Tag Archive | Evil Wordsmith

The History of Samhain and the Evolution of Halloween

Photograph by Mukul Soman
National Geographic
on Springwolf Reflections

The Celtic New Year

It’s the start of the Celtic New Year and honors the year that has passed. It is the time when the veil of forgetfulness is lifted between the physical world and the spiritual world. Where the dead are honored and communication with spirit can take place more than any other time of the year.

An article by the Library of Congress states:
Pagans divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.

With the coming of Christianity in the 800s AD, the early Church in England tried to Christianize the old Celtic festivals. Pope Boniface IV designated the 1st of November as “All Saints Day,” honoring saints and martyrs. He also decreed October 31 as “All Hallows Eve”, that eventually became Hallow’een.

Scholars today widely accept that the Pope was attempting to replace the earlier Celtic pagan festival with a church-sanctioned holiday. As this Christian holiday spread, the name evolved as well. Also called All-hallows Eve or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day).

Visit Springwolf Reflections and learn more about the History of Samhain, a widely celebrated Holiday. Whither you follow the traditions of Samhain or the non-secular celebrations of Halloween; we hope you have a fun and safe night!

Spooky Celebrations

Oct29

Merry Samhain or Happy Halloween

What ever your celebration we hope you have a safe and happy one!

NFL Week 8

Oct27

greenbay Evil’s Take on the NFL This Week

If the bug is back, I ain’t fixin’ it. I got 12 of 13 games last week. Too bad the gambling went south, thanks to the horrifying beat downs, the lines were blown away this week.

My take:

Continue reading →

2012 Week 7 Results – Week 8 Picks

Oct25

Spring and The Prince Check The Scores

Well last week wasn’t as bad as the week in the Twilight Zone. I improved my average thankfully. A quick review, I’m ecstatic that my Titans won over Buffalo. I didn’t pick them, but I don’t mind loosing that pick! I’m glad that New Orleans look like they woke up and decided “Hey we’re in the regular season now”. And they must have called Green Bay and told them to hurry up and catch the plane to St. Louis. I honestly didn’t think they’d show up. But I’m glad they did, even though we lost that pick too.

All in all, it looks like a lot of teams that should have been winning this year have decided it’s time to wake up and get to work. Maybe the week in the Twilight Zone scared enough of them that they stopped thinking they’re too good to show up against “lesser” teams and decided they actually have to play against these hungry guys and do what they’re paid to do.

So here’s the results from last week. Even though he was picking from gut feeling last week, the kid didn’t do so bad for someone who doesn’t watch football. Continue reading →

NFL Week 7

Oct18

Football In The Twilight Zone
1988 NFL Divisional Playoff Game

Evil Makes his Picks

Well there was a bug in the software, doubt that was why I was making great picks though. Either way I think I fixed it, what with making 6 games and gambling dropping right back to break even.

Usually Twilight Zone week is week 4. Guess Rod Serling was busy that week. Twilight Zone football occurred this year in week 6.

My take on Week 7:

Continue reading →

NFL Week 6 Results and Week 7 Picks

Oct18

Spring and The Prince Review Last Week & Make Their Picks

Let’s not spend time reviewing last week. It was football in the twilight zone. What in the world happened? How did Cleveland lose to Cincinnati? The Lions really beat the Eagles IN Philly? Say what? And there’s no way Arizona should have lost to Buffalo. Was it a full moon or something? Did the planets align in reverse order? There wasn’t a Friday the 13th. Perhaps the Probability Drive on the Heart Of Gold kicked in and turned the football into a pot of petunias. It was a miserable week in the twilight zone, that’s for sure.

The final result of which is killing my average from last year. The Prince however ended the week at 50%. Not bad for making his picks on gut instinct. He seems to have totally abandoned his method of picking the animal over the non-animal. And the bigger animal over the smaller animal. He still has some commentary about that, but it no longer weighs as heavily on his decision. He still picks from loyalty however. I don’t think he’ll ever pick against his Eagles. He really likes that bird. Continue reading →

Talladega Brings Out The Humor In Smoke

Oct13

Talladega October 2012

2012 Fall Race – The Big One

It seems racing at Talladega brings out the funny side of Tony Stewart. Matt Kenseth won the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 when “The Big One” happened on the final lap as the #14 driven by 3-time Champion Tony Stewart was racing hard against Kenseth’s #17 on the high side of the track.

Tony was coming down to protect his position, when Michael Waltrip had a big run on the inside line of cars. Tony thought he was clear, telling reporters after the race “It’s my fault. I take 100 percent of the blame. I was trying to win the race and stay ahead and Michael got a big head of a steam. I turned down across the front of his car. It was a mistake on my part, but it made for a bad day for a lot of other guys.” Continue reading →

NFL Week 6

Oct13

Evil’s Picks:

My picks have been suspiciously good here this year. Makes me wonder if there’s a bug in the software.

My take:

Away	Home	Away	Home	Favorite	Line	O/U
Pittsburgh	Tennessee	21	21	Pittsburgh	1	42
Oakland	Atlanta	20	26	Atlanta	6	46
Dallas	Baltimore	17	24	Baltimore	7	40
Cincinnati	Cleveland	19	20	Cleveland	1	38
St. Louis	Miami	17	23	Miami	6	39
Indianapolis	NY Jets	18	25	NY Jets	7	43
Detroit	Philadelphia	21	26	Philadelphia	4	47
Kansas City	Tampa Bay	21	21	Kansas City	0	41
Buffalo	Arizona	20	27	Arizona	7	47
New England	Seattle	25	21	New England	4	46
NY Giants	San Francisco	19	24	San Francisco	5	43
Minnesota	Washington	22	22	Washington	0	44
Green Bay	Houston	22	22	Houston	1	44
Denver	San Diego	18	27	San Diego	9	45

Continue reading →

Nascar Reinstates AJ Allmendinger

Oct13

A.J. Allmendinger

Allmendinger Gets A Second Chance

On Tuesday, Nascar announced they have reinstated AJ Allmendinger after successful completion of the sanctioning body’s Substance Abuse Policy Road to Recovery program.

This marks the first driver to enter and complete the program since its inception. ‘Dinger failed a drug test on June 29 at Kentucky Speedway. He was put on temporary suspension July 7 when the “A” sample of his urine specimen tested positive. That suspension became indefinite on July 24, after AJ Allmendinger’s “B” Sample Tests Positive.

Allmendinger’s business manager, Tara Ragan, said was an unspecified stimulant, adding that the results “were within nanograms of accepted standards.”

On August 7th Allmendinger told Marty Smith in an exclusive interview, he tested Positive for a Prescription Drug, Adderall. AJ tells Smith: ” he had been out in Louisville, Ky., the Wednesday before the Quaker State 400 race at Kentucky Speedway and was tired. A friend, Allmendinger said, handed him a pill and stated it was a workout supplement that would give him energy. Allmendinger ingested the pill.” That pill turned out to be Adderall, according to Allmendinger. Continue reading →

Looking Through A Kids Eyes

Oct11

Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy

What The Universe Looks Like – When You’re 9

We’ve made mention here before about the advanced reading of our son. When he was in 3rd grade he was tested at school for his reading and comprehension ability. As all kids are. Our little Prince was scored on a 12th grade reading level. Ok, we knew he was smart; but he’s still a kid.

This year his reading ability is so high, the school test can’t score his reading ability. So they’re saying he’s on a college level with his reading. Now there are good and bad sides to this. The good side, he’s smart and when he wants to know something he goes to Google and he reads about it. His interests lean toward science and computers. The first webpage he book marked was a page that discusses the periodic table.

The bad side is that it’s hard to find books for him to read for his homework that aren’t too easy and will still keep his interest. His favorite books are “Hank The Cowdog” by John Erickson. Now these aren’t real hard books to read, but they aren’t really written for kids. Mr. Erickson has a history of saying he didn’t intend these books to be for children. But kids love them! And adults too. They really are hilarious and not in a childish way. Continue reading →