by Rev. Leonard N. Peterson
The best pastor I ever served under was blest with an authentic graciousness paired with genuine wit and a touch of class. He went to God many years ago, but I still remember some spontaneous remarks he made to a packed church on Christmas Eve a little before Mass was to begin. He looked out at the crowd and said, for starters, "I guess I'll have to build a bigger church!" The people laughed. But then he added this: "Please know that you're always welcome here at our parish. Christ's embrace is wide enough for all of us." The people clapped. I thought of that long ago memory as I sat down to write this piece as we come to Christmas 2013.
"Welcome" is a key word expressed so beautifully in action as well as in the words of our present Holy Father, Pope Francis. You see it in his eyes. You practically feel it in his gestures, as he motors around St. Peter's Square in Rome. Perhaps you also saw it in the pictures from last summer, as he warmly greeted the young people gathered for World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. The "wattage" of his smile intensified as he made a special side trip to a drug-infested ghetto of the poor. Most poignant of all is his embrace of the disabled of all ages. Welcome indeed!
But at Christmas time there are many good people for whom the whole Church adds a word to "welcome." She says "Welcome back!" She addresses that especially to all those who, for a variety of reasons, may have drifted away from the altar. Their absence (perhaps your absence) is, in many cases, completely understandable as well as entirely regrettable.
Hurts happen. Misunderstandings multiply. Even the Church herself is mindful that scandal (of which she has endured severqal lately) can sear a sensitive soul with pain, confusion, and doubt.
But bear in mind that while we believe that the Church and Christ are forever united, the human element that Christ works through has inherent flaws just by being human. After all, a wise somebody once quipped that "if the Church were perfect, none of us could belong!" Just taking a quick look at our Church's pilgrimage through the centuries should offer proof that the Holy Spirit has had to be at her helm.
Sadly, we do not have many pictures of Christ shown smiling. True, He was a "Man of Sorrows", as Handel's "Messiah" reminds us in that magnificent oratorio that is a musical feature of the Christmas season. But even there the composer gives us the "Hallelujah" chorus for balance.
I am convinced that Christ does smile especially beautifully when someone who has been away comes back. Especially when they decide to stay by His side no matter what as members of His Church. There may not be a "Welcome" sign on the lawn, or a mat at the doors of the church in your part of the world. But please note that the Child in the Crib has His arms out, ready to embrace. And if you listen closely, not with your ears but with your heart, you will hear Him say "Come to Me." I for one believe in my heart that He will be smiling.
A blessed Christmas to you and yours!
Monday, December 30, 2013
Christmas Carols
Remember the good old days when we didn't hear Christmas carols until after Thanksgiving?
It seems the first one can be heard before Halloween these days!
At first it seems too early, then as time marches on they seem a reminder of all the things yet undone in preparation for the holiday ---- shopping, cleaning, baking, etc. It isn't until Christmas arrives that we can take a breath and let them soothe us and cheer us. When the sun goes down on Christmas Eve, we seem to draw a collective breath and the glory of Jesus' birth washes over us with their melodies. What would the celebration be without Christmas Carols?
Carols originated in Europe thousands of years ago The word "carol" actually means dance or a song of praise and joy. Carols used to be written and sung during all four seasons, but only the tradition of singing them at Christmas has really survived!
Christmas carols as we know them were given life by St. Francis of Assisi, when in 1223 he started his Nativity Plays in Italy. Francis was determined that ordinary people, who often couldn't read, should understand and love the birth of Jesus. He set up living nativities using real people and animals and told the story of the birth of Jesus. Songs or 'canticles' were sung telling the miraculous story. Usually the songs were sung in a language that the people watching the play could understand and join in. People left joyfully bringing the songs with them. The new carols spread to France, Spain, Germany and other European countries. And the tradition of "carolling" began throughout Europe.
Some of the carols we sing today are very old, and many have interesting stories.
The first carol heard on the streets of London at Christmas time from the 16th century onward was "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." Interestingly enough, most people misplace the comma ---- thinking the opening line is "God rest ye, merry gentlemen" ----distorting the meaning of the song. It's message is not for "merry" people only ---- but extends the hope and blessing that God's grace and mercy will cause them to be merry at Christmas.
"O Holy Night" (Cantique de Noel) is often said to be the most beautiful of all Christmas carols. There is a frequently repeated story that this carol figured prominently on Christmas Eve, 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War. In a burst of Christmas fervor, a French soldier burst out of his trench and began singing this carol. So moved by his actions, the Germans did not fire on him ---- and a German soldier then stood and sang a traditional German carol. Soon both sidews began singing together the well-loved "Silent Night" ---- and peace reigned for that one Christmas night!
In fact, all sorts of legends surround the most popular carol, "Silent Night". The traditional story is that Rev. Josef Mohr, a young pastor in Oberndorf, Austria wrote the words for the village children to sing as a surprise for their parents. Upon discovering on Christmas Eve that the parish organ was broken, he prevailed upon his friend Franz Gruber to compose a melody to be accompanied by guitar. Whatever the true story is, this song remains the best-loved carol in the world, having been translated into hundreds of languages.
It seems the first one can be heard before Halloween these days!
At first it seems too early, then as time marches on they seem a reminder of all the things yet undone in preparation for the holiday ---- shopping, cleaning, baking, etc. It isn't until Christmas arrives that we can take a breath and let them soothe us and cheer us. When the sun goes down on Christmas Eve, we seem to draw a collective breath and the glory of Jesus' birth washes over us with their melodies. What would the celebration be without Christmas Carols?
Carols originated in Europe thousands of years ago The word "carol" actually means dance or a song of praise and joy. Carols used to be written and sung during all four seasons, but only the tradition of singing them at Christmas has really survived!
Christmas carols as we know them were given life by St. Francis of Assisi, when in 1223 he started his Nativity Plays in Italy. Francis was determined that ordinary people, who often couldn't read, should understand and love the birth of Jesus. He set up living nativities using real people and animals and told the story of the birth of Jesus. Songs or 'canticles' were sung telling the miraculous story. Usually the songs were sung in a language that the people watching the play could understand and join in. People left joyfully bringing the songs with them. The new carols spread to France, Spain, Germany and other European countries. And the tradition of "carolling" began throughout Europe.
Some of the carols we sing today are very old, and many have interesting stories.
The first carol heard on the streets of London at Christmas time from the 16th century onward was "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." Interestingly enough, most people misplace the comma ---- thinking the opening line is "God rest ye, merry gentlemen" ----distorting the meaning of the song. It's message is not for "merry" people only ---- but extends the hope and blessing that God's grace and mercy will cause them to be merry at Christmas.
"O Holy Night" (Cantique de Noel) is often said to be the most beautiful of all Christmas carols. There is a frequently repeated story that this carol figured prominently on Christmas Eve, 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War. In a burst of Christmas fervor, a French soldier burst out of his trench and began singing this carol. So moved by his actions, the Germans did not fire on him ---- and a German soldier then stood and sang a traditional German carol. Soon both sidews began singing together the well-loved "Silent Night" ---- and peace reigned for that one Christmas night!
In fact, all sorts of legends surround the most popular carol, "Silent Night". The traditional story is that Rev. Josef Mohr, a young pastor in Oberndorf, Austria wrote the words for the village children to sing as a surprise for their parents. Upon discovering on Christmas Eve that the parish organ was broken, he prevailed upon his friend Franz Gruber to compose a melody to be accompanied by guitar. Whatever the true story is, this song remains the best-loved carol in the world, having been translated into hundreds of languages.
The Legend of the Camel's Hump
Do you know why camels have humps?
There is a story that says that when the Wise Men were getting ready to look for the New Born King, they had to cross many miles of desert. They could not carry enough water, and anyway they left so quickly that they didn't think about it. When they were half way there, they ran out of water. So one of the wise men went to the camels and explained where they were going and asked if the camels would just keep going even though there was not enough water. The camels agreed and went as fast as they could because they too wanted to see the Son of God. When they finally got to the stable, the camels knelt down too, and worshiped the Baby Jesus and thanked God for helping them make the long trip with no water. Then they drank their fill from the stable's trough. And God rewarded the camels with large humps so they would never have to thirst in the desert again.
There is a story that says that when the Wise Men were getting ready to look for the New Born King, they had to cross many miles of desert. They could not carry enough water, and anyway they left so quickly that they didn't think about it. When they were half way there, they ran out of water. So one of the wise men went to the camels and explained where they were going and asked if the camels would just keep going even though there was not enough water. The camels agreed and went as fast as they could because they too wanted to see the Son of God. When they finally got to the stable, the camels knelt down too, and worshiped the Baby Jesus and thanked God for helping them make the long trip with no water. Then they drank their fill from the stable's trough. And God rewarded the camels with large humps so they would never have to thirst in the desert again.
.......And One with a Hidden Meaning
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written to remind Catholics of basic tenets of the Faith during the time when the Catholic Church was outlawed in England. (Reference to this has been found in letters from that time.)
Here's the hidden meaning.
Think about it the next time you sing this popular carol.
Here's the hidden meaning.
Think about it the next time you sing this popular carol.
- Partridge in a Pear Tree ---- Jesus
- turtle doves -------- Old and New Testaments
- French hens -------- The Trinity
- calling birds -------- the 4 Gospels
- golden rings -------- the Pentatuch --- the first 5 books of the Old Testament which outline humanity's fall from grace.
- geese a-laying ------- 6 days of creation
- swans a-swimming -------- 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- maids a-milking ----------- 8 Beatitudes
- ladies dancing ------------- 9 choirs of angels
- lords leaping -------------- 10 Commandments
- pipers piping -------------- 11 faithful apostles
- drummers drumming ------ the 12 points of faith in the Apostles Creed
Come, Lord Jesus!
by Madeline L' Engle
Come, Lord Jesus! Do I dare
Cry: Lord Jesus, quickly come!
Flash the lightning in the air!
Crash the thunder on my home!
Should I speak this awful prayer?
Come, Lord Jesus, help me dare.
Come, Lord Jesus! You I call
To come (come soon!) are not the child
Who lay once in the manger stall,
Are not the infant meek and mild.
You come in judgement on our all:
Help me to know you, whom I call.
Come, Lord Jesus! Come this night
With your purging and your power,
For the earth is dark with blight
And in sin we run and cower
Before the splendid, raging sight
Of the breaking of the night.
Come, my Lord! Our darkness end!
Break the bonds of time and space.
All the powers of evil rend
By the radiance of your face.
The laughing stars with joy attend:
Come Lord Jesus! Be my end!
Come, Lord Jesus! Do I dare
Cry: Lord Jesus, quickly come!
Flash the lightning in the air!
Crash the thunder on my home!
Should I speak this awful prayer?
Come, Lord Jesus, help me dare.
Come, Lord Jesus! You I call
To come (come soon!) are not the child
Who lay once in the manger stall,
Are not the infant meek and mild.
You come in judgement on our all:
Help me to know you, whom I call.
Come, Lord Jesus! Come this night
With your purging and your power,
For the earth is dark with blight
And in sin we run and cower
Before the splendid, raging sight
Of the breaking of the night.
Come, my Lord! Our darkness end!
Break the bonds of time and space.
All the powers of evil rend
By the radiance of your face.
The laughing stars with joy attend:
Come Lord Jesus! Be my end!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
The Proclamation of the Birth of Christ
Today, the twenty-fifth day of December, unknown ages from the time when God created the heavens and the earth and then formed man and woman in his own image.
Several thousand years after the flood, when God made the rainbow shine forth as a sign of the covenant.
Twenty-one centuries from the time of Abraham and Sarah; thirteen centuries after Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt.
Eleven hundred years from the time of Ruth and the Judges; one thousand years from the anointing of David as king; in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel.
In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad; the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome.
The forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus; the whole world being at peace, Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception, Was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary.
Today is the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.
Several thousand years after the flood, when God made the rainbow shine forth as a sign of the covenant.
Twenty-one centuries from the time of Abraham and Sarah; thirteen centuries after Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt.
Eleven hundred years from the time of Ruth and the Judges; one thousand years from the anointing of David as king; in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel.
In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad; the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome.
The forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus; the whole world being at peace, Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception, Was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary.
Today is the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
A Wish I Wish For You
The Spirit Level
Poems of Area Poets
By Susan Abulhawa
Burrow your hands into the sand
lower your head
and let the economy
slide off your back.
Put your ear to the earth
your skin to your dream
and peel away the opinions.
Fill your lungs with God
and turn to let the sun caress
your beautiful face.
And know
that my wish for you
is to live an authentic life.
Susan Abulhawa, of Yardley, is the author of the novel "Mornings in Jenin."
This poem is from her first book of poetry, "My Voice Sought the Wind" (Just World Books), which was published this fall.
Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet (Nov. 22, 2013)
Carbon Dioxide Record
Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of fossil fuels will reach a record amount of 36 billion tons this year, according to a report prepared by an international team of scientists. The findings by 49 researchers from 10 countries were prepared for the Global Carbon Project, and highlight a 2.1 percent increase over last year's levels and a 61 percent increase since 1990. CO2 is the most prevalent greenhouse gas and is mainly created by the burning of coal, oil and gas. The world's industrialized and developing countries have failed to cut global emissions enough to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, which scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change. While the United Stqtes significantly cut its CO2 emissions by switching to cleaner fuels in recent years, emerging industries elsewhere and the switch from nuclear power to burning coal in Japan and Germany have far offset those reductions. China, the world's No. 1 carbon emitter, accounted for 70 percent of the global increase in 2012, according to the report.
'Cyclone' Cleopatra
An unprecedented Mediterranean storm struck the Italian island of Sardinia with such force that it was dubbed "Cyclone Cleopatra." The storm dumped almost 18 inches of rainfall within an hour and a half, causing rivers to burst their banks and flood waters to sweep away cars with explosive force. Olbia Mayor Gianni Giovannelli said the city had been destroyed by the "apocalyptic" storm, which washed out bridges and submerged homes beneath 10 feet of water bomb." At least 16 people lost their lives during the flash flooding.
MERS Update
The deadly MERS respiratory virus that has killed at least 65 people, mainly in the Middle East, often goes undetected among those infected, according to a new study. European researchers estimate that for each of the roughly 155 confirmed cases of the respiratory disease, five to 10 may have been infected and gone unidentified. World Health Organization MERS expert Anthony Mounts says his agency has been told Saudi health officials are focusing their testing on people with MERS-like symptoms who are gravely ill. This possibly leads to many other sufferers remaining under the radar. The scientists say they still aren't able to rule out that person-to-personinfection is spreading the disease in addition to contact with infected animals. Camels around Saudi Arabia have been found to be infected with the flulike virus.
Tropical Cyclones
The fourth tropical cyclone to form in the northern Indian Ocean this season lashed India's southeastern coast late in the week. Cyclone Helen was packing wind gusts of about 75 mph when it made landfall in eastern Andhra Pradesh state.
* Tropical Storm Podul brought locally heavy rain to central Vietnam. Subtropical Storm Melissa formed over the central Atlantic.
Earthquakes
A 5.5 magnitude quake rocked Toyko skyscrapers and halted rail service briefly when it struck just 30 miles east of the Japanese capital.
* Earth movements were also felt in Indian-controlled Kashmir, Indonesia's North Maluku province, southern Washington state, central Oklahoma and southeastern Ohio.
Volcano Refugees
Weeks of powerful blasts from Sumatra's Mount Sinabung volcano prevented thousands of people from returning to their homes after nearly a month in evacuation centers. The volcano has been erupting on and off since mid-September, eventually forcing more than 5,000 people to flee their homes. Ash from the blasts has destroyed thousands of acres of farmlands, inflicting millions of dollars of losses to farmers near the mountain's slopes. Besides sending massive plumes of ash soaring high above northwestern Sumatra, Sinabung also unleashed a fast-moving avalanche of super heated ash, lava chunks and vapor cascading down its flanks. Lava has been observed flowing from the top of the mountain as well.
Albino Roo
Visitors to a park just outside Australia's capital of Canberra are being dazzled by a pure white kangaroo that experts say has beaten the odds of survival. Albino roos are extremely rare, and they typically don't survive into adulthood because their brilliant white coat attracks predators. "The whole thing about natural selection is that you want to blend in. Gray kangaroos are gray for a reason ---- they blend in with the rest of the environment." Namadgi National Park ranger Brett McNamara told The Canberra Times. He suspects the white marsupial is a female and about 2 years old. Dubbed "Rene," the roo is surrounded by its extended family of eastern grays, which bands together against potential dangers. The park is not divulging the location of Rene's mob out of fear that illegal hunters might track it down.
Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of fossil fuels will reach a record amount of 36 billion tons this year, according to a report prepared by an international team of scientists. The findings by 49 researchers from 10 countries were prepared for the Global Carbon Project, and highlight a 2.1 percent increase over last year's levels and a 61 percent increase since 1990. CO2 is the most prevalent greenhouse gas and is mainly created by the burning of coal, oil and gas. The world's industrialized and developing countries have failed to cut global emissions enough to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, which scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change. While the United Stqtes significantly cut its CO2 emissions by switching to cleaner fuels in recent years, emerging industries elsewhere and the switch from nuclear power to burning coal in Japan and Germany have far offset those reductions. China, the world's No. 1 carbon emitter, accounted for 70 percent of the global increase in 2012, according to the report.
'Cyclone' Cleopatra
An unprecedented Mediterranean storm struck the Italian island of Sardinia with such force that it was dubbed "Cyclone Cleopatra." The storm dumped almost 18 inches of rainfall within an hour and a half, causing rivers to burst their banks and flood waters to sweep away cars with explosive force. Olbia Mayor Gianni Giovannelli said the city had been destroyed by the "apocalyptic" storm, which washed out bridges and submerged homes beneath 10 feet of water bomb." At least 16 people lost their lives during the flash flooding.
MERS Update
The deadly MERS respiratory virus that has killed at least 65 people, mainly in the Middle East, often goes undetected among those infected, according to a new study. European researchers estimate that for each of the roughly 155 confirmed cases of the respiratory disease, five to 10 may have been infected and gone unidentified. World Health Organization MERS expert Anthony Mounts says his agency has been told Saudi health officials are focusing their testing on people with MERS-like symptoms who are gravely ill. This possibly leads to many other sufferers remaining under the radar. The scientists say they still aren't able to rule out that person-to-personinfection is spreading the disease in addition to contact with infected animals. Camels around Saudi Arabia have been found to be infected with the flulike virus.
Tropical Cyclones
The fourth tropical cyclone to form in the northern Indian Ocean this season lashed India's southeastern coast late in the week. Cyclone Helen was packing wind gusts of about 75 mph when it made landfall in eastern Andhra Pradesh state.
* Tropical Storm Podul brought locally heavy rain to central Vietnam. Subtropical Storm Melissa formed over the central Atlantic.
Earthquakes
A 5.5 magnitude quake rocked Toyko skyscrapers and halted rail service briefly when it struck just 30 miles east of the Japanese capital.
* Earth movements were also felt in Indian-controlled Kashmir, Indonesia's North Maluku province, southern Washington state, central Oklahoma and southeastern Ohio.
Volcano Refugees
Weeks of powerful blasts from Sumatra's Mount Sinabung volcano prevented thousands of people from returning to their homes after nearly a month in evacuation centers. The volcano has been erupting on and off since mid-September, eventually forcing more than 5,000 people to flee their homes. Ash from the blasts has destroyed thousands of acres of farmlands, inflicting millions of dollars of losses to farmers near the mountain's slopes. Besides sending massive plumes of ash soaring high above northwestern Sumatra, Sinabung also unleashed a fast-moving avalanche of super heated ash, lava chunks and vapor cascading down its flanks. Lava has been observed flowing from the top of the mountain as well.
Albino Roo
Visitors to a park just outside Australia's capital of Canberra are being dazzled by a pure white kangaroo that experts say has beaten the odds of survival. Albino roos are extremely rare, and they typically don't survive into adulthood because their brilliant white coat attracks predators. "The whole thing about natural selection is that you want to blend in. Gray kangaroos are gray for a reason ---- they blend in with the rest of the environment." Namadgi National Park ranger Brett McNamara told The Canberra Times. He suspects the white marsupial is a female and about 2 years old. Dubbed "Rene," the roo is surrounded by its extended family of eastern grays, which bands together against potential dangers. The park is not divulging the location of Rene's mob out of fear that illegal hunters might track it down.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Earthweek : A Diary of the Planets (Nov. 15, 2013)
Carbon Burp
The record tropical cyclone devastation just inflicted across the heart of the Philippines may have also unlocked a vast amount of climate warming carbon, according to recent studies. While it's still too early to determine just how much carbon-storing forest Typhoon Haiyan ripped out of the ground, studies of previous tropical cyclones indicate the number of trees lost could be enormous. A study of the aftermath of much weaker Hurricane Katrina in the southern United States showed that storm tore down about 320 million trees, eliminating their ability to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and store it. The untold number of trees felled by Typhoon Haiyan will eventually be replaced as the forests grow back. And those forests will once again be able to help remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere if not felled again by future storms.
Eternal Refugees
It is becoming apparent to many forced to evacuate in March 2011 by Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster that they will never be able to return to the ghost towns that were once their homes. A third of the 160,000 people displaced when the nearby Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant experienced meltdowns and explosions are still in temporary housing. Social workers report many are experiencing domestic troubles, alcholism and illness brought on by their uncertain futures. Hideo Hasegawa, who runs a nonprofit that is trying to help the evacuees, told the Japan Daily Press that politicians need to be honest with the refugees. He suggests telling them they can never go home because the decontamination efforts are delayed and may never be able to make their hometowns habitable again.
A Flowing Wonder
Scientists have observed a rare type of lava flowing well over a year after it was spewed by one of the planet's most violent eruptions. Chile's Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano exploded in 2011 with such force that it sent a plume of ash streaming halfway around the world. While that eruption ended in April 2012, an international team of researchers found its obsidian lava (volcano glass) still moving at the speed of some glaciers. It was the first time such a flow had been observed. Because of the discovery, scientists now know that, like liquid red lava, the obsidian lava can still flow at temperatures up to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit beneath a shallow layer of hardened crust. "We found out that the lava was still oozing after almost a year, and it advances between 1 and 3 meters (between 3 feet and 10 feet) a day," said Hugh Tuffen of the U.K.'s Lancaster University.
Dolphin-Whale Deaths
The measles-like virus that has killed hundreds of dolphins as it spread down the U.S. Atlantic coast over the past few months has now begun infecting whales. The dolphin morbillivirus has killed more than 750 dolphins since June, when it first emerged off beaches from Long Island to Virginia. The southward migration of the marine mammals since then has spread the disease all the way to Florida, and the deaths it has caused are at a record high. The U.S. environment agency NOAA says the virus is also responsible for killing two pygmy sperm whales and three humpback whales found dead or dying along the Atlantic coast. Wildlife officials say that if the current outbreak is anything like the previous 1987-1988 record die-off, it's only halfway through, and fatalities will go much higher.
Tropical Cyclones
A massive international relief effort was launched after the strongest tropical cyclone ever to make landfall devastated a long swath of the central Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan later went on to strike Vietnam and South China as a much weaker storm.
* As many as 300 people perished on the Horn of Africa when Tropical Cyclone 03A roared into Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region. Officials say that entire villages were wrecked and more than 100,000 head of livestock were killed by the storm.
Earthquakes
A 5.2 magnitude quake in western Tajikistan wrecked more than 100 homes and damaged about 255 others, according to emergency officials. Shaking was felt strongly in the capital, Dushanbe.
* Earth movements were also felt in New Delhi, Toyko, the eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, southern Greece, interior parts of the San Francisco Bay Area and north-central Texas.
Long-Haul Tuna
An Atlantic bonito tuna has been caught 4,000 miles from where it was tagged off the coast of Spain in 2006, according to that country's science news agency, SINC. When the fish was tagged by fishermen seven years ago, it was more than 40 pounds lighter and half as long as when another fisherman off Venezuela recently snagged it. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas said the 3,958-mile journey by the fish was the longest ever recorded for a tagged tuna.
The record tropical cyclone devastation just inflicted across the heart of the Philippines may have also unlocked a vast amount of climate warming carbon, according to recent studies. While it's still too early to determine just how much carbon-storing forest Typhoon Haiyan ripped out of the ground, studies of previous tropical cyclones indicate the number of trees lost could be enormous. A study of the aftermath of much weaker Hurricane Katrina in the southern United States showed that storm tore down about 320 million trees, eliminating their ability to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and store it. The untold number of trees felled by Typhoon Haiyan will eventually be replaced as the forests grow back. And those forests will once again be able to help remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere if not felled again by future storms.
Eternal Refugees
It is becoming apparent to many forced to evacuate in March 2011 by Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster that they will never be able to return to the ghost towns that were once their homes. A third of the 160,000 people displaced when the nearby Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant experienced meltdowns and explosions are still in temporary housing. Social workers report many are experiencing domestic troubles, alcholism and illness brought on by their uncertain futures. Hideo Hasegawa, who runs a nonprofit that is trying to help the evacuees, told the Japan Daily Press that politicians need to be honest with the refugees. He suggests telling them they can never go home because the decontamination efforts are delayed and may never be able to make their hometowns habitable again.
A Flowing Wonder
Scientists have observed a rare type of lava flowing well over a year after it was spewed by one of the planet's most violent eruptions. Chile's Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano exploded in 2011 with such force that it sent a plume of ash streaming halfway around the world. While that eruption ended in April 2012, an international team of researchers found its obsidian lava (volcano glass) still moving at the speed of some glaciers. It was the first time such a flow had been observed. Because of the discovery, scientists now know that, like liquid red lava, the obsidian lava can still flow at temperatures up to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit beneath a shallow layer of hardened crust. "We found out that the lava was still oozing after almost a year, and it advances between 1 and 3 meters (between 3 feet and 10 feet) a day," said Hugh Tuffen of the U.K.'s Lancaster University.
Dolphin-Whale Deaths
The measles-like virus that has killed hundreds of dolphins as it spread down the U.S. Atlantic coast over the past few months has now begun infecting whales. The dolphin morbillivirus has killed more than 750 dolphins since June, when it first emerged off beaches from Long Island to Virginia. The southward migration of the marine mammals since then has spread the disease all the way to Florida, and the deaths it has caused are at a record high. The U.S. environment agency NOAA says the virus is also responsible for killing two pygmy sperm whales and three humpback whales found dead or dying along the Atlantic coast. Wildlife officials say that if the current outbreak is anything like the previous 1987-1988 record die-off, it's only halfway through, and fatalities will go much higher.
Tropical Cyclones
A massive international relief effort was launched after the strongest tropical cyclone ever to make landfall devastated a long swath of the central Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan later went on to strike Vietnam and South China as a much weaker storm.
* As many as 300 people perished on the Horn of Africa when Tropical Cyclone 03A roared into Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region. Officials say that entire villages were wrecked and more than 100,000 head of livestock were killed by the storm.
Earthquakes
A 5.2 magnitude quake in western Tajikistan wrecked more than 100 homes and damaged about 255 others, according to emergency officials. Shaking was felt strongly in the capital, Dushanbe.
* Earth movements were also felt in New Delhi, Toyko, the eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, southern Greece, interior parts of the San Francisco Bay Area and north-central Texas.
Long-Haul Tuna
An Atlantic bonito tuna has been caught 4,000 miles from where it was tagged off the coast of Spain in 2006, according to that country's science news agency, SINC. When the fish was tagged by fishermen seven years ago, it was more than 40 pounds lighter and half as long as when another fisherman off Venezuela recently snagged it. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas said the 3,958-mile journey by the fish was the longest ever recorded for a tagged tuna.
Kennections
All five correct answers have something in common.
Can you figure out what it is?
1. What ex-president appeared on his record 52nd and final Time magazine cover the week after his April 1994 death?
2. What 1973 Rolling Stones ballad was rumored to be about David Bowie's first wife?
3. What name comes next in this series : Moore, Dalton, Brosnan, and ...?
4. What industrialist is the only onetime Nazi Party member buried in Jerusalem's Mount Zion cemetery?
5. Canada has a special postal code, HoHoHo, for letters addressed to whom?
Bonus : What's the "Kennection" between all five answers?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answers : 1. Richard Nixon
2. Angie
3. Craig
4. Oskar Schindler
5. Santa Claus
Bonus : All are known for their lists
Can you figure out what it is?
1. What ex-president appeared on his record 52nd and final Time magazine cover the week after his April 1994 death?
2. What 1973 Rolling Stones ballad was rumored to be about David Bowie's first wife?
3. What name comes next in this series : Moore, Dalton, Brosnan, and ...?
4. What industrialist is the only onetime Nazi Party member buried in Jerusalem's Mount Zion cemetery?
5. Canada has a special postal code, HoHoHo, for letters addressed to whom?
Bonus : What's the "Kennection" between all five answers?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answers : 1. Richard Nixon
2. Angie
3. Craig
4. Oskar Schindler
5. Santa Claus
Bonus : All are known for their lists
F. Y. I.
The Difference
Medium roast coffee has more caffeine than dark roast, which has more body.
Quotable
by Louis C.K., comedian, writer and actor
"Twitter and Facebook and ...... all that stuff makes you warped. We've all basically given ourselves data-entry jobs."
First Push
Push-button phones first appeared in the Pennsylvania towns of Carnegie and Greensburg in 1963.
Fully Formed
The calves of humpback whales do not stop growing until they are 10 years old.
Still on the Books
In Racine, Wis., it is illegal to wake a fireman when he is asleep.
Change of Tune
The Christmas carol "Jingle Bells," originally called "One Horse Open Sleigh," was actually written for Thanksgiving in 1857 by James Pierpont.
Medium roast coffee has more caffeine than dark roast, which has more body.
Quotable
by Louis C.K., comedian, writer and actor
"Twitter and Facebook and ...... all that stuff makes you warped. We've all basically given ourselves data-entry jobs."
First Push
Push-button phones first appeared in the Pennsylvania towns of Carnegie and Greensburg in 1963.
Fully Formed
The calves of humpback whales do not stop growing until they are 10 years old.
Still on the Books
In Racine, Wis., it is illegal to wake a fireman when he is asleep.
Change of Tune
The Christmas carol "Jingle Bells," originally called "One Horse Open Sleigh," was actually written for Thanksgiving in 1857 by James Pierpont.
F. Y. I.
Quotable
by Jack Nicholson, actor
"The minute that you're not learning, I believe you're dead."
No Kidding!
A fish can drown in water, if there isn't enough oxygen.
Of Note
Prince played 27 different instruments on his debut album "For You."
Still on the Books
In Germany, it is illegal to tune pianos at midnight.
Deceptive Shade
In hot countries, oranges remain green but still taste sweet.
Superstition Says
Sitting at the corner of a table if unmarried in Russia means you will have difficulty finding a life partner.
by Jack Nicholson, actor
"The minute that you're not learning, I believe you're dead."
No Kidding!
A fish can drown in water, if there isn't enough oxygen.
Of Note
Prince played 27 different instruments on his debut album "For You."
Still on the Books
In Germany, it is illegal to tune pianos at midnight.
Deceptive Shade
In hot countries, oranges remain green but still taste sweet.
Superstition Says
Sitting at the corner of a table if unmarried in Russia means you will have difficulty finding a life partner.
F. Y. I.
Still on the Books
In Australia, it is illegal to wear hot pink pants after midday Sunday.
Quick Replacement
Sharks can go through more than 30,000 teeth in a lifetime.
Briefly Noted
Because its sole purpose is to mate and lay eggs, the adult Luna moth, which doesn't have a mouth, lives for about a week.
Quotable
by Chuck Norris, martial artist and actor
"A lot of people give up just before they're about to make it. You never know when that next obstacle is going to be the last one."
State Stats
The highest double-track railroad bridge in the world, the Kate Shelley Bridge, is in Boone, Iowa.
Nutty Smile
In China, the pistachio is known as the "happy nut" because it looks like it's smiling.
In Australia, it is illegal to wear hot pink pants after midday Sunday.
Quick Replacement
Sharks can go through more than 30,000 teeth in a lifetime.
Briefly Noted
Because its sole purpose is to mate and lay eggs, the adult Luna moth, which doesn't have a mouth, lives for about a week.
Quotable
by Chuck Norris, martial artist and actor
"A lot of people give up just before they're about to make it. You never know when that next obstacle is going to be the last one."
State Stats
The highest double-track railroad bridge in the world, the Kate Shelley Bridge, is in Boone, Iowa.
Nutty Smile
In China, the pistachio is known as the "happy nut" because it looks like it's smiling.
Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet (Oct. 25, 2013)
Ozone Hole Shrinks
The hole above Antarcitica in Earth's protective ozone layer reached its greatest extent of the year on Sept. 26, but was smaller than in recent years, according to scientists who monitor the phenomenon. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration reports that this year's hole covered about 7.3 million square miles on that date, compared to more than 8 million square miles last year and more than 10 million square miles during the record year of 2006. But NOAA points out that ozone -depleting chemicals only dropped to about 25 Dobson units in recent years. "We cannot say that this represents recovery, but it is certainly good news to see this year on the higher side of the average ozone range," said NOAA's Bryan Johnson.
Out of Control
Radiation levels have soared in the groundwater beneath Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the wake of torrential typhoon downpours and the forced release of radioactive water being stored around the plant. Officials estimate that 400 tons of radioactive groundwater are now flowing into the Pacific each day. That's in addition to any runoff from rain on the surface. The level of radiation in a drainage ditch at the facility has also risen exponentially, according to the plant's operator, the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO). Water contaminated with radioactive materials flowed into the ditch when Typhoon Wipha hit the area on Oct.2. TEPCO says much of the water evaporated, leading to the surge in the density of beta particle-emitting materials in the remaining water.
'Airpocalypse'
An extremely hazardous concoction of air pollution and fog blanketed the major Chinese city of Harbin and surrounding northeastern areas of the country, forcing schools to close and the cancellation of all air traffic. Public buses also stopped running. Particulate pollution, which doctors say is the most destructive to lungs, was measured at over 500 micrograms per cubic meter, with some downtown Harbin locations reaching as high as 1,000. The World Health Organization says a reading over 300 is hazardous and recommends a daily level of no more than 25.
Indian 'Eruption'
Indian villagers near the border with Myanmar report that an "eruption" with a lavalike flow has charred trees and plants on a nearby hillside. Locals in the Manipur state village of Tusom say a deafening sound on Oct. 13 was accompanied by a flow of the hot liquid. The Press Trust of India quotes officials as saying that mud, water and other discharges were still flowing from the hilltop days later. Since there are no active lava volcanoes on the Indian subcontinent, it's believed the eruption was from a fresh mud volcano, which can also emit highly flammable gas that was possibly responsible for the charred vegetation and explosion.
Earthquakes
A sharp 5.2 magnitude temblor in Sumatra's quake-prone Aceh province killed one villager, injured two others and damaged about 160 homes and other buildings.
* Earth movements were also felt in northern Israel, northern Tunisia, northwestern Mexico and north-central Oklahoma.
Tropical Cyclones
Thousands of residents in southwest Mexico's Guerrero state were evacuated as Hurricane Raymond churned the Pacific just offshore. But Raymond weakened to a tropical storm and soon moved out to sea.
* Super Typhoon Lekima reached Category-5 force over the open Pacific northeast of Guam. Super Typhoon Francisco weakened from Category-5 force before reaching southern Japan.
* Tropical Storm Lorenzo formed over the central Atlantic.
Monkey Chatter
At least one species of monkey has been found engaging in polite back-and -forth "conversation" similar to humans. The discovery, published in the journal Current Biology, could help explain how humans evolved to take turns while speaking. Marmosets are a friendly and peaceful species that help one another raise their young. Princeton University's Asif Ghazanfar found that marmosets carry on vocalizations even with relative strangers, following a set of unspoken rules of conversation etiquette. He discovered they don't call at the same time, but instead wait for about 5 seconds after another has finished "talking" before responding. This behavior differs greatly from chimps and other great apes, which don't vocalize much and don't take turns when they do. "This makes what we found (in marmosets) much more similar to human conversations and very different from the coordinated calling of animals such as birds, frogs or crickets, which is linked to mating or territorial defense", said Ghazanfar. He believes the monkeys may find the polite patterns of conversation relaxing.
'Airpocalypse'
An extremely hazardous concoction of air pollution and fog blanketed the major Chinese city of Harbin and surrounding northeastern areas of the country, forcing schools to close and the cancellation of all air traffic. Public buses also stopped running. Particulate pollution, which doctors say is the most destructive to lungs, was measured at over 500 micrograms per cubic meter, with some downtown Harbin locations reaching as high as 1,000. The World Health Organization says a reading over 300 is hazardous and recommends a daily level of no more than 25.
Indian 'Eruption'
Indian villagers near the border with Myanmar report that an "eruption" with a lavalike flow has charred trees and plants on a nearby hillside. Locals in the Manipur state village of Tusom say a deafening sound on Oct. 13 was accompanied by a flow of the hot liquid. The Press Trust of India quotes officials as saying that mud, water and other discharges were still flowing from the hilltop days later. Since there are no active lava volcanoes on the Indian subcontinent, it's believed the eruption was from a fresh mud volcano, which can also emit highly flammable gas that was possibly responsible for the charred vegetation and explosion.
Earthquakes
A sharp 5.2 magnitude temblor in Sumatra's quake-prone Aceh province killed one villager, injured two others and damaged about 160 homes and other buildings.
* Earth movements were also felt in northern Israel, northern Tunisia, northwestern Mexico and north-central Oklahoma.
Tropical Cyclones
Thousands of residents in southwest Mexico's Guerrero state were evacuated as Hurricane Raymond churned the Pacific just offshore. But Raymond weakened to a tropical storm and soon moved out to sea.
* Super Typhoon Lekima reached Category-5 force over the open Pacific northeast of Guam. Super Typhoon Francisco weakened from Category-5 force before reaching southern Japan.
* Tropical Storm Lorenzo formed over the central Atlantic.
Monkey Chatter
At least one species of monkey has been found engaging in polite back-and -forth "conversation" similar to humans. The discovery, published in the journal Current Biology, could help explain how humans evolved to take turns while speaking. Marmosets are a friendly and peaceful species that help one another raise their young. Princeton University's Asif Ghazanfar found that marmosets carry on vocalizations even with relative strangers, following a set of unspoken rules of conversation etiquette. He discovered they don't call at the same time, but instead wait for about 5 seconds after another has finished "talking" before responding. This behavior differs greatly from chimps and other great apes, which don't vocalize much and don't take turns when they do. "This makes what we found (in marmosets) much more similar to human conversations and very different from the coordinated calling of animals such as birds, frogs or crickets, which is linked to mating or territorial defense", said Ghazanfar. He believes the monkeys may find the polite patterns of conversation relaxing.
The Month of December
This month has National Days :
- December 1 : Eat a Red Apple Day
- " 2 : National Fritters Day
- " 3 : National Roof Over Your Head Day
- " 4 : Brown Shoes Day
- " 5 : Bathtub Party Day
- " 6 : Mitten Tree Day
- " 7 : Letter Writting Day
- " 8 : National Brownie Day
- " 9 : National Pastry Day
- " 10 : Human Rights Day
- " 11 : National Noodle Ring Day
- " 12 : National Ding-a-Ling Day
- " 13 : Violin Day
- " 14 : National Bouillabaisse Day
- " 15 : National Lemon Cupcake Day
- " 16 : National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
- " 17 : National Maple Syrup Day
- " 18 : National Roast Suckling Pig Day
- " 19 : Look for an Evergreen Day
- " 20 : Go Caroling Day
- " 21 : Humbug Day
- " 22 : National Date Nut Bread Day
- " 23 : Roots Day
- " 24 : National Chocolate Day
- " 25 : National Pumpkin Pie Day
- " 26 : Boxing Day
- " 27 : Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day
- " 28 : Card Playing Day
- " 29 : Pepper Pot Day
- " 30 : National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
- " 31 : Make Up Your Mind Day
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Kennections
All five correct answers have something in common.
Can you figure out what it is?
1. In 2004, after more than 40 years, Kodak discontinued the Carousel, its line of projectors used to display what?
2. To be official, a "Trappist beer" must be brewed by what type of people?
3. What animals are the offspring of male donkeys and female horses?
4. Whose "last dance" did Tom Petty and Kim Basinger act out in a 1993 music video?
5. What movie featured Robert Redford, Sidney Poiter, River Phoenix, and Dan Aykroyd as a team of computer hackers?
Bonus : What's the "Kennections" between all five answers?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Answers : 1. Slides
2. Monks
3. Mules
4. Mary Janes
5. Sneakers
Bonus : All are types of shoes
Can you figure out what it is?
1. In 2004, after more than 40 years, Kodak discontinued the Carousel, its line of projectors used to display what?
2. To be official, a "Trappist beer" must be brewed by what type of people?
3. What animals are the offspring of male donkeys and female horses?
4. Whose "last dance" did Tom Petty and Kim Basinger act out in a 1993 music video?
5. What movie featured Robert Redford, Sidney Poiter, River Phoenix, and Dan Aykroyd as a team of computer hackers?
Bonus : What's the "Kennections" between all five answers?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Answers : 1. Slides
2. Monks
3. Mules
4. Mary Janes
5. Sneakers
Bonus : All are types of shoes
Friday, December 6, 2013
Christmas, please don't come early
I saw my neighbor hanging Christmas lights this week. Fifty-nine days before Christmas!
A Philadelphia radio station might begin playing Christmas music this week for almost the next two months.
Deck the halls? For goodness sake, Halloween is still waiting on deck, not stepping to the plate until Thursday. It makes a guy almost want to strike out in disbelief.
Today, millions of turkeys gobbling on farms won't be gobbled up for Thanksgiving dinner for another month, yet we're talking Christmas already?
Kmart aired its first holiday commercial of the season in September, more than 100 days before Christmas. For the past month or so, our mailbox has been packed with Christmas fliers and catalogs. With the luxury of next-day delivery, what's the hurry?
The World Series isn't over yet. The NFL season is only half over. Our Halloween candy corn hasn't gone stale yet. The local forecast this week is for temps in the 60's. I'm still wearing shorts. Yet we're talking about Christmas? What's wrong with this picture? (No, not the fact that I'm wearing shorts, wise guy.)
Once upon a time, there existed a magical season called Christmas. It lasted about two weeks, which made it all the more special. By the time the wrapping paper was torn off the Christmas season, autumn leaves had long since fallen. Thanksgiving was a memory, temperatures were numbing fingers and toes, and the sky was cloaked an ominous steel gray.
Back then, Christmas and winter entered the season hand in hand. But as they did, Christmas seemed to come and go in the wink of Santa's eye. Seemed like no sooner did you drag the Christmas tree into the house that you were dragging it out to the curb. Butbecause Christmas was a blur, it wassavored, like the last cherry Lifesaver in the pack.
But now, Christmas has changed from a sprint to a marathon, a reality that's begun running our emotions ragged. When Wal-Mart officially kicked off its Christmas season to announce its layaway program, the calendar showed August.
"Better hurry, shoppers! Christmas is only four months away! And please be sure to check out our great prices on Coppertone products before you leave the store."
This season, the rush to Christmas -------- or the Christmas Creep, as it's commonly called ----- is being blamed on media availability due to the lack of the national political ads that nosed out retailers last fall. How they explain the Creep in non-presidential election years hasn't been explained.
I preferred Christmas as a sprint, not as it is now, rushing toward us on the coattails of Labor Day. But at least one survey shows I'm in the minority. An American Express survey indicates more consumers want to do their holiday shopping earlier. But given the convenience of online shopping, I'd presume consumers would require less time to shop, not more.
On radio station B-101 FM's website, listeners are asked to list not only which Christmas songs they'd like to hear, but when they'd like the marathon to begin : Nov. 1, Nov. 15, Thanksgiving or Dec. 1. If Nov. 1 is chosen, it will be yet another example of what I describe as the "hurrification" of Christmas. It's a date on which we should begin talking turkey, not tinsel.
When it comes to rushing to Christmas, why can't we just ho-ho-hold on a little bit longer?
F. Y. I.
Blushing Bird
A turkey's head changes color when it's excited or agitated.
State Stats
New Mexico has far more sheep and cattle than people.
Quotable
by Alphonse Karr, French journalist and novelist (1808-1890)
"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; have roses."
Still on the Books
In New Orleans, tying an alligator to a fire Hydrant is prohibited.
Table Tidbits
Cranberries are white until ripe, when they turn deep red.
First Light
President Bill Clinton hosted the first Menorah-lighting ceremony in the White House.
Kennections
All five correct answers have something in common.
Can you figure out what it is ?
1. What comic strip character has a hopeless crush on a never-seen "Little Red-Haired Girl"?
2. The Peristence of Memory is a painting by Salvador Dali featuring three melting what?
3. In Greek mythology, what Titan holds the sky up on his shoulders?
4. On TV's How I Met Your Mother, what color is the mother's storied umbrella?
5. In John Milton's famous epic poems, what gets "Lost" and then "Regained"?
Bonus : What's the "Kennection" between all five answers?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answers : 1. Charlie Brown
2. Clocks
3. Atlas
4. Yellow
5. Paradise
Bonus : All are ColdPlay Songs
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