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Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Denying The Resurrection?

Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space:

When I first saw the news surrounding the excavation of the tomb in Jerusalem, I was so excited, I failed to notice that their touted conclusion apparently denies the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The scriptures tell us that AFTER the resurrection, Jesus Christ ate food and permitted His followers to touch His body, thus proving that His resurrection was physical, and not merely spiritual.

So, whose bones are in the "Jesus" ossuary?

Scriptures tell us that Joseph of Arimathea, a very wealthy and influential individual, donated his personal tomb for interring Jesus Christ, yet, Joseph of Arimathea is NOT mentioned in that excavation.

Joseph of Arimathea made his fortune from British tin mines, established the first Christian community in the British Isles (long before the Roman Catholics) and is reputedly buried at Glastonbury, England.

As for the family of Jesus Christ, yes, I do believe He was married while mortal, possibly to more than one wife.

I base that on a combination of scripture, ancient Jewish custom, and deductive reasoning.

Did the wife (or wives) and children of Jesus Christ flee to Europe?

If the family and followers of Jesus Christ were being systematically hunted down and murdered, then MAYBE the tomb in Jerusalem is part of an elaborate hoax intended to mislead pursuers?

Yes, the names of the individuals in that tomb were common names throughout the Jewish community at that time.

Also, since the tomb is situated on the outskirts of present day Jerusalem, then what did that area look like two thousand years ago?

Was the tomb located on the outskirts of Jerusalem at that time, or was it then located many many miles out in a remote area?

In any event, I'm still enthusiastic regarding the news of this excavation, so yes, I'm still very much anticipating watching that very special
television broadcast at 2100 Hours Eastern Time on Sunday 04 March 2007.

I like to learn all facts, even if a discovery seems to initially contradict my basic religious faith.

To me, truth is truth, and religion and science are not opposed, but will verify each other.

Thank you.

John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "
My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Monday, February 26, 2007

Special Broadcast on 04 March




Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space:

I was just looking at the
Drudge Report, and I see there's going to be a very special program broadcast at 2100 Hours (i.e., 9:00 P.M.) Eastern Time on Sunday 04 March 2007 on the Discovery Channel.

Apparently, the actual tomb of Jesus Christ was excavated in 1980, and has been verified by DNA tests, AND - - - He and His wife, Mary Magdalene had a son named Judah.

Neat, huh?

Well, that ain't no shock.

After all, the Jewish law of that day, which Jesus Christ observed, required that He be married before He would be permitted to teach in the Temple or synagogue.

Also, Jesus Christ set the example for the rest of us, so naturally He would have married and started a family.

That's also verified by ancient writings indicating a Roman Catholic pope (I don't remember which one) ordered bishops to seek out and kill any descendents of Jesus Christ who were living in Europe.

No, I ain't talking about the "
DA VINCI CODE", or whatever, which has been disproven, (leastwise, I don't think I am - - - or am I?) although the "DA VINCI CODE" apparently makes reference to those writings.

Anyway, I ain't never read the novel, nor have I seen the movie.

Go to this web site to learn even more details and to discuss this topic.

Boy, oh boy, I'm looking forward to watching this program.

What an appropriate activity for the Sabbath, huh?

Thank you.


John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "
My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Movie Critique: "BLAST FROM THE PAST"

Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space:

I just finished watching BLAST FROM THE PAST, a wonderfully hilarious feel-good movie, starring Brendan Fraser, Christopher Walken, and Sissy Spacek.

Do you remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962?

I lived through it, and I recall how frightened and helpless I felt, for it surely seemed as though we were indeed on the brink of extinction.

Imagine that circumstances caused you to honestly believe it was necessary for you and your family to enter your nuclear fallout shelter, and imagine that you are forced to remain there for thirty-five years.

Imagine you are a child born in that fallout shelter, and grow into an adult, knowing only what your parents tell you.

Then, you suddenly enter the modern world.

That's what the show is about, and it is great!

Yes, I do recommend you rent this video and enjoy an evening of popcorn and pizza with your family and/or good friends.

Thank you.

John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Monday, February 19, 2007

More Information About "GRACE"

Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space:

Since my earlier post of the lyrics to the Irish ballad, "GRACE", I've learned a few more details.

The song, composed by Sean O'Meara and Frank O'Meara, tells the story of Joseph Mary Plunkett, a multi-talented Irish poet, only twenty-eight years old, terminally ill with tuberculosis, and a prisoner in the Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Ireland.

Sentenced to death, he was permitted to marry Grace Gifford, an artist, in the prison chapel.

They were allowed to visit for ten minutes, but not allowed to be alone, before he was taken out and shot by a firing squad.

The words, "His blood upon the rose", is from a poem written by Joseph Mary Plunkett, and refers to Jesus Christ.

Grace Gifford also was active in fighting for Irish independence, and in 1923, become a prisoner in the same Kilmainham Gaol for three months.

When she died in 1955, she was buried with full military honors.

Thank you.


John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Oops! I Goofed - - - BIG Time!!!

Comrades-in-Arms:

Oops, I goofed!

The radio program was broadcast last night.

But, you can still listen to it by
clicking on UPDATE: You can listen to the full show right here! .

The first half hour of the program is an interview with Michele from Sew Much Comfort, which provides altered clothing for hospitalized war veterans who have lost limbs.

The second half hour will be Kristinn Taylor from
A GATHERING OF EAGLES.

I'm listening to the broadcast right now on my computer.

Thank you.

John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Radio Broadcast TONIGHT!!!

Comrades-in-Arms:

I apologize for such short notice, but if any of you receive this in time, there will be an Internet radio broadcast TONIGHT at 2200 Hours, Eastern Time, and you can listen to it on your computer.


They will be discussing "
A GATHERING OF EAGLES", which is the name for the efforts by military veterans and patriots to protect the Viet Nam Memorial from being vandalized by war protestors on 17 March 2007, and you can even call in to the show with your own questions or comments.

The men in charge of the operation are Colonel Harry Riley, United States Army (Retired) and Captain Larry Bailey, United States Navy (Retired).

Other organizations giving support are Rolling Thunder, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Move America Forward, and Free Republic.

If you want to know what we're dealing with, just go to the war protestors' web site, A.N.S.W.E.R.


You may wish to share this with other interested individuals.

Thank you.

John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Friday, February 16, 2007

For Military Veterans

Comrades-in-Arms:

I just read a very disturbing announcement on the Internet.

The original notice was very lengthy and detailed, so I won't bother copying it into this message, but merely tell you what it says.

On 17 March 2007, there will be a huge anti-war protest gathering at the Viet Nam Memorial here in Washington, D.C.

It's designed to duplicate or celebrate a similar huge war protest held in 1967.

Among the war protestors are radicals who intend on defacing the Viet Nam Memorial, and they are warning Viet Nam veterans to stay away.

However, a nationwide appeal has been launched, imploring for as many Viet Nam veterans as possible to gather at the Viet Nam Memorial and form a human shield to protect it.

*************************
NOTICE:
I hereby appeal to the administration here at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C. to schedule a special bus trip for residents who wish to participate in this patriotic duty.

**************************
I'm guessing our effort will entail long hours standing in the open weather, with no logistical support.

So, we'd better take field jackets, ponchos, hats, gloves, and boots, plus canteens of water, sack lunches, and medical supplies.

I really doubt there'll be sufficient toilet facilities available, and even if there were, they'd likely be vandalized.

Here is the URL of a web site where you can obtain further details:

http://www.usvetdsp.com/feb07/eagle.htm

Yes, you may want to consider sharing this message with other war veterans, along with their kith and kin.

17 March 2007 - - - what a way to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, huh?

Thank you.

John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day

To Whom It May Concern:

Happy Valentine's Day to you, my own, my only true love.

You are the only gal I'll ever adore, and I'll always be true to you and only you.

Did you see the news on television tonight?

I really meant to send you flowers and chocolates, honest I did.

But the news said no flowers or chocolates could be delivered because of the Winter storms.

But I really intended to send you flowers and chocolates, lots of them, really.

I meant to come visit, really I did.

But the news on television reported that the Winter storms caused all airline flights to be grounded, so you can understand my disappointment in not being able to see you tonight.

But, don't worry.

I'm thinking of only you, and I'll always be true to only you.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the Winter storms and the television news, I really would have come calling, bringing you lots of flowers and chocolates.

I really did plan to telephone you, but I don't want to use up the minutes on my cell phone, and besides, we really need to keep the lines clear for emergencies in this weather, don't you think?

But remember, you'll always be my only true love forever, and there'll never be anyone else.

In the meantime, because of this Winter storm, I reckon it's my civic duty to share my warm apartment tonight with the all-girl Rock 'n' Roll band that's passing through town.

After all, they're far from home in a strange city on a cold and lonely night, and I really should help them out, shouldn't I?

But I'll always be true to you, and you're the only gal I'll ever love.

Affectionately yours forever,

War Crimes INMATE # 6-4305
United States Military Asylum
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

Thursday, February 08, 2007

How Others View Mormons

Brothers and Sisters:

Here is another news report from the
Reuters News Service of interest to members of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints (i.e., the "Mormon" church).

The report is a couple of days old, but I just now saw it.


*****************

WILL POPE BENEDICT BECOME A MORMON AFTER HE DIES?

BY: Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor

Monday 05 February 2007
0846 Hours Eastern Time


Pope Benedict was baptized at birth and will most likely be baptized again one year after his death, not by his Roman Catholic Church but by a Mormon he never met.

The Mormons, a U.S. based denomination officially named the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), encourage members to baptize the dead by proxy in the belief they are helping the deceased attain full access to heaven.

Church members are told to focus on their ancestors, a rite understandable in a relatively new denomination founded in 1830.

But so many now perform the rituals for celebrities, heroes and perfect strangers that the practice has spun out of control.

Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Genghis Khan, Mao Zedong, King Herod, Al Capone and Mickey Mouse have all appeared for a short time in the International Genealogical Index for proxy baptisms, said Helen Radkey, a researcher specialized in the IGI.

"It seems that any kind of name at all may be submitted," said Radkey from Salt Lake City, where the Church is based.

The IGI also accepts names for rites that "seal" spouses in eternal marriage or parents and children in eternal families.

This has outraged Jews and baffled Christians who see it as usurping the memory of their departed relatives.

The Church says it cannot stem the tide of dead baptized in its own temples.

"The only way we could prevent it would be to undertake independent genealogical research on every name that came in, an utterly impossible task with the many tens of thousands of names that are submitted each year," Church spokeswoman Kim Farah said in an e-mail responding to questions from Reuters.

So Benedict looks set to join his predecessor John Paul and a centuries-long list of popes Mormons have baptized - - - despite the fact that he, back when he was the Vatican's top doctrinal authority, ruled that Mormon baptisms were not even Christian.

"There is no reason theologically why a former Pope or any other church leader shouldn't be offered the same opportunity given to the rest of mankind," Farah said.

The Catholics are not the only non-Mormons on the Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI), a list of those baptized or cleared for the rite in which a Mormon undergoes a full immersion baptism at a temple in the name of the dead person.

Jewish Holocaust victims, Protestant reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin and Mohammed ibn Abdel-Wahhab, founder of Saudi Arabia's stern version of Islam, have all popped up on the list.

A purged version of the IGI is on the Internet, at
http://www.familysearch.org, a Web site run by the LDS church, but does not show which rites have been performed.

That data is reserved only for Mormons, who can consult it at one of the 3,400 Family History Centers worldwide where they go to enter names for these rites using special software.

The rites are then performed at temples off limits to non-Mormons.

Radkey, who has exposed non-Mormon entries on the IGI for over a decade, alerted U.S. Jewish groups last December that the famous Jewish Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal had turned up on the IGI as a departed soul cleared for Mormon baptism.

Rabbi Marvin Heir, head of a Jewish human rights group in Los Angeles named after the deceased Austrian, called this "very offensive.

Simon Wiesenthal dedicated his whole life to Jews.

I don't think he needs help getting into heaven."

The Church pledged in 1995 not to list Holocaust victims and other Jews after many names were found on the IGI.

It took Wiesenthal's name off its online list but critics like Radkey say internal lists still have large numbers of Jewish names.

Pope John Paul II was baptized not once but four times in April 2006, in line with Mormon practice of waiting a year before starting these rites.

He died on April 2, 2005.

His name was purged from the online IGI, so a normal search will not find them.

But his four now anonymous files are still in the database and three still show his parents' names.

Pope Pius XII was baptized three times and also "sealed" in eternal marriage to a fictional Mrs Eugenio Pacelli.

Saint Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order of priests, was also "sealed" to a bogus wife.

Catholic clergy do not marry.

Names are purged from the public IGI after being found and publicized.

Pope John Paul I and Pope Paul VI were both baptized and were listed on the online IGI in December but removed after Reuters asked about them, Farah confirmed.

But earlier popes, going back at least to the Crusader Pope Urban II (1088-1099), are mostly still there.

"They remove any names that could potentially cause criticism," Radkey said.

Father Thomas Weinandy, head of the Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, described proxy baptism as inappropriate.

"We don't know whether the person would want this or not," he told Reuters from Washington.

"Catholics and other Christians feel they are already properly baptized.

But it's harmless.

As for the popes, I think most Catholics would find that somewhat inappropriate but also rather humorous.

They're already in heaven!

So it's redundant, even if it did work."

Mormons believe the early Christians strayed from the true faith and only the LDS Church returned to the right path.

All those who lived before 1830 were thus unable to join the Church and have full access to all the glory of heaven.

To trace and baptize these people, it has built up the largest genealogical library in the world, the Family History Library at its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This includes public lists of names collected around the world.

Clearly sensitive to questions about the practice, the LDS Church defends it as a central tenet of its faith.

It argues the proxy baptism does no harm because the dead can reject it in the next life, a notion baffling to most Christians.

Farah said Mormons were "always deeply saddened to hear" that non-Mormons might be offended to find their ancestors' names had been harvested from public lists and baptized into a faith they did not follow during their lives.

Church rules say deceased who were born in the past 95 years should not be submitted for baptism without permission from their living relatives, but the IGI shows this is often ignored.

Farah said the LDS Church has tried to discourage abuse of the system.

"We continue to look for ways to improve," she said.


*****************

It's interesting to read what other folks think about us.

Of course, since I'm a convert, I used to be one of those "other folks".

Thank you.


John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Foxit MUCH Better Than Adobe!!!

Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space:

The software conflicts with Adobe Reader, Internet Explorer, and Windows Vista have been resolved.

I downloaded and installed the Foxit Reader and it works perfectly, reading PDF documents with Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista.

Not only that, the Foxit Reader has features that the Adobe Reader doesn't offer.

With the Foxit Reader, you can hide the toolbar and view the PDF document in full screen mode, which is exactly how I like to work.

In the Adobe Reader discussion forum, a user explained that part of the problem we've all been having is due to having upgraded from Windows XP to Windows Vista.

It turns out that a clean initial installation of Windows Vista, and not an upgrade, will work just fine.

Now then, for those of us who already purchased the upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista, will Microsoft offer us a solution, or will they make us pay AGAIN for a clean installation?

As a result of my own experience with Windows Vista, I'm thinking that Windows Vista is more ideal for computers with multiple users, but for a personal computer used solely by only one individual, Windows XP might be more practical.

I also think that IF someone knows what they're doing, and is not a sucker for Internet scams, that earlier versions of Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player are actually easier to use.

Personally, on my computer, I like things simple and organized.

Thank you.

John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Broadcast on Ancient America - - - TONIGHT!!!

Brothers and Sisters:

I hope this e-mail gets to you in time, and that you're able to read it.

Even then, few of you will be able to take advantage of this, since almost none of you can indulge in listening to a radio program being broadcast thoughout the night.

Anyway, I just now learned that tonight's broadcast on "COAST TO COAST AM", will feature a discussion of ancient artifacts and writings discovered in North America, a topic which will be of particular interest to those of us who are members of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints (i.e., the "Mormon" church).

The program's featured guest will be Glenn Kimball.

The "COAST TO COAST AM" radio broadcast, which is the most popular night time radio program in the United States, can be heard in almost any area throughout the country during the wee hours, when all the World is asleep, and mysterious things are happening.

Although it is broadcast in Washington, D.C. from 0100 Hours (i.e., 1:00 AM) until 0500 Hours (i.e., 5:00 AM), on WMAL-AM 630, I generally choose to use my computer and listen to it at the WGST-AM 640 web site in Atlanta, Georgia.

So, if your radio can't pick up a signal, just listen to it on your computer.

The nightly broadcast, normally features discussions on all sorts of unexplained phenomena and secret conspiracies, which makes life fun when you're listening to that all alone, late at night, in pitch black darkness, out in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of miles from any other human being!

Spooky, spooky, spooky, huh?

It's kind of like ghost stories around a campfire.

What I want to know is, why do all these other folks see UFOs, but I've never seen one?

Have any of you ever seen a UFO?

You may wish to share this information with other Latter-day Saints.

But, if you do, you'd better hurry.

The broadcast is TONIGHT!

Thank you.

John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."

Friday, February 02, 2007

Adobe Reader and Windows Vista

Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space:

As I'd previously reported, Adobe Reader 8 would not open in Windows Vista.

After conferring with Microsoft technicians in Bombay, India, the problem was eventually resolved by removing Adobe Reader 8, and replacing it with Adobe Reader 7.9

However, after I got off the phone, I discovered Adobe Reader 7.9 only opens PDF documents stored in the computer.

When I tried to open PDF documents stored at a web site, the Internet Explorer 7 browser would close, with an error message saying the problem was caused by Adobe Reader.

So, I tried using a different browser, Mozilla Firefox, and it worked.

I prefer using Internet Explorer, because it allows me to hide the toolbar.

Mozilla Firefox will also hide the toolbar, but the navigation window is separate, and remains visible, unless I uncheck it, which I don't like doing.

Also, Mozilla Firefox displays the Favorites menu differently, and not every one of my favorite web sites is included.

So, I'll continue using Internet Explorer 7 to surf the Net, and only use Mozilla Firefox when I have to open a PDF file at a web site.

I've also figured out why I can't always use Bold fonts when composing an e-mail or document.

Normally, I like to use Arial Black fonts, but in Windows Vista, the Bold font option only works with every other font except Arial Black.

When talking with the Microsoft technician in India, I was using my prepaid cell phone, as I don't have a regular land line telephone.

As our lengthy conversation was rapidly depleting the amount of calling units on my cell phone, I requested he call me back on my computer, using my AOL Instant Messenger telephone number.

He did, and it worked perfectly, allowing us to continue the session, during which the technician could observe and control my computer from Bombay, India.

All in all, everything is gradually working out just fine and dandy.

I've posted my experiences in the Forum at the Adobe web site, and I e-mailed the Microsoft technician in India apprising him of what else I had learned since we had ended our phone call, since I feel certain Microsoft will want to know about these things.

YAHOO! Messenger and SKYPE Messenger work normally, with no problems, allowing me to use my web camera, with voice.

I expect that the folks at the University of California at Berkeley will soon create a patch to make their B.O.I.N.C. program more compatible with Windows Vista.

The B.O.I.N.C. program, which I use for running S.E.T.I. at Home, or the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, does operate, but not like it should.

It will not load from the Start Menu, but does run from the Task Bar, and each time I reboot, I have to install the program all over again.

AOL Instant Messenger does load on start up, but it will not connect.

The only way to get AOL Instant Messenger to connect is to reinstall the program, which does connect it.

AOL Instant Messenger is important to me because it gives me a telephone number and allows folks to call me.

Windows Live Messenger also loads on start up, but will not connect, or even recognize my user name and password.

Since it's a Microsoft product, I find it ironic that it won't work in Windows Vista.

Shucks, I just now read on the Internet that Microsoft MIGHT be devoping even newer operating platforms, FIJI and VIENNA, to replace Windows Vista.

Right now, it appears to be largely speculative among computer reviewers, although the writers seem to possess a surprising amount of detailed information on the proposed systems.


Thank you.

John Robert "SAIGON" Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

NOTE: "My unpopular and controversial personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."