My friend Dan has a blog called
He is gradually transcribing his Great-Grandfather's Diaries from World War I.
A wonderful read!
Check it out!
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
and then we noticed
with apologies to Scott & Pope...
Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive
But when we've practiced for a while,
How vastly we improve our style! *
what a load of crap!
*Truth! but it just make the fall from grace much more spectacular... *snort*
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Friday, May 01, 2009
Oh sweet sardonical word play….
... it was once said "a black man would be president when pigs fly".
Now, 100 days into Obama's presidency....
Swine Flu
=^D
Beltaine Blessings!
J. Tull, Songs from the Wood
May I make my fond excuses
for the lateness of the hour,
but we accept your invitation, and we bring you Beltane's flower.
For the May Day is the great day, sung along the old straight track.
And those who ancient lines did lay
will heed the song that calls them back.
Pass the word and pass the lady, pass the plate to all who hunger.
Pass the wit of ancient wisdom, pass the cup of crimson wonder.
Ask the green man where he comes from, ask the cup that fills with red.
Ask the old grey standing stones that show the sun its way to bed.
Question all as to their ways,
and learn the secrets that they hold.
Walk the lines of nature's palm
crossed with silver and with gold.
Pass the cup and pass the lady, pass the plate to all who hunger.
Pass the wit of ancient wisdom, pass the cup of crimson wonder.
Join in black December's sadness,
lie in August's welcome corn.
Stir the cup that's ever-filling
with the blood of all that's born.
But the May Day is the great day, sung along the old straight track.
And those who ancient lines did lay
will heed this song that calls them back.
Pass the word and pass the lady, pass the plate to all who hunger.
Pass the wit of ancient wisdom, pass the cup of crimson wonder.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
of Bread and Circuses
I dunno...
I know the economy is bad... but the Canadian economy wasn’t nearly as bad as some other countries who got hit.
However, the media really worked the story... all the gloom and doom news, all the time.
Media: Economy is bad. Businesses are closing! You’re all going to lose your jobs.
Public: ZOMG the economy is bad! We’re going to lose our jobs! *rein in spending*
Media: OK now the economy is in serious trouble people have stopped spending... * throw in dire financial stats and make direct references to soup lines and dust bowls of the Great Depression* you’re all going to lose your jobs and die penniless sleeping in your car
Public: ZOMG the economy is in serious trouble... we’re all going to die *stop spending entirely*
It made me mad that the media really “enjoyed” the story and whipped up a “self-fulfilling” gloom and doom mentality in the public.
There is a difference between 'reporting a story' and 'reporting a story with lurid glee'.
Same thing is happening with the Swine Flu... oh pardon me - the H1N1 flu.
The media has latched onto it with frightening ferocity ... anything to get our minds off the economy.
Now we’re not worried about dying penniless in the streets... we’re actually worried about actually dying.
The swine flu is a serious health threat – no question!
The WHO is increasing the pandemic alert levels alarmingly fast, and that is news, however, I do NOT feel that an hourly update about suspected cases is helpful. People are beginning to panic.
Pandemic alert levels are more “heads ups” to public health agencies, and governments around when to implement their pandemic plans and the mobilization of resources... and not public indicators of how soon we’re all gonna die.
I’m not saying there is no cause for concern – there most definitely is cause...
· Keep in mind that the last global pandemic (Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918) killed between 50 million to 100 million people worldwide – more than did the Black Death.
· And that flu epidemic came in two waves... the original mild form that quickly mutated into a much more virulent, fatal version within weeks....
There is cause for concern and precautions but there are no causes for panic ... However, if you feel you need to panic, please panic constructively.
There is a difference between panic, being cautious, and stupidity; Stupid should be painful.
A radio reporter pointed out to a guy at the airport on his way to Mexico that there was a travel advisory and that WHO and the Government were recommending only emergency travel to Mexico... “Who cares” he said “This is an emergency – I need a vacation”.
Ethical dilemma: Do you have to treat someone that arrogant and cavalier about his own health and the health of those around him?
Thoughts? what's it like where you are?Wednesday, April 29, 2009
for Micael ...
LOL... Micael this is for you.
I just grabbed (cut&paste) the html coding from a LiveJournal post - I didn't check what actually posted in Blogger. I hadn't realized (until I read your comment) that I'd grabbed the "obsession" bit too... oops! Below is the subsequent obsession post...
We spent Sunday at the Art Gallery of Ontario . We spent the afternoon wandering around the galleries.
I just grabbed (cut&paste) the html coding from a LiveJournal post - I didn't check what actually posted in Blogger. I hadn't realized (until I read your comment) that I'd grabbed the "obsession" bit too... oops! Below is the subsequent obsession post...
We spent Sunday at the Art Gallery of Ontario . We spent the afternoon wandering around the galleries.
We discovered a great new artist with a campy, naughty, and brilliant- with a cheeky sense of humour and fabulous talent ... and well-aimed zingers at white European Christian interferences on Native American culture.
Kent Monkman, an artist of Cree ancestry who works with a variety of mediums, including painting, film/video, performance and installation, had several pieces in a AGO retrospective Remix: New Modernities in a Post-Indian World.
WARNING: Not everyone’s taste. NSFW
http://www.canadianart.ca/online/2007/12/20/kentmonkman2.jpg
http://www.artknowledgenews.com/files2008a/Monkman-Triumph-of-Mischief.jpg
http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/misschief_178small.jpg
http://www.hemisphericinstitute.org/gallery/exhibit2_eng/kent1.html
http://www.pfoac.com/zOLDSITE/images/monkman/photosL.jpg
http://www.stephenfriedman.com/index.php?pid=11&aid=76
http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/deathofhyacinthus.jpg
http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/theexamination.jpg
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Twilight
... with Cheeseburgers
a lovely Tuesday afternoon to you.
In other news... I had a lovely time in Toronto and I have a new 'obsession'! Finally!
stay tuned! I shall spam you all with my new discovery.
crossposted... alot
a lovely Tuesday afternoon to you.
In other news... I had a lovely time in Toronto and I have a new 'obsession'! Finally!
stay tuned! I shall spam you all with my new discovery.
crossposted... alot
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Quoi?
I'm telling you.... there is something WRONG over there...
Surely there are more noble uses for $85.00??
Surely there are more noble uses for $85.00??
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day!
After an orange cloud — formed as a result of a dust storm over the Sahara and caught up by air currents — reached the Philippines and settled there with rain, I understood that we are all sailing in the same boat.
~ Vladimir Kovalyonok (Astronaut)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
*insert evil chuckle*
So there we were in The Alehouse, drinking beers (good snobby beer… not the run of the mill beer crud teenage boys sneak to parties)…
And we were chatting about vasectomies as one is wont to do when imbibing snooty beer…
This guy had a great story!
After two sets of identical boy twins in less than three years this guy and his wife decide that ‘enough is enough’ and off he trots to the doctor for ye ol’snipsnip!
He arrives at the office and the waiting room is filled with about 20 grim-faced anxious men… he could smell the fear.
He is the morning’s first patient. His name is called and he shuffles somewhat nervously off to the surgery. The doctor is a huge man of a certain age with a booming voice and a heavy Scottish accent.
The doctor bent over and was futzing around with bit of electrical cable. He stands up suddenly and bashes the back of his head on a shelf. He hit the shelf hard; hard enough to lift the shelf up and send stuff on it flying. The doctor lets out a loud bellow of pain (understandably) and his nurse screams as stuff and supplies fly off the shelf at her. The doctor grabs at the back of his head and bellows “OMG I’m bleeding”. Our friend (actually just an acquaintance) and the nurse get the doctor seated and compressed the back of his head which was bleeding quite profusely.
At this point the receptionist bursts through the door hollering “What the hell is happening in here?? You scared the shit out of ever damn one of those men out there… the whole waiting room cleared out… they practically trampled each other to death in a stampede to get the hell out of here.”
Sure enough the waiting room was empty – some poor dears had even left coats and briefcases behind in their panicked getaway.
And we were chatting about vasectomies as one is wont to do when imbibing snooty beer…
This guy had a great story!
After two sets of identical boy twins in less than three years this guy and his wife decide that ‘enough is enough’ and off he trots to the doctor for ye ol’snipsnip!
He arrives at the office and the waiting room is filled with about 20 grim-faced anxious men… he could smell the fear.
He is the morning’s first patient. His name is called and he shuffles somewhat nervously off to the surgery. The doctor is a huge man of a certain age with a booming voice and a heavy Scottish accent.
The doctor bent over and was futzing around with bit of electrical cable. He stands up suddenly and bashes the back of his head on a shelf. He hit the shelf hard; hard enough to lift the shelf up and send stuff on it flying. The doctor lets out a loud bellow of pain (understandably) and his nurse screams as stuff and supplies fly off the shelf at her. The doctor grabs at the back of his head and bellows “OMG I’m bleeding”. Our friend (actually just an acquaintance) and the nurse get the doctor seated and compressed the back of his head which was bleeding quite profusely.
At this point the receptionist bursts through the door hollering “What the hell is happening in here?? You scared the shit out of ever damn one of those men out there… the whole waiting room cleared out… they practically trampled each other to death in a stampede to get the hell out of here.”
Sure enough the waiting room was empty – some poor dears had even left coats and briefcases behind in their panicked getaway.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Keep thine airspeed up, lest the earth come from below and smite thee...
Chin up my darlings!!
I found this at the DailyOM - it's an interesting essay.
April 15, 2009
Creating What We Don’t Want
When Worry becomes A Prayer
If prayer is an intention that we announce to the universe in order to create a desired outcome, then our every thought is a prayer. This includes thoughts of worry as well as of hope. All thoughts are subtle creative energy. Some thoughts are more focused or repeated more often, gathering strength. Some are written down or spoken, giving them even greater power. Every thought we have is part of a process whereby we cocreate our experience and our reality with the universe. When we use our creative energy unconsciously, we create what is commonly known as self-fulfilling prophecy. In essence, when we worry, we are repeatedly praying and lending our energy to the creation of something we don’t want.
The good news is that we can retrain our minds and thoughts to focus our energy on what we do desire to bring into our lives. Since most worry is repetitive, it will take more than one positive thought to counteract the energy we’ve created. The simplest antidote to worry is affirmations. When we hold these positive thoughts, repeat them often, speak them and write them and refer to them throughout our day, we are using focused energy to create positive results.
We can start right away, together: I am a creative being, using my energy to cocreate a wonderful world. I know that I create my experience of life from within, and as I do so, I also create ripples of energy around me that echo into the world. My positive thoughts gather together with the thoughts and prayers of others, and together we create enough positive energy to heal not only our own lives but the world we share. I am grateful for the ability to cocreate good in my life and in the world.
A lot of times we have concerned loved ones that worry about us. When this happens they are also sending out a worry prayer to the world. A loving conversation letting them know what is happening is the easiest solution. Also, ask them to send you positive affirmations rather than worry about you. After all, worry doesn’t do them any good either. Explain to them that worry can actually be energetically harmful to you and that wishing good things for you is much more beneficial and much more fun too.
Thoughts?
I found this at the DailyOM - it's an interesting essay.
April 15, 2009
Creating What We Don’t Want
When Worry becomes A Prayer
If prayer is an intention that we announce to the universe in order to create a desired outcome, then our every thought is a prayer. This includes thoughts of worry as well as of hope. All thoughts are subtle creative energy. Some thoughts are more focused or repeated more often, gathering strength. Some are written down or spoken, giving them even greater power. Every thought we have is part of a process whereby we cocreate our experience and our reality with the universe. When we use our creative energy unconsciously, we create what is commonly known as self-fulfilling prophecy. In essence, when we worry, we are repeatedly praying and lending our energy to the creation of something we don’t want.
The good news is that we can retrain our minds and thoughts to focus our energy on what we do desire to bring into our lives. Since most worry is repetitive, it will take more than one positive thought to counteract the energy we’ve created. The simplest antidote to worry is affirmations. When we hold these positive thoughts, repeat them often, speak them and write them and refer to them throughout our day, we are using focused energy to create positive results.
We can start right away, together: I am a creative being, using my energy to cocreate a wonderful world. I know that I create my experience of life from within, and as I do so, I also create ripples of energy around me that echo into the world. My positive thoughts gather together with the thoughts and prayers of others, and together we create enough positive energy to heal not only our own lives but the world we share. I am grateful for the ability to cocreate good in my life and in the world.
A lot of times we have concerned loved ones that worry about us. When this happens they are also sending out a worry prayer to the world. A loving conversation letting them know what is happening is the easiest solution. Also, ask them to send you positive affirmations rather than worry about you. After all, worry doesn’t do them any good either. Explain to them that worry can actually be energetically harmful to you and that wishing good things for you is much more beneficial and much more fun too.
Thoughts?
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Another trip around the sun is over and done…
Happy Birthday to Me!
… bring on the cake! And vino!
It takes a long time to grow young.
… bring on the cake! And vino!
And I have a small confession;
… bring on the cake! And vino!
It takes a long time to grow young.
- Pablo Picasso
… bring on the cake! And vino!
And I have a small confession;
Haiku? – I just do not ‘get’ them…
Friday, April 17, 2009
We can laugh because we made it through another week...
At least they were NOT talking on their cell phones – cuz that would have been unsafe!!
Police nab Norwegian pair during high-speed sex
To all my fellow yoga enthusiasts:
http://video.gaiam.com/services/player/bcpid1896788996?bctid=15257780001
I’m hiring...
and seriously... at what point does one use the microwave? Am I doing this wrong?
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
There is a disclaimer on this post...
Disclaimer: I fully support the Girl Guides... buy their cookies when you can.
However, I need them to be available at my convenience* rather than the current sales schedule... and the fact that I have very little freezer space left .... oh, and I'm also incredibly evil *grin*
so to tide us all over until the next time a pint-sized salesmaven knocks on your door:
Mock Thin Mints
Samosa-like bars
*because let's face it - it IS soooooo all about me. Really.
However, I need them to be available at my convenience* rather than the current sales schedule... and the fact that I have very little freezer space left .... oh, and I'm also incredibly evil *grin*
so to tide us all over until the next time a pint-sized salesmaven knocks on your door:
Mock Thin Mints
Samosa-like bars
*because let's face it - it IS soooooo all about me. Really.
Monday, April 06, 2009
in the lane snow is glistening...
Il neige en avril.
È neve nel mese di aprile.
Está nevando en abril.
Det sner i april.
Ito ay may snow sa buwan ng Abril.
Det är snö i april.
SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT
Thank you Google Language tools
È neve nel mese di aprile.
Está nevando en abril.
Det sner i april.
Ito ay may snow sa buwan ng Abril.
Det är snö i april.
SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT
Thank you Google Language tools
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Earth Hour
I had assumed that the Earth, the spirit of the Earth, noticed exceptions -- those who wantonly damage it and those who do not. But the Earth is wise. It has given itself into the keeping of all, and all are therefore accountable.
Alice Walker
Living by the Word
Alice Walker
Living by the Word
Those Canadians who participated in Earth Hour are shamed by those who participate in the barbaric seal hunt.
Friday, March 13, 2009
The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft a-gley
close to home...
There is no catching the early bus - when it's not your time to go, it simply is not your time to go.
Man joins short list of leapers who lived
There is no catching the early bus - when it's not your time to go, it simply is not your time to go.
Man joins short list of leapers who lived
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Dig it...up
Archeology has been exciting of late. *big grin*
'Vampire' discovered in mass grave
'Some things never seem to change'
Online users now can virtually tour Oetzi's body
[ / serious geekfest! ]
'Vampire' discovered in mass grave
'Some things never seem to change'
Online users now can virtually tour Oetzi's body
[ / serious geekfest! ]
Thursday, March 05, 2009
more true on some days than others...
The Universe doesn't give you the people you want in your life; instead we are given the people we NEED - To help us, to hurt us, to leave us, to love us and to make us into the person we were meant to be.
So? who am I supposed to be?
So? who am I supposed to be?
Sunday, March 01, 2009
DailyOM
February 27, 2009
The universe can often relay messages to us through signs. Often, we are too busy to stop and consider what may or may not be a sign. We may ask the universe for guidance, yet fail to recognize the sign it sends us in response. Learning the subtle language of signs can help you interpret the guidance the universe sends your way. We all have been blessed with a connection that allows the universe to communicate directly with us. To be able to understand the information relayed over that connection, however, it is necessary that we learn to pay attention and know what to look for.
To see and correctly interpret a sign, you must open your heart and mind to the universe and invite its guidance into your life. Many of us are blind to the signs we receive because we expect angels or our spirit guides to speak to us in a booming voice and tell us exactly what we need to hear. But signs are usually of this earth and therefore easier to encounter. A song lodged in your mind or a number that seems to pop up everywhere you look after you’ve asked the universe for guidance can both be signs. Signs may come through the animal world, from strangers, or jump out of a book in the form of an insightful passage. A sign may be a direct answer to one of your questions. Other signs may point you in the right direction, warn of impending difficulties, or show you a different way. If you want the universe to send you a sign, tell it that you are ready and willing to accept its guidance.
Not everything you hear or see will be a sign. If you are receptive and patient, however, the signs you receive will become easier to recognize. It is important to listen to your intuition. A sign can mean many things to different people, and only you can decipher a sign’s meaning is for you. As you practice reading the signs and following their guidance, the universe will send more of them your way.
Universal Messages
Signs The universe can often relay messages to us through signs. Often, we are too busy to stop and consider what may or may not be a sign. We may ask the universe for guidance, yet fail to recognize the sign it sends us in response. Learning the subtle language of signs can help you interpret the guidance the universe sends your way. We all have been blessed with a connection that allows the universe to communicate directly with us. To be able to understand the information relayed over that connection, however, it is necessary that we learn to pay attention and know what to look for.
To see and correctly interpret a sign, you must open your heart and mind to the universe and invite its guidance into your life. Many of us are blind to the signs we receive because we expect angels or our spirit guides to speak to us in a booming voice and tell us exactly what we need to hear. But signs are usually of this earth and therefore easier to encounter. A song lodged in your mind or a number that seems to pop up everywhere you look after you’ve asked the universe for guidance can both be signs. Signs may come through the animal world, from strangers, or jump out of a book in the form of an insightful passage. A sign may be a direct answer to one of your questions. Other signs may point you in the right direction, warn of impending difficulties, or show you a different way. If you want the universe to send you a sign, tell it that you are ready and willing to accept its guidance.
Not everything you hear or see will be a sign. If you are receptive and patient, however, the signs you receive will become easier to recognize. It is important to listen to your intuition. A sign can mean many things to different people, and only you can decipher a sign’s meaning is for you. As you practice reading the signs and following their guidance, the universe will send more of them your way.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Sure! Why not?!
How to make a VHS video toaster
The world never ceases to amaze me...
Why would anyone do this?
But then again... why not?
Dear World,
I'm usually very grateful that you are filled with crazy, silly, wacky people...
but sometimes it makes me wonder... alot
The world never ceases to amaze me...
Why would anyone do this?
But then again... why not?
Dear World,
I'm usually very grateful that you are filled with crazy, silly, wacky people...
but sometimes it makes me wonder... alot
Monday, February 09, 2009
Saturday, February 07, 2009
why didn't you tell me??
Why did nobody tell me what Thursday was????
OMG!!!!
I missed World Nutella Day
oh well... next year maybe
OMG!!!!
I missed World Nutella Day
oh well... next year maybe
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Thought for the Day
'Knowledge' is knowing a tomato is a fruit; 'wisdom' is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Go sign the Petition
Stop Using Live Dogs as Shark Bait
Sign the petition to stop this.
Quote: "Innocent stray dogs are being skewered alive and being dragged behind boats as shark bait. Help us sign a letter to the French government to ask for an end to this inhumane practice in Reunion Island (French-controlled). We are asking the government to make sure that this practice never happens again!"
From the National Geographic: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1019_051019_dogs_sharks.html
Sign the petition to stop this.
Quote: "Innocent stray dogs are being skewered alive and being dragged behind boats as shark bait. Help us sign a letter to the French government to ask for an end to this inhumane practice in Reunion Island (French-controlled). We are asking the government to make sure that this practice never happens again!"
From the National Geographic: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1019_051019_dogs_sharks.html
Monday, February 02, 2009
Canada - where history comes from! :)
Canada's Stonehenge: scientist says Alberta sun temple has 5,000-year-old calendar
Thu Jan 29, 4:53 PM
EDMONTON - An academic maverick is challenging conventional wisdom on Canada's prehistory by claiming an archeological site in southern Alberta is really a vast, open-air sun temple with a precise 5,000-year-old calendar predating England's Stonehenge and Egypt's pyramids.
Mainstream archeologists consider the rock-encircled cairn to be just another medicine wheel left behind by early aboriginals. But a new book by retired University of Alberta professor Gordon Freeman says it is in fact the centre of a 26-square-kilometre stone "lacework" that marks the changing seasons and the phases of the moon with greater accuracy than our current calendar.
"Genius existed on the prairies 5,000 years ago," says Freeman, the widely published former head of the university's physical and theoretical chemistry department.
Freeman's fascination with prairie prehistory dates back to his Saskatchewan boyhood. He and his father would comb the short grasses of the plains in search of artifacts exposed by the scouring wind. That curiosity never left him and he returned to it as he prepared to retire from active teaching.
Looking for a hobby, he asked a friend with an interest in history to suggest a few intriguing sites to visit. On a warm late-August day in 1980, that list drew him to what he has come to call Canada's Stonehenge, which is also the title of his book.
A central cairn atop one of a series of low hills overlooking the Bow River, about 70 kilometres east of Calgary, had been partially excavated in 1971 and dated at about 5,000 years old. But as he approached it, Freeman strongly felt there was much more there than previously thought.
"As we walked toward the hilltop, I saw all kinds of patterns in the rocks on the way up. As I walked around the hilltop, I could see patterns that I doubted very much were accidental."
Freeman photographed what he saw and showed the images to archeologists. They told him the rocks, some of which weigh up to a tonne, had been randomly distributed by melting glaciers.
But those rocks and rock piles, Freeman said, had been "highly engineered," shimmied and balanced and wedged in ways he couldn't believe were natural. And so began a magnificent obsession - 28 years of photographing the site in summer and winter, observing the alignment of rocks and how they coincided with the recurring patterns of sun, moon and stars.
Freeman estimates he and his wife Phyllis have spent a total of seven months living at the site. Twelve thousand photographs with precise times and dates are neatly catalogued in his files.
What he found:
The central cairn is surrounded by 28 radiating stone lines, four of which align with the cardinal points of the compass. Those lines are encircled by another ring of stones.
A few metres away lies a stone semicircle, with a large stone between it and the central cairn. The left edge of the semicircle lines up with both the central stone and the right edge of the cairn, and vice versa.
To Freeman, those features represent the sun, the crescent moon and the morning star.
As well, there are secondary cairns on nearby hills and rock assemblages that seem to correspond to constellations.
And after years of rising before dawn, in all seasons and weather, to carefully photograph the positions of the sun, Freeman found the rocks once thought to be simply strewn across the prairie instead mark the progression of the year with uncanny accuracy.
The rising and setting sun on both the longest and shortest days of the year lines up precisely with V-shaped sights in the temple's rocks. The spring and autumn equinoxes, when day and night are equal, are similarly marked. They are not the equinoxes of the Gregorian calendar currently used, however, but the true astronomical equinoxes.
Freeman is convinced the temple contains a lunar calendar as well, because the 28 rays radiating from the central cairn correspond to the length of the lunar cycle.
"I thought I would complete that study in a couple years," says Freeman, a laughing, vigorous 78. "Twenty-eight years later we're still making discoveries."
Mainstream archeology hasn't been exactly welcoming. Despite being highly regarded in his own field, Freeman says journals have rejected his papers and conferences have denied him a platform.
Professionals in any field resist interlopers from other disciplines and archeology is no exception, he says. But he suggests conventional wisdom can restrict insight.
"If you have preconceptions, you're never going to discover anything."
Although he hasn't read "Canada's Stonehenge," University of Alberta archeologist Jack Ives is familiar with Freeman's theories.
He says recent research suggests some astronomical knowledge developed in Central and South America flowed north to the plains, where it was adapted by people for their own purposes.
"There is some basis for thinking there was sophisticated astronomical knowledge," says Ives.
But what exactly is manifested in the medicine wheels?
"They may certainly reflect solstices and equinoxes. How much more sophisticated beyond that has been a subject of debate."
But Ives points out the terrain in question is an ancient glacial moraine, full of naturally occurring rocks.
"You have to be very careful about what you line up."
Freeman, however, is convinced. He looks forward to the academic debate to come.
"I know my song well before I sing it," he says, quoting Bob Dylan.
Meanwhile, Freeman hopes to use any publicity generated by his book to push for preservation of the site. Part of it is privately owned, but most is Crown land and open to both the energy industry and casual, possibly destructive, visitors.
"The place is so far away from anything that it's not adequately protected."
Freeman is a man of science, trained to trust hard data and believe evidence over sensation. But after 28 years unravelling a message in mute stones, the wind in his hair and the sun on his face, absorbed in ancient mysteries, the site has come to evoke in him something akin to reverence.
"I can go down there with a headache and within a day everything is gone. It's just like a cure. There is something down there. I just don't know how to describe it.
"I just feel very comfortable there. I just feel comfortable."
Thu Jan 29, 4:53 PM
EDMONTON - An academic maverick is challenging conventional wisdom on Canada's prehistory by claiming an archeological site in southern Alberta is really a vast, open-air sun temple with a precise 5,000-year-old calendar predating England's Stonehenge and Egypt's pyramids.
Mainstream archeologists consider the rock-encircled cairn to be just another medicine wheel left behind by early aboriginals. But a new book by retired University of Alberta professor Gordon Freeman says it is in fact the centre of a 26-square-kilometre stone "lacework" that marks the changing seasons and the phases of the moon with greater accuracy than our current calendar.
"Genius existed on the prairies 5,000 years ago," says Freeman, the widely published former head of the university's physical and theoretical chemistry department.
Freeman's fascination with prairie prehistory dates back to his Saskatchewan boyhood. He and his father would comb the short grasses of the plains in search of artifacts exposed by the scouring wind. That curiosity never left him and he returned to it as he prepared to retire from active teaching.
Looking for a hobby, he asked a friend with an interest in history to suggest a few intriguing sites to visit. On a warm late-August day in 1980, that list drew him to what he has come to call Canada's Stonehenge, which is also the title of his book.
A central cairn atop one of a series of low hills overlooking the Bow River, about 70 kilometres east of Calgary, had been partially excavated in 1971 and dated at about 5,000 years old. But as he approached it, Freeman strongly felt there was much more there than previously thought.
"As we walked toward the hilltop, I saw all kinds of patterns in the rocks on the way up. As I walked around the hilltop, I could see patterns that I doubted very much were accidental."
Freeman photographed what he saw and showed the images to archeologists. They told him the rocks, some of which weigh up to a tonne, had been randomly distributed by melting glaciers.
But those rocks and rock piles, Freeman said, had been "highly engineered," shimmied and balanced and wedged in ways he couldn't believe were natural. And so began a magnificent obsession - 28 years of photographing the site in summer and winter, observing the alignment of rocks and how they coincided with the recurring patterns of sun, moon and stars.
Freeman estimates he and his wife Phyllis have spent a total of seven months living at the site. Twelve thousand photographs with precise times and dates are neatly catalogued in his files.
What he found:
The central cairn is surrounded by 28 radiating stone lines, four of which align with the cardinal points of the compass. Those lines are encircled by another ring of stones.
A few metres away lies a stone semicircle, with a large stone between it and the central cairn. The left edge of the semicircle lines up with both the central stone and the right edge of the cairn, and vice versa.
To Freeman, those features represent the sun, the crescent moon and the morning star.
As well, there are secondary cairns on nearby hills and rock assemblages that seem to correspond to constellations.
And after years of rising before dawn, in all seasons and weather, to carefully photograph the positions of the sun, Freeman found the rocks once thought to be simply strewn across the prairie instead mark the progression of the year with uncanny accuracy.
The rising and setting sun on both the longest and shortest days of the year lines up precisely with V-shaped sights in the temple's rocks. The spring and autumn equinoxes, when day and night are equal, are similarly marked. They are not the equinoxes of the Gregorian calendar currently used, however, but the true astronomical equinoxes.
Freeman is convinced the temple contains a lunar calendar as well, because the 28 rays radiating from the central cairn correspond to the length of the lunar cycle.
"I thought I would complete that study in a couple years," says Freeman, a laughing, vigorous 78. "Twenty-eight years later we're still making discoveries."
Mainstream archeology hasn't been exactly welcoming. Despite being highly regarded in his own field, Freeman says journals have rejected his papers and conferences have denied him a platform.
Professionals in any field resist interlopers from other disciplines and archeology is no exception, he says. But he suggests conventional wisdom can restrict insight.
"If you have preconceptions, you're never going to discover anything."
Although he hasn't read "Canada's Stonehenge," University of Alberta archeologist Jack Ives is familiar with Freeman's theories.
He says recent research suggests some astronomical knowledge developed in Central and South America flowed north to the plains, where it was adapted by people for their own purposes.
"There is some basis for thinking there was sophisticated astronomical knowledge," says Ives.
But what exactly is manifested in the medicine wheels?
"They may certainly reflect solstices and equinoxes. How much more sophisticated beyond that has been a subject of debate."
But Ives points out the terrain in question is an ancient glacial moraine, full of naturally occurring rocks.
"You have to be very careful about what you line up."
Freeman, however, is convinced. He looks forward to the academic debate to come.
"I know my song well before I sing it," he says, quoting Bob Dylan.
Meanwhile, Freeman hopes to use any publicity generated by his book to push for preservation of the site. Part of it is privately owned, but most is Crown land and open to both the energy industry and casual, possibly destructive, visitors.
"The place is so far away from anything that it's not adequately protected."
Freeman is a man of science, trained to trust hard data and believe evidence over sensation. But after 28 years unravelling a message in mute stones, the wind in his hair and the sun on his face, absorbed in ancient mysteries, the site has come to evoke in him something akin to reverence.
"I can go down there with a headache and within a day everything is gone. It's just like a cure. There is something down there. I just don't know how to describe it.
"I just feel very comfortable there. I just feel comfortable."
Friday, January 30, 2009
Recjoice!
What is great dipped in chocolate?
made into Cupcakes? Donuts? And even Martinis?
made into Cupcakes? Donuts? And even Martinis?
The Ingredient of the Year!!!!
And if you’re in the San Fran area in March you can go to : BACONCAMP!!
(all proceeds go to the American Heart Association* )
Try the Bacon Brownies!!!
*Seriously!
Friday, January 23, 2009
It makes sense...
Lily Bollinger of Bollinger was asked "When do you drink champagne?", and replied:
I only drink champagne when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty.
sounds like a good rule of thumb to me! ;)
I only drink champagne when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty.
sounds like a good rule of thumb to me! ;)
Friday, January 09, 2009
Terminology 101
Penthouse publisher Larry Flint is asking for a bailout package for the pornography industry as people are too financially strapped to pay for porn …
[ insert appropriate snickering here ]
Just wondering here… would that be a financial ‘stimulus package’? Or a financial ‘package stimulus’?
[ insert appropriate snickering here ]
Just wondering here… would that be a financial ‘stimulus package’? Or a financial ‘package stimulus’?
Thursday, January 01, 2009
you, my friends, are invited...
THE INVITATION
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Indian Elder
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your hearts longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals, or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true, I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.
I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty, even when it is not pretty every day, and if you can source your life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours or mine, and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!"
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.
It doesn't interest me who you are, or how you came to be here- I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
May 1994
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Indian Elder
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your hearts longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals, or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true, I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.
I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty, even when it is not pretty every day, and if you can source your life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours or mine, and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!"
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.
It doesn't interest me who you are, or how you came to be here- I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
May 1994
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
May all yer hang-overs be tolerable.
for Pete's sake, if you drink - take a cab! Stay off your broom!!
*raises a toast to the New Year*
May 2009 be the morning of prosperity that shines on the evening of 2008’s adversity.
New Year's Eve Scatter confetti Blow up a wish Play a loud tune by Myra Cohn Livingson....  |
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Merry!
and lest someone find that offensive
A Politically Correct
Holiday Greeting
Whatever you celebrate, wherever you are - I wish you peace, good health, and good cheer.Holiday Greeting
Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, but with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
Additionally,
a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions have helped make our society great , (not to imply that our society is necessarily greater than any other society or is that ours is the only "society" in the western hemisphere or any other hemisphere), without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, sexual orientation, choice of computer platform , or other preferences of the wishee
Disclaimer: By accepting this greeting, you are accepting the following terms this greeting is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher, however, it implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the holiday spirit. It is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
Party safely my darlings!
Mistletoe & Chocolate,
Me
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Disturbing and disgusting.
yet another reason that I have no love or affection for "all that is Asian"
(infact their culture is starting to make me queasy)
this is disturbing ...
seriously... if you click here it will hurt. => Anything is possible with enough cash
(infact their culture is starting to make me queasy)
this is disturbing ...
seriously... if you click here it will hurt. => Anything is possible with enough cash
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Food for Thought
"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the
night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the
little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the
sunset."
- Crowfoot, Native American, Blackfoot.
Perhaps this is a good time of the year to remember this? non?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Proposition 8 - The Musical.
Brilliant! Star-studded.
If you haven't already seen this you should...
If you haven't already seen this you should...
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
even I have my limits...
Anthony Bordain may have described it the best when he said, “its taste can only be described as…indescribable, something you will either love or despise. …Your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother.”
durian and 9 other weird gourmet "delights"
durian and 9 other weird gourmet "delights"
Monday, December 01, 2008
Time to haul out the bean recognition manuals...
Your result for The hey good lookin' whatcha got cookin' test...
Sous Chef 75%
Superb result! You must really know your veggies. Either you are already a chef, or perhaps you just love to cook. You seemed to do well with several of the more obscure vegetables. Most of the vegetables used in this test came straight from the garden. They were so much fresher than those that are shipped across the country. For more recipes and pictures feel free to check out my blog "straightfromthefarm.net".
Here's how you did compared to others...
Executive Chef
Sous Chef
Sauté Chef
Vegetable Chef
Fry Cook
Maître D'
Bus Boy
Wendy's Bun Toaster
Please visit my journal if you wish to check your answers.
Take The hey good lookin' whatcha got cookin' test atHelloQuizzy
Saturday, November 29, 2008
for shame...
One of the weaknesses of our age is our apparent inability to distinguish our need from our greed.
~Author Unknown
and evidence of that greed? HERE
I participate in Buy Nothing Day
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Thanks for the warning...
Aries Horoscope for week of November 20, 2008
Fifty-five percent of Americans not only believe in guardian angels, but testify that they have been actively aided by the intervention of those divine helpers. Commenting on the results, one religious expert said that "Americans live in an enchanted world." The 55 percent figure may rise even higher in the coming weeks. A majority of Aries all over the planet, regardless of their religious orientation, could have a mystical experience that will spook and delight them. If you're one of the chosen ones, don't get fixated on or distracted by the sheer amazement of the visitation. Make sure you're alert for its eminently practical guidance.
Freewillastrology
Oh pick me!! pick me!!
Fifty-five percent of Americans not only believe in guardian angels, but testify that they have been actively aided by the intervention of those divine helpers. Commenting on the results, one religious expert said that "Americans live in an enchanted world." The 55 percent figure may rise even higher in the coming weeks. A majority of Aries all over the planet, regardless of their religious orientation, could have a mystical experience that will spook and delight them. If you're one of the chosen ones, don't get fixated on or distracted by the sheer amazement of the visitation. Make sure you're alert for its eminently practical guidance.
Freewillastrology
Oh pick me!! pick me!!
Monday, November 17, 2008
From the files of the surreal...
Ghetto-Fabulous Ghenghis Kahn
Scroll down, read the cooking instructions... very funny (at least it was before coffee this morning)
Scroll down, read the cooking instructions... very funny (at least it was before coffee this morning)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Bravo! Well said sir!
Read the Original at HellBlazer.net
I’ve had enough. I have had it up to here. I tried to play it the right way, I did. I would rationally and carefully try to explain the issue. I would refuse to sink and play by the terms of the opposition. I was a good guy, for the most part. Now? Mmm. Fuck that.
You want a fight? Fine, let’s lay out some damned ground rules here. Come on! It’ll be fun!
You want to tell me who I can and can’t marry? You want to have say over whom my friends and loved ones can fall in love with and share their lives with?
You sure about that? Let’s take a look.
First a bit of rational thought for you: If marriage is a religious thing and not a state sanctioned and defined object then why do you care? Oh wait, that’s because it isn’t. At all. See, when I can go before a judge and get legally married, not “civil unioned” note but married - with a certificate and everything - it means your precious little deity ain’t in the room.
So if you don’t like it then ban it in your churches. But that is the only place you get to say no to things. See, it’s a secular country. Sorry but it is. “One Nation under God” - not until the 50’s it wasn’t. This place wasn’t founded on that. Oh sure God got some lip service in the Constitution, but so did a separation of church and state. So pick it. In or out, motherfuckers. In or out.
But regardless, you want to push forward with this! You want to demand your so-called right to use your religion as a battering ram into my home. Into my family affairs. Then I call fair play!
You have to play by every other religions rules as well. So we all go Kosher. All of us. Yup. We all also give up medical care. It goes against what Christian Scientists believe in after all, right? It’s only fair and right.
You want to deny rights based on religion then so will I. I will pick whatever religion I feel like at the time, though. Because they each have as much bearing on you as yours does on mine. See, isn’t that equality?
So you get to ban gay marriage and I get to deny you penicillin! Now we’re getting somewhere! I can feel the fairness spreading out and touching each of us in our very hearts!
Look, you want to deny me your Heaven? Go for it! You want to tell me I’m a sinner, a heathen and a bad, bad man? Hallelujah and pass the ammo! But I am going to fight just as hard against your rights.
Come on. Social chicken. Wanna see if I flinch? Bitch, I’ve played chicken with busses going 40 m.p.h. on NY City streets and won. Bring it. Bring your lies, your hate, your unconscionable intolerance and moral sickness and I will wipe my ass with each one and thank you and ask for more.
Because you’ll get worse.
You want a war? Fine! Let’s play it your way! You want to protest and hold signs and tell us how we’re going to hell? Let’s see how you like it when we protest your churches and ceremonies. Let’s find out. I’m game.
Because I’m sick of this. I am sick and truly fucking tired of each and every one of you who can’t see your way to respecting your fellow humans enough to grant them the same rights you do simply because they don’t think your invisible man’s paperback is all that smooth.
Get over your self-importance and do the right thing. Or else. No more chances, no more Mr. Nice Guy, no more understanding. You started this bullshit fight. Don’t be surprised when you get punched in the face.
Are we clear?
I’ve had enough. I have had it up to here. I tried to play it the right way, I did. I would rationally and carefully try to explain the issue. I would refuse to sink and play by the terms of the opposition. I was a good guy, for the most part. Now? Mmm. Fuck that.
You want a fight? Fine, let’s lay out some damned ground rules here. Come on! It’ll be fun!
You want to tell me who I can and can’t marry? You want to have say over whom my friends and loved ones can fall in love with and share their lives with?
You sure about that? Let’s take a look.
First a bit of rational thought for you: If marriage is a religious thing and not a state sanctioned and defined object then why do you care? Oh wait, that’s because it isn’t. At all. See, when I can go before a judge and get legally married, not “civil unioned” note but married - with a certificate and everything - it means your precious little deity ain’t in the room.
So if you don’t like it then ban it in your churches. But that is the only place you get to say no to things. See, it’s a secular country. Sorry but it is. “One Nation under God” - not until the 50’s it wasn’t. This place wasn’t founded on that. Oh sure God got some lip service in the Constitution, but so did a separation of church and state. So pick it. In or out, motherfuckers. In or out.
But regardless, you want to push forward with this! You want to demand your so-called right to use your religion as a battering ram into my home. Into my family affairs. Then I call fair play!
You have to play by every other religions rules as well. So we all go Kosher. All of us. Yup. We all also give up medical care. It goes against what Christian Scientists believe in after all, right? It’s only fair and right.
You want to deny rights based on religion then so will I. I will pick whatever religion I feel like at the time, though. Because they each have as much bearing on you as yours does on mine. See, isn’t that equality?
So you get to ban gay marriage and I get to deny you penicillin! Now we’re getting somewhere! I can feel the fairness spreading out and touching each of us in our very hearts!
Look, you want to deny me your Heaven? Go for it! You want to tell me I’m a sinner, a heathen and a bad, bad man? Hallelujah and pass the ammo! But I am going to fight just as hard against your rights.
Come on. Social chicken. Wanna see if I flinch? Bitch, I’ve played chicken with busses going 40 m.p.h. on NY City streets and won. Bring it. Bring your lies, your hate, your unconscionable intolerance and moral sickness and I will wipe my ass with each one and thank you and ask for more.
Because you’ll get worse.
You want a war? Fine! Let’s play it your way! You want to protest and hold signs and tell us how we’re going to hell? Let’s see how you like it when we protest your churches and ceremonies. Let’s find out. I’m game.
Because I’m sick of this. I am sick and truly fucking tired of each and every one of you who can’t see your way to respecting your fellow humans enough to grant them the same rights you do simply because they don’t think your invisible man’s paperback is all that smooth.
Get over your self-importance and do the right thing. Or else. No more chances, no more Mr. Nice Guy, no more understanding. You started this bullshit fight. Don’t be surprised when you get punched in the face.
Are we clear?
Friday, October 31, 2008
Samhain Blessings & Hallowe'en Treats!
THE THIRTEEN DAYS OF HALLOWEEN *
*sung as best you can to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas...
On the first day of Halloween
My postman brought to me,
A Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the second day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the third day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the fourth day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the fifth day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Five witches riding brooms,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the sixth day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Six hooting owls,
Five witches riding brooms,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the seventh day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Seven scary pumpkins,
Six hooting owls,
Five witches riding brooms,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the eighth day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Eight freaky franks,
Seven scary pumpkins,
Six hooting owls,
Five witches riding brooms,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the ninth day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Nine reapers reaping,
Eight freaky franks,
Seven scary pumpkins,
Six hooting owls,
Five witches riding brooms,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the tenth day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Ten skulls a-smoking,
Nine reapers reaping,
Eight freaky franks,
Seven scary pumpkins,
Six hooting owls,
Five witches riding brooms,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the eleventh day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Eleven coffins creaking,
Ten skulls a-smoking,
Nine reapers reaping,
Eight freaky franks,
Seven scary pumpkins,
Six hooting owls,
Five witches riding brooms,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the twelfth day of Halloween,
My postman brought to me,
Twelve skeletons a-dancing,
Eleven coffins creaking,
Ten skulls a-smoking,
Nine reapers reaping,
Eight freaky franks,
Seven scary pumpkins,
Six hooting owls,
Five witches riding brooms,
Four spooky ghosts,
Three black cats,
Two walking mummies,
And a Gho-o-o-ul in a dead tree.
On the thirteenth day of Halloween,
Before this could happen ...
... I Moved!
This was Posted by: FaerieDragon on The Enchanted Society Yahoo Group .
However you celebrate today, whatever your plans - may it be a safe and happy day !!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Gas is Good!... apparently.
Flatulence's stink may be linked to lower blood pressure
The gas responsible for the foul odour of flatulence and rotten eggs may play an important role in regulating blood pressure, Canadian researchers say in a study released Friday.
24/10/2008 12:44:47 PM
CBC News
Hydrogen sulphide - a toxic gas that, among other things, is made by bacteria living in the human intestinal tract - relaxes blood vessels and allows for easier blood flow, according to the study in Friday's edition of the journal Science.
It is hard "not to overestimate the biological importance of hydrogen sulphide or its implications in hypertension," writes Rui Wang, a physiologist at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont. Wang co-authored the study with Lingyun Wu, a pharmacologist of the University of Saskatchewan and other researchers from the Johns Hopkins medical school in Baltimore.
The five-year mouse study found that an enzyme called CSE produced the gas in cells lining the walls of blood vessels throughout the body.
That finding confirmed earlier research that suggested a link between the enzyme and the gas.
In the study, researchers bred mice with lower-than-average levels of CSE and found that the engineered animals had significantly depleted levels of hydrogen sulphide compared to a group with normal levels of the enzyme.
The researchers also found that the mice with CSE deficiencies had blood pressure levels that were 20 per cent higher than the normal mice.
However, when the mice bred for lower CSE levels were given methacholine, a drug given to relax blood vessels, their blood pressure levels were not significantly different than those with normal levels of the enzyme. The researchers said this suggests the gas is responsible for the change in blood pressure.
The findings could lead to new treatments for high blood pressure in humans, said the study authors.
"Now that we know hydrogen sulphide's role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension," study co-author Dr. Solomon H. Snyder, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University, said in a Johns Hopkins news release.
............. Oy Vey.
The gas responsible for the foul odour of flatulence and rotten eggs may play an important role in regulating blood pressure, Canadian researchers say in a study released Friday.
24/10/2008 12:44:47 PM
CBC News
Hydrogen sulphide - a toxic gas that, among other things, is made by bacteria living in the human intestinal tract - relaxes blood vessels and allows for easier blood flow, according to the study in Friday's edition of the journal Science.
It is hard "not to overestimate the biological importance of hydrogen sulphide or its implications in hypertension," writes Rui Wang, a physiologist at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont. Wang co-authored the study with Lingyun Wu, a pharmacologist of the University of Saskatchewan and other researchers from the Johns Hopkins medical school in Baltimore.
The five-year mouse study found that an enzyme called CSE produced the gas in cells lining the walls of blood vessels throughout the body.
That finding confirmed earlier research that suggested a link between the enzyme and the gas.
In the study, researchers bred mice with lower-than-average levels of CSE and found that the engineered animals had significantly depleted levels of hydrogen sulphide compared to a group with normal levels of the enzyme.
The researchers also found that the mice with CSE deficiencies had blood pressure levels that were 20 per cent higher than the normal mice.
However, when the mice bred for lower CSE levels were given methacholine, a drug given to relax blood vessels, their blood pressure levels were not significantly different than those with normal levels of the enzyme. The researchers said this suggests the gas is responsible for the change in blood pressure.
The findings could lead to new treatments for high blood pressure in humans, said the study authors.
"Now that we know hydrogen sulphide's role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension," study co-author Dr. Solomon H. Snyder, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University, said in a Johns Hopkins news release.
............. Oy Vey.
Friday, October 24, 2008
THE YEAR 1908
The year is 1908.
One hundred years ago.
Here are some statistics for the Year 1908:
The average life expectancy was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average wage in 1908 was 22 cents per hour.
The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.
Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called Medical Schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
Five leading causes of death were:
Pneumonia and influenza
Tuberculosis
Diarrhea
Heart disease
Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, ‘Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.' (Shocking? DUH! )
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE! U.S.A. !
Now get this…I received this from someone else without paper…
I’m passing it on to you with out typing it myself, and it is being seen by you, and others, all over Canada, the U.S.A, and the world, in a matter of seconds!
We’ve come a long way baby…now try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
One hundred years ago.
Here are some statistics for the Year 1908:
The average life expectancy was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average wage in 1908 was 22 cents per hour.
The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.
Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called Medical Schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
Five leading causes of death were:
Pneumonia and influenza
Tuberculosis
Diarrhea
Heart disease
Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, ‘Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.' (Shocking? DUH! )
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE! U.S.A. !
Now get this…I received this from someone else without paper…
I’m passing it on to you with out typing it myself, and it is being seen by you, and others, all over Canada, the U.S.A, and the world, in a matter of seconds!
We’ve come a long way baby…now try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
THE YEAR 1908
The year is 1908.
One hundred years ago.
Here are some statistics for the Year 1908:
· The average life expectancy was 47 years.
· Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
· Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
· There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
· The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
· The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
· The average wage in 1908 was 22 cents per hour.
· The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
· A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
· More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.
· Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called Medical Schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard. '
· Sugar cost four cents a pound.
· Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
· Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
· Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
· Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
· Five leading causes of death were:
o Pneumonia and influenza
o Tuberculosis
o Diarrhea
o Heart disease
o Stroke
· The American flag had 45 stars.
· The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!
· Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
· There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
· Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
· Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
· Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, ‘Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.' (Shocking? DUH! )
· Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
· There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE! U.S.A. !
Now get this…I received this from someone else without paper…
I’m passing it on to you with out typing it myself, and it is being seen by you, and others, all over Canada, the U.S.A, and the world, in a matter of seconds!
We’ve come a long way baby…
now try to imagine where we are going....
Monday, October 20, 2008
again the internet quiz speaks true
Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...
Balanced, Secure, and Realistic.
26 Impressionist, 22 Islamic, 15 Ukiyo-e, -25 Cubist, -26 Abstract and 4 Renaissance!
Impressionism is a movement in French painting, sometimes called optical realism because of its almost scientific interest in the actual visual experience and effect of light and movement on appearance of objects. Impressionist paintings are balanced, use colored shadows, use pure color, broken brushstrokes, thick paint, and scenes from everyday life or nature.
People that like Impressionist paintings may not alway be what is deemed socially acceptable. They tend to move on their own path without always worrying that it may be offensive to others. They value friendships but because they also value honesty tend to have a few really good friends. They do not, however, like people that are rude and do not appreciate the ideas of others. They are secure enough in themselves that they can listen to the ideas of other people without it affecting their own final decisions. The world for them is not black and white but more in shades of grey and muted colors. They like things to be aestically pleasing, not stark and sharp. There are many ways to view things, and the impresssionist personality views the world from many different aspects. They enjoy life and try to keep a realistic viewpoint of things, but are not very open to new experiences. If they are content in their live they will be more than likely pleased to keep things just the way they are.
Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy
LOL - not always be deemed socially acceptable?? I can live with that
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Food for Thought series
I thought this was a lovely, thought-provoking quote...
apologies to those who read me elsewhere, ima gonna cross-post leik whoa
LOL
It may be that when we no longer know which way to go we have come to our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.
Wendell Berry, Collected Poems
apologies to those who read me elsewhere, ima gonna cross-post leik whoa
LOL
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I have often wondered...
Oh would some power the gift give us, to see ourselves as others see us!
Robert Burns
I'm vain enough to have wondered... are you?
I'm vain enough to have wondered... are you?
Monday, October 13, 2008
Go Vote!
WHO you vote for is none of my damn business,
THAT you vote is my great concern.
I want to point out to both Americans and Canadians, that whether or not you support the war effort, it is claiming the lives of sons, daughters, brothers and sisters. They are fighting and dying for freedom and democracy in foreign lands. Our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers (and beyond) fought and died for our freedom and democracy here at home – exercise that right of democracy they bought for you by voting.
Dear Americans,
If you want Obama in as the first African-American President (or for any other reasons) – go vote!! …….He won’t necessarily win if you don’t.
Don’t want Palin? Want to make sure she doesn’t get close to that Red Button? Go Vote
You want McCain in? You think the Republicans are the way of the future? Go vote.
Dear Canadians
You want Harper and Harper-nomics out? You want to get rid of Dion? Want the Green Party to finally get official party status?? Mad about the loss of jobs, programs, the continuing war, taxes, and health care?? Go vote TOMORROW!
For PITY SAKE - VOTE
Don’t let THEM speak for you.
Many people you vehemently disagree with WILL be voting. Why let them dictate what kind of world you will have to live in? Get informed and get your ass out there.
“Why should I vote? My vote won’t count anyways”
QUIT WHINING YOU BIG PUTZ! Sure “we” may not win. But “we” definitely won’t win if “we” don’t vote. Even if “we” lose – quit sniveling like a sulky spoiled git – “we” tried! And “we” will keep trying.
No Vote. No Complaints.
None. Not one word. Just shut up.
If you haven’t voted, you have no right to bitch about the price of gas, the taxes, crappy health care, the lack of student loans, public transport, policing, the conditions of the roads, crime, schools, guns laws, drugs, unemployment, immigration, the closure of parks, pools, libraries, the repeal of the rights of gays and lesbians to marry, abortion laws, or anything else the government does or doesn’t do.
If you haven’t voted – then STFU.
If you did take the time to vote – feel free to be as critical as you can be; bitch to your heart’s content.
Thank you for your attention – this was an unpaid politically inclined rant brought to you by PMS and the Association of Those Tired of Apathetical Whiners.
…….. and now back to your regularly scheduled internet usage.
P.S. HAPPY TURKEY DAY to all my Canadian friends.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Your result for The Classic Dames Test...
Katharine Hepburn
You scored 14% grit, 29% wit, 43% flair, and 17% class!
You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who like strong women.
Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the
Take The Classic Dames Test at HelloQuizzy
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Your result for Reincarnation Placement Exam...
Atlantis
48% Intrigue, 73% Civilization, 59% Humanity, 55% Urbanization.
Score! The civilization of Atlantis!You must have done something right. You've been assigned to a civilization so idyllic, it's been relegated to legend. The grass is green, the weather is serene, the neighbors are clean. Your culture is technologically advanced at a time when the world is still young and fresh. There are lots of interesting things to do, and good people to enjoy life with. The only downside is that it's not very complicated, none of that messy trouble arising from chaos, intrigue and unnecessary adventure. You know... it's a lot like Switzerland, only... more awesome.
Life doesn't get much better than this!
We recommend you invest in a life vest. You know, just in case.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Amen!
Dust If You Must
Rose Milligan of Lancaster England
"A house becomes a home when you can write, 'I love you' on the furniture."
I can't tell you how many countless hours that I have spent CLEANING! I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect -"in case someone came over". Then I realized one day that no one came over; they were all out living life and having fun!
Now, when people visit, I find no need to explain the "condition" of my home. They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun. If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice.
Life is short. Enjoy it!
Dust if you must,
but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter,
bake a cake or plant a seed,
ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must,
but there's not much time,
with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
music to hear and books to read,
friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must,
but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes,
the wind in your hair,
a flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come around again.
Dust if you must,
but bear in mind,
old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go - and go you must –
you, yourself will make more dust!
It's not what you gather,
but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Wisdom! Let us attend!
- Any American who is prepared to run for president should automatically, by definition, be disqualified from ever doing so.
Monday, June 30, 2008
WWJD ?
"NASTY BAD PAGANS?" Protesting hate speech on NBC
On Wednesday, June 25, 2008, during a live broadcast of a wedding reception on the TODAY Show, Kathy Lee Gifford gratuitously referred to Pagans as "nasty, bad Pagans." Ms. Gifford's hate speech has done harm to American Pagans' ability to live in peace with our neighbors of other faiths. By allowing her hate speech to be broadcast, her direct employer the TODAY Show, and their network, NBC, participate in that hate speech.
This is a petition calling for, at the very least, an on-air apology. A TODAY Show program devoted to dispelling misconceptions about Pagans and Paganism would go a long ways toward undoing the damage..
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/quotnas
Clicking the link below will take you to the site to view the video:
http://today. msnbc. msn. com/id/21134540/vp/2536821625368216Pass this on...
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Don't rock the boat
After an orange cloud — formed as a result of a dust storm over the Sahara and caught up by air currents — reached the Philippines and settled there with rain, I understood that we are all sailing in the same boat.
~ Vladimir Kovalyonok (Astronaut)
A belated Blessed Mid-Summer Solstice to all...
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Opportunity knocks.
Let's assume that each person has an equal opportunity, not to become equal, but to become different.
~John Fischer
I believe it was Mahatma Gandhi who said “Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress”.
Personally, I think some people try too hard, don’t you?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Don't be late...
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.
~Rumi
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
an explanation...
To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.
- Emily Dickinson
- Emily Dickinson
... and currently I am very startled.
Friday, May 23, 2008
an answer...
What is life?
It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.
It is the little shadow which runs across
the grass and loses itself in the sunset.
~ Crowfoot
It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.
It is the little shadow which runs across
the grass and loses itself in the sunset.
~ Crowfoot
Monday, May 12, 2008
Wisdom of the Ages
''Dance, as though no one is watching,
Love, as though you've never been hurt before,
Sing, as though no one can hear you,
Work, as though you don't need the money,
Live, as though heaven is on earth. ''
~ Rumi
Love, as though you've never been hurt before,
Sing, as though no one can hear you,
Work, as though you don't need the money,
Live, as though heaven is on earth. ''
~ Rumi
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Food for Thought
The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.
~Arthur C. Clarke
~Arthur C. Clarke
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Impossible!
Things are only impossible until they're not.
Jean-Luc Picard, 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'
Friday, March 28, 2008
may it be...
May the sun bring you new energy by day,
May the moon softly restore you by night,
May the rain wash away your worries,
May the breeze blow new strength into your being.
~Apache Blessing
~Apache Blessing
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