The Book of THoTH Newsletter Issue 143.5
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ReverendChaos
Apr 13, 2009, 4:54:51 AM4/13/09
to The Book Of THoTH
Newsletter for the week of April 6th to April 12th
Hello to everyone! To all of our new subscribers out there, welcome
to the book of THoTH Newsletter and to our Book of THoTH Google
group. Thanks for taking the time to subscribe and thanks for joining
our group. We're glad that you've joined our mailing list and hope
that you enjoy what we have to offer in its pages.
As of this newsletter, we have had 24 new members to join us this
week at BoT. To those who've joined, we say thanks for taking the
time to be a part of the greatest paranormal site on the web! Due to
this new addition of members, we now stand at 7,828 members strong. A
huge thanks to each and everyone of you for helping to make this site
what it has become! We couldn't do it without you.
This Week at BoT:
If you pay any attention to the order and numbers of the newsletters,
you'll notice that this one is 143.5. Have no fear. This is not some
strange new version to worry about. It's just my way of getting
things back on track since I incorrectly titled last week's newsletter
as Issue 143 when it should have been 142. Appologies for the
confusion.
The GoldStar has been passed along once more. THoTH, last week's
holder, has passed this most deserving and prestigious award to none
other than Silversurfer. Silversurfer has been given this honor for
being "kind, courteous, respectful" and for all the work that he does
for BoT. Not to mention being the "unsung hero" of the Boss and many
of BoT's members. Congratulations, Silver! It's well deserved, so
wear it with pride.
TrentCoole, the last person to wear the BoT Labccoat last week, posted
his question. Momma was the one to most quickly and closely answer
his question. Congratulations, Momma! Momma then was passed the
LabCoat and the honor of posting the next question. That question is:
"In the 18th century..an artist painted pictures of a scientific
experiment..some people saw these pictures and actually tried the
experiment for themselves. One of them being a member of a European
aristocracy..
Who was the scientist ?
What was the name of the experiment ?
Why was this a misnomer ?
What was the outcome of the Royals attempt ?"
If you know the answer and want to take a shot at winning the stylish
Book of THoTH LabCoat, then be sure to take a look in the "BoT LabCoat
Quiz Part VIII" thread in the Science section.
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopic-19452-120.html
This Week on the Front Page:
"The Anunnaki return at End of Days" is a front page contribution by
Anuatlantian. This article tells about the alleged key places for the
Anunnaki during man's early history. It then goes on to ponder their
return. Where will they return at? What will happen? To read more,
take a look at Anuatlantian's article while it's on the front page.
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/article1836.html
Imhotepsol has written a followup article to his previous "Theological
Mechanics" article. In the new article, Imhotepsol outlines four
methods and applications of magic. From the concept of our beliefs
being tools for our use, to the use of enlightenment, this article
provides us with some informative reading on a fascinating subject.
To read more, be sure to see "Applied Magic/k".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/article1837.html
This Week in the Forums:
What does Edgar Mitchell have to say about UFOs? Why doesn't the
media pay attention to what he has to say? This is the subject of
Phoenix's thread in the UFO section. To read the links provided and
to join in on the discussion, don't miss "Apollo Astronaut Edgar
Mitchell Says UFO Phenomenon Is Real!".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20171.html
New member, painterfrog, has a topic in the Aliens/Extraterrestrial
section that ponders the possibility of humans being the oldest race
in the universe. What are your thoughts on this? To take a look at
painterfrog's thread and to add to the topic, be sure to see "anyone
considered we may be the old race in the universe?".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20186.html
Was it a ghost that was captured on tape at Croxteth Hall in
Liverpool? That's the subject of entity's thread in the Ghost &
Spirit section. Suggested to be the ghost of 7th Earl of Sefton,
there have been many other sightings as well at the same place. To
see the video and to read more, take a look at "Ghost caught on CCTV
footage at Croxteth Hall - Liverpool".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20170.html
"What is under the ice in Antarctica?" is a thread by Robin_Shadowes
that asks that very question. It appears that a portion of Antarctica
has been blurred on Google Maps. Is it a coincidental glitch, or
something that is supposed to be kept hidden? For more information
and pictures, don't miss Robin's thread in the Phenomena section.
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20201.html
Lonecat has a thread in the Astronomy section about the recent quiet
period in regards to solar storms. It seems that we've had the lowest
rate of solar storms in the past century. Is this good news? Or does
it mean that something worse is in the future? To find out more
information about this topic, be sure to step inside of Lonecat's "Sun
Plunges Into the Quietest Solar Minimum In A Century".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20195.html
Random Site Feature of the Week:
If you love Crosswords, then we just might have a few paranormal
themed ones written by our very own members that you'd like. Take a
look at the ones we have and see if you can get into our Crossword
Hall of Fame.
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/crossword-list.html
Strange Fact of the Week:
Among Buddhist practitioners in Japan, close relatives of the deceased
hold a very special ceremony called "Otsuya" to say farewell to the
body. In this ceremony, candles and incense are burned and the
participants stay awake all night in case the person awakes. Monks
visit to give the deceased a Buddhist name. After the body is later
cremated, relatives pick up a bone with chopsticks and place it in a
white pottery jar to send the message that the family has not
abandoned the body. After 49 days, the bones are then moved to a
cemetery.
A man by the name of Solomon Allen claimed that he saw a sea serpent
in the Gloucester, Massachusetts harbor one day in 1817. He swore
that the creature was eighty feet long and said, "His head formed
something like the head of a rattlesnake, but nearly as large as the
head or a horse". Several other people in the nearby area reported
similar sightings, all which still remain unexplained.
Trivia Question of the Week:
What American president wrote about a deadly encounter with what is
now thought to be a Sasquatch?
Answer to Last Weeks Trivia Question:
According to research published in the Journal of the Royal Society of
Medicine in London, what book was Scottish scientists James Lind the
inspiration for?
James Lind was said to be the inspiration for Mary Shelley's book,
"Frankenstein". According to a paper written by University of
Newcastle PhD candidate Christopher Goulding, Mary Shelley was
familiar with Lind's attempts to make dead muscles twitch by using
electric currents.
This Week in History:
April 12, 1861: The U.S. Civil War began when Fort Sumter was
attacked.
April 12, 1955: The polio vaccine of Dr. Jonas Salk was called "safe,
effective, and potent."
April 13, 1598: The Edict of Nantes gave religious tolerance to the
Huguenots in France.
April 13, 1970: Apollo 13 announced "Houston, we've got a problem,"
when an oxygen tank burst on the way to the Moon.
April 14, 1775: Benjamin Rush was among those who founded the first
American antislavery society.
April 14, 1894: The first kinetoscope parlor opened in New York City.
April 15, 1912: Titanic sank off the coast of Newfoundland on its
maiden voyage after it struck an iceberg.
April 15, 1945: Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen was liberated
by Canadian and British forces.
April 16, 1746: The Jacobite uprising in England ends when Charles
“Bonnie Prince Charlie” Stuart is defeated by the Duke of Cumberland.
April 16, 1947: Most of Texas City, Texas was destroyed when the
French ship Grandcamp exploded.
April 17, 1961: Supported by the U.S. government, 1,500 exiles made
the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba.
April 17, 1964: Geraldine Mock became the first woman to fly solo
around the world.
April 18, 1906: The Great San Francisco Earthquake destroyed over 4
sq mi. and killed over 500 people.
April 18, 1962: After first being spotted over Oneida, New York and
heading west, a UFO was seen by thousands of witnesses, including
several commercial airline pilots. It reportedly landed in Eureka,
Utah and then took to the air again, causing the town to experience a
total blackout. After watching the object for hours, the Air Defence
Command scrambled jet fighters before it was last seen over Nellis AFB
in Nevada, after which it disappeared.
This Week's Birthdays:
Otto Meyerhof (April 12, 1884) - October Fritz Meyerhof was a German-
born physician and biochemist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in
Medicine in 1922, together with Archibald Vivian Hill, for his work on
muscle metabolism, including glycolysis. In 1929, he became one of
the directors of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Medical Research,
and fleeing the Nazi regime, he moved to Paris in 1938 and then to the
U.S. in 1940, where he became a guest professor at the University of
Pennsylvania.
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743) - Thomas Jefferson was the third
President of the United States, the principal author of the
Declaration of Independence, and was one of the most influential
Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in
the United States. Two major events during his presidency were the
Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Arnold Joseph Toynbee (April 14, 1889) - Toynbee was a British
historian whose twelve-volume analysis of the rise and fall of
civilizations, "A Study of History", was a synthesis of world history,
a metahistory based on universal rhythms of rise, flowering, and
decline, which examined history from a global and cultural
perspective.
Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452) - Born and raised near Vinci,
Italy, Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian scientist,
mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor,
architect, musician, and writer. Often described as the archetype of
the Renaissance man, his is agreed upon by most to be one of the
greatest painters of all time and perhaps the most diversely talented
person to have ever lived. He conceived ideas that were vastly ahead
of his time, conceptually inventing a helicopter, a tank, a
calculator, the use of concentrated solar power, and many other ideas;
though very few of his designs were even feasible to construct during
his lifetime. Two of his paintings, the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last
Supper", are perhaps the most well known artistic works of all time.
Charlie Chaplin (April 16, 1889) - Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr.
was an Academy Award-winning English comedic actor and filmmaker. He
became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable filmmaker,
composer, and musician in the early to mid "Classical Hollywood" era
of American cinema.
Thornton Wilder (April 17, 1897) - Wilder was an American playwright
and novelist who often employed non realistic theatrical techniques
which included scrambled time sequences, minimal stage settings,
narrators, and characters speaking directly to the audience. His
first important work was the novel "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" and
was followed by other such works as "The Cabala" and "The Ides of
March". He's most known for his stage production of "Our Town".
Max Weber (April 18, 1881) - Born in Russian, he was an American
painter who came to the U.S. at the age of 10 with his family. His
work was fauvist and then cubist inspired and included his well-known
piece "Chinese Restaurant". In the 1920s, he alternated painting with
teaching. In the 30s his work became increasingly abstract with a
greater use of contemporary and social themes. His work is featured
in leading galleries throughout the U.S. and he is the author of
several essays on art theory.
We only have one BoT member who's celebrating a birthday this week.
That member is GnosticLady, who has a birthday on April 15th. Happy
Birthday, GnosticLady! We wish you a great day and a fulfilling and
exciting year ahead of you.
Tech Tip of the Week:
In Windows XP, many times when you insert a CD or DVD into your CD
drive, it will run automatically without you having to do anything.
This is especially true with various program CDs. This can be a handy
feature, but sometimes annoying. Unfortunately, there is no option to
disable or enable this feature in user interface mode. To turn this
option off, you will have to edit the registry. We'll tell you how to
do that this week.
First of all, back up your registry.
Next, click on Start, click on Run, and then type regedit. Click
Enter on your keyboard.
Once in the registry editor, navigate to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom
Once this location is found, you can disable or enable the ability to
automatically run your CD. To disable the autorun feature, change the
value of Autorun to 0. To enable the feature, change the value to 1.
After you're done, restart your computer for the change to take
effect.
Unsolved Question of the Week:
This week's mystery deals with what is generally agreed to be the most
famous works of art in history, Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper.
Since it's completion in 1498, it has inspired not only admiration,
but speculation and controversy.
Thought by many to be a fresco (Dan Brown even refers to it as such in
the popular book "The Da Vinci Code"), it is actually a simple mural.
Frescoes are when a piece is painted on wet plaster, as are many
centuries old works of art that are still in relatively good
condition. The Last Supper was painted using an experimental
technique involving tempera and oil paints on dry plaster. Unlike
painting on wet plaster, this allowed for the use of more colors and
detail, but it came at the expense of quick deterioration. This
deterioration, along with the many resulting attempts at restoration,
is one of the contributing factors for much of the controversy that
has surrounded this work of art.
To start off, it would be helpful to know the names of those in the
painting. According to plans and sketches by Da Vinci, the figures in
the painting are (from left to right): Bartholomew, James Minor,
Andrew, Peter (also called Simon Peter), Judas Iscariot, John, Jesus,
Thomas, James Major, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus, and Simon the
Canaanite.
Probably the earliest controversy surrounding the painting was due to
it's depiction of it's subjects. Up until Da Vinci's version, pretty
much all of the previous ones had depicted the scene as being a
peaceful and serene one portraying Jesus blessing and/or breaking the
bread and wine with Judas off to the side. When the Dominicans saw Da
Vinci's more extreme and agitated version featuring disciples who were
apparently yelling and showing emotion, they were not exactly
pleased.
A later controversy involved restorations done to the painting. As
early as twenty years after it's completion, it began to flake and
peel. Sixty years after it's completion, it was described by Da
Vinci's biographer as "ruined" and that the figures were
unrecognisable. A first attempt at restoration was performed in 1726
by Michelangelo Bellotti who filled in missing sections with oil paint
and then varnished the whole thing. After a second attempt at
restoration in 1770 by Giuseppe Mazza, the public was outraged after
Mazza has stripped off Bellotti's work and largely repainted the work
of art. All but three faces were redone when his work was put to an
end by an enraged populous.
To show exactly how much this mural has changed over the years, we
have to look at the history of the rectory in which it was painted.
French troops used the building as an armory in 1796 and were reported
to have thrown stones at it and even climbed ladders to scratch out
the eyes of the Apostles. It was later used as a prison, though it's
not known if any damage was done at that time. Then in 1821 Stefano
Barezzi, an expert in removing whole frescoes intact, attempted to
move it to a safer location. He badly damaged the center section
before he realised that this work of art was not a fresco. The
painting was later cleaned in the early 1900s and stabilised with
stucco in parts. Then during World War II, the rectory was struck by
a bomb. Sandbags had protected it from debris, but it is not sure if
any vibration from the bomb strike damaged the painting. Due to this
damage, and along with the deterioration, many restorations had been
performed during and after these times. It then becomes quite clear
that this work of art is not quite the original masterpiece that it
once was.
One of the earliest questions about the mural was in relation to the
position of Jesus' hands. Traditionally, Jesus' hands were positioned
to show the palm of his right hand up and his left palm down. In The
Last Supper, this position is reversed. Some believe that this
positioning indicates Da Vinci's pagan inclinations. Some say that it
is an indication of the presence of Judas.
Another controversy involves the knife. If you'll look at the
painting, you'll see a hand holding a knife just behind Judas' back
(Judas in in the blue and green robe). This is supposed to be Peter's
hand; he has his hand on his hip with his wrist bent in a way that
would enable the knife to point away. The Biblical story also
features Peter using a knife in attempts to defend Jesus when the
guards come to take Jesus away. Could it be this simple and that this
knife is the one he would later use in Jesus' defense? Some of the
questions about this knife involve those restorations mentioned
earlier. Before the latest restoration, this hand wasn't as visibly
attached to Peter's arm at it appears to be today. But then on the
other hand (no pun intended), the latest restoration attempt used
methods that enabled restoration workers to get down to as much of the
original work as possible. This was something that earlier restorers
could not do. As a result, they painted what ever they thought should
belong.
One of the other questions surrounding this mysterious knife was Da
Vinci's knowledge of anatomy. To put it simply, he was brilliant at
it; with one of his trademarks being his incredible detail of the
human form. What is bothersome with the figure of Peter becomes
evident when one tries to imitate Peter's pose. Try it and you'll see
that this is a somewhat uncomfortable position. Why then would Da
Vinci depict someone in such an unnatural pose? Is the knife symbolic
of something else? Is it directed away from Judas' back for a
reason? Is it a representation of Da Vinci's feelings on the church?
After all, he had been jailed by the church for his behavior and was
not known to be in agreement with many of their teachings.
One of the most famous mysteries of The Last Supper involves the
figure of John, thought by some to be Mary Magdalene. This theory is
fueled by the apparent formation of the letter "M" using the "Mary"
and Jesus figures. It's also suggested that the clasped hands
combined with the "swooning" look on the face is possible evidence for
this theory. Since this figure is feminine in appearance, combined
with the fact that Mary Magdalene played an important role in Jesus'
life, many today in fact believe it to be Mary Magdalene. Look
closely at the painting though, John isn't the only one with a
feminine appearance. James Minor also has feminine characteristics,
as does Philip and even Jesus to some extent. Actually, feminine
appearances of saints and gods were very common in many early works of
art.
Another point to consider when debating the figure of John is his
serene look. If this was truly a depiction of the occasion when Jesus
announced that one of the Disciples would betray him, why is John the
only calm one? This is especially odd since John was believed to be
the closest to Jesus, so one would think that he would be the one that
would have been the most upset and emotive. Or is this instead
portraying a scene where Jesus appoints Mary to lead them after his
death, resulting in her nonchalant look?
All of these factors and more contribute to the many theories
surrounding this famous mural. Considering the fact that it has been
restored several times, damaged, restored again and again, and then
add the fact that Da Vinci was a rebellious genius who at times loved
a practical joke, one has to ask, "What, if anything, is really hidden
in The Last Supper"? Only Leonardo himself may know.
Quote of the Week:
"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with
what happens to him."
- Aldous Huxley
That concludes this week's edition of the BoT newsletter. We hope
that you've enjoyed it, found it a nice change in your inbox, and are
looking forward to receiving the next one. As always, we should have
lots more waiting in store for you.
Until next time, keep your eyes to the skies and the door to your mind
unlocked. You never know who might drop by for a visit.
Hello to everyone! To all of our new subscribers out there, welcome
to the book of THoTH Newsletter and to our Book of THoTH Google
group. Thanks for taking the time to subscribe and thanks for joining
our group. We're glad that you've joined our mailing list and hope
that you enjoy what we have to offer in its pages.
As of this newsletter, we have had 24 new members to join us this
week at BoT. To those who've joined, we say thanks for taking the
time to be a part of the greatest paranormal site on the web! Due to
this new addition of members, we now stand at 7,828 members strong. A
huge thanks to each and everyone of you for helping to make this site
what it has become! We couldn't do it without you.
This Week at BoT:
If you pay any attention to the order and numbers of the newsletters,
you'll notice that this one is 143.5. Have no fear. This is not some
strange new version to worry about. It's just my way of getting
things back on track since I incorrectly titled last week's newsletter
as Issue 143 when it should have been 142. Appologies for the
confusion.
The GoldStar has been passed along once more. THoTH, last week's
holder, has passed this most deserving and prestigious award to none
other than Silversurfer. Silversurfer has been given this honor for
being "kind, courteous, respectful" and for all the work that he does
for BoT. Not to mention being the "unsung hero" of the Boss and many
of BoT's members. Congratulations, Silver! It's well deserved, so
wear it with pride.
TrentCoole, the last person to wear the BoT Labccoat last week, posted
his question. Momma was the one to most quickly and closely answer
his question. Congratulations, Momma! Momma then was passed the
LabCoat and the honor of posting the next question. That question is:
"In the 18th century..an artist painted pictures of a scientific
experiment..some people saw these pictures and actually tried the
experiment for themselves. One of them being a member of a European
aristocracy..
Who was the scientist ?
What was the name of the experiment ?
Why was this a misnomer ?
What was the outcome of the Royals attempt ?"
If you know the answer and want to take a shot at winning the stylish
Book of THoTH LabCoat, then be sure to take a look in the "BoT LabCoat
Quiz Part VIII" thread in the Science section.
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopic-19452-120.html
This Week on the Front Page:
"The Anunnaki return at End of Days" is a front page contribution by
Anuatlantian. This article tells about the alleged key places for the
Anunnaki during man's early history. It then goes on to ponder their
return. Where will they return at? What will happen? To read more,
take a look at Anuatlantian's article while it's on the front page.
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/article1836.html
Imhotepsol has written a followup article to his previous "Theological
Mechanics" article. In the new article, Imhotepsol outlines four
methods and applications of magic. From the concept of our beliefs
being tools for our use, to the use of enlightenment, this article
provides us with some informative reading on a fascinating subject.
To read more, be sure to see "Applied Magic/k".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/article1837.html
This Week in the Forums:
What does Edgar Mitchell have to say about UFOs? Why doesn't the
media pay attention to what he has to say? This is the subject of
Phoenix's thread in the UFO section. To read the links provided and
to join in on the discussion, don't miss "Apollo Astronaut Edgar
Mitchell Says UFO Phenomenon Is Real!".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20171.html
New member, painterfrog, has a topic in the Aliens/Extraterrestrial
section that ponders the possibility of humans being the oldest race
in the universe. What are your thoughts on this? To take a look at
painterfrog's thread and to add to the topic, be sure to see "anyone
considered we may be the old race in the universe?".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20186.html
Was it a ghost that was captured on tape at Croxteth Hall in
Liverpool? That's the subject of entity's thread in the Ghost &
Spirit section. Suggested to be the ghost of 7th Earl of Sefton,
there have been many other sightings as well at the same place. To
see the video and to read more, take a look at "Ghost caught on CCTV
footage at Croxteth Hall - Liverpool".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20170.html
"What is under the ice in Antarctica?" is a thread by Robin_Shadowes
that asks that very question. It appears that a portion of Antarctica
has been blurred on Google Maps. Is it a coincidental glitch, or
something that is supposed to be kept hidden? For more information
and pictures, don't miss Robin's thread in the Phenomena section.
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20201.html
Lonecat has a thread in the Astronomy section about the recent quiet
period in regards to solar storms. It seems that we've had the lowest
rate of solar storms in the past century. Is this good news? Or does
it mean that something worse is in the future? To find out more
information about this topic, be sure to step inside of Lonecat's "Sun
Plunges Into the Quietest Solar Minimum In A Century".
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/ftopict-20195.html
Random Site Feature of the Week:
If you love Crosswords, then we just might have a few paranormal
themed ones written by our very own members that you'd like. Take a
look at the ones we have and see if you can get into our Crossword
Hall of Fame.
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/crossword-list.html
Strange Fact of the Week:
Among Buddhist practitioners in Japan, close relatives of the deceased
hold a very special ceremony called "Otsuya" to say farewell to the
body. In this ceremony, candles and incense are burned and the
participants stay awake all night in case the person awakes. Monks
visit to give the deceased a Buddhist name. After the body is later
cremated, relatives pick up a bone with chopsticks and place it in a
white pottery jar to send the message that the family has not
abandoned the body. After 49 days, the bones are then moved to a
cemetery.
A man by the name of Solomon Allen claimed that he saw a sea serpent
in the Gloucester, Massachusetts harbor one day in 1817. He swore
that the creature was eighty feet long and said, "His head formed
something like the head of a rattlesnake, but nearly as large as the
head or a horse". Several other people in the nearby area reported
similar sightings, all which still remain unexplained.
Trivia Question of the Week:
What American president wrote about a deadly encounter with what is
now thought to be a Sasquatch?
Answer to Last Weeks Trivia Question:
According to research published in the Journal of the Royal Society of
Medicine in London, what book was Scottish scientists James Lind the
inspiration for?
James Lind was said to be the inspiration for Mary Shelley's book,
"Frankenstein". According to a paper written by University of
Newcastle PhD candidate Christopher Goulding, Mary Shelley was
familiar with Lind's attempts to make dead muscles twitch by using
electric currents.
This Week in History:
April 12, 1861: The U.S. Civil War began when Fort Sumter was
attacked.
April 12, 1955: The polio vaccine of Dr. Jonas Salk was called "safe,
effective, and potent."
April 13, 1598: The Edict of Nantes gave religious tolerance to the
Huguenots in France.
April 13, 1970: Apollo 13 announced "Houston, we've got a problem,"
when an oxygen tank burst on the way to the Moon.
April 14, 1775: Benjamin Rush was among those who founded the first
American antislavery society.
April 14, 1894: The first kinetoscope parlor opened in New York City.
April 15, 1912: Titanic sank off the coast of Newfoundland on its
maiden voyage after it struck an iceberg.
April 15, 1945: Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen was liberated
by Canadian and British forces.
April 16, 1746: The Jacobite uprising in England ends when Charles
“Bonnie Prince Charlie” Stuart is defeated by the Duke of Cumberland.
April 16, 1947: Most of Texas City, Texas was destroyed when the
French ship Grandcamp exploded.
April 17, 1961: Supported by the U.S. government, 1,500 exiles made
the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba.
April 17, 1964: Geraldine Mock became the first woman to fly solo
around the world.
April 18, 1906: The Great San Francisco Earthquake destroyed over 4
sq mi. and killed over 500 people.
April 18, 1962: After first being spotted over Oneida, New York and
heading west, a UFO was seen by thousands of witnesses, including
several commercial airline pilots. It reportedly landed in Eureka,
Utah and then took to the air again, causing the town to experience a
total blackout. After watching the object for hours, the Air Defence
Command scrambled jet fighters before it was last seen over Nellis AFB
in Nevada, after which it disappeared.
This Week's Birthdays:
Otto Meyerhof (April 12, 1884) - October Fritz Meyerhof was a German-
born physician and biochemist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in
Medicine in 1922, together with Archibald Vivian Hill, for his work on
muscle metabolism, including glycolysis. In 1929, he became one of
the directors of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Medical Research,
and fleeing the Nazi regime, he moved to Paris in 1938 and then to the
U.S. in 1940, where he became a guest professor at the University of
Pennsylvania.
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743) - Thomas Jefferson was the third
President of the United States, the principal author of the
Declaration of Independence, and was one of the most influential
Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in
the United States. Two major events during his presidency were the
Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Arnold Joseph Toynbee (April 14, 1889) - Toynbee was a British
historian whose twelve-volume analysis of the rise and fall of
civilizations, "A Study of History", was a synthesis of world history,
a metahistory based on universal rhythms of rise, flowering, and
decline, which examined history from a global and cultural
perspective.
Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452) - Born and raised near Vinci,
Italy, Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian scientist,
mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor,
architect, musician, and writer. Often described as the archetype of
the Renaissance man, his is agreed upon by most to be one of the
greatest painters of all time and perhaps the most diversely talented
person to have ever lived. He conceived ideas that were vastly ahead
of his time, conceptually inventing a helicopter, a tank, a
calculator, the use of concentrated solar power, and many other ideas;
though very few of his designs were even feasible to construct during
his lifetime. Two of his paintings, the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last
Supper", are perhaps the most well known artistic works of all time.
Charlie Chaplin (April 16, 1889) - Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr.
was an Academy Award-winning English comedic actor and filmmaker. He
became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable filmmaker,
composer, and musician in the early to mid "Classical Hollywood" era
of American cinema.
Thornton Wilder (April 17, 1897) - Wilder was an American playwright
and novelist who often employed non realistic theatrical techniques
which included scrambled time sequences, minimal stage settings,
narrators, and characters speaking directly to the audience. His
first important work was the novel "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" and
was followed by other such works as "The Cabala" and "The Ides of
March". He's most known for his stage production of "Our Town".
Max Weber (April 18, 1881) - Born in Russian, he was an American
painter who came to the U.S. at the age of 10 with his family. His
work was fauvist and then cubist inspired and included his well-known
piece "Chinese Restaurant". In the 1920s, he alternated painting with
teaching. In the 30s his work became increasingly abstract with a
greater use of contemporary and social themes. His work is featured
in leading galleries throughout the U.S. and he is the author of
several essays on art theory.
We only have one BoT member who's celebrating a birthday this week.
That member is GnosticLady, who has a birthday on April 15th. Happy
Birthday, GnosticLady! We wish you a great day and a fulfilling and
exciting year ahead of you.
Tech Tip of the Week:
In Windows XP, many times when you insert a CD or DVD into your CD
drive, it will run automatically without you having to do anything.
This is especially true with various program CDs. This can be a handy
feature, but sometimes annoying. Unfortunately, there is no option to
disable or enable this feature in user interface mode. To turn this
option off, you will have to edit the registry. We'll tell you how to
do that this week.
First of all, back up your registry.
Next, click on Start, click on Run, and then type regedit. Click
Enter on your keyboard.
Once in the registry editor, navigate to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom
Once this location is found, you can disable or enable the ability to
automatically run your CD. To disable the autorun feature, change the
value of Autorun to 0. To enable the feature, change the value to 1.
After you're done, restart your computer for the change to take
effect.
Unsolved Question of the Week:
This week's mystery deals with what is generally agreed to be the most
famous works of art in history, Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper.
Since it's completion in 1498, it has inspired not only admiration,
but speculation and controversy.
Thought by many to be a fresco (Dan Brown even refers to it as such in
the popular book "The Da Vinci Code"), it is actually a simple mural.
Frescoes are when a piece is painted on wet plaster, as are many
centuries old works of art that are still in relatively good
condition. The Last Supper was painted using an experimental
technique involving tempera and oil paints on dry plaster. Unlike
painting on wet plaster, this allowed for the use of more colors and
detail, but it came at the expense of quick deterioration. This
deterioration, along with the many resulting attempts at restoration,
is one of the contributing factors for much of the controversy that
has surrounded this work of art.
To start off, it would be helpful to know the names of those in the
painting. According to plans and sketches by Da Vinci, the figures in
the painting are (from left to right): Bartholomew, James Minor,
Andrew, Peter (also called Simon Peter), Judas Iscariot, John, Jesus,
Thomas, James Major, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus, and Simon the
Canaanite.
Probably the earliest controversy surrounding the painting was due to
it's depiction of it's subjects. Up until Da Vinci's version, pretty
much all of the previous ones had depicted the scene as being a
peaceful and serene one portraying Jesus blessing and/or breaking the
bread and wine with Judas off to the side. When the Dominicans saw Da
Vinci's more extreme and agitated version featuring disciples who were
apparently yelling and showing emotion, they were not exactly
pleased.
A later controversy involved restorations done to the painting. As
early as twenty years after it's completion, it began to flake and
peel. Sixty years after it's completion, it was described by Da
Vinci's biographer as "ruined" and that the figures were
unrecognisable. A first attempt at restoration was performed in 1726
by Michelangelo Bellotti who filled in missing sections with oil paint
and then varnished the whole thing. After a second attempt at
restoration in 1770 by Giuseppe Mazza, the public was outraged after
Mazza has stripped off Bellotti's work and largely repainted the work
of art. All but three faces were redone when his work was put to an
end by an enraged populous.
To show exactly how much this mural has changed over the years, we
have to look at the history of the rectory in which it was painted.
French troops used the building as an armory in 1796 and were reported
to have thrown stones at it and even climbed ladders to scratch out
the eyes of the Apostles. It was later used as a prison, though it's
not known if any damage was done at that time. Then in 1821 Stefano
Barezzi, an expert in removing whole frescoes intact, attempted to
move it to a safer location. He badly damaged the center section
before he realised that this work of art was not a fresco. The
painting was later cleaned in the early 1900s and stabilised with
stucco in parts. Then during World War II, the rectory was struck by
a bomb. Sandbags had protected it from debris, but it is not sure if
any vibration from the bomb strike damaged the painting. Due to this
damage, and along with the deterioration, many restorations had been
performed during and after these times. It then becomes quite clear
that this work of art is not quite the original masterpiece that it
once was.
One of the earliest questions about the mural was in relation to the
position of Jesus' hands. Traditionally, Jesus' hands were positioned
to show the palm of his right hand up and his left palm down. In The
Last Supper, this position is reversed. Some believe that this
positioning indicates Da Vinci's pagan inclinations. Some say that it
is an indication of the presence of Judas.
Another controversy involves the knife. If you'll look at the
painting, you'll see a hand holding a knife just behind Judas' back
(Judas in in the blue and green robe). This is supposed to be Peter's
hand; he has his hand on his hip with his wrist bent in a way that
would enable the knife to point away. The Biblical story also
features Peter using a knife in attempts to defend Jesus when the
guards come to take Jesus away. Could it be this simple and that this
knife is the one he would later use in Jesus' defense? Some of the
questions about this knife involve those restorations mentioned
earlier. Before the latest restoration, this hand wasn't as visibly
attached to Peter's arm at it appears to be today. But then on the
other hand (no pun intended), the latest restoration attempt used
methods that enabled restoration workers to get down to as much of the
original work as possible. This was something that earlier restorers
could not do. As a result, they painted what ever they thought should
belong.
One of the other questions surrounding this mysterious knife was Da
Vinci's knowledge of anatomy. To put it simply, he was brilliant at
it; with one of his trademarks being his incredible detail of the
human form. What is bothersome with the figure of Peter becomes
evident when one tries to imitate Peter's pose. Try it and you'll see
that this is a somewhat uncomfortable position. Why then would Da
Vinci depict someone in such an unnatural pose? Is the knife symbolic
of something else? Is it directed away from Judas' back for a
reason? Is it a representation of Da Vinci's feelings on the church?
After all, he had been jailed by the church for his behavior and was
not known to be in agreement with many of their teachings.
One of the most famous mysteries of The Last Supper involves the
figure of John, thought by some to be Mary Magdalene. This theory is
fueled by the apparent formation of the letter "M" using the "Mary"
and Jesus figures. It's also suggested that the clasped hands
combined with the "swooning" look on the face is possible evidence for
this theory. Since this figure is feminine in appearance, combined
with the fact that Mary Magdalene played an important role in Jesus'
life, many today in fact believe it to be Mary Magdalene. Look
closely at the painting though, John isn't the only one with a
feminine appearance. James Minor also has feminine characteristics,
as does Philip and even Jesus to some extent. Actually, feminine
appearances of saints and gods were very common in many early works of
art.
Another point to consider when debating the figure of John is his
serene look. If this was truly a depiction of the occasion when Jesus
announced that one of the Disciples would betray him, why is John the
only calm one? This is especially odd since John was believed to be
the closest to Jesus, so one would think that he would be the one that
would have been the most upset and emotive. Or is this instead
portraying a scene where Jesus appoints Mary to lead them after his
death, resulting in her nonchalant look?
All of these factors and more contribute to the many theories
surrounding this famous mural. Considering the fact that it has been
restored several times, damaged, restored again and again, and then
add the fact that Da Vinci was a rebellious genius who at times loved
a practical joke, one has to ask, "What, if anything, is really hidden
in The Last Supper"? Only Leonardo himself may know.
Quote of the Week:
"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with
what happens to him."
- Aldous Huxley
That concludes this week's edition of the BoT newsletter. We hope
that you've enjoyed it, found it a nice change in your inbox, and are
looking forward to receiving the next one. As always, we should have
lots more waiting in store for you.
Until next time, keep your eyes to the skies and the door to your mind
unlocked. You never know who might drop by for a visit.
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