--牌九--

牌九是古代中國傳統骨牌遊戲的一種，玩法是依據兩扇骨牌點數的不同組合，來比較大小，以決勝負。據說牌九始於宋代。舊時主要以牌九來賭博，因此中華人民共和國建立後政府將其取締。

牌九，即排出九的數目之意。牌九最大的對牌「至尊寶」，兩牌點數相加就是九點。近代有人將牌九這遊戲演化，以撲克牌來玩，玩法與骨牌牌九類似。

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~http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/牌九

--The Mafia Italian [Cosa Nostra & Camorra] --

The Mafia (also known as Cosa Nostra) is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid 19th century in Sicily. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct. Each group, known as a "family", "clan", or "cosca", claims sovereignty over a territory in which it operates its rackets – usually a town or village or a neighbourhood (borgata) of a larger city. Their primary activity is protection racketeering, but they are also involved in drug trafficking, loan sharking, and liquor and cigarette smuggling.
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Offshoots of the Mafia emerged in the United States, during the late 19th century, following waves of Italian emigration (see American Mafia) but also in Canada and Australia. The term "Mafia" is also employed to name Mafia-type organizations operating under a similar structure, whether Sicilian or not; such as the Camorra, the 'Ndrangheta, the Stidda or the Sacra Corona Unita, as well as foreign organized crime groups.
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However, Giovanni Falcone, the Antimafia judge who was killed by the Mafia, objected to the inflation of the use of "Mafia" to organized crime in general: "While there was a time when people were reluctant to pronounce the word 'Mafia,' … nowadays people have gone so far in the opposite direction that it has become an overused term … I am no longer willing to accept the habit of speaking of the Mafia in descriptive and all-inclusive terms that make it possible to stack up phenomena that are indeed related to the field of organized crime but that have little or nothing in common with the Mafia."
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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia
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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camorra

--Boxing Day 2010--

Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or 27 December, and is observed in Australia, Austria, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and in some Commonwealth nations that have a mainly Christian population. In South Africa, the public holiday 26 December is called Day of Goodwill, in Ireland St Stephen's Day or Lá an Dreoilín, and in continental European countries the "Second Christmas Day."

Though not an official holiday in the United States, some Americans use the term "Boxing Day," particularly those who live near the Canada – United States border. In Canada, Boxing Day is listed in the Canada Labour Code as an optional holiday. Only the province of Ontario has made it a statutory holiday where all workers receive time off with pay.

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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day

--Happy Xmas (War Is Over)--

--Christmas Carol 2010--

~http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMB10wwmWrU

--冬至 2010--

冬至，又稱「冬節」、「賀冬」，二十四節氣之一，每年12月22日前後，太陽到達黃經270°時開始。

《月令七十二侯集解》：「十一月中，終藏之氣，至此而極也。」《通緯·孝經援神契》：「大雪後十五日，斗指子，為冬至，十一月中(夏曆)。陰極而陽始至，日南至，漸長至也。」

此日太陽幾乎直射南回歸線，北半球白晝最短，北極圈呈永夜狀態，南極圈呈白夜狀態，其後陽光直射位置向北移動，白晝漸長。由於太陽輻射到地面的能量仍比地面向空中發散的少，所以在短時間內氣溫繼續降低。天文學上規定冬至為北半球冬季的開始。

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~http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E5%86%AC%E8%87%B3

--Total Lunar Eclipse 2010--

Both lunar and solar eclipses can only occur when the Earth, Sun and Moon are directly aligned… and that alignment is about to happen just four days before Christmas! While the winter treat of totality will lend itself to North America, many other parts of the world will be able to enjoy a partial eclipse as well. Just remember your time zones and I’ll post specific times and locations just a little closer to the date. Right now, let’s learn more!

What is a partial eclipse or totality? When the Earth‘s shadow engulfs the Moon, it is a lunar eclipse which occurs in two phases. The outer shadow cone is called the penumbra and the dark, inner shadow is called the umbra. A round body, such as a planet, casts a shadow “cone” through space. When it’s at Earth, the cone is widest at 13,000 kilometers in diameter, yet by the time it reaches the Moon it has narrowed to only 9,200 kilometers. Considering the distance to the Moon is 384,401 kilometers, that’s hitting a very narrow corridor in astronomical terms!

As a rule of thumb, remember that the Moon moves about its own diameter each hour, so the very beginning of a penumbral eclipse will be difficult to notice. Slowly and steadily, the coloration will begin to change and even inexperienced eclipse watchers will notice that something is different. The Moon will never completely disappear as it passes through the Earth’s umbral shadow cone, either. Thanks to our atmosphere bending the sunlight around us, it scatters the light and refracts the signature red and copper coloration we associate with lunar eclipse. Why? Just the small particles in our air – dust and clouds – the shorter wavelengths of light from the Sun are more likely to be scattered (in this case, red) and that’s what we see. Exactly the same reason sunset and sunrise appears to be red! If you’d like to dedicate a portion of your mind to science, then try judging the eclipse coloration on the Danjon scale. It was was devised by Andre Danjon for rating the overall darkness of lunar eclipses:

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~http://www.universetoday.com/81716/total-lunar-eclipse-december-21-2010/