Are Secret Societies a Threat?

Did you hear?  Beyoncé and Jay-Z are members of the lluminati.

Uh huh. And this strikes fear in me because … ???  ... WHY?

Well at least now I get Ray Romano’s joke about the most powerful couple in America. :)  But Jay-Z and his lovely wife, Beyoncé (who should star in her own TV show as Wonder Woman or some other "Super Woman type". - You heard it here! I’m trying to get this idea circulating!) are probably laughing way harder than everybody else.

Read an article about so-called secret societies – Freemasons, Rosicrucian Order, Illuminati, etc.

Top 5 Secret Societies |Wizzley.com

This provides a wealth of material if anyone wants something to write about it. But to take these groups seriously? WHY?

• Are they dangerous??

• Because they have a secret??

• Because they are secretive??

• Because they might have also have a lot of money and possibly some influence on persons in high places and can change the course of the world??!!!! And you have no control over it?? 

Gimme a break! Who doesn’t have a secret?? 

Rich or poor. Between dreaming and having your own secrets, can’t nobody control you!! **** Hmmm … this is kind of an afterthought but … UM … Such type organizations could be a threat to the members. Everything being so hush hush - if a crime were committed, where would they go for justice? Maybe the Cosa Nostra probably holds court on the weekends. (O.o)



The Illuminati in Hollywood: Celebrities, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies in Pop Culture and the Entertainment Industry


(This is my original content which was previously published at one of my other blogs which was discontinued.)

Book Suggestions: Mystery , History or Ghost Story?

Peter Ackroyd is a writer, in more ways than one: biographer, historian, poet, novelist. People like to describe him as eccentric.  Mr. Ackroyd is a bit of a recluse, likes to drink, and still writes longhand. Some people consider that type of behavior somewhat peculiar. But he is without a doubt a prolific writer and has written so many books you may not know where to begin.

Suggest you start with The Trial of Elizabeth Cree; it’s a murder mystery set in 1880 Victorian London.

Or … you could try to tackle his voluminous works of the History of England or his retelling of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

If you like horror or spooky stories or you want to get into the spirit of the Halloween season, maybe his collection of English ghost stories might be fun!

 

glitter-graphics.com

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• Good Reads: Peter Ackroyd Writes Ghost Stories

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• Good Reads: Charles Dickens Wrote Ghost Stories

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Who is Peter Ackroyd? Biographer, Historian, Poet, Novelist, Etc.

Who is Peter Ackroyd?

Hmmm ... let me think.  Is he the guy in the picture?

Nope!  But you're close!  The guy in the picture below is Charles Dickens.  Peter Ackroyd wrote a biography about Dickens.  He also wrote a bio about William Shakespeare, in case the mention about the Charles Dickens bio is not impressive enough.  :)  If that's not impressive enough, then if you like biographies or biographical notes about celebrated, it might interest you to know that he wrote a bunch of books about famous people like Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Isaac Newton and more.  His series is called Ackroyd's Brief Lives.

 

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Peter Ackroyd is an eccentric but well-established author in many genres:  biographer, historian, poet, novelist, etc.  Published a brief write-up about him at Daily Two Cents, an online writing community that offers a revenue-share plan for contributing short posts.  Good freelance opportunity!  Great if you work from home!

• Who is Peter Ackroyd? (dailytwocents.com)

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Related articles

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• Dickens Junction Mystery Series

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• Inspiring Biographies

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Peter Ackroyd books are available ~ Save up to 90% at BiggerBooks.com

 

Support Rural Communities in India : Gift a Book, Support Artisans (Reblog)

Ever consider that books you throw away might be of value to a little child? Learn more about this program.  'Aham Bhumika' is an NGO, a group of like minded people based in Bhopal, a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India. Striving for the betterment of the underprivileged in rural areas of India, they frequently run "Donate a Book" campaigns. They also support the works efforts of the rural women to help them support their families.  (See embedded tweet below.)  I first learned of this initiative in 2014.

Gift a book to our library of rural children in India

Follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

Hand embroidered cushion covers. Size 16 X 16 inches. One of the most appreciated design & unique work of our artisans pic.twitter.com/Kx8fTQkxOs

— Aham Bhumika (@Ahambhumika) September 9, 2017

Any celebrity to spread words about hand embroidery initiative of our rural women to earn livelihood voluntarily ? pic.twitter.com/K2f7SEdR3t

— Aham Bhumika (@Ahambhumika) August 24, 2017

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• A skate park brings the kids of a small village in India together(mashable.com)

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The Pendant - A Gothic Romance Novel (Reblog) | History and Women

Sharing a link from one of the most gorgeous and informative blogs about women and for women on the worldwide web! The blog publisher writes book reviews but is also an author. This is one of her books.

The Pendant - A Gothic Romance Novel | History and Women

A lost ancient treasure. 

A 100 year family feud. 

And a woman with a passion richer than the bloodstone pendant she wears around her neck!

Related Articles:

• Romance Novels by Kathleen Woodiwiss
• Good Reads: Two Thrillers and One Romance
• Women Who Ruled: Razia Sultana of India

The Black Girl in Search of God and Some Lesser Tales

By: Philip Spires

The title piece in this anthology is a parable on the nature of religious belief. When first published in 1932 it caused quite a stir and I wondered whether the intervening 75 years might have rendered it something less of a shocker. I found that, apart from one violation of current political correctness and a few inevitable stylistic issues, the message had lost none of its poignancy and perhaps little of its ability to shock.

"The Black Girl in Search of God" (free eBook) is not a novel or a novella. It is not really a short story either. I choose to describe it as a parable because others have, but equally, it could be classed alongside Plato's symposium as a vehicle for examining a philosophical idea. It's not a discourse, but it could be a meditation, albeit a rather energetic one. The idea in question, of course, is the nature of religious belief.

The Black Girl of the title is only cast as such, I think, to provide Bernard Shaw, the author, with a literary vehicle to convey his otherwise naïve questions about Christianity. To this end, The Black Girl is presented as a "noble savage", and thus a tabula rasa. It is here - and only here - that Shaw violates current correctness. The character could have been cast as a child, but then she could not have threatened to wield her knobkerrie, her weapon, and nor could she have been portrayed as bringing no tradition of her own. We must accept, therefore, that there remains a functionality about the role of this character. She does not represent anything, except her ability to ask the questions she is required to ask.

The Black Girl has been converted to Christianity by a young British woman who has taken delight in amorously jilting a series of vicars. She then becomes a missionary, despite her clearly thin grasp of the subject matter. She is, perhaps, an allegory of colonial expansion. She goes abroad to teach others despite not having achieved fulfillment or knowledge in her own life. It might be important that the teacher and the taught are both women.

When her convert starts asking questions, fundamental questions that the missionary herself has never heard asked, never mind answered, she reverts to invention, not scholarship. Shaw's intention is clear. She invents myth to mystify myth. And this cloak satisfies the curiosity of the average Christian, but not The Black Girl, who thus goes off in search of God.

And, guided by snakes, she finds Him. And not just once, because there is more than one God in the Bible she carries. There is the God of Wrath, who demands the sacrifice of her child. When she cannot comply, He demands she find her father so he can sacrifice her. A good part of the Bible thus disappears from her new-found faith.

She meets an apparent God of Love, but he laughs at Job for being so naively and blindly devout. More of her book blows away.

She meets prophets who, one by one, deliver their different messages, most of which conflict and communicate individual political positions or bigotry rather than personal revelation.

On the way, she belittles Imperial power and male domination. She learns that most "civilized" countries have given up on God and hears a plea that people like her should not be taught things that the mother country no longer believes.

Scientists offer her equally conflicting opinions. They are careful only to describe, never to conclude or interpret. In a way, they are just modern prophets, each with their own interested positions.

There is an amazing episode where a mathematician implores her to consider complex numbers, the square root of minus x, which The Black Girl hears as Myna sex or perhaps its homophone minor sex, and is clearly a reference to feminism. Along with economic power and male dominance, The Black Girl sees guns as the highest achievement of white society. This anticipates the description of colonialism's trinity in Ngugi's Petals of Blood.

Then, in a strange section, an Arab discusses belief with a conjuror. These appear to be a pair of major prophets in thin disguise. But their discussions merely confuse the girl and their words skirt her questions.

And so she meets an Irishman, marries and settles down. She devotes herself to him, their coffee-colored children and the fruits of their garden. Note that she does not devote herself to herself. She projects out, does not analyze within. And in this utterly humanist universe she finds not only personal happiness, but also fulfillment and, with that, answers to her own metaphysical questions that religion per se could not even address.

And so, as the parable closes, we ponder whether the Irishman she marries is Shaw, and whether The Black Girl is the questioning, non-racist, non-sexist, socialist and humanist vision of the future he has personally espoused.

And as for the Lesser Tales, they are generally lesser. Don Giovanni explaining himself was fun and the Death of an Old Revolutionary Hero was prescient of the role of the Socialist Workers' Party adopted in maintaining Margaret Thatcher in power in the 1980s. A great, historical and fundamentally contemporary read.

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Author Bio
Philip Spires
Author of "Mission", an African novel set in Kenya
www.philipspires.co.uk
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Like to read autobiographies or biographies to glean inspiration?

Like to read autobiographies or biographies? Reading about the lives of other people has always been a source of inspiration for me and no doubt it is the same way for other people too. In fact, if a person is suffering from depression one of the suggested activities to uplift their spirit and pull them out of the dark black hole is reading life stories. Not trying to sound corny but we are all ordinary people and it is encouraging to know that the majority of us endure the same trials and tribulations and most of us overcome or rise above our difficulties and get on with our lives.

But clearly you do not have to be depressed to draw motivation from reading about the achievements of someone else. For one of my friends it was the life of Malcolm X. The first biography which influenced my life was about Sammy Davis Jr. It was titled Yes I Can. (I could just kick myself for not keeping the book as it is now considered a collectible. He also published a sequel called Why Me?) The first autobiography written by Mr. Davis is also the book that peaked my curiosity and got me interested in reading more and more biographies about anybody – celebrities, men and women in history, people in political circles, etc. Turned this fascination into a hobby and created a Pinterest board called BIO-Snapshots, a collection of trivia, information and articles about people. Some of my most recent pins link to mini-bios of: Nora Baker, Robert Smalls, and Huma Abedin.

Do you get inspired by reading
biographical accounts or personal memoirs?

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Suggested Reads (press play to view)

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The Pack – Art Print Poster
David Cowles
Available at AllPosters.com
and Amazon.com

• David Cowles is a full-time freelance illustrator whose work has appeared in such publications as: Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Fortune, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, and The New York Times. One does not have to convince others that this guy has tremendous talent. If you see an art piece like “The Pack”, you know want to go see some of his other stuff!

David Cowles – Art Posters and Prints

 

Please Visit MSC Home Sites

My Shopping Channel

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Book Suggestion: The Acacia Trilogy

American novelist, David Anthony Durham is the author of a trilogy, which is an epic fantasy; and the name he chose for the empire in this mythical land built on conquest, slaves and drug trade is called Acacia. Even though the name of this writer did not have a familiar ring for me, it so happens his novels have been translated into eight foreign languages, and he is the recipient of ALA awards (American Library Association), and has had his books recognized as New York Times Notable Books. 

• In Acacia: The Acacia Trilogy, Book One - Leodan Akaran, ruler of the Known World, dies, but not before ensuring the safety of his beloved children, in order that they might pursue their own destinies. Against their will, the siblings become separated and must learn to survive on their own, forging their own paths.

• And of course, The Other Lands: The Acacia Trilogy, Book Two, is a tale of their travels to other lands, which are tantamount to eye-opening and amazing discoveries of new worlds, even though it was never their plan to set out on a mission of exploration. Yes, yes, yes! There is an evil wicked Queen.

• Finally, The Sacred Band: The Acacia Trilogy, Book Three is _________. THE END. ≧◠◡◠≦

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The Death Game: Book Review by Chris Longmuir

Found the link below because it was shared in a Writers, Readers, Researchers & Reviewers Group on Facebook.  I prefer historical romance novels myself but the reviewer seemed to be really enthusiastic about this historical mystery.  It has peaked my interest in exploring other historical mysteries.

The Death Game by Chris Longmuir | wendyhjones

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Do You Love Reading Children's Books?

The little kid in me enjoys reading and also listening to children's books.

Commercials make fun of adults who won't be seen enjoying their favorite kid's cereal, but what if they were caught reading a children's book?

Do you enjoy reading books for children? Not reading children's books to children for their education, entertainment and enjoyment. But do you - the adult - like reading them?

Several years back, my spouse and I contemplated the idea of writing books for children. We even had ourselves tested to see if we had the necessary skills and aptitude. We were looking for a means of earning income, while working from home and caring for our young children and thought this might be a viable solution. The test results were persuasive, so we decided on this path to pursue our financial goals. We will never know if we would have been as successful as the author of the Harry Potter books. After a few manuscript rejections by various publishers, we turned our efforts to more practical, more immediate, income earning opportunities.

Although no longer interested in writing books for children, I discovered something about myself that I did not know. I thoroughly enjoy immersing myself in children's books. Not reading them to my children or to children; but I like reading them for myself. Yes. It's an indulgence.


Many books written for children, adolescents or young adults are about 100 to 250 pages: a quick read. Those marvelous children's picture books with their exquisite illustrations are even shorter reads; about 25 pages, pictures included. But what a wonderful distraction they are from the daily grind of work, housework, grocery shopping and other mundane chores. They're so adventurous and other-worldly. Reading children's books actually refreshes and energizes me.


During the course of our failed attempt at becoming children's book authors, I found numerous writers in this field that I wish I had been introduced to when I myself was a child. I had never heard of many of them and yet they were award-winning, outstanding, notable, respected authors. Laurence Yep, Katherine Paterson, Madeleine L'Engle and Jane Yolen are four such writers.

So, if you're wondering what would be a guilt-free indulgence to set yourself free from your daily routine for just a few moments, try reading a children's book. Choose books by the authors mentioned above, or if you don't know where to begin, visit Al's Book Club for Kids. Oprah also publishes a Kids' Reading List. Although these lists were created with children in mind, they are perfect for those of us who want to indulge our inner child.



References:

• Paterson, Katherine. Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1983. Print.
• L'Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1962. Print.
• "Jane Yolen." Fantastic Fiction. Web. 27 Apr 2011.
• "Al's Book Club for Kids.", TODAY.com: Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, TODAY Show Video, News, Recipes, Health, Pets. Web. 27 Apr 2011.
• "Kids' Reading List - Oprah.com." Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com. Web. 27 Apr 2011.
• "Author Katherine Paterson After Bridge to Terabithia - Oprah.com."Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com. Web. 27 Apr. 2011.
• "FIND A BOOK: L'ENGLE, MADELEINE." Anita Silvey's Children's Book-A-Day Almanac. Web. 27 Apr 2011.

Suggested link: Children who have published books and have made an impact on the world of literature. Click this link to read Literary History: Children Authors. It's fascinating!



( NOTE: Full article previously published a YAHOO Voices.  YCN website shut down.  Portions of republished various places around the web. )


Audiobooks for Children from Listening Library: FREE Shipping & Handling – No Minimum Purchase Required Listening Library is the world's largest audiobook publisher dedicated to children's literature. For over 50 years, Listening Library has been the premier publisher of unabridged audiobooks for children and young adults. Our core commitment is to produce the best books—new releases and classics—as top-quality recordings to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages today and for many years to come. Receive free shipping and handling – No minimum purchase required.

Character Study: Bible Women | Mary: Full of Grace

MARY
The mother of Jesus. No one disputes this.

Almost everyone in a predominantly Christian society knows the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus. When Mary is introduced in the Christian scriptures, she is living in Nazareth in Galilee and she is betrothed to be married to a man named Joseph, who discovers that she is pregnant. Knowing that child could not possibly be his child, Joseph agonizes over what to do about Mary. Under Jewish law, he has two options. Option 1: Shame Mary publicly and have her stoned for infidelity. Option 2: Put Mary away quietly. The scriptures state that an angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him not to fear taking Mary as his wife. She had committed no sin and the child that she was carrying was the result of a miracle and the fulfillment of a prophecy that “a virgin would conceive and bring forth a son who would be named Emmanuel, meaning ‘God with us’.”



Mary and Jesus - Pop Ink – CSA Images - Allposters.com

Some non-Christian sources say that Jesus was a bastard, an illegitimate child, the result of an unlawful union between Mary and someone other than her lawful husband. There is an ongoing debate as to whether the Qu’ran (Koran) states that Mary was a virgin who conceived and gave birth to Jesus, having never had sexual contact in any way with any man OR whether she was a virgin at the time the angel visited her and told her she would have a child.

Whether or not Christian and non-Christian sources agree, Mary is the 5th woman mentioned by Matthew in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

• Bible References: MARY – MATT 1: 16, 18, 20; 2: 11; 13: 55; MK 6: 3; LK 1: 27, 30, 41, 56; 2: 5, 16, 19

A Lineage of Grace:Five Stories of Unlikely Women Who Changed Eternity

Hearts | Forward this Image

Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter