A Review of Time Magazine

Since the computer revolution began it has been increasing difficult to stay abreast of the really important news. If information overload has you busy trying to sort the important stories from the mundane then you probably should take a fresh look at Time Magazine. From big story world events to what's new in science and industry, the economy, technology, sports, people in the news, TV, movies and music, Time Magazine serves up the information people need to stay informed. Time Magazine saves you time by cutting through the information deluge and delivering only the highest quality content.

Time Magazine makes a great gift because it is appreciated week after week. Time Magazine is my first news source choice because it delivers the greatest value for the money. Considering its rich content, the magazine is truly bargain priced. With Time Magazine you can consolidate your news gatering efforts into one convenient weekly publication.

Time Magazine has a lo ng and interesting history. The first copy of Time U.S. was published on March 3, 1923, by co-founders Briton Hadden and Henry Luce. Time Magazine has been criticized for its tone, which some consider too light and carefree for serious news reporting. The light tone goes all the way back to Briton, who often teased Henry Luce and encouraged him to insure that Time was fun to read. Its obvious from the 30 million subscribers that this formula works.

The complete review of TIME Magazine, including photographs, can be found online at: http://magazines.canon.org.

2005 Peach ePublishing, LLC

Jason Canon has authored numerous technical research papers including: photonic switching, gigabit networking, VoIP E9-1-1, and others. He is an expert author for EzineArticles.com.

Author:: Jason Canon
Keywords:: Magazine Review, Time Magazine
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Angelina of Glastonbury: the Headman's Axe

II

[A.D. 1215

[End Chapter Mom said: I dont know what happened, but I do know he is done with drink. And she added I remember, there are worse things than killing men, and I asked: what? And mom said: Being killed, or loving something fine, and doing nothing about it, yet knowing you could have.

Mom had looked at mein a way she never had beforeI didnt know back then what it meant, now I do I supposeshe looked to meto be at that given moment, likened to a symbol of the ancient and eternal snakeand I realized between those who can, should, do, for those who cannot, or will not, suffer otherwise, endlessly.

Then we both seemed to be free; I didnt understand but I knew by that look, someday Id understand.

In the boat I saw her glance at me with that inscrutable look, looking at me.

I was young back then, strong, a hard body for a boy of my age, like my father. Richard, my brother was a ting more discernible, he didnt lack courage, and he wa s just unsure of it he had any, or so that is how I perceived it. At that time, my mother had changed little, in a decade, still slender from what everyone in the town said of her.

The soldier who was killed, he had an implacable pointed head, with savagely chopped hair, and crazed eyes; he did know what happened, he just died. I know my mother is not safe when in that day-dreaming mode of hers, so history has told me so. She was like a loaded cross-bow, with a hair-trigger. She told me: He was a drunkard, and it was too late for him to stop what he had set his mind to do; a drunkard reaches a point where it is too late for him to stop, he may believe he will, but experience has taught me he will not (they both had reached this stage and conclusion), and that is what I figured trigger me, and I did what you said Id had done.

Advance: it was a time before Beowulf was written but after Sherborn Abbey in Dorset Roman book of Catholic prayer was written. With a gree n and black waxed seal attached to a vellum strip at the bottom a charter was written (A.D. 1215)King John enthroned now holding his scepter.

It was written this year of 1215 with gall-based ink. It was called the Magna Charta, perhaps the first of its kind, a Charter of Liberties, many copies were made, and one sent to Glastonbury, badly damaged by fire, yet it was displayed in the village nonetheless, to the populace; amongst them, Angelina and her husband, known a decade before as the Green Knight.

The eloquence of those historic sentences, the nobility and idealism, they expressed warmed the hearts of Glastonbury, especially Angelinas, saying:

No free man shall be taken or imprisoned or deprived or outlawed or exiled or in any way ruined

Need I say more

it was revered as the founding stone of modern freedom, and in time the world over would recognize this; and to Angelina now with two sons and two daughters, regarded this as a romantic and f ormative piece of British legislation.

This was also the time when the Crusades were a part of the fabric of the day, and much talk of it in the village of Glastonbury; for that matter, all of Europe. It was a time when Jerusalem had been conquered by the Muslim leader, Saladinin fact, it was a bloody struggle, for all three faiths, that looked upon Jerusalem as sacred ground.

It was the time period St. Francis of Assisi formed an order of monks; when Pope Innocent III, was in Rome, an ablest pope indeed. And let it not be said too loud, King John of England and Pope Innocent quarreled like two attacking Grendels.

If we were to go beyond Europe at this particular time in history wed see Genghis Khan capture Peking, and break through the Great Wall of China, and conquer with his Mongols all in sight, much like the Vikings of their era.

And although Angelina was a good mother and wife, she kept abreast of current events, as they drifted into Glastonbu ry, as well she could. For the most part, her little township was quiet, and their little business, sedate.

But these were trying times for King John, to say the least; and it would only get worse. He would die a year later, in A.D. 1216, after the loss of the French dominions, along with his disputes with Rome, his over taxation of the nobility, which would prove to have a hand in the civil warI reiterate: ending up in Johns death.

To be frank, Angelina, liked King Richard I, more than John, who had been captured during the Crusading; even thought England scarcely saw him for ten-years, the extent of his reign of England; she saw him likened to King Arthur, of times past.

Chapter One

The Barons of war

(A.D. 1215, John meets in Runnymede, agrees to the declarations set down in the Magna Carta)

In the heart of Glastonbury, Summerset England, if one is to look up, from the village, almost at any point they will see the Great Tor, it is a manmade mound, and on its summit is an abbey (now only a tower remains, burnt down years ago).

It was this year King John came looking for soldiers to recruit to fight his war with the Barons of England, who had gotten support form France, in particular, Prince Louis (who would on one years time capture the Tower of London; A.D. 1216; but of course I am jumping ahead of our story, for we are still in 1215).

This year for Angelina would be a most trying year, actually it will consume eighteen-months, and the rest of this story must be extracted from her diary.

(Diary of Angelina)

King John came with many soldiers into Glastonbury today. He knew of my husbands reputation, of his fighting in the Crusades, everyone knew of course, and he asked my husband, personally asked him: too kindly join his army against the rich-barons of England, who were trying to dethrone him. Evidently, he did not wish to go according to the Magna Carta, the very one he signed. He even quoted the man he so hated, the Pope, who had decreed John did not, or was not bound by this decree, and now it is of course history. Thus, John took my husbandas if he was a criminaland tied him to a rope, held by one of the soldiers on horseback.

He tried to explain to the King, I was with child, and hed join his army right after the child was born, but would not be of much use, being gone, and thinking about his wife and child. The king took this as an insult, and there was no more to say. He begged the king to let him stay; I had never seen my husband in such a distraught form.

It was a sad day indeed, for I knew theyd take him to London, perhaps the Tower, and torture him. But let me tell you what I did, and perhaps it was stupid, I ran to my husband, told him Id find him, wherever he was, and the soldier kicked me, kicked me right in my belly, I had tears, I tried not to cry, to show them, but I couldnt, my belly hurt so much, I was on the ground holding my belly, I think it washow sad a knight can do such a thing, King Johns knights are like him; and my grandfather used to say: give a dog a new name and you dont need to hang him. I wish King Richard was here, he had the name before John took the good name after his death. Now he thinks he is untouchable.

As I laid there in the dirt by our little shop, I watched the king dragging my husband out of the city as he grabbed several potential young men to become soldiers in his army (the civil war was started and Angelina knew this was a small part of it, but resistance breeds resistance, and her mind shifted back to King Arthur, her hero of heroes, and King Richard the Lion Heart: and what laid dormant in her heart was awakened: a little lion with big teeth.)

Chapter Two

Tower of London

It was a shame for Angelinas husband, he being a knight, being dragged out of Glastonbury like a thief, a dishonor indeed. For in many cases knights were appointed as sheriffs and representatives of the people in shires in parliament.

Angelina had felt helpless, and now she had lost her child a most horrid time for her, as she puts it in her diary:

It has been three months now, since I lost my child; and my husband is someplace in the Tower of London, so Ive been told by Prince Louis, who has sent word to me on this matter.

I know now the Tames runs along side of the Tower, Ive never been in London so its all new for me, but this map is a good one, the Prince sent me, although over a hundred years old, but he has modified it to how it looked fifteen-years ago, I doubt thinks have changed that much in those years.

There seems to be a number of towers on this map: let me describe it: an odd looking square bigger at one corner than the other, and there I see the River, it goes by the Bell Tower, and inside this odd square is the Outer word, and to the back of the main tower is the Inner word, and there are three towers, one called the wardrobe tower; inside this odd square is the main area they call the Tower of London, and it has three towers to it also, a torture chamber. I have to make it to the Bell Tower: I think. And there is gateway also. Map reading is not my specialty, so I hope I do not get this wrong, but I must now develop a plan.

Chapter Three

The Tower, Wolf and Axe

I must get my husband out of the tower before he is tortured to death. Im sure King John will not live though another year of his madness, to rule England like a tyrant, like a slave camp, but that helps me little, should I wait for his death, it will not come soon enough to save my husband. I have gone over the map a hundred times now.

She went down the Thames River, it was dark, and it was the beginning of wither; the air was chilled, a wind almost freezing, you could see your breath. She could see the Tower now: her wolf by her side in the boat, her two sons, Phillip, the elder , and Richard, the younger (eleven and twelve). She had her plan, her gold and silver to bribe, and hoping it would be enough to get through the gateway, and escorted to the Bell Tower: she had sold everything she could, business, house, everything: and had fourteen gold pieces, and several silver coins: she was penniless, if this didnt work, then it was certain death.

They had docked the boat, walked up to the gateway entrance:

(Diary) With my gold in hand I bribed the first two guards to let me in and try to talk with the authorities to see my husband, if only for a minute. And they saw no harm in it, and figured Id get turned back before I got to the Bell Tower anyway, so they had nothing to lose. Phillip was with me, and my wolf (she had the old wolf for fifteen years now, it was one she had purchased and, well one today it came back to here after it had run off someplace; most of the wolfs teeth were missing but he had a mean growl, was faithful, and stil l had several teeth in place, if need for whatever teeth are used for), was already by the Bell Tower waiting, and Richard was in the boat, guarding it.

Thus, I had everything in place, but I knew something would go wrong, doesnt it always, and if so, I would have to resort to another plan, but to be honest, I had no other one. But my son tells me I created one quickly. Anyhow, we walked slowly down the Great Hall, quietly pat the Royal Residence, up high to the Gallery level. I think they were running me around in circles, because the Bell Tower was outside on the other end of the Inner Ward. I was paying every guard a piece of gold, everyone wanted to be bribed. Then one guard pointed to the Bell Tower, saying: that is the Bell Tower, that your husband is in, save, if he is still alive, he was tortured pretty bad.

I had given him my last silver coin and now I was standing below the Bell Tower steps, and huge fat old guard came down, the old man knew what I wanted, but I had no coins left, and I told him so. He was half drunk, slobbering allover the young guard next to me, and my son, and myself.

I was hoping the young guard, who was kind enough to stop the charade back inside the main tower, would convince his comrade I had paid dearly to get to these steps, but he was silent.

I could see the door, it was slightly opened, this man must have been kicking my husband, and his footwear was bloody. How much silver do you have left, he asked me, bluntly, this old solider who could hardly stand, his liquor had gotten the best of him. I have none left, I told him, none whatsoever. And he didnt like that one bit.

Then with the force of a bear, I felt like a twig in his grip, he pulled me over to him, thrust his hand down my to my breast and had his pleasure with me for that moment. I was taken by surprise, and when he pulled out his hand.

[Phillip That is all my mother can remember, so I will have to fill in the spaces. When he pulled his hand out, of the upper part of my mothers robe, she was froze, I had noticedperhaps with terror, or perhaps with anger, I dont know.

When we had passed the torture room at the main tower, I remember my mother picking up something, an axe, I didnt see much, and I was horrified to see the man on the rack being stretched out of his joints. But the Headsmans block axe was there when I first seen it, and I noticed my mother touching it, and when I looked aback to see how sharp it was, it was gone. Again I must say, that guy on the rack, whose limbs were being pulled to god-knows were, blocked all other things out of my mind, but here is what followed, what I remember:

When the huge and heavy soldier pulled his hand out of my mothers robe, out came the axe, she had hidden it under her cloths, thus his hand dropped like a mug of ale on the floor; then off came his head, his eyes still in shock looking at his hand, now his head was at co llapsing body, and next looking into a cavity called a neck, he even blinked his eyes, couldnt believe he was headless. Funny, how long you can live neck-less.

The young soldier was in shock, he was frozen to where he stood, stone-still like the Pillars of Hercules.

I suppose, now that I look back, it was most appropriate for this to take place, especially in the tower area, for is it not the place of executions. Mom simply took the plan B, into action, the plan she didnt have until the guards tried to scare her by bringing her around in circles, and by the torture room.

Aye, yes, the young soldier was still in shock, piss running down his leg onto the floor.

Chapter Four

Escape

All my mother had on was a robe, and there was reason for this: coiled around her was a rope, where she had tucked in that headsmans axe, and so carefully and swiftly, pulled it out to save the day. She had brought a tunic and left it in the boat, I wasnt sure why, she never said, but now I knew. We were in the Bell Tower, father was on the floor, weak, and beaten pretty bad, but once he saw mother, he got up, then said,

Angelina! Angelina! is it really you.

And they kissed.

With no adue (or time to waste), she undressed, and unwound the rope around her body, and tied it to a bare in the window: the bars were separated wide enough that we did not have to dig out, thank goodness.

As we climbed down the rope, moms wolf was faithfully waiting, but we also saw that young guard now running around, out the gateway to us, he had gotten his composure back. When he had caught up to us, but twenty feet in front of mom, the old wolf, with half its teeth gone, jumped like a hawk onto that soldier, and mauled his face up bad, a tooth imprint here and there: he will never again I fear, find favor with young maidens.

Next we had all run to the boat, and Richard quickly pushed us all out into the river. More guards were now running out of the gate entrance, and moms wolf jumped into the boat as we were now clear of the bank.

[Diary Entry: Phillip King John is dead, and my the has returned to Glastonbury, after hiding in the Abbey on the Tor. Mom stopped writing in the Diary on this matter, so I took it upon myself to fill in the spaces of time. King Henry III came into power, which was in October of 1216. He would out live my father and die in 1272, which was two years ago.

Now I am old, and Edward I, will out live me. But who cares, let him be a crowned crusader, like my Great Grandfather. Mom would have lived him though, hes kind of a warrior, like dad was, and Arthur, and King Richard. The wolf died in 1217, she had her adventures with mom I suppose. Thats all I got to say.

The End

Note: Dedicated to Benjamin Szumskyj; written 1/15/06, at the BN-caf, Roseville, Minnesota

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.comSee Dennis' books at http://www .alldirect.com or http://www.booksprice.com

Author:: Dennis Siluk
Keywords:: Short Story
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

The Midnight Sun Point Lay Alaska: the Find

Point Lay Alaska is located at 6944'28 North, 1630'31 West (69.741023, -163.008613)GR1. According to the United States Cenus Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 89.3 km2 (34.5mi2 ). 78.9 km (30.5 mi) of it is land and 10.4 km (4.0 mi) of it is water. The total area is 11.66% water.

I was sitting in a U. S. Mail cargo plane, small in size, and we landed quickly and quietly at Point Lay Alaska; we had picked up the mail from Barrow, Alaska, it was 1996, June, and the weather was beautiful for this rough country; as I was saying we landed and perhaps the whole village showed up some twenty-feet in front of our plane, there couldnt have been more than two-hundred in the whole town-ship, if so only a few more and they all seemed to be here, standing by our plane to see the new passenger, me (I know in 2000 there were 247 inhabitants at Point Lay, and as I say, I doubt it was even that much now).

The American Indian race accounted for about 85% of the population, a f ew whites, a few other races I couldnt tell, perhaps Russian related, because my pilot was, and they looked a bit like my pilot; and a family or two of Hispanics. So there was a cross-cultural agenda here. The weather was cloudy, isolated snow showers were forecasted for the evening, it was 15 to 20 degrees (colder than Barrow), some Northeast winds.

My Russian pilot, whom I paid to fly me on his route, down to Point Lay that is, was taking the cargo off now. Barrow was to the North, and Kotzebue to my south, the Sea to the West of me. I had been talking to an archeologist on the plane to Barrow a few days ago, he and his fellow comrades made a discovery in the areathe Point Lay area, he had told me whereabouts of his discovery, but was reluctant to pinpoint it. They had found a mummy, taken a few hundred pictures of it in its abode, a cave like abode, and nearby an underground cave as well with old whalebones holding the tundra in place. Perhaps it was a dwelling, o r grave, he didnt tell me at the time, only showed me a few pictures of the mummy, more like a frozen body wrapped in old furs.

As I stepped out of the plane, and got into the village, there was a family that helped me on my voyage, or call it exploits to be. His wife had one older child (perhaps three), and she had an infant in her amaaq, she was small, and very cut, young Eskimo, or as they are called in this area Inuits.

I had arrived on a whim, I was going to stay in Barrow, but this story intrigued me so, I had to take this to its end. I had done some extensive traveling, and archeology was a hobby of mine. I had quickly learned Toornag, some kind of evil spirit to be taken into consideration, as they are sensitive to certain things. They do believe there was kind of a local flood that took place; thus, some principles of Christianity were superimposed on the older ancestral beliefs here.

I paid the family what they wanted, for room and board, for me to live in their shack of a house, getting acclimated, and revitalizing myself for my journey. I had stayed at the Top of the World Hotel, in Barrow for a few days before I had walked down to the airstrip, along side the Chukchi Sea, and ventured to make a deal with the pilot.

(Let me insert this before I go on with my trip: its amazing to stand at the end of Point Barrow, and on one side you see the Beaufort Sea all frozen, and on the other side the Chukchi Sea, unfrozen, at least for six weeks out of the year anyway, and I was within that time period.)

I didnt really care to jump into this new adventure, it just kind of took root, slow paced, as it seeped into attention: one thing leads into another, does it not.

The family went bear hunting with the elders, and I went once in my six weeks stay with them, and found they felt the bears liked to smoke, yes I said smoke, it troubled me at first, but I had learned many things from the folks I lived with thos e weeks; leaned the folks I was with believed the bear assumed human shape, or could, was capable of it. In a like manner, the bear believed in a kind of hospitality I think, I mean, a generosity they had toward captured animals, they believed the animals let their selves be killed for the sake of the human brothers, to help them. A kindness I had a hard time digesting.

I do not remember how to spell my hosts name, but I will try and leave it at that for this story: Umanaq and her husband, I shall call him as I can only remember the sounds of his name, Qaviangaq.

The midnight sun came out each night, and other than that, life was great, no igloo stuff, just huts. Completely different than Barrow who had a population of some 3000-inhabitants, a metropolis you might say, in the sterile arctic; a pear in the store was $4.00, here at Point Lay, you ate what they had available.

I had learned they even had a High school, a few folks with Bachelor degrees, and perhaps I was the highest at the Graduate level, but no one paid much attention. In Barrow they wanted to hire me for a Chemical Dependency Director of a clinic, I had to turn it down, but it was getting my attention. Employment seemed to be good during my stay, a few drunks not working, and I do remember it was a dry area for alcohol, during those days. It also seemed to me, almost half the folks were not married, a few divorced.

Assut was the little boys name, deep dark eyes, and a face that always had a clammy smile on it. He was always looking for small holes it seemed, to see if any creatures would pop out I think. The weather got to be at the end of the month in the 30s to 40s, and it was warm compared to my first few days there, I suppose summer was breaking into the land.

The Find

I had drawn a map from the conversation with the assistant young archeologist (in my mind at first, and at the hotel in Barrow later). It was now July, and I knew him a nd his team would be gone, he had told me so, it was just a matter of days he said, and thus, I had give him 25-days, I knew Id find something, but not what I did find; matter of fact, I now understand why he wanted to hide the site from me. But Qaviangaq and Umanaq would be the best-gifted hunters, guides Id ever know, and their two children of course came along.

The trip was hard, and enduring, and I couldand may at a later date, get into that more, but I wish to get to the premise of this story, and it is a story indeed worth its salt. I have shared many of my trips, and exploits with people, and found many things, such as foot prints in stone on islands off the coast of Brazil, human footprints, with animal prints beside them, and stones carved into bulls at other sites, and never told a person, it will be for them to find (once in New Hampshire) but this was even more of a find.

We had found the spot the team had excavated, I guess Americans and Venezuelan scientists is what the team was made up of, it was a primitive site indeed. I am not sure what to call them, but ape men might do; not the mummy the young lad showed me a picture of, the mummy was put back into its original place inside the cave (I saw it), and the bones of the whales were sticking out a foot when I got to the site, below the cave. This was a different site, not sure if they saw it or not, but it wasnt far from theirs: maybe I thought they were so engrossed at their find, and covering it, they didnt see this one; everything seemed to be unmoved for ages. If indeed they did find this site, I was not as careful as they, I moved much of it here and there, took nothing, but moved it, touched it, examined it.

I told myself: I found a Galapagos of bone, of strange creatures in a cave; artwork on the walls; one species was of a frog, the bones were small, a carving was of that on the wall; perhaps some of these bones dated back when South America, North Am erica and Alaska were all solidly embedded with Asia/Europe and Africa, also on the other side fused together as one continent. Look at any map, it shows a ripping apart of the continents on the Atlantic side anyhow.

I had no scientific fact for anything, but there was volcanic dust in the cave, perhaps from the Ordovician age, when life emerged from the sea as they say, to gradually develop into amphibians, as they say.

These bones were old, as others were perhaps somewhere around five million year old. I find most anthropologist are narrow-minded (Ive known a few, and then a few too many), or fixed on their own concepts, or too much wedged into a book, with no room for compromise, but be that as it may, the question arises, nonetheless, when did the lineages of ape and humankind diverge?

As a Christian I do not have a hard time with that, simply read my story on pre humans (Before Eve ((an Epic poem)); but here I was faced with fact in front of me; not evolutionary fact (I do not believe a banana will ever make a monkey into a larger primate and then onto mankind), but species fact. I was not like so many scientist try, to try and fit a jaw bone part into a skull, and call it Peking Man, or Java Man, and link it to mankind in particular, hence, my guess work is as good as theirs: although with this find and the hundreds of bones I saw, and skulls, and bear bones, and so for and so on, and carvings on the wall, it would not be hard to do.

Consequently, I have to take modern scientists beliefs that species eventually developed into whatever they feel like theorizing in 5 to 10-million years, and break it down to more sensible concept. These bones were real, fossils looking were some, old sediments, very primitive; but I did not see anything in the world that tells me people turn into fossils, not even buried by mudslides. So I must assume these species were from a time before humanity existed. A pre human stage was d eveloped perhaps, and in the process devoured by superhuman beings, and a lower species survived the age somehow.

Here I found mysterious ear holes in skulls, small nostril holes in the skull. I couldnt do any scientific dating, so I will never know. Whatever the bones were, and from what era, they were not of my Gods human creation I assure you, it was perhaps on some creation prior to that which man seems to have so prophetic, profound negative concepts against.

Written at home, Lima, Peru May 8, 2006

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Author:: Dennis Siluk
Keywords:: Article
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

A fan of Elvis?!

From being a fan of Elvis Presley for 30 years I have spent hundreds and thousands of dollars on memorabilia. I can`t walk by a poster or t-shirt with Elvis. It`s like a magnet! After collecting all these memorabilies I have turned my office into my own Elvis space. This is where I can listen to my favorite music and have my keepsakes. I keep all my cd`s, t-shirts, all the souvernirs here and I love it. This is my den! The last souvernir I bought is a match box with photos of Elvis on the back and front. This is so easy to assemble yourself!

If you have someone in your family or some of your friends are a fan of a super star, and you`re in need of a little gift, make them a little memorabilia.

Find some nice photos of your/their favorite star on the internet or if you have some of your own. Cut the photos to fit match boxes and glue the photos on front and back. Make several boxes and put them in a container, a planter or coffe cup. Wrap it in cellofan, tie a b ow around the top and you have a perfect gift!

Author:: Edna Grondahl
Keywords:: Elvis Presley, Shopping, Women, home decor
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

FuelEfficient Ford Cars: The New Trend

With gas prices soaring straight into oblivion, automobile customers and the rest of the auto market are looking for vehicles that would save their pockets from getting into trouble. Studies and research have found out that the numbers are showing that customers are leaning towards those vehicles that would assure them that they would not have to spend much on gas.

The market is actually looking for vehicles with smaller engines. This is because with smaller engines, owners would not need to have to refuel much for these types of engines only consumes a little amount of gas. This is actually a trend that has been seen in the sales of two Ford Motor Company vehicles Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. According to the sales of both vehicles, starting January up until the middle of May this year, the sales of these vehicles that held four-cylinder models almost doubled. In fact, sales for both have taken more than 20 per cent of all Ford vehicles sales.

George Pipas, the manager of Fords Sales Analysis, states, Along with the Fusion and Milan, the increase also includes Focus and Escape. Clearly, higher gas prices are increasing consumer demand to look at more fuel-efficient vehicles and powertrains. Indeed, the whole analysis shows that the auto market is now turning towards vehic les that are more efficient when it comes to fuel mileage. Of course, it also shows that people are becoming concerned and are becoming greatly affected by the whole gas price surge.

Pipas adds, For February of this year, the Fusions rate for the I4 was 41 percent, meaning that 59 percent of Fusion sales were for models with a V6. In March, the four-cylinder rate rose to 47 percent, and in April the rate jumped to 53 percent.

Aside from being fuel-efficient, these vehicles from Ford are also fun to drive and have a great aesthetic appeal. To shop for Ford accessories and Ford parts like Ford Explorer parts, you can simply visit Ford Parts and Ford Auto Parts.

Jason Moore, a 35 year old freelance writer from Austin, Texas. He also works as a marketing analyst for an established auto parts store in the country.

Author:: Jason Moore
Keywords:: auto parts,Ford,Ford Explorer parts,Ford accessories,Ford parts
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Where It Began: The Circle of Refiam Act II: Scene 2 & 3 "Secret of the Beast"

Act II

Scene 2

Secret of the Beast: Even if you win, you lose

[2016 AD

Advance: The World: it had come the last days; dramatic prophetic events were about to happen to earth. Israel was about to come under fire from an Army from the North [Russia; An Arab Confederacy developed; Egypt was very much involved with this new order. Conquests, the Antichrist was near by. Oil and Gold were running wild at the stock market. A Superpower bends Egypts knees. Massive starvation was now taking place, and the United Nations could do nothing about it. Inflation hit the world under satanic influence, like an earthquake, skyrocketing inflation, and food riots and chaos; there was much international strife. Cataclysmic pole shifts were taking place, as the earth tumbles about, its crust slips a bit, trying to for an alignment. And on the Radio, and TV, the world leader speak:)

World Leader: Ye, this among gentiles, prepare for war, we will wake up to the mighty men of the world for it is time for our war, let them come up: beat your plowshares into swordscome, one and all, gather yourselves with me, come to the Valley Jeshoshaphat.

(And they came with alcohol, drugs and swords, and guns, and every thing possible, and the world saw much epidemic, and this was happening, while at the Circle of Refiam, much foolishness going on)

Azazel (to Horrep and Noge): men fall her beauty, and demons try to understand it, but they both glory under her flesh, and want more of it.

Roe: There are no laws with us pertaining to humans, never have been, but Noge makes rules for us like humans.

Noge: First tell how thou comtst to find this woman called Agdo, who is she?

Horrep: She come to me, not I to her.

Noge: Tell me with no more ado!

Horrep: I was on Mt. Hermon, waiting for a sign, waiting for you, it was cold, the night vast, and stars over my head, I felt odd, it was 5000-years since I had been back here. I felt sounds of drums, it broke my silence, and deep thinking, and they sank into my being, as if they were pulling the cords of my heart, several harlots appeared and they got my attention, I cold hear their deep breathing, I cold see her deep lips, voiceless, she called me to her, Agdo. Then all of a sudden she was standing next to me, and her friends had gone; it was my silent wish to have her, she read my mind, and I knew you would want her, your first flesh, and from a beautiful woman.

Noge: You sure it was she?

Horrep: That one (pointing his finger at Agdo; I know it was herm my hands were on her breasts.

Noge: Yes! Then what? Did she speak? What did she say?

Horrep: Aye, what? This was her mystery, she didnt need to, a gleam, a look, an echo in my mind, and she was all of this. I think it is Gods silence in her (the Jews magic); she can take enormous pain, she made love to me. The girl is not dumb, she just does not tell her sec rets.

Noge: She is the most loveliest and strange of all things, more beautiful than day and night.

Azazel: See her, she looks so placid, she looks for the end of us, destruction.

(Vii is now walking, moving slowly towards her)

Noge: I told him to leave her alone!

Azazel: We have other business to attend to; she has taken enough of our time. We must enter the gates of Jerusalem soon, and into the Valley for the battle. I know not why he fools with this hussy. She walks and makes no sound. She smiles and music comes from her. All things come for a reason.

(All the giants, demon, angelic renegades are looking at the woman, her eyes now cast down, all pause to look, to think, silently: who is she)

(Vii has stopped, he seems to be frozen, no one knows why, she has lifted her head a ting, and her eyes see Vii that is all)

Semyaz: I remember once, a beautiful silver strange angelic being by the name of Urael came down to earth w hen we were cohabitating with the humans, God sent him, and he buried many of us for 5000-years, some of us here, others got away, but now we are all back, Beware now how thou dost see her, use her, lest you end up under stones like we were!

Azazel: That is for her to prove, who she is.

(Now Azazel started walking towards her, he has had enough of the parade of events she has created ((angrily))

(Azazel is now standing by Vii, takes a hard blow to his head, wakes him up form a spell, or something)

Azazel: Stay with me (he tells Vii and they both walk horridly to her). Her spirit and flesh ae not of time, sh has come form a different time then this, I know that, not sure why, or how, but I seem to have good second sight today, unless she is communicating something to my mind silently.

(Now they are in front of her, and he goes to grab her, and as the slightest touch sudden wings come to defend her, out of her back, above her should, below her wa ist, from her things. The sting, have thorns on them, they torment with their stings, and both Vii and Azazel step back))

Vii (stuttering): she has immortality.

Azazel: I will part those legs and those lips and rip her apart (now you see the gazing of lions in her eyes, and Azazel is unsure of what to do)

Act II

Scene 3

Agaliarept: the Henchman of Hell

(Agaliarept, has now appeared at the site called: the Circle of Refiam. And he calls to Azazel, he knows who she is)

Agaliarept: I am, the General of a legend of demon in hell, and I am Lucifers right hand man there: the Henchman of Hell they call me. I know who this woman is, Lucifer has sent me, he hears the chaos she is causing here, he is the king, the god of the air you know, and has sent me to explain. She is the daughter of Shamhat, the temple priestess of old Sumerian Uruk; dating back perhaps to 2700 BC, if not longer; the time of Gilgamish. She was the prostitute of Enkidu. Leave her daughter to her own, she is harmless, and only your distraction, Agdos penitence is this: you are her penitence.

(White doves appear and fly over her head, silver fire comes from her mouth, her breasts are not covered, and other parts of her body covered by wings. Azazel is angry, and tries to get closer to her, to harm her, and Agaliarept shakes his head, he didnt seem to listen to him, and time is of the essence. As Azazel tries to touch her again, she turns into a scarlet butterfly. And is gone.

Semyaz: Yea! The northern armies have come now to overthrow Jerusalem, I have heard them fighting, and we were to join the battle (Azazel looking for the butterfly)) Semyaz speaking to everyone but Azazel))

Horrep: This was a trick to lure me into lust, and then my son, who is innocent of such feelings, and now the battle of Jerusalem is lost because of us, I fear, over a harlot. She is the witch of God, of Israel.

Noge: Father, she i s just a gir?

Horrep: Of course, what else, if Lucifer finds out we are condemned to his wickedness likened to the dogs of hell? She brought this doom upon us; Russia has attacked Israel, and a nuclear attack has taken place, Russia has lost many men (telepathically)

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Author:: Dennis Siluk
Keywords:: Placy: an act
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

The Underworld of Planet SSARG (Part IV) Chapters 11 thru 15

Chapter Eleven

Dying Bear [Nodoneayh

Siren the Great was surprised at her control of the whole matter, as she witnessed the bear dying, madly gasping for breath. It rolled about in terrific speed, and agility, its muscles budging out, he was now on its back, the howls had stopped, and Siren knew this was the last moments for the bear, its life would be extinguished soon. At the same time, the villagers the little people all surrounded the back area of Siren; still too fearful the bear might dislodge the fangs, and then what? Siren heard the little people shouting, Die, die, die! on and on, they looked like little demon now to herwith fierce little faces. For the first time in this jaunt, or stream of events she had second thoughts about the bear and the balance of power in this section of the underworld. She also knew the bear had cubs, several of them she had spotted them off and on as she investigated the interior of the tunnels, perhaps there were other b ears inside the tunnels. She then did something that was not only surprising for the little people, but shocking: to her they were both strange creatures in a world she knew little about. She grabbed a knife out of the hands of Tolomeo, and cut open the midsection to the bears throat, and dislodged the fangs she had thrown into its mouth. The little people were horrified at what they saw, yet too fearful to attack the bear, and too much in shock to question Sirens motives.

Said Siren in a language the bear understood, Should I here of you returning to kill or eat the little folks, I will come back and chain you to the cave, and let them slowly eat you alive!

After saying that, with no further ado, Siren left the village, and its excitement. She figured shed find her way out somehow, her senses were working well, and if the little people saw her, then it should not be too difficult to retrace her old tracks back to the main hole, and climb the muddy walls to th e forest of the Rats, and back to the Grasslands where the Vipers lived (and she did just that).

Chapter Twelve

Bestial Rage

Out of the labyrinthine grottos came Siren, now within the front of the large tunnel, where previously the snakes had once roped themselves to one another to help her down the abyss hole, she had climbed up its towering sides, inch by inch, and now was standing on its rim looking at her old friend Tangor, whom out of instinct, or telepathy, came to her rescue, although not needed at this point.

Bestial rage is going on in this forest, and near your mound, and castle, he explained to Siren, adding, what happened here to get them so enraged?

I am really a woman warrior of another world, every time I come here, I do believe, the beasts take leave and with heated hearts and eyes find reasons to war with one another, kill and are killed, this is a land of perpetual combat. Perhaps out of boredom.

Tangor smiled, almost la ughed, hearing this from such a warrior as Siren, who almost lived for the battle.

Coming out your mouth that sounds serious. He said cunningly, as not to offend her, so shed not be so hard on the beasts, and try to create another peace. He knew she loved the planet, and all its inhabitants, she was called Queen of all the Lands, not to include the Shadowlands or the Underworld of course, but all the other landsand so there was regard for her.

This is really disloyalty, we made a pack, the rats and vipers would seek peace, not forever of course, but for an extended period of time, must I have to remain here unto my dying days to keep them from eating one another?

It is a strange cruel world, commented Tangor, who had come to see Siren, but now things had changed, and in his mind was not really needed, yet, hoping shed go with him in his spacecraft, on another voyage after settling this dispute (they once were lovers from years before).

Siren only shr ugged her shoulders, as she looked about, as if not hearing Tangor: looked here and there, bodies of rats and vipers all over, dead from previous battles in the past several days.

It was a long hike back, and as they hiked, they talked some, and then Siren shifted her mindset, so it seemed to Tangor, and she started talking as if to herself, but it wasnt it was to her mother. This was not the first time she had done that, have silent or aloud conversations with her dead mother whom was in the back of her mind, some residue that she implanted years before. After a light conversation, her lips kept moving, but no sound now came out, it did in the beginning, but she noticed Tangor listening, They will both treat you with marked respect, so force the two kings to a peace, so you can leave in peace, otherwise you will be haunted by the fact you did not bring one about. And such thoughts in a warrior are not good, rather haunting at times, distracting Thought Siren: how tr ue those words were.

Chapter Thirteen

Ranhar the Dupe

As they marched to the mound, she caught sight of two large twenty-foot vipers guarding her property, the gateway was blocked; involuntarily they both hissed at her, not being perhaps familiar with her, or trying to impress one another, and still possibly trying to impress the several rats that were on the edge of the forest looking at them. Whatever the case, Siren was not impressed with these two young reptiles and the hissing, with laughter they were doing, it was more of a power play, or to show who was all-powerful, so she concluded. Their large white fangs sharp as any knives Siren knew were gleaming at here.

(In the forest these several rates mingled and chatted among themselves, they knew well, this was Queen Siren, and made no attempt to do a thing, perhaps waiting for Siren to kill them both, and save them the trouble. In any case, they feared Siren, and were most intrigued the young vip ers were acting so brave: perhaps they didnt know who she was, they could have come back after the war, the seven-day war, and again, perhaps they were gone for a spell, and didnt know. Usually her castle was guarded so this was not unusual, but she was obvious, who else could it be but Queen Siren, as she told them she was, but they paid no head, and pretended to not know who she was, or acknowledge the name.)

Again, Siren spoke to her mother, looked at Tangor, who had a weapon in his belt, a revolver or sorts. But she motioned to Tangor to stand down, unless both were attacking her; and should she die here, shed have a second chance to live, on another planet, but should Tangor become the prey, or the second victim, hed not be able to regenerate his body parts onto another planet. (She had perhaps at this time, used up half her resurrections, of which Moirommalits have about 100.)) The problem being: they never know where they will end up.))

She stood gazing a t the vipers, in a defensive posture, she wanted them to attack, thus, shed have the advantage, the counterstrike, but it would have to take place in the clap of an eye. Said Tangor I can shoot them, but it seems, a might too easy for you?

Siren had a sixth sense, her mother had given it to her I do believe. With her mother it was more like telepathy when they both spoke, with these silent vipers projecting to one another their thoughts, she could understand them though, it went something like this: I will jump her (the large one conveyed to the other, the large one was called Ranhar), and when I do, you be by my side, and make sure the other one does not get involved.

While she was reading these thought conversations, she took the two sharp fangs she had used against the great bear out of the side of her string like belt, and positioned them in her hands, then the ground shook, with the thrust of the leaping viper called Ranhar, and as it leaped, it knocked Sir en smashing onto her back, but at the some time, the fangs went into the vipers eyes, blinding him completely, next, the second viper started to leap, and Tangor shot him dead. Siren constantly kicked the snake hard in its head determined to escape its winding around her body, and fate would not be on the Vipers side; the four hundred pound snake was now blindly trying to feel, touch Siren, but could not find her. It was a humiliating defeat for the viper, and the rats chuckled like squirrels, but were stunned to see Tangor did not have to fight, he just pulled out something, and pointed it, and something came out of something, and killed a viper. This was most unusual, yet this person, respected Siren, thus, it was to their advantage to do the same, and they quickly went to the King Rat, to explain what they had witnessed.

Chapter Fourteen

The Sleeping Worms

The planet had seen a total upheaval in the past month, with insects, and flood within the fore st, and aggressive ness between the rats and vipers; Siren had her work cut out for her, and then after fight with the guarding Vipers, to her gates, it easy exhausting, and she was hoping her and Tangor could rest in her castle on the mound, the one she had built so many pears ago, if that was possible. They did spend one cozy night in the castle, and on the second night things happened again. Tangor was quite watchful both nights, and her heard an uproar outside the castle gates, he was alarmed, echoes that were saying The Sleeping Worms! Whatever that meant.

(Seven feet or so, below the upper roots, the thick roots of the giant trees of the forest, and those leading around Sirens castle, and down into the Grasslands of the Vipers, there were what was known on the planet as sleeping worms, and they were no longer sleeping for the most part. They were known to sleep for a hundred years or so, and thus in the process many died, they never woke up; they only woke up dur ing atrophy. And there were billions upon billions of them. They sucked their nutrients from the roots of the tree; should the tree die, theyd die. Hence, the rats and the worms and the Vipers were gathering outside of Sirens gates; masses of all three species were awoke, and eating everything eatable in site.)

Tangor, hastening back to Siren to inform her, of the crowd, and the pile of meaningless worms that were gathering outside the gets, when he approached Siren, he looked horrified, not quite understanding the circumstances.

I think we have to come up with a plan to exterminate these worms, worms I say, that is the problem we are having outside the gates, millions of worms, he said to Siren before they eat everything, and every body.

Said Siren, calmly Here the worms are not that deadly, and are quite evolved, yet they scare the rats and vipers, simply because they eat so much, then they go back to where they come from. They grow several sizes large r than what they are by the time they return of course, but should you stop them, then we do have a problem, its called suffocating when you are sleeping, they will cover you up like a blanket, and suck you dry for nourishment.

Chapter Fifteen

Fate

Said Siren to the crowd gathered outside her gates, Life within the crust of your planet is older than that of which is on its surface, and some have to take that into consideration if we all want to survive. Her sixth sense was pickup up that they were listening to what she was saying and understanding, the reptiles and rodents, even the worms. We should understand that neither of the species on this planet have an advantage over the other, if one wars with the other, both get wiped out, in this case perhaps three species will be wiped out: you cant stop a species from eating if it is hungry, it would be a frightful battle trying, for it is survival they are seeking. We all see one another with different eyes, but most understand thatwe need to eat or extermination is possible, as in a war with one another, so I say to the rats and vipers, let the worms eat all the foliage they can, there will be enough for all the rest of us thereafter.

Siren was hoping the animals could reason this out, if not mentally, at least instinctively, that there was no dominate species per se on the planet that was not subject to extinction, and that the planet was molded to balance out the way it was, that is, separately, but in times like this, cooperatively, or all vanish together, totally. She did get this across.

It was hard for the vipers to stand down, they were in essence, the brutes of the planet in this section, but they seen Sirens lips in motion, and understood her seriousness.

Having said that, both Siren and Tangor went back to their room, Tangor could not sleep, and therefore, started to outline the history of the planet SSARG, according to Siren (for the most part).

The creatures of the land, took what Siren said to heart, and accepted her plan as the only feasible one available, plus, they of course considered their horrible fate, had they not.

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Author:: Dennis Siluk
Keywords:: Chapter Story
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Three Short SF Stories NO: 18 19 20 of "The Cadaverous Planets"

Here are three more of the 27-short sketches [stories Author Dennis Siluk has put into his developing book to be, The Cadaverous Planets, I hope you enjoy them. Rosa Penaloza

18.

The Deity of Ice Cap
[Bha-Vii a

Andaman-god of Asteroid Ice Cap

Andaman-god, god of the asteroid called Ice Cap (Ice cap, an asteroid moon by Moiromma), a god that can fly, as huge as the legendary Tiamat; strong as the legendary Murdock; and one that can step into the physical just as easily as stepping into the invisible world; likened to Poseidon of Atlantis, or the great god-Nylamp of Chan Chan [Northern Peru.

In the eyes of the inhabitants of Ice Cap, he was the only realistic deity they knew, besides the demigod and high priest called Bha-Vii a. There semi-subterranean soil entities [pigmies, if you will were a race unto themselves, and uneatable by the nearby planet inhabitants called the Mioromma-nites; whom where a cannibalistic race by nature.

[Th e feasting of worms
Malefic sorcery

Hundreds of Bha Vii a s helpers gathered up worms in the darkness of the night, eating them, vomiting them up, having a frenzy in doing so; gathering them for the great Feasting of the Worms, in praise of their god, Andaman. They would need a few million worms before the feast started, and so they worked night after night in achieving this goal, gathering of the worms. In the mean time Bha-Vii a, High Priest of Asteroid Ice-cap, 212-years old, had to find the sacrificial gift that would be fed to the worms. A young and beautiful gift could only be given to the great god of Ice-Cap. He being a wizard of high esteem, high quality if you mind, thus, the Wizard looked into his pan of cool water that he had next to him in his study, and looked deep into its fresh mirror like liquid, as a result, faces appeared, many faces of the inhabitants of the Asteroid-planet.

With spells and his black magic, the High Priest of the cat acombs of Ice-Cap brought all the workers to the main section of the tomes within the catacombs, a section that had only one way out, which was the way in. Here he had his labor force place bucket upon bucket of the sacrificial worms into, and onto the sacred ground of the floor of the crypt, or main section of the burial chamber where the angelic god Nylamp al was said to be buried before the time of Andaman, the god that had taken his place when this angelic being took off one day never to return (perhaps in the Prison House for Horrific Angels).

The chamber was 120-feet long, and at the end of the chamber it was like a square mausoleum, ten feet high whereas the tunnel was but six feet high. Thus, the laborers continued to pour buckets of worms into this chamber area, night and day for three days straight. The spells of the black enchantment were strong, and the worms feasted upon one another. All was made ready for the main day, The Feast of the Worms, the day o f Andaman, who had conquered (or said he had), the angelic-god, Nylamp al. This was to show him honor and piety in his rulings. Again, all was made ready for this special occasion; the worms now being over three feet thick.

Sanctification Day

Stood he, the High Priest, looking down into the chamber from above at the millions of worms, the closed doors, the thick walls of the chamber, and now came the guards with a few lamps, placing them (while leaning down through the upper open section) on the sides of the walls for the spectators to observe (of which there were about forty, an honor in itself to be present for such an occasion). As they were lit, they reflected the slime and debris, the nauseating smell of the pi, yet as the guests came, no one dare say so. The oil lamps burned bright, and gave off heat that brushed against the faces of the lucky forty-guests waiting for the magical moment.

If one listened closely you could hear the worms agonizing f or nourishment, the organic-fleshly sacrifice of a young female, or be it a young boy, both were acceptable to the god of terror. Then came the sacrifice, and as this young female, naked in the chilly, icy wind, stood by her two guards pale, with freezing skin, a beauty with hardness to her body, and a soft glow to her hair, hence, she was lowered into the vault, a voice came out of the air, no one could tell where, but all knew who it was, it was a deep intolerable voice:

Now drop her, drop her into the worms! it muttered, commanded, and so she was tossed like a stone to the ground. Within a minute no bones, not even her shadow was left to survive in this tomb of the worms. And the voice laughed,

No bones, no bones, no bonesI do not want to see bones! the voice said, with a scratched tone. And the day was done, completed for the High Priest. The spell was broken by the voice, for it was a summons for him to watch the feast, in which he often didnt. And the god of Asteroid Ice-Cap was pleased.

* Written, 4/4/2004 In-flight from Atlanta to Lima Peru; reviewed 6/2005

19.

The Soul Eater of Mercury

[The Soul Eater

The Soul Eater of Mercury

There was a time on Mercury, a time within its historical past when legends, mythos, were handed down, and than written down, this is one of them. It was said, when a sorcerer eats the soul of a person, he absorbs his character. And so, the wizard Curry, by way of a spell captured bodies that were not sanctified to the Great God of the Universe, within his crystal chalices one for each body and soul he captured, thus, the souls of many on Mercury were dipped in wine as he drank from these chalices and sucked down their souls as the dead bodies lie dormant within the crystal tombs of the Chalices. He proclaimed his right to do so, according to the laws of the Universe, and, as a result, was named The Soul Eater of Mercury.

It was in his later years when he had captured five: creatures, as he called them, from a planet across the solar system called, Moiromma, a new planet to his knowledge. They, the Moirommalits not being able to survive the first months of the heat on Mercury, the Soul Eater suggested they live with him in his cool underground crypt of sorts. It was built by spell and black magic, and was not much more than a deep hole within the roots of the crust of the planet, deeper than the volcano was high though; for Mercury was a lethal planet if one was to walk its terrain and not know how to survive on it. It had a dark side, cooler than the other, and the great volcano was also an area for cooling the body, especially deep into its crater area. And then there were of course, caves and tunnels. But at this time, the new creatures knew only of the bright side, it was the old wizard who found them pacing aimlessly in circles, dying from the toxic heat.

Day of Attrition

Sometimes we become so wise, we do foolish things. Well, Curry the Sorcerer wined and dinned his new guests, and than cast a spell on them, implanting them all into one chalice quickly; in hast he did this in fear they had powers that might counteract his. And yes, he was hungry, and when a person is hungry, they are open to mistakes, and the devils whims. If indeed, the devil needed to be present there for the evil that lied ahead. And so finding himself getting sleepy, and again I say hungry for the character of the new breed, if I may call them that, he filled his chalice with magic wine and drank it down slowly, devouring the souls of all five of the new creatures, in doing so, he got ill immediately. With little hesitation he picked up a stone-knife (he was now coking on the souls for they had filled his whole body, they were too huge for his body, and he coked, and tried to vomit them out but couldnt).

Now holding the stone-knife in his hand, the blade smooth as slick, with metal pieces t hroughout, caused reflections in his eyesit was a long thick sharp edgehe plunged it into his body, cutting into a mass, into his bladder and pulled out the five souls, slicing and tearing everything in its way; the souls not knowing what to do, shape-shifted back into their bodies into the Chalice. At this time, Curry was dying, could only dimly see, striving against the tide of time to survive another moment with another breath. He crawled about on his hands and knees within his study area. His blood almost bubbling with dying heat; there he died alone, and there the chalice remains with the five from the planet Moiromma.

Note: written 4/4/2004-4:26 PM in-flight to Peru; reviewed 6/2005

20.

Mercury and the Dark Ages
[2nd Inhabitants from Moiromma1103 AD

Days are long on Mercury, 176 to one Earth day. And at sunset, the heat rises beyond breathing capabilities; yet at dawn is when the living of Mercury work, travel, escapes from the daily humd rum of life; hide or just simply move about.

The Shadow Crater of Mercury, Mercurys biggest crater, home to a horde from the planet Moiromma, has through a number of years, learned how to live with the luxury of the depositing water, and ice which yields oxygen and hydrogen within the crater for life support. Yet on Mercury, one learns quickly to drink, talk, and walk, slowly, because of the solar radiation and the thin atmosphere.

Mercury, cratered faced like the moon of earth, with its ongoing volcanic activity on its surface, and its ongoing bombardment by meteorites, and un-indefinable debris from outer space, and from the scorching sun, Mercury is a most dangerous habituate to make a home on.

As a consequence, the horde (the now living multitude, in the volcano of Mercury), might be considered the first inhabitants of Mercury, brushing aside the five Moirommalits that migrated there accidentallyit would seem some years prior to this, and were never hea rd of againthey could possibly be the first inhabitants of Mercury, or at least, noted inhabitants in the chronicles of Mercurys written history (for I almost forgot, there was the Soul Eater that was there prior to the Moirommalits appearance). They had their difficulties at first, some being from earth, others from the planet Mars, and still others from Moiromma itself, most I might say, were born on Moiromma, but not necessarily all (Ice Cap was also a place a few were inhabitants of Mercury, were born on ((an asteroid planet)) or ended up, and left). They had to learn new hunting skills once they arrived on Mercury, from a cold climate of Moiromma to an overheated one on Mercury. But all in all, one survives if there is a once of opportunity lying about, and good leadership available.

It was in the year 1003 AD [now years beyond this date, when the horde of Mercury was first destined to become a kingdom of its own, when a group of Moirommalits left earth, transc ended to the planet in a mass suicide attempt, focusing on Mercury or the most part, not really knowing its climatic or geographic dynamics, but simply wanting to get away from the inhabitants of earth, as soldiers from Europe and the Middle East hunted them down; hunted them like diseased rats, or should I say, as if they were the missing leaks of mankind. The said they were worse than witches; and some even said they were devils in disguise. They being notoriously elusive, yet easy to spot because of their size, and grotesque looks, so the humans said. Even the inhabitants of Malta hunted them from island to island.

It was strange for the Moirommalits at first: that being, Earth having one moon like Moiromma, and Mercury having none; and still again, Mercury not being much bigger than Earths moon. But to be quite frank, it was for some of these reasons they wanted to go to Mercury, yet I say again, not quite knowing the all of it. Had they know its elements of Mercu ry, they may very well have chosen to be hunted by the humans.

When they had first arrived on Mercury they noticed its skies were black, and they had appeared in an area that was close to 300 F, came from a planet called Moiromma, where its average temperature was 100 below zero, and upon earth, which was between 80F to 5 below, depending on where you went. But again, there race was used to changes for the most part. The blood of the Moirommalits was of a thick type; one might refer it to an antifreeze compound also: for the most part it did adjust. As time went on, they, the Horde of Mercury, realized there was no real seasons on Mercury, and needed to stick together and do things much closer to their habitat, which was the craters floor. In the great crater, it was close to 400-miles in diameter: and they spoke Germanic as well as Moiromma languages with one another.

War with the Cyclopss

Where they came from, no one knows, but one day they appeared on the rim of the volcano, fifty ox-eyed looking Cyclopss, they barked like Sea Lions, looked half starved in the shadows above the floor of the crater. King Odem, of the horde, and his half brother, Ultic, 200-years younger than he (the year now being, 1405 AD (and Ultic being born on Mercury), both stood in a warriors stance looking up at these creatures of whom were some 700-pounds, and 15-foot tall. About twice the weight and size of them; the Moiromma race was a cannibalistic society for the most part, a hunting race, and warrior type. And so when they sized up their enemy, they looked automatically for a week area, that would be their striking point, how to get to it was the challenge.

That evening, Odem and Ultic had the entire Horde sharpen their teeth, and cut their hair so the enemy could not pull it, and made themselves clubs and knifes out of stone. Their teeth were designed to rip and tare like a piranha. Their main instruction to the group was during the at tack to dig into the throat of the enemy, or the upper arm and deep into his lug section, and puncture it. Some of the Horde had pacifying questions of this brutality; but King Odem, now quite old, knowing the hunt and the kill, said in his slow rustic voice:

The only thing not allowable is to lose the war because we felt we shouldnt do this or that; for after the war, the enemy never takes that into consideration, should we be the loser.

The conclusion was unsettling for a few of the younger soldiers to be, but the majority felt what was important was what was good for them all in the long run, or so was the reasoning. That night the war began. The Horde crept in pitch-black, along the rim, and when they, the Cyclopes were sleeping, nothing was said, no prisoners were taken, there throats were torn out, and they were eaten before they could decay into the heat of the land. There was around forty of them. Not one survived, as the king had said: Survivors only return to kill again.

∆

A Poem

Venus Discovered [An Ancient Voyager

On Venus I discovered crystal
More Pure than gold;

On earth the Venuslites

Discovered Mud,
And put it in their temples.

So where does the value lie?
For men of earth, crystals

Give power and warmth.

For those being on Venus,
Mud builds ant-hills and temples.

[Dedicated to H.P. Lovecraft/#438 12/21/04

Author Dennis Siluk
http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Author:: Dennis Siluk
Keywords:: Short Stories
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Where It Began: The Circle of Refiam A play about Giants: Act 1: Scene 3

Act I

Scene 3

Behind the stone structure know as the Circle of Refaim, the first of a number of circles of stones placed on top of one another, balance perfectly, some weighting 30 to 50 tones, huge in size (a monument crumbling into the ground because of its age, and lack of maintenance), the horde of angelic beings, giants known as the Nephilm all go behind with the female Adgo. At this time, Azazel, the leader of the Nephilm, who now has appeared on the scene (Roe being the captain), gives news of a 3rd temple to be built in Jerusalem soon (a sign that the war in the Valley of Raphaim will quickly develop, and that is why the Raphaim have returned, even though the ruler of the Europe Union has made an agreement with Israel to avoid war, it will be broken; even though Noge has some reservations on this matter, ignorant somewhat.

Horrep:

Soon, Noge, you shall know it all. I need to make you ready for the last battle, my heart is sad, it will be our misfortune, I shall describe things hurriedly for you, dont mind what happens to the hussy.

Noge:

She is only ill behaved because we want her to be father.

Horrep:

The woman, with her the worse is to come between us I do believe. She never should have been let through the gates, naked as an egg, and here she is, to be taken by all, we act like dogs, shameless.

Noge:

But father we have eyes that are false, hers are not, she is of real flesh.

(You can hear her crying in the background, in the middle of the horde of angelic beings: giants)

Horrep:

You have not seen, I have. You mistake this marvel of a woman to mean more than it is; she is no more than a mountain rat, a brothel pig.

Azazel:

Hurry up with her, stare and look, and be done with her or I shall go mad She (a long pause)

Hell tells youto be ready for the battle to come, you will have your time for killing, this is but one woman, there are more.

Noge (speaking to Azazel):

She is no immortal like us, do not harm her, or I will not obey you when the time comes to battle. Tell Vii not to hurt her, put aside your anger, and let her live: should I not have her again?

(Vii is making love to her now in the circle around her you have not heard her speak, only cries)

Azazel:

Vii, bid that she speak, and if she does, do not harm her, incarcerate her when you are done, so we her lover can have her later, put her in a tomb here in the circle.

(To Noge) Perhaps her tongue is alien to us, we shall speak in English, or Hebrew, or Arabic, whatever pleases her, is this fine with you? Be off with her soon we cannot stand around her forever staring at her flesh: Ive got work to do. She is a distraction, perhaps by the Jews; possibly she is sent to quiet us, when you see her beauty, your heart burns, you are innocent of this I know, and you are your father shame. Trust me, in days not hours, the temple will be built, and we will war with Israel, and King David will not save them as he did so long ago in the Valley of Raphaim. (He walks away, leaves Noge and Horrep by themselves, standing back from the horde; Vii stops, takes the woman by the hand and leads her out by and tomb, she is saying something to him, indistinguishable)

Noge (to his father Horrep):

How does God work?

Horrep (looking at his son):

David killed many giants in his day, had many victories over Philistine; he sings songs about it, about Gods love in his Psalms. We, Azazel and I and many of us have been trying to figure that out for a long time, David knew.

Noge:

Then why are we going to fight with Azazel against the Jews, I mean, if God has favor with David, and David is with God, and David was a Jew, why do we come here to this land we got kicked out of, and ran into the comics so long ago; why do we stay to kill more Jews?

Horrep:

Perhaps be cause we think it is our threshold, it is thus a home. Yea! Those questions, pierce my cheeks, they are defiled! Hold your tongue, it is like a spear.

(Several of the Giant soldiers heard a few of the last words Horrep spoke, turned aboutconfusion on their faces.)

God sent his angels to help David; they were on the tops of trees, with swords; that is how he won two of the battles: the ones in this valley called the Valley of Refaim. You are one of the last of your kind you know. I say one of the last, for Saint Christopher came from our stock. He was 18-feet tall, he come from a tribe of cannibals, like our ancestors. He was ugly, and died around 300 AD, he became a martyr, he became a Christian; he came from Africa, the Marmaritae tribe. He was like you, always asking questions.

Noge:

But father before the days of Enoch you were born, what then?

Horrep:

For the last time I beg you to hold your mouth you are my son! It is just how it i s, you trample on my heart, and you are worse than the harlot I purchased for you, and I get this. But I shall tell you this

(Vii had left the girl on a tombstone; she is naked and staring at the horde gathered together a distance away: she glances back and forth between the horde and Noge)) Azazel is nearby listening to the conversation between Noge and his father; he was coming to let Noge know where the girl was but did not want to interrupt; thus, now Vii and Azazel stand together listening)

actions and emotionsis what it is all about. Maybe our enemies were humans all along, the very ones we were protecting from the clouds. We became paralyzed by Gods love and care for them early on, to be honest; I suppose that is close enough to the truth. We never waited for Gods voice, we didnt listen to Him when it did come, but came down-to-earth as if it was the courtroom, and we gave sentence to earth. That was that! ~

Act 1, scene 1 and 2; Written 5/13/06. A ct 1 scene 3, written 5/14/06.

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Author:: Dennis Siluk
Keywords:: Play
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Disc Jockeys Can't Become Voiceover Artists

Or, can they? The answer is quite simple. Of course they can. I did. And, I'm also still working in radio and have been for 30 years. However, there are some caveats to consider.

If you've been working in radio for, say, more than 2 years you've been trained to deliver your voice in a very narrow range of both style and interpretation by the powers that be. Many of those powers you never even see. I'm speaking of consultants. They provide station composite and daypart critiques to general managers and program directors and, in today's radio world, these G.M.'s and P.D.'s direct you according to those parameters. I have plenty of opinions about consultants, but that's for another article. The point is, there is a method to their madness. Reasons do exist that render radio broadcast stations to sound cookie-cutter throughout the land. So, you're boxed into this narrow niche which often doesn't allow your true talent to shine through.

After much practice at execut ing this delivery that's mandated to you and attempting to find and infuse your own personality within these parameters, you develop what I call a single style. It's bound to spill over into your daily production. And, this makes matters even worse. You become a one-trick pony. So, if you decide to branch out into the related field of voice acting, you'll need to step outside that comfort zone because agents, producers, casting directors and clients use hired voices specifically to avoid hearing another stock commercial.

So, you ask, how do I break the D. J. delivery habit? For some, this will be simple. For others, it can be very difficult indeed.

The answer depends upon how you perceive yourself and your abilities and how willing you are to work hard (at least at first) to stretch your performing muscles. While I'm about to make a few suggestions in answer to that question, these are, by NO means, the entire list. However, what follows should at least point you in the right direction. I know you have the ability. You're already a broadcaster. What I don't know is if you have the drive. Only YOU know!

You may begin by choosing a voiceover artist you admire, then emulate them. CAUTION: Do not attempt to imitate them or their personality. Discover, by listening closely, what characteristics you admire about them. Then, find those characteristics in yourself that will help you stand out from the crowd. The traits within you that define YOUR personality. You cannot BE your mentor voiceover artist. I assure you the best way is simply be yourself!

Maybe you'll need or want to take acting lessons. Yes, you will have to pay for this service. But, if you find the right instructor it will be money well-spent. Research this heavily before plopping down your hard-earned cash. Many resources are available to you. And, many of these instructors offer distance-learning. However, the best way to learn this in my humble opinion is to be there. To actually act out scenes with others, etc. Ask any actors you know to recommend someone and ask them why they recommend them. You also have access to the internet. Use it! There are bulletin boards, newsgroups and forums where you can find all kinds of voiceover information.

Stretch - stretch - stretch. Make yourself interpret copy in various personnae. Own it and make it your own!

So, are you a disc jockey or a voiceover artist? How about both!

Doc Phillips has been providing voice work in one way or another for 30 years. He is also an internet entrepreneur who hosts and manages several sites. He built, maintains and markets his website, http://www.docphillips.com and is a Gold member on Commericals Voices-dot-com.

Author:: Doc Phillips
Keywords:: voice branding, Voi ceovers, voice acting
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Learn to Draw by Ignoring What You See

I am often asked which art instruction book is the best for teaching beginners to sketch. And my answer is always the same: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards.

This art instruction book has been around for years, and it is still one of the top sellers. That's because the techniques Edwards teaches are applicable to any Sketching situation. She does not give you fixed rules about the distance between the eyes and nose, or the math involved in Drawing perspective, or lessons on the anatomy of the eye. No, Edwards just teaches you how to sketch what you see, pure and simple.

Doesn't every art instruction book book teach you that? It sounds pretty easy, right? Well, it isn't. The reason is that there is a big difference between what you really see in front of you, and w hat your brain tells you that you are seeing.

Your brains tricks you by processing visual input to make it more understandable. For example, imagine you are looking at a table. Your brain tells you that the table is flat, because, well, that's what tables are. But your eyes are seeing an object in perspective, with slanted sides and a sloped top. Well, when you try to sketch a picture of that table, you will probably sketch a table with a flat top and straight sides. But your sketch will be wrong, because you will have ignored the perspective of your viewpoint.

Your brain plays a lot of perceptual tricks like that. Those tricks affect how you judge the size of things, their distances from one another, and their shading. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain illuminates those tricks, and teaches you how to ignore them. This is an art instruction book, but it is also something of a psychology book.

Ignoring your brain is definitely a skill that takes some pr actice, but Edwards provides a series of exercises that help you along the way. At first, they seem like art instruction for children (like tracing the shape of your hand as seen through a sheet of plastic), but they all help to break down the barrier between what you are really seeing, and what your brain tells you that you are seeing. If you have never tried these art exercises before, you need to give them a shot. I guarantee that you will be astounded at your abilities.

Once you learn to ignore what your brain tells you, and just draw what you see, you will be able to tackle any Sketching challenge.

Below you will find two of Edwards' art instruction books: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and a companion workbook with some exercises. You don't necessarily need the workbook, but it does provide some additional practice with Edward's techniques. Enjoy!

Chris York is an artist and the owner of ArtInstructionBooks.com. At ArtInstructionBooks.com, you'll find informative reviews, as well as a wide selection of books on watercolor, oils, pastels, Sketching and more.

Author:: Chris York
Keywords:: Drawing, Sketching, art instruction
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

A Haven for Creative Artists The Greenbrier Valley in West Virginia Has a Creative Mind of Its Own

People often pride themselves in having minds of their own; but what about places? A good character study can enthrall, mesmerize -- a strong portrayal of personality can stun, captivate, intrigue. But who says the main character must be a person? Why not let a bustling city, yarn-spinning town or lazy locale take center stage -- play the protagonist, and even tell a success story?

The Greenbrier Valley in southeastern West Virginia, home to old-time mountaineers, middle-class business folks, lawyers, academicians, and people of rather high net worth in search of some peace and quiet in the pure mountain air -- is a place of simple, rare beauty with much to tell. For this reason, it is also a haven for creative artists. Writers, musicians, painters, sculptors, photographers, and makers of crafts from the U.S. as well as abroad come to experience the poignancy, joy, laugher and sorrow reflected in the local folklore, mountain music, and breathtaking colors of hazy s unrise and brilliant sunset mixed with the vibrant hues of the countryside terrain.

Just a few years ago, a visit to the county schools was a truly unique experience. The student population was made up of town kids, kids from farms throughout the county, and the children of families who had lived sparse, but enduring existences in sometimes isolated mountain regions for many years. Mountaineer customs were different. Mountain language was fun -- but it took some getting used to, and much was never explained, or left unsaid. But, those shy, silent children had much to tell. One current local resident, now a teacher in her 50's, remembers being somewhat in awe of one quiet, wide-eyed boy who told of his family's home being part wooden house with a red-dirt floor, and part cave; but his older brother had recently installed a color TV set. -- The teacher, then a schoolgirl, was jealous at the time, since her family still had a black-and-white TV at home.... Now the school s are large and consolidated, with a quality of sophistication both built-in and acquired.

In years past, the railroads were still very important to the area. With regular and frequent stops at the Victorian style wooden stations in White Sulphur Springs and Ronceverte, the next valley town to Lewisburg, they carried lumber, coal, cattle, produce and passengers en route to neighboring or distant locations. Residents say it was always comforting to hear the train whistle, foggy on the misted night air -- and much fun to get to take a trip in the jostling, clacking passenger cars. -- Last year, some visitors took Amtrak from White Sulphur to New York, and while waiting at the station for the train to arrive, a group of well-dressed guests at the Greenbrier Hotel were happily out on the tracks placing nickels and quarters on the open rails, so the incoming train could flatten the coins into pendants. (The onlookers' main concern was that the train would flatten the guest s, instead!) But, they all scurried back to the platform and safety, just in time.

Braver souls used to fly in small commercial planes, or even two-or-four-seaters, from the small airport near White Sulphur and the Greenbrier Hotel. The only problem there was that on foggy, snowy or ice-coated days, you might not make it over the first mountain ridge; and incoming planes often passed-up landing, heading on to the next available landing field. Old-timers tell tales of the first airplane owners in the area. -- Often farmers or landowners with a curiosity about piloting a plane, but completely untrained, they would purchase a plane, ask for directions and general flying instructions; then get in the plane and fly home -- or at least what they perceived to be home. Needless to say, some of them finally got there by another means of transportation, and much later than expected. -- But well-wishing neighbors would leave lanterns burning outside, well into the night, hopin g to bring each fledgling pilot down to earth safely. Now, the modern Greenbrier Valley Airport near Lewisburg has capacity for large commercial jets, as well as small, two-engine models. And no one pilots without a legitimate license! (But the fog and ice can still impede one's progress over the first mountain ridge on snowy winter days. And sometimes you decide this side of the mountain looks good enough, change your plans, and stay home.)

White Sulphur Springs hosts the Greenbrier Hotel with its healing natural springs water, golf and tennis and horseback riding facilities, cool rolling grounds and tall, overhanging maples, oaks and evergreens that bow and lean close in the breeze -- a tease to the curious newcomer, full of questions and wishing the trees could talk. The Greenbrier now sports a growing community of elegant, luxurious new homes on the well-landscaped site of its former golf course; while just a hillside or two away, you can find a cozy, well-season ed log cabin, a bit worn, but still in use. And on the front porch is an elderly, white-haired man playing banjo with his small great-granddaughter beside him, strumming the strings of a cherry wood dulcimer. While from the distant interstate, you hear faint, persistent rhythms of rock music and modern country songs drifting out from the open windows of passing cars. And even the Greenbrier Ghost from centuries past comes forward in time to make current appearances for delighted (and spooked) audiences at the Greenbrier Valley Theater productions!

Yes, the Greenbrier Valley has a creative mind of its own -- embracing the past, present and future in a single gesture, smile, word or glance, as it reaches out warmly to greet you. For, after all, an enchanted visiting creative artist could become a productive artist in residence -- and the wind whispering softly through the trees will try to persuade you so.

Ellen Gilmer, copyright 2005

elgilmer@yahoo.com

Ellen Gilmer is a writer-composer and artist who lives in New York City. Crystal Clear Artforms, her creative arts business, is dedicated to the development and promotion of Thematic Arts (creative expression in multiple art forms). Ellen's work includes copywriting and article writing, and she is a member of the Agora International Press Corps / AWAI Travel Writers Group. She has published two books: La Belle Famille (a novel); and Free Style Run of the Heart (a book of dramatic monologues with songs). Both books were published by The Pentland Press Ltd./ Carnegie Publishing, England. The Website address for Crystal Clear Artforms is: http:http://www.home.earthlink.net/~elgilmer

Author:: Ellen Gilmer
Keywords:: artists' haven, artistic locale, home for creative artists, creative arts, West Virginia arts
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Emerald is May's Birthstone

If you're still young enough to remember your birthday, you probably also remember the special birthstone assigned to it. But at your age, we bet you don't really know the SIGNIFICANCE of your birthstone and what power the ancients felt would be bestowed about you by wearing it.

May's Birthstone: Emerald
Birthstone Properties: Symbolizes serenity and peace of mind.
Alternative Birthstone: Sapphire

Emerald is the birthstone for May and also the anniversary gemstone for the 20th and 35th years of marriage. Some people believe wearing an emerald brings wisdom, growthpatience. It is perhaps this last attribute that May explain why a gift of emerald for an anniversary -- or any occasion -- is symbolic of love and fidelity.

All Eyes on Emeralds

Emeralds were once prescribed for eye diseases because the green color was believed to be soothing to the eyes. Early stone cutters kept emeralds at their tables to gaze upon as a way to give their eyes a break. Even 21st Century color specialists agree that green is soothing, restful, and relaxing for the eyes.

Today's versatile emeralds continue to be easy on the eyes, used in earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and other body adornment.

The Color of Spring

An emerald shines like green lightning, filling us with the same wonder as the civilizations that came before us. Ancient Egyptians mined emeralds in the eastern desert region 2,000 years before Cleopatras birth, yet today recent finds in North Carolina May provide a new source for quality emeralds in the U.S. Colombia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Russia are where most emeralds are mined in the 21st Century.

May's birthstone seems perfectly suited to the rites of Spring, matching the colors of the season with its own bottomless green. In fact, the Egyptians engraved emeralds with symbols for Spring foliage to represent eternal youth, and then buried the jewels with their dead. Elsewhere in the ancient world, the Romans associated emeralds with fertility and the rebirth brought about each Spring. Nero, it's said, w atched the gladiators through emerald glasses

The Incas worshiped emeraldsas long as they could. In the 1500's, they were invaded by Spanish Conquistadors who stole their gemstones and pillaged their mines. As a result, many of the world's most magnificent emeralds were lost at the bottom of the sea inside shipwrecked Spanish galleons.

It's Not Easy Being Green

The word emerald is a variation of the Greek word smaragdos, which means green stoneperfectly appropriate for a gemstone that is, in fact, the green variety of the mineral beryl. Emeralds range from strong bluish-green to green hues, although some emeralds have a slightly yellowish green. If the hue is too yellowor too blueit loses its emerald status and is simply a different variety of beryl.

Colombian emeralds are generally agreed to be among the most beautiful gemstones in the world, with a grass-green coloring highlighted by a touch of blue.

Learn How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off. This informative Special Report reveals little-known facts and insider trade secrets that many jewelers would prefer you didnt know. To get your FREE copy please go to http://www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Author:: Sam Serio
Keywords:: emerald is May's birthstone, birthstone meaning, Sapphire, emerald jewlery, green gem, May
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips

Seven Little Indians

They drew straws to see who would kill the Babies.

It was a fall day at an Indian encampment in the Tonto Basin of Arizona. Lined up on their cradleboards against a rock wall were seven little Apache Babies. The weather was so nice, some Babies slept while others gazed out upon the strange world around them.

The late Roscoe G. Willson, in his Arizona Tales run regularly by The Arizona Republic newspaper, told this story. The story illustrated how otherwise hard-bitten men could not overcome the power that emanates from a baby.

All about the camp, in 1871, there was a scene of great activity. The men in the Apache camp came dashing in at early morn, driving a large herd of horses, stolen that very morning from the Bowers Ranch east of Prescott, Arizona.

The Apache men and women of the camp were excited as they talked about their great success. The women busied themselves cooking the meat of a horse they had slaughtered. They laid strips of raw horsef lesh on the oak bushes to dry while they cooked the larger portion of horsemeat over an open fire.

When the meat was cooked, the men gorged themselves on the sweet horseflesh, which they favored above all other. When the men finished, the women too, then ate with gusto. After tending and nursing their Babies, the cherubs were returned to their papoose baskets along the wall. The women joined the group of men sleeping off their heavy meal beneath the deep shade of oak trees.

Soon, a clattering of blue jays signaled to the Indians that something was amiss. Before the Indians could rise to their feet, rifle shots rang out from the hillsides and oak thickets. Several Apache men and women were killed before they could rise.

The attackers were settlers from Prescott, on the hunt for the horses stolen that morning from the Bowers Ranch. John B. Townsend, an Indian fighter, headed the group. The Indians knew him to be brave and fearless and held him in great respec t.

It wasnt until after the last Apache had either escaped, disappeared, or been killed that the seven little Indian Babies were discovered resting against the wall.

This presented a problem for the rugged white men. In their attacks on settlers, the Apache Indians didnt hesitate to kill white women and children.

Captain Townsend looked at the Babies snuggled in their papoose baskets. He scratched his head, knowing that usually the Babies should be killed. But Townsend shuddered at the thought. Good God, he asked himself, who could kill a baby in cold blood?

Others in the party felt the Babies should be killed, but the only question was, who would do the job.

Townsend decided the issue by saying they would draw straws to see who would commit the horrendous deed. Grass stems of different lengths were drawn. Townsend held the short straw. When he pulled his pistol and stepped toward the nearest infant, the baby gurgled, wrinkled its face and smile d back at him. Johns only vision at that point was a picture of his own baby girl back at his Agua Fria Ranch.

His pistol hand dropped to his side. He turned to his companions and murmured, I just cant do it boys. Some one else will have go through with this.

Ed Wright, Johns neighbor on the Agua Fria, stepped forward. Boys, we cant any of us kill those Babies I dont care if the Apaches have killed some of our children. We werent raised like these Indians, and wed all feel like murderers if we cold-bloodedly killed the little varmints. Lets leave em where they are and go make camp.

A sigh of relief sounded through the crowd. After making camp that evening, Ed Wright and some of the others used rawhide rope to lash the seven baby baskets high enough off the ground to be safe from coyotes or other varmints.

The next morning, the Babies and their cradles were gone.

Alton Pryor has been a writer for magazines, newspapers, and wire services. He worke d for United Press International in their Sacramento Bureau, handling both printed press as well as radio news. He traveled the state as a field editor for California Farmer Magazine for 27 years. He is now the author of 16 books on California and western history. His books can be seen at www.stagecoachpublishing.com Readers can email him at stagecoach@surewest.net

Author:: Alton Pryor
Keywords:: Indians, Babies, mountain men, Fighters, horse thieves
Post by History of the Computer | Computer safety tips