Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 08:54 AM CST [General]
I am appalled, appalled (and I don't even know if I'm spelling that right) at a video a local news station played on Monday night regarding the whole "beef recall" b/c of the bastardly ways of some California butchers. First off, let's do to them what they did to those poor cows. I've been throwing around the idea of going vegetarian b/c quite frankly lately, when I'd be eating a hamburger, about half way through I really start to think of what I'm eating and I start to feel sick.
But, after this video and how I'm seriously just sick of animal cruelity in general, I'm done. I'm going full on vegetarian! There are plenty of food products out there that can take you around all the sources you get from animal meat. I love vegetables anyway, so bring 'em on. Also, I tried this Silk stuff, it's like milk, but you know, not. It's good! And, they make chocolate too! I love me some chocolate milk.
It really is a personal choice to turn vegetarian and a lifestyle change. Well, I'm ready for the change. LOL, I was thinking of whimping out b/c I do love cornbeef so much and with St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, it just won't be the same. But seriously, not harming animals is a bit more important to me.
I already pay attention to products like shampoo and such and make sure they "are not tested on animals" so bonus for me already taking a step in that regard.
I just can't get the vision of those poor cows out of my mind. I actually went to the news' webpage and complained that they aired the video without a warning of how disturbing the footage was. Seriously, what if little kids were watching? They should have said something before they just started showing it. No warnings were given, b/c believe me, if they had been, I would have turned it pronto. Ridiculous!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008, 01:26 PM CST [General]
The Moon will turn an eerie shade of red for people in the western hemisphere late Wednesday and early Thursday, recreating the eclipse that saved Christopher Columbus more than five centuries ago. In a lunar eclipse, the Sun, Earth and Moon are directly aligned and the Moon swings into the cone of shadow cast by the Earth.
But the Moon does not become invisible, as there is still residual light that is deflected towards it by our atmosphere. Most of this refracted light is in the red part of the spectrum and as a result the Moon, seen from Earth, turns a coppery, orange or even brownish hue.
Lunar eclipses have long been associated with superstitions and signs of ill omen, especially in battle.
The defeat of the Persian king Darius III by Alexander the Great in the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC was foretold by soothsayers when the Moon turned blood-red a few days earlier.
And an eclipse is credited with saving the life of Christopher Columbus and his crew in 1504.
Stranded on the coast of Jamaica, the explorers were running out of food and faced with increasingly hostile local inhabitants who were refusing to provide them with any more supplies.
Columbus, looking at an astronomical almanac compiled by a German mathematician, realised that a total eclipse of the Moon would occur on February 29, 1504.
He called the native leaders and warned them if they did not cooperate, he would make the Moon disappear from the sky the following night.
The warning, of course, came true, prompting the terrified people to beg Columbus to restore the Moon -- which he did, in return for as much food as his men needed. He and the crew were rescued on June 29, 1504.
The Moon will be in total eclipse from 0301 GMT to 0351 GMT. This will be visible east of the Rocky Mountains in North America, as well as in all of Central and South America, West Africa and Western Europe. The zenith of totality is close to French Guiana.
It will be in partial eclipse from 0143 GMT to 0301 GMT, visible west of the Rockies and from the eastern Pacific, and from 0351 GMT to 0509 GMT, visible across the rest of Africa and Europe and much of South and West Asia.
Under a partial eclipse, Earth's shadow, or umbra, appears to take a "bite" out of the Moon.
The last total lunar eclipse took place on August 28 2007. The next will take place on December 21 2010.
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon swings between the Earth and the Sun.
For those interested there will be an eclipse of the moon Wednesday viewable from our area. You do not need a telescope to see this, although if you have one during totality is one of the best times to view features of the moon. This is the only total eclipse of 2008 but there will be a partial on August 16th. The following table is the times for the various phases.
GRANDVIEW, MISSOURI o ' o ' W094 31, N38 53
Central Standard Time
PhaseDate Hour/Minute Moon's Azimuth Altitude h m o o Moonrise 2008 Feb 20 17:48 75.5 ---- Moon enters penumbra 2008 Feb 20 18:34.9 82.7 7.9 Moon enters umbra 2008 Feb 20 19:43.0 93.2 20.5 Moon enters totality 2008 Feb 20 21:00.5 106.7 34.8 Middle of eclipse 2008 Feb 20 21:26.0 111.9 39.3 Moon leaves totality 2008 Feb 20 21:51.5 117.7 43.7 Moon leaves umbra 2008 Feb 20 23:09.1 140.9 54.9 Moon leaves penumbra 2008 Feb 21 00:17.2 170.3 60.1 Moonset 2008 Feb 21 07:15 280.3 ----
Tuesday, February 19, 2008, 09:23 AM CST [General]
Back at the job. At least Monday pretty much flew by, can't complain there. Have I ever mentioned how much I loathe working? Office jobs are the worst, make me feel like I could be out there doing something better, more enjoyable. Don't know what that could be but I'm sure there's something more "me" out there.
Thus, one of the reasons I'm contemplating getting back into school fulltime this coming Fall. Work on getting one of those degrees I hear can make you a bit more money b/c you proved to the world that you are smart...b/c we all know no one will ever just take our word for it.
I also would like to try and focus on writing more. Now there's a career I'd like to have. Sure it'd be hard at times, but hey, just working a "job" is hard at times for me! I'm struggling just to catch up to where I was before my last job eliminated my position.
I also have a pretty good idea as a basis for a book I want to attempt to write. I don't have any big plans for it or anything, just to first get it written. Perhaps afterwards I'll get some family or friends to read it and see if there's any potential there. All I know right now is this book is in me to write. It's an idea I've had for a while now and I just keep going back to it even as other ideas work there way up.
See, haha, I said ramblings! Let's just say I'm trying to find ways to not work and yet help the day go by. I mean, they have me alphabetizing stacks and stacks of papers. Not horrible sure, but mind numbing. I need breaks to make sure I can still think. But hey, I guess I shouldn't complain too much. The majority of this job allows you to be in your cube working alone. I love that! Don't hover over me and let me work at my own pace. Yeah, that's my speed.
So I pretty much forgot about this place and out of desparation, and sheer boredum at my new job, I was surprised I could get onto this site. They have livejournal, facebook, myspace and almost every other bloody type of site such as these blocked. Hellooooo, I neeeeed my daily escape! So far, at least I can get on here.
Not much excitement in my life. Well, guess I should take that back. *takes deep breath*
I recently moved back in with my mom with the hopes of saving up money so I could get in some traveling and possibly get out and see some other renfests around the US. Well, those plans quickly got dissolved when my position at work was eliminated and thus, all my money went literally down the drain into paying, and still not really paying, bills. I can't really keep up at the moment. But, I do have a new job so as of right now, things are on the up and up. Just waiting for the paychecks to come rolling back in. We'll worry about health insurance once I go permanent. Oh the joys of temp work.
I have two sisters getting married, one of which is having a baby in April. Yay, she'll (baby's a girl) be big enough to dress up and have a bit of fun with at KCRF in the Fall! My other sister is moving back to St. Louis, and while I already have family there, she's one of my biggest renfest goer-with-ers? So, I can actually drag someone along to the StL faire with me! Plus, I hear they have some Pirate thing in the Fall as well! So hopefully from now on, I can have two regular renfests I make it to each year. Hopefully!
Okay, whatelse. Oh, I'm completely depressed by the constant bitter cold and amount of snow we've gotten this winter. Are we being punished for something I don't remember? Or, has Hades really frozen over? I'm so very anxious for Spring, but more so Summer and then Fall b/c Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year!
*Waves* to a few new friends in these parts. I'm sorry I've sucked at not coming around here more often. I literally just sorta forgot about this place. But, now that it's one of the few places I can escape to, I'll be back more...if not, daily! Woooo!
