Ah Tucson in January, where the local public radio host gives the hourly weather update and describes it as "a chilly 55".

As a recovering oboist myself, this is a great article (and the comments section is pretty wild...) www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/a...

Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG... www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...

Finally managed to get some time in my wood shop this weekend, and made good progress test fitting a dresser I've been working on for a while. This is modeled after the Harvey Ellis designed #913 in the Gustav Stickley catalog. I've used paneled sides and back, and full web-frames inside. 1/4

Picard management tip: Suppress your inner alarm. Be the calmest person in the room.

why you need big telescopes for spectroscopy -- “You have to collect enough photons because you’re spreading them out,” said @chadfbender.bsky.social, an astronomer at the University of Arizona, which is in charge of LFAST. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/s...

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/s... #LFAST in the NY Times.

Packed splinter session at #AAS247 for the announcement of The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System—a modular, rapid-response network of four novel observatories designed to democratize access to the cosmos. Read more about the initiatives here: www.schmidtsciences.org/focus-area-a...

Just spent the day doing a thing: www.science.org/content/arti... Roger Angel and I are Co-PIing the LFAST telescope, which is being built at @stewardobservatory.bsky.social and provides the ground based spectroscopic component of this venture. @schmidtsciences.bsky.social #AAS247 #Arizona #LFAST

Happening now!

Standing room only for the Schmidt Sciences presentation at AAS.

The above average temps we had in November and lack of freeze so far, means my fall tomatoes have lost their minds. Things we can get away with in Tucson...

More billionaires buying newspapers. Previous experience across the country suggests it would be unusual if this proceeds without meddling in the papers' content.

Truer words have never been spoken.

And astronomers everywhere give a small gasp of despair.

Wyatt thinks he's been caught in the act doing something he shouldn't. I'm like, dude, it's your cat tree...

This thread is the most fun I've had all week.

Two juvenile bobcats paid me a visit this morning. Of course our house cats missed the whole thing, since they were buried in blankets and passed out for the day

Anyone who lives in Tucson knows we have a vehicle - pedestrian collision problem, but the map in this article really drives it home. Many tens of deaths in just a couple of years. Speedway and 1st Ave particularly bad (hell, it's called speedway!). Slow down people! wapo.st/4polhCJ

Picard management tip: Ignore rules that make no sense.

This will kill federally funded STEM research, which will basically kill all research. The science community is intertwined, and cannot be separated like this. Nor is it necessary - there are already expert controls in place to prevent transfers of sensitive information.

Flagstaff’s Lowell Observatory plans to cut nearly all its research funding and reduce the number of paid science staff to just two positions next year.

i’m excited to announce that i am hiring (again)! i am looking for a postdoc in computational astrophysics that’s excited about models of stellar transients and multi-messenger astronomy to join my group (star stuff @ steward) at @uarizona.bsky.social! apply here ✨💥: aas.org/jobregister/...

Genuinely confused: How can the (as seen on tv) cleaning product 'Alien Power' be 'Made in the USA'? They are lying about something ...

Called Ciscomani's office this morning to yell about the ATC situation, and someone actually picked up the phone on the first ring. Sadly, the staffer appeared to be channeling Mike Johnson's "I don't know anything, head in the sand" vibe.

How long until pitchers & catchers?

When they successfully block protests then they've won. A reminder to everyone: youtu.be/d-7o9xYp7eE?...

I think someone at Safeway misordered the canned peppers...

A lovely day to fly across the middle of the country, and working DirectTV on United to boot meant I could simultaneously watch clouds and NE football. Go Big Red

Brief life update: On Monday I resigned from my appointment at Lowell Observatory. I wish my remaining friends and colleagues the best of luckin their endeavors in increasing new visitor center visitation, and continuing to pursue world-class research in the face of having ended tenure today.

UT Austin Astro is hiring! It's an open call, but definitely interested in getting another exoplanet person! Feel free to reach out with any questions about the department or living in Austin! aas.org/jobregister/...

For those frantically trying to submit their Gemini proposals tonight, it’s broken: www.gemini.edu/news/science...

Led Zep new live EP recommended! (But you've got to turn the volume up to "live" levels to really appreciate it). (N.B. The cats do not appreciate it)

Today is when those of us in the Eastern Unorthodox denomination celebrate the Feast of Bratwurst, I know our cousins in the Colorado Synod are also celebrating today. I believe the Tucson Sect has a few weeks yet. I’m not aware of other congregations this year, but I may not be plugged in!

Good thing I make my own furniture.

Picard engineering tip: Maintenance of existing systems is just as important as building new capabilities.

Donated to this effort...

Virgil is a true Labor Day hero

Judge Sooknanan: As I said at the start of this hearing, I got a call at 2:36 am [last night] because the government chose the wee hours of the morning on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend to execute a plan to move these children. That's why we're here.

Commercials during tonights AZ game seem to have two main themes: 1) Visit Disney, and 2) Buy pot. Quite a combination.

Arizona stadium looks half empty for the opening game tonight. I almost bought tickets this morning, but the crazy $15 fee on a $15 ticket caused me to just close the webpage. I'll be content watching on TV. I cannot figure out how the athletics dept will loose less money if the seats are empty.

I know there's a lot happening today, but this is sneaking in under the radar. This proposed new rule would absolutely crush foreign PhD students, potentially making it impossible for them to enroll with any certainty of their ability to finish www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

At #ExoPAG32, Shawn Domagal-Goldman (acting astrophysics director) states that at *minimum*, 10% of the topline NASA astrophysics budget, whatever it ends up being, will be earmarked for the research and analysis (R&A) programs, with a focus on early career scientists.

Next time I dive into my pool, I'm going to have to remember to make a grunt as I go airborne.

This is an important article covering many decade long, intentional destruction of the health of wild-land firefighters, that could be easily prevented. Gift link for those who don't subscribe. Read and then yell at your reps! www.nytimes.com/2025/08/17/u...

that summit could've been an email

I really need to have a "no frogs in the pool" policy.

A reminder that LPL, along with Steward Observatory, is a host for 51 Peg b Fellowships. Whether it's exoplanet or legacy planetary science you are interested in, be sure to contact me or our faculty!

Picard resistance tip: Occasionally there are times when you must draw a line and refuse to budge.

"They make the best mirrors in the world" - That right, we do.