On This Day
837 – Halley’s Comet makes its closest approach to Earth at a distance equal to 0.0342 AU (5.1 million kilometres/3.2 million miles).
Halley’s Comet or Comet Halley, officially designated 1P/Halley,[2] is a short-period comet visible from Earth every 75–76 years.[2][10][11][12] Halley is the only known short-period comet that is regularly visible to the naked eye from Earth, and thus the only naked-eye comet that can appear twice in a human lifetime.[13] Halley last appeared in the inner parts of the Solar System in 1986 and will next appear in mid-2061.[14]
Halley’s periodic returns to the inner Solar System have been observed and recorded by astronomers around the world since at least 240 BC. But it was not until 1705 that the English astronomer Edmond Halley understood that these appearances were reappearances of the same comet. As a result of this discovery, the comet is named after Halley.[15]
During its 1986 visit to the inner Solar System, Halley’s Comet became the first comet to be observed in detail by spacecraft, providing the first observational data on the structure of a comet nucleus and the mechanism of coma and tail formation.[16][17] These observations supported a number of longstanding hypotheses about comet construction, particularly Fred Whipple’s “dirty snowball” model, which correctly predicted that Halley would be composed of a mixture of volatile ices—such as water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and dust. The missions also provided data that substantially reformed and reconfigured these ideas; for instance, it is now understood that the surface of Halley is largely composed of dusty, non-volatile materials, and that only a small portion of it is icy.
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Born On This Day
1900 – Arnold Orville Beckman, American chemist, inventor, and philanthropist (d. 2004)
Arnold Orville Beckman (April 10, 1900 – May 18, 2004) was an American chemist, inventor, investor, and philanthropist. While a professor at California Institute of Technology, he founded Beckman Instruments based on his 1934 invention of the pH meter, a device for measuring acidity (and alkalinity), later considered to have “revolutionized the study of chemistry and biology”.[1] He also developed the DU spectrophotometer, “probably the most important instrument ever developed towards the advancement of bioscience”.[2] Beckman funded the Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, the first silicon transistor company in California, thus giving rise to Silicon Valley.[3] After retirement, he and his wife Mabel (1900–1989) were numbered among the top philanthropists in the United States.[4]
FYI
NASA: Astronomy Picture of the Day
https://youtu.be/pwi0I7uyWyU
James Clear: 3-2-1: How to divide your to-do list, and the universal nature of writing
By Sarah McDermott, BBC News: The guitarist who saved hundreds of people on a sinking cruise liner
World Press Photo 2022: Global Winners
The Power of the Heart
Most of my adult life, I’ve thought of my heart as just an organ in my body that thrived on low-cholesterol foods and occasional daily exercise. I also believed if I didn’t take care of my heart, I would die early, the way my father did at age 56.
My view of my heart, however, changed recently when I watched a film by Drew Heriot, the director of the movie The Secret. I knew that this new film would be special because Drew and Author/Producer Baptist de Pape had come together to create a movie that was 5 years in the making. I planned my week around watching the movie, picking a Saturday afternoon when I would have time to lock the front door of my condo, turn my phone off and sit on my hardly ever sat upon sofa. What I forgot, however, were the tissues. Nobody told me that I might need them, too.
As the film began, I was swept into a story of a young samurai and his quest for heaven, as he was living in his own private hell. He sought out the help of a sage who guided him on a journey of self-discovery, a journey from his head to his heart.
As the film progressed, the samurai and I were guided and mentored by some of the most influential spiritual teachers of our time, including Paulo Coelho, Mark Nepo, Immaculee Ilibagiza and Isabel Allende, to name a few. Dr. Maya Angelou told me “If you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Don’t fill your time with trivia.” She smiles. “Simply do nothing. Simply sit. Don’t do anything and you may be able to hear your heart.” I leaned in closer to the screen and also learned from Maya that I can actually talk to my heart. I asked myself: If I could hear my heart, what would it say? When my heart finally answered, would I have the courage to listen and, better yet, do what my heart was telling me? I soon realized that my heart needs more than a low- fat diet and exercise; it needs to be nurtured.
Eckhart Tolle, another film co-creator, joined me on this wonderful Saturday afternoon journey, telling me that The Power of the Heart will connect you with who you are at the deepest level. Like many people, I have done some personal work over the last 30 years to figure out how to do this, and now I finally understood that the journey to connect with myself lies in my heart, not in my head. That Saturday afternoon I also learned about the scientific proof, through the Heart Math Institute, that my heart is much more than a physical organ. As we live through our heart, we can actually transform our views of money, health, relationships, and success. The heart is an inexhaustible source of love and wisdom that far surpasses that of the mind. I am fully on board.
As I witnessed the emotion of the samurai and the teachers in the film, I heard tales of great hardship and even the horrors of war (physical and self imposed). I learned that I can forgive others, as well as myself. I found myself thinking of all the times I was mad at someone. Did it really matter? What toll did it take on my body, and whom did that welled-up anger serve? In the end we discover the power of forgiveness and the healing it brings not just to us but to the world as well.
I reached for another tissue. I was not sad. I was moved. Maybe I was becoming enlightened, as years of anger and self-doubt were being understood and examined as I continued down the path with a now-expanding heart.
As your journey begins, if you find the courage to ask your heart the questions, your heart will surely give you the answers you need to go forward. Relationships will heal. You will find grace in forgiving an enemy, and you will realize it is okay to just sit and be. Don’t we all want to see the good in people? The Power of the Heart calls us to explore ourselves and discover the treasures we hold in our chest, revealing that with an open heart anything is possible.
By the end of the movie I became a Samurai, changed forever. I found hope that I can mend my strained relationship with my daughter. I learned that total strangers can complete bucket lists and that my heart is more than a glob of tissue pumping in my chest.
My heart opened, and I was speechless. I resolved to sit on the couch more often. Needing a good five minutes to reflect on all the lessons I learned in 90 minutes, I was glad I locked the door and turned off the phone. As the credits rolled for The Power of the Heart, I realized my journey from my head to my heart is just the beginning and a wonderful way to begin my 57th year.
Michele Cohn
Creative Director
Beyond Words Publishing
Michele works very closely with Baptist de Pape. De Pape explores the realm of the heart and what it means to live from that space, rather than living merely from the head. This change of emphasis led directly to some astonishingly synchronistic events.
From his spiritual awakening blossomed the concept of a movie in which he would interview the leading spiritual teachers, authors, and scientists of today. Baptist went on to film and become good friends with many of his interviewees and was generously helped by Gary Zukav, Eckhart Tolle, Maya Angelou, Isabel Allende, and others. For more on the film, please visit: http://www.beyondword.com/product/the-power-of-the-heart-DVD
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Recipes
By Momos75: Fennel Cream Soup With Beet-cured Salmon, Spinach, Rye Crispbread and Salsa
By mary.shivers.7: Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Soup With Everything Crescent Twirls
By Lisa Kaminski, Taste of Home: 60 Easter Dinner Recipes for Small Celebrations
Just the Recipe: Paste the URL to any recipe, click submit, and it’ll return literally JUST the recipe- no ads, no life story of the writer, no nothing EXCEPT the recipe.
DamnDelicious
RecipeTinEats
- Prawn cocktail mini tacos January 24, 2025Prawn cocktails, in canapé form! These one-bite mini tacos are fantastic finger food, and you’ll love the nifty trick for making the miniature taco shells – just use an upside-down muffin tin! Prawn cocktail mini tacos Though you’ll catch me eating the leftover prawn filling by the spoonful, the star of today’s recipe, is not... […]Nagi
- 8 minute Lebanese Pizza – chicken mince recipe! January 22, 2025Invented in pursuit of more interesting ways to use chicken mince, today’s recipe is a SOS take on lahmacun, Lebanese pizzas made with flatbreads topped with a thin layer of meat. Astoundingly fast to make, and extremely versatile – use any ground meat, add vegetables, and endless topping options! Dear Lebanese nationals Dear Lebanese nationals,... […]Nagi
wikimedia
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for January 24 January 24, 2025Picture of the day A local train from Arosa to Chur crosses the Langwieser Viaduct, Langwies, Switzerland. The train is hauled by an ABe 8/12 "Allegra" EMU
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for January 23 January 23, 2025Picture of the day Actress Mitzi Akaha 2024 at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Today kicks off the 41st edition of the famous festival.
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Stump the Bookseller is a service offered by Loganberry Books to reconnect people to the books they love but can’t quite remember. In brief (for more detailed information see our About page), people can post their memories here, and the hivemind goes to work. After all, the collective mind of bibliophiles, readers, parents and librarians around the world is much better than just a few of us thinking. Together with these wonderful Stumper Magicians, we have a nearly 50% success rate in finding these long lost but treasured books. The more concrete the book description, the better the success rate, of course. It is a labor of love to keep it going, and there is a modest fee. Please see the How To page to find price information and details on how to submit your Book Stumper and payment.
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