Sorry for all the seemingly superfluous posts, but they are necessary for me to see what is working and what isn't. This will probably go on several times throughout the next few days, so if you are getting tired of jumping over to see what is "new," only to find it is just this crap, then you are probably safe waiting until Monday to check for new content.
However, the new template will be up sometime this weekend, so if you are that interested, you might want to check back like Sunday. All of this was typed only so I could see if the feed is working...
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
The paranormal, the Supernatural, the odd and Unexplained
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Operation: All Clear - The Oklahoma City Bombing
Oklahoma City Bombing The Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 was alleged to have been carried-out by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols (alone...
Friday, February 29, 2008
Sweeping Changes
The time is upon us:
I have been discussing possible technical changes a lot lately and I have tried things here and there, but this weekend is The Big One: I am going to completely change the template, try once again to fix the feed, and get back to work on the tags.
The problem is that, every time I change a single post or the template, it takes up to five whole minutes for it to publish. That means that changing a tag on a single post, which takes maybe 10 seconds at most, can then take another five minutes to publish! When you think about it, I should be able to get through around 100 posts within an hour or two if all I needed to do was delete a few tags; instead, I am sometimes able to get to ten!
But after much plotting and planning (well, okay, not that much), I think I have devised a way to speed the entire process up by leaps and bounds. Regardless of how long it takes, I am sick and tired of putting it off and tired of looking at the damned thing! Every time I see the blog, it reminds me of failure and how much work I have to do, so nothing's going to change until I change it, and I have decided to do exactly that.
After all, I had been putting off the same work on both Weird Ink and The Rundown and when I finally broke down and did it, they both went through very smoothly and I am very pleased with what I accomplished on both, even though I am nowhere near done on either.
If you have problems loading the blog, this is why.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
I have been discussing possible technical changes a lot lately and I have tried things here and there, but this weekend is The Big One: I am going to completely change the template, try once again to fix the feed, and get back to work on the tags.
The problem is that, every time I change a single post or the template, it takes up to five whole minutes for it to publish. That means that changing a tag on a single post, which takes maybe 10 seconds at most, can then take another five minutes to publish! When you think about it, I should be able to get through around 100 posts within an hour or two if all I needed to do was delete a few tags; instead, I am sometimes able to get to ten!
But after much plotting and planning (well, okay, not that much), I think I have devised a way to speed the entire process up by leaps and bounds. Regardless of how long it takes, I am sick and tired of putting it off and tired of looking at the damned thing! Every time I see the blog, it reminds me of failure and how much work I have to do, so nothing's going to change until I change it, and I have decided to do exactly that.
After all, I had been putting off the same work on both Weird Ink and The Rundown and when I finally broke down and did it, they both went through very smoothly and I am very pleased with what I accomplished on both, even though I am nowhere near done on either.
If you have problems loading the blog, this is why.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Ladies Privilege
The Gregorian calendar contains 365 days per year, with an extra day, February 29th, intercalated to make up the difference between the calendar year and the astronomical year. Every four years, this extra day comes into play on what has come to be called a "leap year."
Today is Leap Day, 2008.
All calendars have some sort of intercalated period to account for the difference, except for Muslims (of course), because Allah deemed them blasphemous (of course). People born on Leap Day are called "leaplings" and traditionally celebrate their birthdays on February 28th and Catholics change their February religious holidays accordingly, postponing them a day in leap years.
According to some sources, women in the Western world could only propose to men in leap years. However, this is disputed by many as historically inaccurate. It is supposed to go back to the 5th-Century but no actual references exist before the 19th-Century. In Greece, it is considered bad luck to get married during a leap year.
"Leap Day" got its name because English courts did not officially recognize the 29th of February; they basically "leapt" past the day when it came up on the calendar. If a crime was committed on this day, it was treated as though it had never occurred!
Many of the superstitions surrounding Leap Day and Leap Years have to do with the "between" magic of Aelfheim and the Faerie World. These are most prevalent in Irish folklore. General superstition decrees leap years as "lucky" years for entering business ventures and this very date as particularly auspicious for business matters and dealings!
Happy Leap Day and Leap Year!
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Today is Leap Day, 2008.
All calendars have some sort of intercalated period to account for the difference, except for Muslims (of course), because Allah deemed them blasphemous (of course). People born on Leap Day are called "leaplings" and traditionally celebrate their birthdays on February 28th and Catholics change their February religious holidays accordingly, postponing them a day in leap years.
According to some sources, women in the Western world could only propose to men in leap years. However, this is disputed by many as historically inaccurate. It is supposed to go back to the 5th-Century but no actual references exist before the 19th-Century. In Greece, it is considered bad luck to get married during a leap year.
"Leap Day" got its name because English courts did not officially recognize the 29th of February; they basically "leapt" past the day when it came up on the calendar. If a crime was committed on this day, it was treated as though it had never occurred!
Many of the superstitions surrounding Leap Day and Leap Years have to do with the "between" magic of Aelfheim and the Faerie World. These are most prevalent in Irish folklore. General superstition decrees leap years as "lucky" years for entering business ventures and this very date as particularly auspicious for business matters and dealings!
Happy Leap Day and Leap Year!
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Post 666!
Avert your eyes! This is, indeed, post number 600 and 66.
Technically, since several posts are in draft form (they have been written, or mostly written, but not yet published), you cannot see all 666. However, I had to note this occasion due to the nature of this blog and the fact that it's just kinda cool.
The number 666 is often scorned by Christians due to the fact that it appears in the book of Revelation as "the number of the Beast." Many Christians will go out of their way to avoid association with the number - in fact, a Louisiana town recently had their phone number prefix changed because of it!
However, many scholars and theologians dispute the actual number, noting it might be a mistake of translation. Further, the actual significance of the digits are also disputed. Some think it may refer to Julius Caesar, who was in charge when the book was most likely first written. As Christians were persecuted, the number may have been used as a sort of "code" to avoid such tyranny.
So, avert your eyes and flee for the safety of your kitchen or bathroom, or maybe your hallway or bedroom. Or you can go into the garage or out on the porch, or maybe the sundeck, if you have one.
This has been the 666th post.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Technically, since several posts are in draft form (they have been written, or mostly written, but not yet published), you cannot see all 666. However, I had to note this occasion due to the nature of this blog and the fact that it's just kinda cool.
The number 666 is often scorned by Christians due to the fact that it appears in the book of Revelation as "the number of the Beast." Many Christians will go out of their way to avoid association with the number - in fact, a Louisiana town recently had their phone number prefix changed because of it!
However, many scholars and theologians dispute the actual number, noting it might be a mistake of translation. Further, the actual significance of the digits are also disputed. Some think it may refer to Julius Caesar, who was in charge when the book was most likely first written. As Christians were persecuted, the number may have been used as a sort of "code" to avoid such tyranny.
So, avert your eyes and flee for the safety of your kitchen or bathroom, or maybe your hallway or bedroom. Or you can go into the garage or out on the porch, or maybe the sundeck, if you have one.
This has been the 666th post.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
As Technology Advances...
I know we have fallen off the paranormal wagon here in recent months, but as I have said time and again, that is partially because there just isn't that much "breaking news" in those departments.
But, as I have also said time and again, I do want The OddBlog to be more than just a blog about such things - I want it to become a repository for solid information on such subjects. To those ends, I have been lying down on the job lately and I apologize for that.
I have tons of sources and have "researched" this subject my entire life (meaning to say, I have read-up on it a lot and made notes, cross-references, and so forth in many of my books), so I have insights and accounts to share, but like I have noted on the other blogs, living alone, doing taxes, running several blogs and a website... it's hard to find time for each and every project - especially when the project involves some serious effort and time-investment.
But I am done making excuses - especially for The OddBlog.
While I have absolutely no idea how to fix the RSS feed, I am going to sit down this very night and outline some major, "key" posts that I will be presenting throughout the next few weeks, including one I have been writing and rewriting over the past week or so on technological advances and humanity.
There have been a flood of stories lately on how technological advancements are going to affect humanity in coming years -- many of which are very Cyberpunk in nature and appear to be very valid! It's pretty exciting stuff, but the post is long and in writing it, I realized how important it might be for the blog - not to mention that, no sooner had I made this point or that one than yet another article appeared!
That's one of the things about this blog: nothing happens for months/years on-end, then a big story breaks and it updates and twists and turns so quickly, so often, that it becomes hard to keep-up with. A kind of "hurry-up and wait" situation that explodes into a "stay on top of it" matter literally overnight... before going right back to its former status.
Anyway, there are already several key posts in the archives that I intend to call more attention to and highlight. While they can be difficult to find, they are worth reading and I highly suggest that, if you enjoy reading about this stuff, you spend a little time digging around!
And thanks for being so patient!
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
But, as I have also said time and again, I do want The OddBlog to be more than just a blog about such things - I want it to become a repository for solid information on such subjects. To those ends, I have been lying down on the job lately and I apologize for that.
I have tons of sources and have "researched" this subject my entire life (meaning to say, I have read-up on it a lot and made notes, cross-references, and so forth in many of my books), so I have insights and accounts to share, but like I have noted on the other blogs, living alone, doing taxes, running several blogs and a website... it's hard to find time for each and every project - especially when the project involves some serious effort and time-investment.
But I am done making excuses - especially for The OddBlog.
While I have absolutely no idea how to fix the RSS feed, I am going to sit down this very night and outline some major, "key" posts that I will be presenting throughout the next few weeks, including one I have been writing and rewriting over the past week or so on technological advances and humanity.
There have been a flood of stories lately on how technological advancements are going to affect humanity in coming years -- many of which are very Cyberpunk in nature and appear to be very valid! It's pretty exciting stuff, but the post is long and in writing it, I realized how important it might be for the blog - not to mention that, no sooner had I made this point or that one than yet another article appeared!
That's one of the things about this blog: nothing happens for months/years on-end, then a big story breaks and it updates and twists and turns so quickly, so often, that it becomes hard to keep-up with. A kind of "hurry-up and wait" situation that explodes into a "stay on top of it" matter literally overnight... before going right back to its former status.
Anyway, there are already several key posts in the archives that I intend to call more attention to and highlight. While they can be difficult to find, they are worth reading and I highly suggest that, if you enjoy reading about this stuff, you spend a little time digging around!
And thanks for being so patient!
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Man Has Cake, Eats it Too - DIES!
A man in Wales entered a cake-eating contest at a nightclub... and dies!
An unidentified man, believed to be from Birmingham, collapsed after consuming fairy cakes at the Monkey Cafe and Bar the other night. Patrons and workers there tried to revive him, then contacted authorities, who pronounced him dead. While there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, no one seems to know why the man keeled-over.
The contest was to raise funds for an art exhibition.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
An unidentified man, believed to be from Birmingham, collapsed after consuming fairy cakes at the Monkey Cafe and Bar the other night. Patrons and workers there tried to revive him, then contacted authorities, who pronounced him dead. While there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, no one seems to know why the man keeled-over.
The contest was to raise funds for an art exhibition.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Sick
Sorry for the absence, guys. I was feeling rundown and just plain bad all week long and kept chalking it up to a lack of sleep, not eating as well as I should, and so on, and then Friday, I just fell apart!
By Saturday morning, I was puking and coughing, feverish, achy all over - could barely hold my head up! So I tried to do a little here and there and finally just gave in and laid around all day and night.
After taking medicine and lounging all yesterday, I feel slightly better today - certainly more rested, if nothing else - so I will try to get back to work. I'm not promising anything because I'm still just getting up and about; it took an hour or two after I'd gotten up yesterday before it really hit me. But, knock wood, I feel a lot better today than I did when I woke up yesterday, so I'll get started and see how far I get.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
By Saturday morning, I was puking and coughing, feverish, achy all over - could barely hold my head up! So I tried to do a little here and there and finally just gave in and laid around all day and night.
After taking medicine and lounging all yesterday, I feel slightly better today - certainly more rested, if nothing else - so I will try to get back to work. I'm not promising anything because I'm still just getting up and about; it took an hour or two after I'd gotten up yesterday before it really hit me. But, knock wood, I feel a lot better today than I did when I woke up yesterday, so I'll get started and see how far I get.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Supernatural
While there is a slew of paranormal and Supernatural -based reality shows these days, one of the best scripted, fictional shows on the tube is none other than that which bears the very name, Supernatural.
Sam and Dean Winchester were raised to be Demon-hunters by their father, after their mother was murdered by one. Now, they scour the countryside, fighting The Good Fight.
While the show owes more to Chill than to the actual Occult, Supernatural is the most entertaining show on TV - hands down! It is funny, dramatic, action-packed, thought-provoking, and - like almost no other "horror" show on TV now (or ever, for that matter) - actually scary! And it does not back-down from any of these things; when it is funny, it is funny and when it is scary, it is scary. Unlike a lot of horror entertainment, Supernatural doesn't throw on the cheese just to divert your attention from the mind-numbingly banal.
And while it may seem this post better fits The Rundown, I really wanted to turn The OddBlog readers onto it because I know you will enjoy it.
Regardless of your preferences in entertainment, please check out Supernatural - you will not be disappointed.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Sam and Dean Winchester were raised to be Demon-hunters by their father, after their mother was murdered by one. Now, they scour the countryside, fighting The Good Fight.
While the show owes more to Chill than to the actual Occult, Supernatural is the most entertaining show on TV - hands down! It is funny, dramatic, action-packed, thought-provoking, and - like almost no other "horror" show on TV now (or ever, for that matter) - actually scary! And it does not back-down from any of these things; when it is funny, it is funny and when it is scary, it is scary. Unlike a lot of horror entertainment, Supernatural doesn't throw on the cheese just to divert your attention from the mind-numbingly banal.
And while it may seem this post better fits The Rundown, I really wanted to turn The OddBlog readers onto it because I know you will enjoy it.
Regardless of your preferences in entertainment, please check out Supernatural - you will not be disappointed.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Ghostbreakers Gain Relevance?
A British housing council paid a psychic a little over $100 to exorcise an elemental manifestation, as it was the cheapest method of assuaging the tenant.
To their credit, the council -- and the tenant and her family -- truly believe the place is haunted and were not simply trying to shut her up. 23 year-old Sabrina Fallon claims to have experienced moving objects and even called police to report loud noises which frightened her and her children.
The housing council paid half the psychic's fee and now believes the place is free of activity.
Fallon said the incidents began shortly after Christmas. While the family was away, her brother-in-law let himself in to check on things. He later called her, "crying like a girl," and told her he had heard whispers and voices from upstairs. When he threatened to call police, a nightgown floated down the staircase and landed at his feet.
The family has been traumatized by the events, but says the place now has a "lovely atmosphere."
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
To their credit, the council -- and the tenant and her family -- truly believe the place is haunted and were not simply trying to shut her up. 23 year-old Sabrina Fallon claims to have experienced moving objects and even called police to report loud noises which frightened her and her children.
The housing council paid half the psychic's fee and now believes the place is free of activity.
Fallon said the incidents began shortly after Christmas. While the family was away, her brother-in-law let himself in to check on things. He later called her, "crying like a girl," and told her he had heard whispers and voices from upstairs. When he threatened to call police, a nightgown floated down the staircase and landed at his feet.
The family has been traumatized by the events, but says the place now has a "lovely atmosphere."
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Musical Therapy
A new study has shown that recent stroke sufferers who listen to music appear to recover faster than those who listen to audio books or nothing at all.
Said patients showed improved memory, better attention skills, and an improved outlook. Further, musical therapy is cheap, easy to administer, and can be used with patients not yet ready for other rehabilitative methods.
The Finnish study was conducted on 60 recent stroke patients who were admitted before the after-effects kicked-in. They were able to choose the music they listened to, and received standard stroke rehabilitation in addition to musical therapy. After 90 days, verbal control had improved 80% for music-listeners -- compared to 18% for those who listened to audio-books, and 29% for non-listeners. Focused attention improved 17% in those who listened to music, as compared to no improvement at all amongst other groups.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Said patients showed improved memory, better attention skills, and an improved outlook. Further, musical therapy is cheap, easy to administer, and can be used with patients not yet ready for other rehabilitative methods.
The Finnish study was conducted on 60 recent stroke patients who were admitted before the after-effects kicked-in. They were able to choose the music they listened to, and received standard stroke rehabilitation in addition to musical therapy. After 90 days, verbal control had improved 80% for music-listeners -- compared to 18% for those who listened to audio-books, and 29% for non-listeners. Focused attention improved 17% in those who listened to music, as compared to no improvement at all amongst other groups.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Sex Month? Pastor Says Yes!
A Florida pastor has requested the married in his congregation to have sex at least once a day for the entire month!
The head pastor of The Relevant Church in Florida urged married couples to have sexual relations at least once a day for the entire month, and asked single parishioners to abstain from sex for the same period.
His reasoning has to do with the high rate of divorce and pastor, Paul Wirth, believes the increased sexual activity will bring couples closer together.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
The head pastor of The Relevant Church in Florida urged married couples to have sexual relations at least once a day for the entire month, and asked single parishioners to abstain from sex for the same period.
His reasoning has to do with the high rate of divorce and pastor, Paul Wirth, believes the increased sexual activity will bring couples closer together.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Castro Quits
Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, is stepping-down as President.
Ending a near 50-year reign, Fidel Castro announced in a written letter published on the Communist newspaper site that he will not seek another 5-year term as Presidente. The National Assembly will convene to elect a new leader, though it is fairly certain that it will be Fidel's brother, Raul Castro, who briefly served as Presidente in 2007, when Castro's health went into decline.
Castro said that he will continue to "fight like a soldier of ideas" even though he felt his bad health would have limited his abilities as Presidente.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Ending a near 50-year reign, Fidel Castro announced in a written letter published on the Communist newspaper site that he will not seek another 5-year term as Presidente. The National Assembly will convene to elect a new leader, though it is fairly certain that it will be Fidel's brother, Raul Castro, who briefly served as Presidente in 2007, when Castro's health went into decline.
Castro said that he will continue to "fight like a soldier of ideas" even though he felt his bad health would have limited his abilities as Presidente.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Exciting News for Spinal Cord Injury Patients
A team at the University at Cambridge has been working with a bacterial enzyme called chondroitinase in the treatment of spinal cord injuries, which digests the scar tissue around severed nerves. While nerves can regenerate, they generally cannot make it past the scar tissue. Not only does chondroitinase eat away this scarring, it also promotes nerve plasticity -- which might allow for undamaged nerves to grow around the scar tissue and reconnect, effectively replacing lost ones.
While researchers warn not to get excited by this news -- there have been no trials on patients yet -- they have had some promising results in lab testing. They believe that this method, combined with rehabilitative exercises, may give new hope to people with recent spinal column injuries.
I was particularly interested in this because of my Degenerative Disc Disease. Honestly, I do not know how much it has to do with that, but if I understand my condition correctly, it can lead to spinal cord injury as it progresses. As it is right now, I am already on Neurontin, but that is used for lots of things -- many medicines are.
These injuries can take many forms, from loss of feeling to paralysis.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
While researchers warn not to get excited by this news -- there have been no trials on patients yet -- they have had some promising results in lab testing. They believe that this method, combined with rehabilitative exercises, may give new hope to people with recent spinal column injuries.
I was particularly interested in this because of my Degenerative Disc Disease. Honestly, I do not know how much it has to do with that, but if I understand my condition correctly, it can lead to spinal cord injury as it progresses. As it is right now, I am already on Neurontin, but that is used for lots of things -- many medicines are.
These injuries can take many forms, from loss of feeling to paralysis.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
I Have Two Mommies, Too!
Scientists believe they have developed a method for creating embryos from three parents. The technique is hoped to cure diseases and disorders at the mitochondiral level.
Researchers at Newcastle University created embryos from the DNA of two women and one man earlier this month. The procedures they are working on could keep parents from passing birth defects on to their children.
Faults in mitochondrial DNA can lead to as many as 50+ diseases which affect around one in every 6500 people. These illnesses can lead to debilitating health problems, and even death. There is no known cure for these diseases at this time.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Researchers at Newcastle University created embryos from the DNA of two women and one man earlier this month. The procedures they are working on could keep parents from passing birth defects on to their children.
Faults in mitochondrial DNA can lead to as many as 50+ diseases which affect around one in every 6500 people. These illnesses can lead to debilitating health problems, and even death. There is no known cure for these diseases at this time.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Agenda
Hey guys, we'll be working today and the rest of the week.
There are so many holidays in these months that it can get difficult to stick to your regular schedule, especially if you are self-employed. But we are back to things as regular and we'll get plenty out to you.
After that, it's back to trying my best to get the RSS feed working, messing with tags, the template, and all other manner of technicalities which need attending to.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
There are so many holidays in these months that it can get difficult to stick to your regular schedule, especially if you are self-employed. But we are back to things as regular and we'll get plenty out to you.
After that, it's back to trying my best to get the RSS feed working, messing with tags, the template, and all other manner of technicalities which need attending to.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
PETA is Crazier Than Britney
This is one of those cross-over posts that kinda fits better over to The Rundown, but since we have discussed PETA and their shithouse-rat-crazy antics here many times before (and will continue to do so in the future), I figured it would be fine to put here. After all, The Rundown has about as much Britney as it can take... and a lot more on the way!
Sooo, PETA sent an open letter to Britney Spears' parents, telling them they believe her behavior is linked to - wait for it! - her meat and dairy intake! No kidding! Follow the link to read the actual letter; this is not a hoax - that is the open letter, hosted on PETA's site!
Of course, PETA is all about saving the animals and Brit-Brit is definitely one party animal (Wooooo!), so now our question is this: when are they going to work on Amy Winehouse?
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Sooo, PETA sent an open letter to Britney Spears' parents, telling them they believe her behavior is linked to - wait for it! - her meat and dairy intake! No kidding! Follow the link to read the actual letter; this is not a hoax - that is the open letter, hosted on PETA's site!
Of course, PETA is all about saving the animals and Brit-Brit is definitely one party animal (Wooooo!), so now our question is this: when are they going to work on Amy Winehouse?
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
First True "Green City" Begun
Masdar City is to be the first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city. But opponents insist it will become a playground for the rich and is only a smokescreen to hide sponsoring nation, Abu Dhabi's, environmental irresponsibility.
Masdar City is an 8-year project that will cost over $20 billion. When finished, it will house 50,000 people and 1500 businesses. The city will be powered mostly by solar panels and transportation will be provided by pods on magnetic tracks. Water will be provided by solar-powered desalination plants and the design of the buildings will provide occupants with natural air conditioning from wind towers. The city will need 1/4 the amount of energy of communities of a similar size and 60% less water.
The project has the support of the WWF.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Masdar City is an 8-year project that will cost over $20 billion. When finished, it will house 50,000 people and 1500 businesses. The city will be powered mostly by solar panels and transportation will be provided by pods on magnetic tracks. Water will be provided by solar-powered desalination plants and the design of the buildings will provide occupants with natural air conditioning from wind towers. The city will need 1/4 the amount of energy of communities of a similar size and 60% less water.
The project has the support of the WWF.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Four in US Accused of Spying for Chinese
Four people have been arrested on charges of selling classified and delicate information to the Chinese.
One is a 72-year old man who used to work for Boeing and was said to have sold details regarding the space shuttle; the other three were charged together for passing along US Defense Department (DoD) information the US held on Taiwan. A United States spokesperson deemed the acts serious breaches of national security.
Dongfan Chung of California, originally from China, faces a slew of charges related to spying, including eight counts of espionage, conspiracy, and lying to FBI investigators. The 72-year old engineer worked in the aerospace industry for 30 years. Part of that time, he worked for the space shuttle program. He is said to have received instructions from the Chinese as early as 1979, and to have sent them nearly 25 manuals on programs including the C-17 aircraft, the B-1 bomber, and more. He is also said to have ties to fellow Chinese-born engineer, Chi Mak, who was found guilty of conspiring to export similar information last year.
In an unrelated (and much more spy-riffic) case, two men and a woman are said to have conspired to export highly-classified documents concerning Taiwan to the Chinese government. Gregg Bergersen, a weapons system policy analyst within the Defense Department (DoD/Google), is charged with conspiracy to deliver classified information to people "not entitled to receive it." His co-conspirators, Tai Shen Kuo and Yu Xin Kang, are charged with "conspiracy to disclose national defense information to a foreign government." It is said that Ms. Kang was the liaison between the two men, passing documents from one to the other -- no further details were available at the time of this post.
If found guilty, Chung faces 100 years in prison; Bergersen, 10; and Kang and Kuo face life.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
One is a 72-year old man who used to work for Boeing and was said to have sold details regarding the space shuttle; the other three were charged together for passing along US Defense Department (DoD) information the US held on Taiwan. A United States spokesperson deemed the acts serious breaches of national security.
Dongfan Chung of California, originally from China, faces a slew of charges related to spying, including eight counts of espionage, conspiracy, and lying to FBI investigators. The 72-year old engineer worked in the aerospace industry for 30 years. Part of that time, he worked for the space shuttle program. He is said to have received instructions from the Chinese as early as 1979, and to have sent them nearly 25 manuals on programs including the C-17 aircraft, the B-1 bomber, and more. He is also said to have ties to fellow Chinese-born engineer, Chi Mak, who was found guilty of conspiring to export similar information last year.
In an unrelated (and much more spy-riffic) case, two men and a woman are said to have conspired to export highly-classified documents concerning Taiwan to the Chinese government. Gregg Bergersen, a weapons system policy analyst within the Defense Department (DoD/Google), is charged with conspiracy to deliver classified information to people "not entitled to receive it." His co-conspirators, Tai Shen Kuo and Yu Xin Kang, are charged with "conspiracy to disclose national defense information to a foreign government." It is said that Ms. Kang was the liaison between the two men, passing documents from one to the other -- no further details were available at the time of this post.
If found guilty, Chung faces 100 years in prison; Bergersen, 10; and Kang and Kuo face life.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Winston Churchill a Myth?
Almost 1/2 of all Britons think King Richard the Lionhearted was a myth. A quarter of them think Winston Churchill and Florence Nightingale are, as well!
A recent survey of 3000 Britons revealed that a staggering number of them were unaware of which legendary figures are fictitious and which are historical fact. Amongst some of the more amazing were Gandhi, Charles Dickens, and Cleopatra - in addition to the aforementioned.
Over half believed Sherlock Holmes was real!
While the lines can become blurred over time, we Americans are often negatively compared to the British when it comes to our educational levels. In general, I am inclined to agree that Britons are better educated, so this study kind of took me by surprise.
For what it's worth, I honestly blame "infotainment" and "edutainment" programming for this... but maybe some knuckle-rapping is in order?
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
A recent survey of 3000 Britons revealed that a staggering number of them were unaware of which legendary figures are fictitious and which are historical fact. Amongst some of the more amazing were Gandhi, Charles Dickens, and Cleopatra - in addition to the aforementioned.
Over half believed Sherlock Holmes was real!
While the lines can become blurred over time, we Americans are often negatively compared to the British when it comes to our educational levels. In general, I am inclined to agree that Britons are better educated, so this study kind of took me by surprise.
For what it's worth, I honestly blame "infotainment" and "edutainment" programming for this... but maybe some knuckle-rapping is in order?
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Spacewalk Takes Place
The spacewalk to install the European laboratory, Columbus, began today, 24 hours after originally scheduled.
As we reported earlier, German astronaut, Hans Schlegel, who was supposed to carry out the spacewalk Sunday fell ill. While NASA refused to elaborate on his illness, they did say it was not life-threatening and would not endanger the mission in any way. Astronauts Rex Walheim and Stan Love began the installation today. The second part of the mission will be handled Wednesday. Schlegel is expected to take part in that spacewalk.
Once the $2 billion lab is in place, an extensive research program will be undertaken. The research is to determine the physiological effects of weightlessness on humans.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
As we reported earlier, German astronaut, Hans Schlegel, who was supposed to carry out the spacewalk Sunday fell ill. While NASA refused to elaborate on his illness, they did say it was not life-threatening and would not endanger the mission in any way. Astronauts Rex Walheim and Stan Love began the installation today. The second part of the mission will be handled Wednesday. Schlegel is expected to take part in that spacewalk.
Once the $2 billion lab is in place, an extensive research program will be undertaken. The research is to determine the physiological effects of weightlessness on humans.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Hookers Pee Healthier
An Italian urologist has supposedly been researching the health benefits of high-heels. Ye-ah, because that's important.
High-heels have been linked to a number of health problems, from corns to - schizophrenia! Of course, I think that last one is a cop-out; we all know girlies is crazy; schizophrenia in females is a natural occurrence.
But Dr. Maria Cerruto claims that her studies have shown that women who wear 2" heels have posture that is just as good as those who wear flat shoes, and that their pelvic muscles are stronger. Dr. Cerruto claims that this leads to better sex lives for the women.
Um, yeah, I don't think the two exactly follow one another; I can see where chicks who wear high-heels have better sex lives - and I even agree that is because they wear heels - but Dr. Cerruto and I disagree as to the cause and effect relationship at work here.
I call mine the "CFM" Hypothesis.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
High-heels have been linked to a number of health problems, from corns to - schizophrenia! Of course, I think that last one is a cop-out; we all know girlies is crazy; schizophrenia in females is a natural occurrence.
But Dr. Maria Cerruto claims that her studies have shown that women who wear 2" heels have posture that is just as good as those who wear flat shoes, and that their pelvic muscles are stronger. Dr. Cerruto claims that this leads to better sex lives for the women.
Um, yeah, I don't think the two exactly follow one another; I can see where chicks who wear high-heels have better sex lives - and I even agree that is because they wear heels - but Dr. Cerruto and I disagree as to the cause and effect relationship at work here.
I call mine the "CFM" Hypothesis.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
RSS?
Yeah... no, um, still no RSS feed. I have no idea why it isn't publishing one, but seeing as how it quit working back in September, it hasn't been publishing one since then! I know this because I deleted the feeds entirely and they are not being published at all.
I am going to try and delete the entire directory tree and reset everything - maybe today. If you can't access anything, that is why.
One of the reasons we haven't been getting much traffic is because I have not been promoting the blog. What's the point if people can't subscribe and I'm planning on doing this big update to the entire thing?
So I apologize, but this is a major undertaking, so...
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
I am going to try and delete the entire directory tree and reset everything - maybe today. If you can't access anything, that is why.
One of the reasons we haven't been getting much traffic is because I have not been promoting the blog. What's the point if people can't subscribe and I'm planning on doing this big update to the entire thing?
So I apologize, but this is a major undertaking, so...
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
PETA vs. KFC
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of animals) is vigorously fighting new legislative measures in Kentucky which would make fried chicken "official" picnic food.
State Representative, Charles Siler, made the motion to commemorate the financial success Kentucky Fried Chicken has brought to the state over the years. A subsidiary of Yum Brands, headquartered in Kentucky, KFC has over 11,000 restaurants in 80 countries.
While I am all for the ethical treatment of animals, this is plain-old fucking stupidity - something for which PETA is increasingly well-known. PETA, many people eat meat - myself amongst them - and you need to get the hell over it. It's certainly laudable to come-down on the jerks who nail bears' feet to bicycle pedals; it's a completely different thing to spend all your resources on stupid shit like this.
It's pretty ridiculous legislation, while we're at it - "official" picnic food? What does that even mean?
PETA should have better things to do with their clout and time than this. The fact that they do not proves the group's uselessness.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
State Representative, Charles Siler, made the motion to commemorate the financial success Kentucky Fried Chicken has brought to the state over the years. A subsidiary of Yum Brands, headquartered in Kentucky, KFC has over 11,000 restaurants in 80 countries.
While I am all for the ethical treatment of animals, this is plain-old fucking stupidity - something for which PETA is increasingly well-known. PETA, many people eat meat - myself amongst them - and you need to get the hell over it. It's certainly laudable to come-down on the jerks who nail bears' feet to bicycle pedals; it's a completely different thing to spend all your resources on stupid shit like this.
It's pretty ridiculous legislation, while we're at it - "official" picnic food? What does that even mean?
PETA should have better things to do with their clout and time than this. The fact that they do not proves the group's uselessness.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Spacewalk Delayed Due to Illness
The installation of the Columbus laboratory has been delayed 24 hours because the astronaut scheduled to do the spacewalk is ill.
The Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station (ISS) earlier today. The $2 billion Columbus laboratory was scheduled to be installed tomorrow, but NASA officials said it would be delayed until at least Monday. Though no reason was given, it is known that German astronaut, Hans Schlegel, is ill. Schlegel is to install the module, using the shuttle's robotic arm.
ESA astronaut, Leopold Eyharts, will remain on the station for a few weeks to commission Columbus. The installation makes the ESA a full member of the orbital project.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
The Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station (ISS) earlier today. The $2 billion Columbus laboratory was scheduled to be installed tomorrow, but NASA officials said it would be delayed until at least Monday. Though no reason was given, it is known that German astronaut, Hans Schlegel, is ill. Schlegel is to install the module, using the shuttle's robotic arm.
ESA astronaut, Leopold Eyharts, will remain on the station for a few weeks to commission Columbus. The installation makes the ESA a full member of the orbital project.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Working Man
Sorry for missing the past couple days, guys. As I said elsewhere, we were right in the middle of the big storm system that swept through the area the other day. And, although we made it through relatively unscathed, we were without cable off and on for most of the day.
Then I had to pay bills and work on income taxes (the latter of which I will be doing for at least a few more days), and my neck has been bothering me.
However, I did bookmark some interesting stories for you, so I'll get to a few of them tonight and tomorrow, then we should be back on-schedule this coming week.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Then I had to pay bills and work on income taxes (the latter of which I will be doing for at least a few more days), and my neck has been bothering me.
However, I did bookmark some interesting stories for you, so I'll get to a few of them tonight and tomorrow, then we should be back on-schedule this coming week.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Mars Tells Satellite "Have a Nice Day"
A satellite orbiting Mars came up with a pretty impressive picture of... a smiley face!Obviously a natural formation (most likely made of rocks), the image was taken from the NASA website, so there should be no copyright problems with my reprinting it here.
The image comes just a few weeks after someone on the Web noted a Bigfoot-like figure on the surface, also taken by satellite. That image appears to also be a natural rock formation. But that did not dissuade several rednecks from coming forth to "admit" they were asked to wear a suit, fly to Mars, and pose for the shot.
©C Harris Lynn, 2008
Weathering the Storm
Hey guys.
We were in the direct path of the storms yesterday/last night. Luckily, we did not receive the true brunt of the system - just a lot of wind and some rain and thundershowers - but it was enough to knock-out electricity and cable several times throughout the day, so we were unable to get to you.
We'll be unleashing several posts throughout the day and night today, though. Thanks for reading!
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
We were in the direct path of the storms yesterday/last night. Luckily, we did not receive the true brunt of the system - just a lot of wind and some rain and thundershowers - but it was enough to knock-out electricity and cable several times throughout the day, so we were unable to get to you.
We'll be unleashing several posts throughout the day and night today, though. Thanks for reading!
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Unborn Twins Kick Cancer
A British woman, pregnant with twins, was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She was given the choice to undergo chemotherapy and a hysterectomy, but it meant the termination of her unborn twins. She declined.
When the twins were born, doctors were shocked to find that the twins' kicking had dislodged the tumor! The mother said she had felt them kicking, but never thought much about it. The girls were delivered by caesarean section 33 weeks into the pregnancy.
The mother did undergo treatment after they were born and has since been given a clean bill of health.
- Source: BBC
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
When the twins were born, doctors were shocked to find that the twins' kicking had dislodged the tumor! The mother said she had felt them kicking, but never thought much about it. The girls were delivered by caesarean section 33 weeks into the pregnancy.
The mother did undergo treatment after they were born and has since been given a clean bill of health.
- Source: BBC
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Sunday, February 3, 2008
FDA Warns Pfizer
The Federal Drug Administration has issued a warning to pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, over their anti-smoking drug, Chantix.
Pfizer has already added a warning to the drug, telling consumers it may lead to suicidal thoughts. However, the FDA said they have reviewed several cases which suggest exposure to the drug may have been the mitigating factor in their suicidal thoughts and actions.
Apparently, the council has received over 500 cases of suicidal thoughts and attempts; just under 50 resulted in death.
While Pfizer has a "warning" on their Chantix website, it is worded so as to suggest that patients who experience these problems already have, or once had, psychiatric issues. Further, it never once mentions suicide specifically.
Chantix was approved by the FDA in 2006. Chantix had sales nearing $300 million in 2007.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Pfizer has already added a warning to the drug, telling consumers it may lead to suicidal thoughts. However, the FDA said they have reviewed several cases which suggest exposure to the drug may have been the mitigating factor in their suicidal thoughts and actions.
Apparently, the council has received over 500 cases of suicidal thoughts and attempts; just under 50 resulted in death.
While Pfizer has a "warning" on their Chantix website, it is worded so as to suggest that patients who experience these problems already have, or once had, psychiatric issues. Further, it never once mentions suicide specifically.
Chantix was approved by the FDA in 2006. Chantix had sales nearing $300 million in 2007.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Maintenance Time Again
Hey guys. Sorry to leave you on a sponsored post yesterday, but Blogger got to acting-up again once I submitted it; took about two hours to publish the damned thing and I didn't feel like fooling with it after that.
I also had some unexpected company drop by yesterday and spent the afternoon visiting. I have some posts to get out to you today that I wanted to post yesterday but didn't get to.
Then I am going to take the blog back offline again so I can do more maintenance. I still have not figured out how to fix the feed. The craziest thing is that both feeds (atom and FeedBurner) appear in the Status page as though they posted normally! I just don't get it. I would really love any advice anyone can offer.
I have not been promoting the blog because of these issues and until I get them cleared-up, I am not going to. It will likely take a few more weekends before I get to that point, so I apologize that there aren't more comments in general.
Anyway, hope everyone's having a good weekend and I'm going to publish these posts I have here, then get back to the technical work.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
I also had some unexpected company drop by yesterday and spent the afternoon visiting. I have some posts to get out to you today that I wanted to post yesterday but didn't get to.
Then I am going to take the blog back offline again so I can do more maintenance. I still have not figured out how to fix the feed. The craziest thing is that both feeds (atom and FeedBurner) appear in the Status page as though they posted normally! I just don't get it. I would really love any advice anyone can offer.
I have not been promoting the blog because of these issues and until I get them cleared-up, I am not going to. It will likely take a few more weekends before I get to that point, so I apologize that there aren't more comments in general.
Anyway, hope everyone's having a good weekend and I'm going to publish these posts I have here, then get back to the technical work.
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
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