The Friday Link for 7/18/25

Hi all!

I took a week off from the blog for some simple reasons.  I was tired, I was having a hard time with the mountain of bad news, I was falling behind in other aspects of my life, and I just wanted a break.

I will try to get back to the WTTD tomorrow.

We start the Friday Link with a shockingly therapeutic video.  It's a simple rendition of the speed of light in our own solar system, but I have enjoyed watching this video multiple times when I am stressed out. It starts at the sun, and for 45 minutes, you travel at the speed of light toward the solar system's gas giants.

It gives you a stunning perspective of the size of our solar system, as it takes all 45 minutes to get to Jupiter alone (we'd need another 35 minutes to get all the way to Saturn at the speed of light).  Also, you don't appreciate how far away from the Earth the moon is, or how far away from Jupiter Callisto is.  

This, along with MST3K and RiffTrax videos, is my go-to stress relief. 

Also tonight is a great commentary from Nick Offerman when he visited The Daily Show, sounding off about the threat Trump and his Administration present to the National Parks. Trust me, they would sell them off to the highest bidder if they could.  Offerman makes a lot of points, but his primary one is simple: National Parks are really cool, and we should treat them as the treasure they are.

Warning, this video does have some adult content.  You've been warned! 

Have a good weekend.

Please make sure you stay up to date on your vaccinations.