I found this on another site I visit and thought I would share here. It appears they are getting ready for something no? I am going to repost a couple of posts that summarize:

Quote:Basically, they're fixing everything "we" got away with during COVID, so that during an Ebola/Marburg outbreak, alleged outbreak, potential outbreak, theorized outbreak, warning of an outbreak, anytime the conditions are right for an outbreak, or really anytime TPTB want, they can bring back mandatory everything, including not just mRNA "vaxs" for said diseases, but "any and all 'countermeasures' TPTB deem "appropriate", under the color and letter of the law this time.

Quote:The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) authorizes the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the HHS Secretary) to issue a Declaration to provide liability immunity to certain individuals and entities (Covered Persons) against any claim of loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the manufacture, distribution, administration, or use of medical countermeasures (Covered Countermeasures), except for claims involving “willful misconduct” as defined in the PREP Act. Under the PREP Act, a Declaration may be amended as circumstances warrant.


The PREP Act was enacted on December 30, 2005, as Public Law 109–148, Division C, 2. It amended the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, adding section 319F–3, which addresses liability immunity, and section 319F–4, which creates a compensation program. These sections are codified at 42 U.S.C. 247d–6d and 42 U.S.C. 247d–6e, respectively. Section 319F–3 of the PHS Act has been amended by the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act (PAHPRA), Public Law 113–5, enacted on March 13, 2013, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116–136, enacted on March 27, 2020, to expand Covered Countermeasures under the PREP Act.

The PREP Act Declaration for Countermeasures Against Marburgvirus and/or Marburg Disease was first issued effective November 25, 2020. (85 FR 79198 (December 9, 2020)). The PREP Act Declaration for Ebola Virus Disease Vaccines was first issued December 3, 2014 (79 FR 73315 (Dec.10, 2014)), and amended December 3, 2015 (80 FR 76541 (Dec. 9, 2015)), December 3, 2016 (81 FR 89471 (Dec. 12, 2016)), and December 1, 2018 (84 FR 764 (Jan. 31, 2019)). The Declaration for Ebola Virus Disease Therapeutics was issued effective February 27, 2015 (80 FR 22534 (April 22, 2015)), and amended February 27, 2015 (80 FR 76536 (December 9, 2015)), and December 1, 2018 (84 FR 757 (January 31, 2019)).

I am extending PREP Act Coverage for both Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses due to the continued national security threat posed by these viruses. Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses have the potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality during outbreaks. The risk of domestic cases is high due to ongoing outbreaks in other countries over the past decade. Development of and stockpiling vaccines, therapeutics, devices, and diagnostics for all species of both Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses is needed for continued U.S. preparedness against the credible threat of a public health emergency due to outbreaks of these viruses.

I am amending the PREP Act Declaration for Countermeasures Against Marburgvirus and/or Marburg Disease to cover countermeasures previously covered under the Declaration for Ebola Virus Disease Vaccines and the Declaration for Ebola Virus Disease Therapeutics due to the similarities of the viruses and the need to expand Covered Countermeasures against Ebola Disease to include all vaccines, diagnostics, and devices in addition to previously covered vaccines and therapeutics, and to cover these countermeasures when administered or used by an Authority Having Jurisdiction to respond to a declared emergency, in addition to previously covered activities directly supported by the United States. All previously Covered Countermeasures for Ebolavirus and distribution activities continue to be covered. This action has the effect of combining the three previous Declarations into one amended Declaration and makes PREP Act coverage for Ebolavirus countermeasures consistent with PREP Act coverage provided for other health threats, including Marburg, Smallpox, Pandemic Influenza, Anthrax, and Acute Radiation Syndrome and emerging infectious diseases such as COVID–19.[1] This amended Declaration for Countermeasures Against Ebolavirus and/or Ebola Disease and Marburgvirus and/or Marburg Disease supersedes the PREP Act Declaration for Ebola Virus Disease Vaccines and the PREP Act Declaration for Ebola Virus Disease Therapeutics. The Declarations for Ebola Virus Disease Vaccines and Ebola Virus Disease Therapeutics will expire under their own terms on December 31, 2023 and this amended Declaration becomes effective January 1, 2024, effectively replacing the three prior Declarations.

To be consistent with the most current World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases, the term Ebola disease or “EBOD” is used in this Declaration to refer to the disease, health condition, or threat to health that constitutes or may constitute a public health emergency. The term Marburg Disease or “MARD” is used in this Declaration to refer to the disease, health condition, or threat to health that constitutes or may constitute a public health emergency.[2]

Specifically, I am now amending the PREP Act Declaration Against Marburgvirus and/or Marburg Disease Countermeasures to: amend the title of the declaration to reflect that it covers Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses; update Section I to identify the public health threat as arising from Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses; update Section VI to amend the definition of Covered Countermeasures and to extend coverage to all vaccines, diagnostics, and devices for Ebolavirus in addition to vaccines and therapeutics; extend Section VII of the Declaration to provide coverage for Ebolavirus Countermeasures when administered or used by an Authority Having Jurisdiction to respond to a declared emergency; update Section VIII to amend the category of disease to be inclusive of Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses; extend in Section XII the effective time period of the declaration through December 31, 2028; and republish the declaration in its entirety, as amended.

Unless otherwise noted, all statutory citations below are to the U.S. Code.

Quote:Section VI. Covered Countermeasures


I am amending Section VI of the Declaration to include any antiviral, any other drug, any biologic, any diagnostic, any other device, or any vaccine, used to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat, cure, or limit EBOD, MARD, or the transmission of Ebolaviruses, Marburgviruses, or a virus mutating therefrom, or any device used in the administration of any such product, and all components and constituent materials of any such product.

Section VIII. Category of Disease, Health Condition, or Threat
I am amending Section VIII of the Declaration to update the category of disease to include any diseases or conditions including EBOD and MARD caused by Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses, or any virus or disease subcategories of these or virus mutating therefrom.
Section XII. Effective Time Period
I am extending the effective time period for the Declaration through December 31, 2028.


Other conforming changes and technical corrections may be made throughout the Declaration for consistency and clarity.


[/url]


I have determined that there is a credible risk that the spread of Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses, and any resulting diseases or conditions including Ebola Disease (EBOD) and Marburg Disease (MARD), and any virus or disease subcategories of these may in the future constitute a public health emergency. For the purposes of this Declaration, MARD is the illness resulting from infection by any virus of the Orthomarburgvirus genus. EBOD is the illness resulting from infection of any of the following virus species of the Orthoebolavirus genus:

• Bundibugyo virus
  
• Ebola virus
  
• Sudan virus
  
• Taï Forest virus
  
• Ebolaviruses with undefined pathogenicity in humans
  

II. Factors Considered
[url=https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/247d-6d]42 U.S.C. 247d–6d(b)(6)

I have considered the desirability of encouraging the design, development, clinical testing, or investigation, manufacture, labeling, distribution, formulation, packaging, marketing, promotion, sale, purchase, donation, dispensing, prescribing, administration, licensing, and use of the Covered Countermeasures.
III. Recommended Activities
42 U.S.C. 247d–6d(b)(1)

I recommend, under the conditions stated in this Declaration, the manufacture, testing, development, distribution, administration, and use of the Covered Countermeasures.

IV. Liability Immunity

42 U.S.C. 247d–6d(a), 247d–6d(b)(1)

Liability immunity as prescribed in the PREP Act and conditions stated in this Declaration is in effect for the Recommended Activities described in Section III.

VIII. Category of Disease, Health Condition, or Threat


42 U.S.C. 247d–6d(b)(2)(A)

The category of disease, health condition, or threat for which I recommend the administration or use of the Covered Countermeasures is any diseases or conditions including EBOD and MARD caused by Ebolaviruses and Marburgviruses, or any virus or disease subcategories of these or virus mutating therefrom.


IX. Administration of Covered Countermeasures

42 U.S.C. 247d–6d(a)(2)(B)

Administration of the Covered Countermeasure means physical provision of the countermeasures to recipients, or activities and decisions directly relating to public and private delivery, distribution and dispensing of the countermeasures to recipients, management and operation of countermeasure programs, or management and operation of locations for purpose of distributing and dispensing countermeasures.


X. Population

42 U.S.C. 247d–6d(a)(4), 247d–6d(b)(2)©

The populations of individuals include any individual who uses or is administered the Covered Countermeasures in accordance with this Declaration.


Liability immunity is afforded to manufacturers and distributors without regard to whether the countermeasure is used by or administered to this population; liability immunity is afforded to program planners and qualified persons when the countermeasure is used by or administered to this population, or the program planner or qualified person reasonably could have believed the recipient was in this population.

It is good when someone tells them exactly what dirty shit they are doing (and going to do).

This guy needs his own show until he can run for President again.... Seriously. A must watch clip.

So.... 

This is quite the story. No special treatment here is there?

https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/...0086067516

Federal Prosecutors' Sentencing Request for Ray Epps Sparks Anger

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federa...r-AA1mpQ8Y

Quote:People who weren’t even in DC on January 6 are spending multiple decades in jail but the guy who actually told people to go inside the Capitol will be free in less than 6 months.

Makes total sense to me!

Controversy is again swirling around Capitol incursion figure Ray Epps as the Department of Justice calls for him to spend no more than six months in jail and face a $500 fine.


Epps was highly visible in multiple videos from the incursion and was seen urging people to go to the Capitol building.

Because he was not initially charged, speculation ran rampant that Epps was a federal agent whipping up and organizing protesters. He was eventually charged with one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct in September.

American Greatness reporter Julie Kelly noted in a post on X at the time that the charge was far milder than other charges against Jan. 6 defendants.
“This lame single charge tells us everything we need to know about Ray Epps. No obstruction felony? No civil disorder charge? Not even a trespassing on restricted grounds misdemeanor?” she wrote.

This lame single charge tells us everything we need to know about Ray Epps.
No obstruction felony? No civil disorder charge? Not even a trespassing on restricted grounds misdemeanor?
Can't even tell you the last time I saw an "information" (misdemeanor version of indictment)…

Similar thoughts erupted after the government’s sentencing memorandum was issued Tuesday.


In it, prosecutors described Epps' case as "unique ... in the context of January 6 defendants."

“Although Epps engaged in felonious conduct during the riot on January 6, his case includes a variety of distinctive and compelling mitigating factors," the memorandum said.

The memo noted that Epps repeatedly attempted to "deescalate conflict and avoid violence" on Jan. 6, "turned himself in to the FBI two days after the riot," and "cooperated with both the FBI and Congress, participating in multiple lengthy voluntary interviews."

“No previously sentenced case contains the same balance of aggravating and mitigating factors present here,” the DOJ said.
Many on social media said the sentence was far too lenient given what others have received.

The DOJ is giving this guy (Ray Epps) a mere 6 month prison sentence, which they claim is the ‘high-end’ of their ‘sentencing guidelines!’

Apparently cognizant of the speculation, the memo added, "Epps has been the target of a false and widespread conspiracy theory that he was an undercover government agent on January 6."

“Other than his four years of service in the Marines from 1979-1983, … Epps has never been a government employee or agent.”

From the 1960 movie "Beyond the Time Barrier" I came across a 1974 book of same title by a Russian/Australian UFO pioneer Andrew Tomas.





From New Dawn Special Issue Vol 12 No 2 (April 2018):

Quote:Ancient Aliens’ is the title of a popular show running on the History Channel, now in its 12th season, but the same title was used on a book published in 1973 by Andrew Tomas. It followed his 1971 bestseller – We Are Not the First – just a couple of years after the English version of Eric Von Däniken’s Chariots of the Gods attained worldwide success. In fact, Tomas had published a book titled The Planetary Doctrine as far back as 1935. While the modern TV namesake ‘Ancient Aliens’ takes pains to promote the idea that extra-terrestrials are made of flesh and blood, probably in deference to scientifically minded viewers, Tomas had no qualms about presenting his aliens as being otherworldly supra-humans, consisting of what was described as ‘mind-born’ bodies.

Some readers may hold the view that, just like science and religion, Ufology and spirituality are mutually exclusive. Not so if Andrew Tomas is any guide. He entwined both belief systems into a single coherent strand that yielded his impassioned advocacy for world peace.

Born in Russia in 1906 and moving around as a result of his father’s work, Andrew left his homeland after the Bolshevik revolution and settled in China, where he completed his schooling and forged a career as an accountant. In 1948 he again fled social upheaval, this time when Mao Tse Tung forced the nationalists out of China. Tomas headed for Australia where he spent the best part of twenty years and dwelled successively in each of the mainland capitals. In the mid-1950s, at a time when he was involved in organising the NSW branch of the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society (AFSRS), he was viewed with suspicion by some other members and tarnished with the label ‘white Russian’.



Well known ufologist and author Bill Chalker has recorded his recollections of that era: “I am well aware of the paranoia that existed during those years, but I do believe that any suspicion of the Victorian and Sydney groups by any individual, or body, could not have been further from the reality. While it is true that Andrew Tomas was indeed Russian, along with George Tararin (who I believe was from the region now known as Belarus), Dr Lindtner (Slovenia) and Joseph Gjerki (Croatia) and for all I know, maybe a few others also from Iron Curtain countries, the fact is that these people had all gone to Australia to get away from that sort of thing. George used to tell me he was ‘stateless’, having come more or less the same route as Andrew, which is to say, by way or Harbin or Shanghai. The latter two men had been educated by Americans – they had rather quaint accents with strong American overtones!”1

The 1950s was the high point of McCarthyism in Australia, particularly with the Petrov affair. Unfortunately, even if you were not a communist sympathiser, the mentality of the era meant a ‘white Russian’ such as Andrew Tomas was probably under observation by intelligence agencies. This prompted him to request a name change from his Russian one, A. Boncza-Tomaszewski, under the ironically titled “Aliens Act 1947.” It was a further irony that Andrew Tomas should have drawn criticism because of his ethnic origins as he was a committed pacifist. Perhaps it was, in fact, his lobbying of politicians and other public figures with his peace agenda that drew attention. He had clung dearly to his Shambhala-inspired ‘peace doctrine’ ever since writing Planetary Doctrine two decades earlier.

In 1954 Andrew Tomas met mystery writer Edgar Jarrold, the director of Australia’s first public flying saucer group. Tomas showed Jarrold his 1935 book The Planetary Doctrine, which had been published in Shanghai, China. He focused Jarrold’s attention on the passage: “Travellers and explorers often notice in the heights of the Himalayas strange shiny objects or creatures soaring high above the mountain crests, which are an eternal puzzle to Europeans. Whether these mysterious objects are vehicles belonging to supermen we dare not assert, though such an explanation is quite plausible. Cannot the reader believe that by such means, utilising unknown energies, communication is maintained from planet to planet?”2



The book Shambhala: Oasis of Light, written in 1977, was arguably Tomas’ most insightful and enduring legacy. In it, he describes how he ascended the snowy Himalayan slopes to a Tibetan monastery where he received spoken wisdom from a learned Lama, along with non-verbal illumination during a privileged initiation in a secret cave below the temple. Not only does Tomas assert the reality of the Bodhisattvas and Arhats, or Mahatmas, in this work he also draws together timeless mysteries from the East and West, Buddha and Jesus, Essenes and Templars, Hindu and ancient Greek; he connects Rosicrucianism, Masonry and Theosophy; the teachings of ancient philosophers flows through to unseen Guardians who continue to guide the planet today. 

He first met Nicholas Roerich in Shanghai during 1935 (the same year Tomas published The Planetary Doctrine). Roerich had just completed an expedition to Central Asia and talked about beings he called ‘Guardians’ who dwelt in the Gobi Desert. From that time onwards, Tomas would refer to Roerich reverently as his Master. For those unfamiliar with Roerich (1874–1947), he was a Russian painter, writer, archaeologist and theosophist, perceived as an ‘enlightener’, philosopher, and public figure, who in his youth was influenced by a spiritual movement in Russian society.

Trained as an artist and a lawyer, Nicholas Roerich was a dedicated activist for the cause of preserving art and architecture during times of war, earning several nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. Among his most notable achievements was the Roerich Pact,3 which was signed into law by the United States and most nations of the Pan-American Union in April 1935. Andrew Tomas went on to devise a pact of his own. In March 1958, as secretary and organiser of the International Organising Committee of the Planetary Pact, he sent a draft of the pact to the world’s leading news agencies.



Trained as an artist and a lawyer, Nicholas Roerich was a dedicated activist for the cause of preserving art and architecture during times of war, earning several nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. Among his most notable achievements was the Roerich Pact,3 which was signed into law by the United States and most nations of the Pan-American Union in April 1935. Andrew Tomas went on to devise a pact of his own. In March 1958, as secretary and organiser of the International Organising Committee of the Planetary Pact, he sent a draft of the pact to the world’s leading news agencies.

Two years prior he published a 48-page booklet in Sydney titled Signs, Stars and Seers – An Experiment in Historical Prediction. In this book he stated he had already issued unheeded warnings to Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito, through their embassies in China in 1935, regarding the folly of war. He also claimed to have approached a “responsible Soviet diplomat” four months after the defeat of Japan – well before the Cold War – with a project aimed at establishing friendly cultural relations between the USSR and the USA & UK. Although the project was not adopted, Tomas felt that his mission on behalf of world peace had been fulfilled. The booklet contained the ominous admonition: “If the national governments ignore this last warning, motivated by a desire to save this planet from destruction and mankind from self-annihilation, they will have to bear all responsibility for opposing the Cosmic Law of Unity.”4

Not much was known in the West about the legendary Shambhala until revelations were made by Madame H.P. Blavatsky in the late nineteenth century. Andrew Tomas presented impressive evidence from Tibetan sources that this hidden kingdom really does exist and is the home base of higher beings who continue to guide us into the coming new age of Homo Noeticus. In that regard he issued warnings of coming calamities, while at the same time holding optimism for our long-term future. We will conclude with two of his predictions, one coming from his ‘Cosmic ET friends’, and the other from his Tibetan guides.

At the end of an article in the last issue of Jarrold’s Australian Flying Saucer Magazine, “Are you ready for a planetary crash?”, (page 7, February 1955), he wrote: “In the circles of the duly initiated Brethren of Space, fantastic stories are told of saucers, messages from space and cosmic decrees.… Anyway, my cosmic friends tell me not to worry about what other people say, but just place this information before the public. ‘It won’t be long now’, they say. Jokes aside, let us think more of the stars. Let us all become the children of Heaven. Let us dream of a Utopia where there is no hatred and no wars. But before we see that Utopia a red sign will flash in the skies, ‘Tighten your belts’. As Ripley says, ‘believe it or not’, but we are heading for a planetary crash.”5

And finally, at the close of his book Shambhala: Oasis of Light, Andrew left us with predictions from the Tibetan Kalachakra tradition:

“The twenty-first Ruler of the Land of Shambhala, Ma-gag-pa, is now enthroned on his lion-supported golden throne. He has ruled for forty-nine years before the present Fire Dragon year (1976). After another fifty-one years (2027), the twenty-second Holder of castes, Mi-yi Seng-ge, will ascend the throne and rule for one hundred years…

“The twenty-fifth Holder of castes, Drag-po K’or-lo-chan, will ascend Shambhala’s golden lion-supported throne in the Fire Sheep year of the twenty-second cycle (twenty-fifth century) and propagate the Dharma teachings…

“The La-lo king… will gather his legions west of India in a place called Tri-li… then the ministers will conduct an air surveillance. When they see numerous signs of wealth and happiness in the Land of Shambhala in the north, their jealousy will have no bounds and they will attack Shambhala. This will be in the Water Sheep year of the twenty-second cycle (2425)…

“The Ruler of Shambhala will then assume command of the assembled forces of the twelve great gods – of the skyships flying faster than sound, fire- and steam-powered vehicles, armoured chariots, as well as the different types of atomic weapons…

Tomas notes that these words were written down many centuries before the discovery of steam, aviation, nuclear physics or astronautics. He ends with these words:

“Thus the evil forces will be destroyed by the might of the twelve gods. After that the precious Dharma will come under the direct protection of the Buddha. The King of Shambhala will change his residence and then the Perfect Age will dawn anew.”6

The Intriguing Life of Andrew Tomas: The Mystic Who Chased UFOs

I had never heard of vicious preying caterpillars before. Quite informational.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGtfAv0eO8A

I'd like to share straight from my heart today. No filter, just me.


The holidays came and went. Some of us dont have loved ones to share the holidays with. I spent the holidays alone; as I am used to doing by now. I sat in silence mostly. I slept through as much of it as I could so the days would pass, and "Christmas" would be over.

You see, the poor person isnt popular around the holidays. For those of us who cannot afford gifts (of any kind) for others we sit alone during xmas. No calls. No texts. Just silence. 

This was so bad this year, i was fighting suicidal thoughts. It got so bad at one point I had made a plan to wait till after the holidays to "do the deed" so that I didnt ruin anyone elses Christmas this year, or in the future. 

This is what xmas does to some of us! The consumerism in it all.....is pure evil, people; and this is the affect of that. Unless you are poor, you will not understand, but do you have any idea what it's like to be dismissed because you cant afford presents for other people?? To have no one call you or care if you are okay, or alone, is heart breaking, and one of the main reasons the suicide rate skyrockets during Christmas.

I for one, am sick of this shit.......and it has caused a reaction in me.
First off, no I do not want to die. Today was supposed to be "the day," but instead, I am writing this, for all of us who went thru something similar. I am putting myself out there for all of those who know how this shit feels.


I had such a fight this year that i came closer than I ever have.
and that pissed me off.

To the point that a change is coming for me. I am turning over a new leaf.

The last 5 years or so I have been disciplining myself to be meek. I had wanted to be a more gentle man. I suffer from border line personality disorder, and so my emotions are more powerful than I can handle sometimes, and that makes me very hard to read or understand. I have spent my life being so misunderstood that I have battled taking my own life throughout my time in this world. I wanted to make a change all those years ago, so that I didnt fall victim to my own emotions. I have humbled myself to the floor. I have turned so many cheeks that i have become a door mat to everyone. I have given the last and little bit of what I had, and to people who didnt appreciate it AT ALL.

No more!! 
 
A change is coming and it will be fierce. I will be laying this username to rest and will reincarnate as someone else on here one day. But no more Bodhisattva. Im done with this stage in my life and am seeking to evolve from it.


I am making a plan for my future. I no longer want to teach. I just want to survive.



RIP "BodhisattvaStyle"
 
Catch ya on the flipside.


I'll be back one day. But with a different username and attitude.No worries tho, Love will still be my guide...


Last time for Bodhi-S..........ONE LOVE ROGUE NATION! Remember to Be kind to one another!!!

These are from an old email I was about to delete but thought I would post here for others to consider debunk or go Hummm. Enjoy

Quote:During WWII , U.S. airplanes were armed with belts of bullets which they would shoot during dogfights and on strafing runs. These belts were folded into the wing compartments that fed their machine guns. These belts measure27 feet and contained hundreds of rounds of bullets. Often times, the pilots would return from their missions having expended all of their bullets on various targets. They would say, “I gave them the whole nine yards,”meaning they used up all of their ammunition.



*********************************

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are 'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, 'Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg.' (Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint.)



******************************

As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year (May and October). Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term 'big wig'. Today we often use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.



********************************

In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'



*********************************

Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in 'strait laced' wore a tightly tied lace.



********************************

Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the 'Ace of Spades.' To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren't 'playing with a full deck.'



********************************

Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told to 'go sip some Ale and listen to people's conversations and political concerns Many assistants were dispatched at different times. 'You go sip here' and 'You go sip there.' The two words 'go sip' were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'



**********************************

At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the phrase 'minding your 'P's and Q's'.



**********************************

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. However, how to prevent them from rolling about the deck? The best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem....how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate called a 'Monkey' with 16 round indentations. However, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make 'Brass Monkeys.' Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled.. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannonballs would come right off the monkey; Thus, it was quite literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.' (All this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you.)

This is from the Philippines about a recent discovery of a butchered Rino that is over 700,000 years old.. The dating method used appears to be quite accurate. 

Much speculation about how the Hominoids got to the island but I want to know how the Rino got there in the first place ??!!

I have a passing interest in what advances are being made in the useful quest for artificial intelligence.. The Doom porn purveyors say we are all one step away from Terminator Skynet while the actual researchers with caution say, "It will be a new exciting frontier for mankind." The video starts in China which is much future along the A.I. road than I thought they were and from there the developments in some of the leading labs in the USA.

A.I. self learning really is amazing and so far the sky (net) is the limit.

With advances in A.I. by different countries I personally can not see countries putting on the breaks of development unless they want to end up at the bottom of the A.I. Heep regardless of international agreements .

Quote:From January 2019, Scott Pelley's interview with "the oracle of AI," Kai-Fu Lee. From this past April, Pelley's report on Google's AI efforts. And from this past March, Lesley Stahl's story on chatbots like ChatGPT and a world of unknowns.

Reflections.

It is official now, I’ve been a passenger on this planet for sixty-eight full trips around the sun with the sixty-ninth plotted into the nav computer and the go controls engaged. I can hardly believe it! Who would have ever thought I would make it this far in life? I sure didn’t and at times in the past, I doubted I would make it another day and then there were times I was sure I wouldn’t but somehow I’m still alive and reasonably functional considering all the things I’ve put this poor meat sack and the thing living in my head that thinks it’s in charge through.

It’s been an unusual and strange trip to say the least and in many ways extraordinary and sometimes when I think back to all the things I’ve been through and done, it doesn’t seem real and I have to ask myself was that really me? Did I do that? Was it all a dream or fragments of some forgotten move I watched?

In some ways, at times when I was younger I thought my life was cursed with things that I didn’t really understand that seemed impossible and insurmountable that in the long run, turned out to be a blessing in disguise because although off to a rocky and uncertain start, my life has been charmed and truly blessed with experiences and perspectives few people ever share making me a better and stronger person for it.

Like everyone, there have been ups and downs and in retrospect, perhaps things I would have done better or differently but I’m sure this is something everyone feels when they get to a certain age but I have no regrets and only few disappointments to look back on so I have no complaints. Things turned out better than I ever anticipated with opportunities, highlights and loves I never expected.

If I died tomorrow, I would go a happy person as I have lived an incredibly amazing and wonderful life that truly has been a blessing but I ain’t dead quite yet and don’t plan on going anywhere real soon. I’ve still got things to do and things to learn and ways to grow which are the things I think that have kept me going all these years? I plan on being 70 in a year just to say I made it and neener neener to the naysayers that never thought I would make it beyond 30!

Sorry for tooting my own horn a little but yay and woohoo for me!