I'm a NASA kid originally from Cocoa Beach, FL, born of Project Apollo. My family worked for NASA and/or their contractors, and I watched it all as a kid. And what kid doesn't like rockets?
Currently, I am an IT engineer, a recovered R&D scientist that spent time in laser metrology, fiber optic applications and also lightning protection. I'm also a photographer, a writer and a bad musician.
My favorite things are space, boating, sports, music and traveling. You can find me on Twitter as @TheOldManPar.
Once upon a time, hurricane season in Florida came with more than just storm preparations—it also heralded the arrival of Publix’s quirky and colorful hurricane‑themed cakes. These confections featured swirls in blue, red, green, and white frosting, mimicking storm radar imagery. Many were emblazoned with tongue‑in‑cheek messages like “Leave Florida Alone”, “Go Away”, or even mock “hurricane checklists”—a humorous nod to the brewing weather outside.
SpaceX, NASA and the Crew 11 astronauts beat the clouds and rain showers and launched before summer showers washed over Kennedy Space Center today, but just barely. With dark skies and rain rapidly advancing from the south, liftoff of SpaceX’s 18th crewed flight was at 11:43 AM ET from venerable Launch Complex 39A. Crew 11’s four astronauts are now on their way to the International Space Station after today’s launch, with an expected arrival time at the orbital outpost around 3 AM ET tomorrow, August 2.
Getting away from it all doesn’t always mean leaving the country, or even leaving the state you’re in. This is especially true in Florida, a state that’s already a vacation destination, and one that sees many millions of visitors every year. Many come for the Attractions in Kissimmee, namely, Disney, Universal and Sea World. Others come for Miami’s bright lights and nightlife. For those looking for a unique experience, discovering a unique AirBNB in Florida could be the perfect choice. Still others come for the beaches or the islands scattered throughout the Sunshine State.
Those experiences and resorts are easily found on the web, and often don’t make for a casual getaway in some unique place. Here are five spots in Florida we’ve found recently that are unique and perhaps off the beaten path just a bit:
Delta Air Lines is taking a bold step to retool its fare-setting engine: by the end of 2025, AI will determine ticket prices on one out of every five domestic flights. And if that goes well (for Delta) they may roll out the system to all potential passengers. Some will pay more, while others may pay less, all depending on what the new system comes up with.
Florida has been a staple location for TV series for decades, and for movies decades before that. From the neon-soaked streets of 1980s Miami Vice—where undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs prowled South Beach in pastel suits to the brooding family secrets of the Rayburn clan in Bloodline, set in the Keys, the state’s diverse landscapes have lent themselves to drama, crime thrillers, and even medical sagas like Netflix’s “Pulse“, centered on the emergency ward of Maguire Hospital in Miami. This year promises another wave of series that showcases Florida.
Netflix is set to expand its summer lineup with content from NASA’s own streaming service, NASA+. Viewers can look forward to live rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, in-depth mission reports and awe-inspiring, real-time footage of Earth as seen from the International Space Station. While NASA+ has been freely accessible through its website and app—and available on platforms such as Apple TV, Fire TV, Hulu and Roku—this will mark its first run on the world’s largest paid streaming service.
For anyone who’s ever tried to read an article online only to be ambushed by a sudden full-screen takeover, you know the drill: you click “Read More,” and instead you get “I DEMAND your attention NOW!”—a barrage of ads that feels less like gentle persuasion and more like a digital mugging. And yes, we’re self-aware enough to know that this website is guilty of this, but truth is, bills have to be paid.
“A Higher Call” by John D. Shaw is a depiction of the events on December 20, 1943
On the morning of December 20, 1943, a young American pilot named Charlie Brown climbed into the cockpit of a B-17F Flying Fortress for what would be his first combat mission as aircraft commander. Like most other bomber pilots in World War II, Brown young: he was twenty-one, from Weston, West Virginia, and had only recently joined the 379th Bomb Group of the US Army Air Force , stationed at Kimbolton Airfield in England. The target for that day was the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory in Bremen, Germany—a city ringed with anti-aircraft batteries and defended by scores of seasoned Luftwaffe pilots.
An era has passed, as one of Florida’s living icons has passed away. Lu the Hippo had been a long time resident at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, where he lived among native panthers, manatees, and black bears. He was not a native species, of course, but he was an official resident of the state of Florida and had the residency permit to prove it. He was 65.
Every year in Florida, as predictably as afternoon thunderstorms and high temperatures arrive in early summer, a biological phenomenon unfolds that turns the air into an airborne lovers’ lane. It’s called Love Bug Season, and it is as romantic as it is disgusting. If you’re new here in Florida, here’s their story:
The largest of the small flies called lovebugs are the females, which are about 1/3 inch. The smaller males are 1/4 inch in length. Photo by Tim Donovan, Florida Fish and Wildlife
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has just dropped its outlook for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, and let’s just say it’s possible that Mother Nature might be cranking the volume up to eleven this year. The 2025 hurricane forecast indicates a particularly active season.
Zackery Brandon Barfield, a 31-year-old commercial and charter fishing captain from Panama City, has been sentenced to 30 days in federal prison and fined $51,000 for illegally shooting and poisoning bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of…
