Just An Inconsequential Comment

Just an Inconsequential Comment

I was going to leave you a comment,
Tom says they don't really matter,
they said the same for ratings,
Gather keeps them 'round for fodder.
Nothing matters no more 'ceptin' ad, umm
(oops, I really meant to say "page"), views.
But how would you ever know, today
I viewed your article or picture if
I didn't leave an inconsequential comment?

The Year of the RAT - Your Chinese Zodiac

Chinese Year 4705 - 2008 Gregorian The Chinese calendar is lunar based and begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Tonight's new moon brings about Chinese New Year 4705, or 2008 in the Western calendar. This is the Year of the Brown Earth Rat. This year of the rat begins a new 12 year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. Rats are water signs and it is said that they make a very good match for monkeys and dragons, but do not get along well with rabbits, horses and roosters. The brown earth influences of this year also make oxen a favored friend of the persevering rat but add conflict to the year as the elements of earth and water seek a balance - especially during the early part of the year. In China, it is said that there are few poor rats. It is considered very auspicious to be born in the year of the earth rat. Babies born under this sign are intelligent and hard working. They are intelligent, curious, sociable born leaders who do well in any group, but value ties with family and close friends more than social contacts. The earth influences balance the rat's water nature for those born in this year making them able to control the flights of intellect that often draw the rat away from a good course. The selfish and calculating aspects of the rat are toned by the nurturing earth force. These are leaders to be followed with trust and good partners for a life filled with good fortune. The rat is clever, sometimes too clever. When mixed with the passion and charm of this sign, the rat can be manipulative as a life partner or business associate. The ability to initiate new ideas and work hard to reach a goal led the rat to the first place of honor at the side of Buddha. These are traits that bring success in both business and personal affairs. The rat's stone is the deep red garnet, the color of joyful celebration. It signifies the loyalty and passion of the most honorable traits of the sign that will rule the year ahead. The names of the earthly branches of the Chinese Zodiac have no English counterparts and are not the Chinese translations of the animals. Alongside the 12-year cycle of the animal zodiac there is a 10-year cycle of heavenly stems. Each of the ten heavenly stems is associated with one of the five elements of Chinese astrology: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. The elements are rotated every two years while a yin and yang association alternates every year. The elements are thus distinguished: Yang Wood, Yin Wood, Yang Fire, Yin Fire, etc. These produce a combined cycle that repeats every 60 years. This year is Yang Earth. The last time the earth rat was seen as the ruling influence was February 10, 1948 - January 28, 1949. Baby boomers who were born under this sign will be celebrating their 60th birthday looking back on many years of good fortune and looking ahead to many more. Since the Year of the Rat begins a new cycle, remember that decisions made during this year will carry long term consequences. Do not make changes without careful planning especially during the beginning of the year.

What year were you born in the Chinese zodiac calendar? Browse the calendar to find your birth year and more about your Chinese zodiac sign :

Rat 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008 Ox 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009 Tiger 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010 Rabbit 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011 Dragon 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012 Snake 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013 Horse 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014 Sheep 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015 Monkey 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016 Rooster 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017 Dog 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018 Pig 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019

Giants Win the Pennant! Giants Win the Pennant! Giants Win the Pennant!

Giants Win the Pennant!

Ooops...wrong team, wrong game...must be having a M*A*S*H flashback :-()

The Giants win Super Bowl XLII 17-14 over the Patriots!

With heavy betting favoring that Brady and his New England cohorts, who were undefeated - 18-0 - through the regular season and two playoff games, would win their fourth championship in six years, the game went off with the Patriots giving 12 points to the Giants. The Giants entered the championship game having won 10 straight on the road, and began the season as a 20:1 favorite to win the Super Bowl in the Vegas sports books.

Curious bit of trivia: This Super Bowl was played at the University of Phoenix Stadium. University of Phoenix is an private institution of higher learning known for its online and evening business classes...the school does not have a sports program much less a football team! The stadium name is misleading, but is actually quite common in the world of corporations and municipal sports venues, it is located in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale and is the home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and plays host to college football's BCS Fiesta Bowl.

Bare in the Air

You've heard of the Mile High Club...maybe you're even a card-carrying member...but...would you go butt-naked at 30,000 feet?

Flying the friendly skies skye-clad is back in vogue!

Yes, "back", as in bareback, and also as in "has returned"!

A new airline called Bare Air, following in the barefoot steps of the former U.S. charter airline Naked Air, has been launched by a German firm with a series of nude flights for those travelers "with nothing to declare but their immodesty."

Naturist holidays are an old tradition amongst Europeans. Naturism, or FKK "free body culture" as it is known in German, was banned by the Nazis but blossomed again after WWII. Clothing-optional resorts are becoming more popular with American vacationers too, as witnessed by the increasing numbers of Caribbean and Mexican resorts catering to adult couples. So why not fly skye-clad if you're going off to a week of sun and fun at a nude resort?

"Everybody flies naked and nobody worries."

Bare Air will be flying direct to Baltic Sea nudist resorts. Back in 2003-2004, the charter service Naked Air partnered with Castaways Travel and flew out of Miami to the Mexican resorts of El Dorado Resort & Spa, Hidden Beach Resort and Au Naturel Club near Cancun.

"Naked Air - where the only thing you wear is a seat belt."

Passengers are to remain clothed until they have boarded the plane. However, it does bring up the question that if you are selected for a strip-search at the security checkpoint, do you have put your clothes back on...

Sorry to disappoint any voyeurs, but the flight crews will be keeping their uniforms on.

And to the relief of those cowering in horror under they desk reading this - these flights are "Adult Only"...hmmm...all the more reason to book a seat on this airline!