APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
User avatar
DavidLeodis
Perceptatron
Posts: 1169
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 1:00 pm

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by DavidLeodis » Thu May 23, 2013 9:37 pm

Chris Peterson wrote:
DavidLeodis wrote:Thanks neufer and Chris for your replies.

You state Chris "These sprites are produced by thunderstorms that are a few hundred miles away- typically, over the horizon. If that isn't seeing a storm from the side, I don't know what is!". I did not know, which is why I was trying to seek help which you have given but I did not need what seems to be the condescensive tone. :(
Sorry, there was no intent to be condescending at all. The sentence was intended to be purely exclamatory.
Thanks Chris for your kind apology, which is appreciated. I do realise that without face to face contact it can be easy to create a wrong impression of what is being said. :)

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by neufer » Thu May 23, 2013 10:04 pm

DavidLeodis wrote:
Chris Peterson wrote:
DavidLeodis wrote:
You state Chris "These sprites are produced by thunderstorms that are a few hundred miles away- typically, over the horizon. If that isn't seeing a storm from the side, I don't know what is!". I did not know, which is why I was trying to seek help which you have given but I did not need what seems to be the condescensive tone. :(
Sorry, there was no intent to be condescending at all. The sentence was intended to be purely exclamatory.
Thanks Chris for your kind apology, which is appreciated. I do realise that without face to face contact it can be easy to create a wrong impression of what is being said. :)
I personally would never accuse Chris of being condescending :!:
-----------------------------------------------
CONDESCENDING, Yielding to inferiors; courteous; obliging.
-----------------------------------------------
CONDESCEND, v.i. [F. condescendre, LL. condescendere, fr. L. con- + descendere.]

1. To descend from the privileges of superior rank or dignity, to do some act to an inferior, which strict justice or the ordinary rules of civility do not require. Hence, to submit or yield, as to an inferior, implying an occasional relinquishment of distinction.

2. To recede from ones rights in negotiation, or common intercourse, to do some act, which strict justice does not require.

3. To stoop or descend; to yield; to submit; implying a relinquishment of rank, or dignity of character, and sometimes a sinking into debasement.
-----------------------------------------------
Art Neuendorffer

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18185
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
Contact:

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by Chris Peterson » Thu May 23, 2013 10:17 pm

neufer wrote:I personally would never accuse Chris of being condescending :!:
-----------------------------------------------
CONDESCENDING, Yielding to inferiors; courteous; obliging.
-----------------------------------------------
Quite so, I never feel obliged to yield to my inferiors (although I try to be polite). But you've provided an incomplete definition; my dictionary includes: to assume an air of superiority. I suspect that's the meaning David was seeing in my choice of words.

As an educator, I sometimes tread a fine line between assuming an air of superiority in a positive way, as we expect from a teacher, and coming off as a condescending jerk. Honestly, I never intend to sound like the latter, but as David quite correctly pointed out, in the absence of face-to-face communication, it can sometimes be difficult to read intent.
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by neufer » Fri May 24, 2013 12:32 am

Chris Peterson wrote:
neufer wrote:
I personally would never accuse Chris of being condescending :!:
-----------------------------------------------
CONDESCENDING, Yielding to inferiors; courteous; obliging.
-----------------------------------------------
Quite so, I never feel obliged to yield to my inferiors (although I try to be polite). But you've provided an incomplete definition; my dictionary includes: to assume an air of superiority. I suspect that's the meaning David was seeing in my choice of words.

As an educator, I sometimes tread a fine line between assuming an air of superiority in a positive way, as we expect from a teacher, and coming off as a condescending jerk. Honestly, I never intend to sound like the latter, but as David quite correctly pointed out, in the absence of face-to-face communication, it can sometimes be difficult to read intent.
Art Neuendorffer

User avatar
mjimih
Science Officer
Posts: 244
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:48 am
AKA: Mark
Location: Minnesota usa

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by mjimih » Fri May 24, 2013 2:23 am

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sprite
sprite also spright (sprt)
n.
1. A small or elusive supernatural being; an elf or pixie.
2. An elflike person.
3. A specter or ghost.
4. Archaic A soul. ???
5. Meteorology A large, dim, red flash that appears above active thunderstorms in conjunction with lightning.

Does it look like a ghost? uh sort of I guess. how did it get it's name?
Aliens will find Earth absolutely amazingly beautiful and fragile to behold. But if they get close enough, they'll see 7,000,000,000 of us and think "Uh oh, that's a lot for such a small planet. Wonder if we should help?"

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by neufer » Fri May 24, 2013 3:07 am

mjimih wrote:
Does it look like a ghost? uh sort of I guess. how did it get it's name?
    • The Tempest Act 2, Scene 2
    CALIBAN: These be fine things, an if they be not sprites.
    • That's a brave god and bears celestial liquor.
    • The Comedy of Errors Act 2, Scene 2
    DROMIO OF SYRACUSE: This is the fairy land: O spite of spites!
    • We talk with goblins, owls and sprites:
      If we obey them not, this will ensue,
      They'll suck our breath, or pinch us black and blue.
Art Neuendorffer

User avatar
mjimih
Science Officer
Posts: 244
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:48 am
AKA: Mark
Location: Minnesota usa

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by mjimih » Fri May 24, 2013 4:27 am

the letter i with it's red spiked dot above it looks strangely similar to the apod photo.

Image

What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
- William Shakespeare
Aliens will find Earth absolutely amazingly beautiful and fragile to behold. But if they get close enough, they'll see 7,000,000,000 of us and think "Uh oh, that's a lot for such a small planet. Wonder if we should help?"

User avatar
bystander
Apathetic Retiree
Posts: 21577
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by bystander » Mon Jun 03, 2013 6:21 pm

Know the quiet place within your heart and touch the rainbow of possibility; be
alive to the gentle breeze of communication, and please stop being such a jerk.
— Garrison Keillor

User avatar
geckzilla
Ocular Digitator
Posts: 9180
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:42 pm
Location: Modesto, CA
Contact:

Re: APOD: Red Sprite Lightning with Aurora (2013 May 22)

Post by geckzilla » Mon Jun 03, 2013 7:08 pm

Haha, nice! Mike seems disappointed that he missed the world first by 11 days. I think I would be too.
Just call me "geck" because "zilla" is like a last name.

Post Reply