This Day in History - December 8: The Murder of John Lennon

It was on December 8, 1980 that John Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in New York City.

John Lennon was part of the most popular group of the 20th century - The Beatles.  Along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, The Beatles stormed the pop scene in their native Liverpool, England in the early sixties.  They soon incited "Beatlemania" in America where they were known as the "Fab Four."

John Lennon's name will forever be remembered not only for his singing and song writing, but also for his political activism.   In protest of the Vietnam War, Lennon used his fame to make public political statements, organize rallies, and even start his own political party - the Youth International Party.  In 1975, John Lennon took much time away from the music scene and relaxed his political activities to spend time with his wife, Yoko Ono, and his son, Sean.

On December 8, 1980, John Lennon and his wife were entering a Manhattan recording studio when a fan asked him to autograph his album.  John signed it not knowing that this fan, Mark David Chapman, would be his murderer.   About six hours later as John and Yoko were leaving to go home, Chapman pulled out a gun and shot John Lennon to death.  Police arrested Chapman who later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.  Upon the counsel of psychiatrists who diagnosed him as a borderline psychotic, Chapman was denied a parole hearing in 2000.  Chapman is currently imprisoned at Attica Prison in New York.

The Ancient Origins of Halloween

Modern Halloween traditions have origins that date back thousands of years to ancient Celtic civilizations.  The Celts flourished about 2,000 years ago in the regions now known as Ireland and northern France.

The Celtic New Year was November 1.  This day marked the end of the summer harvest and ushered in the cold winter season.  In ancient times, the frigid, damp, dark days of winter were closely linked to death.  On October 31 – the eve of the New Year – the Celts engaged in a celebration known as Samhain (pronounced sow-in).  The Celts believed that it was only on October 31 that the spiritual veil was lifted and the boundaries between the living and the dead became obscured.  During this time, the ghosts of the dead could return to visit their loved ones.  However, evil spirits could also return to wreak havoc in people’s lives and on next year’s crops.  It was on this one night of spiritual liberation that Celtic priests built large ritual bonfires upon which animals were sacrificed to various gods in hopes of gaining favor for the next year’s harvest.  The Celts who participated in the festival of Samhain traditionally wore costumes made from animal hides and heads.  

The Roman Infiltration

By 43 A.D.,    Romans had conquered most of the Celtic territory and many cultural customs had coalesced.  The Romans celebrated a late-October festival commemorating the dead called Feralia.  They also honored Pomona – the Roman goddess of fruit and trees.  Over time and with the amalgamation of cultures, these Roman festivals were incorporated into the Celtic tradition of Samhain.

Christian Influence

By the 9^th century, the doctrine of Christianity had spread to Celtic clans and ultimately replaced most Celtic spiritual practices.  In 1000 A.D., the well-established Christian church officially named November 2 as All Soul’s Day or All-hallows eve.  This day was set aside in honor of the dearly departed.  Most historians believe that this move on behalf of the church was made in an effort to replace the Celtic festival of Samhain with a celebration that was sanctioned by the church.  Similar to the Samhain celebration, the All Soul’s Day festivities included bonfires, masks, and costumes.

All-hallows Eve in the New World

Many of the first settlers that came to America were strictly Protestant and did not celebrate All-hallows eve.  But as more ethnic European groups with looser religious practices came to the new world, All-hallows eve, or Halloween as it came to be known, took on a distinctly American flavor.   Colonists held traditional harvest celebrations, told ghost stories, and played pranks on each other.  But Halloween began to change by the middle of the 19^th century with the arrival of millions of Irish immigrants who were fleeing the potato famine in Ireland.  This influence of Irish culture popularized Halloween nationwide.  Soon people were not only dressing up for Halloween, but they were going house to house collecting “treats” – giving birth to the tradition known as “trick-or-treat.”

The festival that started out as an ancient harvest celebration with great spiritual significance has evolved into a night of spooky fun that is much-loved by American society. 

DIY Holiday Gifts: Making a Terrarium

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to start thinking about the Christmas season.  But there’s no need to break the bank this year.  Just think DIY.

Terrariums

Essentially, terrariums are mini gardens.  They are easy to make and you don’t even have to have a green thumb.  These unusual gifts form their own self-contained environment that is very easy to maintain – even for the most botanically challenged.  Here is what you will need:

• A pretty glass container
•  Potting soil
• Gravel
• Charcoal
•  Rocks, shells, or other ornamental elements
• Plants

Choosing a Terrarium Container

When it comes to making terrariums, you can choose from a number of different types of containers.  They can either be open at the top for cactus plants and other succulents, or they can be closed at the top, creating a more humid environment for tropical plants.  Your container should be large enough to house your growing plants and they should be constructed of clear, smooth glass for the best view.  Fish bowls, mason jars, or even glass tea cups make beautiful containers for terrariums.

Choosing Terrarium Plants

The trickiest part of creating a terrarium is choosing the right plants.  Take into account how much light the terrarium will get.  Will it sit under fluorescent lights in an office?  Will it sit in a window?  Will it be in a relatively dark corner?   Houseplants and cacti are always good choices for terrariums.  If in doubt, ask your local nursery attendant to help you choose small, hardy, slow-growing plants.  You can add interest by picking out plants that have unusual leaf shapes, different heights, and variegated foliage.

Assembling Your Terrarium

Once you have your container and your plants picked out, it’s time to assemble your terrarium.  Here’s how:

• Start by laying down a layer of gravel for drainage.

• Add a layer of charcoal to absorb decaying matter and retard fungus and mold. 

• Put in a layer of potting soil for your plants to grow in.

• Install your plants.

• Add any decorative elements such as rocks, pebbles, marbles, or seashells.

Your terrarium plants will need very little water.  And when you do water, remember to keep it to a minimum.  Just a sprinkle will do. 

  

Add a homemade touch to gift-giving this year by getting creative with do-it-yourself terrariums.  They are simple, fun, and economical to make and they don’t require any special skills to maintain.   Best of all, the one who receives your terrarium will be awed by your talent and touched by the fact that you took the time to make them a gift.

American Politics: Obama's New and Improved 'Gitmo'

 Congratulations!  You, the taxpayer, have just completed financing a beautiful new soccer field – at Guantanamo Bay?  The finishing touches are now being completed on ‘Gitmo’s’ third recreational area – a $750,000 soccer field. That’s right.  In a time of record-breaking deficit spending the U.S. government has decided to spend exorbitant amounts of money on some amenities to make the terror suspects awaiting trial ‘Gitmo’ a little more comfortable
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And, as if that weren’t enough, along with the world-class soccer field, more upgrades have been added, as well.  Flat-screen television sets have been installed complete with dozens of cable channels along with a library of DVDs to choose from.  Also available for the honored guests – I mean, fanatical terrorists – are newspapers from around the world, a large library from which to borrow books, and an array of “enrich your life classes”.  That’s right, just in case their life is not rich enough,

Read more: http://www.infobarrel.com/American_Politics__Is_Guantanamo_Bay_a_Prison_or_a_Resort_#ixzz1xUVWMTWD

Original Articles. Constant-Content.

The History of Earth Day

The first Earth Day was celebrated in the United States in 1970. Instigated by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, the date for Earth day, April 22, was selected because of how it falls in the calender year. Originally an educational day, Nelson wanted to ensure that college classes would be in session on Earth Day.

On the first Earth Day celebration, New York City shut down 5th Avenue. An estimated one million people participated in New York alone.

Earth Day went worldwide in 1990 and is now celebrated in over 100 countries. In Spain, .......


Continue reading on Examiner.com The history of Earth Day - Houston life coach | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/life-coach-in-houston/the-history-of-earth-day?cid=db_articles#ixzz1rx0sW1lx

Original Articles. Constant-Content.

Creating an Online Business through Affiliate programs

There are great many opportunities for you in creating a work at home business that focus on the Internet and working online. One of the best resources for you to find information about this is at www.affiliateprograms.com. You'll want to spend a great deal of time visiting this website because you can find many different affiliate programs that you can market in many different categories. Some of the categories that they have that you can market include finance, food and beverage, automotive, and health and fitness. Take the time to read through each listing because each affiliate program will list their website as well as a small description on what they do and you will want to visit the website as well. If you are going to be spending a great deal of your time promoting a particular affiliate program, you'll want to make sure that this is worth your while. Also, with each of these particular programs, you should look at how much money you would be making by selling each of these products. You'll probably find several programs that appeal to you so see which one peaks your interest and pays well and head for that opportunity.

Fair Warning

Beware of certain opportunities on the internet, however.  Taking surveys posting on free  forums for several hours day may sound good at first, but many people have signed up and found that they have wasted a great deal of time and money doing these activities. Remember to listen to your gut when presented with such "opportunities". There are many work-at-home scams out there so make sure to take your time and research the details.

Wheeler, the German Shepherd - A Rags to Riches Story

We've all heard touching rags to riches stories, but about in the life of a canine?  Wheeler, the German Shepherd was once an abandoned pup wandering the streets of New York.  Like many in his situation, he ended up behind bars at the New York State animal shelter.  Little did he know that his luck was about to change.  According to Petside, Wheeler was adopted by Liz Keller, who works for the Glen Wild Animal Rescue.  Liz saw that Wheeler had potential as a police dog and soon he was enrolled in a rigorous, 20-week training program at the New York State canine division.

Wheeler, now referred to as Sgt. Wheeler, has helped police investigators with tasks such as narcotics detection, cadaver detection, building searches, and tracking.  He even has his own profile page on the New York State Police website.

And Sgt. Wheeler is not the only dog to go from shelter life to a life of fighting crime.  About one third of New York State's police dogs are rescued from shelters.