Are You Related To Yourself?

It's a simple matter of math, geography, and settlement patterns:

The numbers are pretty easy.

There is 1 of you--unless you've got an identical twin.

Two biological parents, four biological grandparents, eight biological great-grandparents.

The number keeps doubling each generation.

Counting yourself as generation one, by the time you have reached generation twenty, the seventeenth great-grandparent generation has been reached.

There are 524,288 theoretical blank spots in this generation of your pedigree chart.

Depending upon how "mixed" your ancestry is, there's a reasonable chance of repetition.

Extend the lineage back ten more generations and the number is a staggering 536,870,912 ancestors!

Now there's a database (documenting it is another story).

Thirty generations ago, the world's population was significantly less than half a billion.

If you could trace each line that far (and chances are you can't), there would be names repeated.

When one keeps in mind the small geographic area these individuals came from the number of "repeat" ancestors is not surprising.

When records allow tracing ancestors for two or three hundred years in a village of two or three hundred people, the chance of intermarriage is great.

If individuals from a small village migrate to the United States together (as some individuals from this area did) the geographic closeness may be replicated (at least for thefirst few generations).

Even if you are not related to yourself, it's possible that you are related to an individual in more than one way.

There are many individuals who are "double first cousins" (where brothers married sisters, for example).

The relationship may get even more complicated than that.

Should we be telling people about all these double cousins? HA!

~~Written by Anonymous

Summer's A Coming

Spring usually comes quite early to Virginia, however, as March is approaching there are warnings of yet another snowstorm - bigger than the one this week. I need to think positively.

In the depths of winter
I finally learned
there was in me
an invincible summer. ~~Albert Camus

Albert Camus Spiritual Readings
Albert Camus Quotations

First Smile

On Wednesday, the 23rd of February, Brenna's father captured her first smile. Smiling Brenna has no idea what is in store for her and neither do I. She is to inherit the world that I leave behind. Brenna could possibly see the dawning of the 22nd Century. She was born on the 6th of January 2005, the Day of Epiphany. My father was born on Primrose Day, ninety-six years earlier to Victorian parents who had travelled in sailing ships to new lands. Generations come and generations go, always in a mysterious pattern. Little Brenna only adds to the mystery, but oh, what a marvelous and sweet addition.

The Shortest Lived Art Form

After having designed probably hundreds of web pages in the last four years, I come across this prophecy:

"Web design will be the briefest art form man has ever known. Maybe they'll make a museum somewhere, housing large blowups of early web home-pages." ~~My Hypertexual Life

The author/prophet is likely on the mark. I hope there will be a place somewhere in the museum for a cutting edge granny: Neddy's Pages & Web Sites

Jimmy the Sub

Cartoon From Cox & Forkum, The Yellow Submarine by the Beatles

The USS Jimmy Carter entered the Navy’s fleet Saturday as the most heavily armed submarine ever built, and as the last of the Seawolf class of attack subs that the Pentagon ordered during the Cold War’s final years.The $3.2 billion Jimmy Carter was commissioned Saturday, the first submarine named after a living ex-president. Carter, a submariner during his time in the Navy, was on hand for the ceremony signaling the end of an era in submarining.

Does that last statement mean the death knell of US Naval Submarining because Jimmy Carter was there, or because the Navy has named a submarine for him?

The USS Jimmy Carter in Pictures

The Pope Writes a New Book

Homosexual marriages are part of "a new ideology of evil" that is insidiously threatening society, Pope John Paul says in a new book published Tuesday. In "Memory and Identity", the Pope also calls abortion a "legal extermination" comparable to attempts to wipe out Jews and other groups in the 20th century. "It is legitimate and necessary to ask oneself if this is not perhaps part of a new ideology of evil, perhaps more insidious and hidden, which attempts to pit human rights against the family and against man," he writes.

The Holy Father John Paul II is on the "side of right", and I am too.

The Poetry of Pope John Paul II

Comments by Disintegrator

Belgians Pee on Bush & Old Glory

Oh Those Quaint Belgians
Brussels has a beloved statue of a peeing boy, "Manneken Pis". So, is that why, when an American President visits, the Belgians consider it appropriate to pee on the Head of State's head? ...

"WHEN JOHAN VANDE LANOTTE, Belgium's Vice Prime Minister, goes to the toilets today, he finds the urinals in the offices of his ministry decorated with stickers. They show an American flag and the head of George W. Bush. "Go ahead. Piss on me," the caption says. Vande Lanotte is one of Bush's hosts in Brussels. Is peeing on your guest's head appropriate?" from "Piss Off" by Paul Belien in today's "Weekly Standard"

From "pissed-off" at Kerfuffles

First in War & Peace; Seventh in Our Hearts

Moved to Blogging The Revolution

Pine Tree Crosses

Have you ever noticed the pine tree crosses in Springtime? If not, you have something to anticipate with great joy. Pine Tree Crosses

Found at Kerfuffles

LISTEN to Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and the Ithaca Moonbats! The legislator said that Carl Rove of the White House set up Dan Rather and CBS by passing off forged documents. I wonder if he knew that the recording ears of Little Green Footballs were there? Where's the proof? You don't ask and they don't tell!

Not all bats are Moonbats. Barking Moonbat's blog has an actual big-eared bat mascot at his site in the upper right corner. Once you tickle him with your mouse pointer, you will know that he is your friend.

INDC's Take on the Moonbats
In case, you are like me and not really sure what is a moonbat, Bill of INDC is also the author of last December's Dances with Moonbats, which has many snapshots of them and their performances in their unnatural habitat on the Mall. Where? INDC, of course. It is a part of his INDC Science Series.

The above was borrowed from Kerfuffles.

George Washington's Birthday

George Washington was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first President of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia.

The Father of Our Country was a man of great personal integrity, with a deeply-held sense of duty, honor and patriotism. He was courageous and far-sighted, holding the Continental Army together through eight hard years of war and numerous privations, sometimes by sheer force of will. He never accepted pay during his military service, and was reluctant to assume any of the offices thrust upon him. When John Adams recommended him to the Continental Congress for the position of general and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, Washington left the room to allow any dissenters to freely voice their objections. In later accepting the post, Washington told the Congress that he was unworthy of the honor.

From childhood onward, young George was conscientious of maintaining a good reputation, and he even wrote a book of rules for himself to follow. It is often said that one of Washington's greatest achievements was refraining from taking more power than was due. When creating the new county he was opposed to nepotism or cronyism, rejecting a military promotion for his own deserving cousin William Washington, lest it be regarded as favoritism. Thomas Jefferson understood the vital role that Washington played in the formation of the new nation. Jefferson wrote: "The moderation and virtue of a single character probably prevented this Revolution from being closed, as most others have been, by a subversion of that liberty it was intended to establish."

George Washington was a man for his time and a man of all time. In his honor, on this his now forgotten birthday, read about this great leader.

George Washington, The Christian

George Washington's Prayer

From The Prayer Journal of George Washington comes this lovely prayer to the Almighty written for Monday morning:

O eternal and everlasting God, I presume to present myself this morning before thy Divine majesty, beseeching thee to accept of my humble and hearty thanks, that it hath pleased thy great goodness to keep and preserve me the night past from all the dangers poor mortals are subject to, and has given me sweet and pleasant sleep, whereby I find my body refreshed and comforted for performing the duties of this day, in which I beseech thee to defend me from all perils of body and soul. Direct my thoughts, words and work, wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the lamb, and purge my heart by thy holy spirit, from the dross of my natural corruption, that I may with more freedom of mind and liberty of will serve thee, the ever lasting God, in righteousness and holiness this day, and all the days of my life. Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the gospel; give me repentance from dead works; pardon my wanderings, & direct my thoughts unto thyself, the God of my salvation; teach me how to live in thy fear, labor in thy service, and ever to run in the ways of thy commandments; make me always watchful over my heart, that neither the terrors of conscience, the loathing of holy duties, the love of sin, nor an unwillingness to depart this life, may cast me into a spiritual slumber, but daily frame me more & more into the likeness of thy son Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time attain the resurrection of the just unto eternal life bless my family, friends & kindred unite us all in praising & glorifying thee in all our works begun, continued, and ended, when we shall come to make our last account before thee blessed saviour, who hath taught us thus to pray, our Father, & c.

George Washington's Prayer Journal

Luck of the Unicorn

The Unicorn Deer has been a frequent visitor in our back garden this winter. He was here at Thanksgiving and then again on the very first day of the New Year, he appeared early in the morning. He has returned three or four times since. Now he is travelling with two other bucks and a doe.

The Unicorn is the messenger of Luck, as he is the one horned knight of Lady Luck. A Unicorn in one's garden is indeed a very special gift, especially so on New Year's morning. Unicorns are symbols of good luck, purity and power and they are endowed with a very unique braveness. The old wives say that only a person who is pure in heart is able to see the Unicorn. For this reason he has remained a mythical creature for so long. No one seems to know where the unicorns came from, however, in ancient times they were about the land, bestowing luck and bravery. Now they are seldom seen.

Washington's Spy Ring

This weekend we Americans celebrate "All" President's Day in lieu of honoring only our first president, George Washington. In actuality, the Americans of the nineteenth century elevated him almost to a deified status. Washington was and is quite deserving of all the adoration shown upon him. He was ordained by God to become the father of a new nation and he fulfilled his role well. He is probably now commanding a heavenly legion of angels, watching over his beloved land and protecting it. At least, that is my hope. He was a person of many skills and many interests - what was known as a Renaissance man. Something that few people know is that during the American Revolution, he ran a spy ring. Imagine, George Washington, founder of what is now the CIA! He knew he was up against probably the world's greatest army, an army with which he had served as an officer. He was a General in one army and a despised traitor in the other. The wise general knew that his army was mostly an undisciplined squad of ragtag farmers, and as Defense Secretary Rumsfeld famously said recently; "you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have". Washington did not even have an army and when he finally raised one and took it to war, he lost many, many more battles than he ever won. With help from the intelligence he gathered by the running of spy ring, he was able to outfox the British, and he won the final battle, the one that really counts. "George Washington, Spymaster" is a wonderful little book, especially for teenagers. Read it and learn about the intrigues of the long ago Revolutionary War.

Kerfuffles

Fighting for Freedom

60 Years Ago - The Battle of Iwo Jima

Cherish the memory of the Marines who fought the Battle of Iwo Jima, sixty years ago today. The battle lasted thirty-six days. In the first eighteen hours of battle, there were 2,300 casualties. To gain the Japanese island, the Americans lost 6,821 noble young men. The Marines suffered 23,573 casualties of a total of 70,000 in battle. The military planners of the invasion had underestimated the Japanese strength. The battle did not mark the end of World War II; fighting continued for another year. Of the platoon which raised the American ensign on Mount Suribachi, only ten percent of its members survived uninjured. The famous picture of the battle symbolizes not victory, but symbolizes the fight to be free. Once again, we are fighting Totalitarians, and once again there is no guarantee that we will win. Many who should be with us, are not, and in fact are hoping that we will lose. If we lose, it will be a step backward into darkness for humankind. Cherish the memory of the Marines at Iwo Jima and keep up the fight for freedom.

Bloggers by Jon Stewart

While covering the current kafuffles (kerfuffles) of Jeff Gannon and Eason Jordan and interviewing Ted Hitler, Jon Stewart gives a truly "hilarious" definition of bloggers: Jon Stewart

The Hilarity of Bill Maher

Bill Maher, formerly of the show Politically Incorrect, is campaigning to become the Democrats' new spokesman, since they have blacklisted Michael Moore for incompetency. Maher was fired from his show for being "politically incorrect", so it seems he has learned his lesson well. His new show will feature only "politically correct" humor. Here are some of his "funny" quotes from this week:

"We are a nation that is unenlightened because of religion. I do believe that. I think that religion stops people from thinking. I think it justifies crazies. I think flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative. I think religion is a neurological disorder."

"I love America. I am just embarrassed that it has been taken over by people like evangelicals, by people who do not believe in science and rationality. It is the 21st century. And I will tell you, my friend. The future does not belong to the evangelicals. The future does not belong to religion."

"When you look at beliefs in such things as, do you go to heaven, is there a devil, we have more in common with Turkey and Iran and Syria than we do with European nations and Canada and nations that, yes, I would consider more enlightened than us."

Someone should tell Bill and the Dems that, notwithstanding the "superior cultural enlightenment" of the Canadians and Europeans, they cannot vote in U.S. elections. However evangelicals and other Christians do vote.

Christians Have Neurological Disorder

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

Just in case you have been following the accusations of "lying liars" directed at Brit Hume and the Republicans concerning Franklin Roosevelt's quote, I have read both Brit Hume's version and the more complete one of Roosevelt and I saw no reason for confusion. However, Bill at INDC Journal has dissected the argument every which way, so click over there there if you want to verify who exactly are the lying liars. INDC Journal

Towing Hillbillaries

Look at the Hillbillary Clintons in their younger days. Even back then, they were already planning Bill's Presidential Library. Notice that Hillary is in the driver's seat. Too bad after spending $175 million dollars that no one seems interested in visiting. Also, too bad that you, dear American reader, pay the tab for its upkeep and maintenance, forever.

If you are thinking that this is a joke, just compare the images: Bill's Library 2005 from yesterday's USA Today. Here is the evidence, and here is even more evidence.

Now we learn that the one-bedroom, one-bath house that the famous couple lived in from August 1973 to December 1976, and where they were married on 11 October 1975, has been purchased by the University of Arkansas and will become another museum to the gloried Clintons. Of course, Bill Clinton's boyhood home in Hope, Arkansas is already a museum.

Hillbillary Image from Rob Floyd Designs

hillbilly, Clintons, doublewide, Clinton Presidential Library

Hunting Brer Fox

When the ancient sport becomes banned in England, does that mean that Ole Virginny will be more English than England? The Virginians will never give up the the sport of Father Washington. However, now that Wiley Coyote has moved into the neighborhood, is Brer Foxy long for this world?

Not England, But Lovely It Be

Fox Hunting in Virginia

“‘Mister Man! Oh, Mister Man! I’ll tell you who kill yo’ cow. You look in de maul, en dar you’ll fine ’im,’ sezee.

“Wid dat de man tuck a stick and lam down on de maul so hard dat he kill Brer Fox stone-dead. W’en Brer Rabbit see Brer Fox wuz laid out fer good, he make like he mighty sorry, en he up’n ax de man fer Brer Fox head. Man say he ain’t keerin’, en den Brer Rabbit tuck’n bring it ter Brer Fox house. Dar he see ole Miss Fox, en he tell ’er dat he done fotch her some nice beef w’at ’er ole man sont ’er, but she ain’t gotter look at it twel she go ter eat it." ~~Uncle Remus

The Sad Fate of Brer Fox

ADD Drugs at School

I wonder why I have believed that drugs were a definite NO-NO at schools all across America? I suppose because I have read the stories about teenage girls being expelled for taking Midol, and other disiplinary actions against students using aspirin, cough syrup, and throat lozenges. I had no idea that schools permit prescription medications for attention deficit disorder, and they actually warehouse the drugs at the schools. To top it off, apparently, at least one of these drugs, Adderal, is addictive.

The Ann Arbor (Mich.) News reports that Marcus Burlingame, an assistant principal at West Middle School in Ypsilanti, Michigan, admitted stealing students' prescription drugs, to treat his addiction to the drugs. He supposedly had been prescribed the medicine for his own ADD disorder, and when he became addicted, he began scamming pills from the students' stash at school. I guess I really am a dinosaur, but this does not make any sense to me! Why would addictive drugs be given to teenagers at all? Why would these drugs be in such abundant supply at school as to tempt addicts? Why would parents allow their children to take medicine that others could tamper with?

Are children so different today that they cannot learn without these drugs? If that is the case, then why have they changed so in just one generation? Who is responsible for pushing these drugs? Is it the drug manufacturers? Is it the pediatricians and psychologists? Is it the parents or the children themselves? Or is it the school administrators? If it is the schools, why? Do they really want to help the children learn, or do they have another motive?

Support Our Troops - Code Words?

That is what Bob Summer of NPR's All Things Considered said on February 14, 2005, about all those yellow ribbons appearing on vehicles.
LISTEN HERE
What is the REAL message of the magnetic yellow ribbons on cars? Bob Summer says that it actually means very little about supporting the troops. He believes it is a code that needs parsing, and he obliges:

Support our Troops = We Are Self-righteous Partisan Republicans.
Support Our Troops = We Live in a Red State.
Support Our Troops = We Dare You to Bring it On!
Support Our Troops = We Support the War, the Mission, the President and the Bush Administration!
Support Our Troops = We are Patriotic. You are NOT!
Support Our Troops = You should feel guilty for not having a magnetic ribbon on your car!

Mr Summer says: That curious phrase, "support our troops," on those yellow ribbon magnets seems to accuse me of not doing my part. Then I realized that "support our troops" is a code! It requires parsing. Here's what I think it means: Those who presumably need to be admonished to support the troops are those who oppose the decisions of the administration. 'Support our troops' means, then, that we should be supporting the war. I believe that most yellow-magnet bearers want support not just for the troops, but for the mission, the presence, the president. Maybe the magnets should say: "Shut up and support our troops.

Others Agree

What Is Islamic Terrorism?

Read the Koran and decide for yourself if it commands its believers to make war on unbelievers? This web site is not Christian or Jewish propaganda trying to villianize Islam. This English translation of the Koran online is a pro-Islamic web site. This is one of the translations of the Koran. And this is one of the chapters.

Surah At-Taubah (Repentance) The Nineth Surah of the Qur'aan
"5. Then when the Sacred Months (the Ist, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islâmic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, then leave their way free. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people..." HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, Los Angeles Times, May 31, 1996, page 3."

The Citizen Warrior