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January 2008
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March 2008

Lunar Eclipse Feb 2008: Photos and International Viewing

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Here on the Eastern coast of North America the total lunar eclipse began Wednesday evening at 8:43pm. The moon was totally eclipsed from 10:01pm to 10:51pm and then was partial again until 9 minutes after midnight. Not that I know any of that firsthand by looking at the sky over my head last night -- it was much too cloudy. In the past one would have just been out of luck and would have had to wait until the next one. But luckily for all of us who could not view this extraordinary event firsthand, there were live webcasts available. Anticipating the cloudy night I had planned to watch the webcast from the Canary Islands. Unfortunately, the observatory there was unable to broadcast due to the cloudy skies. I was able to watch the webcast from Barcelona until about 10:30pm when bad weather canceled their broadcast. I watched the remainder of the event via a broadcast from Argentina. The above image was pieced together from these various webcasts to give you a quick overview of the eclipse.

There are some spectacular photographs you can view at this Flickr pool. There is a great gallery of images from Barcelona (click the "next" button below the image) that covers the eclipse up to 10:30pm and a gallery of images from Argentina. There are many videos available on YouTube, my favorite is this one which shows the view from North Carolina, is set to music and also includes a few long shots that, I think, show Saturn and Regulus.

As the moonlight dims Saturn and Regulus will pop out and sandwich the moon. Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo. Jack Horkheimer, host of the PBS show "Star Gazer," called the event "the moon, the lord of the rings and heart of the lion eclipse."

I do hope you all successfully maneuvered through this eclipse and didn't make any important decisions as we tend to be more emotional and less logical in our thinking during eclipse periods. While we do have to wait until December 21, 2010 for the next total lunar eclipse, we can look forward to August of this year, when there will be a total solar eclipse and a partial lunar eclipse.

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For more go to site:  Lunar Eclipses for Beginners. Two excellent books on this subject: Eclipses 2005-2017: A Handbook of Solar And Lunar Eclipses And Other Rare Astronomical Events , and Eclipses: Predicting World Events & Personal Transformation (Special Topics in Astrology)


Suspect Zero

Suspect Hooray for Netflix which offers me an opportunity to see movies that I missed in the theaters.

Last night I saw Suspect Zero. (2004) which stars Aaron Eckhart (Thank You For Smoking) and Sir Ben Kingsley (just about every great movie).

I will not give the entire plot away because I want you to see it but it has to do with the concept of remote viewing. That is a parapsychology skill that exists in all of us and just has to be exercised. They call it a technical ability which can be learned. It was employed by the FBI during the Cold War as a way to help delve into the minds of adversaries. Essentially one is able to help solve crimes by concentrating and thus seeing into the minds of others. The remote viewer will write their feelings and visions on a piece of paper, perhaps drawing maps or pictures of the scene and often with amazing accuracy. Why does it work? Remote viewing is a part of the work of Noetic Sciences which is dedicated to using new techniques to solve crimes.

The best reason to see it on DVD however is because of the extra material (special features) where the director was asked to engage in a remote viewing exercise. The results are amazing, spooky and exciting. And that is all I'll say until you have viewed the movie and special features too.
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Suspect Zero is available at Amazon: buy the widescreen edition or  buy the full screen edition.


Astrology Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Every Zodiac Sign

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Are you stumped for a clever gift that will amaze and please the recipient? Why not consider someone's sun sign when you go shopping for their birthday gift?

Here is a quick cheat sheet, by astrological sun sign, so that your gifts are never re-gifted:

ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)

Rams love flash and show and love to demonstrate their prowess and strength. Startle your Ram with a bright and shiny gift (preferably in shades of red) that makes them feel numero uno. Generally speaking they will like: jewelry, electronics, books on warfare and adventure, name a star after them, building materials.
Specific Gifts: The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition, Rambo Trilogy (Ultimate Edition DVD, 3-Disc Set)

TAURUS (APRIL 21 - MAY 21)
Bulls love structure, the earth, form and substance. And they also know how to really enjoy life with the best in food, wine and surroundings. Items that are soft, expensive and relaxing will thrill them. Generally speaking they will like: anything edible or drinkable, large pillows, clay objects, a planting kit, something for the kitchen.
Specific Gifts: The Professional Chef, 8th Edition, La First Night

GEMINI (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)
Geminis love to socialize. They are very friendly and flirtative and just loooove to talk. So give them gifts that make them feel like they are in the “know” and surrounded by good company. Generally speaking they will like: books, music, gossip magazines, champagne, scarves, phones, small electronics, party items.
Specific Gifts: The Art of Talking So That People Will Listen, Perfect Date Movies Series

CANCER (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)
Cancers are homebodies who love family, children, genealogy and collectibles. Find something special for them that makes them feel secure and content. Generally speaking they will like: a personalized article of clothing or jewelry, books on genealogy, small collectibles, cozy home items.
Specific Gifts: Burpee : The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener, Pirates of the Caribbean - Curse of the Black Pearl (Collector's Edition)

LEO (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)
Leos are theatrical show-offs who are generous and creative. They love to be the center of attention and are great fun to be around. Can you find them an extravagant over-the-top gift? Try! Generally speaking they will like: books on the theater or arts, scripts, movie paraphernalia, expensive specialty foods, flashy clothes.
Specific Gifts: Living Theatre: A History, Doctor Zhivago (Two-Disc Special Edition)

VIRGO (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)
Virgos are practical but also are known to enjoy a few luxuries like good food. Time pieces and time savings devices are very much appreciated as are books on practical subjects or biographies. Generally speaking they will like: books, watches, puzzles and games, practical clothes and jewelry items, time saving devices.
Specific Gifts: Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography, Zodiac - The Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)

LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)
Libras love harmony, balance and beauty. They are gracious and sociable as well. They appreciate beauty and are attractive to others. Any artistic gift or something that helps them reduce stress would be greatly appreciated. Generally speaking they will like: art books, cosmetics and perfumes, accessories, champagne, a pin-up calendar, books on celebrities or models, aromatherapy products, visits to spas.
Specific Gifts: US Secrets of Celebrity Style: A Crash Course in Dressing Like the Stars, Betty Grable Collection (4 Classic Films)

SCORPIO (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)
Scorpios love mystery, secrets and crime solving. They are also strategic and ambitious and appreciate gifts that help give them insight into themselves and others. But their top trait is sexiness so think intimate and seductive too. Generally speaking they will like: books on getting ahead, mystery and sex, sexy clothing, love potions, good jewelry, books on medicine.
Specific Gifts: 7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club), The Evil Dead (Ultimate Edition)

SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)
Sagittarians are intrepid travelers and love to meet new and interesting people. They are curious and love to have fun. They are also very interested in animals, especially horses, and gambling. Generally speaking they will like: travel guides and travel items, objects from other countries, exotic spices, gambling items, photography, religious and philosophy books.
Specific Gifts: Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips, La Dolce Vita (Deluxe Collector's Edition)

CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)
Capricorns are practical, conservative, professional and ambitious. They work very hard and need something that will help them feel confident and relaxed. They love status items so shower them with the very best to make them happy and fulfilled. Generally speaking they will like: Gold jewelry, books on getting ahead or making money, classic shoes and clothing, upscale magazines and specialty items.
Specific Gifts: Jim Cramer's Stay Mad for Life: Get Rich, Stay Rich, Wall Street (20th Anniversary Edition)

AQUARIUS (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)
Aquarians are humanitarians who fight for the rights of others. They are also fascinated by gadgets and new technology – anything on the cutting edge. They are attracted to the unorthodox so choose your gifts for them accordingly. Generally speaking they will like: masks, books on the political process and conservations, electronics – computers, iPods, nanos etc, posters, t-shirts, anything unusual.
Specific Gifts: The iPod Book: Doing Cool Stuff with the iPod and the iTunes Store, Firefly - The Complete Series

PISCES (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)
Pisces are spiritual, psychic and hopeless romantics. They are very intuitive and creative. Not only do they feel deeply, they can easily become stressed. Find calming things that help them maintain their balance.
Generally speaking they will like: books on ESP, predictions and religion, new age items, flowers, fountains, small statues, aromatherapy oils, candles, crystals.
Specific Gifts: The Healing Promise of Qi: Creating Extraordinary Wellness Through Qigong and Tai Chi, Twilight Zone: The Complete Definitive Collection

FOR ALL SIGNS
Linda Goodman's Love Signs: A New Approach to the Human Heart, 2008 Astrological Calendar: With Horoscopes for Everyone
Her for Her: HerScopes: A Guide to Astrology for Lesbians
Him for Him: Gay Astrology: The Complete Relationship Guide for Gay Men


Moscow's Zodiac Streetlights

Streetlt "Where's Your Streetlight?" Errrr, I Mean "What's Your Sign?"

Streetlights in a Moscow suburb are created out of whimsical renderings of figures of the signs of the Zodiac. Why can't all streetlights be this much fun? The "light" part is not always obvious, but these are all actual streetlights.

I can't decide if my favorite is Capricorn shown here or the Aquarius. Watch the video and then let me know: which one is your favorite?


Total Lunar Eclipse, Feb 20, 2008

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Watch the Total Lunar Eclipse, In Person or Live on the Webcast

Lunar eclipses can only occur at Full Moon, when the Earth is between the sun and the moon, and the moon moves through Earth's shadow. You do not need special eye protection to view a lunar eclipse, just look east on the night of February 20. A partial eclipse begins at 8:43 pm ET, the totality runs from 10:01 pm and ends at 10:51 pm and it is all over at nine minutes past midnight.

If you can't get outside, or your night sky is not clear, go to this web page and click on a link for the live webcast of the eclipse. You'll find lots of information about eclipses at the site including a full explanation, diagrams, schedules of future eclipses and more.

Try to witness this amazingly beautiful show of nature. The moon will change color and take on hues ranging from bright orange and yellow to blood red and dark brown. If you take a great photo, please email it to me and I'll share it with everyone.
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For more go to site:  Lunar Eclipses for Beginners. Two books to consider: Eclipses 2005-2017: A Handbook of Solar And Lunar Eclipses And Other Rare Astronomical Events , and Eclipses: Predicting World Events & Personal Transformation (Special Topics in Astrology)


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