Posts

Panic Shelters - Why?

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Right now we see a lot of fear in our society, but there isn't anything new under the sun. In fact, people have built panic rooms out of fear. Does it sound ridiculous? Yes, but when people think a nuclear bomb is going to hit their country they do that.  They started in Egypt, actually, ancient Egypt. The pyramids had secret rooms to protect the Pharoah's treasures from thieves. This may not be the best example, but it's the first example. What is a panic room? It's a room that someone can run into when things go terribly wrong, most likely locking themselves in with provisions for weeks or days of hiding. This is going farther than "stay home" - it is barricading yourself in your house. I don't suggest doing this for anything short of a nuclear attack. Let's not go overboard on Covid19 protection, please!  What They Were Used For A Priest Hole in England, used to  protect Catholic priests from persecution Feudal Lords hid in them during sieges, bootl...

Amelia Earhart - theories on what happened

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Amelia Earhart, known for disappearing without at a trace, was a wonderful woman, but what happened to her? Time to dive into all the theories on her disappearance. Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan Amelia Earhart has done many, many great things in her lifetime. She supported equal rights, earned the US Distinguished Flying Cross for solo flight across the Atlantic, and wrote best sellers on her flying. She was a significant figure in women's history and will continue to be so. Her Disappearance In 1937 Earhart and Fred Noonan were flying around the world. They were going to land at Howland Island, an uninhabited island. They never arrived. There are theories that suggest they had to emergency land on what is now Gardner Island, and died there.  What supports this is the human remains found on Gardner Island. These were found beside a campfire, a woman's shoe, and a navigational device. There have been studies done on her measurements and height to support ...

007 part 3 - books and movies

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We know Ian Fleming wrote the first James Bond novels, but who continued the tradition? We have several authors who have, and you may be surprised to hear that the movies are based on more than Fleming's writing. Let's compare the books to the movies! When it comes to 007's authors we have Ian Fleming, John Gardner, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffrey Deaver, Kingsley Amis, Charlie Higson, Raymond Benson, William Boyd, Steve Cole, Anthony Horowitz,  and Christopher Wood. Some only wrote one novel, while others wrote several. It all started with Casino Royale and Ian Fleming. I have talked about Ian Fleming in 007 part 2, so we're talking about James Bond's portrayal in the books, then comparing it to the movies today. The books James Bond is 6 feet with greyish-blue eyes and black hair, according to the books. He is a widower, his deceased wife being Teresa Draco. His parents are deceased, as well, and they are Andrew and Monique Delacroix Bond. He knows marti...

007 part 2 - was Ian Fleming a real spy?

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We know Ian Fleming wrote the first James Bond books. Each one has been made into a movie by now. There was a rumor going around that he was a spy himself. Was it true? Let's find out! Spoiler alert, it is true! He was an undercover British agent in WWII. Without boring you with his life previous to being a spy, here's the basic rundown on his life before the spy-hood. He was well educated, his father died fighting in France, and he became an assistant-editor with Reuters News Service. He proved to be a wonderful writer. With that known, I'm diving into his life as a spy. Spy-hood in WWII Vice Admiral John Godfrey After Reuters News Service he went to the London Times. Through his coverage of various trials he became known in the right places. He was recruited into Naval Intelligence to be the assistant of Admiral John Godfrey, who headed Naval Intelligence. He went from Lieutenant to Commander in rank. He was given a glowing review by the Admiral.  He ...

007 part 1 - what is a 00 agent?

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Here I start part one of the 007 series of blogs. There will be three of them, so stay tuned for the other two. First, we're looking at what being a 00 agent actually means. 00 agents are actually real in the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). The head is known by C or CSS (Chief of Secret Service), not M, but there is a secret service. The agents are typically foreign nationals, but are seen as traitors or moles to their own governments. Most operate under false identities while overseas as diplomats. Diplomats can't be arrested or prosecuted, so it is a good cover. Espionage is their job. Some were actually traitors at one point, in some cases. London Diplomatic Event Unlike Bond, they are known as SIS agents, not 00. The only trait shared with our famous 007 is the ability to drink and function at embassy events. It is a desk job with occasional overseas trips. Sometimes they are just going overseas to get or deliver bribe money, and rumors of making up fake age...

Human interaction- a basic need

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With all this social distancing it is worth discussing the value of social interaction. Do we need other people? Introverted, extroverted, or ambiverted, you will go a little insane if you don't have human interaction. Loneliness, surprisingly, doesn't lie with the number of friends we have, but how many people we personally connect with. If you don't trust someone, don't feel socially supported, or there is some emotional conflict in the air it may cause loneliness in a crowd of people. With all the quarantining in Ohio, it is also worth discussing what can happen when loneliness becomes chronic. It can trigger mental illness spirals, as well as cause heart damage, poor sleep, poor appetite, substance abuse, depression, and suicidal thoughts and tendencies. This is loneliness at its worst. With the distance between us and our loved ones, we should make sure we are reaching out to them. Emotional connection is at the core of who we are because God created us to ...

linear vs nonlinear thinking - an overview

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There are plenty of nonlinear thinkers out there, but what does nonlinear thinking actually look like? I'm here to explain that today. Let's start with the basics. Nonlinear thinking is thinking that doesn't happen in a straight line. These peoples' thoughts go all different directions and they may come across as unconventional. It can cause difficulty in expressing thoughts clearly because their thoughts are abstract. One can confuse linear thinkers by assuming they understand this type of thinking. Linear thinking is exactly what it sounds like, the opposite of what I just described. It is thinking in a straight thought process with no trailing off, and it is far easier to explain your thoughts and ideas in this way of thinking. These people may not quite understand the nonlinear thinkers because of the difference in thought process. Which Am I? If you focus on one thing at a time chances are high that you are a linear thinker. If your thoughts don...