Mined Over Matter

NASA / NOAA

Leap Day: The Story Behind This Quirky Calendar Event

26 FEBRUARY 2016       SPACE.COM       JOE RAO

Monday is Feb. 29 -- the bisextle of "leap day," an artifact that dates back to the year 46 B.C. 

Back then, Julius Caesar took the advice of the learned astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria, who knew from Egyptian experience that the tropical year (also know as the solar year) was about 365.25 days in length. So to account for that residual quarter of a day, an extra day -- a leap day -- was added to the calendar every four years. 

This new "Julian" calendar was used throughout the Roman Empire and by various Christian churches. At that time, February was the last month of the year. 

Initially, in order to make a proper transition from the Roman calendar (which had 355 days and which was basically a lunar calendar) to the Julian calendar, and to get the months and various feast days and holidays back into their normal seasons, 90 extra days into three temporary months. 

One month was added between February and March. Two other months (Intercalaris Prior and Intervalaris Posterior) were added after November. The end result was a year that was 15 months and 445 days long, and was nicknamed Annus Confusionus -- the Year of Confusion. 

... The Julian calendar worked so well at first that many countries adopted it. Unfortunately, it was flawed, being 0.0078 of a day (about 11 minutes and 14 seconds) longer than the tropical year. 

So, the Julian calendar introduced an error of one day every 128 years, which means that, every 128 years, the tropical year shifts one day backward with respect to the calendar. This made the method for calculating the dates for Easter inaccurate. 

As a result, bu the year 1582 -- thanks to the overcompensation of observing too many leap years -- the calendar had fallen out of step with the solar year by a total of 10 days... Read More

5 Chick Houseplants and How to (Finally) Keep Them Alive

26 FEBRUARY 2016       VOGUE       BROOKE BOBB

On one Particularly wintry morning during New York Fashion Week, all eyes were fixed not only on the clothes and the Wyeth furniture at The Row presentation, but also on the spectacular plants dotting the showroom, which included aloe, succulents, and banana trees arranged by EriN Design.  Months before that, Brother Vellies designer Aurora James showed Vogue the eclectic arrangement of hanging vines and fiddle leaf fig trees in her apartment. In the fashion and design worlds, there seems to be afascination with the houseplant and the idea of the 1970s-era interior jungle.

If you're not ready to commit to an entire jungle, just a houseplant or two will make a real statement in your home, as long as you know how to properly care for it. There's really nothing sadder than a sagging palm with browning leaves. Tassy de Give knows this well; she's the co-owner of Sprout Home, a lovely and thoughtfully stocked florist and garden design studio in Brooklyn. Here, De Give shares five chic starter plants and her expertise on how to give each the perfect amount of love and attention. Read More

How to Rock the Stud Earring With the Subtle Sophistication of Sienna Miller

"Larkspur & Hawk's garnet-inspired piece with rose-gold setting has a warm quality, while Ippolita's button version in topaz and yellow gold offer a modern take on high-society style."

26 FEBRUARY 2016       VOGUE      EDWARD BARSAMIAN, BROOKE ELY DANIELSON

Admittedly, one of the main reasons we're looking forward to Sunday's Oscars red carpet is all the dazzling jewelry moments it will undoubtedly bring. From Lupita Nyong'o's Fred Leighton tiara to Margot Robbie's larger-than-life Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, this is a night that rewards in blinged-out spades. But translating these ideas into something wearable beyond awards night is entirely different...

... Here, eight pairs for maximum wattage with a sophisticated finish. View / Read More

Your Spring 2016 Perfume Personality Quiz

25 FEBRUARY 2016       VOGUE       MACKENZIE WAGONER

Today in Milan, Jeremy Scott provided another playful take on bad-girl dressing for Moschino, with up-to-there denim shorts, fishnet tights, and handcuff belts aplenty. It's a formula he's distilled to a near science, and the latest Moschino fragrance, Fresh Couture, with its citrus, bergamot, and white flower notes mingling in an ersatz Windex-like bottle, is, quite literally, on the nose. But this sunny, heady take on scent (which plays nicely with hairspray, we might add) is not for every rule breaker. What of the moodier introverts, who sway more Simpsons than SpongeBob?

For these artists, baristas, and graphic designers, Comme des Garcons's latest fragrance, Dot, is the olfactory equivalent of Rei Kawakubo's voluminous shapes and unexpected textures. Its wearer can meditate on the woodsy allure of osmanthus flowers, brightened with pepper and grounded with frankincense, while they trim their asymmetrical bobs. All of which is to say: This season, your fragrance can be a as uniquely you as your wardrobe. The only question is which one should you wear? Take the quiz to find out. Read More 

CL - Hello Bitches

ON

Once Were Dragons

Edgar Mitchell, Sixth Astronaut to Walk on the Moon, Dies at 85
5 FEBRUARY 2016       SPACE.COM       ROBERT Z PEARLMAN

Edgar Mitchell, who 45 years ago became the sixth man to walk on the moon, died on Thursday (Feb. 4), the day before the anniversary of his lunar landing.  He was 85.

... "He was a hero in the clasical sense," Karlyn Mitchell, the astronaut's oldest daughter, said in statement.  "Though he fulfilled  his childhood dreams while still a young man, he managed to sustain an aura of excitement by evolving and reinventing himself.  He never tired of encouraging others to strive and explore." 

"My brother and sisters consider ourselves so blessed to have had the Dad we did," added Kimberly Mitchell, oldest of his adopted children.  "He was incredibly generous with his heart and his brain, making each of us a better person because we knew him and were shaped by him."  Read More

Apollo 14 moonwalker Ed Mitchell poses next to the 

American flag that he and Alan Shepard planted on the 

moon in February 1971.  NASA

U.S. labor market on solid ground as jobless rate hits eight-year low

5 FEBRUARY 2016       REUTERS       LUCIA MUTIKANI

U.S. employment gains slowed more than expected in January as the boost to hiring from unseasonably mild weather faded, but rising wages and an unemployment rate at an eight-year low suggested the labor market recovery remains firm.

... "The fact that payroll gains fell back to earth is not necessarily a bad sign.  Most indications are that the job market in the U.S. is on solid footing and improving," said Nariman Behravieh, chief economist at IHS in Lexington, Massachusetts. 

Economists had forcast employment increasing by 190,000 in January and the jobless rate steady at 5 percent.  The economy added 2,000 fewer jobs in November and December than previously reported. 

On top of a 0.5 percent jump in average hourly earnings, which was the biggest gain in a year, employers increased hours for workers.  Manufacturing, which has been undermined by a strong dollar and weak global demand, added the most jobs since August 2013. 

... The dollar rose against a basket of six major currenies on the data after hitting a roughly 15-week low on Thursday. Prices for U.S. government debt initially fell, but pared losses as stocks on Wall Street extended their decline. 

"The lower unemployment rate and rising wages further support the view that the labor market is doing nothing but tightening," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania.  "Clearly, there are more uncertainties today than when the Fed raised rated in December and hinted that there could be four increases this year.  But the labor market is absolutely not one of them."  

... The economy, especially voters' perceptions of their job prospects, will likely be an issue in the November elections. President Barak Obama lauded the labor market progress. 

"This progress is finally starting to translate into bigger paychecks.  The United States of America right now has the strongest, most durable economy in the world," Obama told reporters at the White House."  Read More

Apple given New York preservation award for repurposing historic buildings
5 FEBRUARY 2016       DEZEEN       ALAN G BRAKE

... "Apple is being honoured for their contribution to preserving, restoring, and repurposing notable historic structures in New York City," the Conservancy said.  "The company has placed four stores in historic buildings -- marrying high tech and distinguished architecture."

The award "recognises exceptional individuals, organisations, and businesses that have demonstrated their dedication to pretecting New York's rich architectural legacy," according to the Conservancy. 

...  The New York Landmarks Conservancy works to preserve architecturally significant buildings through advocacy and education and by providing financial and technical assistance to building owners and neighborhood groups.  Read More

Grand Central Station, New York City