Ned Wright
@mapping3k.bsky.social
UCLA astronomer working on space CMB and IR. On the COBE, WMAP, SIRTF and WISE missions. See my cosmology tutorial at https://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/cosmolog.htm
Mail truck got stuck trying to make the turn up to my house. Finally getting towed away 4 hours later.
November 15, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Mail truck got stuck trying to make the turn up to my house. Finally getting towed away 4 hours later.
Just got a LOUD and annoying emergency message from South Pasadena which is 25 miles away. The message: “never mind”!
Probably annoyed everyone in LA county, all 10 million of us.
Probably annoyed everyone in LA county, all 10 million of us.
November 12, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Just got a LOUD and annoying emergency message from South Pasadena which is 25 miles away. The message: “never mind”!
Probably annoyed everyone in LA county, all 10 million of us.
Probably annoyed everyone in LA county, all 10 million of us.
In SLO for the 19th JDMFF (James Dean Memorial Film Festival, where we just go see movies in theaters). I saw
Predator: Badlands - 85% on the tomatometer
Bugonia - 87% "
If I Had Legs I Would Kick You - 93% "
I thought these were all TERRIBLE movies. Scandalous grade inflation on Rotten Tomatoes.
Predator: Badlands - 85% on the tomatometer
Bugonia - 87% "
If I Had Legs I Would Kick You - 93% "
I thought these were all TERRIBLE movies. Scandalous grade inflation on Rotten Tomatoes.
November 10, 2025 at 1:04 AM
In SLO for the 19th JDMFF (James Dean Memorial Film Festival, where we just go see movies in theaters). I saw
Predator: Badlands - 85% on the tomatometer
Bugonia - 87% "
If I Had Legs I Would Kick You - 93% "
I thought these were all TERRIBLE movies. Scandalous grade inflation on Rotten Tomatoes.
Predator: Badlands - 85% on the tomatometer
Bugonia - 87% "
If I Had Legs I Would Kick You - 93% "
I thought these were all TERRIBLE movies. Scandalous grade inflation on Rotten Tomatoes.
To @padilla.senate.gov - please do not cave to the GOP without extending the ACA tax credits. And see if you can fstiffen a few backbones in the Senate.
November 10, 2025 at 12:53 AM
To @padilla.senate.gov - please do not cave to the GOP without extending the ACA tax credits. And see if you can fstiffen a few backbones in the Senate.
To @schiff.senate.gov - please do not cave to the Rs regarding the ACA tax credit extension. And stiffen your colleagues' backbones!
November 10, 2025 at 12:51 AM
To @schiff.senate.gov - please do not cave to the Rs regarding the ACA tax credit extension. And stiffen your colleagues' backbones!
The @nytimes.com spelling bee screwed up again today, casually throwing away my progress: 43/45 words and 215/226 points on the NYT iPhone app. Do they even do quality control?
November 9, 2025 at 3:17 PM
The @nytimes.com spelling bee screwed up again today, casually throwing away my progress: 43/45 words and 215/226 points on the NYT iPhone app. Do they even do quality control?
CA Prop 50 has passed, capping an election night where (almost?) every result went against Trump. I grew up in VA where the Dems won the races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and gained 12 seats in the 100 seat House of Delegates.
November 5, 2025 at 4:52 AM
CA Prop 50 has passed, capping an election night where (almost?) every result went against Trump. I grew up in VA where the Dems won the races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and gained 12 seats in the 100 seat House of Delegates.
The scale height of trick or treaters being only about 5 meters, I don’t expect any. But we are ready.
November 1, 2025 at 1:58 AM
The scale height of trick or treaters being only about 5 meters, I don’t expect any. But we are ready.
I voted early!
Yes on Prop 50!
Yes on Prop 50!
October 30, 2025 at 8:46 PM
I voted early!
Yes on Prop 50!
Yes on Prop 50!
I would like to read the @nytimes.com coverage of the 18 inning World Series game last night but as often happens the Athletic won't talk to either the iphone nytimes app or the nytimes.com web page. Would the newspaper of record please go back to in-house sports reporting?
nytiomes.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:28 PM
I would like to read the @nytimes.com coverage of the 18 inning World Series game last night but as often happens the Athletic won't talk to either the iphone nytimes app or the nytimes.com web page. Would the newspaper of record please go back to in-house sports reporting?
The @nytimes.com obituary for George Smoot is live on the Web since yesterday and in print today, 10/22/2025. They wrote a new one.
October 22, 2025 at 8:28 PM
The @nytimes.com obituary for George Smoot is live on the Web since yesterday and in print today, 10/22/2025. They wrote a new one.
My wife reports Sunset Blvd is closed at the stub of Westwood going into the UCLA Wooden center garage. Vance was at Camp Pendleton today. Could there be a fundraiser in Bel Air tonight?
October 18, 2025 at 11:39 PM
My wife reports Sunset Blvd is closed at the stub of Westwood going into the UCLA Wooden center garage. Vance was at Camp Pendleton today. Could there be a fundraiser in Bel Air tonight?
Yes on CA Prop 50!
Imagine if LA and Bay area assembly districts were set by a non-partisan commission while the rest of the state was gerrymandered at will by politicians. That would be absurd.
But that's the current US House system.
California must fight back against Texas.
Yes on 50!
Imagine if LA and Bay area assembly districts were set by a non-partisan commission while the rest of the state was gerrymandered at will by politicians. That would be absurd.
But that's the current US House system.
California must fight back against Texas.
Yes on 50!
October 10, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Yes on CA Prop 50!
Imagine if LA and Bay area assembly districts were set by a non-partisan commission while the rest of the state was gerrymandered at will by politicians. That would be absurd.
But that's the current US House system.
California must fight back against Texas.
Yes on 50!
Imagine if LA and Bay area assembly districts were set by a non-partisan commission while the rest of the state was gerrymandered at will by politicians. That would be absurd.
But that's the current US House system.
California must fight back against Texas.
Yes on 50!
Californians! Vote YES on Prop 50.
Prop 50 keeps the non-partisan redistricting for the state assembly and Senate seats, where these good rules apply to everybody.
But the CA rules don't apply to the whole US House, so Texas can cheat
All the big $$$ No on 50 ads should be running in
Texas.
Prop 50 keeps the non-partisan redistricting for the state assembly and Senate seats, where these good rules apply to everybody.
But the CA rules don't apply to the whole US House, so Texas can cheat
All the big $$$ No on 50 ads should be running in
Texas.
October 9, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Californians! Vote YES on Prop 50.
Prop 50 keeps the non-partisan redistricting for the state assembly and Senate seats, where these good rules apply to everybody.
But the CA rules don't apply to the whole US House, so Texas can cheat
All the big $$$ No on 50 ads should be running in
Texas.
Prop 50 keeps the non-partisan redistricting for the state assembly and Senate seats, where these good rules apply to everybody.
But the CA rules don't apply to the whole US House, so Texas can cheat
All the big $$$ No on 50 ads should be running in
Texas.
Today (9/25/25) the Spelling Bee on the @nytimes.com iPhone app threw away all my progress [genius, both pangrams] when I went to check on the news. Obviously terrible quality control when updating their code.
September 25, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Today (9/25/25) the Spelling Bee on the @nytimes.com iPhone app threw away all my progress [genius, both pangrams] when I went to check on the news. Obviously terrible quality control when updating their code.
Happy September equinox!
September 22, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Happy September equinox!
Lots of TV ad money bragging about @t-mobile.bsky.social having great coverage but they have no coverage at my house a block off Beverly Glen between Mulholland and Sunset in LA
Cheaper to talk a big game than deliver service I guess
Cheaper to talk a big game than deliver service I guess
September 16, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Lots of TV ad money bragging about @t-mobile.bsky.social having great coverage but they have no coverage at my house a block off Beverly Glen between Mulholland and Sunset in LA
Cheaper to talk a big game than deliver service I guess
Cheaper to talk a big game than deliver service I guess
Billionaires spending big to stop California from countering the outrageous Texas gerrymander. But nonpartisan redistricting has to apply to every district to work and that means all 435 house districts.
Including Texas!
Our corrupt Supreme Court hasn’t acted and won’t unless the GOP is hurt. 1/
Including Texas!
Our corrupt Supreme Court hasn’t acted and won’t unless the GOP is hurt. 1/
September 15, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Billionaires spending big to stop California from countering the outrageous Texas gerrymander. But nonpartisan redistricting has to apply to every district to work and that means all 435 house districts.
Including Texas!
Our corrupt Supreme Court hasn’t acted and won’t unless the GOP is hurt. 1/
Including Texas!
Our corrupt Supreme Court hasn’t acted and won’t unless the GOP is hurt. 1/
Last day of August and there is a definite end of summer vibe
Here’s a panorama of the Eel Pond at sunset
Here’s a panorama of the Eel Pond at sunset
August 31, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Last day of August and there is a definite end of summer vibe
Here’s a panorama of the Eel Pond at sunset
Here’s a panorama of the Eel Pond at sunset
Strong Death of Stalin vibe on BlueSky but nothing in the NYT or Wapo.
August 30, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Strong Death of Stalin vibe on BlueSky but nothing in the NYT or Wapo.
Ship news: the Lynx and the Neil Armstrong went out on Saturday the 23rd perhaps because Hurricane Erin was gone. Woods Hole got 25-30 mph steady winds as Erin passed by.
But the Corwith Cramer returned to Dyers Dock on Sunday.
But the Corwith Cramer returned to Dyers Dock on Sunday.
August 25, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Ship news: the Lynx and the Neil Armstrong went out on Saturday the 23rd perhaps because Hurricane Erin was gone. Woods Hole got 25-30 mph steady winds as Erin passed by.
But the Corwith Cramer returned to Dyers Dock on Sunday.
But the Corwith Cramer returned to Dyers Dock on Sunday.
A new tall ship in Woods Hole- the Lynx based in Nantucket.
At first I thought the Corwith Cramer was back.
But the Neil Armstrong is back.
At first I thought the Corwith Cramer was back.
But the Neil Armstrong is back.
August 20, 2025 at 12:28 PM
A new tall ship in Woods Hole- the Lynx based in Nantucket.
At first I thought the Corwith Cramer was back.
But the Neil Armstrong is back.
At first I thought the Corwith Cramer was back.
But the Neil Armstrong is back.
Nice weather for watching the road race but probably a bit warm for the runners.
Views from the bike path:
Views from the bike path:
August 17, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Nice weather for watching the road race but probably a bit warm for the runners.
Views from the bike path:
Views from the bike path:
Meanwhile it’s a beautiful cool dry day but Hurricane Erin exploded into a Cat 5 monster overnight
Erin is not expected to hit Cape Cod but then it wasn’t expected to hit Cat 5 either
Erin is not expected to hit Cape Cod but then it wasn’t expected to hit Cat 5 either
August 16, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Meanwhile it’s a beautiful cool dry day but Hurricane Erin exploded into a Cat 5 monster overnight
Erin is not expected to hit Cape Cod but then it wasn’t expected to hit Cat 5 either
Erin is not expected to hit Cape Cod but then it wasn’t expected to hit Cat 5 either
The annual synchronized emergence of the Porta-Potties is happening now. There was nothing last night, and by Monday they will have all disappeared.
Road Race tomorrow
Road Race tomorrow
August 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
The annual synchronized emergence of the Porta-Potties is happening now. There was nothing last night, and by Monday they will have all disappeared.
Road Race tomorrow
Road Race tomorrow