News Letter Deadline; Yule Tide Ѫ December 7
Solar Tides: Yule Tide ♨ December 22 1:08 est
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973), birthdate.
Author of one of the most influential mythology of modern times was born on this day in 1892. His Hobbit and Lord of the Rings has influence both Fantasy and Science Fiction accross the board.
News Letter Deadline; Brio Sione Ѫ January 21
Lord Byron’s Birthday. January 22,
George Gordon Noel Byron, one of the world's great poets of the 19th century, was born on this day in London, although he was brought up in Aberdeen. Lord Byron’s influence on art, music, and literature is generally believed to be beyond anyone at the time. Outside of writing, his fame surrounded his extravagant living, many love affairs, and financial debts.
Fires Tide; Brio Sione ☉ February 4 1:44 est
News Letter Deadline; Eoster Ѫ March 6
Solar Tides: Eostre ♨ March 20 8:07 est
News Letter Deadline; Beltain Ѫ April 21
Fires Tide; Beli Time ☉ May 5 5:06 est
May 1, 1546
Protestant reformer George Wishart was burnt at the stake by Cardinal Beaton. Wishart’s death precipitated a riot as Protestants stormed St Andrews Castle, the Cardinal’s refuge.
May 1, 1692
Salem Witch Hunt begins: In Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, an Indian slave from Barbados, are charged with the illegal practice of witchcraft. Later that day, Tituba, possibly under coercion, confessed to the crime, encouraging the authorities to seek out more Salem witches.
News Letter Deadline; Lammas Ѫ June 7
Solar Tides: Litha ♨ June 21 2:06 est
June 29, 1786
Alexander Macdonnell and 500 highlanders left Scotland for Canada, near the beginning of what later became known as the Highland Clearances. Between 70,000 and 150,000 people were forced from their homes, leading many to dub it ‘the first act of modern ethnic cleansing’.
News Letter Deadline; Lughnasadh Ѫ July 24
Fires Tide; Lugnasadh ☉ August 7 3:58 est
News Letter Deadline; Mabon Ѫ September 9
Solar Tides: Mabon ♨ September 23 5:51 est
October 6, 1998
The murder of a college student named Matthew Shepherd would become one of the most famous examples of a hate crime in recent history. On October 6, 1998, Aaron McKinney and Russell A. Henderson entered a Laramie Wyoming bar which was known as a place where homosexuals often hung out. The two men left the bar with the company of Matthew Shepherd, who they drove to an open field. After being tied to a fence and beaten within an inch of his life, he was left for dead in the near freezing temperatures. The two men had also stolen his wallet and shoes. Eighteen hours later, he was found by two passing motorcyclists who thought at first that Shepherd was a scarecrow because of the way he was positioned on the fence. Shepherd was flown via helicopter to Poudre Valley Hospital (approximately a ninety mile drive in Fort Collins, Colorado) where he remained in critical condition for several days.
Matt’s gift was people. He loved being with people, helping people, and making others feel good. The hope of a better world, free of harassment and discrimination because a person was different, kept him motivated.
Dennis Shepard
News Letter Deadline; Samhain Ѫ October 24
Fires Tide; Samhain ☉ November 7 3:29 est
November 11, 1918, 11:00; Veterans/Armasist Day;
The First World War ended on Armistice Day ∴ on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month ∴ in 1918.
November 15, 1996,;
The Stone of Destiny was finally returned to Scotland. This stone was traditionally used to crown Scottish monarchs in Scone Abbey, Perth.
December 20, 2002;
On this day in 2005, a remarkable court ruling occurred in the US when Judge John E. Jones III ruled that the Dover Area School District could not teach «intelligent design» in biology class as an alternative to Darwin’s theory of evolution due to it being inseparable from Creationism and thus violated the establishment clause prohibiting promotion of any one religion over another. Intelligent design argues that the evidence around us in the natural world is unexplainable without recourse to non-scientific causes, ie God.