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Posts Made By: John Hopkins

December 12, 2003 02:24 PM Forum: A Day in the Life of the Administrator

Why report people that don't match their computer?

Posted By John Hopkins
What's worse is that I not only don't understand what this guy's raving about, the subject line is whooshing right past me as well.

January 2, 2004 01:46 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Processing w/ Photoshop (NGC7000)

Posted By John Hopkins
A couple of hints.

Edit-->Image Size is where the resize is.

For fixing/tweaking contrast it's better to use Levels than the Brightness/Contrast dialog. Three adjusters instead of two.

January 2, 2004 03:40 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Help a newbie out....

Posted By John Hopkins
That's a lot to spend on a first scope. Keep in mind some people buy equipment and only then find out they're not quite as interested as they first thought. I started with a 5" SCT (Celestron C5+) and it did a great job; the newest model is the NexStar 5/5i which with the goto is a great starter, IMO.

If at all possible, take the previous advice to go to a star party. Nothing compares to being able to look through a few scopes before deciding.

January 3, 2004 07:33 PM Forum: A Day in the Life of the Administrator

Sorry to see you leave....

Posted By John Hopkins
>>Must be a member to view the damn forums now? <<

That's *damned* forums, please.

>>Pardon me,<<

Yeah yeah, just light a match, willya?

>>but that's bull. And then I can't register with my Yahoo! address?<<

I guess not?

>>Do you really think I'm about you divulge my ISP email to you?<<

I'm guessing that at the time you wrote this you were about to email me. Beyond that...

>>After all the lying businesses that have told me my email address is safe with them, you expect me to believe you.<<

Pretty much. Why?

>>You are different than everyone else.<<

Thank you.

>>Why else would you force people to register with you in order to simply view the forums (I don't even post!) but to harvest email addresses?
And why else would you harvest emails but to aid the world of SPAM?<<

-Spock: analysis please.
Class M planet, Captain. The 'World of Spam' if I recall my internet overlords correctly.
-Population?
Six hundred seventy kazillion.
-Humanoid?
No sir. Email addresses. They were sent here after the great harvest of 2004.
-That doesn't make any sense.
Don't worry, Captain. It's an analogy.

>>People like you make me sick.<<

All in a day's work for Bacteria Man.

>>You can be sure I won't ever be doing any business with your company<<

Oh thank goodness.

February 12, 2004 05:07 PM Forum: Religion

Thought for the Day, 12.02.04.

Posted By John Hopkins
Heh. Here's another good one from another composer:

"Assassins!"
--Toscanini, to his orchestra

February 12, 2004 05:39 PM Forum: Religion

Re: Kerry in Vietnam part two

Posted By John Hopkins
>>E. Turning space travel into a short term event.<<

Eh? He was the one who cranked it up!

"Anyone who thinks the Apollo missions were for scientific exploration is nuts. People just aren't that interested in exploration. They were sure interested in beating the Russians." --Frank Borman in 'To The Moon'

The program was cut when Nixon & Congress saw the public interest wane after Apollo 11. The culprits in making it short term are all but a handful of us.

February 13, 2004 04:12 PM Forum: Religion

Thought for the Day, 13.02.04

Posted By John Hopkins
"Democracy is the theory that the common man knows what he wants and deserves to get it good and hard." --H.L. Mencken

Just, you know, for contrast.

February 13, 2004 04:38 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

What is the ultimate personal scope?

Posted By John Hopkins
For me, after some admittedly reckless scope 'testing' I'm finally heading toward my personal best, a Tak FS102.

I agree that aperture rules *for the most part* but the exquisite views offered by an apo were to me unbeatable. The 8" LX90 I had once had better light gathering power, but the optics were nothing like the apos i looked thru at star parties, despite good collimation. (Plus I'm not heavily built, and the 90 would really tax me when I moved it as a complete unit.)

Beyond the OTA would be a solid EQ mount with drive motors. Go-to would be nice but not necessary. I *hated* the push-nudge of the XT8 dob, despite months of trying to get used to it. Give me motors!

Perhaps when I get out of apartments/condos I can look into a monster truss dob. Until then I need adequate portability with optics that are as ace as possible.

Oh yes, and those buttery-smooth Tak focusers are drool-worthy all on their own.

February 15, 2004 04:23 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

most disliked scope?

Posted By John Hopkins
It was some dept. store 4" Meade reflector, DS-114 or something like that. You name it, that scope couldn't do it.

It was so bad that I often tell people my first scope was a C5+ even though it was 2nd. I don't lie deliberately; it's as if I'm just trying to forget it ever existed.

February 21, 2004 01:04 PM Forum: Religion

Gay Marriage???

Posted By John Hopkins
Let's look at it the other way. Why is it a big deal for gays to be married?

This is my take on it because I've avoided marriage like the plague my whole adult life, so perhaps I'm not the best one to bring it up. But seriously, why's it so crucial to get a piece of paper that essentially says the state recognizes you two are sweet on each other? They can't all be about the tax breaks, can they?

Look at how little marriage means to a large chunk of hetero people. All kinds of them march right up to the altar of the god they believe in and say "Yes: *this* person, and only this person, for the rest of my life!" even though they know damn well that, should certain circumstances arise, they'll break that lifetime promise in a heartbeat.

Point being that, if you *mean what you say* then you can exchange vows in a janitor's closet and still have a union superior to many that went so far down the traditional route they even dragged out the verdammt Hokey Pokey at the reception. It's all about your intentions and the strength of your character. What does a civil ceremony and one or two official documents add that's so necessary?

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