Moongazing

Wolf Moon is the name given to the full moon in January.

A total lunar eclipse is called a Blood Moon because of the reddish tint that occurs when the Earth casts its shadows over the Moon.

When the Moon reaches its closest orbital point to Earth, it is called a Super Moon because it appears 10 to 15 times larger than is normal.

Tonight there will be a Super Blood Wolf Moon.  Moonrise is at 5:33 pm EST.  The eclipse begins at 9:36 pm EST, and last until 2:28 am EST.  Prime viewing time is from 11:41 pm EST to 12:43 am EST. 

Might have to bundle up and brave the cold tonight.  Might even do a little howling. 

We Are One

 On this day in 2009, a wide range of top musicians including Mary J. Blige, U2, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, will.i.am, James Taylor, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Shakira, Usher and Stevie Wonder, performed at a concert in Washington, DC, to celebrate the upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America.

 Over 400,000 people flocked to the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall to honor the United States' newest president, Barack Obama, at the We Are One concert celebration. Guest performers chose songs that hailed Obama's election as a positive turning point that would restore a nation crippled by war and financial instability.

 Bruce Springsteen and the Joyce Garrett Singers sang "The Rising," the Boss's post-9/11 anthem about a heroic firefighter. Mary J. Blige sang the Bill Withers classic "Lean On Me." Bettye LaVette and Jon Bon Jovi performed a duet of Sam Cooke's civil-rights proclamation "A Change Is Gonna Come," and Garth Brooks offered a trio of hits: Don McLean's "American Pie," The Isley Brothers' "Shout," and Brooks' own "We Shall Be Free." U2 took the stage with "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" and "City Of Blinding Lights."

 In between the musical entertainment, actors gave readings from historical passages, like Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" speech read by Laura Linney and a portion of historian Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait read by Tom Hanks.

 Shortly after Obama's speech "Voices Calling for Change," that promised hope against the hard times ahead as long as the American people stick together, Beyonce closed the ceremony with a rendition of   "America The Beautiful."

 The concert was broadcast across the globe, with HBO airing it for free in the US, and was screened at the official inauguration ceremony two days later.

On a sadder note, this is the anniversary of the death of Glenn Frey,  founder of The Eagles.

It turns out "Life in the Fast Lane" kills.

Sackcloth 'n' Ashes

I've been a fan of David Eugene Edwards since his days with 16 Horsepower.  Released in 1996, 'Sackcloth 'n' Ashes' was their debut album.