Formed when ranchers digging a well punched through a geothermal field in far north-western Nevada. The water was too hot and the well abandoned. A second well was dug and capped; the cap failed and this geyser was the result. The resulting thermal field now covers over 50 acres.

Once on the extremes of "middle-of-nowhere", the Burning Man people (from California, where else?), after ruining Black Rock Desert, poked their fingers into this property, bought it, and have "developed" it into a fee-based, limited-access nature walk.

This photo was taken several years before Burning Man was organized.

because I'm the one to bring up such topics - I'm weak, I know ...

but the comments - including my own - on New Neo's "Open thread 3/25/2025" post is what I'd like to avoid here. Not that I'm knocking Neo's site - it's a daily read and it's the comments I'm speaking of - but why duplicate what so many other blog sites are doing?

"Trump's a Nazi!" "No he's not!" "Yes he is" "Prove it" ... blah, blah, blah

She's a saint - or demon - for putting up with what she deals with in the comments world.

No one's going to change anyone's mind and it just pisses people off - one side or the other. If you're here, you should already have a flavor of my political leanings ... and I suspect many of you lean that way as well though I'm not going to stop (too many) alternate viewpoints.

I'm already a mean, nasty SOB; I try to avoid it here - I'd just get riled up and it does me no good ... nor you.

Up on my soapbox again - No, on second thought, no I won't.

Jorge Arbaiza was killed at a Houston McDonalds with his wife and grandkids watching. Caught in a crossfire.

If you encounter a rabid animal, do not approach it and keep a safe distance. The immediate and most important action is to avoid any contact with the animal. Shooting is the first, quickest and safest option. The only weapon safe to use in populated areas is a 12 gauge shotgun, because of its low velocity. An adequate shell is a low brass target load with size 6 or smaller shot. If need be, contact local animal control or wildlife authorities for assistance in handling the situation.

RIP, Mr. Arbaiza ... and I wish your story wasn't so common.

... but I'm not complaining.