Chariot and Horse Burial Uncovered in Bulgaria

I am fascinated by this kind of burial - it is so evocative of the ancient chess piece the ruhkh (warrior and chariot) and the "King's Champion" - Ruhkh - utilized by the Shahs of ancient Persia. Until the game of chess was modernized, probably in Spain at the end of the 14th century (The Chief, Ricardo Calvo, wrote extensively on this) the "rook" (a/k/a ruhkh) was the most powerful piece on the board, capable of broad sweeping moves. Bulgarian archaeologists discover ancient chariot By VESELIN TOSHKOV, Associated Press Writer Thu Aug 7, 12:24 PM ET SOFIA, Bulgaria - Archaeologists have unearthed a 1,900-year-old well-preserved chariot at an ancient Thracian tomb in southeastern Bulgaria, the head of the excavation said Thursday. Daniela Agre said her team found the four-wheel chariot during excavations near the village of Borisovo, around 180 miles east of the capital, Sofia. "This is the first time that we have found a completely preserved chariot in Bulgaria," said Agre, a senior archaeologist at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. She said previous excavations had only unearthed single parts of chariots — often because ancients sites had been looted. At the funerary mound, the team also discovered table pottery, glass vessels and other gifts for the funeral of a wealthy Thracian aristocrat. In a separate pit, they unearthed skeletons of two riding horses apparently sacrificed during the funeral of the nobleman, along with well preserved bronze and leather objects, some believed to horse harnesses. The Culture Ministry confirmed the find and announced $3,900 in financial assistance for Agre's excavation. Agre said an additional amount of $7,800 will be allocated by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for an initial restoration and conservation of the chariot and the other Thracian finds. The Thracians were an ancient people that inhabited the lands of present day Bulgaria and parts of modern Greece, Turkey, Macedonia and Romania between 4,000 B.C. and the 6th century, when they were assimilated by the invading Slavs. Some 10,000 Thracian mounds — some of them covering monumental stone tombs — are scattered across Bulgaria.

Chess News Update

Chess Femme News has been updated, and my August column at Chessville is now up and running. Enjoy!

The Search for a German Stonehenge Begins

German scientists dig for their own Stonehenge Wed Aug 6, 2008 10:23am EDT (From Reuters) BERLIN (Reuters Life!) - Archaeologists have discovered traces of a Bronze Age place of worship in Germany in what they say might be the country's answer to Stonehenge. Scientists from a university in Halle are excavating a roughly 4,000 year-old circular site in eastern Germany which contains graves that bear a strong resemblance to Stonehenge, a prehistoric stone circle of towering megaliths in southern Britain. "It is the first finding of this kind on the European mainland which we have been able to fully excavate and which shows a structure we have until now only seen in Britain," Andre Spatzier, head of the excavation team, told Reuters TV. He thinks rituals and ceremonies took place at the site, possibly even sacrifices. "The way it is built, with many concentrated rings of graves, walls, palisades and pillars are very similar to the British monument at Stonehenge," added Spatzier. The site, near the town of Poemmelte, was discovered through aerial photos which showed the formation of the graves in a ring with a diameter of about 80 meters (yards). One difference to Stonehenge, however, is that the remains are made out of wood rather than stone. So far the scientists have found few items such as bones or pieces of glass, but they expect to find more as the dig continues. The final results are expected to take up to three years. Stonehenge goes back to 3,100 BC when native Neolithic people started its construction. There is no consensus among scholars on whether it was a temple, burial ground or an astronomical site. (Reporting by Reuters Television, Writing by Madeline Chambers, editing by Paul Casciato)

Mysterious Object Crashes Near Needles, CA

This is "old" news, from May, 2008. Here's the You Tube link (video) to the news broadcast out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Normally, darlings, I don't pay any attention to this sort of thing, but I have to admit I found this rather intriguing and a very well done news report! I don't think it's an "alien spacecraft" - more likely a test on a top secret aircraft being developed for/by the US government that went awry. That would be a fascinating story, though, all by itself.

Knights Templar Launch Legal Battle Against Pope

From The Telegraph.co.uk If even a tenth of what is said in some of the myths of the Templars is true, they sure were an interesting group - supposedly the progenitors of the Masons (Scottish rite), the first pirates flying under the "Jolly Roger" flag, the engineers of the mysterious "money pit," the architects of the mysterious Roslyn Chapel. The heirs of the Knights Templar have launched a legal battle in Spain to force the Pope to restore the reputation of the disgraced order which was accused of heresy and dissolved seven centuries ago. By Fiona Govan, Madrid Correspondent Last Updated: 1:07PM BST 04 Aug 2008 The Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ, whose members claim to be descended from the legendary crusaders, have filed a lawsuit against Benedict XVI calling for him to recognise the seizure of assets worth 100 billion euros (£79 billion). They claim that when the order was dissolved by his predecessor Pope Clement V in 1307, more than 9,000 properties as well as countless pastures, mills and other commercial ventures belonging to the knights were appropriated by the church. But their motive is not to reclaim damages [yeah, right] only to restore the "good name" of the Knights Templar. "We are not trying to cause the economic collapse of the Roman Catholic Church, but to illustrate to the court the magnitude of the plot against our Order," said a statement issued by the self-proclaimed modern day knights. The Templars was a powerful secretive group of warrior monks founded by French knight Hugues de Payens after the First Crusade of 1099 to protect pilgrims en route to Jerusalem. They amassed enormous wealth and helped to finance wars waged by European monarchs, but spectacularly fell from grace after the Muslims reconquered the Holy Land in 1244 and rumours surfaced of their heretic practices. The Knights were accused of denying Jesus, worshipping icons of the devil in secret initiation ceremonies, and practising sodomy. Many Templars confessed to their crimes under torture and some, including the Grand Master Jacques de Molay, were burned at the stake. The legal move by the Spanish group comes follows the unprecedented step by the Vatican towards the rehabilitation of the group when last October it released copies of parchments recording the trials of the Knights between 1307 and 1312. The papers lay hidden for more than three centuries having been "misfiled" within papal archives until they were discovered by an academic in 2001. The Chinon parchment revealed that, contrary to historic belief, Clement V had declared the Templars were not heretics but disbanded the order anyway to maintain peace with their accuser, King Philip IV of France. Over the centuries, various groups have claimed to be descended from the Templars and legend abounds over hidden treasures, secret rituals, and their rumoured guardianship of the Holy Grail. Most recently the knights have fascinated the modern generation after being featured in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code.

4000 Year Old Canaanite Warrior Found

This is a rather sad discovery because the archaeologists are saying this "warrior" was between 15 and 20 years old when he was buried. Hardly even time to have a life. Lebanon Daily Star By Mohammed Zaatari Daily Star staff Tuesday, August 05, 2008 SIDON: The British Museum's excavation team in Sidon have recently unearthed a new grave containing human skeletal remains belonging to a Canaanite warrior, archeology expert and field supervisor Claude Doumet Serhal told The Daily Star on Monday. According to Serhal, the delegation made the discovery at the "Freres" excavation site near Sidon's crusader castle. "This is the 77th grave that we have discovered at this site since our digging activities has started ten years ago with Lebanese-British financing," she said. According to Serhal, the remains go back to 2000 B.C., with a British archeologist saying the warrior had been buried at the age of 15 to 20 along with a spear and two stamps. "We have discovered earlier this year a jar also belonging to the Canaanite period i.e. to 2,000 years B.C. where a skeleton for a newborn baby had been found," she added. The archeologist said that Freres "is the first excavation site in old Sidon that is located on a land owned by the General Directorate of Antiquities." "We can say that through the discoveries we have been making at this site, we will be able to draw a graph showing the history of this ancient Mediterranean merchant city since 3000 BC," she added. Serhal said the British delegation would continue its work until the first of September "when we will announce the discoveries we have made." "Among the institutions that have taken in charge the financing of our project, are the British Old House Institution, the Issam Fares Foundation, the National Cement Company, the Hariri Foundation and Sidon's school network in addition to Byblos Bank," she said. Serhal had described Sidon as one of the most important metropolises of the Near East from the earliest of times. "It is mentioned 38 times in the Old Testament and appears in Genesis as the oldest Canaanite city, 'the firstborn of Canaan,'" she said. During those 10 years ago of excavation the discoveries were continuous: tombs and burial jars for children and adults, jugs, pieces of pottery with Phoenician inscription, bronze weapons for warriors in addition to jewelry. "Last year, for example, we found tons of wheat going back to 3000 BC," Serhal added. The British Museum launched earlier this year an archaeological documentary entitled "Sidon 5,000 years" with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the ancient history of the southern port city.

2008 World Junior Chess Championship (Girls)

Standings after Round 4: Rank SNo. Name Rtg FED Pts Fide 1 13 WFM ABRAHAMYAN Tatev 2277 USA 4 10 2 1 IM HARIKA Dronavalli 2461 IND 3½ 9½ 2 WGM MUZYCHUK Mariya 2413 UKR 3½ 9½ 4 17 WIM DAULETOVA Gulmira 2267 KAZ 3½ 9 5 7 WIM GOMES Mary Ann 2316 IND 3½ 8½ 6 18 WIM MIKADZE Miranda 2258 GEO 3 8½ 29 ISGANDAROVA Khayala 2207 AZE 3 8½ 31 WFM OZTURK Kubra 2188 TUR 3 8½ 9 19 WIM PADMINI Rout 2257 IND 3 8 24 MUMINOVA Nafisa 2242 UZB 3 8 11 22 WIM IVAKHINOVA Inna 2248 RUS 3 7½ 12 9 WFM HOOLT Sarah 2298 GER 3 7 23 WFM NIKOLOVA Adriana 2242 BUL 3 7 33 WFM NAKHBAYEVA Guliskhan 2170 KAZ 3 7 15 6 WIM MAJDAN Joanna 2323 POL 2½ 8 30 WFM LEKS Hanna 2198 POL 2½ 8 17 25 WIM NADIG Kruttika 2241 IND 2½ 7½ 26 WIM YILDIZ Betül Cemre 2236 TUR 2½ 7½ 27 WFM PERTLOVA Sona 2217 CZE 2½ 7½ 20 4 WGM NEMCOVA Katerina 2372 CZE 2½ 6½ 12 WGM MAMEDJAROVA Turkan 2284 AZE 2½ 6½ 15 WIM TSATSALASHVILI Keti 2271 GEO 2½ 6½ 16 WIM POURKASHIYAN Atousa 2269 IRI 2½ 6½ 21 WFM BOROSOVA Zuzana 2254 SVK 2½ 6½ 32 PREETHI Rajkumar 2183 IND 2½ 6½ 26 11 WIM DAULYTE Deimante 2288 LTU 2½ 6 27 47 KALASHYAN Varduhi 2049 ARM 2½ 5½ 28 48 GUO Qi 2048 CHN 2½ 5 29 38 KAZIMOVA Narmin 2148 AZE 2½ 4½ 30 8 WFM SEVERIUKHINA Zoja 2300 RUS 2 6½ 31 10 WIM SOUMYA Swaminathan 2293 IND 2 6 28 WFM GASIK Anna 2211 POL 2 6 33 5 WGM FOISOR Sabina-Francesca 2337 ROU 2 5½ 34 34 WFM SGIRCEA Silvia-Raluca 2167 ROU 2 5 60 ALAVI Hour Homa 1723 IRI 2 5 36 45 IKONOMOPOULOU Maria 2074 GRE 2 4½ 37 40 WFM TJOLSEN Katrine 2121 NOR 2 4 41 WFM ERIC Jovena 2111 SRB 2 4 46 MIDDELVELD Martine 2073 NED 2 4 49 WFM CHIERICI Marianna 2037 ITA 2 4 51 ALBANO Jeremias Bianca 1990 POR 2 4 52 HEGARTY Sarah 1966 ENG 2 4 43 42 WFM BERKE Ana 2100 CRO 2 3½ 44 43 WFM SHAMIMA Akter 2099 BAN 2 3 45 14 WFM PAIKIDZE Nazi 2277 GEO 1½ 5 37 WFM KLIMETS Elena 2150 BLR 1½ 5 47 3 WFM BODNARUK Anastasia 2394 RUS 1½ 4 48 35 WFM DAVLETBAYEVA Madina 2155 KAZ 1½ 2½ 49 44 WFM EFROIMSKI Marsel 2091 ISR 1½ 2 63 KAYA Sena Nur 1529 TUR 1½ 2 51 20 WGM CORKE Anya 2255 HKG 1 4 52 36 WFM TOTH Sarolta 2151 HUN 1 3 39 WIM HAMRAKULOVA Yulduz 2145 UZB 1 3 50 WFM BAYRAK Asli 2013 TUR 1 3 53 WFM WIID Daleen 1931 RSA 1 3 61 ANTON Sarah 1681 AUS 1 3 57 54 ACAR Gizem 1931 TUR 1 2½ 56 MISOVIC Sanja 1914 MNE 1 2½ 59 55 BUKOVEC Tina 1929 SLO 1 2 57 BOYARCHENKO Marie 1895 LUX 1 2 58 ANTONOVA Nadezhda 1883 TJK 1 2 62 KARAYAYLALI Pinar 1597 TUR 1 2 63 65 DAI Irmak 0 TUR 1 1 67 OZMUT Perinisa 0 TUR 1 1 65 59 GARCIA Liria Caetano 1792 BRA ½ 1½ 66 64 BOSNJAK Antonija 0 BIH 0 0 66 KAYA Saadet 0 TUR 0 0 68 SALATIC Milica 0 BIH 0 0

Aussie School Girl Wins Coveted Weiqi Spot

Fascinating. This young lady has her head together - and the potential to earn "millions of dollars" playing Go! Reported in The Australian D. D. McNicoll August 05, 2008 Schoolgirl passes go JOANNE Missingham, a 14-year-old schoolgirl from Brisbane, has become the first Aussie to join the ranks of professional go players in China. Go, or weiqi as it is known in China, is an ancient strategy game with similarities to chess. In Hangzhou last month, Joanne faced fierce competition as players from across China battled for one of only two playing positions offered by the Chinese Weiqi Association each year. The top professional go players can earn millions of dollars each year. Australian Go Association president John Hardy says Joanne's achievement is extraordinary. "Remember in 2006 how underdog Marcos Baghdatis from Cyprus fought his way to the final of the Australian Open (tennis)? Joanne's achievement must seem like that to the Chinese," Hardy says. Joanne will also represent Australia in the World Mind Sports Games, which will be held in Beijing after the Olympics. strewth@theaustralian.com.au

Supporting Local Chess: Announcements

Atascocita, Texas From Our Tribune.com August 4, 2008 Atascocita Library 19520 Pinehurst Trail Drive, is open Sunday 1-5 p.m., Monday and Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Tuesday 1-9 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday 1-6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, call 281-812-2162. August programs: Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. Third annual Tween and Teen Chess Tournament. Sign up for an exciting afternoon of chess. Check out our amazing trophies in the display case. Registration is required since space is limited. ***************************************************************************************** Washington, D.C. From an article in the Mercury News.com (San Jose, CA) Check out the competitive chess players who congregate at Dupont Circle [Washington, D.C.] More on the chessplayers at Dupont Circle: Checkmate: Dupont Circle Chess for Newbies TOM MURPHY BALKS at my use of the word "intimidating" to describe the chess players at Dupont Circle. Then again, I have to remember to take what he says with a grain of salt. One of the most skillful players at Dupont, Murphy claims to know only "a little something" about chess. Having just sat through a chess lesson with him, I beg to differ. To a beginner like me, Murphy's mastery of the board game — featured prominently in The Washington Post Magazine's "The Days and Knights of Tom Murphy" last fall — is nothing short of mind-boggling, and the chess tables at Dupont Circle are downright scary. Walk through the northeast quadrant of the park and, unless you're a competitive chess player yourself, you're bound to agree. Luckily, according to Murphy, there's hope for even the most clueless chess newbie — as long as you follow a few basic rules. Rest of article. ************************************************************************************************** Announcement from Emporia Gazette! I have no idea where Emporia is - there is not an ounce of identifying markers in the page from which these announcements are taken. I believe they both refer to the same chess club: Saturday (August 9, 2008) The Emporia Chess Society meets from 1:30 to 4 p.m. every Saturday at Pyramid Pizza. All ages and skill levels are welcome, including children. There is no charge. Aug. 11 The Emporia Chess Society meets from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Granada Coffee Company. All ages and skill levels are welcome, including children. There is no charge.

Dragon Monument Found in Azerbaijan?

Ancient stone monument found in Lenkoran, Azerbaijan BAKU. JULY 28. KAZINFORM. A stone monument with an image of an unusual animal, similar to a dragon on it, was found in Kozalar village, of Lenkoran, Azerbaijan. The animal has a crown on his head, with fire coming out of its mouth. According to archaeologist Janvashir Hasanzade the age of the stone with the image of a dragon is at least 2000 years. He said the discovery is an anthem of the Girkan state on the Ptolemy's map. The ruins of ancient buildings were found in this territory. They locate at an area of 2 hectares. An underground tunnel of 3 meters in height and 1 meter in width was discovered during the digs in 1988. [! 1988? Nothing like these archaeologists being current in their field publications. Geez!] Due to the tense situation in the country, no studies were held there. [In 1988? or now?] The underground tunnel is in four directions. The west part of the tunnel extends to 6 kilometers to the ruins of Bellebur tower, Kazinform cites TodayAZ.

Official Chinese News Agency Reports 16 Police Killed

Can this be confirmed by independent sources? If not, I don't believe it. Report: 16 police killed in China border attack By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: August 4, 2008 Filed at 12:13 a.m. ET BEIJING (AP) -- China's official Xinhua News Agency says an attack on a border patrol station on the country's frontier with Central Asia has killed 16 police officers. The report says the assailants used a dump truck to ram their way into the paramilitary police station in Kashi and then tossed two hand grenades. Besides the dead, Xinhua says 16 officers were injured. Xinhua, citing police, said two attackers were arrested. It did not identify them. The area is home to a Muslim Turkic people, the Uighurs (WEE'-gurs). The Uighurs have waged a simmering rebellion against Chinese rule. The attack comes four days before the opening of the Olympics in Beijing. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. BEIJING (AP) -- China's official Xinhua News Agency says an unknown group of people has attacked a border patrol station on the country's frontier with Central Asia, leaving dozens of police officers injured. The report says the assailants drove two vehicles inside the paramilitary police station in the Kashi region Monday and then threw two grenades. The brief Xinhua dispatch described the attackers as ''rioters.'' The area is home to a Muslim Turkic people, the Uighurs (WEE'-gurs). The Uighurs have waged a simmering rebellion against Chinese rule, with some drawn to the militant Islam that has buffeted Central Asia.

Chess News

Hola! I've been working like a maniac for the past two days on the August, 2008 Chessville column, that I submitted just a few minutes ago to my editor for review. It should be up and running soon. Keep your eyes out. Meanwhile, dondelion has updated Random Round-up at Goddesschess, and has a report on the award of the Goddesschess Promoted Pawn Prize at the 2008 Canadian Open. Vacation is over - back to work.

Friday Night Miscellany

It's Friday night and everything's all right - well, it would be, if the dew point would just drop about 20 points -- relief is supposedly on the way, just hovering to the west of Madison right now... So much is strange and unusual in the news this week, it's hard to pick and choose, but I thought I'd start out with some 'ONE STEP BEYOND' stuff. For anyone old enough to remember that outstanding show, I understand it's still in syndication - somewhere - but I don't have cable or satellite t.v. so I'll never see it again, unless it's one U-Tube somewhere. Well, alas, and moving on: Something of a minor sensation was made a week or so ago when Dr. Edgar Mitchell, the astronaut, was on a late-night radio show and talked about close encounters of the alien kind and, as I gather (not having heard the broadcast or read a transcript), about U.S. government cover-ups of the TRUTH, which is indeed OUT THERE, just waiting for Mulder and Scully to show up. Here's some brief info about what Mitchell said (and has said for the past 10 years):

• Frenzied press coverage after latest interview
• For those who want to hear it for themselves, check out this UFO Blogger post, which has the relevant excerpt, as well as NASA's response ("Dr Mitchell is a great American, but we do not share his opinion on this issue.").
• What Mitchell said 10 years ago
• A video interview from this year's X-Conference in which he says much the same again

So, today I see this report by "another NASA veteran" who confirms Dr. Mitchell's accounts in all aspects and will tell all - but only for a large pay-off. He probably wants Euros, too...

Not to be outdone, no less than The New York Times published it's own article about UFOs - but they covered their butts by placing it in the Op Ed pages. Chickens!

The Axum Obelisk is being resurrected in the town of Axum, Ethiopia, near Addis Ababa. Take a look at a map, you'll see that Ethiopia has Sudan on it's west border, and Somalia on its east. Yeah, a real comfy, peaceful spot, just full of liberty and justice for all - and religious tolerance, too. Wonder how long the 1,700 year old Obelisk will last once it's standing in place? Any one want to place a bet? I wonder if Vegas is giving odds??? Perhaps someone will hold the Obelisk hostage in hopes of a big pay-off, threatening to blow it up if the cash doesn't come. Hmmmm, I smell a movie in the works...

J.K. Rowling ia making a bid for the title greediest author of all time. Still four months to release date and already the cheapo paperback edition of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" is a best seller on Amazon.com.

But wait - according to the Daily Grail.com there's also 100,000 copies of a super-duper "Collectors' Edition" selling for only $100 USD, available for only a few fervent fans. Hmmmm, let's see, if all 100,000 "Collectors' Edition" sell (I believe we can expect they will), that's a gross of Ten Million Dollars. The blurb about the book at Amazon says: Net proceeds from this Collector's Edition and the Standard Edition support of the Children's High Level Group, a charity co-founded in 2005 by J K Rowling and Emma Nicholson MEP to make life better for vulnerable children. (The Children's High Level Group is a charity registered in England and Wales under registered charity number 1112575.)

"Net proceeds", heh? Well, we all know how that works in the movie industry. Does it work the same in the book printing industry? Also note, it does NOT say that "ALL net proceeds" from the sale of the Collector's and Standard editions go to support the charity. Just an oversight? Are we supposed to assume that ALL net proceeds will go to the charity and Ms. Rowling gets not a single dime? Yeah, and the Moon is made of green cheese.

I discovered early this week, much to my horror, that I have MICE. Yes yes, I have mice outside, they don't bother me and I don't bother them. But one or more unknown entities of mouse origin invaded the Inner Sanctum, the Sanctum Sactorum, the Abode of this Goddess. As Bugs Bunny once said, "you know, of course, that this means war..."

I got moth balls, and bombed the exterior of the house. Tomorrow I'll get outside and search the perimeter for wee openings the size of a dime or larger and plug them up and do further mothball bombing. Meantime, I did research on the internet and discovered that essential oil of Peppermint is a known mouse deterrent. Great, I thought. I ran to the supermarket after work on Monday and purchased 100% Pure Peppermint Extract - and two "camoflauged" mouse traps made of plastic. Guaranteed to hide the body of the deceased from one's squeamish view after the trap has sprung.

Well, okay. The camoflauged mouse traps don't work - I tossed them in the garbage and they'll probably take off one or more fingers of some unsuspecting garbageman somewhere down the line. I also discovered, upon further research, that 100% Pure Peppermint Extract is NOT the same as essential oil of Peppermint. Nooooooo - 100% Pure Peppermint Extract is guaranteed, according to my research, to attract ANTS. After my bout with the Invasion of Body Snatcher Ants a few years ago and a costly extermination process, you can imagine my horror - and I'm still hunting down cotton balls saturated with 100% Pure Peppermint Extract. How many cotton balls can one woman possibly hide in a 1,650 square foot house, I ask you?

The mice, meanwhile, were laughing at me. The first night I put out the camoflauged mouse traps, they ate all the peanut butter off the triggering mechanism and the traps did not spring. Next night, same thing. So, last night, I went back to the supermarket and got the cheap old-fashioned kind of mouse-trap that takes muscles to set - the Victor Mouse Trap! I just love that name, implying as it does, "victory" of mere humans over the Mighty Mouse.

I eagerly set a trap last night and after three false tries, I finally got it set without snapping off my fingers or my nose. Put it down in the suspect spot near the fireplace in the living room where they must be coming in through some miniscule hole along the gas pipe from the basement (they have left distinctive "clues") - anyway, I was all set. I didn't get much sleep though, anticipating that distinctive "snap" sound when the trap goes off.

Only it didn't happen. This morning when I checked, all the peanut butter was gone - and the trap had not sprung!

Ohmygoddess, I thought, a ghost mouse! I staggered to the office bleary-eyed and groggy all day, from lack of sleep, cursing the little bugger or, more likely, buggers under my breath. They were mocking me, I could feel their teeny beady eyes boring into the back of my neck, and they were snickering, their whiskers twitching this way and that...they were probably hiding under my bed and coming out at 2:45 a.m. to giggle in the corner, waking me up just enough to wonder what the hell was that strange noise in the corner...

So, tonight, when I got home, I got really serious about mouse extermination. I checked the Victor trap - this time the peanut butter was still intact, but I saw I had far too much of it on the trigger. I pulled the trap, sprung it with a butter knife (let me tell you, it works, whoa!) and made sure this time I put only a smidgeon of peanut butter on the trigger and mushed it in well so any offending mouse would have to really dig down to get at the goodies. That was about 6:30 p.m.

Shortly after 8 this evening, I heard the distinctive sound of the trap going off. OHMYGODDESS, I got one, I thought. I ran out from my upstairs bedroom (where the computer hutch is currently residing), turned on the big overhead light on the ceiling overlooking the staircase, and sure enough, there was a mouse, still alive but caught by the neck, tugging in vain to try and get out. It was all over in a few seconds. The struggle ended.

Did I mention I was eating supper at the time - a hamburger, loaded with ketchup and pickles and mayo. I kept eating. Am I a cold hearted beyatch or what? To make a long story short, I went downstairs, donned rubber safety apparel and disposed of the mousey corpus on the compost pile below the retaining wall out back, expecting that either the racoons will get it or the ants and beetles will. I then washed off the trap (there was some blood on it) and wrapped it in paper toweling to absorb the moisture. I baited a second Victor trap (they come two to a pack) and after springing it a couple of times, I successfully got it over to the spot near the fireplace where I'd caught the first mouse.

I was upstairs still working on my hamburger, not 10 minutes later, when I again heard that distinctive "snap" sound and, sure enough, when I ran out to the balcony overlooking the living room and fireplace and turned on the big light, there was another little sucker caught in the trap, also struggling to get out, also deceasing in my sight in a few seconds. I finished my hamburger and disposed of this body in the same place as the first.

Number 1 corpus was larger, number 2 corpus was smaller, so I figured "daddy" and "mommy" - which means, quel horreurs - babies! Definitely field mice, not voles, not rats (thank Goddess!) I pulled out the first trap from it's paper towel wrapping, still damp, and baited it again. It also went off 2 times while trying to set it, but on the third try I got it down on the floor near the fireplace. So far, nothing. I'm hoping there are no babies and no further mice invade my Inner Sanctum.

Does this make me a murderer? What's more, does this make me an inhuman monster murderer who continued chomping on a hamburger while mayhem and death occured practically under her very nose? Oy! Well, I was hungry.

The lesson to be learned from this - don't fall for the "humane" traps that are intended to shield one's delicate sensibilities from the death of a mouse. THEY ARE FRICKING INVADERS AND DESERVE TO DIE. DIE MOUSE, DIE! Ahem... Buy the Victor traps that are two for $0.99 and just be careful for your fingers (and don't get your nose too close, either). Don't make my rookie mistake and put too much peanut butter on the trigger. If you're not squeamish (evidently I'm not, at least when it comes to dead invader mice) you can wash the traps after removing the mouse corpus and use it again and again. Just make sure you dry it thoroughly so rust doesn't start in the mechanisms. Ninety-nine cents was never better spent.

'night, darlings.

'Viking' Chess? Nah - But Fun!

Players from five states gather in Eau Claire for 'Viking chess' By Janie Boschma Leader-Telegram staff July 31, 2008 For some folks, there's nothing better to do on a hot Saturday afternoon than to play a few rounds of Viking chess. Seventy kubb players from five states - Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and Colorado - will face off this weekend in the largest kubb tournament ever held in the United States, and charities will benefit. Nicknamed "Viking chess" for its Swedish origins, kubb (pronounced koob) is a popular lawn game in Nordic countries. "Supposedly the Vikings played it thousands of years ago," said Eric Anderson, who organized the Midwest Kubb Championship, the second in Eau Claire. Registration for the 32-team tournament begins at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, followed by an overview of kubb rules at 9:15. The tournament kicks off at 9:30 and will continue through the afternoon. Spectators are encouraged to attend. Aaron Ellringer of Eau Claire will be part of the tournament with his two-man team, A to Z. "There's a really friendly part of it. It is competitive to a certain degree, but I just know it's going to be fun," he said. "There's just something silly about throwing sticks around." Essentially, two teams stand on opposing sides of the field by a row of five wooden blocks (or kubbs) and throw wooden batons to knock each other's kubbs down. "To win the game, you have to eliminate all of the kubbs on the opposing team's side," Anderson said. "If you knock the king over at the end of the game, you win." The king, the largest block that sits in the middle of the field, is the 8-ball of kubb. Ellringer said personal preference usually determines how many people play (at least two per team in the tournament) and the size of the playing field. World championship competition rules in Sweden call for an 8-by-5 meter field. The game has been described as a combination of bowling and horseshoes. "Once people start playing, I'll be honest, it's addicting," Anderson said. He said the tournament combines two of his passions: kubb and helping the people of embattled Darfur, Sudan. Through sponsorship and his own personal contribution, Anderson said 100 percent of the event's proceeds will supply survival kits for Darfur refugees (through the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees) and support Girls on the Run of Eau Claire County, the local chapter of a nonprofit organization that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. Anderson first began playing kubb while living in Sweden with his family in 2005 and 2006. When he moved back to the United States almost two years ago, he wanted to introduce that aspect of Scandinavian culture to Eau Claire. It began with the formation of Beserkers, a kubb club he said now meets about once a week to play - sometimes at Peace Park across First Avenue from Just Local Food Co-op or at other parks around town. Anderson said Beserkers is the first and only kubb club in Wisconsin. He said he hopes to expand from the dozen players in the club to a kubb league soon. Anderson already has plans for a national kubb championship game in Eau Claire for 2010. "I think it's a really good thing for Eau Claire," said Ellringer, a Beserkers member. "We've been quietly talking about making Eau Claire Kubb City USA. It seems like lots and lots of people are paying attention to it."

Ancient Rock Art in Durham County, England

From BBC News online:

Ancient rock carvings discovered
More than 100 new examples of prehistoric art have been discovered carved into boulders and open bedrock throughout Northumberland and Durham.

The 5,000-year-old Neolithic carvings of circles, rings and hollowed cups, were uncovered by volunteers.

One of the most interesting discoveries was an elaborately carved panel on Barningham Moor, near Barnard Castle in County Durham. English Heritage now wants to extend the project to Cumbria.

Abstract art
Kate Wilson, inspector of ancient monuments at English Heritage, said: "We know virtually nothing about this art. That's the exciting part of this discovery.

"What we need to do now is to discover how this art relates to other prehistoric features in the landscape.

"We are talking about very simple and abstract art, using circles, lines and triangles. Mostly the designs are pecked into stone in the shape of simple cups and rings."

Archaeologists have discovered thousands of examples of prehistoric rock carvings in the area in recent years.

Many feature on a website backed by Newcastle University, which includes about 6,000 images.

Ms Wilson added: "We are sure there remains a lot that is still undiscovered in Cumbria."

World's Oldest Joke?

Well, I'm sure this isn't the oldest joke in the world - just the oldest recorded instance of a joke. Jokes have most likely been around since humankind first appeared! An interesting report, nonetheless, and I thought the jokes are rather funny! From ABCNews.com/Science and Technology World's Oldest Joke Traced Back to 1900 BC July 31, 2008 LONDON (Reuters) - The world's oldest recorded joke has been traced back to 1900 BC and suggests toilet humor was as popular with the ancients as it is today. It is a saying of the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq and goes: "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap." It heads the world's oldest top 10 joke list published by the University of Wolverhampton Thursday. A 1600 BC gag about a pharaoh, said to be King Snofru, comes second -- "How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish." The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century and reveals the bawdy face of the Anglo-Saxons -- "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key." "Jokes have varied over the years, with some taking the question and answer format while others are witty proverbs or riddles," said the report's writer Dr Paul McDonald, senior lecturer at the university. "What they all share however, is a willingness to deal with taboos and a degree of rebellion. Modern puns, Essex girl jokes and toilet humor can all be traced back to the very earliest jokes identified in this research." The study was commissioned by television channel Dave. The top 10 oldest jokes can be viewed at www.dave-tv.co.uk. (Reporting by John Joseph; Editing by Steve Addison) Copyright 2008 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.