To get you in the Gingerbread building mood as Christmas approaches, get a load of this 500-Pound Chocolate Gingerbread House Unveiled At The White House!
The gargantuan gingerbread house that’s
now taking center stage in the White House’s State Dining Room is no
ordinary confection. Modeled after the White House itself and designed by Executive Pastry
Chef Susan Morrison, the saccharine structure is made of a whopping 250
pounds of gingerbread, 150 pounds of chocolate and another 75 pounds of
sugar and other baking ingredients.
We find history, England, ancient cultures and the paranormal all fascinating, and Stonehenge brings all of those things together. Recently the Huffington Post published an article that we thought we'd share with you about Stonehenge.
We went to a similarly historic place in Ireland, north of Dublin, where the oldest structure still in existence stands (it is a chamber under a man-made mound of earth) - and archaeologists believe that the rocks used to make that structure were transported over a hundred years' time, like those in Stonehenge.
Stonehenge
Stonehenge May Have Been Built Somewhere Else First, Then Moved
by Ed Mazza, Huffington Post 12/8/15
Stonehenge may not look very portable, but scientists say part of the
massive ancient monument may have been first built somewhere else
before being moved hundreds of years later.
The new finding, published on Monday in the journal Antiquity, traces the bluestones -- or the smaller stones used at the 5,000-year-old monument -- to two quarries in Wales.
But while the mystery of where the stones came from may have been
solved, a new one has just emerged: Those stones were pulled from the
quarries some five centuries before Stonehenge itself was built in what
is now Wiltshire, 140 miles away.
"It could have taken those Neolithic stone-draggers nearly 500 years to get them to Stonehenge, but that’s pretty improbable in my view," Professor Mike Parker Pearson
of UCL Institute of Archaeology and director the research team behind
the study said in a news release. "It's more likely that the stones were
first used in a local monument, somewhere near the quarries, that was
then dismantled and dragged off to Wiltshire."
Stonehenge's large "sarsen" standing stones, which weigh about 25
tons each, are from a quarry relatively close to the the
monument. Researchers have long believed the smaller two-ton bluestones came from the Preseli Hills in Wales,
but the team of geologists and archaeologists behind the new study says
they've found the exact locations in Carn Goedog and Craig
Rhos-y-felin.
Credit: Adam Stanford/Aerial-Cam Ltd
An excavation at Craig Rhos-y-felin in Wales, believed to be the source of some of the bluestones used in Stonehenge.
I recently finished enjoying a trade paperback collection of classic comics about an interesting character- a villain and hero in one called Eclipso. It's a black and white collection of his origin and exploits from 1963 to 1966. Since his transformation is triggered by an eclipse, we'll explain the two types here, too. BOOK SUMMARY: DC Showcase Presents: Eclipso: One of the strangest comics villains ever stars in this volume
collecting HOUSE OF SECRETS #61-80! On an expedition in the South
Pacific, scientist Bruce Gordon's dark side is unleashed after being
exposed to a black diamond. Transformed into the
powerful Eclipso by any event resembling an eclipse, he embarked on an
evil rampage as his good side attempted to reassert control.
It's time for another edition of "How Gullible Are you?" - It seems like every week there are a lot of false rumors circulating in email around the Internet. This will help you know whether they're real or fake before you even get them!
Not See Logo
FALSE -Donald Trump's campaign did not
unveil a new logo that resembles a swastika.
Yes, even this stupidity was a rumor...
White Folks and Fake Quotes
FALSE -First Lady Michelle Obama did
not say that "white folks are what's wrong with America" during a
commencement speech at Tuskegee University.
An Interesting Take on Trump
FALSE - Conservative commentator William J. Bennett did not pen an essay
hypothesizing that Donald Trump would be killed before he could be elected
President.
Don't Gild the Willy
FALSE -Various fake news sites reported that a lottery winner died after
gold-plating his genitals.
Navajo Rations
FALSE -No, President Obama isn't
sending 250,000 "Muslim refugees" to Navajo lands in Arizona and
North Dakota.
Joint Commissions
FALSE - No, the federal government isn't paying study participants $3,000 a
week to smoke marijuana.
Toys Soldiers?
FALSE - A photograph does not show Syrian orphans holding guns as they make
their way to the United States.
Shooter Affiliation
FALSE - Robert Lewis Dear, the alleged Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood
shooter, was not born a woman.
Exploitation Nation
FALSE - No, Germany and the European Union are not legalizing pedophilia.
O Christmas Fee
FALSE -Neither President Obama nor the
FCC fined ABC for airing "A Charlie Brown Christmas" because it was
offensive to non-Christians.
Granddaddy Trump
FALSE -Donald Trump's grandfather
Frederick Trump was not a pimp and drug dealer who made his fortune running a
brothel and opium den.
A Korean Ghost Ship. Credit: CNN
Korean Ghost Ships Wash Ashore in
Japan TRUE- (But has happened many times before) Korean "ghost ships"
carrying corpses have washed ashore in Japan, but the phenomenon is neither new
nor poorly understood.
Ugly Children Disposal
FALSE - A photograph that shows a child in a wastebasket next to a sign that
reads "Dispose of your ugly
Our friend Karin Bakken manages and runs the DC Area Weimaraner Rescue. Recently, she submitted a story about an incredible Senior, deaf Weimaraner, who came to the rescue abandoned by his family after all that time because he was "ball obsessed.' (Yes, really). The story is below. In addition to submitting his story to a Petco contest, Karin discovered an amazing talent that he has- DOCK DIVING!
His photo was submitted to Smoky Mtn Dock Divers photo contest and this Senior needs your votes: VOTE FOR BUDDY THE DOCK DIVER HERE (until 12/25), PLEASE ! https://foto-app.appspot.com/app/foto/item/354118096836/5846705565073408#_ ABOUT KARIN AND THE RESCUE:
Karin is always running somewhere to take in abandoned dogs, dogs from shelters, saving them from being euthanized or from abusive situations. She works 24/7 and cares for many of the dogs herself. She does a lot of fundraising activities to pay for all the vet bills and food costs. She is truly a savior to so many dogs. FOR AVAILABLE DOGS AND RESCUE INFO: http://www.dcweimclub.org/rescue/index.php
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DcAreaWeimaranerRescue
We've done a couple of transports, including bringing a wonderful Weim to our friends Cathy and Cindy in Philly. One time we transported a Weimaraner to Rhode Island! Rob also donates parts of the sales of his book at Pet Expos to the rescue.
Here's Buddy's story that Karin submitted to the Petco Foundation:
Over the past week friends and family have lost three special ones. People and pets always seem to pass around the holidays and as my mom used to say, "they pass in threes." This past week that's just the case. My (Rob) sister-in-law Sue's dad John Callaghan passed on Dec. 9, and my friend Gail's mom Anne Marie passed the same day. Our friends Bob and Arlene also said goodbye to their sweet Dachshund, Holly on Dec. 13. All of them touched the hearts and lives of their loved ones and those fortunate enough to know them, so this is a tribute to them to keep them in everyone's memories. The love we share with people and pets never fades. In fact, their memories and love stay connected to us from the other side, where they can hear us, see us and guide us. This month also marks the anniversary of the passing of our friend Ed who passed on the 19th in 1996, Tom's dad on the 23rd over 20 years ago, and Rob's mom on Dec. 29, 2013. No matter how long ago they passed, they're all still around us.
Mr. John J. Callaghan, of Weymouth and Dennisport died on
December 9, 2015. John worked for Boston Edison until his retirement. He served
in the United States Navy during the Korean War, and was a member of the
American Legion and the Weymouth Elks. John was an avid Patriots and Red Sox
fan, and loved spending his summers with his family on the beach at Camper’s
Haven, Cape Cod. John’s greatest joy in life was his beautiful family,
including his many grandchildren. He would drive near and far to watch whatever
sporting event or performance that they were involved in. He will be dearly
missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him. Beloved husband of 59
years to Lorraine (Barnes) Callaghan. Link: https://keohane.com/services/john-j-callaghan/
Holly Brown, of Burtonsville, Maryland. On Dec. 13, Bob and Arlene Brown said goodbye to Holly, their
sweet long-haired, red Dachshund. Holly is also survived by his brother Andy, a
long-haired black and tan dachshund who will truly miss his companion.
Ann Marie E. (Rudgis)Johnson,of Hull, died December
9, 2015.Ann Marie was known as Granny by everyone who knew her. She frequently
visited the playground with her grandchildren on sunny days. She enjoyed
day trips to the casinos with her sisters and always enjoyed sweets
with a cup of coffee. She enjoyed the simple things in life and
treasured what was most important – family and friends. She will be
sadly missed.. Link: https://keohane.com/services/ann-marie-e-johnson/
I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob
To get you in the Gingerbread building mood as Christmas approaches, get a load of this 500-Pound Chocolate Gingerbread House Unveiled At The White House!
The gargantuan gingerbread house that’s
now taking center stage in the White House’s State Dining Room is no
ordinary confection. Modeled after the White House itself and designed by Executive Pastry
Chef Susan Morrison, the saccharine structure is made of a whopping 250
pounds of gingerbread, 150 pounds of chocolate and another 75 pounds of
sugar and other baking ingredients.
