Kids pick up rocks and throw them. All kids do. They throw them at other kids, through windows, at cars, anything. When I was a kid, I remember kids picking on other kids and rock fights between rivals. Most of the time, girls would squeal and run away, but in the new millenium, I suppose girls are a little more aggressive.
Hence, my desire to express my opinions over the arrest of an 11-year-old girl in California for retaliating against an 8-year-old boy. He threw a water balloon at her. She threw a two pound rock at him. He required stitches.
Now I suppose parents should not condone the actions of either of these children, but kids will be kids. I'm sure the parents of the boy were quite upset that their little darling needed stitches after a girl hit him with a rock. However, I wonder if they considered the fact that their boy threw something at a girl first. I wonder if the boy's mom thinks it's okay for her son to be abusive toward girls.
Then again, maybe he was just playing.
But it doesn't seem to matter. The police swooped down on the little girl's home to arrest her for assault with a deadly weapon. The girl resisted arrest and scratched an officer. She said that the officer grabbed her from behind by her shirt, and she was scared. I don't think that is unreasonable to assume as accurate, considering that it is California, and we all have read about the cops in California. I don't think that I need to say anything more about CA cops.
This is crazy, though. Arresting and detaining for five days an 11-year-old girl for self-defense. I wonder if the boy had been hit by a rock from another boy, would the outcome have been the same? Or would the whole incident just been explained as "boys will be boys?"
Today, I read a follow-up article in which a judge and a lawyer used their heads. That in itself is amazing. You can read that article from the Associated Press http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GIRL_CHARGED?SITE=KOIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Unfortunately, the little girl has went through more than Martha Stewart did. She has been put through as much as an adult, but she is only eleven. She will most likely be scarred for life from this. At the very least, she could easily become a man-hater.
And men wonder why women sometimes become lesbians.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Great News!
On July 18, I received an acceptance email from Haunted Encounters. They are publishing another of my true ghost stories. This time, it's my account of happenings in the house we rented here in Washington. The title is "A House Built for Two." I will be posting updates on publication here and on my writing website. Stay tuned!
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Hubby Got Stapled!
Well, the hubby got hurt at work and ended up with three staples in his head. He just can't seem to stop having more metal added to his body.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
The Time Travel Dilemma
Time travel is one of my favorite subjects. Now it seems that a new twist in the possibilities has been announced. Time travel has now been theorized to be possible, except that one cannot change the past. I first read the news at About.com in the Paranormal section with this article from NewScientist.com.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/fundamentals/mg18625044.300
Then, another article from BBC News was listed in MSN’s Alan Boyle’s Cosmic Log. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4097258.stm This announcement, if it could be proven, ruins many good science fiction books, stories, and movies. So much for the good old days when dreams and imagination were not the truths of reality. What will happen when there is nothing left that scientists cannot “prove” in some way? What will become of our tales? What will become of us? Will the classic SF become nothing more than ridiculous humor?
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/fundamentals/mg18625044.300
Then, another article from BBC News was listed in MSN’s Alan Boyle’s Cosmic Log. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4097258.stm This announcement, if it could be proven, ruins many good science fiction books, stories, and movies. So much for the good old days when dreams and imagination were not the truths of reality. What will happen when there is nothing left that scientists cannot “prove” in some way? What will become of our tales? What will become of us? Will the classic SF become nothing more than ridiculous humor?
More Cover-ups?
I recently watched the National Geographic program “Megalightning.” As the title indicates, the show covered newly discovered lightning above the clouds which have been named Sprites. This lightning was first believed to be shooting up into space from large storms on earth below. However, upon further inspection, Sprites were discovered to be firing down in a multitude of filaments and, as the atmosphere becomes heavier, the filaments intertwine into one massive bolt into the clouds. This results in a POSITIVE lightning bolt.
Most lightning is negatively charged. Passenger jets fly above the clouds and are designed to withstand an average negative-charge lightning strike. However, according to the NG story, the positive charge lightning is up to 10 times stronger than negative lightning and commercial planes have no protection from this type of strike. Therefore, according to the story, a lightning strike from a positive bolt would result in the destruction of the plane. This may account for some of the “mysterious” plane crashes in the past.
The question was raised regarding the shuttles. The hull of the shuttle is not as thick as that of a commercial airliner, therefore, a positive lightning strike could and would be just a deadly. It seems though that NASA disregarded the information presented to them from the scientific teams investigating megalightning. The teams concluded that megalightning strikes with odds of one in one hundred. To me, that sounded like pretty good odds of being struck, but apparently NASA didn’t think so. The teams findings were also backed by a former Cold War agent who developed and used equipment that was designed to listen for and locate atomic or nuclear blasts (testing) from other nations around the world—particularly our mortal enemy—the USSR (Russia). Using a modified version, this former government employee was able to detect the sub-audible sounds made by Sprites. Since thunder is the sound of lightning, Sprites HAD to have a sound. In the program, the sound—a low “thump” sort of sound (to me)—was played.
This low “thump” was to be heard again later in a much more sinister context.
In a horrid twist of irony, the shuttle Columbia was testing for megalightning. As the shuttle descended to earth, a man in San Fransisco was snapping photos of the entry. Within seconds, he heard of the shuttle disaster. Upon examining his photos, a purple bolt intersected with the shuttle trail and an obvious illumination appeared to the shuttle itself. The amateur photographer went to the media, which in turn released an article the next day. NASA was all over this! They sent an agent to confiscate all of the photos and the camera for investigation.
Well, as with all things government, there was an official determination. I remember that first was the excuse that the camera was defective. When the camera company retaliated by saying that their camera had no such defects, the story quickly changed. The purple squiggle was now caused by the photographer wiggling the camera when he took the picture. (After the shuttle’s demise, I remember there was speculation that equipment for this testing was exposed and attracted the lightning. This is probably not true in any way. But, who knows?) I am including a link here http://www.thunderbolts.info/tpod/2005/arch05/050223columbia.htm of an article from Thunderbolts.info which has the SF photographer's photo for you to see.
Here’s the clincher. The former Cold War agent ran a tape of the shuttle’s return through his equipment. Just seconds before the explosion, a low “thump” very similar (in fact, I would say the same) to that of a Sprite could be heard. The tape then went on to include the audible grumble of Columbia exploding.
So, I have to ask (or do I?) if this is just another one of our illustrious government’s cover-ups? Did the San Francisco photographer capture the true culprit to Columbia’s destruction? Did coincidence play a mighty hand in showing us mere mortals that the heavens are filled with things that we are still unable to fathom or care to wholly admit?
My answer here is yes to all of the above.
If you have the opportunity to do so, watch "Megalightning" on the National Geographic channel and make your own opinions. Let me know what you think.
Most lightning is negatively charged. Passenger jets fly above the clouds and are designed to withstand an average negative-charge lightning strike. However, according to the NG story, the positive charge lightning is up to 10 times stronger than negative lightning and commercial planes have no protection from this type of strike. Therefore, according to the story, a lightning strike from a positive bolt would result in the destruction of the plane. This may account for some of the “mysterious” plane crashes in the past.
The question was raised regarding the shuttles. The hull of the shuttle is not as thick as that of a commercial airliner, therefore, a positive lightning strike could and would be just a deadly. It seems though that NASA disregarded the information presented to them from the scientific teams investigating megalightning. The teams concluded that megalightning strikes with odds of one in one hundred. To me, that sounded like pretty good odds of being struck, but apparently NASA didn’t think so. The teams findings were also backed by a former Cold War agent who developed and used equipment that was designed to listen for and locate atomic or nuclear blasts (testing) from other nations around the world—particularly our mortal enemy—the USSR (Russia). Using a modified version, this former government employee was able to detect the sub-audible sounds made by Sprites. Since thunder is the sound of lightning, Sprites HAD to have a sound. In the program, the sound—a low “thump” sort of sound (to me)—was played.
This low “thump” was to be heard again later in a much more sinister context.
In a horrid twist of irony, the shuttle Columbia was testing for megalightning. As the shuttle descended to earth, a man in San Fransisco was snapping photos of the entry. Within seconds, he heard of the shuttle disaster. Upon examining his photos, a purple bolt intersected with the shuttle trail and an obvious illumination appeared to the shuttle itself. The amateur photographer went to the media, which in turn released an article the next day. NASA was all over this! They sent an agent to confiscate all of the photos and the camera for investigation.
Well, as with all things government, there was an official determination. I remember that first was the excuse that the camera was defective. When the camera company retaliated by saying that their camera had no such defects, the story quickly changed. The purple squiggle was now caused by the photographer wiggling the camera when he took the picture. (After the shuttle’s demise, I remember there was speculation that equipment for this testing was exposed and attracted the lightning. This is probably not true in any way. But, who knows?) I am including a link here http://www.thunderbolts.info/tpod/2005/arch05/050223columbia.htm of an article from Thunderbolts.info which has the SF photographer's photo for you to see.
Here’s the clincher. The former Cold War agent ran a tape of the shuttle’s return through his equipment. Just seconds before the explosion, a low “thump” very similar (in fact, I would say the same) to that of a Sprite could be heard. The tape then went on to include the audible grumble of Columbia exploding.
So, I have to ask (or do I?) if this is just another one of our illustrious government’s cover-ups? Did the San Francisco photographer capture the true culprit to Columbia’s destruction? Did coincidence play a mighty hand in showing us mere mortals that the heavens are filled with things that we are still unable to fathom or care to wholly admit?
My answer here is yes to all of the above.
If you have the opportunity to do so, watch "Megalightning" on the National Geographic channel and make your own opinions. Let me know what you think.
Monday, June 20, 2005
Two-faced
I remember my grandmother telling me, “Don’t be two-faced.” That meant to not say one thing and do another. However, this article has nothing to do with that. First, from KOIN.com. http://www.koin.com/news.asp?RECORD_KEY[news]=ID&ID%5Bnews%5D=3072
Then, from KATU.com. http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=77861
A kitten with two faces! How horrible is that? How will it know which way to go? How will its vision be affected?
My thoughts wander first to the effects of nature on this poor creature. Is this simply a birth defect, or is this the result of something more overlooked such as contamination by water or air? I thought of other recent anomalies posted in the news from around the world. There was a two-headed turtle that I read about, and there have been numerous reports of two-headed or multi-legged frogs all across the globe. Radiation and continual waste dumping in streams and rivers are known to have had a significant effect on wildlife. But what about humans? Will there soon be photos posted of two-faced babies? My guess is probably not. That would be too horrific to see and face and ultimately admit to. Besides, I don’t think the Bush administration would want the public to know—at least not right away. It would become a rare birth defect, I’m certain.
Cover-ups. Ya got to love ‘em.
Then, from KATU.com. http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=77861
A kitten with two faces! How horrible is that? How will it know which way to go? How will its vision be affected?
My thoughts wander first to the effects of nature on this poor creature. Is this simply a birth defect, or is this the result of something more overlooked such as contamination by water or air? I thought of other recent anomalies posted in the news from around the world. There was a two-headed turtle that I read about, and there have been numerous reports of two-headed or multi-legged frogs all across the globe. Radiation and continual waste dumping in streams and rivers are known to have had a significant effect on wildlife. But what about humans? Will there soon be photos posted of two-faced babies? My guess is probably not. That would be too horrific to see and face and ultimately admit to. Besides, I don’t think the Bush administration would want the public to know—at least not right away. It would become a rare birth defect, I’m certain.
Cover-ups. Ya got to love ‘em.
Tsunamis and Rivers
When the recent earthquake rang out from the ocean offshore of California, my first question to my husband was, "What is the effect on the river is there is a tsunami?" Since we live and I work next to the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge, I thought the question was a legitamate one. My husband, however, found the question ridiculous. "We live too far up the river," he said. "And the water would need to make it past the dam." (He is referring to the Bonneville Dam.) He scoffed at me for asking such a question.
But I didn't think his dismissal was valid, so I went in search of the truth. Click this link http://www.uow.edu.au/science/eesc/research/Various%20research/tsunami/q_a_tsun.html to read what I learned, first of all, about tsunamis from the University of Wollongong, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
What I found most interesting was this passage: "Tsunami treat rivers exactly like long harbours. When a tsunami gets into a tidal river or estuary where water depths can still be tens of meters deep, the wave can travel easily up the river to the tidal limits or beyond. Along some coasts, tide limits may be tens of kilometers upriver, and residents living along the riverbanks may be totally unaware that a threat from tsunami exists. If the river is deep and can allow the penetration of the wave upstream, the height of a long wave can rapidly amplify where depths shoal or the river narrows. At these locations water can spill over levees and banks, flooding any lowlying topography. NOAA is likewise aware of these facts and in its publication Tsunami! The Great Waves warns, "Stay away from rivers and streams that lead to the ocean as you would stay away from the beach and ocean if there is a tsunami."
For clarification, NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I think they would definitely know the results of tsunamis on rivers. Therefore, I will take it that the Columbia River could be affected by a tsunami.
I presented my findings to my husband. Although I must admit that the wave would probably not make it past the Bonneville Dam, there still could be some repercussions felt. Our home is 200 hundred feet above the river, so I think we would be safe there. However, I work right next to the river. Without knowing what could happen at the dam, I would not want to stay at the office. Call me chicken, but it is better to be safe than sorry...or worse.
But I didn't think his dismissal was valid, so I went in search of the truth. Click this link http://www.uow.edu.au/science/eesc/research/Various%20research/tsunami/q_a_tsun.html to read what I learned, first of all, about tsunamis from the University of Wollongong, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
What I found most interesting was this passage: "Tsunami treat rivers exactly like long harbours. When a tsunami gets into a tidal river or estuary where water depths can still be tens of meters deep, the wave can travel easily up the river to the tidal limits or beyond. Along some coasts, tide limits may be tens of kilometers upriver, and residents living along the riverbanks may be totally unaware that a threat from tsunami exists. If the river is deep and can allow the penetration of the wave upstream, the height of a long wave can rapidly amplify where depths shoal or the river narrows. At these locations water can spill over levees and banks, flooding any lowlying topography. NOAA is likewise aware of these facts and in its publication Tsunami! The Great Waves warns, "Stay away from rivers and streams that lead to the ocean as you would stay away from the beach and ocean if there is a tsunami."
For clarification, NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I think they would definitely know the results of tsunamis on rivers. Therefore, I will take it that the Columbia River could be affected by a tsunami.
I presented my findings to my husband. Although I must admit that the wave would probably not make it past the Bonneville Dam, there still could be some repercussions felt. Our home is 200 hundred feet above the river, so I think we would be safe there. However, I work right next to the river. Without knowing what could happen at the dam, I would not want to stay at the office. Call me chicken, but it is better to be safe than sorry...or worse.
Answering Myself
I found the answer to my questions posed by...myself. With regard to the series of earthquakes in and off the shores of California, it seems that it IS just a lot of media hype. Check this link to MSN's Alan Boyle's Cosmic Log http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3217961/ which explains that the four earthquakes were not the prelude to "The Big One." So, the media will just have to lick their lips on another juicy tale, and mapmakers will have to wait for another day.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Just checking...
I thought that I had better post something. I've been too busy to get to it, but I have a few moments to jot a thought (or two). Well, I have been wondering about all the news regarding the earthquakes in California. Since Sunday, as the reports have it, there have been three. The first, on Sunday, was 5.2. The second on Wednesday was a 7.0, and now today there was a 5.3. I have to wonder if this is normal for California, or if this is all just media hype since the big tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Or, maybe this is the prelude to "The Big One" that will change our western shoreline. Without living there, I cannot comment. I like to think that it is just media hype--or at least I HOPE it is.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Wow!!
Time's really flown by me. It's June, and I realized I never posted in May. Well, here I am. Although I have no Cursed Corners today, I will say that I have four stories being reviewed for publication. Hopefully, something will pan out. I need to get myself in gear and get to actively writing again. Can't publish what I don't write. I started to write a novel, but I just couldn't stick with it. I get bored too easily with the vastness of the words. However, I should apply the daily word count to my short stories. I would probably achieve a lot of stories in a short period of time if I did. So, I guess I will quit taking all of these courses and focus on the writing for a while. I'll start posting here again, too.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Cursed Corners--Paranoia
Fear and paranoia sneeks a peek at you. And you peek back. Then you peek out of your closed blinds and curtains. Do you see me? You watch behind you; you watch to your sides. The shadows wave with arms, legs, and heads. Are you there? You huddle in a corner, clutching your fear, clinging to hope. Please, go away! The monster comes, and is gone. You curl into a ball and (maybe) weep. You slowly peek all around. Soon, fear and parnoia sneeks a peek at you, again. And you peek back...
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Creations
Since no one ever really comes to my blog, I was thinking of posting a saying of my own once a week. I think I'll call it "Cursed Corners." Just some little blurb like the one that I posted just before this. And since no one ever reads my blog, I don't have to ask anyone's opinion or critique. This blog might just have a purpose after all.
So, I say...go for it!
So, I say...go for it!
Sadness
From the dark pit in your soul, do you really want to see the light? It blinds you every day. It sulks in rain, and boils in sun. You can only cower in the shadowed corner of your room to hide from its intensity. Ah, to see the light...to wander into the everyday...into life.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
A New Day
Look over yonder, what do you see?
The sun is a-rising, most definitely.
A new day is coming.
People are changing.
Ain't it beautiful?
So don't you give up now.
So easy to find.
Just look to your soul,
And open your mind.
Exerpts from "Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James & The Shondells.
Some words mean things to a soul while other do not.
The sun is a-rising, most definitely.
A new day is coming.
People are changing.
Ain't it beautiful?
So don't you give up now.
So easy to find.
Just look to your soul,
And open your mind.
Exerpts from "Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James & The Shondells.
Some words mean things to a soul while other do not.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Friday, March 25, 2005
Time, time ticking, ticking...
I saw a couple of free short story writing courses I might take. Maybe that will force me to find the time to write again. I truly miss writing. It brings me a sort of tranquility. It dulls the craziness of the work day and drives out the inner demons that fight to keep me within an angry state of mind. Writing is my own "chicken soup," my apple-a-day. With writing, the doctor is always in, I just need to walk through the door...
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Hi, Sandie!
Hi, kiddo! Just click on the comments and type your reply. I think we can even send pictures through this, but I don't know how yet.
Writing and Working
My writing has become virtually non-existant since December. Work has taken over most of my life. Birthdays, taxes, and lots of work around the home have dragged me away from my desk. I long to go back to my little worlds of other realities, but this reality keeps me cornered. I've even been offered an opportunity to show my photography, but I just do not have the time to create the presentation for the gallery owners. Days aren't slipping by--they're zooming past in a sonic blur. Perhaps I could sleep less, but then the quality of ideas and writing drops. Hopefully, soon, I can lasso all of my projects and corral my time and thoughts.
I'm just glad I don't have any kids to throw into the mix!
I'm just glad I don't have any kids to throw into the mix!
Monday, March 21, 2005
Work after vacation
All the work after taking an extended vacation hardly seems worth the while. Welcome back to stacks of papers to be input, filed, cross-checked, and edited. After a week, I'm still playing catch up. Taking a vacation may be great, but the workload upon return is horrid. Makes me (almost) want to avoid vacationing all together.
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