i-lik3-giants

Latest Posts by i-lik3-giants

Whatever you end up doing, love it. The way you loved the projection booth when you were a little squirt.  Cinema Paradiso (1988) dir. Giuseppe Tornatore

Not to take credit away from the Lord, but if I had created the world, in all modesty, certain things would have come out better. But unfortunately such was not the case.

Cinema Paradiso (1988) dir. Giuseppe Tornatore

male moans (source)

guy moans

Space Photos of the Week

The Shakespearean Moons of Uranus

This weekend marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, and we’re highlighting the moons of Uranus; some of which are named after characters from his works.

While most of the moons orbiting other planets take their names from Greek mythology, Uranus’ moons are unique in bing named for Shakespearean characters, along with a couple of them being named for characters from the works of Alexander Pope.

Using the Hubble Space Telescope and improved ground-based telescopes, astronomers have discovered a total of 27 known moons around Uranus.

Here’s a sampling of some of the unique aspects of the moons:

Miranda

Shakespearean work: The Tempest

Miranda, the innermost and smallest of the five major satellites, has a surface unlike any other moon that’s been seen. It has a giant fault canyon as much as 12 times as deep as the Grand Canyon, terraced layers and surfaces that appear very old, and others that look much younger.

Ariel

Shakespearean work: The Tempest

Ariel has the brightest and possibly the youngest surface among all the moons of Uranus. It has a few large craters and many small ones, indicating that fairly recent low-impact collisions wiped out the large craters that would have been left by much earlier, bigger strikes. Intersecting valleys pitted with craters scars its surface.

Oberon

Shakespearean work: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Oberon, the outermost of the five major moons, is old, heavily cratered and shows little signs of internal activity. Unidentified dark material appears on the floors of many of its craters.

Cordelia and Ophelia

Shakespearean works: Cordelia - King Lear; Ophelia - Hamlet

Cordelia and Ophelia are shepherd moons that keep Uranus’ thin, outermost “epsilon” ring well defined.

Between them and miranda is a swarm of eight small satellites unlike any other system of planetary moons. This region is so crowded that astronomers don’t yet understand how the little moons have managed to avoid crashing into each other. They may be shepherds for the planet’s 10 narrow rings, and scientists think there must be still more moons, interior to any known, to confine the edges of the inner rings.

Want to learn more about all of Uranus’s moons? Visit: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/uranus/moons

Check out THIS blog from our Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan, where she reflects on the life and legacy of William Shakespeare on the 400th anniversary of his death on April 23, 1616.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

i will not stop doing peace signs in photos until there is world peace

even if you can’t vote

i get a lot of questions about how to contribute to the campaign without being able to vote, and right now is a pivotal time for us to be supporting Bernie Sanders in every way we can.

if you’re too young, not registered, not eligible, not a US citizen or living in the US, or already voted and still want to help, you can still contribute! right now closing the delegate gap is more important than the individual state primaries, and to make any difference on that front we need more volunteers.

the best thing to do right now, even if you're voting/have voted, is to volunteer for the campaign and work with your local Bernie supporters to get more delegates. below are links to websites where you can find contact information for the remaining states. contact someone on the local campaign (in your area, or in any state you think needs support!) and ask them how you can best help their efforts. I’ve been doing phone banking and collecting signatures for delegates in rhode island, as well as attending events and hanging out fliers, and trust me when i say any little bit helps. 

remember, Obama lost more states to Hillary at this point in the primary than Bernie has. he had the delegate support, and there’s still time to catch up to Hillary’s numbers if we all pitch in.

here is a list of all the states left in the primary, and the website for their local grassroots movement:

Arizona (Mar 22): Website: http://arizonaforsanders.org/

Idaho (Mar 22): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/idaho/

Utah (Mar 22): Website: http://www.utahforberniesanders.com/ Alaska (Mar 26): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/alaska/ Hawaii (Mar 26): Website: http://hawaiiforbernie.com/ Washington (Mar 26): Website: http://washingtonforberniesanders.com/

Wisconsin (Apr 5): Website: http://wi.forberniesanders.com/

Wyoming (Apr 9): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/wyoming/ New York (Apr 19): Website: http://teambernieny.org/ Connecticut (Apr 26): Website: http://www.berniesandersct.com/ Delaware (Apr 26): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/delaware/

Maryland (Apr 26): Website: http://www.berniesandersvideo.com/maryland.html Pennsylvania (Apr 26): Website: www.pa.forberniesanders.com/events Rhode Island (Apr 26): Website: www.rhodeisland.forberniesanders.com/ (or contact me)

Indiana (May 3): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/indiana/ Guam (May 7): Website: https://go.berniesanders.com/page/event/detail/volunteermeetingtogetorganizedorlearnmore/4v28f Nebraska (May 10): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/nebraska/

West Virginia (May 10): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/west-virginia/

Kentucky (May 17): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/kentucky/ Oregon (May 17): Website: https://oregonforbernie.com Virgin Island (Jun 4): Website: https://www.facebook.com/democratsvi/  (no specific Bernie Sanders website or page yet- make your own!)

Puerto Rico (Jun 5): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/puerto-rico/ California (Jun 7): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/california/ Montana (Jun 7): Website: http://www.mtforbernie.com/ New Jersey (Jun 7): Website: http://newjersey.forberniesanders.com/ New Mexico (Jun 7): Website: www.nm.forberniesanders.com/ North Dakota (Jun 7): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/north-dakota/ South Dakota (jun 7): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/south-dakota/

District of Columbia (Jun 14): Website: http://voteforbernie.org/state/washington-dc/

if you have any questions, if you need help registering/finding who to contact, or you just wanna talk about Bernie Sanders, don’t hesitate to send me a message!

This is so cute!!

Dope af

Hitchhiking a Ride to Space

Have you ever packed for a long trip with a friend and ran out of space in your suitcase? Maybe your friend was nice and let your spare items hitchhike a ride in their bag?  The following science experiments are doing something similar on our Space Launch System rocket.

Our Space Launch System (SLS) will be the most powerful rocket we’ve ever built and will enable astronauts in the Orion spacecraft to travel deeper into the solar system. This advanced launch vehicle will launch astronauts to an asteroid and eventually to Mars, while opening new possibilities for other payloads including robotic scientific missions to places like Mars, Saturn and Jupiter.

The primary goal of SLS and the Orion spacecraft is to launch future crewed, deep space missions. That said, an added bonus of this powerful rocket is the extra science it can carry. On it’s first mission (known as Exploration Mission-1, EM-1) SLS will carry 13 CubeSats (small satellites, each the size of a large shoebox) on its first flight as secondary payloads. These small satellites will perform various in-space experiments. In a way, these 13 CubeSats are ‘space hitchhikers’, catching a ride to deep space where they can gather data valuable to future exploration missions.

How were these 13 experiments selected? Great question. They were selected through a series of announcements of flight opportunities, a public contest and negations with our international partners.

These secondary payloads have a vast array of functions, from taking pictures of asteroids, to using yeast to detect impacts of deep-space radiation. Each month we will highlight one of these experiments on Tumblr and talk about all the exciting science they will do. Just to give you an idea of what these shoebox-sized satellites will do, we’ll give you a preview:

1. NEA Scout

NEA Scout, stands for: Near-Earth Asteroid Scout. This CubeSat will investigate an asteroid, taking pictures and observe its position in space.

2. BioSentinel

BioSentinel will be the first time living organisms have traveled to deep space in more than 40 years. It will use yeast to detect, measure and compare the impact of deep-space radiation on living organisms over long durations in deep space.

3. Lunar Flashlight

This experiment will look for ice deposits and identify locations where resources may be extracted from the lunar surface. It will demonstrate the capability to scout for useful materials and resources from lunar orbit.

4. Skyfire

Lockheed Martin’s Skyfire will perform a lunar flyby, collecting data to address both Moon and Mars Strategic Knowledge Gaps, or gaps in information required to reduce risk, increase effectiveness and improve the design of robotic and human space exploration missions, for surface characterization, remote sensing and site selection.

5. Lunar IceCube

Morehead State University’s Lunar IceCube will look for water in ice, liquid and vapor forms from a very low orbit of only 62 miles above the surface of the moon. The ability to search for useful resources can potentially help astronauts manufacture fuel and necessities to sustain a crew.

6. CuSP

The CubeSat mission to study Solar Particles, or CuSP, will be the first protype of an interplanetary CubeSat space weather station. It will observe space weather events hours before they reach Earth.

7. Luna-H-Map

Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper (LunaH) will enter a polar orbit around the moon with a low altitude. From there, it will produce maps of near-surface hydrogen.

8, 9, 10. Three Tournament Payloads

Three of the payloads riding along on this journey will be the winners of the Ground Tournaments portion of our CubeQuest Challenge. This challenge is designed to foster innovation in small spacecraft propulsion and communications techniques. Learn more about this challenge HERE.

11, 12, 13. International Partners

The remaining three payloads are reserved for international partners, and will be announced at a later time.

To stay updated on these experiments, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/launching-science-and-technology.html

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

Space Gardening 101

You can’t escape eating (or gardening!) your vegetables, even if you’re in space. On Aug. 10, astronauts on the International Space Station sampled their first space grown salad. This freshly harvest red romaine lettuce was grown in the “Veggie” plant growth chamber that is designed to make gardens flourish in weightlessness.

In a weightless environment, there is no up and down, so roots grow in all directions. Water and soil, the materials used to anchor these plants and allow for root growth tend to float away.

How Do We Grow Plants in Space? 

1. Plant Pillows

The Veggie chamber helps solve the problems of a weightless environment by using ‘plant pillows’, sounds comfy right? These pillows are bags filled with material for growing plants in space. 

2. Wicks

Wicks are implanted into the bags and are used to draw water from inside the pillow to the plant.

These wicks also provide a place to glue the seeds. It’s important to orient the seeds so roots will grow ‘down’, and shoots that emerge will push out of the bag.

3. LED Lights

LED lights are used for photosynthesis and give the shoots a sense of direction so they keep growing upward. The walls of the Veggie chamber can expand to make room for the plant as it grows.

The purple/pinkish hue surrounding the plants in Veggie is the result of a combination of the red and blue lights, which is what the plants need to grow. Green LEDS were added so the plants look like edible food rather than weird purple plants.

Why are we growing plants in space?

When astronauts travel on deep space missions, like Mars, they will need to be self-sufficient for long periods of time. Having the ability to grow their own food is a big step in that direction. There is also a desire to grow flowering vegetables in space, which is why we are currently tending to zinnia flowers on orbit. Growing these flowering plants will help us understand longer duration growing plants that have to flower in space, such as tomatoes.

What’s Next? The next SpaceX delivery will include seeds for a small cabbage and additional red romaine lettuce. Upcoming experiments will use various ratios of red and blue lights and different fertilizers in attempts to improve crop yield, nutrition and flavor. The findings from these experiments can be utilized both on Earth and in space.

In addition to the nutrition benefits of growing vegetables in space, the psychological benefits are also significant. Having living plants can help with stress and increase the crews’ enjoyment. It provides the sights, smells and tastes of Earth.

To learn more about gardening in space, watch ScienceCast HERE.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

Sarah Silverman

noodles in a onesie

What’s Up for November?

November weather can be challenging for backyard astronomers, but the moon is a reliable target, even when there are clouds.

Did you know that the moon takes about 29 days to go around the Earth once? It also takes the moon about 29 days to spin on its axis. This causes the same side of the moon to always face Earth.

On Nov. 3, the moon reaches last quarter when it rises at midnight and sets at noon. This is a great time to see the moon in the morning sky.

On Nov. 11, the new moon isn’t visible, because it’s between Earth and the sun, and the unlit side faces Earth. In the days after the new moon, the slender crescent gets bigger and brighter. Look just after sunset on Nov. 13 and 14 near the setting sun in the western sky.

The next phase on Nov. 19 is called the first quarter, because the moon has traveled one quarter of its 29-day orbit around Earth. The moon rises at noon and sets at midnight, so you can see it in the afternoon sky. It will rise higher in the sky after dark. That’s when you can look for the areas where four of the six Apollo missions landed on the moon! You won’t see the landers, flag or footprints, but it’s fun and easy to see these historic places with your own eyes or with binoculars.

To see the area: Look for three dark, smooth maria, or seas. The middle one is the Sea of Tranquility. Apollo 11 landed very near a bright crater on the edge of this mare in 1969. The Apollo 15, 16 and 17 landing areas form the points of a triangle above and below the Apollo 11 site.

On Nov. 25, you can see the full moon phase, which occurs on the 14th day of the lunar cycle. The moon will rise at sunset and will be visible all night long, setting at sunrise.

On Thanksgiving (Nov. 26), the 15-day-old moon will rise an hour after sunset. You may even see some interesting features! And this is a great time to see the impact rays of some of the larger craters.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com 

5 Myths About Becoming an Astronaut

Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to become a NASA Astronaut? The term “astronaut” derives from the Greek word meaning “space sailor,” and refers to all who have been launched as crew members aboard NASA spacecraft bound for orbit and beyond.

We’re looking for a new class of astronauts to join the NASA team, and here are a few things to know.

Here are a few myths about becoming an astronaut:

MYTH: All astronauts have piloting experience.

FACT: You don’t need to be a pilot to be an astronaut. Flying experience is not a requirement, but could be beneficial to have.

MYTH: All astronauts have perfect vision.

FACT: It’s okay if you don’t have 20/20 vision. As of September 2007, corrective surgical procedures of the eye (PRK and LASIK), are now allowed, providing at least 1 year has passed since the date of the procedure with no permanent adverse after effects.

MYTH: All astronauts have advanced degrees like, a PhD.

FACT: While a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is necessary, an advanced degree is not required to become an astronaut.

MYTH: Astronauts are required to have military experience in order to be selected.

FACT: Military experience is not required to become an astronaut.

MYTH: You have to be a certain age in order to be an astronaut. 

FACT: There are no age restrictions. Astronaut candidates selected in the past have ranged between the ages of 26 and 46, with the average age being 34.

Okay, but What are the requirements?

Basic Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements before submitting an application. 

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics.

Degree must be followed by at least 3 years of related, progressively responsible, professional experience or at least 1,000 pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for experience as follows: master’s degree = 1 year of experience, doctoral degree = 3 years of experience.  Teaching experience, including experience at the K - 12 levels, is considered to be qualifying experience for the Astronaut Candidate position; provided degree is in a Science, Engineering, or Mathematics field.

Ability to pass the NASA Astronaut physical, which includes the following specific requirements:

Distant and near visual acuity: Must be correctable to 20/20, each eye

The refractive surgical procedures of the eye, PRK and LASIK, are allowed, providing at least 1 year has passed since the date of the procedure with no permanent adverse after effects.  For those applicants under final consideration, an operative report on the surgical procedure will be requested. 

Blood pressure not to exceed 140/90 measured in a sitting position

Standing height between 62 and 75 inches

Applications for our next astronaut class open on Dec. 14! Visit: http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com 

quiero ser astronauta 🌌

7 Things That Happen When You Go To Space

Told Through Astronaut Scott Kelly’s Tweets

Astronaut Scott Kelly is currently spending a year in space. Most expeditions to the space station last four to six months. By doubling the length of this mission, researchers hope to better understand how the human body reacts and adapts to long-duration spaceflight. During this one-year mission, Kelly is also participating in the Twins Study. While Kelly is in space, his identical twin brother, retired NASA Astronaut Mark Kelly, will participate in a number of comparative genetic studies.

Here are a few things that happen when astronauts go to the space station:

1. Your personal hygiene takes on a different form:

2. Sleeping arrangements might take some getting used to:

3. Internet services will remind you of the 90s:

4. You never have to do laundry:

5. You get to become immersed in a range of different cultures:

6. All of your water is recycled…yes…that means urine too:

7. You get to see the Earth like never before:

Follow Astronaut Scott Kelly’s Year in Space mission on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

my snoop 💛

After 65 years of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole Peanuts gang, what keeps us coming back again and again?

“The ‘Peanuts’ story is arguably one of the longest-running works of contemporary American literature of our time,” author and editor Chip Kidd told us today as we explored the new “Peanuts” movie and his new Schulz retrospective, “Only What’s Necessary.” 

(Charlie Brown is Back, October 23, 2015)

[Images courtesy of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, Santa Rosa, California]

i miss her

Is she naked because you love her or do you love her because shes naked?

(via gedankenlyrik)

fantasy

I catch myself staring a little too long. I can't help it that among a crowd of despicable teenage boys reeking of sweat and ignorance, there you sit, with your cunning smile and your green eyes that are forever fixed in an expression of mockery toward every absurdity in this high school. My mind cannot help but wander to the place where I am alone with you. With led zeppelin in the background, we laugh about all the mindless morons who are far behind us. We curse capitalism, we sigh, and our eyes lock.

I am about to tell you how relieved I am to have found someone to relate to, when you glance down at my chest, unashamedly letting your eyes roll up and down my body. I look down and silently chuckle. "I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable. I'm just amazed by your beautiful body that matches your beautiful mind." you say to me in a hoarse voice. I smile a great big smile. "Similar to the mind, the body is most appreciated when explored." I tell you as I take your hand in mine, slowly bringing it up to my chest. I inch closer to you on the bed, placing your hand on my breast. I look at you with a look of innocence and of desire. Your breathing becomes a bit shallow. I laugh, and lightly graze my fingers up your thigh, walking each finger back down. I run my hands over your thigh, nice and slow, watching your mouth open slightly and your leg twitch. You bite your lip. Your other hand is on my chest now, you are squeezing my breasts and beginning to unbutton my shirt. I run my hand over the bulge in your shorts, lingering there..you breathe in sharply and laugh nervously. I lean over, and whisper into your ear: "I want you to take control."

Immediately your hands are on my throat. I am lying down and you are kneeling over me, one hand exploring this sensitive newfound territory; my curves, my skin. You rub my inner thigh and I let out a small moan. You look at me, and you tease me, tickling my thighs some more. "You like that?" you ask me as your heart beats faster and harder, watching me squirm and sigh with delight. I nod. "Mm- uh huh," is what I manage to reply. You are running your hands up and down my legs, making me crazy.

You look at me, place your hand on my stomach, and slowly slide down until your face is between my legs. You pull my underwear to the side and put your mouth as close to me as you can. You breathe. The hot air makes me twitch. You stay like this for what feels like forever until you finally decide to flick your tongue against my pussy. You flick up and down, up and down. "Ooh, just like that. Y-yes, oh fuck yeah right there," I exclaim. You love it when I talk dirty.

You pull away, and begin to kiss my thighs. You trace your tongue all the way from my knee to my innermost upper thigh. You then grab one of my feet and stroke the bottom of it. I cry out uncontollably as you do it two more times. You lick my pussy again, finding my clit and sucking on it. Meanwhile you are rubbing the sole of my feet and gently tickling me. I laugh, moan and shudder all at once. You lift my legs up and place them on your shoulders. I wrap them around your neck and hump the air, forward and backward, begging you to be as close to me as you can. You do not hold back. You slip your tongue in and out of my throbbing pussy, each time more intense than before. My tits are bouncing all over. I grab onto your hair with one hand as I gently play with your ear lobe. This drives you crazy. "Please don't stop," I whisper. "Ohhh, oh!" I'm whimpering. The sensations intensify and my mind is trapped in a state of bliss; nothing exists outside of you and me. My body is aching for you. "I'm gonna cum, oh fuck I'm gonna cum!" An intense orgasm overtakes me, making my body twinge and jerk and shake, until I am left shaking on the bed. You run your tired tongue over my pussy a couple more times and I moan and shiver at your touch. We lay there together for some time, your fingers grazing over my vulnerable body, before getting ready for round two. 😉

i love this

My friends and I were going to make a Zine, our first one being about sex on drugs. This was my contribution. The Zine never made it but I want to share anyways.

What Famous Historical Leaders Would Look Like as Hipsters

Scientists Discovered Water On Mars!

Earlier today, September 28, NASA announced that they found signs of liquid water on Mars. How did they discover this, and what does this mean for the possibility of alien life on the Red Planet?