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almanac

ROSS’S ALMANAC for October 2012

Compiled by Kirk Ross

Rolling through the great Midwest recently, it wasn’t difficult to see the effects of an intense, extended drought and realize that while we had a dry spell earlier this year, we’ve been spared from the withering just west of the mountains. There was damaged corn in the fields unharvested and waiting for the spring plows, and the tips of far too many trees were already browned and ready for fall.

We may have escaped some of the severe effects, but not all. The forest floor around here already is scattered with the early adopters of autumn foliage. The trees here took a beating in the warm weather season. Many had just leafed out when late June’s wave of 100-degree days washed over us for a week or two. They may be in a hurry to take their rest. So if you see some fall color, stop and take it in. Dormancy is right around the corner.

Oct. 1 – Sunrise: 7:12 a.m.; Sunset: 6:59 p.m.
Oct. 31 – Sunrise: 7:38 a.m.; Sunset: 6:21 p.m.
Last Quarter – Oct. 8 New Moon – Oct. 15
First Quarter – Oct. 21 Full Moon – Oct. 29

The full moon in October is the Harvest Moon, Blood Moon and Travel Moon.

Planets & Stars
At nightfall, Mars lies low in the southwest. On Oct. 20, Mars appears near the star Antares, which is reddish like Mars and whose name means “not Mars.” Jupiter is in the constellation Taurus the Bull, east of an orange-ish star, Aldebaran, which marks the eye of the bull. Venus dominates the eastern pre-dawn sky, and on the morning of Oct. 3 appears very, very close to the bright star Regulus in Leo the Lion. Mercury and Saturn spend the month buried in twilight glow.
—Amy Sayle, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Significant Dates
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Seafood Month, National Pizza Month and Cookie Month.
• Oct. 4 is National Golf Day
• Do Something Nice Day is Oct. 5
• University Day is Oct. 12
• International Skeptics Day is Oct. 13, if you can believe it
• Oct. 17 is Wear Something Gaudy Day
• National Nut Day is Oct. 21
• Punk for a Day is Oct. 25
• National Candy Corn Day is Oct. 30
• Halloween is, well, you know

Categories
Featured

A different view of The Bull City

by Vicky Dickson

“DURHAM! WHY IN THE WORLD would you want to move to Durham?”

Categories
Featured

Well-Fed Writing

by Vicky Dickson

For Joyce Allen, writing is like breathing. In more ways than one, actually:

Categories
Featured

CAUGHT ON FILM

Local film roundup

by Margot C. Lester
There’s a lot of news on the local film front, so here’s a roundup of festivals, campaigns and other items of interest.

Categories
Featured

FAUNA: The beauties at Bolin Creek

by Mary Parker Sonis

Mary Parker Sonis

Where in nature can we find a creature that lives almost entirely on sweets and its own natural good looks?

Categories
Featured

CAUGHT ON FILM

Actor-Writer-Director Profile: Clark Gregg
by Margot C. Lester

Former Chapel Hillian Clark Gregg is on the TV a lot right now. The New Adventures of Old Christine is now in syndication, and he and his wife, last season’s Dancing with the Stars champion Jennifer Grey, co-star in Road to Christmas, a Lifetime movie in heavy rotation during the holidays.

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Featured

Needed: a nation of health care skeptics

by Vicky Dickson

Dr. Nortin Hadler is on a mission to change the way health care is delivered in this country.

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Arts & Music

SPOTLIGHT: OCSC 10-year anniversary celebration

Poster by Ron Liberti

It’s time to celebrate 10 years of making new friends and reacquainting with old ones in one of Carrboro’s favorite bars. The Orange County Social Club is 10 years old!

Following a weeklong celebration, OCSC will commemorate its 10th anniversary with an extravaganza so massive it’ll span two nights at Cat’s Cradle. The shows, Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15, should prove to be the event of the year for all Carrborites.

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Featured

True stories, through the prism of a mighty imagination

by Vicky Dickson

Those folks who wonder how a prolific writer like Clyde Edgerton keeps coming up with story ideas got some insight from his recent reading and book signing at the Barn at Fearrington, when he told the audience that his “experience, my observation and my imagination go into the making of a fictional story.” In other words, a lot of the stuff he writes about comes straight from his own life.

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Featured

THE EATER: Think Cool Thoughts


by Kirk Ross
As I’ve repeated probably all too often over the years, I don’t say the word “hot” until August. This edition of MILL comes out July 28, and since it is the August issue and the filing date for this column was on a 100-degree day with a heat index of 115, let me say without equivocation that it is hot. Really hot.

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Featured The Eater

THE EATER: A Guide to Eating


by Kirk Ross
2010 catch sees an increase
The report is in on the state’s commercial fisheries 2010 catch, and there’s a surprising increase in the haul, despite higher fuel prices and a rough economy.