Best Bets

If you were lucky enough to glimpse part of the super blood moon eclipse on Sunday (during the brief moments it wasn’t obscured by classic Homer clouds) you probably got a pretty cool sight

Now, this being the Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea, the Betster can’t let something with a name like super blood moon pass by without taking the opportunity to dive into the lore behind it a bit.

We’ll begin with why lunar eclipses happen in the first place. Though they meant well, our ancestors of yore didn’t exactly have the right ideas to explain the phenomenon.

For centuries, people of the Incan Empire attributed it to the mood goddess Mama Quilla. Her people believed that and thought that lunar eclipses were caused by an animal or serpent attacking said goddess — that’s what caused the red color, they surmised. Their solution? To make as much ruckus as possible to scare those animals away. Sounds like the Betster’s kind of party.

Now, what about those notions that a blood moon lunar eclipse causes, shall we say, spooky stuff to occur?

Many have long held to the belief that the full moon affects human behavior. Just take the similarity between the Latin word for moon — luna — and the root of modern words like “lunacy,” and “lunatic.”

Some police forces have even gone so far as to suggest that there is a correlation between violent incidents and full Moons. Facts and studies, however, tell us there is no known correlation between the two.

Still, if you saw Uncle Edgar acting a bit strange on Sunday — perhaps taking a casual howl at the moon, perhaps taking a nude midnight jaunt through the fields — you know what you might be able to attribute that to.

While you’re here and learning new things, take a look at this week’s Best Bets:

BEST FEST BET: Join Kachemak Bay Conservation Society and Citizens Climate Lobby (Homer Chapter) for the 16th annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival at 6 p.m. tonight at the Homer Theatre. The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is the largest film festival of its kind, showcasing the best and brightest in environmental and adventure films from around the world. This year’s series of films has been curated by the Citizens Climate Lobby and will premiere in Homer. Also being shown is the world premiere of Bjørn Olson’s award-winning short film, “Alaska Thaw.” Bjørn’s film took first prize in the national film competition, “Witnessing Change” from the “Climate Cost Project.” Tickets are $15 in advance at the Homer Bookstore and online here: https://www.kbayconservation.org/product/wild-and-scenic-film-festival or $20 at the door. There will be a raffle for door prizes provided by sponsors.

BEST FOOD BET: Every Thursday the community is invited to a three-course meal from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Anchor Point Senior Center, located on Milo Fritz Avenue across from the Golf Course. The center also features homemade bread or rolls, a full salad bar, and dessert. All are welcome. Great dinners are coming, prepared by wonderful and creative chefs.

BEST BELLY LAUGH BET: Power Plant Productions presents: “A Night of Stand-Up Comedy” at 8 p.m. this Friday at Alice’s Champagne Palace. It will feature Justin Lawrence Hoyt, Mathew Plant, Rudy Ascott, Joe Stolz and Kass Smiley. Tickets are available at Alice’s Champagne Palace, or call Terry at 907-299-1693. This event is sponsored by Spit Tobacco, Captains Coffee and Young’s Restaurant.

BEST BETTER REST BET: The T200 will celebrate its 32nd running this Saturday. It is the only Iditarod and Yukon Quest qualifying race on the Kenai Peninsula. Mushers will start arriving at the McNeil Canyon School Checkpoint around 5 p.m., and the public is welcome to come watch. They leave Freddie’s Roadhouse at noon and run 50 miles to the school. The T200 teams will stay a few hours and head back to Freddie’s and continue on with the race. The T100 mushers have a 4-hour mandatory layover and will then return to Freddie’s for the finish.