Wednesday Overnight Open Thread - July 16, 2025 [TRex]

Good evening Horde. The time has come for mid-week shenanigans of the overnight variety.

This is the Wednesday night ONT. Pull up a chair and sit a spell. Be nice to your fellow commenters and AoS contributors.

I know what you're thinking. "I have been waiting since last Wednesday for another edition of the Wednesday ONT! But I can't remember whether ONT rules require pants?!" Fortunately, the Wednesday ONT has a libertarian streak and is reluctant to issue pant-related mandates or guidance. However, the Wednesday ONT would be concerned if you were trying to fit your pets for pants - especially if you had a pet centipede.

But whatever you do, don't leave your pants behind:

If you're in a part of the world where it is neither Wednesday nor overnight, the Wednesday ONT appreciates your indulgence and patronage.

A special hello to the lurkers - otherwise known as "emerging commenters." Glad you're here. Walk towards the light (of the computer screen). Happy reading!

Weekly commenter stats for week of 7-13-2025

Top 10 commenters:
1 [577 comments] 'TheJamesMadison, searching for thrills with John Frankenheimer' [81.96 posts/day]
2 [429 comments] 'Bulg'
3 [392 comments] 'whig'
4 [388 comments] 'polynikes'
5 [356 comments] '18-1'
6 [345 comments] 'Blonde Morticia'
7 [323 comments] 'Boss Moss'
8 [301 comments] 'Harry Paratestes'
9 [294 comments] 'Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ '
10 [291 comments] 'Tom Servo'

Top 10 sockpuppeteers:
1 [162 names] 'Easily Confused' [23.01 unique names/day]
2 [96 names] 'Quarter Twenty '
3 [88 names] 'The very blubbery blue line'
4 [40 names] 'Duncanthrax'
5 [37 names] '18-1'
6 [35 names] 'Count de Monet'
7 [34 names] 'Helena Handbasket'
8 [33 names] 'toby928'
9 [27 names] 'Miklos'
10 [26 names] 'I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper'

In other news, Federal funding for the CA high speed rail project got 86'd.

History:

Theology:

Shopping:

Most people swing through the gift shop and pick up a t-shirt or hat as a souvenir. This would be a little different. I believe this is real - anyone stop by the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum lately and see for yourself?

More shopping:

Darth Vader's Main Lightsaber Set for Auction in Rare Opportunity for Star Wars Fans

The character's screen-matched primary dueling lightsaber that was used in the films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi is set for auction from Propstore this September in Los Angeles. The item was held on-screen by Star Wars actor David Prowse and stunt double Bob Anderson and has a pre-sale value estimate ranging from $1 million to $3 million.

This lightsaber is said to be the only hero lightsaber from the original Star Wars trilogy to ever hit an auction.

The same auction will be selling Indiana Jones' Bullwhip, Whip Holster, and Belt,
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989 (Estimate: $250,000 - $500,000), a neuralyzer from Men in Black, and Sauron's helmet for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Perspective:

He's just about got it.

Beaver news:

Bear-Sized Giant Beavers Once Roamed North America, and They're Now the Official State Fossil of Minnesota

The giant beaver's journey to becoming Minnesota's state fossil has been a long and winding one. The saga dates back to at least 1988, when a group of third graders first proposed making the massive mammal the official state fossil, according to Minnesota Star Tribune columnist Jennifer Brooks. Since then, the proposal has come up again and again. Each time, lawmakers have said no - but that changed this year.

I'm torn between making beaver jokes and noting that the State of Minnesota must have solved all their other problems if they're worrying about state fossil designations. Why pick? Both are viable.

Old news:

Anyone remember this story?

In March 1999, a Waffle House patron in Mobile, Alabama gives a Florida lottery ticket to a server as a tip instead of cash. Patron often gave lottery tickets to the servers.

At this time, Server was a 28 year old divorced mom. She split from her husband in 1997.

Server wins a $10 million Florida lottery jackpot!

Server elects to take $375,000 a year for 30 years instead of all of the winnings at once.

Server forms a corporation with family members to split the winnings and avoid gift taxes.

Server's co-workers claim they had a verbal agreement to share any lottery ticket winnings and sue Server. After only 45 minutes of deliberation, jury finds for the Waffle House co-workers.

Server gets a new lawyer and appeals.

Server wins appeal, arguing the verbal agreement was invalid since the lottery itself was illegal in Alabama.

Patron who initially gave the lottery ticket filed suit, claiming there was an agreement for Server to buy him a new truck if there was a winning ticket. The suit was eventually dismissed.

Server's ex-husband decides he would like a share of the lottery winnings. He kidnaps Server and threatens to kill her. He takes her to an isolated boat launch in Mississippi. Server pulls a .22-caliber handgun from her purse and shoots ex-husband in the chest.

Ex-husband gains control of the gun and threatens to kill both of them. Server advises ex-husband to get medical treatment. They drive to a hospital for treatment. He survives and neither is charged with any crimes.

The IRS reviews Server's corporation and distribution of lottery proceeds. Because Server gave so much of her money to family members, the IRS determined that she owed a gift tax of $770,000. A court agreed.

Server reportedly lives in Biloxi, Mississippi. She remarried and works as a poker dealer at the Golden Nugget Casino.

The end.

(Facts may or may not be correct. You'd be amazed how many slightly different versions there are of the same story on the interwebs. Well, maybe you wouldn't be amazed...)

Science:

Are you wise in the ways of science? If so, you know about the Briggs-Rausher Oscillating Reaction.

Another explainer with more sciencey stuff here.

"This post is useless without photos" department:

Did you know that Playboy's Miss September and Miss October 1967 and Miss January 1969 were along for the Apollo 12 moonwalks?

While Gordon orbited in Yankee Clipper 60 miles above the surface of the moon, Conrad and Bean moved gingerly in their bulky space suits over the Ocean of Storms. Bending to pick up rock samples. Flipping their cuff checklists for the next instruction. Setting up the solar wind spectrometer. Check the list. Securing the seismometer. Checking the list. And... whoa!

Tossing her head and smiling was the stunning bare-breasted Angela Dorian, with the caption, "Seen any interesting hills and valleys?"

"It was about two and a half hours into extravehicular activity," says Bean. "I flipped the page over and there she was. I hopped over to where Pete was and showed him mine, and he showed me his."

Conrad had been joined by the charming and equally nude Reagan Wilson, her hair tousled, reclining against a bale of hay with the caption, "Preferred Tether Partner."

Just how did these lunar lovelies get by NASA? Easily. "It was part of the game," says Conrad. "Guys doing joke things. It probably goes back to Mercury. The pad leader, Guenter Wendt, always had some gag thing. So did the crews. I think Dave Scott was the first to think of doing something on the cuff checklist."

"It was a family thing," confirms Scott, backup commander for the Apollo 12 mission. "We spent a lot of time going through the checklist to see where we could insert something humorous. We got that centerfold off the newsstand. Then we had to get it printed on fire-proof plastic-coated paper."

For historical and academic purposes, full story and black and white photos here.

Pickled Pittsburgh:

We should acknowledge the recent Pickelsburgh festivities. Last weekend's events marked the 10th anniversary! Did anyone attend?

The pickle juice drinking competition is always a crowd favorite.

New for this year was pickle riding. The jokes almost write themselves.

The Pittsburgh Police Scanner:

The Pittsburgh police scanner took an interesting turn last week. Someone among the Horde posted a screenshot of last week's Wednesday ONT section featuring the Pittsburgh police scanner selections on X. The ONT features the scanner which features the ONT which features the scanner... Have we reached the singularity? Which of you among the Horde dares to bridge both worlds?!

Luke Combs for the big ONT finish:

Written correspondence can be sent to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Are you lurking ?? Thank you for your attention to this matter.

posted by Open Blogger at 10:00 PM

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