Having just experienced various  Christmas Markets  in our European River Cruise, I can identify with the scene today when a driver crashed his car into one in Magdeburg, Germany, killing at least two, leaving more than 50 injured, some critically.  There are supposedly up to 3,000 of these markets just in Germany. This is December 20, 2024, the shortest day of the year for Honolulu, when the winter solstice will occur at 11:20PM.  Interestingly enough, the winter solstice for New York City will occur tomorrow, Saturday, December 21, at 4:20AM.  All this happens because the axis of our Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees. Before the topic of the day, I continue the crisis of what began yesterday.  U.S. House Republicans finally voted on and passed Plan C to avoid a government shutdown.  The Trump clause (Plan B) to abolish the debt ceiling  (he wants to spend money recklessly )  was beaten back by ....REPUBLICANS,  38 of them .  Speaker Mi...

Today,  December 21, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere , which makes it the longest day of the year for places below the equator.  The winter solstice occurs at 10:27 PM ET.  Some countries celebrate this day: Iranians celebrate Yalda, meaning birth or rebirth.  Something to do with the sun god Mithra.  Families gather to eat, drink, read poetry through the night and welcome the sunrise. It's called Dongzhi in China, meaning winter's arrival.  Again, family time, with a hearty meal of glutinous rice balls or dumplings. The Native American Hopi tribe in the Southwest has a Soyal ceremony lasting up to 16 days.  A time for prayer and purification. Japan has Toji, a custom involving taking a hot bath with yuzu, a citrus fruit, and eating kabocha, winter squash, plus foods that contain the "n" sound, like udon.  Why?  Brings good luck. In a  July posting , I said: FAT? SKINNY? NORMAL? APPARENTLY, NO EFFECT ON LONGEVI...