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Overnight Open Thread [01/12/2026]

[Photo courtesy of Weasel Studios, ©2026]

Gazing up into the night sky seems elemental, for reasons I do not understand. Perhaps it is the wonder of the vastness of the universe that attracts us, or maybe just that it is simply beautiful!

We have a fair amount of light pollution (what a silly phrase), so while we can see the beauty of the heavens, it is nothing like looking up during a cold dark night, far from the lights of a metropolitan area.

Sadly, our fixation with modern phones and the admittedly impressive cameras built into them have made photos such as the one above a rarity for most people. I am sure many of you have tried to take photos of the moon with your phones, and it simply does not work!

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I love the South!

[Hat Tip: TC]
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Once upon a time, there was a marine biologist who absolutely loved dolphins. He'd been fascinated with them since childhood, so marine biology was a natural field for him, and he spent almost all of his time researching, swimming with, and playing with dolphins. He grew to love many of his dolphins and consider them his family. But there was a problem.

Dolphins, like humans, are subject to the ravages of aging, growing feeble and infirm as they get older, until they inevitably died. But dolphin lifespans are much shorter than human lifespans, so as the years went by, the biologist saw dolphins that were very dear to him grow old, become too weak to frolic, and die, and it broke his heart every single time. He never got used to seeing one of his beloved dolphins pass away and leave forever, and he determined to do something about it. His research became increasingly focused on finding a way to keep dolphins from aging. And finally, after decades of experimentation, he achieved a major breakthrough. But again, there was a problem.

He developed a serum that could completely halt the effects of aging in dolphins, allowing them to theoretically live forever in perfect health. But the major ingredient of his formula was a paste made from the ground-up bodies of baby hatchlings of a certain rare species of seagull. In fact, that particular species of seagull was so rare that it was considered critically endangered and had the strongest level of protection. Interfering with these birds, especially their chicks, was strictly forbidden and heavily punishable. So there was nothing he could do to help his dolphins.

Until one fateful day.

On that day, one of his dearest, most beloved dolphins (a female with whom he had a very special and unique relationship) died of old age. Grief-stricken, the marine biologist decided that the law could go to hell, and that saving his dolphins was much more important than some stupid endangered seagull. He loaded a truck with empty cages and, in the dead of night, drove to a beach that had a nesting colony of these seagulls.

He worked through most of the night, going from nest to nest, grabbing any baby birds he could find, and locking them in cages in the back of his truck. Just about an hour before sunrise, he had loaded up his truck with all he could carry and started the long drive back to his laboratory where he could grind up the chicks and make his serum.

Unfortunately, it was late, and after working through most of the night he was tired and unfocused, and by the time he saw the animal lying in the road, it was too late. The biologist caught a glimpse in his headlights, and to his surprise it was a lion, who had been relaxing peacefully in the road before the biologist ran him over.

A state trooper saw the whole thing. He pulled the marine biologist over, and arrested him for transporting underage gulls across a staid lion for immortal porpoises.

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Take 'Em Away, by Old Crow Medicine Show.
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It's almost certainly fake, but still extremely funny.

What's the best practical joke you have been involved with, either the culprit or the victim?

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Ah yes...the Brylcream addict who would be president. And that is his handler, the younger Soros ghoul.The sh*t-show that is California is accelerating into the abyss, and Newsom seems to relish its image as the crackpot capital of the country. Is his political bubble so all-encompassing that he simply does not see reality? Hell, he went to Davos last week and was bitterly critical of America. And he thinks that is going to resonate outside of the wealthy blue enclaves?

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I am not a Dead-Head...I saw enough of them while living in Berkeley! They would invade for several days while The Dead played The Greek Theater, and the behavior of those lunatics was a powerful impression of how not to love a band! But I do like some of their songs, and Ripple is my favorite.

If JackStraw is around, he can tell you why The Dead are popular in his neck of the woods.

Here is John Mayer's version that he sang at some memorial to Bob Weir. I apologize for the vile people in the background!

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[Hat Tip: TC]
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This is fascinating, both as a glimpse into the complexities of building high-quality barrels, and the skill and attention to detail of a master craftsman.

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The Far Side

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