Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Spring . . .

 

. . . will be here in only 91 days (as of this writing) and boy, am I looking forward to it.


Written in Early Spring
William Wordsworth

I HEARD a thousand blended notes  
While in a grove I sate reclined,  
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts  
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.  

To her fair works did Nature link          
The human soul that through me ran;  
And much it grieved my heart to think  
What Man has made of Man.  

Through primrose tufts, in that sweet bower,  
The periwinkle trail’d its wreaths;          
And ’tis my faith that every flower  
Enjoys the air it breathes.  

The birds around me hopp’d and play’d,  
Their thoughts I cannot measure,—  
But the least motion which they made          
It seem’d a thrill of pleasure.  

The budding twigs spread out their fan  
To catch the breezy air;  
And I must think, do all I can,  
That there was pleasure there.          

If this belief from heaven be sent,  
If such be Nature’s holy plan,  
Have I not reason to lament  
What Man has made of Man?   




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Monday, December 17, 2012

Grass. . .

 
. . . growing two feet high
Casting awful shadows
Bicycles, cupboards all awry
Pieces of linoleum pie flash by

His family had nothing to say
So embarrassed
Helpless too
What makes a man turn out this way
Can he change or is this how he'll stay

There's just no talking to the junk man
There's just no talking to the junk man
With shelves and pottery stacked to the sky
He won the lottery back in 05
Now he's a millionaire
But he can't find anything
In all the junk

The neighbors don't know what to do
They've got visions of a jungle
No one thought they'd see the neighborhood
In this state
You know this can't be good

There's just no talking to the junk man
There's just no talking to the junk man
With shelves and pottery stacked to the sky
He won the lottery back in 05
Now he's a millionaire
But he can't find anything
In all the junk

The Junkman
©2009 Raymond M. Jozwiak





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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Tears . . .

. . . on your pillow?. . .

Cry for the cameras but put your conscience where your [fake?] tears are.  Maybe after guns, we can discuss all the children (of other nations) that the U.S. has killed with drone strikes. True, outlawing guns won't completely get rid of the violence. It sure could help though.  Isn't that a GOOD thing?  And don't we have to start SOMEWHERE???


Is it me, or might what you see below be UNNECESSARY - not to mention criminal???

(from http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/recips.php?cycle=2012&id=D000000082)
National Rifle Assn: All Recipients
Name     Office     Total Contributions
Adams, Sandy (R-FL)     House     $2,000
Aderholt, Robert B (R-AL)     House     $1,000
Akin, Todd (R-MO)     House     $1,000
Alexander, Rodney (R-LA)     House     $2,000
Allen, George (R-VA)     Senate     $6,450
Altmire, Jason (D-PA)     House     $2,500
Altschuler, Randy (R-NY)     House     $2,500
Amodei, Mark (R-NV)     House     $4,000
Archer, John H Jr (R-IA)     House     $2,000
Austria, Steve (R-OH)     House     $1,000
Baca, Joe (D-CA)     House     $2,500
Bachmann, Michele (R-MN)     House     $1,000
Bachus, Spencer (R-AL)     House     $3,000
Barletta, Lou (R-PA)     House     $2,000
Barr, Andy (R-KY)     House     $2,500
Barrasso, John A (R-WY)     Senate     $5,308
Barrow, John (D-GA)     House     $4,950
Bartlett, Roscoe G (R-MD)     House     $4,000
Bass, Charles (R-NH)     House     $2,000
Benishek, Dan (R-MI)     House     $4,950
Berg, Rick (R-ND)     House     $7,450
Biggert, Judy (R-IL)     House     $2,000
Bilbray, Brian P (R-CA)     House     $2,500
Bilirakis, Gus (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Bishop, Rob (R-UT)     House     $1,000
Bishop, Sanford D Jr (D-GA)     House     $3,650
Black, Diane (R-TN)     House     $2,000
Blackburn, Marsha (R-TN)     House     $4,500
Boehner, John (R-OH)     House     $2,500
Bonner, Jo (R-AL)     House     $2,000
Bono Mack, Mary (R-CA)     House     $1,500
Boustany, Charles W Jr (R-LA)     House     $1,000
Brady, Kevin (R-TX)     House     $1,000
Brooks, Maggie (R-NY)     House     $1,000
Brooks, Mo (R-AL)     House     $2,000
Broun, Paul Jr (R-GA)     House     $2,000
Bruning, Jon (R-NE)     Senate     $1,000
Buchanan, Vernon (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Bucshon, Larry (R-IN)     House     $4,000
Buerkle, Ann Marie (R-NY)     House     $2,500
Burgess, Michael (R-TX)     House     $1,000
Burton, Dan (R-IN)     House     $2,000
Calvert, Ken (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Camp, Dave (R-MI)     House     $2,000
Campbell, John (R-CA)     House     $1,000
Canseco, Francisco (R-TX)     House     $4,950
Cantor, Eric (R-VA)     House     $7,450
Capito, Shelley Moore (R-WV)     House     $1,000
Cardoza, Dennis (D-CA)     House     $2,500
Carter, John (R-TX)     House     $6,950
Cassidy, Bill (R-LA)     House     $1,000
Chabot, Steve (R-OH)     House     $2,000
Chaffetz, Jason (R-UT)     House     $1,500
Chandler, Ben (D-KY)     House     $4,000
Coble, Howard (R-NC)     House     $4,000
Coffman, Mike (R-CO)     House     $7,450
Cole, Tom (R-OK)     House     $3,500
Conaway, Mike (R-TX)     House     $2,000
Cook, Paul (R-CA)     House     $1,000
Coors, Joe (R-CO)     House     $1,000
Corker, Bob (R-TN)     Senate     $4,950
Cornilles, Robert (R-OR)     House     $1,000
Cravaack, Chip (R-MN)     House     $2,000
Crawford, Rick (R-AR)     House     $2,000
Crenshaw, Ander (R-FL)     House     $2,000
Critz, Mark (D-PA)     House     $3,500
Cruz, Ted (R-TX)     Senate     $250
Cuellar, Henry (D-TX)     House     $2,000
Culberson, John (R-TX)     House     $1,650
Daines, Steven (R-MT)     House     $2,000
Davis, Geoff (R-KY)     House     $1,000
Davis, Rodney (R-IL)     House     $1,000
Delong, Gary (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Denham, Jeff (R-CA)     House     $3,000
Dent, Charlie (R-PA)     House     $1,500
Desjarlais, Scott (R-TN)     House     $2,000
Diaz-Balart, Mario (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Dingell, John D (D-MI)     House     $5,000
Duffy, Sean P (R-WI)     House     $3,500
Duncan, Jeff (R-SC)     House     $2,000
Duncan, John J Jr (R-TN)     House     $1,000
Ellmers, Renee (R-NC)     House     $3,000
Emerson, Jo Ann (R-MO)     House     $1,000
Farenthold, Blake (R-TX)     House     $2,000
Fincher, Steve (R-TN)     House     $9,900
Fischer, Deb (R-NE)     Senate     $3,000
Fitzpatrick, Michael G (R-PA)     House     $2,000
Flake, Jeff (R-AZ)     House     $2,000
Fleischmann, Chuck (R-TN)     House     $2,000
Fleming, John (R-LA)     House     $1,000
Flores, Bill (R-TX)     House     $4,500
Forbes, Randy (R-VA)     House     $2,000
Fortenberry, Jeff (R-NE)     House     $1,000
Foxx, Virginia (R-NC)     House     $2,000
Franks, Trent (R-AZ)     House     $2,500
Gardner, Cory (R-CO)     House     $1,000
Gerlach, Jim (R-PA)     House     $2,000
Gibbs, Bob (R-OH)     House     $3,000
Gibson, Chris (R-NY)     House     $2,500
Gill, Ricky (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Gingrey, Phil (R-GA)     House     $1,000
Goodlatte, Bob (R-VA)     House     $2,000
Gosar, Paul (R-AZ)     House     $5,950
Gowdy, Trey (R-SC)     House     $2,000
Granger, Kay (R-TX)     House     $3,500
Graves, Sam (R-MO)     House     $1,000
Graves, Tom (R-GA)     House     $3,000
Griffin, Tim (R-AR)     House     $4,000
Griffith, Morgan (R-VA)     House     $4,150
Grimm, Michael (R-NY)     House     $1,000
Guinta, Frank (R-NH)     House     $2,000
Guthrie, Brett (R-KY)     House     $2,500
Hall, Ralph M (R-TX)     House     $1,000
Hanna, Richard (R-NY)     House     $1,000
Harper, Gregg (R-MS)     House     $1,000
Harris, Andy (R-MD)     House     $3,000
Hartzler, Vicky (R-MO)     House     $2,000
Hastings, Doc (R-WA)     House     $2,000
Hatch, Orrin G (R-UT)     Senate     $5,000
Hayworth, Nan (R-NY)     House     $2,500
Heck, Joe (R-NV)     House     $2,500
Heller, Dean (R-NV)     Senate     $6,950
Hensarling, Jeb (R-TX)     House     $3,000
Herrera Beutler, Jaime (R-WA)     House     $2,000
Higgins, Brian M (D-NY)     House     $1,000
Hochul, Kathleen (D-NY)     House     $3,000
Holden, Tim (D-PA)     House     $4,950
Holding, George (R-NC)     House     $2,000
Huelskamp, Tim (R-KS)     House     $2,150
Huizenga, Bill (R-MI)     House     $3,000
Hultgren, Randy (R-IL)     House     $2,000
Hunter, Duncan D (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Hurt, Robert (R-VA)     House     $3,000
Issa, Darrell (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Jenkins, Lynn (R-KS)     House     $2,000
Johnson, Bill (R-OH)     House     $2,000
Johnson, Ron (R-WI)     Senate     $1,000
Johnson, Sam (R-TX)     House     $3,000
Johnson, Timothy (R-IL)     House     $4,000
Jones, Walter B Jr (R-NC)     House     $2,000
Jordan, James D (R-OH)     House     $2,000
Kelly, Jesse (R-AZ)     House     $2,500
Kelly, Mike (R-PA)     House     $2,000
Kind, Ron (D-WI)     House     $2,000
King, Steven A (R-IA)     House     $5,950
Kingston, Jack (R-GA)     House     $2,500
Kinzinger, Adam (R-IL)     House     $2,000
Kissell, Larry (D-NC)     House     $3,000
Kline, John (R-MN)     House     $2,500
Labrador, Raul (R-ID)     House     $7,100
LaMalfa, Doug (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Lamborn, Douglas L (R-CO)     House     $2,000
Lance, Leonard (R-NJ)     House     $1,000
Landry, Jeff (R-LA)     House     $1,000
Lankford, James (R-OK)     House     $2,000
Latham, Tom (R-IA)     House     $3,000
LaTourette, Steve (R-OH)     House     $3,000
Latta, Robert E (R-OH)     House     $2,150
Lewis, Jerry (R-CA)     House     $1,000
Lingle, Linda (R-HI)     Senate     $1,000
LoBiondo, Frank A (R-NJ)     House     $2,000
Long, Billy (R-MO)     House     $2,000
Lucas, Frank D (R-OK)     House     $2,000
Luetkemeyer, Blaine (R-MO)     House     $1,000
Lujan, Ben R (D-NM)     House     $1,000
Lummis, Cynthia Marie (R-WY)     House     $2,150
Lungren, Dan (R-CA)     House     $1,000
Manchin, Joe (D-WV)     Senate     $4,500
Mandel, Josh (R-OH)     Senate     $9,450
Manzullo, Don (R-IL)     House     $1,000
Marchant, Kenny (R-TX)     House     $2,500
Marino, Tom (R-PA)     House     $2,000
Massie, Thomas (R-KY)     House     $1,000
Matheson, Jim (D-UT)     House     $6,950
McCarthy, Kevin (R-CA)     House     $2,500
McCaul, Michael (R-TX)     House     $3,150
McClintock, Tom (R-CA)     House     $2,000
McCotter, Thaddeus G (R-MI)     House     $2,000
McHenry, Patrick (R-NC)     House     $1,000
McIntyre, Mike (D-NC)     House     $2,000
McKeon, Buck (R-CA)     House     $2,000
McKinley, David (R-WV)     House     $2,500
McMorris Rodgers, Cathy (R-WA)     House     $2,000
McSally, Martha (R-AZ)     House     $2,150
Meehan, Patrick (R-PA)     House     $1,000
Messer, Luke (R-IN)     House     $2,000
Mica, John L (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Michaud, Mike (D-ME)     House     $3,000
Miller, Candice S (R-MI)     House     $1,000
Miller, Gary (R-CA)     House     $2,500
Miller, Jeff (R-FL)     House     $4,000
Moran, Jerry (R-KS)     Senate     $3,000
Mourdock, Richard E (R-IN)     Senate     $4,950
Mulvaney, Mick (R-SC)     House     $1,000
Murphy, Tim (R-PA)     House     $5,000
Myrick, Sue (R-NC)     House     $1,000
Neugebauer, Randy (R-TX)     House     $2,000
Noem, Kristi (R-SD)     House     $2,000
Nugent, Richard (R-FL)     House     $138
Nunes, Devin Gerald (R-CA)     House     $2,500
Nunnelee, Alan (R-MS)     House     $3,150
Olson, Pete (R-TX)     House     $2,000
Owens, Bill (D-NY)     House     $1,000
Palazzo, Steven (R-MS)     House     $2,000
Paulsen, Erik (R-MN)     House     $2,250
Pawlenty, Tim (R)     Pres     $1,000
Pearce, Steve (R-NM)     House     $2,000
Perry, Rick (R)     Pres     $1,500
Perry, Scott (R-PA)     House     $3,000
Peterson, Collin C (D-MN)     House     $2,500
Petri, Tom (R-WI)     House     $1,000
Pittenger, Robert (R-NC)     House     $2,000
Pitts, Joe (R-PA)     House     $1,000
Poe, Ted (R-TX)     House     $2,000
Pompeo, Mike (R-KS)     House     $2,000
Posey, Bill (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Price, Tom (R-GA)     House     $1,000
Quayle, Ben (R-AZ)     House     $2,600
Rahall, Nick (D-WV)     House     $2,000
Reed, Tom (R-NY)     House     $1,000
Renacci, Jim (R-OH)     House     $9,900
Ribble, Reid (R-WI)     House     $3,000
Rigell, Scott (R-VA)     House     $4,950
Rivera, David (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Rogers, Hal (R-KY)     House     $5,000
Rogers, Mike (R-MI)     House     $2,500
Rogers, Mike D (R-AL)     House     $1,000
Rokita, Todd (R-IN)     House     $1,500
Romney, Mitt (R)     Pres     $5,850
Rooney, Tom (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Roskam, Peter (R-IL)     House     $3,000
Ross, Dennis (R-FL)     House     $2,000
Ross, Mike (D-AR)     House     $5,000
Royce, Ed (R-CA)     House     $1,000
Runyan, Jon (R-NJ)     House     $5,000
Ryan, Paul (R-WI)     House     $2,000
Ryan, Tim (D-OH)     House     $3,000
Scalise, Steve (R-LA)     House     $2,000
Schilling, Bobby (R-IL)     House     $3,500
Schmidt, Jean (R-OH)     House     $2,000
Schock, Aaron (R-IL)     House     $2,000
Schrader, Kurt (D-OR)     House     $3,000
Schweikert, David (R-AZ)     House     $2,000
Scott, Austin (R-GA)     House    
Scott, Tim (R-SC)     House     $2,000
Sensenbrenner, F James Jr (R-WI)     House     $2,000
Sessions, Pete (R-TX)     House     $4,950
Shimkus, John M (R-IL)     House     $2,000
Shuler, Heath (D-NC)     House     $4,950
Shuster, Bill (R-PA)     House     $1,000
Simpson, Mike (R-ID)     House     $5,000
Smith, Adrian (R-NE)     House     $1,000
Smith, Lamar (R-TX)     House     $4,500
Southerland, Steve (R-FL)     House    
Stearns, Cliff (R-FL)     House     $4,950
Stewart, Chris (R-UT)     House     $1,000
Stivers, Steve (R-OH)     House     $1,000
Strickland, Tony (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Stutzman, Marlin (R-IN)     House     $1,500
Sullivan, John (R-OK)     House     $3,000
Tavaglione, John F (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Terry, Lee (R-NE)     House     $4,500
Thompson, Glenn (R-PA)     House     $2,000
Thompson, Tommy G (R-WI)     Senate     $7,000
Thornberry, Mac (R-TX)     House     $2,000
Tipton, Scott (R-CO)     House     $4,500
Turner, Michael R (R-OH)     House     $1,000
Turner, Robert L (R-NY)     House     $1,000
Upton, Fred (R-MI)     House     $3,500
Valadao, David (R-CA)     House     $2,000
Wagner, Ann L (R-MO)     House     $2,000
Walberg, Tim (R-MI)     House     $2,000
Walden, Greg (R-OR)     House     $3,000
Walorski, Jackie (R-IN)     House     $3,500
Walsh, Joe (R-IL)     House     $2,000
Walz, Timothy J (D-MN)     House     $2,000
Webb-Edgington, Alecia (R-KY)     House     $1,000
Webster, Daniel (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Wenstrup, Brad (R-OH)     House     $2,000
West, Allen (R-FL)     House     $2,000
Westmoreland, Lynn A (R-GA)     House     $2,000
Whitfield, Ed (R-KY)     House     $1,000
Wicker, Roger (R-MS)     Senate     $4,950
Wilson, Joe (R-SC)     House     $1,000
Wittman, Rob (R-VA)     House     $2,000
Womack, Steve (R-AR)     House     $2,000
Yoder, Kevin (R-KS)     House     $4,000
Young, C W Bill (R-FL)     House     $1,000
Young, Don (R-AK)     House     $2,000
Young, Todd (R-IN)     House     $1,500



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Friday, December 14, 2012

From the Sun. . .

. . . Ra organization
(from wikipedia.com)
Marshall Belford Allen (born May 25, 1924) is an American free jazz and avant-garde jazz alto saxophone player. He also performs on flute, oboe, piccolo, and EVI (an electronic valve instrument made by Steiner, Crumar company).

Allen is best known for his work with eccentric keyboardist/bandleader Sun Ra, having recorded and performed mostly in this context since the late 1950s, and having led Sun Ra's Arkestra since 1993. Critic Jason Ankeny describes Marshall as "one of the most distinctive and original saxophonists of the postwar era."

He is best known for his mastery of pyrotechnic effects on the alto - he has said that he "wanted to play on a broader sound basis rather than on chords" (1971 interview with Tam Fiofori cited in[3]). The opportunity came through his long association with Sun Ra, with whom he performed almost exclusively from 1958 to Ra's death in 1993, although he did record outside the Arkestra, notably with Paul Bley's group in 1964 and with Olatunji's group during the mid-1960s. Critic Scott Yanow has described Allen's playing as "Johnny Hodges from another dimension".

Since the departure of Sun Ra and John Gilmore, Allen has led the Arkestra, and has recorded two albums as their bandleader. In May 2004, Allen celebrated his 80th birthday on stage with the Arkestra, as part of their performance at the Ninth Vision Festival in New York City. Allen gave another performance on his birthday in 2008 at Sullivan Hall in New York City.

Allen often appears in NYC-area collaborations with bassist Henry Grimes and has also participated in the "Outerzone Orchestra" together with Francisco Mora Catlett, Carl Craig and others in an appreciation of Sun Ra's music.




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Thursday, December 13, 2012

Good Grief! ! ! . . .

. . . Charlie Brown. . .
(from http://www.newser.com/story/158804/up-for-auction-charles-schulzs-forbidden-love-letters.html The Associated Press)
'. . . The late Peanuts creator Charles Schulz was once so infatuated with a young woman 23 years his junior he sent her dozens of romantic letters and drawings of his beloved cartoon characters. Many of the themes of that correspondence made it into his daily comic strips at the time, and now those love notes from 1970-1971 are being offered for sale at Sotheby's in New York by the family of Tracey Claudius, who the auction house says is ill at her home near Philadelphia. It's estimated the notes will fetch $250,000 to $350,000 at the Dec. 14 auction. Claudius met the cartoonist on March 16, 1970, while accompanying a friend on an interview assignment, ostensibly as a photographer but really for a chance to meet her idol. She was 25. The married Schulz was 48. There are 44 letters totaling 56 pages, including 22 original drawings of some of the characters, primarily Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Lucy. Many are signed "Sparky," a Schulz nickname. Sotheby's says it the most significant collection of correspondence and drawings by Schulz to come to auction. . . "





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Dust. . .

. . . and gas (yes, water too). . . that's what they're made of. . .
. . . that come once a year, quite a show of fireworks when you're there to see them. . . shooting stars fantastically glow. . . all too soon, no one can say where they are or gone to . . . back on earth, we average reside. . . most of us will never know such adoration. . . so I go my ordinary way, do my job and feed my kids in this world and wonder. . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . why all the fascination?

Fabulous, they'll take your breath away. . . they will dazzle with their style and their savoir faire. . .  improvise, they make their own rules. . . all the cattle follow close behind from the pasture. . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . why all the fascination?

Why couldn't I be one among these many millions?. . .why can't someone see my astrological worth?. . . what causes the sea of heavenly bodies to glow like they do; show off so brightly for me and you? . . . sooner or later they burn themselves out but oh, so beautifully. . . beautifully.

Meteors have nothing to fear. . . from their distant firmament, they shine for the masses. . . safe above, removed from earthly life, from uncertainty that lines the cloth of our mortal existence. . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . dust and gas, that's what they're made of. . . why all the fascination?


Meteors
from For The Ride
© 2008 Raymond M. Jozwiak





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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Whew! ! ! . . .

 (from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/newly-discovered-small-asteroid-just-misses-colliding-with-earth-next-up-is-much-bigger-121212-asteroid/2012/12/11/51048aae-43a4-11e2-9648-a2c323a991d6_blog.html By )
". . . (The) 4179 Toutatis asteroid (is) expected to pass within 4 million miles of Earth. As the author of this story puts it, “On the scale of the cosmos, that is a very close shave.”

But if you think that’s too close for comfort, how about an asteroid passing within just 140,000 miles (only 60% of the distance between the Earth and moon) of our planet? Guess what?... already happened earlier this morning.

Discovered only two days ago, XE54 came about as close to crashing into Earth as an asteroid can without actually doing so - close enough to be “eclipsed by Earth’s shadow, causing its shadow to ‘wink out’ for a short time,” according to Universe Today.

With a diameter of just 72-160 feet, XE54 is a far cry from the over six-mile wide asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs (and about 50% of all life’s species) 65 million years ago. But, while it’s possible an asteroid of this size would produce nothing more than a brilliant fireball as it disintegrated after entering the atmosphere, a direct hit by remaining rock chunks on a populated region could be disastrous.

Believe it or not, a surprise near miss of this sort is not especially unusual. In June 2011, an steroid estimated about 30 feet in size (“2011 MD”) passed by Earth and missed a direct hit by only 7,500 miles. An even closer encounter occurred earlier in 2011 when another small asteroid missed Earth by just 3,400 miles.

Asteroids coming this close cross through the zone of geosynchronous satellites (such as the GOES series). The chances of an asteroid-satellite collision are extremely small, though not zero.

Small asteroids such as these are difficult to discover, usually detected within a week of their closest encounter, and that’s much too little time to do anything but issue a warning about the likely locations of impact. In most, but not all cases, impacts would focus on oceans or relatively unpopulated regions.

Fortunately, asteroid strikes by ones of the size that wiped out dinosaurs are few and far between. An impact with more common intermediate-sized asteroids - dimensions larger than about 500 feet – would explode with the power of a large atomic bomb. However, large and intermediate-sized asteroids can be detected and tracked years before any close encounter with Earth. . . "




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