Thanks Cece~! :-) These are neat tips. Thank you for all the things you share. Hugs, Kath > 1. Add an ice cube to a plate of leftover rice, cover it, and microwave it. The steam produced from the melting cube will make the rice taste just as good as when you first made it. <<<<<

Thank you Linda, {{{{{{{{{{Linda}}}}}}} You certainly didn't need another health problem.............just isn't fair. Hopefully that info will help some. I'm here if you need me....... Love you Linda, Kath > Hi Kath, > > Thanks for all the great information on diabetes. With > what you have sent and the diabetic cookbooks I have > gotten, I should be pretty well set. Have to admit I am > scared about all this, considering the other medical problems > I am faced with. Just keep telling myself I'll get through all > this. > > Thanks so much for all your help and support!! > > Love ya, > Linda > > Kath wrote: > > > Sweet Potatoes: Low-Cal Grilling Favorite

1. Add an ice cube to a plate of leftover rice, cover it, and microwave it. The steam produced from the melting cube will make the rice taste just as good as when you first made it. 2. Grease in the garbage disposal got you down? Just throw a handful of cubes and turn the disposal on for a few seconds. The ice sets the fat so it can be easily ground up and washed away. 3. It's hard to water hanging plants so just put an ice cube or two in around the edge of your plant - no more spills. 4. Dogs water dish getting a little low? Add ice cubes to the bowl instead of spilling the water going from the faucet to the floor. 5. Got a little bit of wine leftover? Make wine cubes. Just freeze the leftover wine before it turns to vinegar. You can use the wine cubes to chill future wine or for cooking.

Today is Wednesday, May second, the 122nd day of 2001. There are 243 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May second, 1863, Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was accidentally wounded by his own men at Chancellorsville, Virginia; he died eight days later. On this date: In 1519, artist Leonardo da Vinci died at Cloux, France. In 1670, the Hudson Bay Company was chartered by England's King Charles the Second. In 1890, the Oklahoma Territory was organized. In 1936, "Peter and the Wolf," a symphonic tale for children by Sergei Prokofiev, had its world premiere in Moscow. In 1945, the Soviet Union announced the fall of Berlin, and the Allies announced the surrender of Nazi troops in Italy and parts of Austria. In 1957, Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, the controversial Republican senator from Wisconsin, died at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. In 1960, convicted sex offender and best-selling author Caryl Chessman was executed at San Quentin Prison in California. In 1965, the "Early Bird" satellite was used to transmit television pictures across the Atlantic. In 1972, after serving 48 years as head of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover died in Washington at age 77. In 1994, Nelson Mandela claimed victory in the wake of South Africa's first democratic elections; President F.W. de Klerk acknowledged defeat. Ten years ago: US, British, French and Dutch forces plunged 50 miles deeper into northern Iraq. In his ninth encyclical, Pope John Paul the Second acknowledged the success of capitalism, but denounced the system for sometimes achieving results at the expense of the poor and of morality. Five years ago: The Senate passed, 97-to-3, an immigration bill to tighten border controls, make it tougher for illegal aliens to get US jobs and curtail legal immigrants' access to social services. One year ago: An investigating panel concluded that Texas A&M University students cut corners in construction and school officials failed to adequately supervise them before a bonfire collapse in November 1999 that killed 12 people. Former nurse Christina Marie Riggs was executed by injection in Arkansas for smothering her two young children. Jockey Julie Krone became the first female elected to thoroughbred racing's hall of fame. Today's Birthdays: Actor Theodore Bikel is 77. Actor Roscoe Lee Browne is 76. Rock musician Link Wray is 66. Comedy writer-voice actor Lorenzo Music is 64. Bianca Jagger is 56. Country singer R.C. Bannon is 56. Singer Lesley Gore is 55. Singer-songwriter Larry Gatlin is 53. Rock singer Lou Gramm (Foreigner) is 51. Actress Christine Baranski is 49. Actress Elizabeth Berridge is 39. Country singer Ty Herndon is 39. Actress Jenna Von Oy is 24. "Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything." -- Henry Ward Beecher, American clergyman (1813-1887). (Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

This is a cool signature I just received. Hope you like it. Fred Hi,you have just dialed 911. Normally we would ask you to state the nature of the emergency, however we're all out at lunch. If you would like to leave your name, number and emergency, we will return your call as soon as we get back. If it is a very important emergency, just go outside and scream for help. That always works pretty good in the movies. Good Luck Please Visit our Amputee Support Web Site at http://ampsupport.com

This is told by Sam Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings and he stated it was traditional in the shire and in The Return of the King he actually gets to see one. Grey as a mouse, Big as a house, Nose like a snake, I make the earth shake, As I tramp through the grass, Trees crack as I pass, With horns in my mouth I walk in the South, Flapping big ears. Beyond the count of years I stump round and round, Not even to die. Oliphaunt am I, Biggest of all, Huge,old,and tall. If ever you'd met me, You wouldn't forget me. If you ever do, You won't think I'm true; But old Oliphaunt am I, And I never lie. Enjoy Fred Please Visit our Amputee Support Web Site at http://ampsupport.com

Hi Kath, Thanks for all the great information on diabetes. With what you have sent and the diabetic cookbooks I have gotten, I should be pretty well set. Have to admit I am scared about all this, considering the other medical problems I am faced with. Just keep telling myself I'll get through all this. Thanks so much for all your help and support!! Love ya, Linda Kath wrote: > Sweet Potatoes: Low-Cal Grilling Favorite > Sweet potatoes, a traditional dish and everyday cooking delight, have become > a hot grilling item, too. > > Low in calories and high in nutrition, "yams" are easy to prepare for > backyard or picnic barbecues. > Simply wrap in foil, close cover and grill until tender. For variety, add > sweet potatoes to shish kebabs, try as a steak topping, or prepare this > delicious recipe. > > Grilled Sweet Potatoes > > 3 tbsp orange juice > 2 tbsp honey > 1 tbsp margarine > 2 sweet potatoes (unpeeled), cut lengthwise into 4 wedges per potato or into > 1/2-inch rounds > > Steam the sweet potatoes for 10 minutes in microwave. Mix the orange juice, > honey and margarine together. Spray grill with non-stick cooking spray. > Place potato wedges or rounds on grill for 5 to 10 minutes or until tender, > basting with the mix. Makes 4 servings. > > Kath <mzmouser@earthlink.net> > ~`* `*' `*' `* `*' `*' *' `*' *' `*' `* `*' *' `*' ~~~ > > ==== FOLKLORE Mailing List ==== > folk·lore 1. traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or > art forms preserved among a people 2 : a branch of knowledge that > deals with folklore 3 : an often unsupported notion, story, or > saying that is widely circulated Merriam-Webster

NASA Science News for May 1, 2001 Future human explorers of Mars can leave their umbrellas back on Earth, but perhaps they shouldn't forget their Geiger counters! A NASA experiment en route to the Red Planet aims to find out. FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast01may_1.htm?list489379 ---

Victoria Kushnir May 1, 2001 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Phone: 650/604-0176 or 604-9000 vkushnir@mail.arc.nasa.gov RELEASE: 01-29 AR NASA "TRAFFIC SCHEDULER" SEEKS COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS An automated traffic management system developed by NASA to alleviate congestion at the nation's busiest airports is now available for business application and commercial licensing. Scientists developed the system, called TRAJECT, at NASA's Ames Research Center in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, to improve the scheduling and directing of airplanes, boats, trucks and railroad cars. Engineers tested TRAJECT at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport for the 1996 Olympics, and the system has been used there operationally ever since. During a technology licensing briefing at the airport on May 30, NASA researchers will discuss potential commercial applications of the system, explaining how it can benefit airports, seaports, factories and warehouses. Attendees will also get a glimpse of this informational "tool" at work in Atlanta's airport, the busiest in the nation. "Ames originally developed TRAJECT as a real-time airport surface movement advisor to electronically interconnect data from the air traffic control tower, ramp control, airline data and airline operations. This facilitates information sharing and improves taxi queuing," said Jon Hagstrom, of Ames' Computational Sciences Division. "By reducing airport departure taxi times, TRAJECT may save airlines tens of million of dollars annually," he added. According to its developers, the TRAJECT software tool has application in a wide range of situations, not just airports. The system can receive, process and manage real-time information from a variety of data sources, they say. This capability allows the software to automate the scheduling of the movement of multiple items -- boats, trucks, railroad cars, containers and others -- in ports, shipping yards, docks and a host of similar environments. "The TRAJECT system combines data basing, data fusing and artificial intelligence to make inferences based on numerous information streams from ground operations," explained Brian Glass, Ames' technology team lead. "This system is the only operational tool of its kind," added systems engineer Chris Leidich. "Just as important, it has already proven its amazing robustness and reliability at the Atlanta airport," he said. -more- -2- NASA Ames is now inviting commercial businesses to consider how this tool might help them meet their industry's scheduling needs. Interested companies and individuals can access information about registration for the Atlanta briefing online at: http://ic-www.arc.nasa.gov/traject/ Final day to register is May 10. NASA is strongly committed to transferring the innovative products of its research and technology development to the private sector. To that end, NASA has established a Commercial Technology Office to facilitate the licensing and transfer of NASA technologies. Information about the Commercial Technology Office at NASA Ames is available at its web site at: http://ctoserver.arc.nasa.gov/ More information about NASA Ames' Computational Sciences research can be found at: http://ic-www.arc.nasa.gov/ -- end --

Sweet Potatoes: Low-Cal Grilling Favorite Sweet potatoes, a traditional dish and everyday cooking delight, have become a hot grilling item, too. Low in calories and high in nutrition, "yams" are easy to prepare for backyard or picnic barbecues. Simply wrap in foil, close cover and grill until tender. For variety, add sweet potatoes to shish kebabs, try as a steak topping, or prepare this delicious recipe. Grilled Sweet Potatoes 3 tbsp orange juice 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp margarine 2 sweet potatoes (unpeeled), cut lengthwise into 4 wedges per potato or into 1/2-inch rounds Steam the sweet potatoes for 10 minutes in microwave. Mix the orange juice, honey and margarine together. Spray grill with non-stick cooking spray. Place potato wedges or rounds on grill for 5 to 10 minutes or until tender, basting with the mix. Makes 4 servings. Kath <mzmouser@earthlink.net> ~`* `*' `*' `* `*' `*' *' `*' *' `*' `* `*' *' `*' ~~~

A man entered his local paper's pun contest. He sent in ten different puns, in the hope that at least one of the puns would win. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did. Kath <mzmouser@earthlink.net> ~`* `*' `*' `* `*' `*' *' `*' *' `*' `* `*' *' `*' ~~~

yep thats it... so stop those nose bleeds kaffie or they'll take out your flapper!! hehehheheeee no honest I hope you are feeling better Pj I'm stuck in my Family Tree and I can't get out!! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kath" <mzmouser@earthlink.net> To: <FOLKLORE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2001 11:29 AM Subject: Re: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] sprung another leak > Thanks Peege. Sorry your MIL had such a problem with them. > Caleb had chronic nosebleeds too. They said it was partly due to a deviated > septum (sp?) He never had the surgery either, though. > love ya a bunch~! :-) > just tickled to be with you........ > {{{{{{{{{Peege}}}}}}}}}} > kaffie > > > oh my...we can't have thAT!! > > my mother in law kept getting nose bleeds real bad last year and they said > > she needed something in her nose operated on to prevent them..some flap or > > something..but she has emphesema so they were trying not to do the > > surgery..but they said if it happened again they would have to because she > > was losing so much blood... > > have you tried ice??? > > Pj > > I'm stuck in my Family Tree and I can't get out!! > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > ==== FOLKLORE Mailing List ==== > To Subscribe or Unsubscribe: > send email to FOLKLORE-L-request@rootsweb.com for List or > FOLKLORE-D-request@rootsweb.com for Digest. > Leave the Subject line blank, and in the message write only "subscribe" > or "unsubscribe" without quotation marks. >

Hi Cece, Here is a web site where you can enter the number and it will convert it for you. http://www.hbd.org/brewery/cm3/recs/convert.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "CHC" <mawcee@mindspring.com> To: <FOLKLORE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 2:51 PM Subject: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] Need a conversion-- PLEASE Is there anyone who knows conversions by heart, that could convert this for me without too much trouble? I would appreciate it so much. Cece HEDGEHOG CAKE 200g Self Raising Flour = 7 oz. 200g Caster Sugar = 7 oz. 125g Softened Butter 2 eggs 30ml Drinking Chocolate Powder = 6 teaspoons 75ml Evaporated Milk = 2.25 oz. 75ml Water = 2.25 fluid oz. The Icing 300ml Double cream 100g Plain Chocolate (finely grated) 10-12 "Flake"® bars 125g White Almond Marzipan - coloured brown with food colouring 1 red "Smartie"® 2 chocolate dots Method 1.. Put all the ingredients for the cake into a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Spoon into a prepared pudding basin. 2.. Place onto a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out cleanly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. 3.. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 4.. Bring the cream slowly to the boil. Take off the heat and immediately stir in the finely grated chocolate. Mix thoroughly and leave to cool. When cool, chill for 1-3 hours in a refrigerator until thick and spreadable. 5.. Cut each "Flake"® bar roughly into four (lengthwise), and then cut each of these pieces into 2.5cm -ish "spikes". 6.. Trim the base of the cake so that it sits flat. Place the base side, down on a chopping board and cut into half vertically. Spread a little of the chocolate icing on the base side of each half and join together to form the hedgehog's body. Place the cake on a cake board or plate. To finish Mould the marzipan into a small cone-shape (for the hedgehog's face) and attach to one end of the body with some chocolate icing. Spread the rest of the icing over the body and push in the "spikes" of "Flake" into the icing. Save the smallest pieces for around the face. Attach the "Smartie"® to the tip of the cone with a little icing and do the same with the chocolate dots (for the eyes). Chill for 2 hours in a refrigerator before serving. Equipment 900ml Pudding basin, greased and the base lined with a small circle of silicone paper. ==== FOLKLORE Mailing List ==== A very friendly warm list. We are one BIG Happy Folk Family. »§«:*´`³¤³´´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

Is there anyone who knows conversions by heart, that could convert this for me without too much trouble? I would appreciate it so much. Cece HEDGEHOG CAKE 200g Self Raising Flour 200g Caster Sugar 125g Softened Butter 2 eggs 30ml Drinking Chocolate Powder 75ml Evaporated Milk 75ml Water The Icing 300ml Double cream 100g Plain Chocolate (finely grated) 10-12 "Flake"® bars 125g White Almond Marzipan - coloured brown with food colouring 1 red "Smartie"® 2 chocolate dots Method 1.. Put all the ingredients for the cake into a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Spoon into a prepared pudding basin. 2.. Place onto a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out cleanly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. 3.. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 4.. Bring the cream slowly to the boil. Take off the heat and immediately stir in the finely grated chocolate. Mix thoroughly and leave to cool. When cool, chill for 1-3 hours in a refrigerator until thick and spreadable. 5.. Cut each "Flake"® bar roughly into four (lengthwise), and then cut each of these pieces into 2.5cm -ish "spikes". 6.. Trim the base of the cake so that it sits flat. Place the base side, down on a chopping board and cut into half vertically. Spread a little of the chocolate icing on the base side of each half and join together to form the hedgehog's body. Place the cake on a cake board or plate. To finish Mould the marzipan into a small cone-shape (for the hedgehog's face) and attach to one end of the body with some chocolate icing. Spread the rest of the icing over the body and push in the "spikes" of "Flake" into the icing. Save the smallest pieces for around the face. Attach the "Smartie"® to the tip of the cone with a little icing and do the same with the chocolate dots (for the eyes). Chill for 2 hours in a refrigerator before serving. Equipment 900ml Pudding basin, greased and the base lined with a small circle of silicone paper.

Things are lookng up - still not where I was but we're still living so everything's OK Asa D..........LOLASAS Good Morning Asa, How is the world treating you? Sure is good to see you back. LOLASAS, Munchkin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Asa Daniel" <asadaniel@worldnet.att.net> To: <FOLKLORE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 10:18 AM Subject: Re: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] Today in History - May 1st Actor Glenn Ford is 85. (My all time favorite!!) = MINE TOOO Munchkin ASA D............LOLASAS ==== FOLKLORE Mailing List ==== A friend: someone who likes you even after they know you. »§«:*´`³¤³´´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

-/\/\----------------------------------------------------------------- \ / TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT -- http://www.heartlight.org/ --\/------------------------------------------------------------------ May 1, 2001 VERSE: But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect... -- 1 Peter 3:15 http://www.StudyLight.org/desk/?query=1+Peter+3:15 THOUGHT: How do we effectively share our faith, especially in situations hostile to faith? First, we consciously submit our hearts to Christ as Lord. Second, we prepare a presentation of faith that focuses on the hope we have in Jesus. Finally, when we share our reason for hope, we do it with respect, gently sharing our faith with others. Of course we would never have an opportunity to share our faith if we don't live a life of faith that makes an impact on those around us. PRAYER: Holy God and loving Father, please use my influence and the quality of my life to bring others to Jesus. Please give me wisdom as I seek to bring the following friends to Christ... May my words and actions lead them closer to you and show them my respect and love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20010501 Kath <mzmouser@earthlink.net> ~`* `*' `*' `* `*' `*' *' `*' *' `*' `* `*' *' `*' ~~~

=========================================================== COOL TRAVEL MAIL'S S T R A N G E D E S T I N A T I O N S The Best Vacation Spots This Side of The Other Side! * LOS ANGELES LIZARD PEOPLE * LA UNDERGROUND * GRIFFITH PARK UFOS * MUST-SEE ET FLICKS ---------------------------------------------------------- LOS ANGELES LIZARD PEOPLE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When visiting Los Angeles, keep a sharp eye open for the Lizard King. Jim Morrison, the drug-fueled rock poet and mystic who died in a girlfriend's bathtub in Paris 30 years ago, has frequently been spotted - Elvis-like - wandering the streets of LA. The charismatic Morrison, known to Doors fans worldwide as "The Lizard King," is officially buried in Paris' Pere-Lachaise cemetery, where his quiet neighbors include Balzac, Chopin and Oscar Wilde. But that hasn't stopped folks from seeing the former LA band's lead singer in underground bars, gas stations and pawnshops. For a full run-down on the various conspiracy theories and supernatural musings about Morrison's after-life, check out the Carpe Noctem (Seize the Night) Web page at http://www.carpenoctem.tv/cons/lizard.html I didn't see Morrison while I was there, although I did crank up "LA Woman" whenever it was on the rent-a-car radio. Of course, I really wasn't looking for the Lizard King. I was searching for signs of the Lizard people. Now, before the nasty e-mails start, let me be clear that "lizard people," is not uncaring slang for the homeless, people with dry skin or any other downtrodden interest group. It's a reference to the race of beings that allegedly built an underground city beneath Los Angeles more than five thousand years ago. The legend began in 1933 when G. Warren Shufelt, a mining engineer who invented a gadget he claimed could find underground gold deposits, instead discovered what he said was a sophisticated network of tunnels and subterranean rooms running from the heart of LA north to Pasadena. Shufelt soon ran into a Hopi Indian named Chief Little Green Leaf who told him about an ancient Native American legend regarding a race of lizard people who lived underground in times of emergency. The lizard people, according to the chief, were wiped out in 3,000 B.C. by a mysterious "fire from the sky" that Shufelt believed was a massive meteor shower. Several thousand of them are thought to have sought refuge in the tunnels, but were eventually killed by natural gas, according to a Nexus Magazine article by Robert Stanley. It's posted on the Web at http://www.tje.net/para/wots/9805/98_05_04_01.htm. The readings of Shufelt's mysterious machine, coupled with Green Leaf's version of Hopi history, indicated there were at least 16 subterranean rooms beneath the city filled with golden tablets said to contain the history of the human race in America and the mysterious Mayan people. The mention of "gold" was enough to convince the city to give Shufelt a permit to dig mine shafts into one of these rooms on a vacant lot at 518 N. Hill Street in what is now downtown LA. By the winter of 1934, one of the five shafts being dug was more than 250 feet deep when it began filling with water. Shufelt tried to keep going, and even had team of divers ready to go in if the treasure room was flooded. The Los Angeles newspapers ran front-page updates. Suddenly, the project was canceled. The hole was filled back in, and Shufelt and Chief Green Leaf left the scene, apparently for good. ---------------------------------------------------------- LA UNDERGROUND ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There's been a lot of digging in Los Angeles since then - foundations for skyscrapers, massive sewage systems, the rarely used subway - and no underground cities have been found. Still, the legend persists. Many of the tunnels dug by Chinese immigrants as escape routes and hiding places during times of violent unrest, are said to connect with older, more mysterious underground networks leading deeper beneath the surface. That network of now-barricaded tunnels stretched from one end of Old Chinatown to the other, and is now a historic landmark preserved at El Pueblo state historic area on Olvera Street. Olvera Street is a one-block restoration of the oldest section of Los Angeles, sometimes referred to as the "birthplace of the City of Angels." (http://www.olvera-street.com/olvera_street.html) It includes a traditional Mexican marketplace and 27 historic buildings. Free 50-minute tours are given that include - on request - a look at some of the Chinese-built passageways. (http://www.olvera-street.com/olvera_street.html#freetours) When I was there, I kept seeing strange, slithering movements in the corner of my eye. They turned out to be crows, pigeons or resting members of a Mariachi band that I had convinced myself were lurking lizard survivors. The malevolent late afternoon shadows seemed friendlier, however, after my second Dos Equis and a small mountain of chunky guacamole. Actually, Shufelt and Chief Little Green Leaf never really made it clear if the Lizard people were human beings or some sort of unknown, reptilian race. Experts since then have said the pair horribly misread Hopi legends, according to a 1999 Strange Magazine article posted at http://www.reptilianagenda.com/research/r110199e.html. They've said the closest reference to Lizard people in official tribal lore was a reference to a Lizard Clan of Hopis. Still, there were an awful lot of lizard images on the Mexican and Indian goods for sale in the open-air markets on Olvera Street. Could they know something we don't? And what about the Chinese tunnelers? Does their popular dragon symbol carried by some immigrant railroad workers refer to something more solid than mythology? And then there's Morrison. Did he make discoveries that didn't involve acid? Consider some of the words from "Not to Touch the Earth": "Some outlaws live by the side of a lake The minister's daughters in love with the snake Who lives in a well by the side of the road Wake up girl, we're almost home I am the lizard king I can do anything." Yep, the shadows are getting scary again. Waiter, another bottle of Dos Equis.... ---------------------------------------------------------- GRIFFITH PARK UFOS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The view from Griffith Observatory on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood offers a truly breathtaking view of the Los Angeles basin - day or night. It is so spectacular, in fact, that "UFO USA", Hyperion's travel guide to sights related to space aliens, lists the 66-year-old observatory as the best place to look for UFOs in Los Angeles. The observatory has a great Web site at http://www.griffithobs.org. Jon Hodge, a longtime observatory lecturer and developer of its planetarium shows, acknowledges that lots of people visiting the domed landmark see things in the sky that they can't explain. Hodge, however, attributes the large number of UFOs to both the observatory's proximity to Los Angeles International Airport and the great view the facility offers of Venus; earth's super-shiny sister planet. Venus, the topic of the current planetarium show, is often mistaken for a mysterious spacecraft, Hodge said. Even former President Jimmy Carter, a VERY smart guy, was so unnerved by the way the planet appeared in the sky that he filed an official UFO report when he was still governor of Georgia. You can read the report Carter filed with the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena at http://users.rcn.com/regulus/small/carter.html. The most impressive UFO Hodge has ever seen at Griffith was sighted by a number of people about a decade ago, he said. It was late afternoon when observers on the lawn became excited about a brightly shining sphere of light moving slowly through the sky. Hodge, then just an observatory guide, said he ran outside to see for himself and was completely puzzled. The object was large and round and did not move like any aircraft he was familiar with. Running to the roof, Hodge and another employee trained the observatory's Howitzer-like 12-inch refracting telescope onto the shining circle. The object, Hodge said, turned out to be a wayward weather balloon, reflecting the full glory of the sinking sun. He said he watched it rise and bob until the change in atmospheric pressure popped the balloon and sent its package of weather gadgets plummeting to earth. ----------------------------------------------------------- MUST-SEE ET FLICKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Whether the UFOs at Griffith are real or not really doesn't bother me. This is Hollywood, NOTHING here is real. And Hollywood has, after all, done a lot over the years to make flying saucers, space aliens and government cover-ups a part of our popular culture. No Strange visit to southern California should be made without first spending a night with a stack of videos representing the best Hollywood has to offer on the subject. My personal recommendations are: "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", 1956. The idea of evil intelligences taking the place of those you love and trust is a common one in today's science fiction films, horror movies and soap operas. This is the one that started it off. "2001, A Space Odyssey", 1968. The once-jaw-dropping special effects in Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece are nothing by today's standards, but his symbolic story of evolution never gets old. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", 1977. Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of real UFO contactee's experiences had space aliens jamming the same three chords used by most garage bands and had Richard Dreyfuss doing interesting things with clay way before Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze thought of it. "Alien", 1979. The nastiest alien monster ever imagined proves that, in space, no one can hear you scream. I loved the special effects, especially when the alien baby emerges from the first victim's chest like a carnival "whack-a-mole." Plus, at the time, I guess I had a thing for Sigourney Weaver. "Aliens", 1986, was - surprisingly - even better. "E.T., The Extraterrestrial", 1982. Spielberg's second courting of the flying saucer set featured Drew Barrymore's film debut and marked the first - and only - time I ever cried in public over a Muppet. "Killer Klowns from Outer Space", 1988. This is one video that will always be in stock, guaranteed. The premise: Carnivorous clown-looking aliens are capturing town folk and wrapping them in cotton candy cocoons. No one suspects them because they look like clowns. In fact, it was these alien's frequent visits over the centuries that gave human culture the concept of "clown." Come to think of it, I was drinking a lot more beer last time I saw this. Anyway, I'm sure I've missed your favorite. If there's another "must-see" out there, let me know and I'll pass the recommendation on the Strange Destinations' list. As always, you can contact me at: <a href=" mailto:fred@CoolTravelMail.com ">Email Fred</a> Until next time. Your Strange Editor, Fred Pass this along to some friends... they'll appreciate it! Try our handy Tell-A-Friend link below! ************************************************************ TELL-A-FRIEND about CoolTravelMail! Visit: <a href=" www.CoolTravelMail.com/friends/ ">Tell-A-Friend</a> Kath <mzmouser@earthlink.net> ~`* `*' `*' `* `*' `*' *' `*' *' `*' `* `*' *' `*' ~~~

Words from a Simple Heart Tears are a mighty flow of liquid emotion, not a sign of weakness. They are invoked by the anger of injustice, the pain of hurt and the rush of overflowing joy. To cry, is too feel, for ourselves and for others. Indifference throws up walls to hide what it doesn't want to see. Compassion rains tears to keep those walls from forming. It takes strength to care. When language doesn't offer deep enough words to express our intimate emotions, tears allow us to show them. At our most basic level, we are all human, and we are strong enough to cry. Living in love and loving life, Terri McPherson

http://www.hedgehog.org/links/songs.html

Dear Friend, I'm happy to report that the people have selected the oak as their choice for America's National Tree in the nationwide vote hosted by The National Arbor Day Foundation on its Web site, arborday.org. From the first day of voting, oak was the popular choice of the American people. Another magnificent American tree, the redwood, was the second place finisher. The National Arbor Day Foundation wishes to thank everyone who voted or encouraged others to take part in this historic process, which marked the first time that the entire American public has been able to state their pick for a national emblem. Visit arborday.org for vote totals and comparisons of all the candidate trees. Best regards, John Rosenow, President The National Arbor Day Foundation ............................................................................ .................................. Kath <mzmouser@earthlink.net> ~`* `*' `*' `* `*' `*' *' `*' *' `*' `* `*' *' `*' ~~~