Whitecliff Bay

The chalk cliffs on the south coast of England are packed full of dinosaur fossils,and in the 19th century some amateur fossil-hunters collected enough fossils so that an English scientist could identify
them as a set of extinct species of giant lizard. This scientist named these species "dinosaurs",which means "great lizards" in Latin.

Mauser K98

-- Standard rifle used by Germany in both World Wars

Cleaning rod is removable and is then used to insert cleaning brushes or cloths down the barrel. Most military rifles including an integral cleaning kit in the gun itself.

If that picture is of a muzzle-loading weapon then it is a ramrod (and not a cleaning rod), which is used on muzzleloading firearms to force the ammunition and charge down the barrel.

Modern guns are breech loading so this procedure is unnecessary.

The Last Judgment

I think that the way the Jews were treated was unfair.
The origins of anti-Semitism lie in Christianity ----- the Christians believed that the Jews murdered Jesus, who had been sent by God
to save the world (ironically, Jesus himself was Jewish).In the Middle Ages, this developed into a systematic ideology of anti-Semitism, and the effect of the Black Death (which killed almost half the entire population of Europe ) led to Jews being blamed for spreading disease and poisoning wells. This was the beginning of the systematic
pogroms and mass killings of Jews in Europe, which culminated
in the Nazi Holocaust.

Endless War

Neither the Jews nor the Palestinians are innocent -- both sides are locked in a brutal struggle for control of that region,and are behaving with ruthlessness and brutal violence. Sigh...ultimately the British are to blame. It was British imperialism in that region which created the conditions out of which the present conflict developed.

Out of Many

It should get here within the next week or two.
The book weighs over three pounds.
It is in a giant envelope.
It's United States Postal Service Priority Air Mail. Snail mail is the best way...UPS and Fed EX are wanting huge bucks,the postal service
is more reasonable.

Boxing Day

There seems to be something wrong with the server.
Siberian Fox will probably fix it soon;we just have to be patient.
Well,I'm already withdrawal symptoms from PoFo.
I may need therapy.I've heard that shopping can be very good therapy. lol

Moonstruck

"In Napoli
Where love is king
When boy meets girl
Here's what they say
when the moon hits your eye
Like a big pizza pie
That's amore..."
Cher and Nicolas Cage star in this film. I love romantic stories.
The concept of romantic love is one of the greatest innovations
of Western culture.
It only appeared during the Medieval period as 'chivalric love' or 'courtly love',even now,people talk about 'courting' a woman
in order to establish a romantic bond.

Save Christmas

Diversity is a mixed blessing. It's certainly interesting,but it also breeds conflict.I suppose it's unfair to other religions,but America is 81% Christian and the founding population was entirely Christian.
The founding fathers dont want religion to become a tool of the state
to control people,not to separate religion from public life entirely.
Most early US government documents refer to God or a "creator",
and it says,"In God we Trust" on the money.

Let it Snow Let it Snow

Xmas is a national holiday in Britian. Because Christianity is the official state religion,there's no problem about the separation of Church and State,because they have never been separated. :)))
In US,on Christmas it is tradtional for Jews to go to the movies and
eat Chinese food. Muslims dont do anything remarkable.
Hindus often celebrate Christmas and call it "December gifts"
because their children want a Christmas tree,Santa,and presents.

Scottish

I dont know if Potemkin got my last reply on the PoFo.
It went off line when I hit send.
I hate it when I send a long,thought out message and dont save it before I send it,then it never gets sent.

Missya

David was given a "yellow card" warning due to his signature banner offending certain sensibilities and rules on PoFo. He has a rather controversial sense of humor.LoL.The yellow card removes his ability to have a signature,avatar,send private messages,or view profiles.
Anyway,it will be gone in a week.

Upper Midwest

Dave lives in a small town of 8,000 people called Antigo,in the state
of Wisconsin. It's one of the most German areas of America (42%),
and most of the either ethnic groups there also came from central Europe. So the traditional food there is similar to Central Europe. There's a large assortment of sausage in particular,and there are
also many breweries which produce unique beers. One curious local favorite are "cheese curds",which consist of the curds from cheesemaking.

Boned Chicken

I have always heard that chicken soup is good for the common cold and bacterial infections. I hope Dad feels better. Wish him a speedy recovery.Sigh,I'm spolied.I even dont know how to start with a live chicken...I just know what it looks like cleaned and cut in the store.

Grand Lake

Tai Lake is a metaphor for the state of Wuxi's development :
primitive accumulation of green algae (Green Buck).
It makes me think of Cuyahoga River in Cleveland,Ohio.
Americans once had a pollution problem in U.S. as well.
The Cuyahoga River used to routinely catch on fire.
In the early 1970s strong environmental laws were passed
and pollution was mostly solved.

Advent Wreath

In Germany,the christmas season begins with Advent. A wreath of evergreens with four red candles hung in the home. Wiebke just got back from business travel and picked up my various message. "Advent" is very important in Germany,and not very much celebrated in the US,so she's surprised I know about it.
LOL,the Interent knows all.

"Let us unite!" monologue

It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond
of it. Our knowledge as made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little.
More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness,
we need kindness and gentleness.

Massachusetts English

The parcel arrived at Cambridge,MA last night.
English up there is totally different in the accent to the way it is spoken in the Southern or the Midwestern.
In Massachusetts,they donot pronounce any "r" sounds after a vowell.
When they say "I parked the car",it sounds like "I paked the ca."

Live and Let live

It's more a religious thing than social.
I am not threatened by two gay men who want to marry.
And I dont think it would cheapen my marriage.
I would worry about something,though.

Card-carrying Etiquette

Red's uncle is a retired police officer in New Jersey and he gets an annual "Police Benevolent Association" card.
It's not an automatic "get out of jail free" card but it does help him when he in trouble with the cops.His first speeding ticket was the lowest possible fine along with no points deducted from his license because of that card.
Well...I think that's wrong because it gives special privileges to
certain people that others are not going to receive.

Advent Candles

One should definitely keep looking at things from different angles.Taking time to understand the whole picture is always a better strategy. But how? "Information is the currency of democracy." That's why I watch CNN,CCTV,sometimes Fox News and different kinds of newspaper.BBC gives the best world coverage without the commercial interruption of U.S. Commercial TV.Also,they do not air fluffy stories meant to sell.They tell pertinent news only.

Holler Back

Everyone has been under the gun at work.
Luckily,it's Christmas time again.It's that time again ------ love & happiness.I am sending off postcards tomorrow.It may take a week or two using snail mail.Alex bought a Chinese papercut and he will ship from his office.I guess UPS,FED EX and DHL,one of them will give him
a deal.

Blackout

Moon City has no power,
And the milk is getting sour.
But to me it is not scary,
Cause I stay away from dairy.

Escape detection

What's happening to this world?! Academic research is for the public good while industrial research has profit in its mind.Companies keep secret of what they find and profit from it.
Media is always dependant upon the filters they use to observe an event.They want to sell papers,or programs,not get the whole truth.
Part of the truth is not the whole truth.

I love Futurama

Let's just say that this show is amazing,like the Simpsons and Southpark...irreverent and funny.

Designed Response

Does the man make history or does history make the man?
Patriotism can be viewed through several prisms of thought.
It can be used as a tool of peer pressure,pressuring one to do what
is right for country even though it's wrong for many other reasons,
or it can be seen as a love of country,pure and simple.

Checksand Balance

I am hearing stories of people fighting over democracy,and I have been harassed a little,myself. I ask for it by not keeping my mouth shut when I should. I just dont think people think about all things when they speak so absoltuely about life economics or politics.
I think the unknown should be respected,if not defined.
And I always keep a healthy respect for the unknown and argue
with that in mind.

Best Gift

"Since it is a Christmas present, I feel as though I should throw in
a pair of socks or something lol that is more useful in winter than
a silly history book. " LoL ...I like books; the books have the same information; it's explained differently to different ages depending
upon maturity level.
Well,knowledge is the best eraser in the world for disharmony,
distrust,despair,and the endless physical deficiencies of man.

The New Rome

What makes U.S. powerful? Some luck, some brilliance, and a lot of sacrifice. The rest of the world was ruled by kings, queens, emperors,
and aristocrats at the time. A true democracy, like in Rome during the early times had not existed since then. The first leaders were so against political power and the power of kings that they avoided instilling it in any way to any person for any length of time.
These people were colonial serfs with no titles (or very few of them)
and they decided to forge a new covenant like the Roman democracy model but with checks and balances to limit the power of any single individual within the government system. They created a country where power through business and achievement could be achieved,
but not political power. Power is limited, rule of law supercedes all.

Alarmists

Is Global Warming a Hoax? I have not seen proof.
The climate is changing,at different rates,in different directions,
at different parts of the world,and this change is potentially
catasteophic to the ecosystem.
We are in a momentous time of climate adjustment.

Holy Cow!

That director is killing honor and justice! There are artistic ways to depict the same using different methods.
There is no excuse for filming the killing an animal and selling it as art.To me that is gratuitous violence which only inspires more gratuitous violence.To live by the sword is to die by the sword...

Pro-Gun

The Hucks live in the foot-hills of the Smokey Mountains.No tall peaks or famous locations,but breath-taking beauty all the same.What they call mountain lions in Alambama are really large panthers.
Those panthers are called mountain lions,but they are not real lions,
at all.Huck doesnt shoot things just to stuff them and put them on the wall. Only for meat or protection of himself or his family.Many in the U.S. do not share this fascination,nor do they approve.
Luckily,they can have their opinion and we can have ours.