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Happy Winter Solstice.
This is the shortest day of the year. Ancients recognized the importance of the sun . They often oriented building structures to perform a sundial function and mark this point in the year so their calendar would stay synchronized with nature.
The sun is still important to our lives. Today, take a moment and look up to that ball of plasma 93 million miles or 149.6 million kilometers, or 8 light minutes away, and realize that almost all of the energy keeping you alive originated in it’s nuclear fusion atomic furnace.
... and realize that almost all of the energy keeping you alive originated in it’s nuclear fusion atomic furnace.
Don’t I know it ...
Greetings from Florida!
Mmm…Florida…we only get six hours of good light this time of year, so anywhere that can beat that is ok with me. Bet Rob is having a chuckle at our winters just now, those lucky ol’ convicts…..
Happy Winter Solstice.
This is the shortest day of the year. Ancients recognized the importance of the sun . They often oriented building structures to perform a sundial function and mark this point in the year so their calendar would stay synchronized with nature.
The sun is still important to our lives. Today, take a moment and look up to that ball of plasma 93 million miles or 149.6 million kilometers, or 8 light minutes away, and realize that almost all of the energy keeping you alive originated in it’s nuclear fusion atomic furnace.
We are connected to nature.
Actually, it’s the summer solstice downunder. If you stand outside at I:00PM Eastern Australian Daylight Saving Time and you live on the Tropic of Capricorn the sun is directly overhead and you’ll have bugger all shadow. In Sydney at 34 degrees south you have only a very small shadow.
Just thought I’d mentiopn these facts because not all of us live north of the equator. Wouldn’t want to be hemispherist, would we?
So, happy summer/winter solstice, wherever you are!
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 23 December 2011 01:07 AM
LOL The shoe will be on the other foot.
Just been on the news here that a house in Australia has just made the record books with 337000 bulbs on and around their home for Christmas.
So there is plenty Xmas spirit in your neck of the woods Rob.
I think that might be our house. My partner every year puts hundreds of lights all over the house and garden and the neighbourhood kids and their parents all come by to enjoy them even though ‘that’s the house where the fags live’. We’ve lived in this street for 22 years and have been generally unmolested despite the whisperings about our sexuality. We get christmas cards from the neighbours. Sometimes I feel optimistic about humanity, about dealing with people one on one. However, when you look at us en masse, the picture is depressing. As a species we seem intent on immiserating each other, on self-destruction.
My wish for christmas is that we will try to think of each of the 7 billion of us as if you knew them personally. Then act accordingly in allwe do. Whether it be in your consumption patterns or your vote, think how it will affect your 7 billion friends.
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 23 December 2011 05:53 PM
My wish for christmas is that we will try to think of each of the 7 billion of us as if you knew them personally. Then act accordingly in allwe do. Whether it be in your consumption patterns or your vote, think how it will affect your 7 billion friends.
It’s a worthy sentiment Rob, I hope that more folk will see each other as you suggest, we can all use holiday time as a time to reflect, absent of nonsense.
All the best to you and your loved ones Rob and lets look forward to a new and prosperous year ahead.
