Do you suffer from Triskaidekaphobia?

Fear of the number 13.

If you do then today must really be tough. It’s estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States have a fear of Friday the thirteenth. So many the symptom even has a name Paraskavedekatriaphobia.

Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. What is really strange is that most of the people can offer no explanation at all, logical or illogical. They just have a fear for its own sake.

The superstition does have deep roots that may explain why the fear is so widespread today.

The number thirteen and Friday both have been considered unlucky:

In some places the number twelve is considered a good number.
• as in the twelve months of the year, • the twelve tribes of Israel • twelve Apostles of Jesus • twelve hours in a day, twelve hours of night

But the number thirteen is considered a bad number.

• At the Last Supper, thirteen people were seated at the table. The 13th was a traitor. And Friday is considered the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified, which is viewed as both good and bad by Christians

Are you afraid of Friday the 13th? Are you taking any extra precautions? Or is it just another amusing day for you?

In any rate be careful especially with mirrors and whatever you do please and watch out for back cats open umbrellas and ladders.
Disclaimer: No I don’t believe in any luck good or bad other than the luck you make.






A classic repost

Repost:


Cinco de Mayo

Happy 5th of May

Since I was a teen living in Southern California I have celebrated Cinco de Mayo. Our school band always attended a big festival, parade and fair. Held in the desert town of Indio California. It was so much fun. Fair midways, rides, exhibits, lights sounds. Ladies in colorful dresses dancing. Mariachis strolling around playing lively tunes. And the food. Oh the food. But my favorite was the ostrich races. The held camel racing too, but come-on. A kid riding ( ok holding on for dear life ) on the back of a giant bird. That's funny stuff.

Cinco de Mayo is not an America Holiday. It should be. And it is not the Mexican Independence day holiday. It should be. That in fact is 15th of September ( 1810 ) .

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of a smashing military victory over a large force of Mexican army traitors and the French soldiers at the battle of Pubela, East of Mexico City in 1862.

Enough history, today is the 5th of May. And I am celebrating it. Tonight I am cooking a Mexican Dinner with all the trimmings for Kristie and myself. But right now I am playing some Latin Music and having tacos.

Join me.

VIVA! el CINCO DE MAYO!!

Squashed like a bug.

I was reading a couple days ago that a chunk of recently re-discovered space rock, previously discovered, lost and now has been rediscovered ( how does that happen ? ) turns out it may hit us one day. The rock chunk thought to be a burned out comet that now resembles an asteroid, last seen, in 1960 is considered "potentially hazardous"

And it is a seriously large chunk too. More than 500 feet across. Some day, over time, it's orbit will shift and could cause it to hit the our planet. The rock is too dim to be seen by the naked eye from Earth, at least right now.

But don't lose sleep over it or anything. It will not be anytime in the foreseeable future. So go back to sleep and enjoy the extra hours rest tonight.

I've been tagged by Jane -Jane

8 THINGS

8 Things I am looking forward to: ( in no special order )

Seeing Jars again
Star Trek ( movie )
The Anderson Airshow
WINTER
My flight around the world ( BIG maybe right now )
Baptism Tailgating, actually NS in general
Getting great Chinese Food
Actually getting that 400 Gazillion $ promised in the Nigerian e-mail scam.




8 Things I did yesterday:

Explored 4 waterfalls, and an old tunnel. Hiked my legs off.
Ate cold chicken and Dr Pepper.
Had a monster Frosty in Cashiers
still pricing HVAC units
Quiet time on the top of a wilderness mountain
Talked airplane financing at the bank
Watched weather on TV
Prayed



8 Things I wish I could do:

read more
be more organized
fly around the world ( see above, I'm working on it, REALLY )
Listen more
have Chinese food at least once a week ( see above )
double the cd's I own
get back to regular blogging
return even half of the blessing I receive



8 Shows I watch: ( I REALLY don't watch much TV, but from time to time I watch )

Andy Griffith
Weather
24
Colombo ( on DVD's )
Due South ( best show ever made , watch it on DVD )
Curious George ( watch it more than anything else I guess )
Storm Stories ( Kris loves this show )
Law & Order

**** special bonus *****

Jane I love Rachael Ray's show


I tag YOU

I just made myself a nice cup of hot tea and it is hitting the spot. That small dab of honey was just the thing to make it perfect. I took a sip and was thinking. Twelve Honey Bees worked their entire lifetime to make that one spoonful of honey I just used to sweeten my drink.

Thanks Guys


What did you do today?

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th. Be afraid be very afraid. Me I'm staying in the house. Mostly I shall stay in the bed with the cover pulled over my head. For sure I will not use the stove, microwave or any other items that could cause a fire or electrical shock. I'll be certain not to get anywhere near knives, scissors or razors. There is no way you'll find me with open umbrella, using a mirror, ladders, nor within yards of a black cat. Yep I think I'll just stay in bed keeping the floor covered in pillows just in case. Matter of fact I may not even peek out all day.

I'm Kidding. Bad things connected to Friday the 13th is just a silly superstition. It's a funny source of amusement more than anything else.

I do not believe in Luck good or bad in the traditional way. I do believe in random events that can be shaped by actions of self and others ( in that we make our own luck )

I graduated from Moreno Valley High School on a Friday the 13th. In June. That was a great day for me and a surprise to those who knew me I am sure. Friday June thirteenth. Extra points for the reader who figures out which year. I'll leave you a few clues.

• Daylight savings time began earlier that year.
  
• Astronauts set a space endurance record that year
• A new Airport is opened in Paris
• Atlanta - Fulton County Stadium saw a new world record set
• South America got it’s first female head of state.. No not Jungle mom
• We had two Presidents that year, one was from California
  
• Stuntman Evel Knievel was all the rage
• The world heard some Rumbles in the Jungle, specifically around Kinshasa, Zaire
• It was a very important time for Batman

Figure this out and tomorrow could be your lucky day. The winner gets a complementary subscription to my blog. WOW calm down out there.

Is it just me or does the moon seem bigger?

If the rain moves out around here in time, or if it is clear where you are, step outside just about dark tonight and take a look. You’ll see the biggest and brightest moon in a long time. The biggest of the year.

Why?

We all learned in school that the moon circled the earth every month. Actually every 29.5 days if you are being picky. But the orbit is not perfectly round. Sometimes it moves in to become much closer. Right now it is about 31,000 miles (50,000 km) closer than at its farthest. Closer objects look bigger and the moon reaches its perigee tonight.

How much bigger?

Tonight the lunar orbit makes it seem 14 percent bigger in our sky and 30 percent brighter. That’s noticeable.

Do you live near the Ocean or Sea? If so you’ll notice the tides are higher too. Remember tides are caused by the pull of the moon. So if you are asleep on the beach tonight you may awaken all wet from the perigean tides.

Check it out.

Stellar Meteor Shower Jan. 3


Button up your overcoat and get outside and see the show.

The Quadrantid meteor shower (pronounced KWA-dran-tid) is here once again. Peek time will occur in the pre-dawn hours of Jan. 3 and should average one or two meteor sightings per minute in the hour or two prior to the break of dawn. This should be an excellent year. The moon should not be a factor at all this year because it will be setting around 11 p.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 2, leaving the rest of the night dark for meteor watching. Quadrantids are notoriously unpredictable, but if any year promises a fine display, this could be it.

Time Stands Still !!!!!!

Tonight time will STOP.

For one second 2009 will be delayed. This year we add a "leap second" As a result, we'll have an extra second added to 2008 to let a lazy old Earth catch up to super-accurate clocks. Because the planet's irregular and gradually slowing rotation, Scientists have decreed that a "Leap Second" be inserted from time to time.


Wait a second. The "leap second" is officially at the stroke of midnight on Wednesday in Greenwich, England, the home of what is popularly known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) – Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to the more technically inclined – the standard time for the planet.


So at precisely 23:59:60 in Greenwich, England time will stand still for one second. ( Check out my time clocks at the bottom of my blog page for your area. )

Have fun and enjoy the extra long year of 2008. I hope it is a safe and fun time for everyone.

Happy New Year!

* happy Silvester to Ms Skittles, Imperial Kitty, and 'K ' ( you get to celebrate Malanka also) and a happy Réveillon to Jungle Mom and Verja, "Año Nuevo, Vida Nueva" (close as I could get to your location)

I have spent several long nights researching just how many reindeer there really are in Santa’s stables. We all know the great eight. Those wonderful reindeer made famous in the poem " The Night Before Christmas". And everyone remembers how Rudolph saved Christmas on a foggy Christmas Eve, much like tonight They are a dependable transportation system no doubt.. But surely Santa has back-up just in case.

After hours of careful research I have identified sixty-one (61) so far. Some already famous, some in training and some that are just waiting. Here is what I know

First we have the classics.

Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and Donder and Blitzen. And obviously Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Then we must add,

Pancho & Pedro : Named in the 1958 song "¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?" by Augie Rios

Fireball: Son of Blitzen, he has fiery red hair and is one of several reindeer trying out for the sleigh team

Rolf: Son of Dasher and struggles at flying but he is still very young

Clarice: Daughter of Comet although she does not try out for the team

Clyde: Who filled in for Rudolph once when Rudolph had a hip injury from doing the Twist.

Clovis, Leroy, Bruce and Marvin along with Leon, Cletus, George, Bill, Slick, Do-Right, Ace, Blackie, Queenie, Prince, Spot, and Rover: All named in the Ray Stevens song "Santa Claus is Watching You"

Chuy, Tavo, and Beto: Named in the 1971 song, "Santa Claus And His Old Lady", by Cheech & Chong

Shadrack: Employed by Santa as a pace setter in the 1974 song, "Shadrack, the Black Reindeer" by Loretta Lynn

Nico: Prancer’s Child from the 1995 video “ The Flight Before Christmas “

Lightning: In 1996 Christmas special “Elmo Saves Christmas” he was a reindeer in training

Olive: the other reindeer

Annabelle: from the 1997 video special “Annabelle's Wish” her lifelong wish was to pull Santa’s sleigh.

Blizzard, Aphrodite & Archimedes: Featured in the 1999 Movie “Blizzard”


Robbie the Reindeer: From a 1999 TV special called “Robbie the Reindeer” Has a nose for geography

Chet : A young reindeer in training from the 2002 Film “The Santa Clause 2” He saves Christmas that year.

Steven, Fluffy, Horace, Chantel, Skippy, Rainbow, Patches and Montel.: From the 2002 South Park Christmas Special "Red Sleigh Down"

Rusty: In the 2006 TV special “Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen” he is introduced as Rudolph's little brother. He works Air Traffic Control most times

Pancho, Pepe, Cuco, Beto, Chato, Chopo, Macuco, Nieto!: All named according to a poem quoted by Jungle Mom on her Blog

Can you think of any I missed?

Also just what games do Reindeer play?

I may have to make a return trip to the North Pole next spring and seek the answers directly from the source.

Merry Christmas everyone

Today is Underdogs day.

Lets all celebrate the little guy.

Happy Thanksgiving !!!!

I hope you all had great one. We all have so many things to be thankful for. As I said in a post a few days ago this has been an unusual year for me and my family. We had highs and lows sometimes in the same days. But we've seen it through with Gods help and guidance.

We celebrated our blessings a little differently this year. Dad is still in the rehab center and not currently allowed to leave except for doctor visits. So we moved our family get together to my sisters home which is closest to where dad is. It started early yesterday and continued this morning as Kristie prepared a massive feast worthy of kings. We hauled it all down to sis where she added her own cooking delights. Needless to say no one went hungry. While things were done in a lower key style it still seemed like Thanksgiving for us except dad's absence at the table leading the charge to eat until you burst.


Quickly as soon as we all had our fill and dishes were cleared we all piled into our cars and dashed off to be with dad.

He is still restricted to a feeding tube. He's been that way for four weeks now, since his last close call at the hospital. But next week we hope he'll be green lighted by his doctors to return to eating. It'll build both his strength and his moral. Dad had a great day today and all enjoyed spending time together.

God has blessed this family, and honored our prayers concerning dad. This situation has taught me so many lessons. Most of all it has taught me NOT to take for granted things in life.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. And I pray that you remember the real reasons for the celebration.

Thank You so much.

Yesterday was a long day filled with miles of driving. About 250 miles mostly on rural roads, passing through four or five small towns and two larger urban areas. While driving, mostly to help pass the time, I started counting the presidential campaign signs. It was my own very unscientific poll. If my count was true to the entire nation then Republican McCain / Palin ticket will win in an overwhelming landslide. In fact I only saw one Obama sign the entire trip and that was in front of the democratic party headquarters in one of the large cities. But unfortunately my poll is vastly inaccurate. For one I was driving mostly the back roads out in the country. And I believe rural people tend to be much more conservative. Then too my drive was in South Carolina and Georgia which are both red states. It was a meaningless exercise, but interesting non the less.

Today is my wedding anniversary. I am sure that beyond any shadow of a doubt I am the luckiest man on earth. Seventeen years ago I made the second greatest choice of my life, when I confirmed " I DO ". My bride is a beautiful, smart, amazing woman. She is a Godly woman, truly sold out to Jesus. Every part of her world is guided by that faith. I am blessed to be loved by someone who has more talent and ability in one finger than I have in my whole being. She is the most important person in my life and my best friend.

I am thankful for her and her influence on my world. She is an answer to prayer everyday in my life. I love you sweetheart, you are my dream come true.

I hope my local friends all survived yesterdays storms with out damage. It got severely loud here, but nothing worse.

Several people have asked me about the header photo on this blog page. It was taken a couuple years ago at the Anderson Airport about 2 1/2 miles from my home. I was huddled there with all the other flyers waiting out the storm. It was an amazing display of God’s power.

Ever since I was a boy I have been fascinated with lightning. I fondly remember a few years ago overlooking the Grand Canyon at sunset. There are no words in my vocabulary to express the beauty of that event. While I was there, just as the final rays of light ducked behind the hills a magnificent thunder storm approached. God truly put on an astonishing fire works and light show, the best I've ever witnessed. Truly overwhelming.

Lighting facts:

At any given time there are 1800 t-storms occurring on the planet
Each year 16 million storms
3 billion strikes
In the US
100,000 storms annual
20 Million strikes annual

Lightning can:

Flash can be six to eight miles long
Heat up to 60,000 degrees (5 times the surface of the sun) carry 1 billion volts and between 20 and 30 thousand amps. A house uses about 200 amps

Can be lethal up to 60 feet on the ground and 600 feet in the water.

Myth
Lightning never strikes the same place twice
Fact
It often strikes the same place. The Empire state bldg is hit an average of 25 times a year.

I almost missed it. Last week the Hula Hoop celebrated its 50th birthday.
I had one as a kid. So did my sister. She was something of an expert, winning contest galore while I could kinda make it work. My favorite thing was to throw it with a backspin and catch it on the return. I’m easily amused.

The exact origins of the hula hoop are unknown, but kids have played with hoops of some kind throughout history.

A real Hula Hoop measures 28 inches in diameter and have exact weights. The Wham-O Toy Company makes them from plastic tubing and places a ball bearing inside to provide that classic "shoop - shoop" sound.

Introduced in 1958, Wham-O sold 25 million in the first four months and over 100 million in its first year. There are now World Hula Hoop Championships in over 2,000 cities world wide. Competitors were judged on their performance of compulsory maneuvers. Me? I just like throwing them watching them return. Like I said. I am easy to amuse. Mine is 25 plus years old and a bright lime green. Tell me about yours.

FAST FACT:

The moon's official astronomical name is............Moon.

Here is the full moon, the near side on the left and the far side on the right

.

Quick Quiz

No cheating

What is/are eructations, stenutations, and pandiculations?

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

the answers are: a Burp, a Sneeze, and a Yawn in that order

Do you suffer from Triskaidekaphobia?

Fear of the number 13.

If you do then today must really be tough. It’s estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States have a fear of Friday the thirteenth. So many the symptom even has a name Paraskavedekatriaphobia.

Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. What is really strange is that most of the people can offer no explanation at all, logical or illogical. They just have a fear for its own sake.

The superstition does have deep roots that may explain why the fear is so widespread today.

The number thirteen and Friday both have been considered unlucky:

In some places the number twelve is considered a good number.
• as in the twelve months of the year, • the twelve tribes of Israel • twelve Apostles of Jesus • twelve hours in a day, twelve hours of night

But the number thirteen is considered a bad number.

• At the Last Supper, thirteen people were seated at the table. The 13th was a traitor. And Friday is considered the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified, which is viewed as both good and bad by Christians

Are you afraid of Friday the 13th? Are you taking any extra precautions? Or is it just another amusing day for you?

In any rate be careful especially with mirrors and whatever you do please and watch out for back cats open umbrellas and ladders.
Disclaimer: No I don’t believe in any luck good or bad other than the luck you make.

THANKS