Santa Claus Exists.

Those of you who stopped believing in Santa in late childhood are in for a surprise – he’s real!

No I’m not kidding, it isn’t a leg-pull and there’s no catch.  Santa Clause, also known as St. Nicholas of BARI was Bishop of Myra in Lycia.  He was born at Parara, a city of Lycia in Asia Minor and after a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine he became Bishop of Myra.  During the persecution of Diocletian he was thrown into prison but was released after the accession of Constantine.  One tradition has it that he attended the Council of Nicaea in the year 325.  St. Nicholas died on 6^th December 345 or 362.  He is patron of Greece, Naples, Russia, Sicily, Lorraine, the Diocese of Liege, and numerous other cities.  He is also the patron of mariners, merchants, bakers, travelers, children, etc.

His relics are still preserved in the church of San Nicola in Bari and an oily substance known for its curative properties is said to flow from them. During his life he was known as Νικόλαος ο Θαυματουργός, Nikolaos o Thaumaturgos or Nicholas the wonder worker.  With a reputation for secret giving, such as putting coins in shoes he became the model for Santa Clause.  However, he was not a fairy tale for children but a real person and a saint for the young Church. His feast day is 6^th December, so now you know.

Karin's New Book:  The Town Gray Built

Made fun of for reading the Bible

Say anything against the Koran and you could risk causing a riot.  Yet when a man in Britain was set upon by two Asian women (Muslims) who criticized him for reading the Bible, pointed at him and spoke in their own language while laughing at him they didn’t figure on my cousin who witnessed the whole thing.  She set about the two Asian women, giving them a ‘piece of her mind’ and not holding back either.  Was she right to do so?  Damn right she was.

If Asian Muslims wish to be respected by the wider community they should in turn show respect FOR the wider community.  Respect is not something to be demanded but rather earned and this is a matter Muslims need to understand, especially in a Christian country.

The worse thing any government can do is legislate and to try and control the expression of religious belief because this places unjust restrictions on the freedom of religion which is essential to any peaceful coherence between people of different belief systems.  If people have no right or justification for making certain demands on the wider community, it ought to be understood that this is a universal concept that is not determined by belief or lack thereof.  There is simply no right.

Politicians with a scant ability for the use of reason, who suggest that this or that Church, Mosque, Temple, Faith must be subject to the rule of law (where no law is applicable in the first place) are a danger to themselves and others and would probably be better off claiming disability.  The last thing my home town needs is nut-burgers (local or in the Commons) encouraging one minority to bully the majority or make demands they’re in truth not entitled to.  The minority would be better off if they learned to live with their neighbours because the endgame is peace and not war.

The Place of Peace.

It was essentially a pilgrimage to a place in the Balkans, but it didn’t exactly feel that way to begin with.  Crossing the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina was strange to say the least, the armed border guards seemed suspicious of every one and every thing and there was I with a British Passport among people with American Passports!  A side trip to Mostar kind of gave me a reminder of where we were.  I recalled seeing what appeared to be a tall building with unusual air-conditioning of what were at one time apartments.  A large hole in the side of the building, the rest of it pot marked with smaller holes, then the city park – now a graveyard with Muslim sleeping with Christian.  The Cathedral was reminiscent of photographs I had seen in my youth of Coventry Cathedral after Coventry was bombed by the German Luftwaffe during the early days of World War Two.  The driver explained that the city had been shelled from the surrounding mountains, the shells falling on churches, schools, hospitals and homes.  Near the Franciscan church was the rather unusual sight of a car embedded in the roof of a house.

This was a country of pain; a country of hate, bloodshed, and war.  Yet strangely there was one collection of villages surrounding the main village of Medjugorje (meaning the place between the mountains) that was markedly different.  This was a place of peace, a place where it was believed by many that a number of young people were receiving messages from the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The Bishop of Mostar didn’t believe them, but other bishops did.  Priests didn’t believe them, but some did.  Catholics didn’t believe them, but some did.

Whatever people believe, they believe and that’s it.   What Karin and I experienced together was very different from what others claimed.  After all, we actually met the “Seers” or “Visionaries” (call them what you will) and we actually experienced Medjugorje which was like no place on this earth.  One day for instance, we were making our way from our lodging in Bijakovici to the Church when two ladies asked us directions to the village of Bijakovici where the visionaries lived and the hill on which the visions took place.  Nothing unusual you may think and you’d be wrong.  They were speaking Russian, I was speaking English and yet we somehow understood each other even though I have no knowledge of Russian other than “Vodka” – even when they said “Thank You!” I understood them.  Now how often does that happen?  For all I know they could have been asking for the nearest café – there were various business in that direction.

At the church the demand for confession was great, so confessional boxes had been erected outside the church with priests hearing confessions in all kinds of different languages, including English.  I was able to get confession and attend daily Mass in English, but throughout the day, every day Mass was said in different languages and each Mass was packed and lasted well over an hour because of the numbers involved.  In addition the Mass was usually concelebrated – that means more than one priest present on the altar.  Not too far from the main Parish Church of St. James, was a small chapel with constant exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and frequent Benediction.

People seemed to be praying the rosary all the time and as Catholics know, this is a meditation on the birth, death, resurrection of Christ and through the mysteries of Light introduced by Pope John Paul II on the teaching of Christ.  Essentially the rosary encourages mediation on the Gospel.  Krizevec, or Cross Mountain, has the Stations of the Cross and so also does Podbrdo or Apparition Hill.  The cross on Krizevec is actually a war memorial with no electricity.  Medjugorje is essentially a place of constant prayer that makes one wonder what the world would be like if every parish on earth followed the example of St. James Parish.  It would in effect be a benediction for the world and strangely, regardless of what one believes about the visionaries, this is within our reach.

As pilgrims have testified, Medjugorje is not just for Catholics - even Protestants have visited the place to recharge their spiritual batteries.  There is nothing to stop anyone from reading the Bible and praying how they wish, openly and with the support of all.  The critics can say what they will - no one can take away from any Catholic or Protestant who has visited Medjugorje the unique experience of a unique place of peace.

Liberal Thought

I've often heard references to 'liberals' as a group following a particular philosophy rather than a British political party (now of course Liberal Democrat).  About these latter persons I am not concerned, but what does concern me is a body of thought that appears to translate 'liberal' to 'very little' in the sense that there is very little reason applied to a particular view.  Indeed some seem to think there is none at all!

Okay, let's consider the term 'homophobic'.  Who cooked up this term I can't say, but it is normally applied to those who express opposition in one form or another to homosexual or lesbian activity.  If the term itself is neutral, then couldn't it be reversed?  What about those homosexuals or lesbians who express opposition to heterosexual activity? Oh shock, oh horror, would this happen?  Too damn right it would - and they'd call heterosexuals defending themselves 'homophobic'!

Now we see how liberal thought works - or doesn't.  Over the decades I've numbered homosexuals and lesbians among my friends because they have not been 'in my face' regarding their preferences.  What I most certainly object to is the 'in your face' attitude of the more vocal.  There's a vast difference between reason and dictatorial attitudes that do not win friends, to the contrary they win only opposition and antagonism.

But let's consider the idea of at least one British Politician who wants to compel the Roman Catholic Church to marry gays.  Sorry... not going to happen. If this idiot had any understanding of the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church he would know the following:

1. In the Catholic Church the couple marry each other through the exchange of vows.

2. The vows of Permanence, Fidelity and Children validate the marriage.

3. Marriage is a sacrament and as such cannot change.

Given that two men cannot naturally fulfill the vow of children and because the same applies to two women, also that its the couple who marry each other - not the Church, gay or lesbian marriage is physically impossible in the Catholic Church - the marriage would be invalid regardless of the law of the land.

Again, we have the notion of FORCE associated with liberal thinking regarding homosexuality, while justification does not even consider the teaching of the Catholic Church.  Is this even what homosexuals have been asking for? No.  A Catholic homosexual should be familiar with Catholic teaching and probably wouldn't ask, if he or for that matter she, was unfamiliar with Catholic teaching he or she probably wouldn't be interested anyway.

This is not just about homosexuality.  Those liberals attempting to dictate to society jump to conclusions.  For example.  In Britain a town council banned the Christmas decorations for the town center.  The reason they gave was that it may be offensive to the Muslim minority.  The complaints followed... not only from Christians, but also from Muslims who said that Christmas was a time for families and that they enjoyed it as much as Christians.  The point is, the council didn't even bother to ask the Muslims, they made an assumption that had no foundation.  A factor that seems common to liberal thinking.

I tend not to listen to liberals for this reason... there isn't any... reason that is.

More value in living flesh and in silver and gold.

My mother knew what people were saying about her in the autumn of her life, she was to some a ‘religious fanatic’ because she attended daily Mass at St. Patrick’s church in Oldham, and then she said the Rosary.  So how do I know?  Simple, she told me.

Her devotion to the Mass and the Blessed Virgin Mary was well known and perhaps she pricked the consciences of a few who didn’t even bother with attending church on Sunday.  She certainly had her faults and for one thing she was a McKenna and that’s dangerous enough for anyone who backs a McKenna into a corner.  I learned later by looking up the clan on the Internet that there’s a probability the McKenna clan is descended from ‘The O’Neil’ the High King of Ireland and they are essentially a clan of Celtic Warriors.  That explained a lot because among the Celts women were also Warriors and in my family the women can be volatile.

I should also mention that after missing him during his Dublin visit, my mother received Holy Communion from this guy during his visit to Manchester.  She also sat with the VIPs during the Mass.

I learned from a local doctor that while he and another man from St. Michael’s church were with my mother collecting signatures for a pro-life petition a group of pro-abortionist women approached, one wearing a sticker on her coat reading, “Kill, kill, kill!”  That was enough to annoy the Celtic Warrior in my mother, she rushed the pro-abortionist ripped the sticker from her coat and tried to ram it down the woman’s throat while screaming, “Eat your words, eat your words!”  The pro-abortionists bolted!

I was living at home in those days and both I and my brother Kevin were giving my mother money for the shopping etc.  Before the end of the week she would complain that she had no money, so Kevin and I agreed that he would give her something on Monday and I would give her something on Wednesday.  For a while it seemed to work, nevertheless, she was often short of money which seemed to slip through her fingers.

I was leaving St. Patrick’s church after her funeral Mass when I was approached by an elderly gentleman who said that he knew my mother from daily Mass and the Rosary which she often led.  He went on to say that one day he was talking to her and happened to mention that he didn’t know how he was going to pay his heating bill.  My mother asked him how much he needed and after he told her she gave him the money he needed.

My mother had taught me by her example to give living flesh more value than silver or gold, whether it is the unborn child or those in the autumn of their lives.  It’s a valuable lesson and one I hope I have learned well.

Karin's EBooks

Seven Doors of Time is an ebook of seven short stories. Smashwords offers a 30% free download, but this is only 30% of the entire ebook.  For the full ebook it will cost just $4.99 that's not a bad price for seven short stories and a book of some 158,349 words.

Good Old Uncle Norman, the second of Karin's ebooks is a work of some 6,890 words that has a pricetag of just $2.99.  Again this is value for money and well worth looking at. Smashwords has a free 20% download, but this is just a 20% and not the full tale.  It's a good tale with a good and somewhat funny end that those downloading the free sample will miss.

Always Have Always Will is a love story of 15,379 words and again is priced at just $2.99 and Smashwords offers a free download of 20% which gives only part of the story.  For the full story it will be necessary to purchase the ebook as is the case with the above ebooks.  This is how Smashwords works - offering a sample of an ebook to potential customers.  At least you know what you're getting - and that's the idea.

Smashwords lists the formats in which you can buy the book, or alternitavely view a sample if a sample is available in a particular format.  The above ebooks, for instance, are available in all formats which makes it easy to either buy or view a sample (if available).  Finally, you can purchase an ebook using a Credit Card, Debit Card or Paypal for the price listed.

I hope those of you who purchase the ebooks will enjoy reading them.

Science and the Catholic Church

Interesting isn't it?  When it comes to science and the Catholic Church there can be a tendency to assume conflict - well look at the Galileo affair!  Hold on a mo... wasn't that settled when ol' Gal won the day?  In fact it wasn't just the Catholic Church insisting that ol' Gaileo' was wrong... so were cosmologists at the time. 'Prehistoric Scientists' they may have been, but they were scientists and they were also just as wrong.  Galileo was right.  The idea that there's some kind of clash between the Church or Christianity in general and science is the kind of thing you can expect from a tanked-up atheist, but it's not the kind of thing a well informed Christian should be spouting.

Ever hear of the Augustinian Brother Gregor Johann Mendel?  No?  Ever hear of Genetic Science?  Brother Mendel is responsible for Genetic Science.  Now there's a surprise, a Religious Brother being responsible for modern Genetics... and here's the man himself (pictured).  Prior to Mendel and for a few decades after, a wide variety of theories about heredity proliforated.  Mendel's book (1866) on pea plants was re-discovered by Hugo de Vries, Carl  Correns and Eric von Tschermak and by 1915 the basic principles of Mendelian genetics had been applied to a wide variety of organisms, especially the fruit fly.

And if you think that's all, well think again.  There's more.  Here come's a shock for those who love to express scientific criticism of Christian belief.

Now I bet you haven't heard of Monsignor Georges Henri Joseph Édouard Lemaître! Or maybe you have...  He's a Belgian priest and scientist who proposed a theory long ago that fellow scientists jokingly referred to as "The Big Bang" Yep, it's that theory - the one about how the universe originated.  Not taken too seriously at first and criticised even by Eienstein, he was later to be proven correct in his postulations.

The links are provided for additional information on these lads.  But let's not miss the point.  It is abundantly clear that the Catholic Church takes science seriously and this has always been the case, despite one slip-up with Galileo who was proven correct.

Look further back in history and you will find that many of the great centres of learning in Europe were established by Celtic monks from the great Abbey's in Ireland and Britain.  Christians have nothing to fear from science, although science may fear the moral consciousness imposed by Christianity.  When we ask the scientist, "Hey mate, don't you think the two-headed sheep is pushing the limit a bit?"  We just may have a point and the scientist may not like that.

Criticise Christians if you want to - just don't use science to do it.  That's not going to work because we've a whole pack of scientists who are commited Christians to set on you. (Loud Rastberry).

The Day Draws Near.

It's getting close to Karin's birthday, September 5th.  This year, however, there's another day soon after - just four days later it will be the tenth anniversary of a day I think we can all remember only too well.



Nine Eastern is eight Central time, so yours truly was in bed at our home at East Rusholme, Davenport when Karin came into the room and turned on the television. She said, "A plane has just crashed into the World Trade Center."  My reaction was "The World what?"  I was not fully conscious... but the above is what I saw on television as it happened.  I actually saw the second plane hit and I knew immediately this was a terrorist attack.  I imagine the horror of that day will always remain with me.

Even though my home town of Oldham has a large Muslim minority, one year later the town flew the American flag at half mast outside the Civic Centre.  If Oldham has anything planned for this year, I don't know, but this Oldham lad will remember and keep the day with prayers and thoughts for the families who lost loved ones.

Security Level - Where we stand....In Europe.

My Thanks to Dan Honeycut for John Cleese's (AKA Q of MI6) contribution to the following detailed information regarding the security standing for Europe.

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent events in Libya and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

The Scots have raised their threat level from “Pissed Off” to “Let’s get the Bastards.” They don’t have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France ‘s white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country’s military capability.

Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”

The Germans have increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbor” and “Lose.”

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from “No worries” to “She’ll be alright, Mate.” Two more escalation levels remain: “Crikey! I think we’ll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!” and “The barbie is canceled.” So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.

Anyone who believes any of this is in serious need of a funny-bone transplant, due to lack of the same.

In addition I would also like to point out that my wife's ebook is still available. Click Here if you dare!

How to improve your photos

At the Oldham School of Arts and Crafts (yep I was once an Art Student), I learned about photography, darkrooms, developer and all that good stuff long before the advent digital photography.  While some of the 'rules' may have changed with the introduction of binary code, some of the rules have not.  So here are a few tips on improving photographs.

Even with a cheesy camera it is possible to get a good photograph and today's camera-phones would do well in a salad!  There's a lot a camera phone cannot do that other cameras can do, adjusting the light reading for example.  Let's consider the photograph of the folks in the pool...

The problem with this is that there's too much light in the pic.  This is because of the reflected light off the water... but it can be fixed.

The next pic is the fix.. and as you can see there's more detail and a better colour balance.  Even this can be improved upon, but why bother if the fix is good enough.  We're not entering it into a photo competition.  I used Adobe Photoshop LE (an older version of Photoshop) to do the necessary repairs.  There are a number of other photo programs available - for a price - but it's always good to get some independent information about them before buying.

Another program I use is Photoimpact Pro that has additional features including red-eye removal and morphing of photos, just to mention a couple.

When taking a photograph take the following steps:
First, always frame the photograph while taking it.
Second, look out for reflective surfaces such as water or snow that can give a false reading for aperture and shutter speed.  Thirdly, press the shutter and don't jerk it.

Here's another tip... lots of people seem to take photos of themselves in mirrors.  You can use any of the above mentioned programs to flip a photo so that it's the right way around.  Okay, so some of you knew that - but not everyone may have done!  I'm not that keen on camera-phones and given a choice I'd opt for a Canon EOS especially since we still have our old Canon cameras and the lenses will fit.  All you really need is a decent wide angle and a 200 mm telephoto to get some really great shots - as Deb will tell you.

Er... This is Deb... Karin's sister and a really good photographer.

Before we go, it may not have anything to do with taking photos, but Karin's ebook is still available from smashwords Click Here

McKenna, Cook and O’Neil

When Karin and I were able to get around, whether in Europe, England, Ireland or the United States, we found people and places that widened our understanding of the world in which we live.  Being old farts and short of the brass needed to see these places now does not take away from the experience we had when Karin could actually climb onto the parapet of some English castle and look out at the scenery beyond.  Today, because of her post-polio she has trouble climbing the steps outside our apartment, but then they have taken a beating from the winter’s ice and snow – not to mention the Mick with his snow shovel.

England has an abundance of castles – and here’s a surprise for part of my family, so did the McKenna’s.  McKenna Castle (yep a real McCoy castle once owned by the family) can be found in Ardmore, Co. Waterford, Ireland.  Locals say that the McKenna’s were known for their wild parties and whatnot (no change there then).  It was the first property of that type to have electric lights which were displayed around the castle and people came from all over Europe to enjoy the parties there at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The McKenna side of the family (my mother’s side) are said to be Celtic Warriors, believed to be related to “The O’Neil” the High King of Ireland, (no not General Jack O’Neil of Stargate Command) but how true that is, I can’t say, but it is part of the family history and tradition.  The frequent battles that break out in the family seem to give testimony to this history, but let’s leave it there before we have another blood-bath!  The Cooks, as far as I’m aware, date back to when Adam was a lad and are very much English.  The name originates with the Old English coc which means “cook” (see coat of arms) and refers to someone who sold cooked meat or owned an eating house.  Once again, no surprise there.

Gallivanting around Ireland, Karin and I found landscapes that took the breath away, at one stage we came across gardens set to the side of the road, the sea beyond and mountains in the background.  Our visit to Rome and the churches and catacombs presented us with some idea of the very birth of Christianity, when Christian hid from their persecutors in tunnels dug out of the soft volcanic rock.  In Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, we met people from all parts of the world.  People are people and despite the language difference and perhaps because of the nature of the place, we didn’t have much difficulty – if any, with communication.  Odd really.  When I had to deal with civil servants I sometimes had a lot of difficulty and they were supposed to speak the same language.  Well there you are; those are my reflections for today for what they’re worth. Oh yeah, please don't forget Karin's ebook Seven Doors of Time, after 31st July it goes up in price: Click Here

Why I Give A Damn

Okay, so I’m not only a practicing Catholic, I’m a Catholic who cares about his faith and for good reason.

Many decades ago when I was too young to know any better, I arrived at the church to attend Sunday Mass, all in Latin back then, and sitting at the back I began to wonder how could the death of a man two thousand years ago free me from sins I commit today?  It was a bewildering question for a boy.  Then the thought occurred that sometime in the future, when I’m older and wiser, I may understand.  I decided there and then to simply accept a truth on face value with the hope of understanding when the time was right.

There were steps I had to go through, some of them difficult, to reach this understanding but here I don’t want to write a book.  So I’ll be as brief as I can.  Skip forward to my early twenties when I was working in Ireland as a Colour Separation Artist.  One Sunday I was on my way to Mass, walking toward the River Liffey that flows through Droichead Nua (Newbridge).  The church was on the other side of the river and as I neared the flowing unpolluted waters, I began to wonder about the existence of God.  It occurred to me that man, a being with limited knowledge and wisdom, was attempting to prove the existence of a ‘Perfect Being’ with unrestricted knowledge and wisdom.  I concluded that God’s existence could not be proven in a way that left no doubt, but God could be known through the way He reveals himself.  For me it simply made sense and once again I accepted it.  The following Sunday I left the church after Mass and was crossing the bridge spanning the River Liffey when I happened to glance at the far bank.  Everything seemed bathed in a light that came from within; there was a presence in everything that lived. In the plants, the trees, the land as far as I could see; it was everywhere, all about me.  It was an invisible presence, but present in the light and filling everything.  It suddenly occurred to me that everyone must think me odd gawking at all this, so I looked around and suddenly realised I was still crossing the bridge and hadn’t broken step.  What I had thought had taken minutes had happened in a microsecond – as if time stood still.

Scientists have tried to explain away such experiences by saying that particular parts of the brain can be stimulated to produce similar experiences.  Yeah sure!  A Cricket ball didn’t bang me on the head when this happened, and it was well after my mind had been focused on God’s existence – a question I had already settled.  There was no reason to even suppose some kind of influence inspired this experience that came out of the blue.  In any case, more was to come.

Following other inexplicable experiences, while studying for the priesthood some years later I was with the other students on retreat at the Redemptorist Retreat House, Esker, when I rose rather early one morning.  I decided to go for a walk in the grounds and in the peace of the early morning I began to reflect over my life wondering what it was that had brought me to that particular place at that time.  As I reflected I began to realise that I had been given choices and where I had chosen right, doors opened.  As I reflected a pattern emerged and in the pattern an intelligence way beyond my own.  I was stunned to realise that God was so close to a nobody like me!  I then realised that it’s the same for all of us.  To God there is no such thing as a nobody, we are all of equal value to him, we all matter to him and it’s for this reason he forgave us.

I left the Redemptorists, but not the path that God had set out for me to follow.  One more thing led to another and gradually my naivety gave way to growing wisdom.  Again, to keep the story short, I eventually realised and understood the nature of human redemption.  The question I had asked as a boy had been answered, not by human wisdom but by openness to the Holy Spirit and sincere trust in God.

My faith is rooted in nature, in creation itself and in the spirit that moves through the world; a creative spirit filled with love for all humanity.  So why is humanity beset with problems?  If humanity were to look in a mirror it would have its answer.  Problems are created by human beings acting against the natural order of things, by going against the way things should be.  I don’t personally care if you are a Catholic or a Protestant, what matters is your faith and trust in God.  Trust God.  That’s my final word.

Back to normal...

Here she is, Stargate's Vala Mal Doran, or Claudia Black - my new wallpaper for my laptop.  The image can be re-sized for different displays - click on the image for the full size and right click for a drop down menu so you can "Save As" your own file name.

My desktop Icons are back where they should be and I've also fixed the Windows Task Manager all of which were disabled by a rather vicious computer virus.  There's no messing with the Mick!  I'm not saying how many firewalls I have in place, but let's just say it's more than one.  I've also made sure that the nasty little web-sites that seem innocent enough but have hidden code that places these viruses on a machine will not work on my laptop in future.  For those who need to know, there's free anti-virus software available from Microsoft if you need it Click Here.

This software will run in your tray along with any other anti-spy or anti-virus software you may have.  Should your computer be taken over by a nasty bug that prevents you from getting rid of it, these programs may help.  It is also useful to make a note of the "path" of suspect files and then if the software fails to clear the harmful files, reboot and press the F8 key then select the command mode from the menu (use the arrow keys).  This will put you in DOS mode.  Type "help" for a list of commands.  One of these should be CD for Change Directory if these have been 'hidden' the list of commands in DOS will include a command for listing hidden directories and a method of changing the directory from C:/ to the path you have noted for the virus.  DIR/w will list the files across the screen once you are in the right directory.  Identify the files that should NOT be there, which would include the files identified by your anti-virus software, then type DEL (file-name).  This will delete the monster.  Reboot and you should have at least some control over your computer again.  Microsoft will supply help for changing the registry files, but make sure you follow the instructions exactly because changing a registry file incorrectly can damage the way the computer works, so make a careful note of how you made a change.  CCleaner from Piriform is another useful tool to have, if you have it already use the Registry Cleaner to clean the registry and keep your computer running fast. (Forget the adds you see on TV for doing this - most of the functions they're advertising are already on your computer - see Control Panel)  CCleaner (if you don't have it already) is inexpensive and downright useful.

Okay, so now I've given you a 'heads up' on how to get your computer back should a malicious piece of software invade it, I do hope you will spend a couple of bucks on Karin's book. Click Here.  I hope you enjoy her work.  For more about Karin and her books Click Here. Yes, I know, unashamed advertising for Karin's books!  So what do you expect - everything for free! (Sez I tongue firmly in cheek).

Robin Hood's Grave

Did Robin Hood Exist?
Well, er, yup! The oldest known record of him is a folk history called, "The Ballad of the Guest of Robin Hood" and this places him in the reign of Edward I (Not Richard I).  While both were Plantagenet kings, there is little evidence that Robin was around during the reign of Richard.  Some Historians place Robin's exploits during an earlier period than Edward because of the mention of a bandit with the same name in Yorkshire (not far from Nottinghamshire), however the Wakefield court rolls also mention a Robin Hood during the reign of Edward.  In the guest the king pardoned him and at the time when someone was pardoned by the king they had to work for him, the household records of Edward show that a "Robin Hood" did in fact work for him.  The name Robin or "Robert" Hood was (and still is) quite common, so it could well have been his real name.
     Did Robin Marry Maid Marion? No.  She's a later addition to the story.  If Robin Hood of Wakefield is the Robin Hood of legend, then his wife's name was Matilda.  Friar Tuck did not know Robin, he was a bandit in his own right and existed at a much later date - this historians agree upon.  The other crew members, Little John, did exist.  His grave can be found in the church graveyard of St. Michael, Hathersage in the Peak District.  Will Scarlet or Scarlock was also real and probably Much the Miller's son.

The Death of Robin

At some point Robin was with his cousin, the prioress of Kirklees Abbey, when she and her lover Sir Roger of Doncaster, treacherously let out too much blood when Robin sought her help.  Dying in the arms of Little John, Robin fired an arrow in the air and asked John to bury him where the arrow landed.

Kirklees Abbey is long gone, but the gatehouse is still standing forming a barn among the buildings of a working farm owned by Lady Armatage.  The grave site is nearby on the top of a rise, but because it is on private property there is no public access.  Lady Armatage once informed me that she did not believe Robin to be burried there, but groups from Nottingham University and other organisations, have been permitted the occasional visit.

Sword in the Stone

It's hard to imagine when you're there that this could be the backdrop for the movie "Excalibur" based on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur, with Nigel Terry in the role of Arthur and Nicol Williamson as Merlin, with Helen Mirren as Morgana.  In early roles were Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart in a movie not short on stars nor on scenery.  The waterfall (opposite) can be found in Powerscourt, Ireland and I suspect most of the background scenery was Irish.  The waterfall is where Arthur confronts Sir Lancelot who appears to be no pushover when it comes to a good scrap.

Beaches in Ireland also provided the setting for the World War II movie "Saving Private Ryan" set against the Normandy landings.  The Normandy beaches had become rather developed when the film makers were seeking a site, then they discovered the rather unspoiled beaches of Ireland.

Although the beaches of Connemara were not included in this particular movie, the west of Ireland did not escape the attention of Hollywood.  Cong, between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask, in Co. Mayo and just over the border from Co. Galway, became the setting for "The Quiet Man", starring John Wayne.

Although Ireland has seen considerable development over the years, like any country in Europe, there are still plenty of places that remain unspoiled, many protected by law from development and others with stone works older than the pyramids of Egypt, such as Newgrange.

This is representative of ancient bone-yards found throughout the British Isles, places that still attract the curiosity of the scientist and the tourist alike.  Whether it's Stonehenge, Newgrange or the equally ancient sites dotted around the landscape, there plenty to fire the imagination.  But on a more serious note, it is always a good idea to make sure you know where the nearest pub is - not only for the beer, but for food, rest and a pee!  Again, don't forget to visit our web site: Click Here

Man in Hole

No, it's not a manhole.  It is a hole in the road and there is a man in it!  There's also a ladder poking out of the hole in the road and a few other workmen orbiting - doing whatever workmen do when they're orbiting a hole with a man in it.  I hope that isn't too confusing for you - it is for me and I just wrote it!

Like most people in the neighbourhood, I've no idea of what's going on outside.  All I do know is that we've got a patch of mud by the Stop sign, no road outside, and a hole with a man in it!  Maybe after last night's storm the earth opened and swallowed 'Flying Eagles Band' or whatever they're called.

There's one guy outside who looks like he wouldn't fit down the hole, the other looks like a pipe cleaner, maybe they're holding him in reserve.  Usually these folk wear a hard-hat, but these boys must have a hard head that falling debris bounces off.  Given the size of the pipes to the left of the Stop sign, only a pipe cleaner would fit down that hole!  I have to wonder though, what will they run into down there?  Bugs Bunny or perhaps the Hunchback of La Crosse.  Then again, they may even find a stray Brontosaurus down there - you never know, something has to be causing all these earthquakes!

The main question that has us, and no doubt our neighbours wondering is when are we going to get our road completed.  It would be nice for everyone to have access to their property and for car owners to park their cars in their garage.  Conspiracy theorists think that it's all a nasty plot by the council to get their paws on extra loot by charging for parking on surrounding streets.  Yeah, like they're going to raise the millions they need to get out of the red by doing that... there are more refined ways of highway robbery!

Well, if you're planning to go down any holes today. Stay safe and have a nice day.  Please don't forget our web site: Click Here

The Book by Cook

Karin Ficke Cook, that is.  Seven Doors of Time has so far had twenty four downloads but only a few sales, this isn't really surprising since we haven't paid for any advertising of the book.  It would be nice if we could afford advertising and I don't think we would go with the News of the World if we could.  Come to think of it I don't think anyone is advertising with the News of the World, certainly not Ford, Virgin and Coca Cola.  The loss of advertising revenue and the comment by one reader of the Oldham Evening Chronicle that anyone buying the News of the World would have to be nuts, appears to have done the trick - the rag is closing down - for good.

Back to Karin's writing.  It seems she can't stop and good for her!  I have just read her latest effort, based on a dream and featuring a character based on yours truly.  No you can't read it!  At least not yet, we'll just have to let you know when this new book of yarns becomes available.  What I can tell you is that one of the bad guys in the story pees his pants when he gets a load of me when I'm really pissed off!  And I'm really pissed off at the bunch of idiots!  You'll just have to wait for the ebook to be published.

Seven Doors of Time is not very expensive and will not break any one's bank account, unless their name is Buggs Bunny - he does not appear to have a bank account even though he seems to have a good supply of carrots on hand.  Those who have invested in a nice kindle (or any e-reader) would do well to make the purchase. So go on, be a devil and treat yourself to a book of short stories.

The Question...!

To be violent or not to be violent, that is the question.  Whether it is nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous slander... bla de bla bla.  Sorry Bill!

Slap your ex day advertised on Facebook... Oh yeah, what a great idea...NOT!  Not only is he or she your ex, you are his or her ex.  If you are entitled to slap your ex then your ex is entitled to slap you... fight begins cops are called and you're both arrested for disturbing the peace (or for being idiots).  Why this propensity for violence?  What makes people think that violent acts solve problems when very often they create them?

The argument "But you have to see it from my point of view!" raises the question, why?  There are two sides to a coin and two different views to consider, why should your view be more important?  It isn't and it's that simple.  More often than not both parties are at fault for one reason or another; both have erred.  Is it becoming part of our way of thinking that we should express our anger, vent our feelings and turn to violence to get what we want?

For those of us who purport to be Christian, it can be worse.  In Matthew 5: 38-48 he tells us not to retaliate,  to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek.  It may be more easily said than done, especially in todays' violent world, but this is the instruction of Jesus Christ and not my express point of view.  It applies to me as much as it applies to anyone else.  I have one or two ex's but rather than slap them I'm going to pray for them... it'll achieve more in my view.  Either that or I could join Mr. Bean as a gunslinger!

Books, books and more books.

Writing a book, so I have discovered, isn't easy but the writing part appears to be the easiest part of getting the sod published.  If it is to be an ebook it first it has to be formatted and edited correctly, according to the requirements of the publisher, and this means going through the book carefully.  Then it can be uploaded and still you're not done.  There are other pains in the bum to deal with.  It's a darn sight easier to read the bugger than write and publish it!

Karin's Book "Seven Doors of Time" consists of seven short stories ranging from disasters (such as splitting America in half - nice one there) to Crime, Murder and Time Travel, with a bit of Romance thrown in for good measure.  It cost her $9.99 to get the ISBN number.  To find Karin's Book on line: Click Here the ebook costs just $2.99 but 30% of the book can be downloaded free.

If my own effort ever gets published I for one will be surprised, even so, my first is perhaps just over two thirds complete.  I suppose I just need to get settled in and start bashing away at writing.  I should warn you, while my effort is a bone crunching adventure with lots of bad guys, I can't help sticking humour in it - given that it is partly set in my home town of Oldham.  As I keep telling people, the town once exported cotton but today it exports comedians; you don't have to be a comedian to live there - but it helps.

Missing my pencils

I thought I'd do a sketch of Gabrielle Gifford, now on the road to recovery - but can I find my sketching pencils? No!  I've the sketch pads - different sizes of pad with the right kind of paper, but not even a HB, BB or 4H in sight. I took out the colour and adjusted the contrast to produce this black and white image, then after adjusting the size, printed it out.  Of course I could use Photoshop to produce a sketch, but in my book that would be cheating.

I'll just have to wait until I can purchase a new set of sketching pencils and that means waiting until I can get to the right store that sells them.  Development closed one store in the neighbourhood, a tornado closed another - what next?  Let me guess, a redneck going on the rampage shotgun in hand after being stabbed in the arse (ass) by a super-mosquito developed in stagnant water left over from the Mississippi flood!  That's the problem with mossies here, they can be tiny things that creep under the radar or whoppers that come with full armour and 27mm cannon (or that's what it feels like).  No matter what their size, it sure ain't no pin-prick that they leave.  Well I suppose we have the rest of the summer to fight 'em off.  What puzzles me though are the young things at the Uni just up the road.  They stretch out on the laws like offerings to the gods and not a mossie in sight!

I think I'll go on another hunt and see if I can find my pencils.  When I'm quietly sketching I'm as quiet as a lamb and not my usual nutty self.  And if you don't believe I'm nuts - ask Karin.  She knows.  By the way don't forget to visit our web site.  The links for all Karin's books are there - including the ebook.

Saturday and it's back to the grind!

For someone who is supposed to be unemployed, I'm kept busy.  If it isn't housework, it's something else.  The something else on this occasion I'm certainly not complaining about. Karin managed to get her ebook, "Seven Doors of Time" (ISBN 978-1-4524-9424-1) uploaded and published, and believe it or not she's even had her first sale!  A few more wouldn't hurt (heavy hint, heavy hint), Click Here for the site.

Yeah, okay so the ebook has a cover... well kind of!  The book is a collection of seven stories and I'm sure that Karin will outline them in her blog.

Of course while Karin was uploading I was busy on my laptop updating Facebook and our web site.  Of course I also sent out the appropriate information on Yahoo Groups as well, not that it will reach many, but it's a start.

Karin's first published novels had quite a price tag, but we both feel that the charge of $2.99 for the ebook is not too bad (there is a decimal point in there, so it's just short of three bucks).  I suppose we'll have to wait and see how well the book does, or doesn't do. Our advertising budget is at the moment $0 and that's about it.  Nevertheless, God is good and kind to us.

The Evil Trojan!

Taken Over
My laptop (opposite) had been taken over by a Trojan, a Windows XP Defrag Fraud that would not shut off.  After it ran - pretending to examine my computer - it required the purchase of software to complete the task of removing "Bad Sectors" and defraging the computer (which XP and any windows program can do anyway).  I had no control over my computer but then me being me I was not to be outdone by a computer virus.

The programs in my tray were still running so I ran the anti-virus program.  Even this seemed ineffective when it came to deleting the files it found, so I made a note of the path of the files in particular and shut down the computer.  To keep the story short I then rebooted and pressed F8  Selected safe mode with the Command Prompt (the computer runs in MS DOS) then I discovered none of the directories or files were showing.  At the C:\ prompt I typed Help to list the DOS commands available then typed Help DIR and this displayed the commands available for the directory.  I then typed in the switch -A/ and behold, all the directories and files were listed.  I then used the CD command (Change Directory) with the path to the place where the virus was and again used the switch to locate the virus.  I noticed an additional program that should not have been there, so taking a chance I deleted this along with the files my software had already found.  On rebooting the virus had shut down, but I had still lost control parts of my desktop.

Regaining Control
My Start menu had no programs listed, there were no icons on my screen but I did have access to some parts of the computer.  That's all I needed.  Using help on the Start Menu and some of the advanced features I was able to call up all the hidden files and re-set the folders for my programs etc.  The next job was to go through the lengthy list of files, find the program files and "pin" them to my Start Menu so if they didn't get listed among my programs I could still run them from another place.  While the icons still do not show on my desktop, the main one's I use are on my Task Bar, while I can access my desktop from the taskbar.

With control regained, I downloaded from Microsoft free anti-virus software and updated the files for the software before running it.  The remnants of the Trojan were found and deleted.  The laptops hard drive has been defraged and the Registry cleaned.  Not bad for an old fart who doesn't even have a Bachelor's in Computer Science!

How the Trojan got on to my machine I have no idea.  Even if you already have anti-virus software, the anti-virus software from Microsoft (they have versions for different Windows programs) is worth thinking about.  I now have more than one firewall in place protecting my machine.  Microsoft also offer help in sorting out problems with software. It may be worth visiting Microsoft At Home to see what's on offer and get tips on how to protect your computer.

Into the Storm

It began as a normal day, even if I was feeling a bit under the weather, not exactly sick but not too well.  While on the Internet I checked the weather, storms had been forecast and there it was on the local Doppler Radar, a rather large blob that seemed to get larger as it drew closer.  I told Karin and she said that she had also seen it heading right for us.  Then we heard a tornado reported on the ground in the county across the Mississippi.



So it began.
Karin got our emergency bags together (bags filled with the things we may need if we found ourselves trapped) and placed them by the door to the basement.  I went outside to check on the weather and saw the dark clouds on the horizon to the west, but the clouds above were moving north - not a good sign if the approaching storm was moving east.  Was this an early indication of rotation?  I'd almost been flattened by a tornado before and the idea of going through it again was not very high on my list of exciting things to do!
   I checked the Doppler Radar again, the storm was crossing the river the north and would soon be on us.  Again I went outside to check and the clouds were moving fast in the same direction as before.  Karin and I unplugged our computers and turned them off.  I then checked outside one more time, this time the clouds were moving east, the wind picked up and the rain - heavy rain began.  Suddenly the severe weather sirens went off as if we were in the middle of the London Blitz, so I returned indoors and took the bags down to the basement.  As I did so the lights went out, so I raced back up the stairs to grab my bike lamp so I could light the way for Karin.  Our neighbour from the apartment next door, who had been awakened by the sirens, joined us in the basement while the storm raged outside.  We could hear the wind, torrential rain and hail  hammer against the basement windows.  The only light was from my torch and a torch Karin had packed and we had to remain in the basement until the worse of the storm had passed.

Day into night into day.
The darkness passed, the storm passed and we were again in daylight, but the power was still out.  Karin put the things from the fridge into the freezer so that they wouldn't spoil while I used my cell phone to call in the power-outage.  With no coffee or way to heat the pot, I was beginning to climb the walls after a short while - then I would, wouldn't I?  I settled for Fudge Oreo's and a mug of water.  What do you do without power?  Easy! Watch a DVD on a battery powered laptop.




Welcome to tornado alley.
We didn't see it, we wouldn't have because it had been shrouded in rain.  An EF2 tornado with wind speeds of around 200mph had touched down near Cook St. and Miller St. moving roughly east toward K Mart.  The winds dissipated shortly after it had touched down and a police officer had been able to report it on the ground.  The warehouse for the Pepsi bottling plant had been destroyed, the roof of nearby apartments torn off, cars flipped or smashed by falling branches and the rooftops of other buildings damaged in a six block wide path that ran through the city for a mile and a half. Outside we found flooding, but when the rain stopped, I pulled a fallen tree branch from the drain and scooped up other debris to let the water drain away.  I was able to rescue our trash cans and replace them before going indoors.  The power was still off so we couldn't check on friends and we had no idea of the damage surrounding us.  After six hours the power was back on and we were hardly surprised to learn of the tornado and the damage done.

By the grace of God no one in La Crosse was injured, even though the Cafe next door to ABR Emloyment services had it's windows blown out.  Customers had been taken to the back of the Cafe, so again no one was hurt.  Only the week before the local hospitals had practiced for an emergency alert so they were already prepared for the worse.  Sever Weather alerts are often tested here and people know how to respond.  Of course the Red Cross, Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army are helping those in need of emergency shelter, food and cleaning equipment.

Over that weekend 68 tornadoes touched down with Joplin, MO, of course, was the worse hit.  In a sense we feel blessed, despite the damage inflicted on the city.  Keep the people of Joplin in your prayers and thoughts.

Don't you just love the show "Entertainment Tonight"?  They'll announce with great acclaim the items they are covering for the evening and when at last they get to a particular item, there's bog all to it!  Now we Brits have been supporting America in Afghanistan and Iraq so you would think ET would at least know something about Britain - not a chance!  During 'Tthe Wedding' they mispronounced The Mall - no it's not a shopping mall it's a street you twits!  Even worse, to the great dismay of every Welshman who may have seen the program, they referred to Anglesey as a town when it's actually an island, separated from the mainland by the Meni Strait (a rather wide stretch of seawater).

I thought that maybe that if they can't get 'The Mall' right, it would be something of a giggle to hear them try to pronounce the name of one of the towns on Anglesey:

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

If that tongue twister doesn't get them all of a flutter nothing will.  They'll no doubt call on Catherine Zeta Jones for some help - at least she can pronounce it (No I can't, but then I'm a Brit poking fun at ET).  Oh yes, the above place name is for real - Google it and see for yourself.

Perhaps we're too far north on the Mississippi to be too threatened by flood waters, we also missed the worse of the storms, but we did get hit with quite a few homes with holes in their siding from the hail.  The river flooded, but not enough to do much damage.  Downstream the river got gradually higher, now their having real problems in the southern states.  Here it was expected because of all the snow, it had to melt and go somewhere and that somewhere is the Mississippi.  We need to keep the folks down south in our thoughts and prayers.

Our web site The Cook Companies looks a little better with a new home page and an updated page for out Catholic links.  It took me a while to check out which links were still working and which were not and keeping abreast of changes to other web sites is a pain in the sitting place.  All four of Karin's books are still listed on our web site and I hope to update some of our pages in the near future.