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The magic of the tombs at Newgrange on the winter solstice

By DARA MCBRIDE, IrishCentral Staff Writer Published Tuesday, December 20, 2011, 4:09 PM Updated Tuesday, December 20, 2011, 4:09 PM

Newgrange in County Meath, Ireland, is one the most famous prehistoric sites in the world for good reason. It’s constructed in such a way that at dawn on the shortest day of the year (the winter solstice) a narrow beam of sunlight illuminates the floor of the structure’s inner chamber just after sunrise, filling the long passageway with a bright shaft of sunlight.

It’s a marvel of early astronomy that never fails to amaze because Newgrange actually predates the great pyramid of Giza in Egypt by at least 500 years. Built somewhere between 3100 and 2900 B.C., the famous passage tomb at Newgrange is estimated to be approximately 5,000 years old, even predating Stonehenge in Britain by 1,000 years.

The sophistication of the passage tombs design, aligned to mark the passage of the sun in less than twenty minutes on December 21st – the shortest day of the year – is still a cause for wonder in those lucky enough to book tickets allowing them into the tomb to attend the annual event.

The sunlight enters the passage through a specially contrived opening, known as a roofbox, directly above the main entrance. Although solar alignments are not all that uncommon among prehistoric passage graves, Newgrange is one of few to contain the additional roofbox above the passage entrance, a sophisticated construction allowing the light to hit the floor of the inner chamber.

__________________________Read More:More Christmas stories on IrishCentralCelebrating the holiday season in songSpecial Irish sayings and blessings this Christmas season___________________________

On the 21st of December the first light enters about four minutes after sunrise, but calculations based on the precession of the Earth show that 5,000 years ago first light would have entered exactly at sunrise. That makes the solar alignment at Newgrange very precise compared to similar phenomena at other passage graves in England and Scotland.

The structure itself lay hidden beneath the earth for over 5,000 years due to mound slippage, which effectively preserved it, until its rediscovery in the late 17th century, when men looking for building stone came across what they thought was a cave.

It wasn’t until 1975 that Newgrange was fully excavated and largely restored under the supervision of Professor Michael J. O’Kelly from the Department of Archaeology at University College, Cork. (Professor O’Kelly was the first person in modern times to observe this event on December 21, 1967)

Restored to its former glory the Newgrange mound is a solid structure that’s 250 feet across and 40 feet high, covering one acre of land. Within the mound a long passage stretching approximately one third of the length of the mound itself leads to a cross-shaped inner chamber. The passage is over 60 feet long, so the shaft on sunlight illuminating it on December 21st makes for a particularly dramatic moment. A tribute to its builders, the roof has remained essentially intact and waterproof for over 5,000 years.

See more: Irish history, Irish roots, Irish ancestry, Irish culture, Irish weather

Clippers defeat Lakers to open preseason AA

Bob Paul obtained 17 items and additional eight helps in the Clippers’ blowout gain over the Lakers.The first of two preseason games between the groups adopted a wild two-week press madness in both camps, during which period the Clippers obtained Paul from New Orleans right after the category compressed a planned three-way package that could have delivered him to the Lakers.Paul’s appearance arrived immediately after the Clippers’ purchases of former Laker Caron Butler as a cost-free representative, and Billups from the New York Knicks in a waiver market. Lamar Odom, whom the Lakers attempted to claim to New Orleans in the compressed offer, angrily demanded to be exchanged and was delivered to the defending champ Dallas Mavericks ” who grabbed the Lakers out of the playoffs last spring. For divorce on Friday.Blake Griffin had 12 factors for the Clippers in a foul-plagued 25 minutes and to top it all down, Kobe Bryant ‘s partner Vanessa submitted. Last season’s novice of the year picked up his next foul with 5:44 left in the next quarter, then obtained a specialized bad about 2 units later for hanging on the edge too long after transforming Billups’ move to him off the cup into a fast-break throw dunk.Bryant had 22 factors in about 30 minutes, Pau Gasol obtained 16 and Andrew Bynum included 15 items and 12 rebounds.Rookie place shield Darius Morris, a second-round write choose away of Michigan and the first person off the Lakers’ table, beat the first-quarter buzzer with a 20-footer that linked the score at 28. He pulled them actually again at 35 with a 3-pointer and completed with 11 factors in about 24 minutes.Bryant was delivered crashing to the ground by Clippers middle DeAndre Jordan on a clogged layup with 7:23 left in the next quarter and came up holding his right arm ‘i’ the one he launches with. He remained in the sport for another three minutes, after the Clippers expanded an eight-point guide to 80-62 on Billups’ 3-pointer with 4:08 quit in the period.Paul then went to the table for a great stretch and Billups lay out the next quarter. Mo Williams, starting his first full time with the Clippers after joining them in last period at the trading contract for Baron Davis, had eight items in 22 units on his 29th birthday.Billups had 12 factors as the Clippers brought 55-50 at halftime.Steve Blake began at point guard for fresh Lakers trainer Mike Brown in position of Derek Fisher, who extended his fitness system following days of inactivity while addressing the participants’ organization during the 149-day lockout.Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. That substance might not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.For more information about reprints

Vanessa Bryant files for divorce from Kobe Bryant

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Different philosophies guide Packers, Chiefs

The time came, and Lukas Johnson was waffling. The 25-year-old lives in Kansas City, but he’s a Green Bay Packers fan — and the best way to make that official was, heck, to buy a piece of the team.

Johnson is no super-rich boy wonder, another dot-com billionaire with plenty to spend. He’s an accountant and a fan, and considering the Packers’ uniquely genius way of raising funds, even on Johnson’s salary, becoming a partial owner became possible last week, when the franchise made “shares” of the team available for $250 each.

“I just love the idea of owning a share of a company,” Johnson said, “of owning a share of the team, really; to say I own a share of the Packers.”

It was the fifth time in franchise history the Packers sold stock shares, which don’t increase in value and cannot be resold or submitted as a tax deduction. For their investment, shareholders receive a certificate and the satisfaction that they’re “owners” of the NFL’s only publicly owned team.

Green Bay’s fundraising strategy is only one of several distinct differences with the Chiefs, another of the league’s iconic franchises. Both teams have storied histories and passionate fans. But how they’ve gone about business over the years, on the field and off, makes them more like strangers than siblings.

The Packers plan to use funds raised by their stock sale, which began Dec. 6 and lasts through the end of February, to expand Lambeau Field. The Chiefs in 2010 completed a $375 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium, mostly using money generated from a 2006 tax increase.

Some Packers fans say owning shares of the club helps them feel more connected to the team; more subdued during difficult times and more jubilant during triumphant seasons, such as this one, in which Green Bay is 13-0 and a heavy favorite to repeat as Super Bowl champion.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said this past week that some shareholders are more vocal than other teams’ fans, but that doesn’t mean they often get carried away.

“I’ll get a recommendation every once in a while,” McCarthy said, “but I’ve never felt like I was being told what to do.”

Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, whose family owns the team, is occasionally targeted, like other sports owners, as a villain whose thriftiness has held the team back — and limited it to one Super Bowl title, compared with Green Bay’s four.

The Packers’ roster-building philosophy also differs from the Chiefs. Green Bay’s starting quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is a home-grown talent who was drafted in the first round in 2005, when the Packers still had Brett Favre in the starting lineup. The most recent Chiefs-drafted quarterback to win a regular-season contest was Todd Blackledge, drafted in 1983. No other NFL team has gone as long without drafting a winner at the league’s most high-profile position.

Since ’83, the Packers have drafted 19 quarterbacks, compared with the Chiefs’ 11. It didn’t matter that Green Bay appeared set at the position throughout most of the past two decades; from the time the Packers traded for Favre in 1992 to trading him to the New York Jets in 2008, the team drafted 10 quarterbacks.

“(It’s) the most vital position in the game,” said Ron Wolf, the former Packers general manager. “If you don’t have one of those, you don’t have a snowball’s chance of winning a game.”

Wolf said the Packers learned that the hard way in an early-90s game, when Favre and his backup were injured. Wolf decided then that he’d never put his team in that position — a position the Chiefs know all too well this season — again.

“You see some of these teams right now, trying to play without guys at that position — it’s ridiculous,” Wolf said. “Why you wouldn’t protect yourself at that position is beyond my comprehension.”

The Packers drafted Rodgers — and Ty Detmer, Mark Brunell, Matt Hasselbeck and Aaron Brooks, all of whom would later became valuable trade chips — while Favre was still there, and have drafted two quarterbacks since Rodgers became the starter.

The Chiefs’ only drafted quarterbacks in the last decade were James Kilian (a seventh-rounder in 2005), Brodie Croyle (a third-rounder in ’06) and Ricky Stanzi (a fifth-rounder this year). As a result, the Chiefs have continually been saddled with problems when their starter is injured, such as this season, when Matt Cassel was placed on injured reserve and the team forced the inexperienced and undrafted Tyler Palko into the starting lineup.

It’s a problem the Packers rarely have.

“It’s definitely the right philosophy,” McCarthy said of his team’s aggressive pursuit of quarterbacks. “You should never pass on a prospect, regardless of the situation on your roster.”

So the strategies are different, and the results have been, too. The Packers are the pacesetters in the NFL this season, while the Chiefs continue to wonder what their future holds.

Kevin Harlan, who lives in Kansas City but travels the country as a sports broadcaster, grew up following the Packers. His father was the team’s president and CEO. It was Bob Harlan’s signature on some of those stock certificates from 1997, the most recent time they were made available before last week.

Harlan said his family owns six shares of the Packers.

“They’ve just had to do it a different way,” Harlan said.

AP and NBA referee reach settlement in lawsuit over reporter’s Twitter message

The tweet was sent while Krawczynski was covering the Houston Rockets-Timberwolves game. He heard an exchange between Spooner and Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis during the second period. Sitting courtside, Krawczynski tweeted: “Ref Bill Spooner told Rambis he’d ‘get it back’ after a bad call. Then he made an even worse call on Rockets. That’s NBA officiating folks.”

The settlement also required a mutually agreed upon statement to be released. It explains the decision on the settlement and reads:

“AP and its reporter Jon Krawczynski learned through discovery that referee Bill Spooner and coach Kurt Rambis have both consistently and independently denied that Mr. Spooner told the coach ‘he’d get it back’ in an exchange that occurred after a disputed call against the Timberwolves on Jan. 24, 2011, as Mr. Krawczynski had tweeted from courtside that night. Mr. Spooner has testified that he instead told the coach he would ‘get back’ to him after reviewing videotape of the play during a halftime break.

“The NBA promptly investigated at the time and concluded that Mr. Spooner had acted properly. AP was initially unaware of the investigation and does not contest the NBA’s finding. During the game, Mr. Krawczynski tweeted what he believed he had heard. Mr. Krawczynski acknowledges the possibility that he misunderstood what Mr. Spooner said and has therefore removed the Tweet from his APKrawczynski Twitter feed.”

Goodbye to Iraq

The festive ceremonies, the folding of the American flag (and the burning of one in Fallujah ), memorial days and the emotional return home of U.S. soldiers end a tragic chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq.

Almost nine years after George W. Bush sent his forces to find weapons of mass destruction – the official reason for the war – more than 100,000 Iraqis have been killed and some 4,500 American soldiers have returned home in coffins amid an enormous financial outlay – about $1 trillion. The time has come for soul-searching and a reckoning of the cost in blood and lucre.

Iraq has not become more secure. Its democracy is also in dispute. It is one of the most corrupt countries on earth (number 175 out of 178 ). It has the world’s fourth largest oil reserves and yet is unable to provide uninterrupted electric power to its citizens. Public services and personal security are on a par with the worst countries.

The war in Iraq gave that country an important role as a buffer against the spread of Iranian influence in the region. Iraq was supposed to become economically independent and – strong and democratic – it was to join the Arab wall against Iran.

The opposite has happened. Iraq is Iran’s most important ally in the region from an economic and political standpoint. It is still considered suspect in the Arab League, and its internal struggles do not ensure a future alliance with the United States.

Still, Iraq after the removal of the dictator Saddam Hussein is not a "lost country." It has a huge economic potential and has been successful in forging compromises between tribal and ethnic politics on one side and the central government on the other – an enormous challenge in a country where minorities wield political and military power of their own.

Beyond the issue of Iraq’s future, the war taught the United States and region a harsh strategic lesson. Iraq and Afghanistan became the military trauma after Vietnam. That trauma should be at the front of the mind of anyone seeking a war against Iran.

Jimmer Fredette gets first taste of NBA life with Sacramento Kings

He shook the commissioner’s hand in Madison Square Garden as the10th overall pick.

He’s signed his named on the dotted line officially making him anNBA player.

He’s even seen the local stores in Sacramento, Calif. filled willjerseys that have the name “Fredette” stitched on the back. Tosome, any of those experiences might have been a realization of anNBA life. For Jimmer Fredette, his moment will come five monthsafter meeting David Stern, when he steps on the court on Dec. 26and meets an NBA stalwart, Kobe Bryant.

“It hasn’t really (sunk in) yet,” Fredette said in a phoneinterview Thursday.

“When I step on the floor and play my first game – all it has beenis practice – when I step on the floor against someone like KobeBryant, it will hit me.”

For the city of Sacramento, the feeling hit much sooner.

Three days after the Kings acquired Fredette on draft night fromthe Milwaukee Bucks, fans packed into a Sacramento mall likesardines to celebrate Jimmer’s arrival. The Kings followedsuit.

On the first day he could sign his rookie deal on Dec. 10, theKings’ online store already had Fredette jerseys for sale. A fewdays later, the Glens Falls product saw his name used in every partof speech imaginable: “Got Jimmer?” “Teach Me How to Jimmer,” “Timeto get Jimmered!”

“Yeah that’s kinda cool too. The shirts they come up with,”Fredette said. “People have fun making them and all the differentthings and funny ways they can use the name in one shirt. I’m gladthe fans are excited about the name.”

The hype has been compared to the media storm that has been TimTebow in the recent months. Just like Tebow, Fredette’s faith hasbeen more visible than most modern athletes. One sign at the mallgreeting cleverly said, “The Next King James,” making reference toboth his religion and basketball prowess.

The comparisons continue into their respective sports. The bars forthe two athletes have been set extremely high. Tebow’s recenttriumphs may have inched it even higher. The Kings.com fancorrespondent tweeted this during the team’s media day, “Jimmer:I’m looking forward to playing against Kobe in the opener.Translation: ‘I’m going to drop 50 on him.’ “

In reality, that type of performance isn’t even on his radaryet.

“You just go in and work as hard as you can. You’re excited to bethere, to be a teammate, and be a part of franchise, and be whatyou can in training camp,” Fredette said. “I just want to gain myteammates’ trust and respect on court as quickly aspossible.”

The nearly larger-than-life rookie has tried to stay aslevel-headed as possible. Despite being 2,400 miles away from GlensFalls, he hasn’t forgotten his roots. After his third practice withthe Kings, Fredette wasn’t wearing black or purple and it didn’thave a funny play on words using his name. Instead it was a redT-shirt, with silver letters that spelled out Section IIBasketball.

“Back from Section II, back from New York, people wish me well andI love that area,” Fredette said. “That’s always going to behome.”

He doesn’t have a place to call home in Sacramento yet. This yearhe’ll be reserved to renting. The plan, for now at least, is to buya house in the area next year after he gets married to fianceeWhitney Wonnacott.

“The people are very, very excited about their basketball here,”Fredette said. “They definitely love their sports. It’s definitelya bigger town. It’s a big city. It’s not too similar to GlensFalls, but once I get to know people I’m sure it will be likehome.”

One constant that has followed Fredette from Glens Falls, to Provo,Utah and now to Sacramento is basketball. At each stop he’s had tostart over. The NBA is no different. His points at Glens Falls andBYU mean nothing now. His player of the year award won’t show up inhis NBA resume.

“It’s been fun. I’m now in the NBA and I need to move forward withan NBA career,” Fredette said. “That’s kind of what happens; youmove on, you have to prove yourself again.”

He’s only had a handful of practices, a scrimmage and one preseasongame, but Fredette’s already caught his teammates’ attention.They’ve already taken notice of the jumper that made Jimmer ahousehold name at BYU. It’s also the jumper that has already madehim the most recognizable King for most basketball fans.

He’s the centerpiece of the front page of the team’s website andwhile just completing his first full week with the Kings, healready has the second-most items in the team store. Still histeammates won’t let him forget he’s just a rookie.

Before practice, Fredette and fellow rookies have to bringbreakfast for their veteran teammates. After practice they’re stillat their teammates’ mercy, making sure the court is clean of anydebris. For Fredette though, it’s all a part of his NBAexperience.

“I’m still an NBA basketball player. It’s the rookie hazing, I’mgonna go through my dues and all that,” Fredette said. “It doesn’treally bother me. I’d probably pick up the bottles anyway.”

Syracuse’s success saturated in simplicity

RALEIGH – Easy to scout; hard to beat.

That piece of basketball coaching slang has been around for so long that it predates bulky kneepads, stirrup socks and playing shorts barely bigger than a fig leaf.

But when N.C. State’s Mark Gottfried used the line Friday to describe No. 1 Syracuse, it summed about an hour’s worth of questions and answers in six words.

In 36 years under Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, the Orange have changed their basic concepts very little.

Boeheim’s teams have won 866 games (with only 301 losses) and a national title primarily because they execute a 2-3 zone defense and a 1-3-1 zone offensive attack better than anyone else in college basketball.

Obviously, Boeheim has had more than his fair share of talented players.

Dating back to Louis Orr and Marty Byrnes on that first team in 1976-77 and straight through Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine on the 10-0 team that the Wolfpack (6-3) will face at 6:30 p.m. today at the RBC Center, Boeheim has recruited better than some fans think.

But as much as the skill level, the Boeheim system has kept the Orange among the nation’s elite programs.

“Sometimes coaches end up with a playbook of a thousand plays,” Gottfried said. “Every time we see something on TV, we want to put it in – ‘Let’s do that. Let’s do this. Let’s add this.’

“Boeheim has been great because he’s been simple … Jim’s learned that this is what we do, and they get really good at what they do. He doesn’t have to re-invent an offense.”

Although Boeheim and his program have been drawn into a storm of controversy involving longtime former assistant coach Bernie Fine, the team has been remarkably unruffled against a difficult early schedule.

Five Syracuse players are legitimate 3-point threats even though only three – senior forward Joseph, reserve wingman Dion Waiters and Brandon Triche – average double-digits in scoring and none higher than 13.7 ppg.

The zone defense has been suffocating at times – 123 steals, 69 blocked shots and 203 total turnovers.

“Their length in the zone is really hard to work around,” Gottfried said. “They convert turnovers into points about as fast as anyone you’ll find. And we’ve had too many turnovers lately.”

The turnover outbreak has involved several Wolfpack players – point guard Lorenzo Brown, several big men, even team leader C.J. Williams on the wing.

“I don’t want our guys so worried about what they’re doing with the ball that they’re afraid to make plays,” Gottfried. “But we’ve just got to get better at completing passes. That’s the simple way to put it.”

Simple as in simply Syracuse, you might say.

Doctor Says Etta James Is Losing Leukemia Battle

RIVERSIDE (CBS) — R&B singer Etta James’ losing battle with leukemia and other ailments appears to be nearing an end, according to an in-home physician caring for the artist, whose $1 million estate is at the center of a legal battle between family members.

During a hearing Thursday on her probate case, the 73-year-old’s doctor, Elaine James — who is not related to the bedridden singer — revealed that her patient’s health was in rapid decline and that she was unable to speak beyond simple yes and no acknowledgments.

The doctor asked that fans and friends pray for the singer.

The entertainer’s son, Donto James has requested that Elaine James be terminated as his mother’s primary caregiver, questioning the doctor’s competence and equating her medical decisions to those of Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s live-in physician who recently was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison in connection with the pop star’s death.

Etta was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, has dementia, a kidney deficiency and has exhibited symptoms of organic brain syndrome, though she’s able to recognize members of her family, according to published reports.

She was hospitalized in May of this year with to be treated for infections.

Donto and Etta’s husband of 42 years, Artis Mills, are waging a legal tug-of-war for control over the singer’s savings accounts. Mills is not Donto James’ father.

Mills filed suit last year seeking to have the accounts declared community property, removing any barriers he otherwise would face in using the funds. Donto James is challenging the action on the grounds that his mother gave him power-of-attorney to govern her affairs in the event she became incapacitated.

Mills has stated he needs money to cover his wife’s medical expenses, as well as household staff and business obligations. Donto James has insisted that is his role.

In March, a court-appointed receiver assessed Etta James’ in-home care and determined there was no validity to allegations of sub-par treatment.

Elaine James is receiving $30,000 a month for her round-the-clock care of the ailing singer, which includes coordinating with medical specialists, managing nurses and sometimes shopping for the woman, according to recent reports.

Another hearing on the case is scheduled for Monday.

Born Jamesetta Hawkins, Etta James hit her peak in the 1960s with such hits as “At Last,” “Tell Mama” and “Losers Weepers.” A Los Angeles native, she relocated to Riverside about 20 years ago.

After disappointing stretch, Toon wants to end Badgers career with big game in Rose Bowl

Toon said his dip in production doesn’t have anything to do with being slowed down by his foot, which feels better now than it has in a year.

“It’s just been a function of the way the game has gone,” Toon said. “I can only control what I can control. My job is to go out and catch the ball and help the team to do that.”

With the Badgers preparing to face Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Toon hinted at some frustration but said team success is more important.

“As a receiver, you want the ball thrown to you on every down, but it’s not the reality of football,” he said. “We’ve been having success offensively and we’ve been winning games — and that’s what’s important. The team success is much more important than my individual success. When we’re doing well as a team, everybody’s happy.”

Badgers coach Bret Bielema said he’s expecting big things from Toon in the last game of his college career.

“I give credit to him,” Bielema said. “I thought this year he’s really persevered through some things and battled. Nick’s a big body and plays very big. Nick missed one game this year, right? That probably was more my choice than his. I just wanted to make sure he was there down the stretch. I think I would be very surprised if Nick doesn’t play one of the best games of his career.”

A big performance in the Rose Bowl certainly would help Toon recapture the attention of NFL scouts.

“I need a big performance,” Toon said. “I think, obviously, any time you go out and perform well, it only helps you. I definitely would agree with Coach B. I am looking forward to going out there and playing one of my best games and finishing my collegiate career on a high note.”

And yes, Toon has every intention of playing in the NFL, just like his father, former Wisconsin and New York Jets receiver Al Toon.

“It’s definitely something that’s at the back of your head,” Toon said. “Obviously, I’ve had aspirations to play in the NFL since I was a young kid. If things keep going the way they’re going right now, that dream will come true. But I’ve got to take care of business here and finish my career here at UW.”

Toon has been invited to the Senior Bowl, along with Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson and offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler. Toon and Wilson like the chance to keep working together.

“Obviously, it’s a great opportunity,” Toon said. “I’ve got my quarterback with me. He’ll be out there, so that’s a big plus. It should be fun.”

Wilson said it’s “pretty sweet” to be going to the Senior Bowl with Toon.

“I’ve gotten the chance to get to know him and his family and he’s one of the best receivers in the country, in my opinion,” Wilson said. “I think he’s got a lot of talent and a lot of things going for him. He’s just got to keep working.”

For now, Wisconsin is working Toon back into practice slowly after he hurt his shoulder in the Badgers’ Big Ten title game victory over Michigan State. Toon said the shoulder injury is “nothing serious,” but he still regrets having to come out of the game.

“It was really hard, but I just couldn’t go anymore,” Toon said. “It’s part of the game, but it’s healed up now and I’m moving forward.”

And Toon is thankful for one more shot at a Rose Bowl win after the Badgers’ loss to TCU last season.

“You have to live with that loss until you get the opportunity to play again,” Toon said. “Obviously (losing) in the Rose Bowl, it may hurt a little bit more, but we learned from it and played well enough to get back to the game again. And hopefully we can go out this time and take care of business.”

Freelancer Tammy Madsen contributed to this report from Madison, Wis.