Buried Alive Part 1

Jake Wilson woke up to complete darkness. He felt around only to realize he is in a small, cramped room. His head is throbbing as it all comes back to him that he was buried alive. The day start out normal enough as he woke up and had breakfast. He checked his e-mail, searched the news, and kissed his wife and kids before heading to the office. It was an uneventful drive with a quick stop to buy his morning espresso. When he reached the office he went inside and sat at his desk the same as always. From there his day went from normal to bizarre. Then in walked a tall, leggy redhead that sat down in the chair on the other side of his desk. He figured she was in her early 30's as she looked at him with her big, green eyes. She pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and handed to him. He read it and then at her with a puzzled expression on his face. “My name is Cindy Johnson, I know this is usual Mr. Wilson but you are the only one that I think would understand. As you could see in the police report I just handed you my father was attacked and killed by a wild animal while hunting. A friend that was hunting with him reported the attack but by the time the police went out the body was gone. The police thought that the animal must have drug the body away.” “Just what is that you want me to do Miss Johnson? If your father's body was drug off I just don't see anything I can do. I track down the living not the dead.” “I know that Mr. Wilson and this is where the story get bizarre. When the police ask about the type of animal my dad's friend said it was a large wolf standing upright. They asked him if he was sure it wasn't a bear and he told them he was certain. When I first was told about the whole thing I mourned but I have seen my father since the incident. He didn't seem to know who I was and wandered away. He had a wild look in his eyes and I am afraid that now he is a werewolf.” I stood there looking at her in disbelief that she could possibly expect anyone to believe such a story. I look back down at the police report she handed me and it say that the animal was described as a wolf. I just shake my head not wanting to even entertain the possibility that this might be true. She persist that the entire story is true and that she has faith in me being able to hunt him down. We both walked out of the office and shook hands and told me to meet at a coffee shop at 7 pm to give her an update on my progress. I agreed and went back inside not sure why I took the case. A few minutes later I was leaving my office with the supplies I might need to carry out the manhunt. I drove out to where the attack took place to start the hunt. I broke my tracking equipment and quickly picked up some bloody footprints. When I saw those I thought maybe he was just wound and dazed. Maybe this would turn out to be a routine missing person case afterall. A few hours later after I decided to take a break and get something to eat. I started back to my car when someone hit me from behind. The last thing I remember as I feel was seeing a foot with some blood on it. Everything went black after that and when I opened my eyes I realized I was in a coffin. My first thought was to scream and hope that someone would hear me but I decided that would only use up precious oxygen.

Vampires: real or myth?

Despite the fact that modern science will give us explanations to prove that vampires don't exist we are still fascinated by the thought that their could be these walking dead. Many people would say that statement just isn't true but how else can you explain that some of the biggest box office, television shows, and best selling books all have to do with the subject.

One of the most recent examples of movies that have had box office success has been the Twilight series, set in my home state of Washington, that depicts vampires as more of a caring group than what we grew up with in the horror stories of past decades. Of course before they were movies the Twilight series were popular books that teens and pre-teens all over the place were reading. Another popular movie series was Blade that had one vampire hunting down and slaying other vampires showing use that they can be both good and evil. The list could go on forever but the point is there is something that we find fascinating about them.

The fascination with everything that has been associated to vampires though isn't a modern idea and didn't even start with Bram Stroker. Even though the word vampire was never used some of the beliefs associated with them can be found in biblical text that weren't included in our bible but still referenced. Those text refer to Adam's first wife Lilith, that could be where the legend of vampires started, that rebelled and became a demon. The legend goes that after Lilith became a demon she would steal children among other things. 

Perhaps there is something in us that wants to believe that there are these creatures out there doing all the evil in the world.

Walking: Great exercise and a good way to sight see

Whether your walking along your favorite beach, along a country rode, around a lake, or through a park walking can is good exercise and a good way to take in sights.

Some of you might see that statement and say but walking is just too tiring or have some other excuse. It can be tiring but I have always found that if you are walking with a purpose you get somewhere or if you are taken in sights then you don't get that walking fatigue as quick. There just seems to be something about taking in your surroundings or snapping photos that allows you to go further than you normally would if you were walking because you were told to get some exercise.

One of the biggest benefit is that by walking just 3 mile per hour (average walking speed) for 20 minutes a day the average person can burn the equivalent of just under a pounds worth of calories. A pound a week might not sound like a lot to some people that are having a hard time losing those extra pounds (of which I am one of) but that is 52 pounds a year by just walking a few minutes a day. You might say 'well, I don't need to lose that much' and that might be but it by burning up those calories i also means that you don't have to feel so guilty about that extra cookie you had after dinner.

There are also plenty of other benefits besides the calories. There are all the health benefits, such as, circulation and muscle tone or if you are walking with family members or friends it is a good time to chat about your day.

If you do plan to take up walking you should make sure it is in an area where there isn't much traffic.

Halloween: who's holiday is it.

Halloween has been one of the most misunderstood holidays in history. Some self proclaimed Christians will tell you it is a pagan holiday and even satanic, Wiccans will tell you that it is a festival to celibate a good harvest, and the stories can differ depending on the people you ask. So, who is right on what Halloween really means.

The simple answer is they are all partly right and all partly wrong. As with most holidays Halloween has been merged into so many religions over the centuries that it combines forms of all of them.  The basis of what it called Halloween most likely started with the Celtic people 2,000 years ago as  the festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) that was held at the end of their lunar year October 31. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
During this festival it is speculated that they wore costumes and lit bonfires. 

Later, when the Romans took control they meld some of their own traditions into the festival. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

Then, after that the Catholics put in some of their more religious elements, such as, all saints day on November 1, which was a day to remember the Christian martyrs, and making October 31all hallows eve. In 1000 A.D., the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead.

I heard one reverend talk about a new tradition that he was trying to establish called Jesus-ween and instead of candy we should hand out Christian objects,such as, bibles and crosses. I would be ok with the churches doing that for the people that identified themselves as someone wanting to go that route. Just as trick-or-treats let you know why they came around, the people  that want Jesus-ween, which I do think they need a better name, should say 'Christ-treats' or something.

The bottom line is that through time Halloween (all hallows eve) has been maligned, changed and mixed up so much that it is a holiday that holds parts of all religions. Just as many other holidays they aren't christian, Pagan, or just any one religion but an amalgamation.

Gardening: Fall planting

Even though Fall is here but there are still things we can plant before the winter comes and freezes the ground. It is a good time to plant spring bulbs an some early spring plants can go in now before the ground gets hard. According to the HGTV website the cold weather will encourage root growth. After I rad that on their site and thought about it that statement made lots of sense give that when the top of the plant feels the cold it will want to get to the warmer soil below to survive. So, clean up the leaves and other debris and plant those bulbs, mint plants,  rhodies, and other spring bloomers.

Now is also the time of year that if you have any perennial baskets to get them winterized. You need to cut everything back to about one inch and then store them in your garage, under the house, at your neighborhood greenhouse, or anywhere dry and out of the frost. If you want to winter them but don't want to go though any of the hassle most nurseries will winter them for you. They will charge a small fee usually but probably less than it would be to replace your plant.

Jake Whitman had spent the last 20 years of his life working on some of the most sophisticated types of virtual reality and neuronet technologies in the world. Since retiring he now uses his fortune, knowledge, and gadgets to become one of the top cyber detectives in the country. I never dreamed that when she walked into my office I would end up running for my life from the people that I was hired to protect. That was just what happened though when I traced the cyber-attacks back to the office of their CFO. Chapter 1: Getting the case It had been a month since I had retired from Gigatronics and decided to start a cyber detective. I woke up early so I would be able to shower, shave, and be at the office with time to setup for my first day. I bought some coffee on my way and then drove to work. I pulled in the parking lot with still an hour before opening and was shocked to find someone waiting in their car in front of my office. I opened my car door and walked upto the office. I had pulled my keys out of my pocket when I hear te clicking of her high-hells on the pavement. I turned around to see a tall, curvy redheaded woman with a desperate look on her face. “Are you Jade Whitman?” she asked. I look at her for a moment before I finally answered “Yes, and you are?”. I held out my hand. She stuck out her own hand and shook mine. “I am Kathy LaMond. I apologize for being so early before you officially open but once you here the matter I am sure you will see that there is little time to waste.” “Come on in then Ms. LaMond and tell me the whole story.” I turned back and unlocked the door. I opened it and held the door for her. She entered the office will me following right behind. I took a seat at my new desk and motioned for her sit. She took the chair face the desk and look straight at me with that look of desperation I saw earlier. “Please call me Kathy.” Then for the time I saw a hint of a smile. “I work for Alltronics and we have been have problems with hackers. I know that doesn't sound urgent but a little background will give you a bigger picture. Alltronics has been working on some components for a new defense system. We keep the documentation and the program on different servers and limit the access to any one part. Yesterday one of IT managers was doing some maintenance and found that someone had breached our firewall and accessed one of the servers. They managed to download a partial copy of the documentation. Our people have tried to find where the attacks are coming from but once they traced it back to university the trail went cold.” “Sounds as though your bosses have quite a problem on their hands. There are a few gadgets I helped develop that I am sure will be of help to track down the person or group responsible. I will take the job for two reasons: 1. It sounds like the type of challenge I need and 2. you have a nice smile and should use it more often.” “Thank you Mr. Whitman, both for taking the case and the compliment. I had read some of your papers and I knew right away that when I saw an ad saying you were going into the detective business that you would be the right person for the job. I need to return to work but if you come around in a few hours I will show you around and you can get started.” She stands up and so do I. I walk around the desk. “Please, call me Jake, Kate.” I hold out my hand but instead of shaking it she grabs my hand a pulls me over for a hug.

One day a couple of months ago when we had one of the rare hot days I went out to do some gardening and I saw this doe laying under a tree. As soon as I saw her there I went back into the house to get my camera and wonder if she would still be there by the time I went back out. As you can see though I had nothing to worry about since she seemed to have decide that was the best place for an after rest.

I walk up careful not to get too close on the chance I might spook her. Once again though I should have crept up some more since it would have made for a better picture and the deer are pretty use to the family here. Anyway, I snapped the photo and went back inside to put the picture on my computer and put the camera away. I did glance out a couple of times and she stayed there for about an hour before leaving.

I kept looking around for another deer since it is rare you see one lone doe. It wasn't until she finally stood to leave that I spotted the fawn that she was keeping an eye on as it grazed. Since it was a mother watching her fawn it most likely meant there was a buck some in hiding keeping an eye out for any signs of danger.

Fishing basics-Salmon fishing

This is my personal box of Salmon gear and it is a pretty typical selection. The white and pink fish looking thing in the bottom of the tackle box is a cut plug, the large silver object behind it is a flasher, next to the flasher I have a metal stringer for putting the fish on, and the coil that you can't see too well is a herring hook with a clear plastic holder for holding the herring as you fish. On the top tray there are a couple f rubber squids, an inline weight, and a couple of casting lures. In the lid of the box I have another plug and a package of rubber squid, some people swear by squid but I never had much luck with them.

When rigging up your line there are several combinations you can use and most people you ask will give you different answer as to what is the best. I have had the most luck with frozen herring as bait but sometimes plugs or flashy metal lures work just as well. Which ever way you go setting up your line is pretty much the same.

On the end of your line you attach one of the inline weights, always use a fisherman's loop knot to attach any thing to your line it makes removing it easier. To the other end of the weight you want to attach one foot leader or piece or line that will be attached to the flasher, you might want  a smaller flasher then the one in my box. To end of the flasher you will attach another piece of leader, about 6 inches, or if you are using frozen bait then the hooks will already have the leader. Then to the end of the leader you attach your lure.

When you go salmon fishing you will be trolling most of the time. There are times you might want to take a break from salmon fishing and do some cast for smaller fish.For those cases I usually take my trout pole with a heavier line. That is why I have big casting lures in my tackle box. 

To make a fisherman's loop you simply double over the end of your leader about an inch and a half, pinch the line so that there is about a half inch above you fingers, wrap the line around your your fingers and pull the looped end through. When you pull it tight you should end up with a loop tied on the end of your leader.

Fishing basics--types of fishing poles and reels

Fishing poles come in a variety of different types and the pole you buy will depend on the type of fishing you plan to do with it.

• If you are going to go salmon fishing the you will need a salmon pole which is shorter, bigger around, and stiffer then other fishing poles. 
• The next step down from a salmon pole is a steelhead pole. These are usually 6 and half to 7 and a half feet long, more flexible, and smaller in diameter.
• Trout poles usually are between 6 and 7 feet long, although some can be shorter. They are typically about the diameter of your pinky finger and taper down until the tip, which is half the diameter. 
• A fly pole is a specialty pole that is typically longer and thinner than a trout pole. A fly pole is usually use in streams to cast flies, which are tiny lure made to imitate insects floating on the water, and used in a whipping motion.

Once you have figured out the type of pole you need the next step, unless there is already one on the pole, is a reel. There are many types of reels and the type of fishing you will do can make a big difference here.

• Closed-faced reels are what many first time fishermen will use just because it only takes your thumb to press the release button when you cast. Closed-faced reels will usually come as part of a combo when you buy smaller poles for kids or anyone starting to learn the craft. 
• Open-faced reels come in a few varieties:

1. The typical open-faced reel for trout fishing is upright with a round spool at the top. The use of these reels takes more practice to use than a closed-face since it requires you to hold the line as you pull back the release bar to cast. 
2. The open-faced reel for a steelhead pole is much the same as the one for trout fishing only it is slightly bigger to use a larger diameter line. 
3. The open-faced reel for salmon fishing looks like a spool of thread on its side. There will be rods on the outside that a guide for the line that slides back and forth to keep the line evenly distributed on the reel.
4. The fly fishing reel has kind of sandwich cookie look to it. They are usually open-faced although I have seen a few closed-face one that have a release button.