The Latest News

The latest news concerning Kathleen's nephew, Andrew Benavides, is that he is doing much better. His injury was a bad bruise, not a fracture. He is back at school, and he will be wearing a hard plastic neck brace for about 75 days, to help the injured area heal. He is using a walker to help him with his balance and posture. Nearly everyone is amazed at his rapid progress. Thank you to all who prayed for his prompt recovery.

PRAYER REQUEST

Hello all, here is a "Prayer Request"...

This is information concerning my daughter-in-law's nephew, Andrew Benavides, who received a spinal cord injury in a football game he way playing in last Saturday, October 24, 2009.

http://isubengals.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102809aaa.html

I sent this to nearly everyone I know, and some that I don't know, to ask for help.

Your prayers will be appreciated.

Please invite your friends and family to join in prayer for Andrew's successful healing.

Thank you.

GRAMPS

THE SKY IS FALLING !!

Unless you have been in a sensory deprivation tank for the last year or two, you have heard at least something about the “end of times prophecy,” allegedly attributed to the Maya and their calendar…

Depending upon what website you select, either December 12, 2012, or, December 21, 2012, will be the end of earth, as we know it.

Why? That is the supposed end of the Mayan calendar…

Here is some basic information: http://www.december212012.com/

This site has an excellent explanation of various theories: http://www.greatdreams.com/2012.htm

This is very good informational about the Mayan Calendar, including a countdown clock to 12/21/2012: http://mayancalendar2012.org/

This is a very good, comprehensive, explanation about the Maya people, their calendar, etc., in an easier–to–read dissertation.
http://www.adishakti.org/mayan_end_times_prophecy_12-21-2012.htm

There is a possible bottom line to all of this: Make your peace with your God now, so that no matter when your time comes to transition to the great beyond, or whatever will be awaiting you, that you will be at peace and ready for what ever happens next.

From my point of view, I believe that December 21, 2012 is the end of a Mayan cycle, and the next day, will be the start of the new cycle.

The truly interesting thing about the Mayans, was their ability to make an extremely accurate calendar well into the past, AND, well into the future. How did they do that? The truth is, today, no one knows for sure. These were somewhat primitive people, especially compared to today’s civilizations; yet, they had very advanced knowledge of the stars and planets.

What if the Mayans ended their calendar on a particular date, well into the future, in the belief and hopes that the future civilizations would be able to continue their predictions? After all, the Maya laid the groundwork; and, they might have believed that anyone with a lick of sense would be able to understand their work.

There are some theories that the Maya people received visitors from outer space. It is very interesting to see "knowledgeable people" critique certain Mayan art carvings believed to depict space travel. Again, no one knows for sure.

So, as December 21, 2012 draws closer, please be mindful that lots of folks are going to be acting just a tad crazy, as in The Sky Is Falling, The Sky Is Falling!!

Don't foget to fasten your seat belt!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY?

Hello all,

For the 2009 Christmas Season, I again did my best to avoid any visual contact with Christmas related items for as long as possible. In fact, I believe that I saw the first noticeable Christmas display on the “Ides of September,” and that would have been on September 13, 2009.

I was at the local Fred Meyer store, when I noticed a display of Christmas lights. This year, I decided to wait about a month before mentioning anything about this.

However, seeing any type of Christmas display in September still is waaay tooo early for my liking.

Aggressive marketing is one thing, but earlier and earlier Christmas displays just seems so out
of place, almost disrespectful to the meaning of Christmas. I mean, we have not even seen a candy display for Halloween yet, or had any Thanksgiving turkey and fixings, yet there they were, the advertising for and display of Christmas lights.

When I was growing up, there was a saying, "Yeah, when Christmas comes in July." People would say that in response to something said or promised by another person, to indicate that whatever had been said or promised was nearly unbelievable.

However, it is starting to look like some retailers might just start Christmas marketing in July.

WAITER ! There's a fly in my soup !!

Hmmm...

All of us have heard the saying, "Waiter, there's a fly in my soup!"; and, the responses, such as "Quiet, or everyone will want one," or, "Oh, I am so sorry sir, I'll have to charge extra for that."

I am not sure who originated the fly in the soup line, but I think that I can remember the late greats Jack Benny and Henny Youngman using it in their comedic spiels in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Well, in almost 62 years, (from the time I was about 5 – I’m looking over the fence at 67 come this October 25th), of going to restaurants every now and then, it finally happened. There was a fly in my soup. How it got there is the interesting part.

Our son Clint and I met at McGrath's Fish House Restaurant at the Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood for a bite to eat before he went shopping for a suit. One of the items I ordered was an appetizer size order of steamed clams, with the requisite broth of butter, finely chopped garlic and basil, diced tomato, white wine, and clam juices. It is the kind of concoction that is meant for sopping up with butter-lathered sourdough French bread.

There was an annoying fly buzzing around our table. I waved it away from me and it continued to fly around all over the place. It was about two feet away from me and about two feet into the air, buzzing back and forth over our table.

The food server had just served the steamed clams. They looked great, and as if a nuclear reactor had heated them, steaming hot. Clint and I tried a couple of the clams and they were quite tasty.

The fly returned to annoy me, and I watched as it flew in an upward spiral above the large bowl containing an appetizer portion of clams. Suddenly, the fly stopped flying, as if an invisible missile had hit it. Its lifeless body fell straight into the clam broth. It was dead on arrival into that still very hot liquid. There was no effort to swim, no help me I’m drowning. It was dead.

I informed the food server, and she thought I was kidding – until I showed her the fly’s body, floating near the top of the broth. She went to inform the manager on duty. Clint took two pics of the fly. One with the fly in the broth, and one with the fly moved to a piece of diced tomato in a clamshell for a better look. (By the way, take a look at that small clam and see if it reminds you of anything.)

It took several minutes for the manager to appear. I explained what had happened, but he looked at me as if he thought it was not funny, almost as if it were an every day occurrence.

I thought the whole thing was funny, and tried to make light of the situation. I mentioned that at his next regional meeting, he would have a true fly in the soup story to tell others in his company. What a great opportunity!

To their credit, the manager removed the clam appetizer from the bill, and the food server provided a free dessert item, in lieu of another order of steamed clams.

DEEP SPACE

For those who know me, they realize that I have an interest in the night sky.

Unless one takes the time to look up at the stars, one will never see some fairly amazing things.

You do not need a fancy telescope, although that helps for viewing distant objects. A regular pair of binoculars comes in handy, sometimes; but mostly, just looking with your eyes produces some interesting results.

Someone forwarded me an email with a link to a short video about some Hubble Telescope activity. It truly is amazing to realize that astronomers pointed the Hubble to a dark area of space. What happened amazed everyone. That dark area of space revealed millions, if not billions of distant galaxies - not just planets - but big galaxies.

Sure, we see stars and some planets in the night sky; however, there really are BILLIONS of galaxies in the heavens. The Hubble video is almost breathtaking. Here are some links to it, and I hope they get you to the proper site so you can see this video:

http://www.wikio.com/video/1519366

http://gizmodo.com/5335503/an-amazing-galactic-photo-now-in-3d

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAVjF_7ensg&feature=email

Every once in a while I encounter someone who says they have never seen a satellite pass overhead. It is difficult for me to tell if they are pulling my leg. I enjoy watching a satellite when it is passing overhead. It always amazes me that a man made object is orbiting or flying high enough to reflect the light from the sun.

I have been watching for satellites since Sputnik and Echo1.

Where I live, in the "Pacific Northwest" it is possible to see satellites every night - that is, when there is a clear night. I admit it hurts my neck to look at the night sky. However, I resolved that by laying down on a mat. I pick a strategic spot for good north to south, and west to east viewing.

While in the presence of other people, we have seen some fairly amazing things. For instance, some satellites will stop, to a complete stop, pause a few moments, then continue.

Sometimes, a satellite will stop and change direction. Myself and others have seen a satellite make a 90 degree turn, go a short distance, then head in the original direction. We have seen a satellite make a 180 degree turn to reverse its direction.

Then, there are the satellites that stop, and jump forward three or four jumps, then go flat out at high speed, and disappear from sight within seconds. I wonder about those.

When a satellite stops, then jumps forward, stops again, then goes in a zig-zag direction, then in spirals or curly cues, over the course of three or four minutes, it makes me wonder how that happens.

After all, a satellite is in a stationary course in orbit around the earth, isn't it. How then, is it possible for satellites to maneuver?

That presents some interesting possibilities. Someone could be flying a craft high enough to reflect sun light. Or, maybe it is an unmanned craft being controlled by someone. What if these are examples of "hot dog pilots" from a military service from the U.S., Russia, China, France, England, etc.? It is possible that the U.S. military has "super secret" high flying aircraft, as yet unannounced to the public.

Whatever they are, there are some interesting views in the night sky, if you take the time to look. Since 1955, I have seen dozens of unidentified things flying in the sky - mostly at night, but sometimes during the late afternoon or early evening; AND, almost always in the presence of another person or other people. (Without using any alcohol.)

What if these are craft from elsewhere? I do not know the answer to that. However, I am very sure there are people who do know the answer, but they are keeping very quiet about it.

What Constitutes "Advanced Civilization?"

Recently, on The History Channel, there was a program about ancient civilizations. The narrator questioned how such remarkable engineering feats could be accomplished through the use of hand tools, by so–called “advanced civilizations” who were somewhat primitive by today’s standards.

The simple answer is, no one knows.

Did they come from outer space? No one knows. However, it is interesting to look at the placement of stones, and, the surgical incision–like grooves in some stones. Check out these links:
http://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_6.htm

http://mayaruins.com/tikal.html

Suffice it so say that many researchers are convinced beyond any reasonable doubt, that our ancient ancestors did have visitors from outer space. After all, there are pictographs that show what appears to be space age uniforms and headgear – in various places on the globe, not just in Hackensack, NJ. Items, things we take for granted today, were not available, even in thought, 500 to 2,000 years ago.

The Mayans at Tikal, knew a lot about astronomy. They were able to accurately plot the movements of the planets; and, they somehow had the ability to predict solar and lunar eclipses far into the future. How did they do that? Where did they learn to do that? Who taught them how to do that?

Their society was agrarian, and somehow they scratched out an existence in a very hostile growing area.

How did they make calendars that could accurately go back into time, and, go far into the future?

At Tiahuanaco, before the invention of cranes, masonry saws, and electricity, these people managed to cut and place ‘polished’ stones with amazing engineering skill. How did they do that?

No one knows.

One of the proponents of the visitors from outer space, is Erich von Daniken. My “Activities Director” and I attended a lecture he gave in San Francisco, many years ago. However, his theories are not without the faint aroma of a bad fart.

http://www.skepdic.com/vondanik.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_von_D%C3%A4niken

Regardless, the stone masonry is remarkable, and the questions remain. I am not sure we will ever know how they did what they did – until the realization of time travel.