Remember Zeitgeist?

Well here is a follow up: Zeitgeist: Addendum

Cross-Cultural Divinations

Over at Reality Sandwich they take a quick look at a new book, Toltec I Ching, book that analyzes the I Ching along side the American “Long Count” cultures that end in 2012.  Geez, 2012 seems to be very where these days – but this book deserves an extra look.  I don’t think it is claiming any divine prophecy.

Shadows on Saturn’s Rings

New photos from the Cassini space-craft have returned these amazing photos of Saturn’s rings.

“What’s that jaggedy dark stuff behind the brightest ringlet in the image? We’re only a few months away from Saturn’s equinox, the day when the Sun will pass through the plane of Saturn’s rings. So to an observer standing on Saturn’s rings, the Sun is beginning to set, and casting long shadows. We’re seeing shadows cast from structure within Saturn’s rings. COOOOOOOL.”

Read the rest from Emily Lakdawalla at the Planetary Society.

2012 & the Coming of the Antichrist

Now here is an interesting and strange look at the 2012 phenomenon.  2012 and the Anti-Christ?  Judge for yourself: Christ & the Maya Calendar: 2012 & the Coming of the Antichrist.

Happy Noruz!

I would like to wish everyone out there a happy Noruz – or as most of the world knows it by: Happy Vernal Equinox.  Now which one has more of a ring to it?  Noruz is the Persian New Year and I certainly agree that the spring equinox is a much more appropriate new year than January 1sr.  Today the light and the dark are balanced and for the next 6 months t light shall grow.  Plus, spring has always been about re-birth.  So, Happy New Year and Happy Noruz!

10 Things You Don’t Know About The Sun

The Bad Astronomer has a post up citing 10 interesting things about our lovely little star.

Atlantis Found?

The Sun has article up about a set of lines discovered on the sea floor in the eastern Atlantic.  Could this be evidence of the mythical lost civilization of Atlantis?

They exist “Beyond the pillars of Hercules” As Plato referenced.  The Pillars of Hercules are popularly thought to be a reference to Gibraltar.

Of course its in the Sun, so we can take this with a grain of salt.  But the question remains, did Atlantis really exist?

Happy Zhattva Day!

Now I know that this might not apply to many of you, ok probably none of you, but I’ll say it any way: Happy Zhattva day.  Today being my own little holiday: 2/22.  Plus, today always comes about a month before Noruz, bringing with it spring and the start of a new year.  My time for fasting, cleansing and meditation begins at sun down.  Salud!

The Top Stories of 2008

Over at the Daily Grail, they have a run down of the top stories of 2008.  Here are just a few:

• A comprehensive review of ufological news stories for the entire year.
• From Montauk Monster to a dead Bigfoot body, Loren Coleman finds plenty in his hunt for the Top Ten cryptozoology stories of 2008.
• Cabinet of Wonders summarises the ‘Damned Data’ of 2008.
• Billy Cox labels 2008 the “Worst UFO Media Year Ever!“
• Alan Boyle catalogues the weirdest science stories of the year at Cosmic Log.
• The Heavy Stuff features “The Fortean Tinged Links of 2008” as well as the “Top 10 anomalies and hoaxes“.
• Forgetomori takes a more skeptical look at the weirdness of 2008.

Happy New Year!

Here’s to hoping that 2009 will be as weird and enlightening as 2008!

My only question is why do we have to celebrate thew new year in the dead of winter?  At least in Australia they celebrate in the middle of the summer (Sydney above).  I know it has to do with the Roman calendar and the later modification with the Adoption of the Gregorian calendar.  Perhaps it also has something to do with the proximity to the former feast of Saturnalia and the new holiday of Christmas?  Of course December 21st represents the darkes and shortest day of the year, so astronomically speaking the sun does begin to return at this time and thus can be considered to bring with it the dawn of a new year.

However, I find the cultures (such as Noruz in Persia) that celebrate the new year in March (around the vernal equinox) to make much more sense.  At that point spring begins and with it the return to warmth and light in the Northern Hemisphere.  Now that sounds like a reason to celebrate.  Until then I think I’ll keep heading south.