more intrigued when a door opened and three men wearing jumpsuits emerged. The boys tried to move closer, but found their path forward blocked by an invisible forcefield. The men walked around briefly and then returned inside the craft. It was getting dark, so the brothers returned home. This was to be the first of an escalating series of contacts ...

Published 9th January 2026 (54:48)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=kHNprgNPB-Y

Leo and his book

[Bluegreen]

Lightning – Usual & Unusual



Unusual lightning (cloud to ground) causes death every year.



Alexander Krivenyshev of WorldTimeZone.com captured this cloud-to-ground lightning between skyscrapers. Alexander wrote: “Lightning bolt strikes the Hudson River between lower Manhattan and Jersey City.”

What Is a Sprite? Earth's Super Rare Red Lightning

A kind of transient luminous event or TLE, a sprite occurs during lightning storms and is rarely observed with the human eye.

(2:22)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=NBPjUcMGqbY

Cristina Ortiz López captured this intra-cloud (or cloud-to-cloud) lightning in Granada, Spain.

Cloud Top Flashes - "Pixies" - Captured Up Close

A fascinating and rarely captured cloud top Transient Luminous Event known as a Pixie. Very quick electric blue flashes believed to be 100m or so across.

(3:11)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z9j2rL6hT_8

https://earthsky.org/earth/see-light...al-to-bizarre/
https://theconversation.com/from-bol...e-forms-268197

[Bluegreen]

ERICH VON DÄNIKEN R.I.P.



A PERSONAL TRIBUTE BY PAUL WALLIS

"It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Erich von Däniken on January 10, 2026. Our thoughts are with his family. He is also mourned by friends around the world, the millions of readers of his books, and the many colleagues who had the privilege of working with him."

Published 12th January 2026 (18:34)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=0mss76yuyps

Bonus

2009 07 20 Project Camelot Meets Erich von Däniken



In this fascinating conversation, Project Camelot sits down with Erich von Däniken, the world-renowned author of Chariots of the Gods, to discuss ancient mysteries, extraterrestrial influences, and lost civilizations. Recorded on 20 July 2009, this interview delves into his decades of research on ancient astronaut theory and the evidence suggesting that humanity’s past may not be what we’ve been told.

Topics covered include:

✅ Ancient structures and their potential connection to advanced civilizations
✅ The role of extraterrestrial beings in shaping early human development
✅ Suppressed archaeological discoveries that challenge mainstream history
✅ What this means for the future of humanity

(18:35)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KkGU15mpsAY

[ThePythonicCow]

Posted by Bluegreen (here)
ERICH VON DÄNIKEN R.I.P.

I coped Bluegreen's above post of Erich von Däniken's passing to the Obituaries thread

... and Bill copied Bluegreen's above post to Agape's dedicated Erich von Däniken (1935 - 2026) thread.

[Bluegreen]

Whatever you do ...

Don't Pick Up The Frozen Iguanas

FLORIDA - Morning temperatures in Jacksonville and Tallahassee dipped as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, while Orlando hit the mid-30s, and Miami fell to the upper 40s. All are temperatures cold enough to temporarily freeze an iguana.

Miami Zoo Communications Director Ron Magill is delighted to expand on this little-known-outside-the-area phenomena.

Published 17th January 2026 (4:07)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LhFAkddNvMM

Reptiles like iguanas are cold-blooded—or ectothermic—reptiles that rely on external environmental conditions to regulate their body temperature. By comparison, warm-blooded or endothermic animals like humans and other mammals have a more consistent body temperature. Since the outside temperature has such a drastic effect on their bodies, cold-blooded animals often adapt their behavior as a response. They may bask in the sun to warm up or find shade to cool down and achieve a more balanced body temperature. 





When it gets cold, iguanas may also enter a dormant state called cold-stunning or freezing since they are not adapted to life in colder temperatures. Iguanas can start to slow down if the temperature gets below 50 degrees, and stun once they hit the 40s or 30s. 

After they fall from a tree, they may appear to be dead. However, their critical body functions will all still be working and they will continue to breathe. Once temperatures rise, they can jump back into action as if nothing happened. 

Iguanas can grow up to seven feet long and weigh upwards of 30 pounds, so it is best to be cautious when walking under palm trees in colder weather.

Published 16th January 2026 by Laura Baisas – Popular Science
https://www.popsci.com/environment/f...uanas-florida/

[Johnnycomelately]

Rupert Sheldrake’s theory of Morphic Resonance explains how you don’t need to be bitten by a radioactive spider, to be a superman.

All it takes is one to be bitten, here that is Bob Burnquist, then the resonance begins. Heck even the filmer Josh Dirksen hucked himself, per the credits.

L = 5:03.

Bob's Mega Ramp 2025

Josh Dirksen
410 subscribers

Jan 20, 2026

Some clips from a handful of sessions at Bob Burnquist's mega ramp throughout 2025. Thanks Bob, Leo, and Bruno for letting us skate!

Skaters:
Tom Schaar
Leo Ruiz
Justin Rivera
Beaver Fleming
Heimana Reynolds
Ian Landi
Collin Graham
Josh Dirksen
Jeromy Green
Rony Gomes

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qq1yp_td_GI

[Bluegreen]

Ramanujan’s 100-year-old Pi Formulae Still Revealing the Universe





Most people first encounter the irrational number π (pi) -- commonly approximated as 3.14 and extending infinitely without repeating -- during school lessons about circles. In recent decades, advances in computing have pushed this familiar constant far beyond the classroom, with powerful supercomputers now calculating pi to trillions of decimal places.

Researchers have now uncovered an unexpected twist. Physicists at the Centre for High Energy Physics (CHEP), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) report that mathematical formulas developed a century ago to compute pi are closely linked to some of today's most important ideas in fundamental physics. These connections appear in theoretical descriptions of percolation, fluid turbulence, and even certain features of black holes.





In 1914, shortly before leaving Madras for Cambridge, renowned Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan published a paper presenting 17 different formulas for calculating pi. These expressions were strikingly efficient, allowing pi to be computed much faster than existing techniques of the time. Despite containing only a small number of mathematical terms, the formulas produced an impressive number of accurate digits.

Their impact has endured. Ramanujan's methods became foundational to modern mathematical and computational approaches for calculating pi, including those used by today's most advanced machines. "Scientists have computed pi up to 200 trillion digits using an algorithm called the Chudnovsky algorithm," says Aninda Sinha, Professor at CHEP and senior author of the study. "These algorithms are actually based on Ramanujan's work."

Published 16th December 2025 by Indian Institute of Science (IISc) – Science Daily
https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...1216081949.htm

[Bluegreen]

Baked AF, Jack Nicholson Gives a Legendary Monologue About ET's | Easy Rider (1969)

Jack Nicholson smokes a joint and schools his fellow travelers on just exactly WTF is going on. Music by Jimi Hendrix and The Fraternity of Man.

(9:57)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=BP5GxSP0o_E

[Bluegreen]

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)




25 SECRETS Hidden for Decades

From baffled audience members walking out in droves during its initial run – to academics examining every second of footage and filling entire books with their observations decades later, this video takes a deep dive into Kubrick and Clarke's groundbreaking creation.

(24:35)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=O2MBarHzeYM

[Bluegreen]

From the 60's to the 80's ...



The Unsolvable Mystery of the Max Headroom Incident

On November 22, 1987, TVs across the city of Chicago were interrupted by the strange image of a man in a Max Headroom mask, babbling incoherently and getting spanked. It was one of the most brazen TV piracy events in US history, and a mystery that has eluded experts for nearly 40 years. Considerately includes subtitles when "Max" is speaking ...

Published 12th January 2026 (19:59)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=o4CQV2rI7KY

[Bluegreen]

... and back to the 20's ...



ESA Preview 2026

The European Space Agency has exciting and never-before-tried plans for the coming year.

Published 7th January 2026 (6:23)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ueBf0RsDaOE

• Intro
• Sophie Adenot εpsilon mission
• Galileo Second Generation and Celeste
• Artemis II
• Smile
• Euclid
• Plato
• Ariane 64 first flight
• Total solar eclipse
• Flex and Sentinel-3C
• Hera arrives at Dimorphos
• European Resilience from Space
• BepiColombo reaches Mercury
• Deepen international partnerships
• Outro

[Bluegreen]

Opinion – NewScientist.com

The 5 Worst Ideas of the 21st Century





Social media began with the best intentions - but it soon went sour. Platforms that once fostered connection are now driven by an endless desire to monopolise our time. From the endless scroll to ragebait content, social media is no longer designed to connect us with friends and family - but to profit from our attention. And that’s not to mention the damaging political influence it can have. As countries and governments move to act against it, is there a good solution to these problems?

Bitcoin is one big disaster for the environment. Mining bitcoin requires an inordinate amount of energy - and that cost only increases as more bitcoin is mined. It’s also a terrible investment these days, with some experts suggesting you’d be better off buying a load of Pokémon cards. Adding to that its role in fuelling crime on the dark web - and it becomes a strong contender for worst idea of the 21st century.







Carbon off-sets - another well intentioned solution to the climate crisis that’s gone horribly wrong. The idea is you can lessen the environmental impact of your actions, by off-setting the damage. Maybe you take a long-haul flight, but you plant a tree in return. The trouble is, not only does this give people permission to keep polluting the environment, it’s not even clear if offsetting actually works. But perhaps it’s not all bad?

Effective altruism is a surprising addition to the list, given that it’s meant to be a way of ensuring money goes to only the best causes. But judging which charities deserve donations above others is much more difficult than it seems. And part of the effective altruism movement suggests people should earn as much money as possible so they can one day give it away - which can obviously end badly. And then there are those who have taken it too far - ruining their life.

Biofuels are one seemingly good fix for environmental damage. The promise of alternative fuels, like wind farms, natural gases, hydrogen and biofuels looks good with text and green illustrations. But it turns out they probably do a lot more damage than good. Biofuels in particular require massive amounts of farmland to produce, which alone is highly polluting. Add to that the fact they’re driving up prices at the supermarket - perhaps there’s a better way to stop the climate from warming?




Published 23rd January 2026 – NewScientist.com
https://www.newscientist.com/podcast...ey-went-wrong/

[Johnnycomelately]

Good pep talk by Earthling Dan, for every Earthling wannabe dumbass Icarus. Reps his DMMS, Defined Minimum Manoeuvring Speed. Also gets into .gov corruption re coverup of the post-noine eliven downing of that airliner east of NYC, over the ocean, including an interview vid of a witness.

Dan cracks me up, and I value his accounts of serious stuff and his sides of banjo or guitar and/or vocals in some vids.

L = 31:24.

Another DMMS - Loss of Speed Awareness Fatal.

Probable Cause: Dan Gryder
130K subscribers

Jan 25, 2026

Today, we are currently sitting at 4 General Aviation Fatal accidents for this year 2026. Our GA goal is to stay under 132, or 11.0 per month average for the year. Our current annual rate is at 4.867 Fatal's per month, spread over these first 25 days of this year, as of today. You can follow along on all GA fatal accidents in near real time as they occur, and read the very timely Probable Cause for each, as well as our recommendations. All for free! See the site at www.TheDTSB.org

See the original DB Cooper video here: • D. B. Cooper Deep family Secrets. Part 1

See the FBI part II here: • D.B. Cooper - Deep fbi Secrets. Part 2

See the Navy story of TWA 800 here: • TWA 800 26 years later... The UNCOVERING a...
See the TWO 800 documentary here: • TWA Flight 800

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=aGNUa4QTFA0

[Bluegreen]

NASA is Flying a Piece of the Wright Brothers' Plane to the Moon





NASA's Artemis 2 mission won't just send a quartet of astronauts around the moon — a trove of aerospace artifacts will make the trip as well.

A piece of the Wright Brothers' plane will fly on Artemis 2's Orion spacecraft, for example, as will an American flag that reached orbit on the first and final space shuttle missions.

"Historical artifacts flying aboard Artemis 2 reflect the long arc of American exploration and the generations of innovators who made this moment possible," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. "This mission will bring together pieces of our earliest achievements in aviation, defining moments from human spaceflight and symbols of where we're headed next."

The mementos placed on Orion will commemorate the historic nature of the mission, which takes place during the year of the United States' 250th anniversary.

The Wright Brothers made the first-ever successful powered flight back in 1903, getting their Wright Flyer (also known as Flyer 1) aloft over the dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Artemis 2 will carry a small piece of the plane, a 1-square-inch (6.5 square centimeters) swatch of muslin fabric that's on loan from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

Artemis 2 won't be the first trip to deep space for a piece of the Wright Flyer, by the way: A different swatch of the pioneering plane flew to Mars aboard NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, which became the first aircraft ever to ply the skies of a world beyond Earth. (The artifact, like Ingenuity, remains on Mars today.)





Artemis 2 Astronauts Enter Quarantine Ahead of Historic Moon Launch

From CSA:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPSMWoqCc2Z/

NASA just took another big step toward launching its next crewed moon mission.

The four astronauts of the Artemis 2 mission went into quarantine on Friday (Jan. 23) in Houston, keeping everything on track for a possible liftoff early next month.

"This period, called the health stabilization program, typically starts about 14 days before launch," NASA officials said in a statement on Friday. "Beginning quarantine now preserves flexibility as teams work toward potential opportunities in the February launch period."

Artemis 2 will send NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a roughly 10-day flight around the moon aboard an Orion capsule. The mission will not land on the lunar surface or even enter orbit around Earth's nearest neighbor. Still, it will be the first crewed flight to lunar realms since Apollo 17 back in 1972.

As NASA's Friday statement noted, the agency is eyeing a liftoff as soon as February. There are five potential launch dates next month: Feb. 6-8 and Feb. 10-11. Two other windows are open if Artemis 2 can't get off the ground in February — one in March (March 6-9 and March 11) and one in April (April 1, April 3-6 and April 30).

Published 26th January 2026 by Mike Wall – Space.com
https://www.space.com/space-explorat...sa-moon-launch
https://www.space.com/space-explorat...2-moon-mission

[Bluegreen]

Weak Knees