A Lunar Show You Won't Want to Miss!
On the night of, February 20, 2008, look to the sky. You might not believe what you see.
A total eclipse of the Moon (i.e. Lunar Eclipse) will provide a picturesque spectacle that won’t be repeated again until 2010.
Starting
at 8:43 p.m. EST, the Moon, will pass into the Earth’s shadow and seem
to darken or disappear A little more than an hour later, during the
darkest phase of the eclipse, it will turn a coppery red
This
remarkable site will be visible to roughly three billion people,
residing in the Western Hemisphere, as well as most of Europe, western
Asia and Africa.
“This total eclipse of the Moon is one for
the record books,” reveals Joe Rao, Atronmer for the Farmers’ Almanac,
which publishes an array of lunar charts in its annual publication and
web site. “North America will be in the right place, at the right time
to observe this incredible sight.”
He noted that the last lunar
eclipse on August 28, 2007, was much more visible to those residing in
Eastern Australia and New Zealand.
The Moon will enter the
Earth's umbral shadow at 8:43 p.m. EST and become totally immersed by
10:01 pm EST. Totality ends at 10:51, and the Moon will be completely
free of the umbra at 12:09 a.m. (for other time zones, make the
appropriate corrections).
During the totality phase of the
eclipse(the period when the Moon is totally immersed within the Earth’s
dark umbral shadow) the Moon will form a striking triangle
configuration with both the bright star Regulus, and the planet Saturn;
the only one of its kind occurring within the next millennium!
Saturn
will be the bright yellowish-white "star" shining above and to the
Moon's left; and on the Moon’s upper right side will appear the bluish
Regulus, which is one of the 21 brightest stars in the sky.
“But don’t worry, the moon won’t go totally dark,” Rao said.Thanks
to the combined light of all the sunrises and sunsets occurring around
the world at the particular moment when the totality phase of the
eclipse is happening, the Moon will appear to turn a coppery or reddish
color.
Since the atmosphere acts like a lens and refracts or
bends that ruddy light into the Earth's dark shadow, the Moon will take
on an ochre hue during the darkest phase of the eclipse. So instead of
completely vanishing, the Moon will seem to hang in the sky, resembling
an eerily illuminated mottled ball
DTV Converter Box Coupons
The government’s DTV coupon program can save you up to $80. Here’s how to get coupons.
By Steven Sande, Digital TV Facts
The DTV converter box coupon program can help you save your old analog TV
set without breaking the bank. Two coupons, each worth $40, can be
requested by any U.S. household during the initial phase of the program.
If you watch over-the-air broadcasts on a conventional TV, using an antenna, a DTV converter box will be needed after February 17, 2009.
How can I get my coupons?
Requests
for digital-to-analog converter box coupons will be accepted by mail,
through a toll-free phone number, or through a government web site,
beginning January 1, 2008.
When can I request a coupon?
Not yet, unfortunately. Requests will be taken from January 1, 2008, through March 31, 2009.
You
may want to request DTV converter box coupons as early as you can,
because the program might not have sufficient funds to meet the demand.
Cable, satellite
or other pay-TV subscribers, especially, should not delay, because
their eligibility will lapse if the initial funding becomes depleted.
(If you subscribe to a pay-TV service, you probably will not need a DTV
converter box unless you also own an analog TV that is not connected to
the service.)
Can I pre-order a coupon?
No.
The program will not accept coupon requests before January 1, 2008,
according to the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA), the federal agency that administers the voucher
program.
Who can request a coupon?
Initially, all households in the U.S. and its territories are eligible.
If
the DTV converter box coupon program exhausts its $890 million coupon
budget, a second phase (providing an additional $510 million) will
begin. During the second phase, households that receive cable,
satellite or other pay television service will no longer be eligible to
receive coupons. The remaining coupons would be available to
over-the-air viewers only.
The limit is two coupons per household, each good for $40 off the price of a digital TV converter box.
The
coupon program is for households only. Businesses, offices, schools,
non-profits organizations or other entities are not eligible to
participate.
What counts as a household?
Under the government’s definition, a “household” consists of all
persons who currently occupy a house, apartment, mobile home, group of
rooms, or single room that is occupied as a separate U.S. postal
address. (Even if multiple families share the same household, the limit
remains two coupons worth $80 in total. For example, if your family
shares a house or apartment with your parents, the whole lot of you
will still be limited to two coupons to divide among yourselves.) If
you live in an apartment or other multiunit dwelling, each unit with a
separate postal address can request two coupons. A post office box does
not count as a household, although a P.O. box is acceptable as a
mailing address in rural areas without home postal delivery.
Is the coupon program restricted based on income?
No.
The DTV converter subsidy program does not include a “means test,” so
any otherwise eligible person may request a coupon regardless of income.
Where can I use my coupon?
You
can redeem your DTV converter box coupon at any store (including an
online retailer) certified by the federal government to participate in
the program.
May I combine the coupons?
No.
By law, only one coupon may be used per DTV converter you purchase. You
may not combine two coupons toward the purchase of a single converter
box.
If the DTV converter box costs less than $40, can I pocket the difference?
No.
The coupon’s maximum value is $40 or the price of the DTV converter
box, whichever is less. (Unlike a gift card, the converter coupon will
not retain any stored value if your purchase costs less than the
coupon’s maximum value.)
So if you happen to find a DTV
converter for less than $40, you cannot receive the remainder in cash.
You can’t get a store credit, either.
When I request my coupon, what information will I need to supply?
When you apply, you are required to provide your name, address and the number of coupons you need (maximum: 2).
Some applicants may need to provide additional information:
•
As noted, if the DTV coupon program exhausts its initial funding, a
second phase begins. Because cable, satellite and other pay-TV
customers are excluded from phase two, applicants will then be required
to certify they do not receive those services.
• An applicant
residing in a rural area that lacks home postal delivery (including
some American Indian reservations and Alaska Native villages) may be
asked to provide information about the physical location of the
applicant’s household.
How will the coupons be distributed?
DTV converter box coupons will be mailed, along with terms of use, via the U.S. Postal Service.
What will the coupon look like?
The
appearance of the actual coupon has yet to be determined. It will be
made of either plastic (with an appearance similar to a gift card,
possibly) or paper. In either case, the coupon will be capable of
storing electronically encoded data used to track transactions.
Do the coupons have an expiration date?
Yes. DTV converter box coupons expire 90 days after being placed in the mail by the contractor that operates the program .
May I use my coupon to buy any converter box?
No.
Only certain DTV converter boxes are eligible. The permitted models are
basic, stand-alone devices, certified by the federal government based
on technical specifications and features.
If you are uncertain
whether a particular converter box (or “digital TV adapter”) is
eligible, ask a retailer that carries it. Stores and online merchants
are not allowed to accept coupons for ineligible converter boxes or
other devices.
Can a coupon be used to purchase a DVR or DVD player that includes a digital tuner?
No. The coupons may only be applied toward the purchase of a basic, stand-alone, government-certified DTV converter box.
Some
manufacturers offer high-end converter boxes that include a DVD player
or recorder, or a digital video recorder (DVR). These feature-rich
boxes are ineligible for the coupon program.
• Read more: DTV Converter Box Alternatives
Can converter-box coupons be applied toward the purchase of a digital TV or HDTV?
No. Television sets are not eligible for the coupon program.
If I need to return my DTV converter box, can I get a refund?
The
coupon program’s rules permit you to exchange your DTV converter for
another box—either the same model or another that is approved by the
program. You may not exchange it for other merchandise.
If you
want a refund, the program allows the retailer to refund to you only
the portion of the purchase price not covered by the coupon.
Your ability to return or exchange the box may be further limited by the retail outlet’s return policies.
What if I’ve already bought a DTV converter box—can I use a coupon to get $40 back from my previous purchase?
No. Coupons must be presented at the time of purchase.
What is the toll-free number for DTV converter box coupon information?
The
number is 1-888-DTV-2009. The DTV phone line, provided by NTIA,
currently offers a brief recorded message about the converter box
coupon program. The phone line is not yet staffed, and it does not
accept messages.
This post has been edited by an administrator
Adam Pyrka gets annoyed when Americans don't remove their hats when the national anthem plays. He also get frustrated when he hears criticism of the Iraq war.
But he doesn't say anything. After all, it's a liberty that Pyrka, a Marine, fought to defend during his seven-month tour in Iraq.
"Everybody is entitled to their opinion," Pyrka said. "If someone wants to speak their mind, who am I to judge what they are going to say?"
He usually walks away. "I believe what I did was right ... but that's their right (to voice their opinion), it's the right of living in the United States."
Pyrka enlisted in the Marines shortly after graduating from Jackson High School in 2001. His unit, the 1st Battalion 8th Marines, arrived in Iraq in July 2004. Four months later, he was part of the monthlong mission to take back the insurgent stronghold in Fallujah.
"We fought street to street, house to house, room to room," Pyrka said.
His unit was ambushed the first night of the battle; "We walked right into them. They were waiting for us."
The firefight lasted 15 minutes. Grenade shrapnel grazed Pyrka's left cheek.
"Everything seemed so surreal to me at the time," Pyrka said. "Nothing could compare to what was going on ... . It was very intense."
He received his Purple Heart on Nov. 9, 2004, in Fallujah.
Coming home in June 2005, Pyrka asked for no help from counselors, medical professionals or job searchers. He hasn't had the nightmares, depression or flashbacks he's heard other veterans struggling with.
Now 25, Pyrka recently finished the six-month-long Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy and is working for local construction companies until he gets an offer from a local police department.
The only challenging adjustment he's had to make, Pyrka said, was "going from being told what to do with a very limited free time ... to having your own choice to what you want to do."
But that's part of living "in the best country in the world," he added.
ADAM PYRKA
Age: 25
Service Branch: 1st Battalion 8th Marines.
Rank: Corporal
Location in Iraq: Fallujah
Served: June 10, 2001 to June 10, 2005
Hometown: Jackson Township
High School: 2001 Jackson High School graduate
Would anyone just love to have a son or brother with such a proud outlook on life?
