IT’S TODAY: In case you wanted to keep track, the winter
solstice occurs at 7:22 p.m. EST today – the shortest day of the
year.
After glancing out the newsroom window to see dark skies for the
past few weeks, it’s a relief to know it’s going to start going the
other way – however slowly.
In astronomy, the solstice is one of two times a year when the
sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator, the
great circle on the celestial sphere that is on the same plane as
the earth’s equator.
In our northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs when the
sun shines directly over the tropic of Capricorn.
We learned all those cool facts on the Internet. We also
re-learned that the winter solstice is actually the pagan origin
for many celebrations at this time of year, most notably, of
course, Christmas.
THOSE PILLS: Corky Galloway writes about those yucky cod liver
oil pills:
“I recall the relief I felt when the gelatin capsule became
readily available. Prior to the availability of the capsules, every
winter Mom gave me regular doses of the God-awful tasting real
thing that came in big brown glass bottles.
“When it was time for the treatment, a wedge of lemon or orange
would be prepared, as if that would cut the taste, to suck on
immediately after the tablespoon of fish liver oil was dumped
unceremoniously in my mouth.
“It helped a little to hold your nose during the ordeal. Spring
was always more welcome after several months of taking your
medicine so you could grow up strong and healthy. Must have worked
as those events were back in the thirties.
“Seasons Greetings to all at The Era.”
More on cod liver oil in a later column.
OUR TEST: Neil Hoffmier makes a salient point: “The ‘civics’
test is really great however you forgot the ‘testor’ must be able
to ‘press one for Spanish, press two for Arabic, press three for
Somolian, press four for English, etc.’ And, really, why bother to
become a citizen when you can live in Florida the rest of your
life, illegally, and get all the government freebies, free?”
