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| Get
them started for the new school year with a gift that
shows how proud you are of them!
Use Coupon Code "backtoschool" for 10% off
from now until September 30, 2007!
High School & College:
Medical School, Nursing, Massage, & Acupuncture:
Mommy Stuff, to reward her now that the kids are
back in school:
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| Earth-Shattering Astronomical Discovery! |
Astronomers have stumbled
upon a tremendous hole in the universe. That's got them scratching
their heads
about
what's just not there. The cosmic blank spot has no stray
stars, no galaxies, no sucking black holes, not even mysterious
dark matter. It is 1 billion light years across of nothing.
That's a giant expanse of nearly 6 billion trillion miles
of emptiness, according to a University of Minnesota team.
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Astronomers have known for many years that there are patches
in the universe where nobody's home. In fact, one such place
is practically a neighbor, a mere 2 million light years away.
But what the Minnesota team discovered, using two different
types of astronomical observations, is a void that's far bigger
than scientists ever imagined.
"This is 1,000 times the volume of what we sort of expected
to see in terms of a typical void," said Minnesota astronomy
professor Lawrence Rudnick, author of the paper that will be
published in Astrophysical Journal. "It's not clear
that we have the right word yet ... This is too much of a
surprise."
Bloggers have speculated that this area was
the center of the Big Bang, since all matter traveled outwards
from that location.
Additional theories wonder if this is the entrance
to another universe, or a parallel universe.
I myself have long held the opinion that our
universe is in fact part of a physical body - like the philosophy
that our universe is an atom in God's fingernail...That's
what actually got me into astronomy in the first place, trying
to disprove
my theory! Our Solar System is an atom with
the Sun as its nucleus. Our Galaxy is a cell. The universe
has an average
temperature of 3° Kelvin, which would be the body temperature.
So this cold void? We've caught a glimpse into the vast body
of which we are a tiny part! |
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- Symbol: Maiden
- Element: Earth
- Quality: Mutable
- House: 6th, Service, Health
- Planet: Mercury
- Color: Green, Blue, Brown
- Body Part: Intestines
- Trait: Precise
- Semi-precious stone: Blue Lace Agate, Peridot
Read
more...
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Mercury is the Ruling Planet of the sixth house of
Virgo. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
A day on Mercury is twice as long as its year! Mercury
rotates extremely slowly but revolves around the Sun
in slightly less than 88 days.
Approximately 3 times a year, Mercury goes into retrograde,
a 3-week period when Mercury looks like it's going backwards
across the sky. When this happens, expect your equipment
to break, you'll have misunderstandings, and travel
will be exasperating.
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The Sixth House, naturally ruled by Virgo, is the home
of work, health, humble service in the world, and domestic
pets. It also relates to military service, domestic
help, health-related professions, and service businesses.
The sixth house is a major focus when exploring health
and healing.
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1. Jupiter turns direct on August 6,
marking a return to enthusiasm for many people. Jupiter
is strongly placed in Sagittarius, giving individuals
with planets in the 10º area of mutable signs an
extra boost of confidence, luck, and opportunities.
This is a good time to start new projects, travel,
and find meaning in life.
2. Mars enters Gemini on August 7, as it squares a retrograde Venus. This combination
may indicate sex scandals in Washington and/or Hollywood. Over the next two
months, the global transportation and communication networks are due for disruption
when Mars opposes Jupiter, squares Uranus, and then opposes Pluto. Watch for
major accidents, sabotage, and technological or weather-related glitches.
3. The U.S. progressed Moon conjunct the Midheaven - exact on August 21, but
in effect two weeks before and after this date. Watch for new trends and historic
events, especially in military affairs, celebrity news, and sports. Famous
Americans will likely pass on during this interval, and we will likely experience
one or more natural or manmade disasters.
4. Lunar Eclipse on August 28 (6:35 am EDT). The Sun and Moon are aligned on
the Ascendant in Washington DC, reflecting the political showdown shaping up
around this time. With Vesta and Jupiter conjunct, religious authorities may
also be in the news.
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| by RICHARD L. HILL
The Oregonian Staff
Set the alarm clock for the wee hours
before dawn Tuesday, August 28, 2007 and head outside.
You'll lose some shut-eye, but the
colorful treat in the southwest sky will be worth it.
Weather willing, a full moon will be aglow with a reddish-orange
hue when it passes through Earth's shadow in a total
lunar eclipse.
Although most of North America will see part of the eclipse,
sky watchers in Oregon and on the rest of the West Coast
will have the nation's best seats for the full 90-minute
show.
Totality -- when the moon is completely within the umbra, the inner shadow of
the Earth -- will last from 2:52 a.m. until 4:22 a.m. The spectacle will be preceded
and followed for about an hour by a partial eclipse as the cratered moon edges
into and out of the umbra.
A total lunar eclipse, which can last
up to 107 minutes, occurs when Earth lines up exactly
between the sun and full moon, casting the planet's
shadow across
the moon's disk. The moon will continue in its orbit toward the west until
it sets at 6:40 a.m.
The moon will display a variety
of colors as it changes from moondust-gray to
coppery red during the eclipse. In previous total eclipses, the moon has
turned brown, orange, crimson and brick red. The color
range is caused by the scattering
of sunlight passing through Earth's atmosphere.
Earth blocks direct sunlight from reaching the moon, but the moon remains
dimly in view because of stray light that is bent as it travels through the
atmosphere.
When the light is refracted through the edges of Earth's atmosphere, the
bluer light is absorbed and the red light gets through to the moon.
"But that's part of the fun of lunar
eclipses -- you don't know quite what to expect," said
Jim Todd, planetarium manager at the Oregon Museum
of Science and Industry. "But it should be worthwhile
for people to get up early."
Unlike solar eclipses in which the sun's rays can damage the eyes, lunar
eclipses are safe to watch with the naked eye. Binoculars and telescopes
will enhance
the view.
For future visitors to the moon, the
Earth during a total lunar eclipse would appear dark
and surrounded by a glowing red ring.
The eclipse occurs
during what early Native American tribes called the
full Sturgeon Moon, when the big fish was easily caught in August.
The
last total lunar eclipse in the Northwest occurred
in October 2004, with the moon appearing burnt orange.
If you miss this one, another
total eclipse
will be Feb. 21.
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On August 28, 2007
we'll have a Lunar Eclipse. What does that mean astrologically?
During a lunar eclipse,
the moon is full, but darkens to a shade of red.
The Sun and Moon are in opposition, and
the Sun is close to the Moon's nodes.
According to Astrology
Weekly, the effects of a Lunar Eclipse last one month
for every hour of the eclipse, and affect the countries
most that fall in the eclipse's shadow.
What will this week's eclipse mean for
you?
This Full Moon, in the 5th degree of
Virgo (Sun in Virgo)and Pisces (where the Moon is),
squares both Mars in Gemini and Jupiter in Sagittarius.
According to Henry
Seltzer, the Sabian
Symbol
for
the Sun's degree, "a man dreaming of fairies" may
presage miracles of new awareness. This is the full
flowering of the impulse from the New Moon and we will
learn from it.
This Grand Cross in mutable signs supports
this. With the Virgo Sun opposite the Pisces Moon,
your practical side is dreaming of just letting go,
freeing you to pursuing your sillier dreams or your
frivolous side.
With Mars in Gemini and Jupiter in Sag,
you're quite likely feel lighthearted, to act on a
whim, or take off on an adventure.
Since the alignment is a Grand Square,
after all, don't take this six weeks and make major
changes in your life.
But do take a long lunch, make an impulse
purchase, do something nice for someone, take time
off to go for a hike or a long walk, take a weekend
getaway, or do something you've always wanted to do! |
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Save Gas!
Do you move your foot from gas to brake to gas to
brake while you drive? If so, each switch costs you money! Jackrabbit
starts and hard brake stops reduce travel time by only about 4
percent — that's
only 75 seconds on a 30-minute trip.
You can increase your gas milage up to 25% simply
by changing your driving habits. It does mean driving like your grandmother,
but if you use these tips you'll put money in your pocket AND reduce
our need for Middle Eastern oil imports by half (Mother
Jones). Not to mention decreasing global warming!
I've become very conscious of my driving habits,
and as a result see all the other cars wasting tons of gas! Braking,
accelerating, and idling are all unnecessary wastes of gas.
- Try to maintain one speed. Traffic lights are timed
so that if you go the speed limit, you'll hit a string of greens.
Instead of going fast and then having to slow
down when you come up on the car behind you, accelerate enough
to get going and maintain that speed. You'll find you'll rarely
speed up & slow down, even as all the other cars do around you.
- If the traffic light ahead of you is red (or has
been green for awhile), take your foot off the gas and coast to the
light. Either you'll arrive just in time for the light to turn green
again without braking at all, or you'll only have to sit at the light
for a few seconds.
- In a parking lot, find a spot at the highest elevation so you
can roll out later. Even better, find a spot without a car or
barrier in front of you so that you can just roll forward to
leave - backing out, braking, and going forward again use gas.
If you have to park a few rows further to get a spot without
being nose-to-nose, it's worth it
- the
extra walk will do you good too!
- We throw gas away when we accelerate fast, turn
on the air conditioning, leave heavy stuff in the trunk,
drive with a roof rack, don't change
the oil, underinflate our tires, roll down the
windows, and when we speed.
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