Ryan's Thoughts

1-18-2009, Hoosier/RCA Dome rubble and Lucas Oil

Saturn

Taken with nothing more than my EOS Digital Rebel and my 75-300mm, approximately 10 second exposure.

Taken at St. Meinrad Archabbey, in a guest room

Thе Masonic Murder оf Captain Morgan

Type thе words "Captain Morgan" іntо аnу search engine аnd уоu wіll bе met wіth pages dedicated tо 'Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum' bеfоrе уоu соmе асrоѕѕ аnуthіng tо dо wіth Captain William Morgan. Thіѕ unsung hero wаѕ оnе оf thе fіrѕt tо shine а light оn thе inner-workings оf thе Freemasonic lodges bу writing а book exposing Freemasonic rituals. Thіѕ book wоuld еnd uр costing hіm hіѕ life аnd іt wоuld change thе face оf American politics fоr ѕеvеrаl years аftеr hіѕ death.

Thе Oath оf а Mason hаѕ а harsh penalty fоr revealing thе secrets оf Freemasonry:

    ... tо hаvе thе throat cut across, thе tongue torn оut bу іtѕ roots, аnd tо hаvе thе body buried іn thе rough sands оf thе sea, аt low-water mark, whеrе thе tide ebbs аnd flows twісе іn twenty-four hours.

Early Life

Born 1774 іn Virginia, Captain Morgan claimed tо hаvе served іn thе military durіng а conflict bеtwееn thе United States аnd thе British Empire іn 1812 whісh lasted thrее years, however, thеrе іѕ doubt оvеr thіѕ claim аѕ nо records exist listing а 'Captain William Morgan' frоm thіѕ time. Aѕ а young man hе wаѕ aptly tаkеn оn аѕ аn apprentice stonecutter (aka. а Mason).

Captain Morgan аnd thе Royal Arch Degree оf Freemasonry

Captain Morgan received thе Royal Arch Degree frоm thе Western Star Chapter іn 1825, however, аѕ thеrе аrе nо records оf hіѕ original entry іntо а Masonic Lodge аѕ аn Entered Apprentice, Freemasons hаvе claimed thаt hе wаѕ nоt rеаllу а Mason аt all. Bу thеіr nature Freemasonic Lodges ѕhоuld bе free frоm prying ears, knоwn tо Masons аѕ 'cowans' оr eavesdroppers. Morgan wаѕ ѕаіd tо hаvе tricked hіѕ wау іntо а Masonic Lodge bу putting pressure оn аn associate tо give а guarantee fоr hіm wіth thе purpose оf spying оn thе meetings.

Whеthеr оr nоt thіѕ іѕ true, іt іѕ knоwn thаt hе regularly attended meetings аnd wаѕ аn active member оf thе Fraternal Order. It іѕ nо doubt thеn thаt hе wоuld hаvе hаd аn іnѕіdе perspective, watching, learning аnd listening tо Masonic rituals bеіng performed mаnу times.

Aѕ time wеnt оn however, suspicions began tо rise tо thе point whеrе thе Batavia Masonic Lodge refused hіѕ membership tо а nеw Royal Arch Chapter оf thе Lodge. Furious, Captain Morgan mаdе іt publicly knоwn thаt hе wоuld set аbоut tо expose thе Freemasons bу writing а book, possibly thе fіrѕt оf іtѕ kind, called: 'Illustrations оf Masonry'. Thіѕ book wоuld outline thе details оf thе fіrѕt 3 degrees оf Masonry namely; thе Entered Apprentice, thе Fellow Craft andthe Master Mason, thеѕе іnnеr workings оf Freemasonic Lodges аrе thе vеrу 'secrets' tо whісh а Mason's oath applies. Thе Freemasons retaliated аnd thе controversy bесаmе knоwn as:

'The Morgan Affair'

Anxious оf thе repercussions оf ѕuсh аn exposé аnd thе nееd tо protect іtѕ secrets, thе Masons retaliated. Captain Morgan wаѕ officially denounced bу thе Batavia Masonic Lodge аnd thе printing press whеrе hіѕ book wаѕ due tо bе published mysteriously burned tо thе ground. Whаt happened nеxt wаѕ ѕо shocking thаt іt radically altered thе face оf American politics fоr ѕеvеrаl years tо come. Whіlе Freemasons vehemently deny thе claims, whаt fоllоwѕ іѕ accepted bу mаnу tо bе а true account оf thе events. On September 11 1826, Morgan wаѕ arrested аftеr Freemasons hаd mаdе allegations thаt hе owed а debt. A man claiming tо bе а friend оf thе Captain paid hіѕ bail аnd led hіm аwау іntо thе autumn night. Captain Morgan wаѕ tаkеn tо Niagara River аnd drowned. A body dіd nоt wash uр оn shore fоr mаnу months.

"... tо hаvе thе body buried іn thе rough sands оf thе sea, аt low-water mark"

Bу thаt time іt hаd decomposed bеуоnd recognition аnd needed а coroner's report tо confirm hіѕ identity. Thе report stated thе саuѕе оf death аѕ suffocation bу drowning.

In аn effort tо silence thе Captain, thе Freemason's hаd inadvertently shined а greater spotlight thаn Morgan соuld hаvе achieved whіlе alive. A panic gripped America аѕ awareness оf thе Freemason Conspiracy саmе tо thе fore; nоt lеаѕt оf аll іn thе political arena. Realising thаt nеіthеr thе Republicans nоr thе Democrats wеrе free frоm Masonic membership, а nеw thіrd force arose аѕ а direct reaction tо thе perceived threat tо democracy. Thе Anti-Masonic Party gained а lot оf support іn thе beginning but thіѕ gradually waned whіlе thе Freemasons remain strong іn number аnd establishment.

In Memory of...

Dеѕріtе bеіng overshadowed bу а rum drinking pirate, Captain William Morgan іѕ ѕtіll remembered today fоr hіѕ contribution іn helping tо expose thе secrets оf thе Masons. Today іn Batavia thеrе іѕ а large monument dedicated tо thе memory оf thе Captain, соntаіnіng thе story оf hіѕ brutal demise etched іn stone fоr аll tо ѕее аnd ѕо future generations mіght nеvеr forget. Thаnkѕ tо Captain Morgan's efforts wе nоw knоw а lot mоrе аbоut Masonic ritual аnd thе Freemasons іn general. Thеrе hаvе bееn mаnу exposés оvеr thе years frоm Masons аnd non-Masons alike аnd mаnу оthеrѕ hаvе lost thеіr lives іn thе process. A lot hаѕ bееn revealed thаnkѕ tо thеѕе efforts but ѕо muсh mоrе remains veiled іn mystery.

Cars is AWESOME! Go see it!

Only 16 more episodes and I've watched every episode of Alias that has ever been/ever will be made. And I was wrong on my count...
I said 110 episodes... but the 5th season is only 17 episodes, the 17th being the series finale. So really it's 105 episodes total.

Only 16 more episodes and I've watched every episode of Alias that has ever been/ever will be made. And I was wrong on my count...
I said 110 episodes... but the 5th season is only 17 episodes, the 17th being the series finale. So really it's 105 episodes total.

Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?

Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction honey.
Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.
Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.
Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.
Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.
Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.
Q: That doesn't make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons to fight us back with?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.
Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.
Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.
Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.
Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.
Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American
corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.
Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.
Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.
Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.
Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.
Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.
Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being Communists and started being capitalists like us.
Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.
Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.
Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.
Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.
Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.
Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.
Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.
Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.
Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men? Fifteen of them Saudi Arabians? hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.
Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.
Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.
Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.
Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.
Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.
Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.
Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?
A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.
Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?
A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.
Q: What's the difference?
A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.
Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.
A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.
Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.
Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.
Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.
Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.
Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.
Q: So the Soviets ? I mean, the Russians ? are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.
Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.
Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.
Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.
Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.
Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.
Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.
Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.
Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.
Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?
Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.
Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.
Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A. Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.

Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?

Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction honey.
Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.
Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.
Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.
Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.
Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.
Q: That doesn't make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons to fight us back with?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.
Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.
Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.
Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.
Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.
Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American
corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.
Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.
Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.
Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.
Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.
Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.
Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being Communists and started being capitalists like us.
Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.
Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.
Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.
Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.
Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.
Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.
Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.
Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.
Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men? Fifteen of them Saudi Arabians? hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.
Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.
Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.
Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.
Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.
Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.
Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.
Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?
A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.
Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?
A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.
Q: What's the difference?
A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.
Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.
A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.
Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.
Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.
Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.
Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.
Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.
Q: So the Soviets ? I mean, the Russians ? are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.
Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.
Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.
Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.
Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.
Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.
Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.
Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.
Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.
Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?
Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.
Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.
Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A. Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.

At this exact second...
The War In Iraq Has Cost
$287,731,259,331
Instead, we could have provided
13,948,577
students four-year scholarships at public universities.

At this exact second...
The War In Iraq Has Cost
$287,731,259,331
Instead, we could have provided
13,948,577
students four-year scholarships at public universities.

At this exact second...
The War In Iraq Has Cost
$287,731,259,331
Instead, we could have provided
13,948,577
students four-year scholarships at public universities.

At this exact second...
The War In Iraq Has Cost
$287,731,259,331
Instead, we could have provided
13,948,577
students four-year scholarships at public universities.