Happy New Year

Tonight is the Seventh and last night of Kwanzaa. Tonight celebrates Imani (Faith) - To believe with all of one's heart in one's people, one's parents, one's teachers, one's leaders and the righteousness and victory of one's struggle.

Welcome for most of you this is your first time in Dr. Caligari's cabinet. Don't be afraid, other than Cesar, my sombambulist, you shouldn't run into anything too frightening.

Hopefully you didn't enjoy your New Year's Eve celebration too much. While Today in History is retooling for this move, hee's some stuff, you may not know -


... if you didn't get your Farmer's Almanac this year or suffer from lycanthropy, here is your guide to the Full Moons of
2007

Jan. 22 - The Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. In London, impeccably dressed werewolves are often seen on the prowl in search of a dish of beef chow mein. It was also known as the Old Moon or the "Moon After Yule." In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next Moon.

Feb. 21 - The Full Snow Moon. Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very difficult, and hence internet traffic increases threefold. There will be a total Lunar Eclipse visible in US east of the rockies

March 21 - The Full Worm Moon. In this month the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. Just what you want to think about in the morning - worm crap. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. A total lunar eclipse will take place on this night; the Moon will appear to rise will totally immersed (or nearly so) in the Earth's shadow over the eastern United States. The rising Moon will be
emerging from the shadow over the central United States, while over the Western U.S. the eclipse will be all but over by the time the Moon rises.

The first Full Moon of spring is usually designated as the Paschal Full Moon or the Paschal Term. Traditionally, Easter is observed on the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. If the Paschal Moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter is the following Sunday. Which means, Easter indeed will be two later on Sunday, March 23 (fun how that works). This is one of the earlier Easter celebration following the switchover to the Gregorian calendar. Popes get to make these sort of rules.


April 20 - The Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names were the Full Pink Floyd Moon because remember - there is no dark side of the moon - it's all dark. This is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season.

May 20 - The Full Flower Moon. Flowers are abundant everywhere. Usually at your local Korean deli around the corner.

June 18 - The Full Strawberry Moon. Best seen in Central Park, across from the Dakota.

July 18 - The Full Buck Moon, when the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. Again another disgusting image - bone pushing through flesh - for your early morning.

Aug. 16 - The Full Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. Sometimes, a sort of lunar madness occurs during this cycle, when people might chase the full moon with a little chopped egg and sour cream. Please direct these poor souls to Zabar's.

Sept. 15 - The Full Harvest Moon. Always the full Moon occurring nearest to the Autumnal Equinox. This is the time of year, aging Canadian Rock stars will sing full out with their once achingly beautiful harmonies.

Oct. 14 - The Full Hunter's Moon. With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, also other animals that have come out to glean and can be caught for a thanksgiving banquet after the harvest.

Nov. 13, - The Full Beaver Moon (ok stop snickering). Time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Full Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter. (really stop laughing).

Dec. 12 - The Full Cold Moon. In this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest. Also sometimes called the "Moon before Yule" (Yule is Christmas, and this time the Moon is only just before it). Rudolph sometimes gets the night off because of the bright light. The midwinter full Moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low Sun. The Moon will also be at perigee later this day, at 7:00 a.m., at a distance of 221,676 miles from Earth. Very high tides can be expected from the coincidence of perigee with full Moon. Just in case you need to know that.

There are no Blue Moons in 2008. The second full Moon occurring within a calendar month is usually bestowed this title. If you listen closely, you may hear somebody whisper "please adore me," and when you looked the moon may have turned to gold. Either that, or you need to seek medical attention immediately.

(Today in History will take a brief hiatus and resume shortly. I, on the other hand, will remain the same height.)

And so it goes.