A great work demands great planning!  Aloysius Lilius (1510-1576), an Italian doctor, astronomer, philosopher and chronologist is credited with the creation of the Gregorian calendar and documenting it in a manuscript.  However, it was not until six years after his death, when his brother Antonio presented the manuscript to Pope Gregory XIII (1502-1585), which was then given to the reform commission for modifications by Christopher Clavius (1538-1612).  Clavius, a Jesuit mathematician and highly respected astronomer (whose textbooks were used for astronomical education in Europe and remote lands for over 50 years) became known as the main architect of the Gregorian calendar.  The Julian calendar, which had been used since 45 BC, contained too many days each year and as such, mis-calculated the traditional date of Easter and other Christian holidays which were drifting relative to the seasons of the year.  On February 24, 1582, Pope Gregory decreed the new Gregorian calendar (named for Pope Gregory), to become effective the day after October 4, 1582 (Julian date) - the new date of October 15, 1582 (Gregorian date).  According to Wikipedia, "The switchover was bitterly opposed by much of the populace, who feared it was an attempt by landlords to cheat them out of a week and a half's rent."  Although only a handful of countries initially complied with the Pope's decree, most of the world with the exception of eastern Christendom and Eastern Orthodox countries were using the Gregorian calendar by the end of 1753.  The last country of Eastern Orthodox Europe to adopt the Gregorian calendar was Greece in 1923.  (Source:  www.wikipedia.com)

 

 

Should I shut off the motor when I'm idling my car?  According to the California Energy Commission, the rule of thumb for idling your motor is this:  "If you're in a drive-through restaurant/business line or waiting for someone and you'll be parked and sitting for 10 seconds or longer . . . turn off your car's engine.  Why? For every two minutes a car is idling, it uses about the same amount of fuel it takes to go about one mile.  Research indicates that the average person idles their car five to 10 minutes a day.  People usually idle their cars more in the winter than in the summer. But even in winter, you don't need to let your car sit and idle for five minutes to "warm it up" when 30 seconds will do just fine. 
 
"But you're not going anywhere.  Idling gets ZERO miles per gallon.
 
"The recommendation is:  If you are going to be parked for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine.  Ten seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it.  And when you start your engine, don't step down on the accelerator, just simply turn the key to start.
 
"An alternative to idling is to park your car, walk inside, do your business and then go back to your car."  (Quoted from www.consumerenergycenter.org/myths/idling.html)

 

 

The Nobel Laureates took center stage in Stockholm on December 10th when they received the Nobel Prize Medal, Nobel Prize Diploma and document confirming the Nobel Prize amount from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.  The 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was shared by three individuals:  Harald zur Hausen of Germany "for his discovery of human papilloma viruses causing cervical cancer" and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier of France "for their discovery of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)."  For more information and other 2008 Nobel Laureates, please visit the Nobel website at www.nobelprize.org.

 

 

Myth 1:  Organized Equals Clean.

Fact:  Too many people equate "organization" with the cold, sterile, un-lived-in spaces they see in glossy magazines.  But an organized space is simply one in which the things you need the most are close at hand, the things you need often are easily found, and the things you need rarely are out of the way but easily retrieved when needed.  (Source:  www.mercola.com)

 

 

The following recent recalls were issued by the U.S. consumer Product Safety Commission.  More details can be found at www.cpsc.gov.  Jumbo Snowman Snow Globes (Imp: Hallmark Cards, Kansas City, MO); Candle-Powered Carousels (Imp: Gardener's Supply, Burlington, VT); Alpine Ski Bindings (Mfg: Atomic Skis GmbH, Austria); Evenflo Majestic High Chairs (Mfg: Evenflow, Miamisburg, OH); "Bagi Shumanit" Super Cold Grease Removers (Imp: Fantastic Distributors, Brooklyn, NY); Toro Power Sweep Electric Blowers (Mfg: The Toro Company, Bloomington, MN); Napolean Propane Gas Fireplace Inserts (Mfg: Wolf Steel USA, Crittenden, Y); Century Cookware Stanless Steel Stockpots (Imp: Ocean State Jobbers, North Kingstown, RI); Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner Bottles (Mfg: Dupont, Wilmington, DE); Anthropologie Tin Candles (Imp: Candela Group, New York, NY); GE, GE Profile, Monogram and Kenmore Wall Ovens (Mfg: GE Consumer & Industrial, Louisville, KY); DiNotte Lighting Lithium-Ion Batteries used with bicycle lights (Mfg: AA Portable Power Corp., Richmond, CA); "Wiring a House" 3rd Edition and "Wiring Complete, Expert Advice from Start to Finish" instructional books (Pub: The Taunton Press, Newtown CT).