The Soul Calendar: 2010

31 December 2010

Best New Years Cartoons 2010

Check out the best New Years cartoons from a great selection of cartoonists.

From Denny: Before you go out to celebrate the New Year with all that dancing and champagne sipping, linger here long enough to get a good laugh! Think of all the funny things you will have to talk about with your friends and family tonight. :) Check out some of the links at the bottom of the post too as I've put together some entertaining goodies.

Apologies to those of you who came looking for last year's New Year's cartoons. I'm just now discovering along with you that many of the cartoonists do not continue to support their cartoon embed codes after a year. Bummer. So I went looking, OK, scouring the web, to find the latest cartoon goodies for you to enjoy.

This is my second year of blogging and I want to take the time to thank all of you for your incredible support and deluge of response on all my blogs! What a pleasure it has been to explore the world, the web and write for you.

Happy New Year and may you be happy, healthy and prosperous!

New Years: Funny Quotes, Resolutions Tips, Poems

Start your New Year off right with lots of laughter and some smart advice on meeting those New Year resolutions.

From Denny: Before you stay up all night to ring in the New Year, swill some good champagne and watch the fireworks on TV, catch a laugh here. I rounded up the best and funniest quotes about the New Year. Enjoy some New Year's poems too.

New Years Quotes

* New Year's Day… now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. - Mark Twain

* Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. - Bill Vaughan

* New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions. - Mark Twain

* The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This drunkenness culminates on New Year's Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you're married to. - P. J. O'Rourke

* Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So overweight people are now average... which means, you have met your New Year's resolution. - Jay Leno

* Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. - Brooks Atkinson

* New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time. - James Agate

* An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. - Bill Vaughan

* Many people look forward to the New Year for a new start on old habits. - Anonymous

* May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions! - Joey Adams

Funny Life and Christmas Cartoons - 25 Dec 2010

Check out the most recent funny Santa cartoons along with some cracked cartooning minds.

From Denny: This year the cartoonists outdid themselves when it came to Santa interpretations. Is there anything, anyone or any situation they did not consider? These guys have some of the funniest perspectives on how we live from moment to moment. It's like we are all in a glass cage and they are on the other side observing, laughing and doodling to their heart's content. :)

The Santa Legend lives!

Funny Christmas Cartoons

Check out the irreverent cartoonist offerings for the holiday season.

From Denny: Have you ever noticed how gift giving is always related to crafty politicians? They gift to their rich donors and take from those in need. So when holiday season comes around every year cartoonists are quick on the uptake to notice and offer their observations.

Of course, with the growing need of everyone to be plugged into technology the tech cartoons are growing in abundance too. Santa has to get in the act when it comes to social media.

Photos and Video: Rare 500 Year Lunar Eclipse

Check out amazing lunar eclipse photos and video from Winter Solstice total lunar eclipse 2010.
Views to date: 30, 158. Thank you!

From Denny: The most "recent" where the Winter Solstice and a total lunar eclipse occurred was on 21 Dec 1638. The next one won't be that long of a wait and will occur on 21 Dec 2094.

Yes, at our house, we went out into the night to gaze into the heavens to witness the celestial event. We parked ourselves on our back patio next to the small lake, bundled up under a thick quilt and enjoyed the clear skies an hour before the official time of the completed lunar eclipse. Good thing we went out to star gaze early as about 15 minutes before the official time of the event the sky completely clouded up with thick dark clouds and obscured all view of the starts and especially the moon.

We observed the Earth's shadow as it began to creep slowly over the moon's surface. As the shadow advanced the moon turned a pale coppery color like a dark blood red. At first it was an odd shade of reddish gray but then advanced to the coppery hue.

What was cool was how the moon really did appear to glow from within as one of these photos demonstrates. The moon remained covered with the Earth's shadow for about 30 minutes, deepening to the darker red known as the "blood moon." Then the cloud cover moved in like it was a curtain from a Las Vegas show saying "That's all, folks!" The air began to grow chilly, dropping in temperature by ten degrees quickly and the fog moved in off the lake.

We never did get to see the Earth's shadow move off the moon after the eclipse. It stayed cloudy all the next day and into the next night until late. When we finally did see the moon again it was huge and low in the sky shining with a stunning brilliance!

It was well worth the effort to get up in the middle of the night to view this cosmic event. We now have bragging rights at our house until 2094 when the next Winter Solstice total lunar eclipse occurs. :)

Check out the NASA Eclipse website. Make sure to stay tuned to the sky for a partial solar eclipse coming soon and to appear on 4 January 2011.

This photo is from 2008 and just spectacular so I just had to post it. :)

To submit your photos of the eclipse, go to Shadow and Substance astronomy site.

Another incredible time lapse video of the total lunar eclipse from KxbTV on YouTube, produced by Kareem Brown.

Check out the video from this 21 Dec 2010 event:

This video from YouTube user "peteherron" shows an amazingly smooth time lapse of the eclipse, compiled from shots with a still camera on a rotating telescope mount.

*** Photo of total lunar eclipse seen from the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. on 21 Dec 2010

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

20 December 2010

72 Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 20 Dec 2010

Check out news analysis, political humor, funny quotes, funny videos, cartoons, recipes, science news, music and poetry.

From Denny: This is about three week's worth of posts. Be sure to check out this post over at the science blog, The Soul Calendar, for the rare 500 year total lunar eclipse coinciding with the Winter Solstice tonight. I like to write my science with a bit of wit. It's so much easier to absorb facts when the writing is funny.

Also, lots of funny videos, comedy, jokes from the late night comedians lampooning the news and our crazy Congress. Their idea of "logic" is questionable sometimes. :)

For the Christmas and holiday season there are plenty of music videos to soothe the stress after rushing around shopping and visiting.

I've also started developing the arts blog, Dennys Art Sanctuary. It has been languishing far too long. The plan is to feature various artists along with the arts news.

What's also new is that I've started gathering all my poetry onto one blog, Poems From A Spiritual Heart. There are even poems there that have not posted on The Social Poets first.

So, take a look around, decompress, and enjoy yourself! Thank You for all your support this year. It's been a delight to write for you! What a wild ride! :)

The Social Poets: news and political humor

Crazy Week of American Politics Cartoons - 18 Dec 2010 - What a political week. Now check out how the cartoonists lampooned it all.

What Is The Truth About Unemployment In America? - Check out the status of unemployment across America and how high the figure is for the long term unemployed.

17 Christmas Music and Fun Videos - Enjoy some popular and traditional sacred music for the Christmas season, along with some funny holiday flash mob videos.

Gordon Brown Book: 9 Big Banks Manipulating World Economy - Check out the crooked world of global banking.

The International Spy poem - Libations Monday 13 Dec 2010 - Step into the world of the spy and witness the effect they have upon the people they meet - until one day they meet someone who poignantly affects them. A true story from my travels - and childhood.

WikiLeaks, Obama Tax Cuts, Political Humor - 11 Dec 2010 - More Santa and WikiLeaks cartoons for fun.

Sellout Obama and Bush Tax Cuts Firestorm Angers America - Obama continues to bully a bad tax plan down the throats of America.

Funny Lite: Roundup of Late Night Jokes and Videos - 8 Dec 2010 - Check out how the comedians view WikiLeaks and Santa.

36 Christmas Posts: Music, Humor, Poems, Stories, Quotes - Explore a bonanza of Christmas offerings from music to humor to quotes to food and lots of good stories - and poems, both original and traditions from the past.

Funny WikiLeaks Cartoons - WikiLeaks never fails to entertain and outrage the world. Check out the cartoonists lampooning with glee.

American and World Politics Cartoons This Week 4 Dec 2010 - Lots of tax cuts cartoons to make you laugh - or cry.

A Thought poem - Libations Friday 3 Dec 2010 - Have you ever thought about the hidden words behind the words spoken out loud?

Obama Presidency: Dead On Arrival in 2012? - Obama faces a hostile Democratic Party for 2012 reelection.

Funny Situational Hunh?! Cartoons - 29 Nov 2010 - Enjoy some simple humor courtesy of our national cartoonists owning some seriously cracked minds.

North Korea Throws Dangerous Temper Tantrum: Why? - North Korea bombs its neighbor to get the attention of a weary, and increasingly indifferent, world.

American and World Politics Cartoons - 27 Nov 2010 - Lots to lampoon this week for cartoonists as they poke fun at crazy North Korea, the buffoon of the world.

Friday Lite: Best Of Funny TSA Cartoons - 26 Nov 2010 - Check out what America is thinking about those TSA Pat Downs supposedly guarding us against terrorism.

Funny Thanksgiving Presidential Pardon 4 Turkeys Apple and Cider - Check out some funny trivia about presidential turkey pardons.

Funny Thanksgiving Quotes, Video, Cartoons and Food Posts - Enjoy some Thanksgiving humor along with more delectable recipes to make your mouth water waiting for the next holiday.

Monday Lite: Late Night Jokes, Thanksgiving and TSA Cartoons - 22 Nov 2010 - Check out the late night sarcasm about the TSA Pat Downs, Thanksgiving turkeys of the political kind like the Palin pride and Bush Who?

American and World Politics Humor - 20 Nov 2010 - Check out the national mind and the national conversation about politics and American culture this week from our favorite cartoonists.

TSA Pat Downs: PC Sexual Assault? - Furor over invasive sexual airport security measures has thousands across the country furious at the groping.

Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 17 Nov 2010 - Check out news, opinion, silly political humor and funny cartoons, jokes, recipes, poetry, photography, science, spiritual thoughts and great quotes.

American and World Politics Humor - 20 Nov 2010 - Check out the national mind and the national conversation about politics and American culture this week from our favorite cartoonists.

Dennys Funny Quotes: funny videos, jokes, all silly

Funny Video: WikiLeaks Reveals Santa Naughty List - View a cute problem-solving session on the school playground.

Funny Video: Jimmy Kimmel Pokes Fun At WikiLeaks Assange - Comedians rip silly WikiLeaks founder Assange.

Music Video: Christmas Carol Flash Mob Sarcastic British Style - Hear The 12 Days of Christmas like you never heard it before.

Funny Video: NYC Folate Carolers Flash Mob Sings Christmas - Funny and clever singing and dancing takes New Yorkers by happy surprise during Christmas season.

Funny Video: Jon Stewart Mocks FOX on War on Christmas - Check out glib Stewart as he blasts crazy Fox News for the imaginary War on Christmas brigade marching into their studio.

Funny Video: Jon Stewart On Prez National Displeasure - Stewart pokes fun at the wrong Obama attitude toward Democrats by mocking him.

Funny Video: Jon Stewart Mocks Confederate Commemoration - Enjoy a little North-South humor from Jon Stewart lampooning the Confederate reenacting

Funny Christmas Cartoons - Check out the irreverent cartoonist offerings for the holiday season.

Funny Life Cartoons - 30 Nov 2010 - Enjoy some funny observations about our lives from cartoonists. The names have been changed to protect those who think themselves to be innocent.

Lampooning Crazy North Korea - See what fun cartoonists have had with world politics and that crazy uncle running North Korea.

Funny Life and Pet Cartoons - 27 Nov 2010 - Do you know what your dog is really thinking about you? The cartoonists know. Read on.

Funny Thanksgiving Cartoons - Get a grin at the best turkey cartoons sure to make you laugh.

Funny Holiday Fashion: Gluttony Pants - Get the latest holiday clothing to ensure comfortable holiday feasting.

Funny Life Cartoons - 19 Nov 2010 - Enjoy a grin from the cracked minds of some of our favorite cartoonists.

Beautiful Illustrated Quotations: soothing music, inspirational thoughts, spiritual

Soothing Piano Music: First Love by Utada Hikaru - A great way to wind down after a busy day, listening to this selection.

36 Christmas Posts: Music, Humor, Poems, Stories, Quotes - Explore a bonanza of Christmas offerings from music to humor to quotes to food and lots of good stories - and poems, both original and traditions from the past.

Music Video: Wheres The Line To See Jesus? by Becky Kelley - Check out the newest addition to Christmas music this season born out of a true story - and a YouTube viral hit.

Music Video: Mary, Did You Know? By Clay Aiken - When you need some inspiration to lift your spirits or soothe your nerves during the holiday rush.

Music Video: Pie Jesu by Celtic Woman - Learn the meaning and history of this traditional song, Pie Jesu, which hails from ancient Christianity, rearranged by composers throughout the centuries.

Music Video: You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban

Music Video: The Prayer by Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Charlotte Church

Music Video: In The Arms Of The Angel by Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban

Music Video: O Holy Night by Celine Dion

Music Video: Note to God by David Foster and Charice

Music Video: The Christmas Shoes

Music Video: Where Are You Christmas? by Faith Hill

Visual Insights: music, arts, photography, humor

Funny Flash Mob Video: Dancing Elf Horde Invades New York City - Get into the holiday spirit with a dance flash mob horde of Santa Christmas elves making mischief in NYC.

Music Video: Christmas Tree by Lady Gaga

Music Video: The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole

Music Video: Michael Buble, Jennifer Hudson Christmas Duet - Christmas music for everyone to enjoy.

36 Christmas Posts: Music, Humor, Poems, Stories, Quotes

Fun Break Dance Battle Video: Milky vs. Lil Demon - Check out this fun competition between a little kid and an adult who can barely keep up.

The Soul Calendar: science news and tech humor

Rare 500 Year Lunar Eclipse Gets Viewed By 1.5 Billion - Check out this incredible and rare cosmic show.

Funny Christmas Tech Cartoons - 18 Dec 2010 - Cartoonists have fun with how our social lives are so intertwined with technology.

Big Show Geminid Meteor Shower In Winter Sky Tonite and Tomorrow - Check out the spectacular show of Geminid meteor showers this week.

Dennys Art Sanctuary: arts news (finally developing this blog and plan to feature various artists)

Antiwar Street Artist Censored By LA Musuem - Is it censorship of artists or was the director correct?

17 Christmas Music and Fun Videos - Enjoy some popular and traditional sacred music for the Christmas season, along with some funny holiday flash mob videos.

5 Jerkin Dance Tutorial Videos - Learn the how to of the latest dance trend around the world: Jerkin'

Poems From A Spiritual Heart: all my "little word gifts" in one easy place to view :)

Louisiana Summer Sigh

Eyeing Think Time

Life Of Words

36 Christmas Posts: Music, Humor, Poems, Stories, Quotes - Explore a bonanza of Christmas offerings from music to humor to quotes to food and lots of good stories - and poems, both original and traditions from the past.

Conversations - How much it is to watch people in the act of talking.

People Words - Ever thought about how the air feels when we talk?

Gifts From The Heart, A Christmas Poem - Waging war in our society: the warm simplicity of gifts from the heart vs. the insecurity of goliath consumerism.

Rock, My Children - A poem written during the 911 anniversary that talks about dealing with profound loss, the death of a child.

Rain Blessings - Native Americans divide rain into the two categories of nurturing Mother Rain and destructive Father Rain.

Walk The World - A poem story about sharing our life with others - when we are both in need - to receive the greatest gift. Though it was written in the summer this is really a timeless story and especially poignant during the holiday season.

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts - my own best as well as links to other spiritual posts from all viewpoints
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

19 December 2010

Rare 500 Year Lunar Eclipse Gets Viewed By 1.5 Billion

Check out this incredible and rare cosmic show.

From Denny: For the first time in 500 years a total lunar eclipse falls on the same day as the Winter Solstice. This is one astronomical event you won't want to miss in the middle of the night on December 20th and 21st. You will be known for generations in your family as The One who witnessed the rare total lunar eclipse since it only occurs about every 500 years. This particular "celestial shadows" is considered to be the best one viewed from North America until 2014 (assuming we all survive the Mayan calendar of 2012). :) This will also be the only total lunar eclipse viewed for this year of 2010. And you will get to be one of the 1.5 billion to view it best, up to three billion will witness parts of the eclipse.

When is it? Officially, in our Western Hemisphere it begins exactly on the Winter Solstice day of 21 December at 12:29 AM EST or on 20 December at 9:29 PM PST just as the moon begins to enter Earth's outer shadow, called the penumbral.

Check out this NASA lunar eclipse chart to see who in the world gets the best viewing of the total lunar eclipse, go here North and Central America get the best seats in the cosmic house. Parts of Europe, northwestern Africa and parts of Australia will get to view the rare event. Japan and Korea get good seats. However, southern and eastern Africa and India, you get stuck in the cheap seats with no viewing available. Guess it's static on your cosmic TV set.

One thing about being a lunar eclipse you don't need to worry about protecting your eyes like for a solar eclipse. It's expected to last about 72 minutes for viewing experience.

When do lunar eclipses occur? Well, like a good cosmic referee the Earth gets in between the moon and the sun to stop the fight. What happens is that the moon eventually passes through a point in its orbit where the Earth gets between it and the sun. Then the moon enters the shadow of the Earth and voila! it's a lunar eclipse.

What is a total lunar eclipse? That's when the entire moon is completely inside the Earth's shadow. The Earth's atmosphere bends the sun's rays so that some still reach the moon, making the moon still visible in an eclipse.

Watch for the changes of the moon in stages. Look to the upper left edge of the moon at 1:33 AM EST (10:33 PM PST). This is the beginning of the partial phase of the eclipse. What is happening is that the Earth's dark shadow, called the umbra, will start to slowly creep over the face of the full moon.

Stage two: The eclipse will reach its totality by 2:41 AM EST (11:41 PM PST). There should be a coppery glow to the moon, sometimes called a "blood moon." What produces that is the sunlight gets bent by our atmosphere and travels around the Earth's curvature. What's really cool when you pull out the binoculars or small telescope to view it better is that the moon will give this illusion of seeming to glow from within from its own light. Guess that's where the song writers get that "moon magic" romantic notion.

If you are lucky enough to have clear skies, then by 3:18 AM EST (12:18 AM PST) the sun, the Earth and the moon will be forming an almost straight conga dance line. This is when the light of the moon will appear its dimmest.

The total lunar eclipse ends at 3:53 AM EST (12:53 AM PST). The moon emerges completely out from the umbra, the Earth's dark shadow, by 5:01 AM EST (2:01 AM PST). By about 15 to 20 minutes later, the fainter penumbral shadow, the Earth's outer shadow, will finally roll off the moon's upper right edge. The full moon returns to its normal party animal self in the cosmos.

How often do total lunar eclipses occur? Answer: about four to five times per decade in any one location. Our last total lunar eclipse was on 20 February 2008. There are two total lunar eclipses expected to occur in 2011. In the Eastern Hemisphere, on June 15th, there will be the first total lunar eclipse to kick off the year. In the western half of North America on December 10th there will be the second of the year just before the moon sets. There won't be any total lunar eclipse treats for North America until 14 April 2014.

That strange blood red color

Astronomers are wondering how dark or how coppery red the moon will appear in this total lunar eclipse this year. They are pondering the possibility of how the Earth's atmosphere might affect the color of the moon because of Mount Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland last spring and the Mount Merapi volcano in Indonesia in October. It could be possible that some ash clouds and dust are riding high in the Earth's atmosphere. That might cause the moon to appear darker, maybe even black and invisible during the totality.

Lunar eclipse color unpredictable this year

Right now color possibilities are unpredictable this year. The color could be the usual coppery-hue, the blood red or orange, chocolate brown or even gray. It will depend upon how much light the Earth's atmosphere refracts as its shadow creeps across the moon. So, keep looking up, keep a journal of what you see to tell the grand kids, and, enjoy!

*** Photo from NASA

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

18 December 2010

Funny Christmas Tech Cartoons - 18 Dec 2010

Cartoonists have fun with how our social lives are so intertwined with technology.

From Denny: Have a little fun this holiday season and get a grin from the cartoonists as they lampoon our dependence upon technology. Tech sure has affected how we view life as much as how we live our lives.

*** For more cartoon fun check out: Crazy Week of American Politics Cartoons - 18 Dec 2010 - What a political week. Now check out how the cartoonists lampooned it all.

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts - my own best as well as links to other spiritual posts from all viewpoints
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

16 December 2010

17 Christmas Music and Fun Videos

Enjoy some popular and traditional sacred music for the Christmas season, along with some funny holiday flash mob videos.

From Denny: A person could spend a lifetime sifting through all the offerings over at YouTube and be happy. What fun to explore, looking for interesting Christmas music to fit a wide variety of reader interests.

Here are the offerings I've gleaned for this year. The first song, YouTube sudden viral hit, is from a newcomer, Becky Kelley, whose father wrote the song after Becky related a conversation from her nephew while they were standing in line to see Santa at the mall. It's their first published song, a real shock to the music industry who came asking for more of their work. I guess they had better get busy. :)

And now you have plenty here to help you stress down from the holiday rush, make you laugh, and even get you pumped back up feeling inspired.

Music Video: Wheres The Line To See Jesus? by Becky Kelley - Check out the newest addition to Christmas music this season born out of a true story - and a YouTube viral hit.

Music Video: Mary, Did You Know? By Clay Aiken - When you need some inspiration to lift your spirits or soothe your nerves during the holiday rush.

Music Video: Pie Jesu by Celtic Woman - Learn the meaning and history of this traditional song, Pie Jesu, which hails from ancient Christianity, rearranged by composers throughout the centuries.

Music Video: You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban

Music Video: The Prayer by Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Charlotte Church

Music Video: In The Arms Of The Angel by Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban

Music Video: O Holy Night by Celine Dion

Music Video: Note to God by David Foster and Charice

Music Video: The Christmas Shoes

Music Video: Where Are You Christmas? by Faith Hill

Music Video: Christmas Tree by Lady Gaga

Music Video: The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole

Music Video: Michael Buble, Jennifer Hudson Christmas Duet - Christmas music for everyone to enjoy.

Funny Flash Mob Video: Dancing Elf Horde Invades New York City - Get into the holiday spirit with a dance flash mob horde of Santa Christmas elves making mischief in NYC.

Music Video: Christmas Carol Flash Mob Sarcastic British Style - Hear The 12 Days of Christmas like you never heard it before.

Funny Video: NYC Folate Carolers Flash Mob Sings Christmas - Funny and clever singing and dancing takes New Yorkers by happy surprise during Christmas season.

36 Christmas Posts: Music, Humor, Poems, Stories, Quotes - Explore a bonanza of Christmas offerings from music to humor to quotes to food and lots of good stories - and poems, both original and traditions from the past.

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts - my own best as well as links to other spiritual posts from all viewpoints
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

13 December 2010

Big Show Geminid Meteor Shower In Winter Sky Tonite and Tomorrow

Check out the spectacular show of Geminid meteor showers this week.

From Denny: You know you are smitten with astronomy when you are willing to brave the December night cold just to look up and view the sky. Well, tonight and tomorrow night you will not be disappointed for all your inconvenience. The Geminids are considered the best view of all the annual meteor showers to see.

November had the Leonid meteor shower and where I live it was cloudy and a washout. Bummer. But tonight is clear and oh, so very cold thanks to "the lake effect" weather coming down in an Arctic blast from the Great Lakes region. Why is it the best sky viewing is always when it's stone cold? :) The Geminid meteor shower reaches its peak show-off performance tonight and tomorrow so make sure to get out there to take a look.

Gemini constellation

As you guessed the Geminids are named for the constellation of good ol' Gemini, also known as the Twins to astrologers. To those of us gazing up at the night sky from Earth it will appear the shooting stars originate from this constellation. The shooting stars will appear to emanate from an area nearest the bright star of the Gemini constellation called Castor.

Sky Map

Check out this sky map for best viewing about 1 AM EST on 14 Dec 2010 when the shower peaks.

What causes a meteor shower?

The vast majority of meteor showers tend to be caused by the fragments of old comets that get scattered along the comet's orbit. As our Earth passes through a comet's orbit, it gathers up those fragments. The fragments get heated up by friction with our planet's atmosphere to incandescence, now becoming visible as very bright streaks of light.

Asteroid Phaethon

Of course, just like the personality for which they are named, the Geminids like to be different. They do not originate from a comet but from an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon. This asteroid is one odd duck too. It likes to take chances, like orbiting closer to the sun than any other known asteroid, even to the point of getting inside the orbit of planet Mercury. It dances in its orbit like a comet instead of like an asteroid. Yet Phaethon cannot be called a comet. A comet is defined with features like a dust tail, a gas jet and a coma. Phaethon exhibits none of these features. Some astronomers believe Phaeton may be the dead nucleus of a burned-out comet that somehow got trapped into an unusually tight orbit.

You will be able to see the meteor showers all night long in various places in the night sky. The showers will be faster and brighter after midnight. The moon will set very close to midnight which will allow the fainter meteors to be better viewed.

Facts about the Geminids

Here's are a couple of curious facts about the Geminids. They move slower than their summer cousins, the Perseids. An amusing fact is that the Geminids often end their streak across the sky with a tiny explosion so you actually may hear a distinct popping sound.

Geminids of the past have often displayed as slow, bright and graceful meteors, even fireballs. Many have appeared as yellowish in color. Some form jagged or divided paths. Geminids are also far denser than the typical comet dust flakes from the usual commonplace meteor showers, weighing in at about .07 pounds per cubic inch or 2 grams per cubic centimeter. Gemini is well named for it likes to impress. Their speed in slower than the Leonid showers, clocked at about 22 miles per second or 35 km. This slower speed makes it possible for them to linger in the sky a bit longer for enjoyable viewing.

Usually, our planet moves quickly through a meteor stream. The general rule is that the rate of meteors increases steadily for about two to three days before hitting its height. Then it will drop off sharply, lasting for about a day or so after the peak.

Geminids and best viewing

The fun about these December Geminids is not only are they especially bright for easy viewing, there will be a few renegade forerunners and late stragglers for a good week or more both before and after the peak time. Astronomers have just recently discovered that the Geminids are appearing as early as November 30, something unexpected.

The peak time will be closer to sunrise on 14 December 2010 at about 6 AM EST. You can expect to see any where from about 60 to 120 Geminid meteors about every hour. Here in North America - it was about time - we get to be the ones best situated to view this wonderful sky event at the crest of the shower. Even though the moon will still interfere with its light, you will be able to view some meteors as early as 10 PM. This meteor shower stream is considered to be "young" - only a few thousand years old. I guess the Geminids have had plenty of time to perfect their showing off. Check out the sky gems!

*** Photo by Wally Pacholka of AstroPics.com, a Geminid fireball explodes over the Mojave Desert on Dec. 13, 2009

08 December 2010

36 Christmas Posts: Music, Humor, Poems, Stories, Quotes

Explore a bonanza of Christmas offerings from music to humor to quotes to food and lots of good stories - and poems, both original and traditions from the past.

From Denny: The adventure of blogging began two years ago and I've never looked back. Talk about fun! Christmas will always remain my favorite time of the year. Yes, I'm one of those people who holds in their heart the mantra of "I Believe!" Santa represents the goodwill spirit that humanity needs to cultivate and spread in abundance from generation to generation. Goodwill is the fuel we all need on the Path of Hope as each generation struggles to learn and grow.

These posts represent two year's worth of posts. If I keep at it, just think, in a couple of more years I might make it to 100 Christmas posts! :) Take a look and take your pick to nourish your Christmas Spirit and help soothe your stress that always seems to visit during the holiday season.

Thank you for all your support on all my blogs this year! And may you and yours enjoy a wonderful New Year as well!