Equinox Fall Answers, Checkers Day

★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
September 23, 2013

Equinox Fall Answers, Checkers Day

Today’s Quote:  Life Starts All Over Again When It Get Crisp In The Fall – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

★~   Equi-nox Fall Answers 

Equinox Fall Answers, Checkers Day

On Monday we celebrated  the September equinox, one of two days during the year that neither the North nor South Pole is angled toward the sun, resulting in a day and night that are almost exactly equal. Today we are celebrating the first full day of Fall!

(Groan if you must, I’ll toast myself with another Pumpkin Latte!)

★~ Checker’s Day:

Equinox Fall Answers, Checkers Day

Senator Richard Nixon had to give the biggest speech of his political career on this date in 1952.  Nixon’s role as Dwight Eisenhower’s running mate in the presidential election was in jeopardy, because of questions about a fund used to help him pay campaign expenses.  In a live, televised address, Nixon claimed that he would keep just one gift to his family:  a dog named “Checkers.” The speech saved his spot on the Republican ticket.

Nixon speech quickly became known as the “Checkers” speech, and went on to be one considered one of best speeches in American political history. One might argue President Clinton topped him a time or two.

 ★~ Today in History:

Big Chill, Equinox Fall Answers, Checkers Day

♥~ 1846 – Planet Neptune was discovered by German astronomer Johann Galle.

♥~ 1848 – John Curtis produced the first commercially available chewing gum, which he called ‘State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum’.

♥~ 1967 – The Box Tops from Memphis hit #1 with The Letter. The song was #1 for four weeks and remained on the charts for 13 weeks.

♥~1969 – Nixon went on to be elected president in 1968, the year that protesters rioted outside the Democratic Convention in Chicago. Eight organizers of the protests went on trial, starting on September 23rd, 1969.  When the judge ordered a separate trial for defendant Bobby Seale, the protesters became known as the “Chicago 7.”

♥~ 1971 – The Honey Cone scored their second gold record with Stick-Up on the Hot Wax label. It was a follow-up to their #1 smash, Want Ads(June 12, 1971).

♥~ 1983 –  Bobby Seale’s (Chicago 7 ^)  name was used in a punchline in the college-reunion movie “The Big Chill,” which opened the New York Film Festival on September 23rd, 1983.  That was the 36th birthday of “Big Chill” cast member Mary Kay Place, also known for her role as a country singer on ”Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.”

★~Famous Birthdays:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/fRgWBN8yt_E[/youtube]

♥~ 1800 – William Holmes McGuffy educator, author: McGuffy Readers [122 million copies sold as of 1999]; 4th president of Ohio University; died May 4, 1873

♥~ 1930 – Ray Charles (Robinson) ‘The Genius’: Grammy Award-winning singer: Georgia on My Mind [1960], Let the Good Times Roll [1960], Genius of Ray Charles [1960], Hit the Road Jack [1961], I Can’t Stop Loving You [1962], Busted [1963], Crying Time [1966], Living for the City [1975], Lifetime Achievement Award of 1986, I’ll be Good to You [w/Chaka Khan – 1990]; What’d I Say, One Mint Julep, Take These Chains from My Heart, You Don’t Know Me; actor: The Blues Brothers, Ballad in Blue, Limit Up; died June 10, 2004

♥~ 1943 – Julio Iglesias singer: To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before [w/Willie Nelson]; Guinness Book of Records: sales of more than 100 million copies of 60 LPs in five languages; soccer: professional goalie [Spain]

♥~ 1949 – Bruce Springsteen ‘The Boss’: singer: group: E-Street Band: Born in the U.S.A., Born to Run, Hungry Heart, Dancing in the Dark, Cover Me, I’m on Fire, Glory Days, My Hometown, War; songwriter: Blinded by the Light [Manfred Mann’s Earth Band], Fire [The Pointer Sisters]; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [3-15-99]

★~  Equinoxes Gallimaufry:  

Equinox Fall Answers, Checkers Day

Beginning last night – around 10:29 pm EDT, to be precise – the Earth reached a point in its orbit known as the equinox, where the sun shines directly on the equator, favoring neither the Northern nor Southern Hemisphere. For just one day, both hemispheres of the Earth experience 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness, before parting temporal ways.

For the 90 percent of humanity living north of the equator, the autumnal equinox  ushers in crisper days and longer nights. For those in the Southern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox means the promise of spring. Six months from now, the equinox will once again equalize the distribution of the sun’s rays for one day only, before launching the Northern Hemisphere into spring and the Southern Hemisphere into autumn.

The great sandstone monoliths at Stonehenge in southern England are said to mark the autumn and spring equinoxes, as well as the summer and winter solstices, the longest and shortest days of the year respectively.

Many historians believe the massive rock formation was erected under the supervision of astronomer-priests as an astrological calendar to alert ancient people of the optimal time to begin planting, harvesting, and breeding cattle.

More than 5,000 miles away, the ancient Mayans constructed their own celestial calendar on a limestone plateau in the northern region of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. At the center of Cichén Itzá – once a major Mayan metropolis – a four-sided stone pyramid known as El Castillo reaches 79 feet up into the heavens.

More than 1,000 years after its construction, thousands of people still gather around El Castillo during the equinox to witness a mesmerizing trick of light and shadow. As the sun sets, a series of triangular shadows align in such a way that a diamond-backed snake appears to slither down the stairway of the pyramid.

Halfway around the world, some Aboriginal Australians appear to have also used rock formations to observe Earth’s orbital milestones. An egg-shaped ring of more than 100 basalt boulders appears to mark the equinoxes and solstices. Archaeologists, astronomers, and Aboriginal advisors have only recently begun to delve into the significance of this formation, which is believed to have been created by the Wadda Wurrung people.

Many ancient pagan religions held ritual celebrations and sacrifices around both equinoxes. Some historians believe that Christian Easter and the Feast of St. Michael (Sept. 29) were originally scheduled to coincide with these established festivals

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Vickie (our friend and camp helper) is running camp at home for the morno while my teen and I take a field trip to Prairie Wolf Dog Park with a couple of our Day Campers. I’ll finish my Pumpkin Spice Latte before we arrive. Cole decked out my van with a PVC paper towel holder after the banana-chocolate empanada incident (which I will share about later, but you can imagine) the paper towel holder may be one my favorite van modification features.  I’ll take a picture.

Wishing everyone a terrific Tuesday. But if Tuesday falls short of your expectations feel free to rant – It’s Rant Tuesday!

Odd Loves Company,

8 thoughts on “Equinox Fall Answers, Checkers Day

  1. Morno,
    And you groan at my puns.
    Looks like we are both up and at early this Morno. Breakfast with the Chamber of Commerce. I may have some rants later.
    I’m looking forward to making the most of a long fall. Golf Courses are pretty this time of year.
    Have a good one.

    • I do groan. But mine are brilliant.
      A long fall would be great. I love fall temps and I bet it’s a great time to golf.

  2. Big Chill. I loved that movie.
    I’m more of a springtime person but I do enjoy the change of seasons. Interesting information about the Equinox. I could use a paper towel holder in my van.
    Have a great day. I don’t comment often but I always read El Morno.

    • Great Movie, I agree.
      My paper towel holder is wonderful. I wonder why every car doesn’t have one. So handy.
      Thanks for reading El Morno and your comment is always welcome!

  3. The Big Chill remains my favorite movie –right up there with The Breakfast Club and Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. 🙂 Didn’t you need to know that?
    It is fall although this morning it did not feel fall like at all. This afternoon and evening—we are getting there. I like fall but not what “fallows”.

    • I’ve never seen Shawshank Redemption. The Green Mile -No. Breakfast Club I loved it along with Big Chill. I guess I am two for two. I did need to know that about you.
      Fallows? Well done.

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