THOSE DOOMSDAY THEORISTS must have been wallowing in their gory this week. And somehow this unstable planet did survive. Barely. And it's only Wednesday.
As an investigative journalist of everything planetary, I kept a close watch on the sky; considering it was layered with snow from here to the Arctic circle.
And my mind was cluttered with immediate thoughts of wayward asteroids, a growing problem with space debris, a disabled spy satellite threatening the earth and even snowstorms in such semi-tropical places as Jerusalem
Then came the words of Ernie Mauck, who now calls himself Elijah, who pushes his theories in which he calls everyone from President Bush to Prince Charles corrupt. He's also someone who looks skyward for the appearance of Planet X, aka Nibiru and even Wormwood from Revelation, which will annihilate us all.
Pass the Bromo-Seltzer. Even Alka-Seltzer might help.
So, fellow earth-bound mortals, let's go down the list:
* Wayward Asteroid 2007 TU24. I don't know about you, but I missed it; all that snow and another thing it was dark around the Ol' Homestead in the middle of the night. According to the solar scientists it was between 150 and 600 metres in diameter and came within 334,000 miles of Earth. Apparently, a strong telescope would have picked it up.
In quoting Chee Chee Leung in the Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald, 2007 TU24 was "one of an estimated 7,000 near-Earth objects of its size or larger, which comes close to Earth on average about every five years." One of these giant rocks smashed into this planet in the ancient past, wiping out the dinosaurs.
Believe it or not, I wasn't around back then.
* Space debris. That's plain ordinary junk and it's lodged between 550 and 625 miles above us, according to a report from AP science writer E. Schmid. Now, I'm no expert, but being plunked from that distance, would give you a severe headache, whether it weighs an ounce or a ton.
* Disabled Spy Satellite. This one troubled me, for this spacecraft, which is out of control, weighs in the neighbourhood of 20,000 pounds and is the size of a small bus. It's headed our way in late February or early March, according to AP's Eileen Sullivan.
On the GlobalSecurity.org website, the main concern from an uncontrolled re-entry is not the debris which will reach the Earth's surface, but the spacecraft's secrets might be recovered by "a hostile intelligence agency."
* Snow, snow and even more snow. Perhaps, it means little to North Americans, but to a former newsman living in Israel, it's significant. It rarely happens, but Tuesday there was a report of a man frozen to death on the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was shutting down in advance of an Arctic blast.
Frigid temperatures in our part of the world is understandable, but in the semi-tropical weather of the Middle East it is almost unheard of.
Also the conspiratorial experts were at work, for surrounding the icy conditions was the news that the Winograd Report concerning the recent Lebanon war could be enough to oust the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Some say it would be an Act of God.
* Prophet Elijah. While some would sneer at the words of Ernie Mauck, who gets his "messages" across through the Internet, this bearded man, who resides in Cyprus, details the world's fate, particularly, with the Planet X (Nibiru) and its effect on our planet's orbit.
In the June 19, 1982 New York Times, it read: "Something out there beyond the reaches of the known solar system is tugging at Uranus and Neptune. A gravitational force keeps perturbing the two giant planets, causing irregularities in their orbits. The force suggests a presence far away and unseen, a large object, the long-sought Planet X." It could make it our way, at least Elijah thinks so.
So what's next? After all, there's been 9-11; a Pacific earthquake and tsunami; Hurricane Katrina; Avian flu and global warming looming on the horizon.
It's time to pull the covers over our heads in my opinion.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Chilling Memories From The Big Easy
AFTER PLACING MY HAND -- my now unthawed hand -- on a stack of NFL rulebooks, I promised never to write about Super Bowl I or 7,348 again.
However, promises are made to be broken. Or that's what someone unwise once muttered.
Of course, a week Sunday's 42nd edition of Super Hype in sunny Arizona will mean a matter of Xs and O's to some, but for the Ol' Columnist it will stir up a batch of bitter memories -- of pain and suffering.
Alright, stiff upper lip, Big Fellow, learn to play with pain.
"Aw, shut up," I say. "Look at my fingers, all gnarled ... quick, call in the Doc."
Of course, these digits have looked like this since Jan. 12, 1975 when the Pittsburgh (The Steel Curtain) Steelers ran over the Minnesota (Purple People Eaters) Vikings 16-6 in Super Bore IX in a New Orleans' cow pasture called Tulane Stadium.
Preceding that afternoon, I had savoured a stackful of sizzling steaks cooked in the middle of the Superdome. It was before it had been officially opened to the public and the horde of scribes and/or ex-jocks had congregated to live off NFL handouts.
It was long before the flood, which devastated New Orleans and long before Bourbon Street was awash with gin mixed with party favours.
So there I was soaking up the atmosphere and steak sauce when I learned of the change of venue from the Dome to a university campus I had barely heard of before. Tulane, ah, Tulane, the Sugar Bowl ... Cajun music, jazz, etc., etc.
Getting off the bus, I knew this would be an afternoon to forget; for the wind whistled through my shirtsleeves and sent shivers up and down my back as I climbed the rickety stands ... These weren't the luxurious elevators I heard one of the league's flacks talk about.
So where was the expansive press box where the elite such as myself would sit?
"Excuse me, Mister, you're in Row 2,487 Seat 00073," snarled a young voice, emphasizing I would be in the "cheap seats" since I was from a non-NFL city. "Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me," I kept repeating as I tried to manoeuvre my lanky frame and a portable typewriter past protruding legs.
"Ah, here's my seat (still wet from overnight rain)," I muttered to myself.
Next came the quantum task of trying to fit the little typewriter on my lap and typing ... NEW OR ... that's when an elbow jabbed me in my right arm and I knew, immediately, it was going to be a long and frigid afternoon ... NEW ORvhutiiogt648hhdek54342 ... Ah forget about it, I'll wait until half time before typing any more about Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris vs. Fran Tarkenton and Chuck Foreman.
So this is the glamorous life of a highly-skilled sportswriter?
By halftime, all my fingers were curled in a grotesque manner as the temperatures dipped to 236 below ... or was it 237? That's when I decided to type up my game column back at the "toasty" hotel.
Next came the halftime show with the Grambling State University band and the half-time "meal." The music with its tribute to Duke Ellington had my toes a-tappin, but the free "meal" was an icy steak and putrid sauce, which I managed to smear on my clean shirt.
Then came the grand finale. What's that about?
Well, there I was in the dying seconds of the game; standing on the sidelines waiting for the final whistle when a Pittsburgh monster rumbled for the nearest exit, but not before mangling my now-frozen toes.
Even today, so many years later, my typing fingers still hurt and my toes (on my right foot) are twisted in a disgusting manner. Thanks a lot, Big Boy, I'll remember you in my (ill) will.
Was there any more to this version of Les Miserables?
On the return to my hotel, I found my typewriter carriage had shifted and the keys had become glued. My next move was to phone "it" in.
Without mentioning one word about that bitter afternoon, I started dictating to the sports desk: "NEW ORvhutiiogt648hhdek54342 ..." The voice at the other end blared: "What's the matter, Corbett, you sound cold." That's when I realized my ears had sustained a severe case of frost bite.
Even today, 33 years later, when questioned, I'll, repeatedly, ask: "WAAAAAHATTT?"
P.S. Incidentally, IX was the third and last Super Bowl ever played at Tulane. The 80,997-seat stadium was mercifully closed on August 3, 1975 and demolished in 1980.
However, promises are made to be broken. Or that's what someone unwise once muttered.
Of course, a week Sunday's 42nd edition of Super Hype in sunny Arizona will mean a matter of Xs and O's to some, but for the Ol' Columnist it will stir up a batch of bitter memories -- of pain and suffering.
Alright, stiff upper lip, Big Fellow, learn to play with pain.
"Aw, shut up," I say. "Look at my fingers, all gnarled ... quick, call in the Doc."
Of course, these digits have looked like this since Jan. 12, 1975 when the Pittsburgh (The Steel Curtain) Steelers ran over the Minnesota (Purple People Eaters) Vikings 16-6 in Super Bore IX in a New Orleans' cow pasture called Tulane Stadium.
Preceding that afternoon, I had savoured a stackful of sizzling steaks cooked in the middle of the Superdome. It was before it had been officially opened to the public and the horde of scribes and/or ex-jocks had congregated to live off NFL handouts.
It was long before the flood, which devastated New Orleans and long before Bourbon Street was awash with gin mixed with party favours.
So there I was soaking up the atmosphere and steak sauce when I learned of the change of venue from the Dome to a university campus I had barely heard of before. Tulane, ah, Tulane, the Sugar Bowl ... Cajun music, jazz, etc., etc.
Getting off the bus, I knew this would be an afternoon to forget; for the wind whistled through my shirtsleeves and sent shivers up and down my back as I climbed the rickety stands ... These weren't the luxurious elevators I heard one of the league's flacks talk about.
So where was the expansive press box where the elite such as myself would sit?
"Excuse me, Mister, you're in Row 2,487 Seat 00073," snarled a young voice, emphasizing I would be in the "cheap seats" since I was from a non-NFL city. "Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me," I kept repeating as I tried to manoeuvre my lanky frame and a portable typewriter past protruding legs.
"Ah, here's my seat (still wet from overnight rain)," I muttered to myself.
Next came the quantum task of trying to fit the little typewriter on my lap and typing ... NEW OR ... that's when an elbow jabbed me in my right arm and I knew, immediately, it was going to be a long and frigid afternoon ... NEW ORvhutiiogt648hhdek54342 ... Ah forget about it, I'll wait until half time before typing any more about Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris vs. Fran Tarkenton and Chuck Foreman.
So this is the glamorous life of a highly-skilled sportswriter?
By halftime, all my fingers were curled in a grotesque manner as the temperatures dipped to 236 below ... or was it 237? That's when I decided to type up my game column back at the "toasty" hotel.
Next came the halftime show with the Grambling State University band and the half-time "meal." The music with its tribute to Duke Ellington had my toes a-tappin, but the free "meal" was an icy steak and putrid sauce, which I managed to smear on my clean shirt.
Then came the grand finale. What's that about?
Well, there I was in the dying seconds of the game; standing on the sidelines waiting for the final whistle when a Pittsburgh monster rumbled for the nearest exit, but not before mangling my now-frozen toes.
Even today, so many years later, my typing fingers still hurt and my toes (on my right foot) are twisted in a disgusting manner. Thanks a lot, Big Boy, I'll remember you in my (ill) will.
Was there any more to this version of Les Miserables?
On the return to my hotel, I found my typewriter carriage had shifted and the keys had become glued. My next move was to phone "it" in.
Without mentioning one word about that bitter afternoon, I started dictating to the sports desk: "NEW ORvhutiiogt648hhdek54342 ..." The voice at the other end blared: "What's the matter, Corbett, you sound cold." That's when I realized my ears had sustained a severe case of frost bite.
Even today, 33 years later, when questioned, I'll, repeatedly, ask: "WAAAAAHATTT?"
P.S. Incidentally, IX was the third and last Super Bowl ever played at Tulane. The 80,997-seat stadium was mercifully closed on August 3, 1975 and demolished in 1980.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Those Texas skies and a strange UFO
IT'S A QUESTION as old as time, perhaps, even longer than that: So are we REALLY alone?
However, it's only mid-January and people in the farming community of Stephenville, Texas have been shaking their heads and asking that question.
You see, folks, about a week ago, dozens of people from a pilot to a county cop -- spotted a massive UFO in their skies and it's now all over the newswires and on the TV screen.
It's something that, seemingly, occurs annually, but usually not at the beginning of the year.
In 2007, the major UFO sighting waited until June. Or that's when Pilot Magazine reported that two airline pilots "witnessed" UFOs off the Channel Islands.
One of them, 50-year-old Ray Bowyer, a captain with Aurigny Air Services, out of Southhampton, spotted "a bright-yellow light" at about 3 in the afternoon.
Then he followed with these words: "It was a very sharp, thin yellow object with a green area. It was 2,000 feet up and stationary. I thought I was about 10 miles away, although I realized it was approximately 40 miles from us. At first, I thought it was the size of a 737. But it must have been much bigger because of how far away it was. It could have been as much as a mile wide."
As Bowyer's plane approached Alderney, he claimed he observed another one. "It was exactly the same (as the first one), but looked small because it was further away. It was close to Guernsey. I can't explain ... All I'm saying is that I have never seen anything like it before in all my years of flying."
Concerning the Texas sighting in the past week or so, Steve Allen, a freight owner and pilot, noted since he lived in the Bible Belt, people "were afraid it was the end of time." Allen was then quoted in the CP wire story as saying, "It was positively, absolutely, nothing from these parts."
Those "end times" words brought pronouncements as far away as Britain when someone named Catherine Brown claimed she had a prophecy concerning it.
"I see Texas ablaze and a stunning star like the star from the East is rising over the land, I hear the spirit of the Lord say to watch for cosmic signs and wonders in Texas and that there will be cosmological phenomenon that the scientists cannot explain and that the media will carry as front-line news."
Then she went on to say, "For a period of four months -- from Christmas to Easter -- there will be a window of opportunity for salvations, signs, healings and wonders in Texas and this season of extraordinary favour and grace will manifest and be confirmed in unusual cosmic occurrences."
Of course, throughout history, there have been strange sightings of silvery-plated objects, moving at incredible speeds, and then there's even been abductions.
One of the most celebrated cases occurred on Jan. 25, 1967 in South Ashburnham, Mass. As housewife Betty Andreasson was working in her kitchen at about 6:30, a reddish light began to beam though her window while her father and mother along with her seven children were in the living room.
Her father peered then through the window to find out where the light was coming from and, reportedly, saw five odd-looking beings coming towards the house in a hopping motion.
Betty Andreasson was taken aboard a "space craft" and subjected to a physical examination while her family remained in a state of suspended animation, according to UFO case files.
Noted author Chuck Missler has delved into the Genesis account of the "sons of God" (B'nai Elohim) taking on wives of the "daughters of men" which gave birth to the "Nephilim." Missler emphasized that the "intrusion of certain angels into the human family resulted in unnatural offspring termed Nephilim or the Fallen Ones."
While Missler didn't draw any solid conclusions, it makes one wonder if these giants known as Nephilim have returned to earth as space aliens?
It's a question for the theologians, however, in the Andreasson case they were supposedly about five feet tall or shorter with pear-shaped heads, wide eyes, and small ears and noses. Certainly not a description of Goliath and his brothers from the Bible, who have been identified as gigantic Nephilim.
While explanations for UFO sightings remain a mystery, Erath County Const. Lee Roy Gaitan, who observed the strange object over Stephenville, thought it was some kind of military craft and then added these words: "At least I hope it was."
However, it's only mid-January and people in the farming community of Stephenville, Texas have been shaking their heads and asking that question.
You see, folks, about a week ago, dozens of people from a pilot to a county cop -- spotted a massive UFO in their skies and it's now all over the newswires and on the TV screen.
It's something that, seemingly, occurs annually, but usually not at the beginning of the year.
In 2007, the major UFO sighting waited until June. Or that's when Pilot Magazine reported that two airline pilots "witnessed" UFOs off the Channel Islands.
One of them, 50-year-old Ray Bowyer, a captain with Aurigny Air Services, out of Southhampton, spotted "a bright-yellow light" at about 3 in the afternoon.
Then he followed with these words: "It was a very sharp, thin yellow object with a green area. It was 2,000 feet up and stationary. I thought I was about 10 miles away, although I realized it was approximately 40 miles from us. At first, I thought it was the size of a 737. But it must have been much bigger because of how far away it was. It could have been as much as a mile wide."
As Bowyer's plane approached Alderney, he claimed he observed another one. "It was exactly the same (as the first one), but looked small because it was further away. It was close to Guernsey. I can't explain ... All I'm saying is that I have never seen anything like it before in all my years of flying."
Concerning the Texas sighting in the past week or so, Steve Allen, a freight owner and pilot, noted since he lived in the Bible Belt, people "were afraid it was the end of time." Allen was then quoted in the CP wire story as saying, "It was positively, absolutely, nothing from these parts."
Those "end times" words brought pronouncements as far away as Britain when someone named Catherine Brown claimed she had a prophecy concerning it.
"I see Texas ablaze and a stunning star like the star from the East is rising over the land, I hear the spirit of the Lord say to watch for cosmic signs and wonders in Texas and that there will be cosmological phenomenon that the scientists cannot explain and that the media will carry as front-line news."
Then she went on to say, "For a period of four months -- from Christmas to Easter -- there will be a window of opportunity for salvations, signs, healings and wonders in Texas and this season of extraordinary favour and grace will manifest and be confirmed in unusual cosmic occurrences."
Of course, throughout history, there have been strange sightings of silvery-plated objects, moving at incredible speeds, and then there's even been abductions.
One of the most celebrated cases occurred on Jan. 25, 1967 in South Ashburnham, Mass. As housewife Betty Andreasson was working in her kitchen at about 6:30, a reddish light began to beam though her window while her father and mother along with her seven children were in the living room.
Her father peered then through the window to find out where the light was coming from and, reportedly, saw five odd-looking beings coming towards the house in a hopping motion.
Betty Andreasson was taken aboard a "space craft" and subjected to a physical examination while her family remained in a state of suspended animation, according to UFO case files.
Noted author Chuck Missler has delved into the Genesis account of the "sons of God" (B'nai Elohim) taking on wives of the "daughters of men" which gave birth to the "Nephilim." Missler emphasized that the "intrusion of certain angels into the human family resulted in unnatural offspring termed Nephilim or the Fallen Ones."
While Missler didn't draw any solid conclusions, it makes one wonder if these giants known as Nephilim have returned to earth as space aliens?
It's a question for the theologians, however, in the Andreasson case they were supposedly about five feet tall or shorter with pear-shaped heads, wide eyes, and small ears and noses. Certainly not a description of Goliath and his brothers from the Bible, who have been identified as gigantic Nephilim.
While explanations for UFO sightings remain a mystery, Erath County Const. Lee Roy Gaitan, who observed the strange object over Stephenville, thought it was some kind of military craft and then added these words: "At least I hope it was."
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Bush's Journey and the Jerusalem Syndrome
IT'S A "mental disorder" as old as time. Or it dates back to the time of King David when he shed his clothes and danced naked before the Ark of the Covenant on the outskirts of Jerusalem. His wife, Michal, just shook her head in disbelief.
Today, the psychiatrists call it the "Jerusalem Syndrome," and according to Ron Peled in a Ynet News article, he claims up to 150 tourists a year lose their minds; believing they are either the Messiah, the devil and others knowing the exact location of the Ark of the Covenant.
During my time as Middle East bureau chief for a major news-gathering service, based in downtown Jerusalem, I encountered a number of individuals who had all the symptoms. One jarred me on a daily basis as he charged along the sidewalk in front of my office, screaming in an "unknown tongue."
It was his definite duty to inform me that the world was about to end.
Another more convincing figure was a bearded man by the name of Ernest Frank Mauck, who has taken up the handle of Elijah the Tishbite.
This Bible-quoting man had been banished to Cyprus since August 1999 when I assisted in getting him out of the stark confines of the Kfar Shaul mental hospital and onto a plane. However, that banishment didn't stop Elijah from spreading his "messages" via the Internet.
Believing he's one of the two "witnesses" from the Book of Revelation, he claims he speaks for the Almighty Elohim in condemning the Middle East peace agreement. With unswerving purpose, Elijah has savaged the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. President George W. Bush, who has been in The Land in the past few days.
Of course, Elijah attemped to re-enter Israel once again via Jordan, but was turned back. It was evident some of his strongly worded e-mails had reached Olmert's office and that of the Knesset, Israel's parliament.
Any connection with appeasing the Palestinians comes in direct conflict with the will of God, he has written time and again.
In addition to his doom-day sayings, Elijah also predicts a "gigantic earth movement from Africa up through the Rift Valley on into Syria ... You're going to see great damage even in Jerusalem area when I (Elohim) cause this Dome of the Rock to be destroyed ..."
On Jan. 15, 1546, Jerusalem suffered a severe earthquake with the Dome on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher completely destroyed. The Dome of the Rock was seriously damaged.
During the original Elijah's time from the Bible, he also experienced an earthquake at Mt. Horeb, although he wasn't in Israel, but in the Sinai wilderness at the time, according to a historical earthquake list.
A Washington correspondent, Bill Koenig, who has been travelling with President Bush throughout the Middle East, has also seen a connection between Israel's giving up The Land to the Palestinians and dramatic destruction.
In Koenig's book, Eye to Eye, he lists some eight and more "Acts of God," which directly affected the U.S.
One of the major occurrences cited was on Oct. 30, 1991 when the father, George Bush, opened the Madrid Conference with "an initiative for a Middle East peace plan involving Israel's land."
On the same day, an extremely rare storm formed off the coast of Nova Scotia. It was eventually tagged "The Perfect Storm," and a movie was made about it. Recording-setting 100-foot waves formed at sea and pounded the New England coast, even causing heavy damage to the elder Bush's home in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Koenig also noted that on May 3, 1999, one of the most powerful tornadoes ever to hit the U.S. swept across Oklahoma and Kansas with winds clocked at 316 mph. On the same day, the late Yasser Arafat had been scheduled to declare a Palestinian state with Jerusalem the capital.
Whether there's any correlation between Koenig's writings and modern-day Elijah's utterances, only time will tell.
Today, the psychiatrists call it the "Jerusalem Syndrome," and according to Ron Peled in a Ynet News article, he claims up to 150 tourists a year lose their minds; believing they are either the Messiah, the devil and others knowing the exact location of the Ark of the Covenant.
During my time as Middle East bureau chief for a major news-gathering service, based in downtown Jerusalem, I encountered a number of individuals who had all the symptoms. One jarred me on a daily basis as he charged along the sidewalk in front of my office, screaming in an "unknown tongue."
It was his definite duty to inform me that the world was about to end.
Another more convincing figure was a bearded man by the name of Ernest Frank Mauck, who has taken up the handle of Elijah the Tishbite.
This Bible-quoting man had been banished to Cyprus since August 1999 when I assisted in getting him out of the stark confines of the Kfar Shaul mental hospital and onto a plane. However, that banishment didn't stop Elijah from spreading his "messages" via the Internet.
Believing he's one of the two "witnesses" from the Book of Revelation, he claims he speaks for the Almighty Elohim in condemning the Middle East peace agreement. With unswerving purpose, Elijah has savaged the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. President George W. Bush, who has been in The Land in the past few days.
Of course, Elijah attemped to re-enter Israel once again via Jordan, but was turned back. It was evident some of his strongly worded e-mails had reached Olmert's office and that of the Knesset, Israel's parliament.
Any connection with appeasing the Palestinians comes in direct conflict with the will of God, he has written time and again.
In addition to his doom-day sayings, Elijah also predicts a "gigantic earth movement from Africa up through the Rift Valley on into Syria ... You're going to see great damage even in Jerusalem area when I (Elohim) cause this Dome of the Rock to be destroyed ..."
On Jan. 15, 1546, Jerusalem suffered a severe earthquake with the Dome on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher completely destroyed. The Dome of the Rock was seriously damaged.
During the original Elijah's time from the Bible, he also experienced an earthquake at Mt. Horeb, although he wasn't in Israel, but in the Sinai wilderness at the time, according to a historical earthquake list.
A Washington correspondent, Bill Koenig, who has been travelling with President Bush throughout the Middle East, has also seen a connection between Israel's giving up The Land to the Palestinians and dramatic destruction.
In Koenig's book, Eye to Eye, he lists some eight and more "Acts of God," which directly affected the U.S.
One of the major occurrences cited was on Oct. 30, 1991 when the father, George Bush, opened the Madrid Conference with "an initiative for a Middle East peace plan involving Israel's land."
On the same day, an extremely rare storm formed off the coast of Nova Scotia. It was eventually tagged "The Perfect Storm," and a movie was made about it. Recording-setting 100-foot waves formed at sea and pounded the New England coast, even causing heavy damage to the elder Bush's home in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Koenig also noted that on May 3, 1999, one of the most powerful tornadoes ever to hit the U.S. swept across Oklahoma and Kansas with winds clocked at 316 mph. On the same day, the late Yasser Arafat had been scheduled to declare a Palestinian state with Jerusalem the capital.
Whether there's any correlation between Koenig's writings and modern-day Elijah's utterances, only time will tell.
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