Valentine's Day Lowdown

Let's start with the city of Valentine, Nebraska. You might want to book a "Sweetheart Package" at the Rosebud Casino Hotel, or visit the Valentine National Wildlife Reserve located 25 miles south of Valentine on Highway 83 to see Beavers and Sandhill Cranes. "The 71,500 acre refuge was established in 1935 to create a sanctuary and breeding area for migratory birds and a variety of wildlife."



I'm not sure if the founding fathers of Valentine actually named their town after the Patron Saint, but we must give a nod to the man who actually inspired Valentine's Day. Apparently he was a Roman priest under the rule of Emperor Claudius II in the 2nd Century AD. He ignored the ruler's edict not to marry Christian couples, and ended up beheaded. Could that be the origin of the old saying "losing your head to love"?



Unfortunately Al Capone and his band of hoodlums gave a sinister taint of infamy to February 14th by orchestrating the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago. He succeeded in ending "Bugs" Moran's control of the North Side, but the foul deed brought more unwanted attention from the Federal government that ultimately led to his demise.



Here's a nice idea for a unique gift instead of the usual chocolates, sweets, and flowers. For approximately $145 U.S. you can give your Valentine 2 acres of Brazilian Rain forest. This is sponsored by the World Land Trust, and they'll throw in a box of Green and Black's Fair trade chocolate to boot!


Don't forget your Valentine this year and remember...

"The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love."
~ Henry Miller

Batman vs. Superman

Superman is a hero for bright eyed optimists and youngsters, but Batman is the real deal. He's far more human than Superman - well actually he is human, and Superman is really an alien from the planet Krypton. As a human Batman doesn't really have any powers, unlike Superman whose powers are so fantastic and unbelievable that they appear comical at best. Batman has to deal with his human limitations and fragile vigilante psyche in order to mete out vengeance on the bad guys, but Superman is never really at risk. He can crush criminals with trivial use of his powers, and not even break a sweat. The only trait they really share is that of extreme loneliness. One torn asunder from his native planet and fellow beings by a planetary cataclysm. The other driven into isolation and paranoia as a child by the tragic death of his parents at the hands of street thugs. What's the point here? Stick with Batman. He's complex and conflicted like the rest of us. He's estranged from others and alienated from society, but still wants to right wrongs and make a difference. Superman is just being righteous while cleaning up the bee hive.

Tazmanian Devil Syndrome

Do you know anyone with TDS (Tazmanian Devil Syndrome)?

This disorder is characterized by:

Voracious appetites for food, power, sex and money

Prone to manic outbursts and hyperactivity

Poor impulse control

Strange cravings for rabbit meat

Extreme body gyrations and gesticulations when aggravated

Frequent, loud, unintelligible vocalizations

Ability to destroy a hotel room in seconds

Many Rock Stars, talk show hosts, and politicians suffer from this affliction. A transient form of this condition can often be seen in male teenagers. Contact your local TDS society or support group for more information, and please give generously by sending donations to the TDS National Foundation.



Seasons Under The Sun is not affiliated with or endorsed by Warner Bros. Inc. Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies characters and all related slogans and indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros., Inc. The materials provided herein are intended solely for the personal use and enjoyment of the general public. The use of such material falls under Fair use provisions.

Led Zeppelin?

This Band was reviled by many when they debuted. Rolling Stone Magazine panned their first Album. Parents cringed when their teenaged sons blew out the family Stereo with Ramble On.

No matter, their Disciples knew that genius was lurking behind the wild riffs and soaring Robert Plant vocals. Jimmy Page is the undisputed Champion of Acoustic/Rock guitar, creating techniques that have yet to be equalled.

Sadly, after a twelve year run up to 1980 or so it was all but over. They lost their beloved ground breaking Drummer John Bonham to Vodka poisoning in 1980, and essentially disbanded, except for a few sporadic performances since.

Their body of work is still relevant today, and music evolution since the Seventies has revealed the true genius behind their songs. 

Find and play a few Led Zeppelin tunes. It may open up your own creative soul beyond the music.

E-Cigarette Anyone?

1. a cigarette-shaped device containing a nicotine-based liquid that is vaporized and inhaled, used to simulate the experience of smoking tobacco.

"more smokers are turning to electronic cigarettes to help them quit smoking"

Whatever sporadic cigarette smoking that I've tried was done years ago, but when on Vacation, I admit to having the odd craving for a Camel, or some equally repugnant strong cigarette (one reason I should avoid Vegas!). This has led me to consider the whole E-cigarette fad, and whether that would be a good alternative to satisfy the occasional nicotine craving. The main component of these devices is electronically vaporized, liquid nicotine often combined with other chemicals or flavoring elements. Presumably there are fewer toxic chemicals in the vapor as compared to regular cigarettes, but the product is unregulated and has not been rigorously studied in terms of health outcomes. There's no second hand smoke, but second hand vapor may not be harmless either. It's hard to believe that there wouldn't be some adverse effect on the lungs by inhaling concentrated nicotine. Children may be at special risk, as nicotine may slow the growth of the adolescent brain.
So I suppose it's buyer beware at this point, and avoiding temptation seems like the best option - In Vegas or not.
Get more information on E-cigarettes at How Stuff Works: 10 facts about e-cigarettes.

Guest Author Invitation

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The story can be on a topic of your choice, and you can include photos too. Of course you'll retain sole copyright to the article, and you're free to publish it on your own site as well. We won't censor any submissions, but will simply publish the first few reviewed stories that we like. This is a standing invitation to submit an article with no deadline. The stories will be published on the day of approval, and will link to your site. Each story will be on the main page as the most recent top post for at least two days, and will be permanently archived at this site as well unless you prefer otherwise. This should be a Win/Win proposition, and may have special appeal for novice bloggers trying to get established, or writers who may not have a website or blog to publish at. We look forward to reading your posts!

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