ScottWesterman.com

My BlueSky friend @marczammit.bsky.social is in the home stretch with his film "Jitters." Check out the trailer and learn how you can help him bring it over the finish line.

☄️ The Sky’s Grandest Dance Returns — The Perseids Are Here From July 17 to August 23, 2025, the night sky will once again come alive, as the Perseid meteor shower streaks across our view — with a dazzling peak expected between August 12 and 13. Often called "the best meteor shower of the year," the Perseids are born from the ancient dust trail of Comet Swift–Tuttle. As Earth crosses its path, tiny fragments hit our atmosphere at 37 miles per second, igniting into fast, glowing trails — and, if you're lucky, a few spectacular fireballs. 🌕 Yes, the moon will compete this year. The nearly full Sturgeon Moon (84% brightness) will rise early and wash out fainter meteors — but the brighter ones? They’ll still blaze defiantly through the glow. Under dark skies, expect 50–100 meteors per hour during peak time. 🕐 Best time to watch? After midnight, before dawn — when the constellation Perseus climbs high and the show reaches full strength. But the Perseids won’t be alone. 🌠 Two other showers — Alpha Capricornids and Delta Aquariids — will be active too. The Alpha Capricornids may only produce 5–10 meteors per hour, but they’re famous for brilliant fireballs. The Delta Aquariids, peaking around July 30, deliver about 20 gentle meteors per hour, often leaving long, drifting trails behind them. 📍Tips for a magical experience: Escape city lights — choose a rural or high-altitude spot Bring a blanket, lie back, and give your eyes 30 minutes to adjust No need for gear — just look up and take it all in 🌌 This is more than a meteor shower — it’s a cosmic tradition that has lit up human skies for over two millennia.

#TheOutpost
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CBS to Cancel ‘Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Citing ‘Financial Decision’ CBS said it planned to cancel Stephen Colbert's Late Show after next season, citing the weakening finances of late night

“Purely a financial decision” means Sherry wants her merger to happen. #stephencolbert #lateshow

variety.com/2025/tv/news...

No matter what side of this issue you're on, you own this.

Happy Heavenly 100th birthday to my extraordinary father. Whatever goodness lives inside of me is a result of his example. Hoping dad is celebrating the day with my mom and my sister, Judy.

scottwesterman.com/the-real-sco...

Be kind. Always. #AGoodPlace

Source: www.reddit.com/r/MadeMeSmil...

Live each day as if it were your last? What if we flip the script?

scottwesterman.com

I work as an elder and hospice caregiver, which I am oddly passionate about. I can love on them shamelessly and no one complains about my codependence. It's a win-win situation. Many of my caregiving colleagues complain about the repetitive questions and, sometimes reactions, of the elderly, especially when those patients happen to read the newspaper, especially with the current downward spiral of our country — as if these people haven't lived through enough horror... I love my dementia peeps, but sometimes wonder if there's a Guinness Book World Record for how many times an hour a dementia patient can repeat the same question — it's got to be in the hundreds. At least with small children, they ask different questions. Dementia patients will get stuck on one short question and ask it until you can interrupt their train(carousel) of thought and successfully redirect their attention. That carousel is pretty manic sometimes. A couple days ago, I picked up my mail from the post office and drove over to the nursing home to take (let's call her "Miss Daisy") Miss Daisy out for a drive. Before we took off on our road trip, to the end of The Road and back, in our landlocked little town (Juneau, Alaska), I set my copy of The Onion down in front of her. Over our two-hour excursion, tiny Miss Daisy read that front page at least a dozen times and each time she would snicker, giggle, and guffaw, then put it down on the dash board and, a minute later, discover it anew. I think it was the best afternoon of my life. We don't often hear them laugh and when they do, it's the sweetest thing you've ever heard. ... Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the really important work all of you do. You make the world a better place.

I got permission to share this, and I'm extremely grateful for that.

The Onion got this letter from one of our subscribers in Alaska. She works with dementia patients and decided to leave a copy in the car for each one.

This email made my year. Read it and you'll see what I mean. People are good.

We don’t have to agree on everything to care deeply about one another. That doesn’t mean sacrificing our values. It means honoring the relationship enough to make space for difference. Let’s face it. Social media has done more to fracture relationships and amplify division than any cultural event in our lifetime. And it’s not going away. Wisdom often appears in the rear-view-mirror. Over a lifetime of managing corporate and community political connections, I’ve learned that behind every strong opinion is a personal story. And when we’re willing to hear that story, without rushing to correct it, things can shift. We soften. We connect. That does not mean avoiding debate. It’s about learning how to disagree without being disagreeable. The people who’ve challenged me most have also helped me grow. They have stretched my empathy, expanded my world view, and reminded me that love has the capacity to be bigger than agreement. Friendship across the divide isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom. It’s choosing grace over judgment and connection over certainty. It’s finding out where someone else is hurting, and helping to alleviate their suffering… even when we disagree. And today, these skills might just be the most powerful things we can practice.

I woke up this morning thinking about someone I love with a world-view 180 degrees from my own. We’ve only locked horns about it one time. It was painful. But I came to a realization that I hope is helpful to you.

scottwesterman.substack.com/p/friendship...

If the Westerman dads had a credo, this might be it:

scottwesterman.com/the-father-f...

Remembering #BrianWilson.

keener13.org?p=29278

If your dream really matters, nothing will stand in your way. The tenacious survive because they stay focused on goal achieving — not tension relieving. You are where you are because of what you’ve accepted. #Motivation #MindsetMatters #Tenacity #GoalGetter #SelfDiscipline #KeepGoing #ReelMotivation

Melanie is right. No matter how dark a day may feel, there is always a person, a place, a random act of kindness that is worth a smile. It's even better when you're the giver!

I love how people are still doing small things to make a big difference. We have relatives in Calgary so this feels like next door!

Thanks very much, Emma. There's so much darkness on our feeds these days. It's therapeutic to research and record some positive content. Grateful for your feedback.

With thanks to @rudygaskins1.bsky.social No two paths are the same, and there’s no perfect timeline. Like learning to write, you don’t really get it until you’re at the keyboard, figuring it out as you go. Keep writing!
#InspiredLiving #LifeLessons #TrustTheProcess #AuthorsLife #KeepWriting

History is often written by ordinary people who do extraordinary things in troubled times.

“Life is better when we leap together.” Kermit the Frog delivered a commencement speech at the University of Maryland on Thursday, the alma mater of his creator, Jim Henson. nyti.ms/4dwMuhQ

Good morning, BlueSky!💙💙

Our granddaughter, Juliette was born with Down syndrome. She lives life "on the scenic route," and surpasses our expectations every day. She's graduating second grade and earned recognition for reading excellence at the awards ceremony this morning.

It’s that time of year for end-of-school awards. Juliette is here to remind you that every one of us has done something worthy of recognition. Especially you.

Bravo!

Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family. Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.

Hard truth incoming: You are the #author of your next chapter. Every decision, or non-decision writes it.

BTW... You’re already a #superhero. So… what are you going to do with your powers?
#MindsetMatters #PersonalPower #DisciplineEqualsFreedom #Motivation #SelfResponsibility #GrowthMindset

You're more resilient to misinformation than 53% of the US population! 📈 Your MIST-20 results: 15/20 Veracity Discernment: 50% (ability to accurately distinguish real news from fake news) Real News Detection: 50% (ability to correctly identify real news) Fake News Detection: 100% (ability to correctly identify fake news) Distrust/Naïvité: -5 (ranges from -10 to +10, overly skeptical to overly gullible) 👉 Your ability to recognize real and fake news is good! You might be very skeptical when it comes to the news.

I just took the Cambridge Misinformation Susceptibility Test: yourmist.streamlit.app

And I thought I was a pretty good perceptor where fake news was concerned. Angry that I misjudged 25% of the 20 headlines. How did you do?

(The site is being overwhelmed so be patient.)

During my broadcasting days, everyone at the station was magnetically drawn to the studios whenever there was a news or weather event. We wanted to be present, even if there were risks because people depended on us. What if everyone felt the same responsibility today?

My company had a directive. "Challenge every point of view, especially your own." This site seems to be overwhelmed with people testing their susceptibility to misinformation. It helps to begin by questioning the loudest voices and thinking for yourself.

A Kentucky Weather Office Scrambles for Staffing as Severe Storms Bear Down

A National Weather Service office in Kentucky was scrambling to cover the overnight forecast on Friday as severe storms moved through much of the eastern U.S.

The office is one of several left without an overnight forecaster as a result of cuts ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency.

Cool! The parking lots at my alma mater installed solar panels. Not only do they generate electricity, but they kept my wheels in the shade on those hot summer days.

As an amateur radio guy for most of my adult life, I spent many a tornado watch watching the skies from my assigned location as a volunteer storm spotter and spent several nights in our basement listening to the ham nets with our fam. Sending healing energy to all effected this past week.