Ancient History : People and Places : Seven Wonders Plus One (or Two)

My late sister was an avid reader. She read anything and everything – books, newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias, dictionaries. My appreciation for the joys of reading did not come until my university years. My sister's brain was a repository of all kinds of information. Why read? Just ask her your questions. :) She was the one who taught me about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. To this day, every time there is a mention of these “Wonders”, it opens up a floodgate of memories.

Found an article at Info Barrel and would you believe it? Nothing has changed. Yep. The pyramids, the Hanging Gardens, a statue of Zeus, etc.All seven of them are still holding their historical ground as the "Seven Wonders", marvels and monuments to man's ingenuity, intelligence, and skill.  Structures actually built without a CAD program.  (CAD = Computer Aided Design)

● REFERENCE:

OnlineInspiration. "The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World." InfoBarrel.com. Hinzie Media Inc., 18 May 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.

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Here's something my sister did not teach me but it has always been a wonder to me; two wonders if you count each person separately.

Two of the most influential people in the history of mankind. One of them, you can't find their grave or burial place. The other, there's a tomb but no body. Moses and Jesus.

You would think, what with them being prophets and notable leaders on a Divine mission, that they would have left some sort of indisputable undeniable physical trace of their existence on earth. Like maybe ... a bone fragment for DNA testing.

Not trying to be blasphemous, irreverent, or disrespectful. Don't want to offend any true believers out there. Let the record show I'm a true believer. OK? But it does make me wonder.  (O.o)

***

“The tomb is now open and the Nazarene is gone.”

Pure Flix. “AD: The Bible Continues.” YouTube, 2 Feb. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1ANOKSB060. 

That was the only impressive line in that TV series.  It was a very disappointing television show.  "... this production has got to be the most historically inaccurate, unbiblical presentation of a Bible story ever made!!"  (I'm quoting myself.)

Review:  TV Series : “A.D. The Bible Continues” Does Not Continue the Bible!

Are the Kids Labeled as Gen Z Hopeless? (My Answer to This Question)

Alex Phillips published an article via Medium.com titled "Gen Z Are Destined To Fail! : Heres How To Break Free From The Gen Z Curse.". It is an excellent read. After reading I left a few comments.  My thoughts shared at the article are also published below.  I would like my comments with my JDV blog visitors, who don't visit the Medium platform.

My granddaughter likes to laugh and say since she's Gen Z, she's hopeless. If it's just a silly joke, no problem. But I do hope she know that she is precious and where there is life, there is always hope.

That being said, I'd also like to say that “every generation blames the one that came before”, per Mike & The Mechanics. Or to borrow words from Billy Joel “We didn't start the fire.”

Every generation faces “something”! Gen Z is no different from any of the other generations. Whatever demons arise they have to take them on! You either learn how to think for yourself and stand on your own two feet … OR __________. I'm not sure how the blank will get filled in for each individual, but it won't be good.

History should be taught AND wisdom acquired from history lessons should be passed down from generation to generation. It's the least that one generation can do for the next generation. That Billy Joel song is PACKED with history lessons.

Original source

In every generation, some people cause problems & sorrow for everybody. The consequences of their acts last for generations. When PAST bad stuff & PRESENT bad stuff combine, it sure makes the FUTURE look bleak. Isn't that why every generation blames the one that came before?

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) June 3, 2024

Best Books of the Year 2023.
Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, & Silents—& What They Mean for America's Future https://t.co/pjYNn9oBoj via @amazon @goshoppingbees#books #reading #readinglist #booksworthreading #gifts for #booklovers pic.twitter.com/PrZuRTcyta

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) June 5, 2024

Do Souls Exists? (My Answer to the Question)

As a member of the Medium.com writing community (view my writer's profile), not only do I enjoy writing content but I also enjoy reading and commenting on the articles of my fellow writers.

Aurum Archon published an article titled "Do Souls Exist?". It is an excellent read and he shares many informational links in his article for further exploration. After reading I wanted to leave a few comments.  On Medium, responses to comments appear on your profile but they are not counted in your list of stories.  I often re-share my comments with readers who visit my blog.  When it comes to the question of the existence of souls, almost everybody has thoughts about this topic.  The comments below are my thoughts.

"Only two things in life are certain: death and taxes." LOL.

Some people say they don't believe in God or a Higher Being. But they believe in science, i.e. something that can be proven. God can not be proven therefore God is not real. To me, that's kind of a humorous way of thinking or analyzing because most scientists supposedly make great that are discoveries that are even named after them.

However, what they discovered was already there. The scientists never explain WHO put it there or how it came to be. The so-called great scientific discoveries are often “accidental”. It makes me wonder if God or the Higher Being has watched from a distance as they diligently searched for answers and explanations and had pity. And God said: “If I don't show them how this or that works, they're never gonna figure it out for themselves.”

That being said, I remember a man who wanted desperately to scientifically prove the existence of the soul. He had a dying man hooked up to a machine that would measure the change in the person's body immediately after their death. He would conclude that any change recorded by the machine “might be” PROOF the soul existed.

As it so happened immediately after the person died the machine did record a change, but it was so small, so tiny, that it was practically “un-measurable”. Nevertheless, the person performing insisted that it “might” have proved the existence of the soul. Of course, there would be others in the scientific circles who disagree with his conclusion, So now other scientists can debate whether the experiment really proved the soul's existence and the debates can carry on back and forth until Jesus comes. LOL.

I very much enjoyed this article and appreciate the links you shared for further reading.

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The Old Soul's Guidebook: Who You Are, Why You're Here, & How to Navigate Life on Earth ~ https://t.co/9ETxfZlXNh via @amazon #booksworthreading #BooksMakeGreatGifts #DonateOrShare #books #reading #readlinglist #library @goshoppingbees @cmoneyspinner pic.twitter.com/jq4F25ComL

— cryptocurrency_nooze (@cryptoCCnooze) May 20, 2024

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness ~ https://t.co/1YyMOVgLtL via @amazon #booksworthreading #BooksMakeGreatGifts #DonateOrShare #books #reading #readlinglist #library @goshoppingbees @cmoneyspinner pic.twitter.com/vC0qhJ9GX1

— cryptocurrency_nooze (@cryptoCCnooze) May 20, 2024

The Cry of the Soul: How Our Emotions Reveal Our Deepest Questions about God ~ https://t.co/W9cmus4ASe via @amazon #booksworthreading #BooksMakeGreatGifts #DonateOrShare #books #reading #readlinglist #library @goshoppingbees @cmoneyspinner pic.twitter.com/oIvxICpAxs

— cryptocurrency_nooze (@cryptoCCnooze) May 20, 2024

Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives (Michael Newton's Journey of Souls, 1) ~ https://t.co/z2lXBmgyY8 via @amazon #booksworthreading #BooksMakeGreatGifts #DonateOrShare #books #reading #readlinglist #library @goshoppingbees @cmoneyspinner

— cryptocurrency_nooze (@cryptoCCnooze) May 20, 2024

DNA is considered the blueprint of life. ...

Sharing a few thought after reading an excellent article published via USAToday.

After more than 20 years, scientists are finally done mapping the human genome, Approximately 8% of genetic material could not be deciphered with previous technology. That missing 8% was like a detective story with the pages missing that tell you who committed the crime. Why is this important? You could say that “Earlier maps, he said, were missing entire chapters of the book of life.”

“Mapping this genetic material should help explain how humans adapted to and survived infections and plagues, how our bodies clear toxins, how individuals respond differently to drugs, what makes the brain distinctly human and what makes each of us distinct from each other”, said Evan Eichler, a geneticist at the University of Washington School of Medicine who helped lead the research. Now, "we can continuously read the book with almost no errors," he said, "we can get from Page 1 to the final chapter."

RE: HEALTH AND MEDICINE: There is still a lot that is unknown, however, what is known about DNA mapping is used in medical care. The human genome is now routinely used in determining cancer treatment, reactions to certain drugs and identifying inherited genetic diseases.

RE: CRIME: DNA tests have revealed cases of “fertility fraud”. When a female patient went to receive artificial insemination, she was led to believe that it was the sperm of anonymous donor. Evidently, the doctor was donating his own sperm. How many patients did he did that to? I'm guessing the doctor knows OR he maybe he did it so many times he lost count. I'm not sure he has been found. The report I heard indicates he “could not be reached”. But this case opened up a “can of worms” and now several fertility doctors are being investigated.

• Mapping of human DNA is complete. Here's what that means for humanity.  

Article writer: Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com.

Fascinating Facts About Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt is a civilization that seems to fascinate everyone.  From the pyramids and the Sphinx, to tombs of the pharaohs, to the fact that the Egyptians are credited with inventing cosmetic make-up and jewelry.  Ancient Origins is a wonderful online information resource that everyone should subscribe to, if interested in studying the history of mankind; especially when it comes to learning about ancient civilizations; or ... to put it i their words: "Reconstructing the history of humanity's past".  

• An example of one of their articles is "5 Unique Facts Straight Out of Ancient Egypt".

Interesting article. My thoughts? The mummification process sounds like a desecration of the human body and a waste of money. “From dust thou wast and to dust thou shalt return.” (Gen 3:19) Thus, the decay of the body after death is a natural process and it will happen with or without mummification; brain, internal organs and all.

PRESENT DAY APPLICATION: Not much has changed in modern times. Before my husband passed away he did the research and instructed us to have him cremated. I see why. If you decide to go the other route of a casket, burial place, etc., the funeral homes will nickle and dime you to death! We did a comparison because one of my sons did not like the idea of cremation. However, when we started exploring the cost, my son remarked: "𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘮! 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘰𝘯 $300 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭. "

I know I was supposed to be sad and there was no disrespect to the dead intended, but I could not help laughing because that's what it looked like. Also, I admired my husband for thinking in advance and giving us his blessing to choose the "cheapest method" to dispose of his remains. My husband was always frugal about spending. I realized that he was even frugal when it came to dying.

❤️️ #JustMeThinking

If You Liked This, You Might Also Like:

● Ancient History: African Kingdoms: Nubian Princesses

Sunflowers and Why I Don't Worry About a Thing

The late Bob Marley (1945 - 1981) used to sing a song called “Three Little Birds”. I love the beginning lyrics because they help me face the day.

"𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 '𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 ...” 🎶🎵 

I thought 2020 would be the year I would never forget because that was the year the COVID pandemic was announced and everything went on lockdown. By the end of that year I was totally ready to kick 2020 to the curb! Grrrr … !!

But then … 2021 came and for the first time in history, the entire state of Texas was told to brace for a snow storm. WHAT??? From Grrr …!! TO Brrr...!! It was brutal!

I survived the Winter of 2021. I don't really remember the Spring of 2021. But the Summer of 2021 came and we were told to be brace for heat!

Guess what? The summer of 2021 was one of the mildest summers in Texas that I had ever experienced. It felt like spring. The best part? Sunflowers were blooming all over the place!

"𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬"

(Image credit: texastraveltalk.com)

I wonder if that was God's way of telling me:
"𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 '𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 ...” 🎶 🎵 🌻 😊 ❤️️

 

 * * *

Sunflower Fields in Texas To Visit. It's time to cut-your-own Sunflowers. Here's the list of farms that allow it!https://t.co/uWVA8KKRow pic.twitter.com/hRSX86y6Fd

— Texas Travel Talk (@TxTravelTalk) June 7, 2022

Religion and Philosophy: Questions and Answers: TO LIE OR NOT TO LIE

This question was asked in a forum. 

TO LIE OR NOT TO LIE

by ebanreb » 

Sometimes we are in a situation where we are confronted with so many problems which lead to a point to make a decision whether to lie or not to lie.

* * *

This was my response.

A lie is willful and deliberate intent to deceive. That's how someone explained or defined a LIE to me. They told me to use that as my guide. Another guide that I use? Jesus called Satan the father of lies. “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”   (John 8:44) I don't know much, but I do know if there is deception or deceit involved in something you're doing, then it's not good. If it's not good then it must be bad or evil. Also, I don't like the idea of being one of Satan's children. So the answer is NO.

* * *

A lie is even far more grave and serious than a fairy tale like Pinocchio would lead you to believe. I appreciated the question as it gave me a chance for some and serious thought and reflection.

How would you have answered this question?

: Would you be interested in joining ForumCoin and responding to more questions like this?  Every once in a while we like to put on our philosopher's hat and discuss the meaning of life.  However, the mood at the site is not always so somber and serious.  Sometimes we play games, chit chat with each other about miscellaneous things, share ideas and tips on how to make money online, and just hang out!  It's a social site that pays. 

Come join us at ForumCoin.

  

Related articles:

• My Worry-Free Philosophy

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• Quotes and Notes : Philosophy : Confucius Wisdom and Quotes

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• Philosophy : Patience and Happiness Are Not the Same

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Understanding American Politics (An Opinion Piece)

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: This is an opinion piece I wrote on August 30, 2012. The content became unpublished because either the site was shut down or the blog was deleted. I managed to salvage an old copy and I am republishing here just to keep a record of a conversation I had with myself 8 years ago. Nothing much has happened after that date to change my views. Except that I don't hear anybody talking about the Tea Party anymore.

Photo by Little Tree on Unsplash

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A nice person invited me to a gathering to discuss the happenings at the Republican Convention. I declined the invitation.

I declined because – just as I don’t vote – I also never pay any attention to those Conventions – Republican or Democrat.

All that stuff BEFORE the election is just balloons with hot air rising up to the ceiling and confetti trashing up the floor.

The outcome of the elections is always the same. Whoever ends up in the oval office either: (a) cheated his way in, (b) bought the seat, or (c) was actually elected by the people who voted!

I’m clear on the agenda of the political parties because that never changes.

• The Republicans are like The Mafia. You’re either in the organization or you work for the organization. They’re not like the forefathers. They’re more like the godfathers.

• Whereas the Democrats. … Eh! They just wanna party!! And they don’t see why those Republicans can’t just let them have FUN!!! Why they gotta be old farts, stick-n-da-mud party poopers?! I mean the forefathers already got US our freedom! Right? Why we can’t just enjoy it?

• The Independents are trying to be the sober-minded sensible conscientious responsible citizens. THEY TRY!!! They try to tell both of the “children” that being selfish and immature is not a good thing! They try to persuade them and to get them to understand that DECISIONS must be made which are for the GOOD OF ALL THE PEOPLE, in order for democracy to really work!

• The Tea Partiers are … God only knows! Seriously!

Of course, these are just my observations. I could be wrong. :)

* * *

Thomas M. Magstadt also has an understanding of politics that he developed into a book, over 500 pages: Understanding Politics. A book he has written and rewritten a few times. When I penned these thoughts and observations he had published the 10 edition. As of Jan 1, 2020, the 13^th Edition has been published. This is his basic premise: “Politics is a gateway to a broader and better understanding of human nature, society, and the world.”

* * *

Uh huh. That’s his angle? OK. I can see how a person could write a book based on that premise. But I’m specifically aiming at American politics. Still, the book is probably a worthwhile read.

** By the way, in order for democracy to work, you must also be able to exercise your freedom of speech. And if any of the party members don’t agree or don’t like what I say in public, when I exercise my freedom, just remember … y’all be publicly trash-talking and talking trash too! I don’t like a lot of what I hear coming out y'all mouths neither!! But you’re welcome here at my blog.

*** An alternate title for this blog post would be: "No Matter What! I Always Cheer for the Red, White and Blue!"

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More of MY Opinion Pieces:

A Nation in Decline (An Opinion Piece)

Who Should Be the Next President of the USA? (An Opinion Piece)

2020 US Presidential Election (An Opinion Piece)

Illegal Immigration in the USA: A Proposed Solution (An Opinion Piece)

Politics Versus Religion: It’s About Faith.  (Not Opinion)

Only One Day Left : What's your Final Answer?

This is a common question asked to provoke thought and/or make people appreciate their lives more.

Fill in the blank: 
**If I had one day left to live, I would _______.**

This what my blank would filled in with:

Ask the Almighty God, my Creator, to give me the same treatment that Enoch and Elijah received.

Skip DEATH and go straight to HEAVEN.

- Enoch was “translated” - Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 11: 5 – 6
- Elijah was carried away in a whirlwind – 2 Kings 2: 1 – 11


They never have any moves like this in Monopoly!

Image found on Pinterest.
Content first appeared on MyLot.com, August 17, 2015 12:41pm CST

Food and Drink: Health and Coca Cola : Teaching the World to Lament and Repent

From music evolution to soda slamming? (O.o) 

You may ask: How did I get there? Here's how.

No longer subscribe to cable or satellite TV and don't often tune in to the telly in the mornings. But my husband happened to be watching CBS This Morning and there was an interesting segment titled "CBS CHANGING TUNES".

It began with the moderator going through a series of songs that were all a part of my life's musical tapestry and of course, my head was nodding up and down in agreement with all of the selections – Beatles, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, Bee Gees, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, etc.


But then they switched and said that a more exact method was going to be used to determine the music evolution in America.


What were the results of using this method?


Changing tunes in the USA still started with the Beatles ( i.e. the British Invasion ) but ended up with Hip Hop (Example: LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out.)


For those who disagreed with the research findings, this was the response: “This is science. Everything else before that was just opinion.”


Needless to say, I disagreed.
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But as if that wasn't bad enough, in an attempt to try to find that particular segment of the CBS morning TV show on the Internet to listen to it again, stumbled across the "CBS SODA SLAM" segment.

Commercial jingles were not included in the music research project mentioned in the previous paragraph. If they were, the Coca-Cola jingle – harmony hilltop song would certainly have been included. To lift a quote from this TV program segment, that tune is the “single most famous commercial ever produced”. So well-known that a health advocacy group chose to remake it and change the lyrics to promote healthy eating and drinking.

This is not opinion. It is fact that sugary soft drinks have had adverse health consequences, on a global scale.

Yet, my devotion and loyalty to Coca-Cola have never waned.

(Sigh.) Why couldn't the world have just enjoyed my favorite carbonated beverage in moderation?

Lament. Repent. Lament. Repent. Lament. Repent.

Anyway! Didn't find the video for the “Changing Tunes” segment on the Internet, but here's the link for the remake of the words for the iconic classic Coca-Cola commercial by the health advocacy group. (http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/health-group-remakes-iconic-coca-cola-jingle-to-take-on-soda)

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Links of Interest:
History of Coca-Cola
History of the Soda
The Evolution of Tea
Joseph Priestly Invented Carbonated Water
* * *

Society and Culture: “The Rise of Asia: A New Phenomenon?”

China to rise above the US?  It's a question and a thought.

~ Intro: “Many believe that the rising prominence of Asia, and particularly China, in world affairs is an unexpected and new phenomenon but history shows us that Asian superiority in terms of the progress and cultural output of their societies has occurred in the past.” 

~ Conclusion: “The West may see a threat in the rise of Asia but Asian countries see an opportunity to improve their status and move their societies closer to what they once were.” 

Interesting reading. 
~ Will China will ever become more powerful than the US? 
~ Care to weigh in? 
My answer was not included in the poll's multiple response options.
My answer is: Define “powerful”.

• The Rise of Asia: A New Phenomenon? | HUBPages.com

Via Joie de Vivre Magazine

~ Source: http://ift.tt/2hPbDvM
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