October 2025
Jack-O-Lantern Halloween
31/10/25 07:55 Filed in: Holiday
Who is Jack in the carving of pumpkins to make Jack-o-Lanterns for Halloween? Where did this come from which you can learn here…
An old Irish folktale tells the story of Stingy Jack, a miserable drunkard who played tricks on family, friends, and even the devil. One day, he tricked the devil into climbing a tree, then placed crosses around the tree trunk so the devil couldn’t get down. After Jack made the devil promise not to take his soul when he died, he removed the crosses.
When Jack died, St. Peter denied him entrance to heaven, but the devil kept his promise and didn’t take his soul. Jack was destined to wander forever in the darkness between heaven and hell, but he asked the devil how he could live with no light. The devil tossed him a live coal from the flames of hell to help him light his way. Jack placed it in a hollowed-out turnip, and ever since that day, Jack has roamed the earth without a resting place, with only the makeshift lamp to light his way.
Many folklore tales are based on the need to explain some natural phenomenon or give a warning for safety, and Jack’s tale explained the luminous natural shimmerings found hovering over swampy ground at night, caused by spontaneous combustion of gases formed by rotting organic matter. The glowing fog was considered to be a sighting of Jack as he roamed the darkness with his turnip lamp.
An old Irish folktale tells the story of Stingy Jack, a miserable drunkard who played tricks on family, friends, and even the devil. One day, he tricked the devil into climbing a tree, then placed crosses around the tree trunk so the devil couldn’t get down. After Jack made the devil promise not to take his soul when he died, he removed the crosses.
When Jack died, St. Peter denied him entrance to heaven, but the devil kept his promise and didn’t take his soul. Jack was destined to wander forever in the darkness between heaven and hell, but he asked the devil how he could live with no light. The devil tossed him a live coal from the flames of hell to help him light his way. Jack placed it in a hollowed-out turnip, and ever since that day, Jack has roamed the earth without a resting place, with only the makeshift lamp to light his way.
Many folklore tales are based on the need to explain some natural phenomenon or give a warning for safety, and Jack’s tale explained the luminous natural shimmerings found hovering over swampy ground at night, caused by spontaneous combustion of gases formed by rotting organic matter. The glowing fog was considered to be a sighting of Jack as he roamed the darkness with his turnip lamp.
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Ready For Halloween
The good witches and pretty princesses are ready for the 2025 Halloween time. School is having 'trunk or treat'. It is a time to wear lipstick of the ghoulish colors and have a showy attitude. Have a look…
For Fun Inspector Clouseau
26/10/25 12:12 Filed in: Current Affairs
The Louvre Museum recently had a brazen heist of royal jewelry worth millions of dollars. These were very historical pieces that were taken within 7 minutes of activity.
One thing I loved was a photo taken of a very dapper youngish man in the crowd by the police. He was dressed as one would not usually see in many settings. One for the ages and the article by the AP about this heist.
One thing I loved was a photo taken of a very dapper youngish man in the crowd by the police. He was dressed as one would not usually see in many settings. One for the ages and the article by the AP about this heist.
Look Up Colorful Sunrise
22/10/25 18:52 Filed in: Berlin Community | Photography
One can tend to get wrapped up in details that aren't exciting then miss looking up at the beauty of the morning or day.
A oolorful sunrise this morning, so much of a mix of colors with the mist on the ground too.
Appalachia
19/10/25 16:15 Filed in: History
Berlin Sunrise Contrast
18/10/25 08:21 Filed in: Berlin Community | Photography
The sunrises here can be outstanding. This one is such a contrast of sky color and the mountains being in the dark.
Harvest Moon 2025
12/10/25 07:39 Filed in: Photography | Moon
The skies were clear earlier this week and we got to see some great views of the full Harvest Moon rising over the mountains. It is one of my favorite sights in the fall.
See the moon touching Bald Peter Mountain.
See the moon touching Bald Peter Mountain.
Vlad-as-Dracula-The Impaler
06/10/25 11:25 Filed in: History
So, was Vlad the Impaler, the persona that Dracula was based upon, truly as wicked a warlord as we are led to believe? Maybe further research indicates he wasn't as deadly as the myth suggests. Hmmm!?
You can read more about this here…
The abstract is…
<<Vlad III Dracula (c. 1431–76), the three-time voivode (prince) of Wallachia (1448, 1456–62 and 1476) and the historical inspiration for Bram Stoker’s famous novel, has been best known since the fifteenth century as Vlad the Impaler (‘Țepeș’ in Romanian and ‘Kazıklı Voyvoda’ in Ottoman Turkish). The violence and cruelty associated with his name by medieval chroniclers, pamphleteers and poets explains much of the fascination that Vlad has exercised on biographers and readers over the centuries. In order to portray the voivode and his violent conflicts with his subjects and neighbouring states, historians routinely cite the astonishing numbers given by Renaissance sources of impaled Wallachians, Saxons from Transylvania (an autonomous province within the kingdom of Hungary) and Ottomans. They generally do not, however, call these numbers into question. In her 2021 article about ‘facts and myths from the life of Vlad III the Impaler’, Aleksandra Bartosiewicz, for instance, simply observes that, ‘according to various estimates, between 40,000 and 100,000 people were sentenced in this gruesome manner during the Impaler’s rule, of which approx. 20,000 were exposed to the public in the capital city of Targovişte’.>>
You can read more about this here…
The abstract is…
<<Vlad III Dracula (c. 1431–76), the three-time voivode (prince) of Wallachia (1448, 1456–62 and 1476) and the historical inspiration for Bram Stoker’s famous novel, has been best known since the fifteenth century as Vlad the Impaler (‘Țepeș’ in Romanian and ‘Kazıklı Voyvoda’ in Ottoman Turkish). The violence and cruelty associated with his name by medieval chroniclers, pamphleteers and poets explains much of the fascination that Vlad has exercised on biographers and readers over the centuries. In order to portray the voivode and his violent conflicts with his subjects and neighbouring states, historians routinely cite the astonishing numbers given by Renaissance sources of impaled Wallachians, Saxons from Transylvania (an autonomous province within the kingdom of Hungary) and Ottomans. They generally do not, however, call these numbers into question. In her 2021 article about ‘facts and myths from the life of Vlad III the Impaler’, Aleksandra Bartosiewicz, for instance, simply observes that, ‘according to various estimates, between 40,000 and 100,000 people were sentenced in this gruesome manner during the Impaler’s rule, of which approx. 20,000 were exposed to the public in the capital city of Targovişte’.>>
FCoV23 Group Meeting
We came together, at least almost 25 of us, as an international group in Ft. Collins at the Translational Medicine Institute. It was a beautifully arranged board room that was technologically set up for our meeting to record by Zoom and other means. It was quite productive after 10 months of planning to report on research projects and plan for the future of research of FIP in Cyprus, Greece and other part of the world. We had people from Australia, Scotland, Greece, Germany, and the United State. One individual was from Northern Ireland originally, living in Pittsburgh now.
I was the note taker and camera person for our gathering.
I was the note taker and camera person for our gathering.
Between Laramie and Ft. Collins
05/10/25 14:07 Filed in: Travel | Photography
On the way to Ft. Collins, CO, there is an approximately 65 mile cutoff between Laramie, WY and Ft. Collins. It is a beautiful rolling hills to mountainous country with lots of grass, creeks, big rocks and boulders. This area reminds me of the geography on the way to Devil's Tower near NE Wyoming/South Dakota. Very striking countryside. The land flattens out more as you come to the outskirts of Ft. Collins which is a lovely city in itself.
Paint Horse To Win
05/10/25 11:56 Filed in: Animal Kingdom
My cousin, Kathy Parker and her husband, Dale, own the top Paint Horse in the U.S. at halter. He is a strikingly beautiful animal. We got to see him up close at their barn and since that time he has traveled to Ft. Worth to be shown again.
Busy, Busy
September was a very month with travel starting on the 1st with a drive to Ft. Collins, CO for the FCoV-23 International Consortium Meeting on September 5th followed by the FIP Symposium on the 6th and 7th. The meeting finished quite well and felt successful. I'm proud of the work the group has done over the past almost 2 years, especially the last 1.5 years with proposals, funding and results on the whole.
A short break at home to get ready for the 5 days up to Portland staying at the Hyatt Regency Hotel by the Convention Center. Over 1400 veterinary professionals attended and it was a special meeting where we got to see old friends, go to dinner, just talk and be together.
Then back home to get ready for the EveryCat Health Foundation fall review on September 30th.
Whew!
A short break at home to get ready for the 5 days up to Portland staying at the Hyatt Regency Hotel by the Convention Center. Over 1400 veterinary professionals attended and it was a special meeting where we got to see old friends, go to dinner, just talk and be together.
Then back home to get ready for the EveryCat Health Foundation fall review on September 30th.
Whew!
