Melina Aslanidou Unplugged

Blue Moon in August

August 2012 is a month with two full moons. And, by popular acclaim, that means it’s a Blue Moon month. That’s because a Blue Moon is sometimes defined as the second full moon in a calendar month. The first full moon is August 1. The second full moon is August 31, 2012.

There are two more definitions for Blue Moon. It can be the third of four full moons in a single season. Or it can be an actual blue-colored moon.

It’s very rare that you would see a blue-colored moon, although unusual sky conditions – certain-sized particles of dust or smoke – can create them. Blue-colored moons aren’t predictable. So don’t be misled by the photo above. The sorts of moons people commonly call Blue Moons aren’t usually blue. For more about truly blue-colored moons, click here.

Now on to folklore’s Blue Moons. Every month has a full moon, and, most of the time, the names for full moons coincide with particular months or seasons of the year. By either definition, the name Blue Moon accounts for times when there happen to be more full moons than is convenient.

Blue moon as second full moon in a month. In recent decades, many people have begun using the name Blue Moon to describe the second full moon of a calendar month.

The time between one full moon and the next is close to the length of a calendar month. So the only time one month can have two full moons is when the first full moon happens in the first few days of the month. This happens every 2-3 years, so these sorts of Blue Moons come about that often.

When is the next Blue Moon, according to this first definition? August 31, 2012.

The idea of a Blue Moon as the second full moon in a month stemmed from the March 1946 issue of Sky and Telescope magazine, which contained an article called “Once in a Blue Moon” by James Hugh Pruett. Pruett was using a 1937 Maine Farmer’s Almanac, but he simplified the definition. He wrote:

Seven times in 19 years there were — and still are — 13 full moons in a year. This gives 11 months with one full moon each and one with two. This second in a month, so I interpret it, was called

Blue Moon.

http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/when-is-the-next-blue-moon

Photos around the world

A montage of 11 pictures showing the moment a tombstoner dived 100ft off a cliff in Cornwall. The unnamed diver was pictured as he leapt from the top of the towering rock face near Penzance. He hurled himself through the air and landed in just 20ft of water below. The stunning image of his dive from the top of the cliff was captured on camera by Alastair Sopp, 25
Picture: ALASTAIR SOPP / SWNS

Day breaks over a misty lavender field in Faulkland, Somerset. The image was taken by renowned landscape photographer Antony Spencer 
Picture: ANTONY SPENCER / CATERS

Over four hours, a team of 12 people in Sydney filled 5,200 cups with 780 litres of coffee and 680 litres of milk to create different shades of brown to make the world's largest coffee mosaic. The picture measured 6.5m x 5.5m and depicted Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe
Picture: NEWSPIX / REX FEATURES

AP Photo 1 day ago A horse wears a 'for sale' notice at the Appleby Horse Fair in Appleby in Westmorland, northern England, Friday June 8, 2012. Appleby Horse Fair has existed under the protection of a charter granted by King James II since 1685. It is one of the key gathering points for the Romany, gypsy and the traveling community. The Fair is attended by about 5,000 travelers who come to buy and sell horses which is held from Thursday to Sunday. The animals are washed and groomed before being ridden at high speed along the 'mad mile' for the viewing of potential buyers.http://www.aliraqi.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=70

400 sheep killed by lightning

UNFORTUNATE SHEEP Four hundred sheep were killed by lightning in the village of Distrato, Konitsa prefecture on Wednesday. The lightning struck as a shepherd was gathering up his flock to put them in their pen in heavy rainfall during a flash thunderstorm. The shepherd was uninjured.

 http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/57468?action=print

Are you dating a Psychopath?

• 1.A history of being abusive in previous relationships. As sweet and nice as a person is, if they have a history of being abusive, they will likely repeat their abusive pattern. It is questionable whether or not abusers can change, even with intense psychotherapy. More often than not, even if an abuser goes through periods of time when they are not abusing you or someone else, they will do it again.
• 2.Quick Involvement or a tendency to move quickly. Saying I love you right away, becoming serious after a short amount of time, pushing you to do things sexually before you are ready.
• 3.Unpredictable mood swings or Explosive Anger. Does he get overly angry at minor things? Or switch from extremes of fawning over you to putting you down?
• 4.Alcohol and drug use. Does your partner’s personality change after they have been drinking? Does he/she have trouble stopping once they have started drinking?
• 5.Cruelty toward animals or children. Big red flag. This is one of the biggest signs that someone is a psychopath.
• 6.Belief in rigid sex roles. Things like ‘women should be seen and not heard.’ In teenagers, this is usually seen in gender slurs or sexist behavior, calling girls ‘bitches’ or ‘sluts’ or saying things like ‘boys will be boys.’
• 7.Extreme jealousy or hypersensitivity. Does the person get jealous of platonic friends, or any other person you spend time with? Does he/she exaggerate situations or make you feel guilty even when you have done nothing wrong.
• 8.Controlling behavior. Does he/she always have to decide plans? Does he/she tell you what you can and cannot wear? Or who you are allowed to talk to?
• 9.Attempts to isolate you from your friends of family. Abusers often try to turn you against friends or family, or make you feel guilty for spending time with other people. This makes you dependent on them.
• 10.Use of force or aggression when in an argument or threats of violence.Hitting, pushing, slapping, kicking, biting….none of this is ok. If your partner hurts you, no matter how sorry he may be later, it is abuse and it is against the law. Threatening to do these things is also not ok.
• 11.Blames others for problems or feelings, inability to take responsibility.Abusers try to make you think that everything is your fault. They “don’t want to hurt you,” or they “didn’t mean to hurt you,” but it is “never their fault.” They can make you feel like you are the crazy one. They often make you feel as if you did something to deserve the abuse.
• **Information based on research collected by theSafeSpace.org and RAINN

Esi h thallasa - Sfakianakis