tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40421120802257167512024-03-04T22:11:04.793-06:00Lonely Roadtiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-19196021144635520372011-09-22T04:22:00.001-05:002011-09-22T04:25:44.980-05:00Another Ad about jobs<embed src="http://pl-mgroup-akamai.powerlineblog.com/admin/ed-assets/jw-player-plugin-for-wordpress/player/player.swf" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8EL5Atp_vF0&gapro.accountid=UA-78703-2&gapro.height=297&gapro.trackpercentage=true&gapro.trackstarts=true&gapro.tracktime=true&gapro.visible=true&gapro.width=580&gapro.x=0&gapro.y=0&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F8EL5Atp_vF0%2F0.jpg&logo=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.powerlineblog.com%2Fvideobug.png&plugins=viral-2%2Cgapro-1&skin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.powerlineblog.com%2Fadmin%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fjw-player-plugin-for-wordpress%2Fskins%2Fglow.zip&viral.allowmenu=true&viral.bgcolor=0x333333&viral.fgcolor=0xffffff&viral.functions=embed&viral.matchplayercolors=true&viral.oncomplete=true&viral.onpause=true&logo.link=http://www.powerlineblog.com&logo.file=http://www.powerlineblog.com/videobug.png" height="326" width="580"></embed>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-61147741864089438822011-05-10T04:28:00.002-05:002011-05-10T04:30:54.384-05:00Vindication<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIXxI0noT51BrCVnW-4hjb60dRZBJMcqSPTTRZH1pBnXlv3lo_Q-w6GWuyxfclKCvf0lh8HuXlLj5C5sydUStmcFo4VCTXD0U0cmrRmHSfEnQoTFDAa0C00PfMY0qbNaet-guG-GsY7Vy/s1600/vindication.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIXxI0noT51BrCVnW-4hjb60dRZBJMcqSPTTRZH1pBnXlv3lo_Q-w6GWuyxfclKCvf0lh8HuXlLj5C5sydUStmcFo4VCTXD0U0cmrRmHSfEnQoTFDAa0C00PfMY0qbNaet-guG-GsY7Vy/s400/vindication.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605017274898314018" border="0" /></a><br />A new inspirational poster has emerged.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vindication</span>: When the loudest critic of your policies achieves his greatest success because of them.tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-69438179350632423132011-04-18T12:12:00.002-05:002011-04-18T12:17:37.957-05:00FastingLong Considered a benefit for the religously-minded soul, <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-04/imc-sfr033111.php">fasting evidently has the added benefit of being good for your body</a>.<div><br /></div><div>From the article:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><blockquote>Today, research cardiologists at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute are reporting that fasting not only lowers one's risk of coronary artery disease and diabetes, but also causes significant changes in a person's blood cholesterol levels. Both diabetes and elevated cholesterol are known risk factors for coronary heart disease.</blockquote></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><p style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "></p><blockquote><p style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; ">Unlike the earlier research by the team, this new research recorded reactions in the body's biological mechanisms during the fasting period. The participants' low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, the "bad" cholesterol) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, the "good" cholesterol) both increased (by 14 percent and 6 percent, respectively) raising their total cholesterol – and catching the researchers by surprise.</p><p style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; ">"Fasting causes hunger or stress. In response, the body releases more cholesterol, allowing it to utilize fat as a source of fuel, instead of glucose. This decreases the number of fat cells in the body," says Dr. Horne. "This is important because the fewer fat cells a body has, the less likely it will experience insulin resistance, or diabetes."</p><p style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; ">This recent study also confirmed earlier findings about the effects of fasting on human growth hormone (HGH), a metabolic protein. HGH works to protect lean muscle and metabolic balance, a response triggered and accelerated by fasting. During the 24-hour fasting periods, HGH increased an average of 1,300 percent in women, and nearly 2,000 percent in men.</p></blockquote><p style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "></p></span></span><div>...Amen. Let's hear it for increased levels of HGH.</div><div><br /></div></div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-48074879346534452712011-04-10T21:49:00.003-05:002011-04-10T22:06:44.098-05:00Picture worth a thousand words<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/30bq.3ms/TZtwlxaCFi12PQy_B0965"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><img border="0" id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4d9b754d4bd7c80f020a0000/chart-of-the-day-the-incredible-impact-of-republican-cuts-on-the-us-deficit.jpg" /></span></a></span><br /><br /><div>Maybe Paul Ryan has something to say. (Gosh, don't like all that red!)</div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-68188949190369833042011-04-10T21:47:00.002-05:002011-04-10T22:04:30.126-05:00Now that PP is on the proverbial "chopping block"<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GfFVKqHWJU0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-28968955746487034792011-04-06T16:06:00.001-05:002011-04-10T22:04:44.989-05:00Blessings<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1CSVqHcdhXQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-68330941709740942222011-02-15T12:25:00.004-06:002011-02-15T14:19:26.675-06:00Prices jumpRemember this post? <a href="http://tiolorf.blogspot.com/2010/12/guess-title-for-list.html">Here?</a> The title in question was: Countries most at risk in case of a Food Shortage<br /><br />It seems someone could see the future. Did you see country #6 on the list? Egypt. Or #18? Tunisia. Both have overthrown their governments in the last little while. There have also been rumblings in #3. In part, these have been due to rising food prices.<br /><br />So, what causes food prices to rise? There are a few things which tend to do that - 1.increased demand, 2.reduced supply, and 3.the decreased worth of money. While there hasn't been much of an increased demand, the other two are certainly factors.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.indexmundi.com/commodities/?commodity=food-price-index">Why is food so much?</a> Because there are additional uses for it - government-subsidized uses (think Ethanol). With the competition of demand (vehicles here act as additional mouths to feed), the price goes up - or the reverse, that Ethanol siphons some of the food supply away so there is reduced supply. Either way, it puts upward pressure on food prices.<br /><br />The other factor in this is the debasement of money. Do you remember when a candy bar cost 25 cents? or less? What about a gallon of gasoline? When we put more money into our closed system, we lessen the value of each dollar. The flip side of that is that the price goes up. If each dollar can buy less, it takes more dollars to buy the same thing. Once again upward pressure on the food prices. Think Quantitative Easing (QE). Think billions and billions of dollars added to the system of the last 2 years. This factor is going to be true for pretty much every commodity. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/business/03cotton.html?_r=1">Guess what has happened to the price of cotton? Guess what will happen to the price of clothes?</a><br /><br />So, for the people who cannot afford the new food prices, maybe they will be saved by the price in clothing - if they happen to have lots of clothes to sell.<br /><br /><a href="http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22833439%7EpagePK:64257043%7EpiPK:437376%7EtheSitePK:4607,00.html">News</a>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-71455312593454831212011-02-08T10:08:00.002-06:002011-02-08T10:15:24.746-06:00Slow Down - Chuck GirardA wonderful song from my past. This song was occasionally played during the TEC weekends that I was a part of in my youth. It is not really a youth-friendly kind of song, yet it had its place.<br /><br /><div style="width:433px; height:62px; border:1px solid #ccc; background-image: url('http://images.bomb-mp3.com/bg.gif'); font-size:10px;"><div style="border:1px solid #fff; width:431px; height:60px;"><div style="float:left; width:114px; margin-top:5px; margin-left:5px;"><img src="http://images.bomb-mp3.com/logo.png" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="float:left; font-size:10px; color:#4D526E; width:312px; text-align:center;"><div><a href="http://www.bomb-mp3.com/download.php?mp3_id=4147336&title=Chuck+girard+-+Slow+down" style=" font-weight:Bold; text-decoration:none; color:#4D526E; padding-top:5px;">Chuck girard - Slow down download</a></div><div style="margin-top:5px;"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://images.bomb-mp3.com/mp.swf" style="" quality="high" flashvars="height=20&width=289&autostart=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fhome.comcast.net%2F%7Estonemarie%2FSlow_down.mp3&enablejs=true&frontcolor=0xEEEEEE&backcolor=0x737BA5&lightcolor=0xCCFFFF&type=mp3&searchbar=false&bufferlength=10" height="20" width="289"></div><div style="margin-top:3px;">found at <a href="http://www.bomb-mp3.com" style=" font-weight:Bold; text-decoration:none; color:#4D526E; font-weight:bold;">bomb-mp3</a> search engine</div></div></div></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.bomb-mp3.com/embedcl.php"></script><br /><br />And it is, in fact, quite slow.<br /><br />Another that is similar, is this one:<br /><br /><div style="width:433px; height:62px; border:1px solid #ccc; background-image: url('http://images.bomb-mp3.com/bg.gif'); font-size:10px;"><div style="border:1px solid #fff; width:431px; height:60px;"><div style="float:left; width:114px; margin-top:5px; margin-left:5px;"><img src="http://images.bomb-mp3.com/logo.png" border="0" alt="" /></div><div style="float:left; font-size:10px; color:#4D526E; width:312px; text-align:center;"><div><a href="http://www.bomb-mp3.com/download.php?mp3_id=4482299&title=Chuck+Girard+-+Lay+Your+Burden+Down" style=" font-weight:Bold; text-decoration:none; color:#4D526E; padding-top:5px;">Chuck Girard - Lay Your Burden Down download</a></div><div style="margin-top:5px;"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://images.bomb-mp3.com/mp.swf" style="" quality="high" flashvars="height=20&width=289&autostart=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fhome.comcast.net%2F%7Estonemarie%2FLay_your_burden_down.mp3&enablejs=true&frontcolor=0xEEEEEE&backcolor=0x737BA5&lightcolor=0xCCFFFF&type=mp3&searchbar=false&bufferlength=10" height="20" width="289"></div><div style="margin-top:3px;">found at <a href="http://www.bomb-mp3.com" style=" font-weight:Bold; text-decoration:none; color:#4D526E; font-weight:bold;">bomb-mp3</a> search engine</div></div></div></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.bomb-mp3.com/embedcl.php"></script><br /><br />I remember them both fondly, and am excited to hear them again. It is really hard to find these old songs, so . . . here they are for you.tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-66384495781188023742011-02-07T13:58:00.003-06:002011-02-07T15:37:44.497-06:00Sad commentary<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="410" height="300" id="tribalchannel-player" name="tribalchannel-player"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://assets.survivalinternational.org/flash/syndicated-player.swf"><br /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><br /><param name="wmode" value="opaque"><br /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><br /><param name="bgcolor" value="FFFFFF"><br /><param name="flashvars" value="config=http://assets.uncontactedtribes.org/films/356/config.xml"><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="tribalchannel-player" name="tribalchannel-player" src="http://assets.survivalinternational.org/flash/syndicated-player.swf" width="410" height="300" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="opaque" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="FFFFFF" flashvars="config=http://assets.uncontactedtribes.org/films/356/config.xml"></embed><br /></object><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>After watching the video, I became sad. We are all in a hurry to protect this "untouched people" from ourselves. On the one hand, I'm relieved that we've discovered that we as a people and culture are rotten and wouldn't it be nice if we could keep from infecting others. Yet, at the same time, these are people as well. Are they not rotten to the core as much as ourselves? Don't we all spring from the same tree? Don't we all curse the same hot sun (snow, in the case of those living in Minnesota)? Don't we all feel the weight of life and death and how we fail one another?</p><p>Tis a pity that after all this, our leaders feel that we have nothing - no net good - to offer these poor people.</p><p>Yet, these leaders seem to know nothing of God's love - love that Christians know and are commanded to share to the ends of the earth, even to protected people.</p>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-65733589294449878992011-01-24T18:06:00.005-06:002011-01-24T18:16:34.482-06:00Lucy in the StringsThis is an experiment in minimal string art. I invite comment. (click on the picture on the right to make bigger, but it's better not-so-big)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yuHlkG_q1LkPfPRjoA1MZr86sNdolCNUg69roMYMKZ1eC-_hUJsG4dpFvgvV6D-sgNDlyNWvszoY6tZghVtarYnnWbzUp1hAKlA8YlX8SERWHZVDNEPUrRMqO2RIRZK_y3mzWzhKvcuX/s1600/Lucy.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 115px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yuHlkG_q1LkPfPRjoA1MZr86sNdolCNUg69roMYMKZ1eC-_hUJsG4dpFvgvV6D-sgNDlyNWvszoY6tZghVtarYnnWbzUp1hAKlA8YlX8SERWHZVDNEPUrRMqO2RIRZK_y3mzWzhKvcuX/s200/Lucy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565910553998290306" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf5-PiYQA3ZuRRxFYdF5HYdABNf4k4cQNvXKidZNVNiiCLN1fj0XWtVqt04UNPi6c2xz6SkFAZyqnnHLP_gXSWwBljG7KV4LJX4rttrJw5TuhDvY2o_7MSaVDZbBgTSEQQXahiIsxITtP/s1600/StringLucy.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf5-PiYQA3ZuRRxFYdF5HYdABNf4k4cQNvXKidZNVNiiCLN1fj0XWtVqt04UNPi6c2xz6SkFAZyqnnHLP_gXSWwBljG7KV4LJX4rttrJw5TuhDvY2o_7MSaVDZbBgTSEQQXahiIsxITtP/s200/StringLucy.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565910359388109138" /></a>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-90697352275335892382011-01-24T15:53:00.003-06:002011-01-24T16:05:17.887-06:00Cuts me to the Quick (Part 2)I'm spending far too much time browsing a new blogging site. But it's like a book I can't put down.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://shirtofflame.blogspot.com/2011/01/living-out-gospels-music-of-glenn-gould.html">Another post - one about Living Out the Gospels</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two worthy excerpts:</div><br /><blockquote>I thought about how the writers who have posed those questions [the big questions in life] were often the ones who suffered most deeply: Dostoevsky, Van Gogh, Flannery O’Connor, Kafka, Emily Dickinson, Anne Frank, Simone Weil, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Beethoven. "We only believe in those thoughts which have been conceived not in the brain but in the whole body," noted Yeats, and those who ask the deepest questions seem to be the ones who have lived the questions, which is to say suffered the questions, in and on and through their bodies--and then have somehow linked the suffering to the rest of us.<br /><br />People hear "living out the Gospels" and tend to think "compliance with some arbitrarily rigid moral code." To me living out the Gospels means consciously suffering, and realizing we are complicit in the suffering of the world, and that the way to overcome that is by beauty and love, and that, as Dostoevsky said, "Love in reality is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams." You will do things out of love that go way, way beyond the "strictest" moral code. You will sit at your desk sweating tears of blood trying to get the work right for years on end out of love. You will suffer cold, hunger, loneliness, poverty, misunderstanding, and failure for love. All true and enduring art springs from love.</blockquote>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-72744916528332400962011-01-24T15:22:00.004-06:002011-01-24T15:34:11.838-06:00Cuts me to the Quick<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFzi-J2cyuwpYO-_USrGl9r9wGR_kZPLFmCm5VuPmlY2izhLBrGtl0hAcn0qmGxP3-g5K5t_IOdG2M4g5Wv8Q2dQc3uDkVrO_pyAEJ1__AdhLuFFiLCXc-qJr8-fTMkynZh3fanyGMLp-/s1600/ShirtOfFlame.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFzi-J2cyuwpYO-_USrGl9r9wGR_kZPLFmCm5VuPmlY2izhLBrGtl0hAcn0qmGxP3-g5K5t_IOdG2M4g5Wv8Q2dQc3uDkVrO_pyAEJ1__AdhLuFFiLCXc-qJr8-fTMkynZh3fanyGMLp-/s200/ShirtOfFlame.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565868375229245698" /></a><br />Clicking through seemingly random links started by The Anchoress, I came across a post from another blog, <a href="http://shirtofflame.blogspot.com/2010/12/faith-healer-what-belief-doesnt-do.html">"The Shirt of Flame"</a>. The title of the blog was curious, "Faith Healer: What belief doesn't do." Good read.<div><br /></div><div>These excerpts from near the end of the post give me great comfort:</div><br /><blockquote>I find there are two basic types of people who attack when they discover I’m Catholic. The first are lapsed or disgruntled Catholics who claim to be revolted by the Church but can't stop talking about it. I love these types. Their hearts are broken. They’re always trying to trip me up, get me to say something bad about the Church, convert me back to the cause of the unbelievers. The second type, the Pharisees (in a peculiarly unfortunate combination, the two "types" sometimes exist in one person), are always trying to get me to say something bad about other so-called (in their eyes lukewarm) members of the Church.<br /><br />None of these folks can bear the hideous gap between how a follower of Christ should be and how a person who claims to be a follower of Christ actually is. It <i>is</i> horrible, it’s absurd. <i>But don’t let that stop you!</i> I want to say. Anyone who signs up to be a Christian signs up for failure. The very, very few who "succeed" die. In order to be any good at it you more or less have to be killed. You also have to be somewhat nuts to set yourself a goal that is basically impossible to achieve. As Thomas Merton observed: “We must remember that in order to choose religious life, you must be a misfit…Let’s get away from the mystique that religious are the cream-of-the-crop Christians.”</blockquote>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-61554922665177893362011-01-24T14:00:00.003-06:002011-01-24T14:17:42.493-06:00Oh Joy! The wonders of Science.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFMr1OLlXe6oxAo9NlQKXhoBL3aNXfIcCsqNa2BkBBAp-sGoiiI1ZBIx-DH4YLVliMXCQWOsTidxjQhTDNoI8S4gAsqcTqVI6fS5qYOyEDW-6LxlSI4TibMmlXxof3nZYi07PBI_GmXtk/s1600/star.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFMr1OLlXe6oxAo9NlQKXhoBL3aNXfIcCsqNa2BkBBAp-sGoiiI1ZBIx-DH4YLVliMXCQWOsTidxjQhTDNoI8S4gAsqcTqVI6fS5qYOyEDW-6LxlSI4TibMmlXxof3nZYi07PBI_GmXtk/s200/star.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565849183052344530" /></a><br />Being trained as a scientist, I'm able to work with exponents pretty well - as math is the language of science. When we get to exponents of "10 to the -7" in measuring the distances between peaks in a wave of light, it is easy to manipulated. When we are thinking of light traveling at huge speeds 3 x 10 to the 8th meters per second, it is easy to scratch it out on paper.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://io9.com/5738542/earth-may-soon-have-a-second-sun">Some (albeit very few) are getting excited about the possibility of having a few weeks of a second sun</a> made by an exploding star 640 LY (light years) away. Betelgeuse is nearly at SuperNova stage. Any minute now. Then, of course, if it happened this minute, I'd have to wait 640 years to see it. Too long to wait.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now I will grant it to the excited few among us, it would really make for a marvelous event - especially if it happened to coincide with the nighttime position (Earth in between Sun and Betelgeuse). I must admit that my first thought in reading this was "Oh dear, what is the observant Muslim to do if this happens during Ramadan?" My next thought was "Short the stocks of vitamin D manufacturers".</div><div><br /></div><div>But I'd put the chances of seeing such a thing in my lifetime are 1 to 10 to the -100th power. Not likely.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-56035612184839051642011-01-07T09:33:00.004-06:002011-01-07T09:54:24.838-06:00Not a "Christian" radio station<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpdg2imsUQk8U1NSoyWExVdSHS7fXISkhYtK5pcHigIKTluPW-7Uhl6aKgm9LnwLVCVlk5G5w8lwNuBmS0f6VuFgYJ2tB0EAvJYAAUNSnh0CdDaojobBRw5F0qgnOCsLh9n5H5PM5Q9n6/s1600/Mints.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 107px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpdg2imsUQk8U1NSoyWExVdSHS7fXISkhYtK5pcHigIKTluPW-7Uhl6aKgm9LnwLVCVlk5G5w8lwNuBmS0f6VuFgYJ2tB0EAvJYAAUNSnh0CdDaojobBRw5F0qgnOCsLh9n5H5PM5Q9n6/s320/Mints.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559472421971853490" border="0" /></a><br />When I was driving home yesterday with my two kids, Anjali (who was in the front seat riding shotgun) asked me if the radio station we were listening to was "Christian". Since this was at the end of our journey, I stopped the car and looked at her for a couple seconds (just to make sure she was looking at me) and I said "No". Being that the station was KTIS, and all they do is play songs about God and Jesus 24/7, one might think I was nuts. But I wanted to make a point. "It's just a radio station and a radio station cannot be a Christian. Only a person can be a Christian. A book can't be a Christian, a song can't be a Christian, a cow can't be a Christian, nor can it's milk be Christian." I explained my thoughts about t-shirts that had pictures or messages about God, but we should be careful about how we describe things. Jesus died for people. Some may want to sell us socks - and to help them sells the socks, they might be called Christian socks, but they are simply socks.<br /><br />I gathered from her reaction that she wasn't expecting my response, nor my intensity from such an innocent question. That's why I'm thinking of making it up to her by getting her <a href="http://www.mcphee.com/shop/products/Deluxe-Miracle-Jesus-Action-Figure.html">a gift</a>. It's a Deluxe Miracle Jesus Action figure - complete with plastic loaves and fishes, and a small jug to turn water into wine. We could do experiments with it to see if it floats or sinks. Maybe if we bring it fishing, we'll find money in the fish we catch. Or maybe it's just a cheap plastic doll with a fancy label to get me to buy it - $12.95 + S&H! I think I'll pass.tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-3265003052653021782011-01-06T11:09:00.003-06:002011-01-06T11:18:33.472-06:00Big Happy GovernmentYou know me by now, I don't like pointing out the faults of government. I'd rather let them point out their own.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#ffffff' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='360' height='353'><tbody><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><embed style='display:block' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:369678' width='360' height='301' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed></td></tr></tbody></table>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-75932929166854372692011-01-05T15:18:00.003-06:002011-01-05T16:01:26.616-06:00Bible StudyLast evening, I joined a Bible Study. I recently was involved in a Mid-week Bible Study at my Church (with about 500 people), but declined to continue after the Winter Break.<div><br /></div><div>So this new Bible study consists of about 10 people - though 3 of us attended for the first time. There is no curriculum - and that is wonderful. There are 2 months between studies - which is great. The last topic was on "Hearing from God". There wasn't a specific Bible text and we had 2 books about the subject that anchored our discussion (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hearing-God-Developing-Conversational-Relationship/dp/0830822267/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294262809&sr=1-4">here </a>and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Power-Whisper-Hearing-Having-Respond/dp/0310320747/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294262777&sr=8-1">here</a>). The setting was at a real home about 13 blocks south of where I live, though some came from many miles away. I was the youngest by at least 15 years (for sure, 20 years most likely - I didn't survey the group). The last characteristic was about the only one this study had in common with the one I just left.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not a one of us seemed like a natural-born leader. Ron White (who would get the nod only because he started the group) said that he had a list of questions that he would use a discussion starters if nobody said anything. (Empty threat.) It was a good and worthwhile discussion - very little disagreement (which was unfortunate). I was the only one who said anything remotely bizarre. But because I was new and because I was young, I asked questions and posed scenarios rather than put out my opinions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once we had done with that topic, it was time for desert - but not until we set things up for our next meeting. Where? same place (Yes!). When? first Tuesday in 2 months. About what? Hmmm. Nobody said much. I suggested "Suffering". That got the ball rolling, but we all settled on "Suffering". No prescribed books, but many suggestions were made to be prepared with. CSLewis and PYancy were some of the authors mentioned. I, for one, will focus on the book of Job. I'm in the middle of reading it (again) anyways.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know why Job and the question of suffering has such appeal to me. Maybe I haven't suffered enough in my life - and out of my self-inflicted guilt I an trying to imagine living in suffering as penance. But so many throughout the ages have had a curiosity about this, that I don't feel so terribly odd.</div><div><br /></div><div>I will write about this more as I think through things for our next study.</div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-35100012256031193292011-01-03T07:36:00.005-06:002011-01-03T09:18:18.129-06:00A Growing DivideIt wasn't too long ago that the Evangelical Movement was seen as a monolithic group - moving in lockstep on every doctrine and issue. Liberals & Fundamentalists beware, the Evangelicals were rising up. The Evangelicals were seen as a powerhouse because they were seen as unified and they could deliver large votes or sentiment in a single direction for or against an issue.<div><br /></div><div>But the lines of fracture are being felt more and more. One of the very first lines centered around the Emergent/Emerging Church. To simplify the issues way more than called for, but it is a good generalization anyway, the E___ Church wanted to adopt more leftist social issues while maintaining an Evangelical perspective on spiritual matters. The biggest of these social issues has to do with the Green Movement (not the political party, the "care of the world").</div><div><br /></div><div>Today, the <a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/an-evangelical-backlash-against-environmentalism/?ref=science">NY Times published a story</a> about the divisions among the Evangelicals over this issue. Some Evangelicals are upset and worried over the "capitulation" of other Evangelicals to this movement. An article simply would not be about Evangelicals if the term "false religion" were not included - and this is no exception. They are worried that some Evangelicals have jumped on the "green bandwagon" without really understanding the issues (or dangers) - they simply liked being associated with "friendly-to-the-earth" issues.</div><div><br /></div><div>I fear that the various sides of this (and other politically left) issues will not resolve their differences and will eventually disrupt Churches and denominations. The resulting chasms will certainly end the monolithic-ness of the Evangelical Movement.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">(There have been some fractures in the Environmental Movement as well. <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,737451,00.html">This</a> is one result.)</span></div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-43814568484120422742010-12-30T10:37:00.002-06:002010-12-30T11:12:00.077-06:00Trouble in the Ivory Coast<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/world/africa/30ivory.html?_r=1">The NY Times reports on the recent political unease in the Ivory Coast</a>. The current ruler lost an election last month, yet he has decided not to give up his power. Seems like Mr. Gbagbo really likes his Presidential perks as he defies the will of the majority of his people.<div><br /></div><div>The neighboring countries are none-too-pleased, but are reluctant to use violence to remove him.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is sad that a country of 10 million people must suffer this little man with too-much power.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; ">btw, if you read the article, "autarchy" is the ability to be self-sufficient. This is different from "autocracy", which is the rule (of a city or state) by one person.</span></span></div></div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-12030016161795340112010-12-29T13:26:00.002-06:002010-12-29T14:03:20.270-06:00The SaintsAs a Protestant, I'm sometimes baffled at the practices of friends of Roman Catholic persuasion. <a href="http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/theanchoress/2010/12/29/get-your-patron-saint-for-2011/">The Anchoress</a>, while looking back at her chosen saint of 2010 and looking forward to her chosen saint of 2011, includes a curious link. The link is to a <a href="http://jenniferfulwiler.com/saints/">website that randomly generates the name of a saint</a> - just for you. Mine turned out to be <a href="http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-isidore-the-farmer/">St. Isidore, the Farmer</a>. Interestingly, he's the Patron Saint against the death of children. He's also the Patron Saint of many other things/people/places.<div><br /></div><div>So, are you curious to know who your saint will be for the coming year?</div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-270604190396308122010-12-27T13:00:00.002-06:002010-12-27T13:07:32.506-06:00My Response to EJ DionneMr. Dionne wrote <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/12/27/lets_not_spin_the_civil_war_108353.html">an article</a> today for one of my favorite News/Opinion websites: <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/">RealClearPolitics</a>. He wants to remind us all that we should not "spin" the Civil War. It was about slavery first, second, and third.<div><br /></div><div>My response:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >The reason that the Civil War was fought was different than the reason that the Southern States left the Union.<br /><br />I agree that a primary reason for the Southern States' departure was the difficulty in consensus among the States about slavery. While there were other major issues such as taxes and the role of the Federal Government (sound familiar?), "slavery" is rightly seen as a good representative "reason for secession".<br /><br />The two sides fought for differing reasons, however. The South fought to put reality to their declarations - they wanted self-determination and independence from the other States (think Federal Government). The North (again, think Federal Government) fought to deny independence to the Southern States.<br /><br />Make no mistake, Lincoln - if he is to be trusted - tried to arrest the exodus of States by declaring in his First Inaugural Address, "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."<br /><br />He also stated to Horace Greeley, "If I could save the Union without freeing any slaves, I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it, and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also so that."<br /><br />Further, when some counties of Virginia broke away from that State, Lincoln welcomed them into the US as a slave state as West Virginia.<br /><br />If Lincoln was fighting to free the slaves, he did so not on principle, but as a means to his primary end - maintain dominion over the Southern States.<br /><br />I've learned that the history of slavery in the US is more complex that I originally thought. I've learned that blacks in the South sometimes owned slaves - sometimes many slaves. I've learned that whites were sometimes slaves - though not at the time of the Civil War. Complexity brings about differing opinions that ought not be derided simply as "spin". The Civil War was fought for reasons good and bad, but it is not as clear cut an issue as Mr Dionne states.</span></span></div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-50387385336988728482010-12-23T13:44:00.003-06:002010-12-23T14:26:46.496-06:00The Mites and the Bees<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pZuypfJmUVIWF8R8sFJrLessUBdu-QN9OfI3abNLgT9PsUs3lk5fhNbscmLVCkiJhglKC1OqlCGur83dJhBVbmKA7yrrwcrSZ0jGNKmVy7-hypqo6EZJuX4xqPZTa33-gCvcz1hN6urz/s1600/bee.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pZuypfJmUVIWF8R8sFJrLessUBdu-QN9OfI3abNLgT9PsUs3lk5fhNbscmLVCkiJhglKC1OqlCGur83dJhBVbmKA7yrrwcrSZ0jGNKmVy7-hypqo6EZJuX4xqPZTa33-gCvcz1hN6urz/s200/bee.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553976711144847506" /></a><br />People have, in recent years, noticed a decline in the Honeybee populations. This is regrettable because it makes the honey more expensive. Some have suggested that the trouble is caused by the ever increasing number of radio waves that we shove through the air.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9306000/9306572.stm?utm_source=rcswidget&utm_medium=widget&utm_campaign=slideshow">This article</a> suggests that one major source of trouble is Varroa Mites - and they might be controllable soon. It involves tinkering with their genetic code so the mites would "self-destruct". From what I can figure, it's like having an auto-immune disorder where the body attacks itself. While this is all very interesting, and hopefully the bees will win their wars, I'm pretty nervous about playing with the genetic codes of little bugs. What if they grow to be 10x their size as an unforeseen and unintended consequence?</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.ehow.com/about_5316299_varroa-life-cycle.html">(More on the little critters)</a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >(the red bug on the bee is the mite - on the picture above)</span></div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-13236326803220692172010-12-20T07:49:00.008-06:002010-12-20T08:40:22.485-06:00Guess the title for the listThe following is a list of 25 countries (in order). These came from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nomura-food-crisis-2010-9#">this article</a>. Give your guess for the title in the comments.<br /><style type="text/css">.nobr br {display:none}</style><br /><div class="nobr"><br /><table style="width: 400px; height: 626px;" border="1"><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td><u>Country</u><br /></td><br /><td><u>GDP per capita</u><br /></td><br /><td><u>% GDP for food</u><br /></td><br /><td><u>% food exports</u><br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Bangladesh<br /></td><br /><td>$497<br /></td><br /><td>53.8%<br /></td><br /><td>-3.3%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Morocco<br /></td><br /><td>$2,769<br /></td><br /><td>63.0%<br /></td><br /><td>-2.1%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Algeria<br /></td><br /><td>$4,845<br /></td><br /><td>53.0%<br /></td><br /><td>-2.8%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Nigeria<br /></td><br /><td>$1,370<br /></td><br /><td>73.0%<br /></td><br /><td>-0.9%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Lebanon<br /></td><br /><td>$6,978<br /></td><br /><td>34.0%<br /></td><br /><td>-3.9%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Egypt<br /></td><br /><td>$1,991<br /></td><br /><td>48.1%<br /></td><br /><td>-2.1%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Sri Lanka<br /></td><br /><td>$2,013<br /></td><br /><td>39.6%<br /></td><br /><td>-2.7%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Sudan<br /></td><br /><td>$1,353<br /></td><br /><td>52.9%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.3%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Hong Kong<br /></td><br /><td>$30,863<br /></td><br /><td>25.8%<br /></td><br /><td>-4.4%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Azerbaijan<br /></td><br /><td>$5,315<br /></td><br /><td>60.2%<br /></td><br /><td>-0.6%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Angola<br /></td><br /><td>$4,714<br /></td><br /><td>46.1%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.4%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Romania<br /></td><br /><td>$9,300<br /></td><br /><td>49.4%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.1%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Philippines<br /></td><br /><td>$1,847<br /></td><br /><td>45.6%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.0%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Kenya<br /></td><br /><td>$783<br /></td><br /><td>45.8%<br /></td><br /><td>-0.8%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Pakistan<br /></td><br /><td>$991<br /></td><br /><td>47.6%<br /></td><br /><td>-0.4%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Libya<br /></td><br /><td>$14,802<br /></td><br /><td>37.2%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.7%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Dominican Republic<br /></td><br /><td>$4,576<br /></td><br /><td>38.3%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.1%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Tunisia<br /></td><br /><td>$3,903<br /></td><br /><td>36.0%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.1%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Bulgaria<br /></td><br /><td>$6,546<br /></td><br /><td>49.5%<br /></td><br /><td>-0.1%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Ukraine<br /></td><br /><td>$3,899<br /></td><br /><td>61.0%<br /></td><br /><td>0.9%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>India<br /></td><br /><td>$1,017<br /></td><br /><td>49.5%<br /></td><br /><td>0.3%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>China<br /></td><br /><td>$3,267<br /></td><br /><td>39.8%<br /></td><br /><td>-0.3%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Latvia<br /></td><br /><td>$14,908<br /></td><br /><td>34.3%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.1%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Vietnam<br /></td><br /><td>$1,051<br /></td><br /><td>50.7%<br /></td><br /><td>0.8%<br /></td><br /></tr><tr><br /><td>Venezuela<br /></td><br /><td>$11,246<br /></td><br /><td>32.6%<br /></td><br /><td>-1.0%<br /></td><br /></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br />The title: Nations <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">most at risk for a food shortage</span>.<br />(triple-click the word "Nations" in the line above for the answer, but first put your guess in the comments)tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-56071519373883631642010-12-20T06:24:00.004-06:002010-12-20T06:38:10.743-06:00150 Years Ago TodayThe s(S)tate of South Carolina voted to leave the Union. Here's how it is <a href="http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/secessioncrisis/601220.html">reported</a>: "We, the people of the State of South Carolina in convention assembled, do declare and ordain ... that the Union now subsisting between South Carolina and other States, under the name of 'the United States of America,' is hereby dissolved," and SC left the country to go it alone again.<div><br /></div><div>Finding out what actually happened to cause the War between the States has been a pursuit of mine over the last 11 years. At times, I've really studied hard, while other times, not so much. I'm very surprised by how much myth and misinformation is out there - and I believed. While many of the myths revolve around Abraham Lincoln, there are myths aplenty for all sides.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the misinformation around secession, it was universally believed up until 1860 that this was legal for a state to do. A couple New England states had voted on articles of secession during the War of 1812. Other states had threatened to do the same. But it is my understanding that when it all came down to brass tacks, the Nothern States (headed by Lincoln) could not afford the expense of having South Carolina withdraw their economy. It would impact the Treasury too greatly.</div><div><br /></div><div>But aren't most wars about money? And why would I be surprised at finding this out? Many states followed SC to their independence. This happened over the next several months - 150 years ago.</div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-10091301124879851722010-12-20T06:07:00.002-06:002010-12-20T06:22:46.050-06:00Americans' Beliefs about the Universe's Origins40% of Americans still believe in a "Young Earth". (Think this: the earth is less than 10,000 years old. Think this: Adam and Eve living in a literal Garden of Eden.)<div><br /></div><div>This represents some of the findings of <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/145286/Four-Americans-Believe-Strict-Creationism.aspx">a new poll conducted by Gallup</a>. The remaining opinions were: A God-guided evolution (38%), and a godless evolution (16%). No word on the remaining 6% - maybe they believe that the universe is imaginary!</div><div><br /></div><div>I remember back in my Teacher Training days, in my Science Education class when I presented on this subject. I pleaded with my fellow teacher-wanna-bees not to be prejudiced against the Young Earth Creationists. While I myself am not in that camp, I was at one time, and I remember the confusion and heartache of the worldviews in collision. That can be hard to take for a teenager. It wasn't received well. One tried to tie a Creationist mindset to the mindset of a Nazi. I made him regret that comment. Science teachers can be very intolerant of competing perspectives on truth. By extension, so can scientists.</div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4042112080225716751.post-85736033817067688352010-12-19T06:58:00.003-06:002010-12-19T07:13:19.985-06:00Holy Astronomical Collision Batman<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0FwcOc9sGVifFoIpzd_dPRfLIoLNE8Vdc-vhzacPGse1Pyxpex53kEYtJzPqffoB7GxAMlxHbrDdUbF0z6uB3Sox1dZi04RJNCaczfNVGwf1Xl3C0UvEJFvfAk0mWL4arj3UI8KE9IQc/s1600/LEclipse.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0FwcOc9sGVifFoIpzd_dPRfLIoLNE8Vdc-vhzacPGse1Pyxpex53kEYtJzPqffoB7GxAMlxHbrDdUbF0z6uB3Sox1dZi04RJNCaczfNVGwf1Xl3C0UvEJFvfAk0mWL4arj3UI8KE9IQc/s200/LEclipse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552380717329630482" /></a><br />For the first time in many hundred years, a Lunar Eclipse will match up with the Winter Solstice. (Those who write horoscopes must be going nuts!) Starting Tuesday, just after midnight, the moon will start to hide in the shadow of the Earth - full moon to no moon. It will take a few hours for the hiding to the Peek-a-boo on the other side to complete. And whatever else is happening, it promises to be cold in MN. So find a warm spot inside the house or car with some people or things to keep you awake, and you may well be able to see this "once-in-four-hundred-year event". Then, of course, you could otherwise try and get a good night's sleep.<div><br /></div><div>I wonder if there is a lottery drawing on Tuesday, I read that that was supposed to be my lucky day!<br /><div><br /></div><div>More <a href="http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Solstice+eclipse+first+years/3983582/story.html">here</a>, but you'll have to slog through a short interview with a Wiccan.</div></div>tiolorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07936615292032052633noreply@blogger.com1