Friday, December 21, 2007

Winter Solstice--Nerd Style



The earth's axis is pointing away from the sun.

The sun's angle of insolation or where the sun's rays hit the earth is approximately at the Tropic of Capricorn, the furthest tropic line from the northern hemisphere.

Incidentally, the word insolation comes from parts of three different words: in-coming solar radation. Cool, huh?

So you can see that if the angle of the sun's rays are skewed to the south of the equator that we would not have an equal day, but a shorter one or of course my favorite way of putting it: a longer night. Of course when the sun's angle of insolation is at the equator then we get an equal day and equal night, but we're not in the season of either equinox so I won't go into it at this time.

The reason for the season is not actually for giving as they say in a consumer based nation, but because of the tilt of the earth's axis, which is 23. 44 or so degrees. I always found it interesting that both tropics, each on the 23.5 lateral of opposite sides of the equator, and the tilt of the axis were very similar in numbers. It makes sense, but I do wonder if the exact or approximate degree of the tilt of our axis was found after noting the sun's angle of insolation to the tropics. I'm sure smarter people probably wouldn't ask that question because it would be too obvious or even easy to find the answer in an encyclopedia or the internet for that matter, but I like to put those questions out there before checking my sources, because without the question then it's all answers and what fun is that?

Ironically the earth is closest (perihelion) to the sun during our winter, more specifically, I've read it to be the closest around Jan 3rd. It is also true that our winter is warmer than that of the southern hemisphere. It has to do with the Antarctic and the placement of continents and I suppose that the earth's proximity to the sun plays a factor in that too, but I haven't read that yet. I believe the that the placement of continents play a role, because water has a higher heat capacity than soil and rock (continents)........

Enough said! From Nerdville--enjoy the winter solstice!

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Monday, December 3, 2007

Andi does Andy

Psychedelic Santa Claus



The red and white robes of Santa Claus may have come from the colors of the toxic mushroom the fly agaric. Everyone knows that some Christmas decorations and festivities are part Pagan and part Christian. I read that the northern Europeans have contributed to the color of Santa Claus' wardrobe, the Flying Reindeer, the Christmas Tree and the star that adorns the highest bough. In the north, they and their beloved reindeer would eat these toxic mushrooms which brought on hallucinogenic images. Thus, we can presume that the idea of flying reindeer might have been brought on by these hallucinogenic experiences. The particular types of trees that these mushrooms grow on are those of the evergreen species--our beloved Christmas tree! These people saw these mushrooms as fruits of these trees. In addition, the Tree was a very special plant to these people. Seeing it as a link to the underworld in its roots, to the middle earth in its trunk and to the heavens in it's ever skyward reaching branches.
The North Star was also considered sacred, since all other stars in the sky
revolved around its fixed point. They associated this "Pole Star" with the World
Tree and the central axis of the universe. The top of the World Tree touched the
North Star, and the spirit of the shaman would climb the metaphorical tree,
thereby passing into the realm of the gods. This is the true meaning of the star
on top of the modern Christmas tree, and also the reason that the super-shaman
Santa makes his home at the North Pole.

Alice Roosevelt Longworth


Teddy Roosevelt's daughter; Here is a lady that was very intriguing in her time and alas, in our time too--one of my periodical curiosities straight to you...

Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Roosevelt_Longworth for more interesting reading on Mrs. L.