12/31/2009
Blue moon on New Year's Eve: Satanic or benign? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
By Mike Cronin
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Last updated: 10:39 am
Tonight's blue moon might not be the auspicious start to a new decade that people hope it is.
The month's second full moon could be the devil taunting humanity -- at least that's what Christians believed during the Middle Ages, said Gregory McNamee, who writes for Encyclopedia Britannica.
Medieval Christians used the moon to identify the correct date for Easter, said McNamee, who's based in Tucson.
Each month was supposed to have just one full moon, so the Christians called a second one "belew" -- Middle English for "false" or "betrayer," McNamee said.
"It was like Satan was trying to trick you so you can't celebrate the real date of Christ's Resurrection," he said.
So The Lord of the Bottomless Pit has something in common with the song that begins "Bom-ma-bom, a-bom-bom-a-bom." The Marcels' "Blue Moon" hit No. 1 in 1961.
The moon becomes full a second time this month at 12:13 p.m., Pittsburgh time, today, said Kim Long, author of "The Moon Book" and "The Moon Calendar."
A blue moon last occurred on New Year's Eve in 1990, said Alan MacRobert, a senior editor at Sky & Telescope Magazine in Cambridge, Mass.
Despite the phrase, "once in a blue moon," blue moons are fairly common.
They appear about once every 2.7 years, MacRobert said. The last blue moon filled the sky in May 2007. The next one is in August 2012.
"And they have no importance whatsoever," he said. "It's just a cool, interesting fluke of the calendar -- not an indication of how the universe works."
The concept, however, of a blue moon meaning something that happens never or very rarely dates to 16th century England, said Long, who's based in Denver.
"Yet several times since then, the moon has looked blue due to ash, dust particles or pollutants in the atmosphere," Long said.
McNamee conceded that popular musicians such as Bill Monroe, who penned and sang "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in 1946, and Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers, who recorded "Blue Moon" in 1933, were not even remotely aware of the devil's possible influence on blue or "betrayer" moons.
"They're using 'blue' to mean 'down' or 'sad,'" McNamee said.
"Still, it is interesting that no positive songs to my knowledge exist about blue moons -- only sad and lonesome ones."
___________________________________________
Blue heaven
On average, blue moons occur:
• Once every 2.7 years
• Seven times every 19 years
• Once every 33 months
• Thirty-seven times every century
• Once every 33 full moons
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Last updated: 10:39 am
Tonight's blue moon might not be the auspicious start to a new decade that people hope it is.
The month's second full moon could be the devil taunting humanity -- at least that's what Christians believed during the Middle Ages, said Gregory McNamee, who writes for Encyclopedia Britannica.
Medieval Christians used the moon to identify the correct date for Easter, said McNamee, who's based in Tucson.
Each month was supposed to have just one full moon, so the Christians called a second one "belew" -- Middle English for "false" or "betrayer," McNamee said.
"It was like Satan was trying to trick you so you can't celebrate the real date of Christ's Resurrection," he said.
So The Lord of the Bottomless Pit has something in common with the song that begins "Bom-ma-bom, a-bom-bom-a-bom." The Marcels' "Blue Moon" hit No. 1 in 1961.
The moon becomes full a second time this month at 12:13 p.m., Pittsburgh time, today, said Kim Long, author of "The Moon Book" and "The Moon Calendar."
A blue moon last occurred on New Year's Eve in 1990, said Alan MacRobert, a senior editor at Sky & Telescope Magazine in Cambridge, Mass.
Despite the phrase, "once in a blue moon," blue moons are fairly common.
They appear about once every 2.7 years, MacRobert said. The last blue moon filled the sky in May 2007. The next one is in August 2012.
"And they have no importance whatsoever," he said. "It's just a cool, interesting fluke of the calendar -- not an indication of how the universe works."
The concept, however, of a blue moon meaning something that happens never or very rarely dates to 16th century England, said Long, who's based in Denver.
"Yet several times since then, the moon has looked blue due to ash, dust particles or pollutants in the atmosphere," Long said.
McNamee conceded that popular musicians such as Bill Monroe, who penned and sang "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in 1946, and Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers, who recorded "Blue Moon" in 1933, were not even remotely aware of the devil's possible influence on blue or "betrayer" moons.
"They're using 'blue' to mean 'down' or 'sad,'" McNamee said.
"Still, it is interesting that no positive songs to my knowledge exist about blue moons -- only sad and lonesome ones."
___________________________________________
Blue heaven
On average, blue moons occur:
• Once every 2.7 years
• Seven times every 19 years
• Once every 33 months
• Thirty-seven times every century
• Once every 33 full moons
12/15/2009
thoughts....Thanks for the Info Missy.
Senator Bayh,
As a practicing physician I have major concerns with the healthcare bill before Congress. I actually have read the bill and am shocked by the brazenness of the20government's proposed involvement in the patient physician relationship. The very idea that the government will dictate and ration patient care is dangerous and certainly not helpful in designing a healthcare system that works for all. Every physician I work with agrees that we need to fix our healthcare system, but the proposed bills currently making their way through congress will be a disaster if passed.
I ask you respectfully and as a patriotic American to look at the following troubling lines that I have read in the bill. You cannot possibly believe that these proposals are in the best interests of the country and our fellow citizens.
Page 22 of the HC Bill: Mandates that the Govt will audit books of all employers that self insure!!
Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.
Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!!
Page 42 of HC Bill:The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC Benefits for you. You have no choice!
Page 50 Section 152 in HC bill: HC will be provided to ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise
Page 58 HC Bill: Govt will have real-time access to individuals finances & a National ID Healthcard will be issued!
Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24: Govt will have direct access to you ur banks accounts for elective funds transfer.
Page 65 Sec 164: is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and=2 0their families in Unions & community organizations: (ACORN).
Page 84 Sec 203 HC bill: Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private HC plans in the Exchange.
Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration your Healthcare!
Page 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill: Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services. Example - Translation: illegal aliens.
Page 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18: The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan.
Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans. AARP members - your Health care WILL be rationed.
Page 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill: Medicaid Eligible Individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.
Page 124 lines 24-25 HC: No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt Monopoly.
Page 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill: Doctors/ American Medical Association - The Govt will tell YOU what you can make! (salary)
Page 145 Line 15-17: An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE!
Page 126 Lines 22-25: Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.
Page 149 Lines 16-24: ANY Employer with payroll 401k & above who does not provide public option pays 8% tax on all payroll.
Page 150 Lines 9-13: Business's with payroll btw 251k & 401k who doesn't provide public option pays 2-6% tax on all payroll.
Pag e 167 Lines 18-23: ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.
Page 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill: Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay)
Page 195 HC Bill: Officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL Americans finances /personal records.
Page 203 Line 14-15 HC: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax" Yes, it says that!
Page 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill: Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid Seniors, low income and poor are affected.
Page 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill: Doctors, doesn't matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same!
Page 253 Line 10-18: Govt sets value of Doctor's time, proffession, judgment etc. Literally value of humans.
Page 265 Sec 1131: Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries.
Page 268 Sec 1141: Federal Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs.
Page 272 SEC. 1145: TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!
Page 280 Sec 1151: The Govt will penalize hospitals for whatever Govt deems preventable re-admissions.
Page 298 Lines 9-11: Doctors, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a re-admission -Govt will penalize you.
Page 317 L 13-20: PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Doctors what/how much they can own!
Page 317-318 lines 21-25, 1-3: PROHIBITION20on expansion- Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand.
Page 321 2-13: Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input is required. Can u say ACORN?!!
Page 335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339: Govt mandates establishment of outcome based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing.
Page 341 Lines 3-9: Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing people into Govt plan.
Page 354 Sec 1177: Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs people! Unbelievable!
Page 379 Sec 1191: Govt creates more bureaucracy - Tele-health Advisory Comittee. Can you say HC by phone?
Page 425 Lines 4-12: Govt mandates Advance Care Planning Consult. Think Senior Citizens end of life patients.
Page 425 Lines 17-19: Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney. Mandatory!
Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: Govt provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death. (assisted suicide)
Page 427 Lines 15-24: Govt mandates program for orders for end of life. The Govt has a say in how your life ends.
Page 429 Lines 1-9: An "advanced care planning consultant" will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates.
Page 429 Lines 10-12: "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from GOVT!
Page 429 Lines 13-25: The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.
Page 430 Lines 11-15: The Govt w ill decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life!
Page 469: Community Based Home Medical Services = Non profit organizations. Hello, ACORN Medical Services here!!?
Page 472 Lines 14-17: PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORIGINATION. 1 monthly payment 2 a community-based organization. Like ACORN?
Page 489 Sec 1308: The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. Which means they will insert Govt into your marriage.
Page 494-498: Govt will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, rationing those services.
Senator, I guarantee that I personally will do everything possible to inform patients and my fellow physicians about the dangers of the proposed bills you and your colleagues are debating.
Furthermore, If you vote for a bill that enforces socialized medicine on the country and destroys the doctor/patient relationship, I will do everything in my power to make sure you lose your job in the next election.
Respectfully,
Stephen E Fraser MD
12/14/2009
stuuffff
the tricorder broke
communicator is dead
and my shirt is red
Jeffrey in Dallas, Texas
TechGeek Haikus ...omg sooofunny.
communicator is dead
and my shirt is red
Jeffrey in Dallas, Texas
TechGeek Haikus ...omg sooofunny.
12/04/2009
lol
The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C. This wasn't for any religious reasons. They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.
Jay Leno
12/03/2009
Some Light reading of great importance.
Sgt. Grit, I served in our beloved Corps from 1987 - 1991. I have been a letter carrier for the Postal Service for the past 16 years. I have a walking route that crosses many busy streets and businesses. I have a Senior Citizen Center on my route. Every day I see a van dropping off senior citizens.
One day, after dropping the mail off, I noticed a man wearing an Iwo Jima survivor hat. I nodded as I walked by but I didn't speak to him as he was involved in a conversation with a few other gentlemen.
About a week later, I saw the van again. When the man got off the van, he looked at me and nodded as we passed. I stopped, turned around and shouted "Hey Marine!" He could have been an 18 year old boot all over again. He stopped, turned, stood at attention and responded, "I haven't been called Marine in 60 years". He saluted smartly and I returned the salute.
The next time I saw him, he had his daughter with him. She told me that when he came home the week before, he was walking taller and seemed in much better spirits. He told her what had happened. She said that she felt obligated to come and meet me. I told her that all Marines are brothers no matter when they served. This Marine survived one of the bloodiest battles of WWII and everyone is in his debt.
I still see him weekly and always say "hello" and make sure he is not in need of anything.
Former, X, whatever... A Marine is a Marine - plain and simple!
Sincerely,
Jeff Zgorzelski
Sgt Grit.-
Regular People
I have a story that I am certain every Marine can understand how exactly it was we felt. I am currently deployed with the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines with a group of 23 Marines from 12th Marines Regiment in Okinawa, Japan. We are a small unit and don't see any action, just supporting the command and the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. Thanksgiving day rolling around for us means a good meal at the chow hall (one that's not either microwaved or fried) and an extra 6 hours spent out on the road escorting some "Distinguished Visitors" from the US Congress. (I know most people probably have never heard of OEF-Philippines. But its real, Google it.)
As one of the few NCOs down here, I am proud to say that me and my Marines executed flawlessly, as we always do. It's no Iraq or Afghan here, but spending long amounts of time in up-armored vehicles in 90 degrees with 90% humidity, along with full body armor and combat loads seems to make me think of another war in the Marine Corps' history. We get the DVs to our compound and disembark to get some chow, hopefully a good meal. None of us rush in to get food, though, we make sure our weapons are clear and functioning and that nothing has happened to our trucks while we were out.
By the time our weapons are put up (no weapons in chow hall here) and gear and trucks secured, the party of "D.V.s" is seated and eating their Thanksgiving dinner. We walk up to the door and are turned away by an Army E-8 saying we are not allowed to eat right now. Nearly appalled (and pretty p!ssed because who in the h&ll is this hooah to deny my Marines a Thanksgiving meal!?), I ask the MSgt why; "Regular people aren't allowed in while the DVs are in there. You guys can come back when they are finished."
I calmly explained that we were there security escort, and as soon as they finished we had to take them back out, could we get food to go? Nope, guess not. I tell my guys to hold on, and I go find Gunny with a major WTF? Look on my face. (Note: Last Christmas in Okinawa, I recall Marine Colonels and Generals serving their Marines food, not taking over the chow hall for themselves.) Gunny gets it arranged so we can get a quick bite to go before we head back out, but on thanksgiving a turkey sandwich and a can of cranberries just doesn't cut us. But not once, NOT F'IN ONCE, do I hear any of my Marine gripe or complain, they simply step off, suit up, go Condition 1, and head back out to our trucks
We prep the vehicles and wait for our DVs to come out, tummies with just enough in them to make a man mighty angry. Everyone's out, missions go, we move out, one hand on my M9, one on the wheel. After a few stops at designated "Visit Locations," the DVs are out and back on the plane. We head back to the compound, but games not over yet. We still got 15 mikes outside the wire. Our shoulders relax a little with the DVs out of the target area. We get back and all non-USMC personnel rush out of the convoy to eat for the second time.
Not my Marines. We clear our vehicles, secure hatches, check and double check our weapons. Brush off our armor, and then head to the chow hall. Almost closing time, but we make it in. Not a soul in sight in there except for our buddies the Filipino cooks. What a pleasant surprise. After hours in the heat totally tac'ed up in gear, being denied chow because we are just "regular people," and some crazy driving through the streets in the Philippines, we Marines can sit down and eat a real Thanksgiving dinner with just each other. We go through the line sticky, sweaty and worn the h&ll out; get some cold turkey, some mashed potatoes that aren't quite as squishy as they probably were when the hooahs got to eat, some dressing crumbs, and, well, we all know what happens to gravy when it gets cold. The cake is droopy by now, all the pies are gone, there isn't even any d*mn ice cream left.
We sit down with each other, and I realize that as sh*tty as the end of the stick is that we got today, this makes it worth it. We don't care about feeling important and eating with important people, it's that every single one of us got back and are able to sit down and eat thanksgiving dinner with each other. Some days I regret enlisting, like everybody does, and I am certain that I am only doing 4 and out, but this camaraderie, this family I have developed with my Marines cannot be found anywhere else. This is what makes it worthwhile. As we finish our meals, one of the workers, who is grinning from ear to ear, comes out and sets a fresh baked pumpkin pie down right in front of us. Not sure why they saved it for us, but my advice to every Marine out there, make friends with your chow hall workers.
Today my Marines did their jobs, and they did them d*mn well. We didn't expect much, but we didn't expect to be denied Thanksgiving dinner because we are just regular people, but I guess that's how the army does it. We knew we weren't going to get a thank you or a job well done from anybody but Gunny and maybe the TF Commander (Army O-6, but he's a h&lluva guy, for a hooah). But we did get a fresh pumpkin pie and we got to eat it together. And brothers, we are what it is all about. I couldn't care less what a US Congressman thinks of me or my guys, because the only thing that matters were the guys eating Thanksgiving dinner with me.
S/F
Phil Stover
Cpl USMC
Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines
SOCPAC/ 3rd Bn 12th Marines 3d MarDiv
About a week later, I saw the van again. When the man got off the van, he looked at me and nodded as we passed. I stopped, turned around and shouted "Hey Marine!" He could have been an 18 year old boot all over again. He stopped, turned, stood at attention and responded, "I haven't been called Marine in 60 years". He saluted smartly and I returned the salute.
The next time I saw him, he had his daughter with him. She told me that when he came home the week before, he was walking taller and seemed in much better spirits. He told her what had happened. She said that she felt obligated to come and meet me. I told her that all Marines are brothers no matter when they served. This Marine survived one of the bloodiest battles of WWII and everyone is in his debt.
I still see him weekly and always say "hello" and make sure he is not in need of anything.
Former, X, whatever... A Marine is a Marine - plain and simple!
Sincerely,
Jeff Zgorzelski
Sgt Grit.-
Regular People
I have a story that I am certain every Marine can understand how exactly it was we felt. I am currently deployed with the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines with a group of 23 Marines from 12th Marines Regiment in Okinawa, Japan. We are a small unit and don't see any action, just supporting the command and the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. Thanksgiving day rolling around for us means a good meal at the chow hall (one that's not either microwaved or fried) and an extra 6 hours spent out on the road escorting some "Distinguished Visitors" from the US Congress. (I know most people probably have never heard of OEF-Philippines. But its real, Google it.)
As one of the few NCOs down here, I am proud to say that me and my Marines executed flawlessly, as we always do. It's no Iraq or Afghan here, but spending long amounts of time in up-armored vehicles in 90 degrees with 90% humidity, along with full body armor and combat loads seems to make me think of another war in the Marine Corps' history. We get the DVs to our compound and disembark to get some chow, hopefully a good meal. None of us rush in to get food, though, we make sure our weapons are clear and functioning and that nothing has happened to our trucks while we were out.
By the time our weapons are put up (no weapons in chow hall here) and gear and trucks secured, the party of "D.V.s" is seated and eating their Thanksgiving dinner. We walk up to the door and are turned away by an Army E-8 saying we are not allowed to eat right now. Nearly appalled (and pretty p!ssed because who in the h&ll is this hooah to deny my Marines a Thanksgiving meal!?), I ask the MSgt why; "Regular people aren't allowed in while the DVs are in there. You guys can come back when they are finished."
I calmly explained that we were there security escort, and as soon as they finished we had to take them back out, could we get food to go? Nope, guess not. I tell my guys to hold on, and I go find Gunny with a major WTF? Look on my face. (Note: Last Christmas in Okinawa, I recall Marine Colonels and Generals serving their Marines food, not taking over the chow hall for themselves.) Gunny gets it arranged so we can get a quick bite to go before we head back out, but on thanksgiving a turkey sandwich and a can of cranberries just doesn't cut us. But not once, NOT F'IN ONCE, do I hear any of my Marine gripe or complain, they simply step off, suit up, go Condition 1, and head back out to our trucks
We prep the vehicles and wait for our DVs to come out, tummies with just enough in them to make a man mighty angry. Everyone's out, missions go, we move out, one hand on my M9, one on the wheel. After a few stops at designated "Visit Locations," the DVs are out and back on the plane. We head back to the compound, but games not over yet. We still got 15 mikes outside the wire. Our shoulders relax a little with the DVs out of the target area. We get back and all non-USMC personnel rush out of the convoy to eat for the second time.
We sit down with each other, and I realize that as sh*tty as the end of the stick is that we got today, this makes it worth it. We don't care about feeling important and eating with important people, it's that every single one of us got back and are able to sit down and eat thanksgiving dinner with each other. Some days I regret enlisting, like everybody does, and I am certain that I am only doing 4 and out, but this camaraderie, this family I have developed with my Marines cannot be found anywhere else. This is what makes it worthwhile. As we finish our meals, one of the workers, who is grinning from ear to ear, comes out and sets a fresh baked pumpkin pie down right in front of us. Not sure why they saved it for us, but my advice to every Marine out there, make friends with your chow hall workers.
Today my Marines did their jobs, and they did them d*mn well. We didn't expect much, but we didn't expect to be denied Thanksgiving dinner because we are just regular people, but I guess that's how the army does it. We knew we weren't going to get a thank you or a job well done from anybody but Gunny and maybe the TF Commander (Army O-6, but he's a h&lluva guy, for a hooah). But we did get a fresh pumpkin pie and we got to eat it together. And brothers, we are what it is all about. I couldn't care less what a US Congressman thinks of me or my guys, because the only thing that matters were the guys eating Thanksgiving dinner with me.
S/F
Phil Stover
Cpl USMC
Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines
SOCPAC/ 3rd Bn 12th Marines 3d MarDiv
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