AUTHOR R. ANN SIRACUSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . It isn't the destination that matters -- It's the journey that counts!

THE PLANET THAT GOT AWAY

8/15/2026

IS THERE A HIDDEN WORLD IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM?
Ever since 1846, when the planet Neptune was discovered, astronomers and physicists have entertained the theory that there was another planet in the solar system that was influencing the orbits of Uranus and Neptune.

When Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, making it the first known object in the Kuiper Belt – a large ring of icy bodies beyond Neptune’s orbit – and hailed as the ninth planet, many believed this was the celestial body responsible for disturbances observed with the orbits of the other two planets.

Image Source: www.animalia-live.club

Image source: www./pinterest.com

Additional research made it evident that Pluto’s gravitational influence was too weak to account for the anomalies observed and then, in 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union “because other objects might cross its orbit” (i.e. It does not clear its orbit of other objects as planets do). That leaves the solar system with only eight “real” planets accounted for and a mystery regarding the existence or non-existence of a ninth planet in the solar system. https://science.nasa.gov/dwarf-planets/pluto/facts/

Because the orbits of the planets within our solar system have been stable for billions of years, the cause of the identified anomalies would support the theory of a planet that was knocked off course long ago and now has an incredibly long orbit around the sun.

Articles published on worldatlas.com website states, “According to theories regarding the effects on the orbits of Neptune and Uranus, experts believe that Planet X could be up to ten times larger than Earth and would take approximately 10,000 to 20,000 years to complete one full orbit around the Sun. Even at its closest approach, Planet X would be seven times farther from the Sun than Neptune is.”

Older depiction of Solar System leaving out other dwarf planets
Image Source: www.ar.inspiredartists.com

THE MYSTERIAL ORBIT ANOMALIES
Decades of observation and research have produced data regarding certain anomalies in the orbits of distant dwarf planets and icy objects in the Kuiper Belt, leading scientists to believe that our understanding of the solar system is still incomplete.
These orbital oddities have caused many astronomers to consider whether a hypothetical celestial body – a real “ninth planet” – remains invisible to astronomers, but the existence of which can be inferred from its influence on other objects. But how could such a thing have eluded the experts all these years?

SEARCH FOR A MISSING PLANET
In the wake of Pluto’s reclassification, finding an explanation for the anomalies in the Keiper Belt has sparked renewed interest. There are numerous efforts underway.

▼Pluto as seen by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft (2015)
Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute
Image Source: www.cnn.com/planet-y-solar-system-study

CALTECH
In 2016, Caltech astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown proposed that an unknown Planet Nine might still exist in an orbit much further beyond Pluto in the solar system’s outermost region.

“Their idea was that a hidden planet roughly the size of Neptune, and between 5 and 10 times the mass of Earth, might be orbiting the Sun on a highly elongated path that could be 30 times more distant than Neptune, meaning it would take up to 20,000 years to complete just one orbit. While the idea remains possible based on extreme gravitational anomalies observed in trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs), the question of Planet Nine’s existence remains theoretical.” thedebrief.org/the-hunt-for-planet-x

NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
However, in a recent study conducted at Taiwan’s National Tsing Hua University, Terry Phan and his colleagues studied archival data from decommissioned infrared satellites in search of slow-moving distant objects that might be candidates for the mysterious, hypothetical ninth planet. After filtering out known celestial bodies, Phan and his colleagues identified one good possibility: a faint dot that appeared consistently across both of their datasets and displayed promising characteristics, including moving in a way suggestive of an extremely distant planetary orbit. Their findings have been accepted for publication in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia.
While many are skeptical about Phan’s findings, the discrepancies found by dissenting scientists “…don’t necessarily rule out the possibility that the newly discovered candidate might actually be an undiscovered planet. However, if this were the case, its peculiarities seem to suggest that it is not the mystery ‘Planet Nine,’ but instead an entirely separate and unexpected celestial body that, if anything, might disprove original ideas about orbital instabilities in the outer solar system.” Micah Hanks, May, 2025 writing for thedebrief.org/the-hunt-for-planet-x

VERA C. RUBIN OBSERVATORY
In Hawaii, scientists at the Keck and Subaru Telescopes continue the search, but the best hope for success is the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

They began initial on-sky operations on a decade-long survey of the Southern Hemisphere in late 2024. Equipped with the world’s largest digital camera, the observatory could identify many more Kuiper Belt objects with suspiciously aligned orbits, if they exist.Scientists expect great things to come of this project.

CARNEGIE INSTITUTION FOR SCIENCE
A team of scientists at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington D.C., believe that in the formation of the solar system there was an additional planet located between Saturn and Uranus which was “flung out” of the solar system while still in its infancy.

“The theory goes that the Sun was once surrounded by a disk of gas and dust. Through countless collisions, planets started to form, orbiting our star at a relatively short distance.
According to Victor Tangermann, in a 2020 article in futurism.com, “The theory goes that the Sun was once surrounded by a disk of gas and dust. Through countless collisions, planets started to form, orbiting our star at a relatively short distance. The more massive planets then kicked off a series of gravitational interactions, causing the planets to reshuffle into their current arrangement.”

The lead author of a paper published in the Icarus Journal, Carnegie postdoctoral fellow Matt Clement, by running 6,000 computer simulations, they found the final arrangement of Neptune and Uranus, was determined “…by both the mass of the Kuiper belt, a region of dwarf planets and planetoids in the far reaches of the solar system, and an “ejected ice giant” that was kicked out when the planetary system was still young.” futurism.com/evidence-another-planet

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
A recent study suggests a potential new candidate, which the paper’s authors have dubbed Planet Y, although it has not been detected but merely inferred by the tilted orbits of some distant objects in the Kuiper Belt.

The lead author Amir Siraj, an astrophysicist and a doctoral candidate of astrophysical sciences at Princeton University, said, “One explanation is the presence of an unseen planet, probably smaller than the Earth and probably bigger than Mercury, orbiting in the deep outer solar system. This paper is not a discovery of a planet, but it’s certainly the discovery of a puzzle for which a planet is a likely solution.”

TAKE AWAY
These studies add weight to the hypothesis that there is currently an undiscovered planet lurking in the far outer solar system. The studies demonstrate the need to conduct surveys of trans-Neptunian objects, particularly in the distant Kuiper Belt, as they hold the key to a deeper understanding of how our entire solar system formed billions of years ago.

It also points out that knowledge is a work in progress.

JUST SAYIN’

Sources:
https://science.nasa.gov/dwarf-planets/pluto/facts/
https://www.worldatlas.com/space/the-stray-planet-that-escaped-our-solar-system-v2.html
https://thedebrief.org/the-hunt-for-planet-x-is-a-secret-super-earth-lurking-in-our-solar-system/
https://futurism.com/evidence-another-planet-solar-system-escaped
https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/03/science/planet-y-solar-system-study
https://arxiv.org/html/2504.17288v1
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/planet-x/
□

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THE ERFURT LATRINE DISASTER

8/2/2026

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History can be incredibly dull for children in school, which is sad and probably unnecessary. There are some incredibly interesting, and often amusing, aspects of many historical events which can liven up the learning experience.

Case in point: The Erfurt Latrine Disaster occurred on 26 July 1184, in Erfurt Germany, where approximately sixty local nobles died when the floor of a building collapsed through the ground floor and into the latrine cesspit below.

“The Erfurt Latrine Disaster remains a macabre yet fascinating episode in history, illustrating the unpredictability and danger of life in the Middle Ages. It serves as a grim reminder of how architectural and engineering shortcomings could result in horrific accidents with far-reaching consequences… a lesson painfully learned through the loss of so many lives.”
historycollection.com/weird-historical-events

SETTING THE STAGE
Location
The German city of Erfurt has existed since the 8th century and was originally part of the Holy Roman Empire. The legendary Petersberg Citadel is deeply intertwined with the history of the city, and many of the original buildings in the area were still in use in the 12th century.

▲ Erfurt location map-Image Source: britannica.com/Thuringia ▲ City of Erfurt, Germany - image source: Alamy.com

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The 12th century was a period in history characterized by constant political power struggles between feudal nobles and religious leaders of the Roman Catholic Church. An article on the website www.historyskills.com describes the situation as, “The Holy Roman Empire, which is neither holy nor Roman nor an empire…is in turmoil.”

During the period in question, Erfurt was ruled under one of the Germans kings, King Heinrich VI (aka King Henry VI) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. His father, Frederick Barbarossa, was the Holy Roman emperor.

An ongoing land dispute between Conrad of Wittelsbach, Archbishop of Mainz, and Ludwig III, the Landgrave of Thuringia, had elevated to the point where it threatened imperial unity. Barbarossa ordered his son to divert his military campaign en route to Poland and go to Erfurt to mediate, which he did.
▼ King Heinrich VI, or Henry VI - Image Source: www.thisdaytrivia.com

KING HEINRICH VI’S HOFTAG
King Heinrich was anxious to get the dispute settled once and for all, and immediately called a hoftag, an official court meeting involving the disputing parties and their minions, members of the king’s court, local nobility and bishops, and prominent citizens of Erfurt.

An estimated sixty people were present at the July 26, 1184 mediation session, and some believe it was closer to one hundred. Historians agree the assembly gathered on the second (upper) floor of an old two -story building close to Erfurt Cathedral, but it could have been provost's building, the bishop's residence nearby, St. Peter’s Church, or somewhere else.
St. Peter’s Church, Erkurt, Germany (2023) Image Source: www.dreamstime.com ▼

Most sources favored St. Peter’s Church, where the upper floor held an assembly room, and the ground floor housed services spaces above a cesspit which serviced the latrine.

Regardless of the specific location, the building was several hundred years old and most likely suffering from lack of maintenance, heavy use, and inclement weather. No doubt the floor's wooden support beams were rotten.

THE DISASTER
The sixty plus in attendance, along with their armor, swords, and other accoutrements, concentrated more or less in the center of the meeting space. The combined weight caused the floor to collapse. The impact of the falling people, wooden beams, and debris ruptured the cover of the underground cesspool, and everything continued to plunge into the sewage below.

At least 60 people lost their lives -- some estimates human toll as high as 100 -- from the fall, being crushed in the fall, injuries sustained from the catastrophe, suffocating in the human excrement, or overcome by noxious fumes.

“Survivors later described the mess below as almost impossible to navigate. The floor was slippery, the air heavy, and the wreckage shifted with every step. Some men managed to grab sections of timber or stone as they dropped, holding on until help reached them. Others tried to climb toward any visible opening. Many could not move at all, pinned under broken beams.” explorethearchive.com/erfurt

Pulling survivors out was slow work. Some bodies were recovered quickly, while others were buried under debris or caught beneath heavy beams. The work continued for hours, and people later spoke of how difficult it was simply to move around the wreckage without making things worse.

Ludwig, whose dispute with the archbishop had been the focus of the meeting, survived purely by chance. King Heinrich and the archbishop were talking in one of the room’s window nooks and were able to cling to some iron railings until they were rescued. As noted, the exact number of deaths varies across accounts. The confusion of the scene makes exact numbers difficult to determine.

AFTERMATH
King Heinrich IV left the scene as soon as possible, and no one seems to know what happened to the feud between the archbishop and the Landgrave of Thuringia. For the king, who was quite young, the tragedy reflected badly on his appearance of stability and control. The Latrine Episode did nothing for his good reputation.

A WORD ABOUT LATRINES
Medieval latrines, similar to later such facilities, occupied whatever spare space was available and were a hole or pit into which the waste dropped. In more prominent buildings, like St. Peters Church, they were only slightly more advanced. The space was often used attached to the side of the exterior of the structure or the waste hole might discharge directly into the castle moat. Latrines were rarely cleaned.
▼Image Source: www.alamy.com

TAKE AWAYS
Almost a thousand years after the disaster, we can envision the humorous side and laugh (without too much guilt) despite the loss of life.

However, this event might have changed history. Had King Heinrich IV perished with some of the other nobility that day, there might have been a noticeable impact. After his father, Frederick Barbarossa, went on his Holy Land crusade, King Heinrich IV took over as Holy Roman emperor. He later defeated a revolt by Henry the Lion, the duke of Bavaria and Saxony, whose titles were stripped away thereafter. One change in events, one circumstance, can sometimes have major historical impacts.

JUST SAYIN'
Sources:
https://historycollection.com/weird-historical-events-that-sound-fake-but-are-true/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erfurt_latrine_disaster
https://allthatsinteresting.com/erfurt-latrine-disaster
https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/zac-2024-0027/html
https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/year-8/erfurt-latrine-disaster/
https://explorethearchive.com/erfurt-latrine-disaster
https://www.britannica.com/place/Thuringia
https://www.iflscience.com/the-erfurt-latrine-disaster-when-60100-nobles-drowned-in-a-pit-of-human-excrement-63724
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/demons-your-toilet-guardians-sewers-and-how-they-protected-ancient-latrines-008307

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THE GREAT EMU WAR

7/1/2026

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Image Source: www.stellarhistory.com/the-great-emu-war

THE DAILY NEWS RECAPS END OF WAR
“After a short, sharp campaign the military operations against the emu tribes have ceased with dramatic suddenness and for the time being all is quiet on the Campion front. The White High Command which had been sparring for time while putting the finishing touches to the plans for the great offensive, is clearly bamboozled by the quick turn of events and after the fashion of High Commands is uncommunicative to the correspondents on the spot.

Gossip which has trickled through from the Chancellory at Canberra, however, suggests that the statesmen of the supporting Power suddenly awakened to certain political and financial implications of the situation and decided that it was not going to be trapped into another long war. The position, however, is indefinite.

No treaty of peace has been concluded and the emus remain in possession of disputed territory. It is therefore expected that regular military operations will be followed by guerilla warfare, which may continue for years and may be accompanied by stories of horrible atrocities.

The emu commander is maintaining a studied silence as to his future plans, but it is understood that he is much impressed with the capacity for resistance shown by raw troops and confident that they will continue to uphold the best traditions of the race. He is credited with the intention to arrange for a suitable poem to commemorate the emu glory on the field of Campion.” The Daily News Nov.9, 1932 -
Source: tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Quotes/TheEmuWar

Unfortunately, the end was short lived, and the conflict resumed. One might say that Australia is renowned for its wildlife efforts, but particularly for those that did not go as planned, such as intentionally introducing damaging invasive species. During this endeavor in 1932, the Australian military undertook an operation to subdue the Emus…and they lost.

THE ENEMY EMU
The emu is a tall, flightless bird native to Australia. It is the tallest avian in Australia, and third-tallest living bird after its African relatives, the common ostrich and the Somnali ostrich. The bird has soft, shaggy grey-brown and black plumage, a long neck, and long legs, and can grow to a height of 6 feet 3 inches.
▼ Image Source: www.australianmuseum.com

Being a robust bipedal runner, an emu can travel great distances and, when necessary, can sprint at 30 miles per hour. It forages on a variety of plants, insects, and small animals, and can go for weeks without eating. It drinks infrequently, but takes in copious amounts of fresh water when the opportunity arises. The emus’ native ranges cover most of the Australian mainland. And therein lies the problem.

WHERE AND HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The Great Emu War took place in the Campion district within the wheat belt of southwestern Australia. You can barely see the blue dot on the map in the lower left portion of the red.

The Australian wheat belt extends to the north, east and south of Perth and was a diverse ecosystem prior to its clearing in the late 19th century. The introduction of large-scale wheat disrupted the delicate balance of the local ecosystem, creating new opportunities for species like the emu to thrive while also making them into pests from the perspective of the farmers. Location map of the war ►
Image Source: www.utube.com

From the time the settlers there began to clear the land to grow wheat, their practices have impinged on the Emu population for whom the cultivated land, supplied with extra water for Iivestock, resembled the emus’ preferred habitat of open plains.

By 1930, many former WWI soldiers had settled in the district to farm, enticed by offered government subsidies. But falling wheat prices in the early 1930s and undelivered government promises had made farming difficult.

In 1932 the ongoing conflict with the emus to keep them out of the wheat fields escalated when the Campion district experienced an exceptionally large migration of birds. Farmers complained loudly to the government that the emu incursions trampled the crops and damaged the fences erected to prevent rabbits. Farmers had to keep watch day and night, and other lost their entire 3,000 acre crops. They tried lighting fires along the perimeters of fields and erecting tall fences which the emus merely walked around. Nothing seemed to slow the birds down.

They wanted action and appealed to the government for help. Given that many settlers were military veterans, they were aware of the capacity of machine guns for sustained fire, and that is what they requested. Minister of Defense, Sir George Pearce, agreed, and ordered the army to cull the emu population.

“The ‘Emu War’ proper began in November 1932. Deployed to the combat zone, such as it was, were two soldiers, Sergeant S. McMurray and Gunner J. O’Halloran, and their commander, Major G. P. W. Meredith of the Royal Australian Artillery. They were equipped with two Lewis light machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition. Their objective was the mass extermination of a native species.” https://www.historyhit.com/the-great-emu-war/

◄ Image Credit: Historic Collection / Alamy Stock Photo
Image Source:www.historyhit.com/the-great-emu-war/
The emus successfully evaded the firepower, so an ambush was planned. Locals tried to herd emus towards the appointed trap, but they split into small groups and got away. During another try, about 1,000 birds escaped due to a gun jamming.

Having decided to travel to the places where emus were spotted, Major Meredith mounted one of the guns on a truck so they could shoot the birds while they were running away. That ploy proved as unsuccessful as the ambushes. The truck was too slow and the ride so rough the gunner couldn’t fire. After a week of action, only 50 to 100 birds had been killed.

Major Meredith is quoted as saying about the campaign, “If we had a military division with the bullet-carrying capacity of these birds it would face any army in the world. They face machine guns with the invulnerability of tanks.”

▲ An Australian soldier holds one of the few fatalities ▲ Image Source: youtube.com
Image Credit: FLHC 4 / Alamy Stock Photo

A red-faced Minister Sir George Pearce withdrew the troops from the front line, but reinstated the conflict by sending them back when the farmers reported more birds had been eliminated than previously reported. For the next month about 100 emus were shot every week, but at a huge cost in ammunition; 100 rounds per kill.

“The operation may have saved some wheat, but the effectiveness of the cull paled next to the strategy of offering bounties to rifle-wielding farmers. By contrast, farmers managed to claim 57,034 bounties over six months in 1934.” en.wikipedia.org/emu_war

TAKE AWAY
The beleaguered campaign turned out to be a comedy of errors. Popular opinion was that the Emus had won the war, and the whole episode is written about as an amusing screw-up. The Sunday Herald reported in 1953, “the incongruity of the whole thing even had the effect, for once, of arousing public sympathy for the emu.”

However, the failure of the military campaign highlights the difficulty of controlling wildlife populations once they get out of balance and the incursion of human population into historic wildlife habitat areas, and raises ethical issues about animal control, culling, and the wholesale slaughter of native species.

Don’t mess with Mother Nature!

JUST SAYIN’
Sources:
https://historicsidenotes.com/20th-century-chaos/the-great-emu-war/
https://greatgameindia.com/great-emu-war/
https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/world/30-weirdest-historical-events-that-will-make-you-laugh/
https://www.historysnob.com/war-and-historical-events/20-lesserknown-historical-events-that-no-one-talks-about
https://www.historyhit.com/the-great-emu-war/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/emu_war
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War
https://www.historytools.org/stories/the-great-emu-war-a-bizarre-chapter-in-australias-ecological-history
https://www.stellarhistory.com/the-great-emu-war
https://www.thecollector.com/great-emu-war/
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Quotes/TheEmuWar
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/emu-habitat-long-but-fact-filled-and-varied.738164/

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RIE MUÑOZ: An Alaskan Treasure

6/15/2026

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Most creative people, regardless of the media they work in, can appreciate creativity in other fields. I love art, and in Alaska in the spring of 2012, I became aware of a contemporary watercolor artist whose work I was unfamiliar with. I was amazed and delighted to make such a wonderful discovery.
▼ Image Credit: Mark Kelley
Image Source: alaskapublic.org/news/2015-04-09/

The artist Rie Muñoz, who passed away on April 6, 2015 in Juneau at 93 years of age, was and is still considered an Alaskan State Treasure. Her art work captured the natural beauty and majesty of the Alaskan landscapes and show cases the Alaskan culture and wildlife. Her artwork highlighted a deep connection to the land and the people.

Her works have been chosen by the State of Alaska for their Heirloom Birth Certificate, an unofficial commemoration of an Alaskan birth.
health.alaska.gov/heirloom-birth-certificate/

The Embrace by Rie Muñoz, Polar Bears by Rie Muñoz,
Source of Images: health.alaska.gov/heirloom-birth-certificate/

Rie Muñoz’ paintings are fresh, spontaneous, and full of fun. She conveys the subtle messages everyday life in her work. About herself, she writes:

"My artwork can best be described as expressionism. The term applied to work that rejects camera snapshot realism, and instead, expresses emotion by distortion and strong colors. My paintings reflect an interest in the day-to-day activities of Alaskans such as fishing, berry picking, children at play, crabbing and whaling. I am also fascinated with the legends of Alaska's Native people. While I find much to paint around Juneau, most of my materials comes from sketching trips taken to the far corners of Alaska."

Rie wasn't born in Alaska. She was born Marie Mounier in Van Nuys, CA, in 1921, but spent much of her early life in Holland where her Holland-Dutch father was a partner in a business magazine. He wrote stories about business in America, so he traveled to the US often with the family. In 1939, when Germany threatened to occupy Holland, Rie was sent to the US with a younger brother to live with friends in Plainview, NJ.
Since the US gave visas only to parents with minor children living in the US, her parents applied and received visas. A few days before they were scheduled to leave, Hitler attacked Holland. Rie's parents weren't able to come to the US until 1947.

After one year of high school, she joined her older brother in Hollywood, CA, where she had to earn a living with a job decorating windows in a North Hollywood dime store.

At some point she moved to Seattle. While living there, in 1951, she traveled to Alaska on vacation, taking the Inside Passage by steamship. When the ship stopped in Juneau, she fell in love with the city and its surroundings. She writes that she gave herself the one day before the ship sailed to find a job and a place to live.

After walking a few blocks, she went into the offices of the Daily Alaska Empire newspaper, where she was hired on the spot. Next she walked along Seventh Street and saw a woman hanging laundry out to dry. She asked the woman if she knew of anyone with a place to rent and the woman said, "I have a place for you." So Rie moved in with a Finnish woman and her husband, paying them $5 a week.

After she collected her belonging from the steamship two days later, she called her parents and told them she wasn't coming back. That was some gutsy lady, if you ask me.

And Alaska was her home ever since, except for a short time in 1957 living on Mercer Island, Washington where her husband Juan was employed as a geologist. Later they returned to Alaska.

In Juneau, her first painting was of the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church on Fifth Street downtown. She worked in oils in the beginning before perfecting her craft in watercolors.

St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church – Juneau, Alaska
Image Source: Image Credit: R. Ann Siracusa (2012)

During her years in Alaska, Rie Muñoz lived in a variety of small Alaska communities and has held many jobs including journalist, a cartoonist, editor, teacher, museum curator, artist, and mother to a son.

At one point, she taught 25 Eskimo children on King Island, a 13-hour umiak (a walrus-skin boat) voyage from Nome. Image Courtesy of Juan Munoz ▼ Image Source: alaskapublic.org/news/2015-04-09

She studied art at Washington and Lee University, Virginia and at the University of Alaska-Juneau. She received the University of Alaska's Honorary Doctorate of Humanities Degree in May of 1999.

She has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions to the art community. Her art is showcased in various galleries and museums, reflecting her deep connection to Alaska. Muñoz is also known for her printmaking and published several books featuring her artwork.

These are photos I took of some of the signed prints I purchased at her gallery in Juneau.

Dogsled by Rie Muñoz Fishing by Rie Muñoz

Bathhouse by Rie Muñoz Eskimo Babies by Rie Muñoz

Muñoz carried a sketchbook at all times, drawing whatever caught her eye and capturing emotion in a few strokes. Life in general, fishermen repairing nets, children playing, village life, cannery workers, women bathing. She noted details in the margins, such as colors. These field sketches were used as references for composite sketches, more detailed renditions of the scene that she would paint.

After several, or many, composition sketches, Munoz would take the best one and project the image onto 300 lb. arches watercolor paper using an overhead projector and then spend the next 4 to 5 days finalizing the work in vibrant watercolor expression she is famous for.

Rie Muñoz’s sketchbooks were donated to the Juneau Douglas City Museum in 2022.

JUST SAYIN'
Sources:
https://health.alaska.gov/en/services/heirloom-birth-certificate/
https://www.riemunoz.com/rie-munoz-artist
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rie_Mu%C3%B1oz
https://www.alaskapremierauctions.com/the-art-of-sold/detail/discover-the-unique-world-of-artist-rie-munoz
https://alaskapublic.org/news/2015-04-09/rie-munoz-leaves-a-legacy-of-delight-joy-and-laughter
Images
https://health.alaska.gov/dph/VitalStats/PublishingImages/heirloom/Birth-PolarBears.jpg
https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP.Wuh5Lg00_1nInY0I038KwAHaFd?pid=Api&P=0&h=180
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc437/asiracusa/Rie%20Munoz/russianchurch_Juneau.jpg
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc437/asiracusa/Rie%20Munoz/200x300St-Nicholas-Orthodox-Church-Juneau-Copy-1.jpg

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WORLD OCEAN(S) DAY

6/1/2026

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WORLD OCEANS DAY
On June 8 we celebrate World Ocean(s) Day to raise awareness about the importance of oceans and to promote their conservation. The day supports the implementation of worldwide Sustainable Development Goals and fosters public interest in the protection of the ocean and sustainable management of its resources.

Initially, the World Commission on Environment and Development, in its 1987 report, pointed out that the ocean sector lacked a strong voice compared to other sectors. As a result, the concept for World Oceans Day was put forth in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development and the Ocean Institute of Canada at the Earth Summit Conference on Environment held in Brazil.

The objectives were to move the ocean to the center of intergovernmental dialogue and policy and to strengthen the voice of ocean and coastal constituencies throughout the world.
Ten years later, in 2002, The Ocean Project started global coordination of World Ocean Day, which was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008, and is now observed by all UN members.

ONE OCEAN OR SEVERAL OCEANS?
You may have noticed that there is an inconsistency in the title of the observation day. Is it “Ocean” or “Oceans”? Although the event carries both names, the objectives are the same.
For much of written history, the Earth was said to have four oceans. However, now oceanographers typically recognize five major oceans -- Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic – even though these bodies of water are interconnected, forming a single global ocean system. The distinction between oceans is based on geographical, ecological, and historical factors.

The difference between one and multiple oceans tends to be one of preferred definition and terminology. While some experts insist it should be called one ocean, and there are others who advocate for recognizing additional subdivisions as separate entities, most oceanographers accept the five-ocean distinction. Take your pick!

THE OCEAN
Most of our Earth’s surface (an estimated 71%) is covered by saltwater oceans, and scientists estimate that 97% of the water on our planet is found in the ocean. The ocean remains one of the most unexplored places on Earth, with about 80% of the ocean yet to be mapped or explored.

Also, experts estimate that about 50% of the oxygen production on Earth comes from the ocean, most of it generated by plants, algae, and some bacteria that can photosynthesize. One particular species, Prochlorococcus, the smallest photosynthetic organism on Earth, produces up to 20% of the oxygen in the entire biosphere, a higher percentage than all of the tropical rainforests on land combined. Source: oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean-oxygen
That makes the ocean vital to survival on the planet.

THE OCEANS
Source of Images: ww.worldatlas.com/oceans

The Pacific Ocean
Spanning 63 million sq. miles, the Pacific Ocean is Earth’s largest ocean. It stretches from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west and the Americas in the east. It covers about 46% of the Earth’s water surface and 32% of its total surface.

The Pacific Ocean is the world’s deepest ocean and water body, with an average depth of 14,041 feet, and a maximum depth of 35,797 feet. It contains the Earth’s deepest point (Challenger Deep, at 35,853 feet) and the Southern Hemisphere’s deepest point (Horizon Deep, at 35,508 feet).

The Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean, the Earth's second-largest, covers 41 million sq. miles (17% of the Earth’s surface) and spans from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean near Antarctica, and from the Americas in the west to Europe/Africa in the east. Connected worldwide by currents, this S-shaped basin includes deep trenches, submarine ridges, and diverse marine ecosystems.

The Atlantic Ocean has an average depth of 11,961 feet, making it the third-deepest ocean by average depth, with a maximum depth of 27,480 feet below sea level. The Puerto Rico Trench, located near the Caribbean Sea, is the Atlantic’s deepest point.

The Indian Ocean
The world's third-largest ocean, the Indian Ocean, comprises about 27 million sq. miles (about 20% of Earth’s water surface), and covers the area from Asia to Antarctica, and Africa to Australia.
The deepest point of the Indian Ocean is the Java Trench, located near Sumatra Island (23,812 feet) and the average depth is 23,273 feet.

Characterized by strong monsoons, it is the planet’s warmest ocean and plays a critical role in global climate. Rich in biodiversity—coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds—its waters support key fisheries but face threats like overfishing and pollution. Historically a hub for trade and migrations, it continues serving shipping routes amid concerns over geopolitics, piracy, and climate change.

The Southern Ocean
The Southern, or Antarctic, Ocean, is the second-smallest, encompassing about 7.8 million sq. miles. Most recently recognized by the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000, the boundary is generally defined as waters south of 60° S and encircling Antarctica.

The specifics of the boundary are still undergoing the ratification process because some member nations do not agree on the exact limits. The United States, represented in the IHO by the National Ocean Service (NOS) Office of Coast Survey, is among those that support the designation of the Southern Ocean.

The Southern Ocean is the world’s fourth-deepest ocean; the maximum known depth being of over 4.6 miles (The South Sandwich Trench). It supports the world’s largest ocean current, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, crucial for thermohaline circulation. Today, climate change impacts the region’s ocean currents, ice extent, and marine ecosystems.

The Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest, covering around 5.4 million square miles and having an average depth of 17,880 feet. Surrounded by North America and Eurasia, it is mostly covered by sea ice year-round, with melting intensifying in summer.

Arctic waters have the planet’s lowest average salinity from limited evaporation and heavy freshwater inflow. Today, climate change accelerates sea ice decline, potentially altering ocean circulation and Arctic wildlife. Despite harsh conditions, it houses unique species and significant natural resources. The Molloy Hole, located in the Fram Strait, is the ocean’s deepest point. The Caribbean Sea is deeper than the Arctic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea’s maximum depth is only slightly less.

SEA WORDS
The ocean is frequently referred to as the sea, meaning the huge continuous body of salt water that spans the earth. With the article the, the usage is correct.

“A sea” is a large body of saltwater, generally smaller and shallower than an ocean and typically found where the ocean meets land, and may be partially or entirely enclosed by landmasses, islands, or archipelagos. Proximity to land results in seas providing more varied habitats for sea life and greater accessibility to human influence, often giving them historical, political, and ecological significance.

Seas also play an important role in regulating Earth’s climate by absorbing vast amounts of heat – an estimated 90% of excess heat generated by human activities -- and carbon dioxide. They act as massive heat sinks, absorbing and redistributing heat globally through ocean currents, which helps to moderate atmospheric temperatures and weather patterns.S Source: biologyinsights.com

UNDER THE OCEANS
Because the major objective of World Ocean Day is to elevate awareness of the importance of the ocean and focus intergovernmental policy on protection of the ocean, what lies under the water and the ocean floor itself are central to that concern.

Image sources: viewfloor.com

TOPOGRAPHGY OF THE SEABED

Continental Shelf
The first part of land covered by the ocean extending from the coastline outwards towards deeper water, where it drops off at a point known as the shelf break. The size of the shelf differs around the world.

Continental Slope
The steeply sloping seabed that lies between the continental shelf and the deeper abyssal plain marks the boundary between the continental crust and oceanic crust at at the continental rise.

Abyssal Plain
Beginning at the base of the continental rise, the Abyssal plains are usually found at depths between 13,000 to 20,000 feet, forming some of the deepest parts of the ocean floor and making up about 50% of the seabed. They are mostly flat and cover large areas.

Volcanic Islands, Seamounts, And Deep Open Trenches

THE GEOLOGY OF THE SEABED
The composition of the seabed varies according to location and origin, from eroded land or sand to decomposing sea creatures and material from outer space. As a general rule, there are four different types of sediment which sit on top of the oceanic crust: Terrigenous, Biogenous, Hydrogenous, and Cosmogenous.

OXYGEN PRODUCTION
Our atmosphere contains oxygen because of a number of natural processes. These significant ecosystems make a big difference in the amount of oxygen produced in the atmosphere and are crucial for preserving the equilibrium between carbon dioxide and oxygen in our environment. The ocean gets the credit for producing half of the earth’s oxygen production.

According to oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean-oxygen, “Scientists estimate that roughly half of the oxygen production on earth comes from the ocean. The majority of this production is from oceanic plankton -- drifting plants, algae, and some bacteria that can photosynthesize. One particular species, Prochlorococcus, is the smallest photosynthetic organism on Earth. But this little bacteria produces up to 20% of the oxygen in our entire biosphere. That’s a higher percentage than all of the tropical rainforests on land combined.”

However, roughly the same amount produced by the ocean is consumed by marine plants and animals , including dead plants and animals decaying in the ocean. The fact that half of Earth’s oxygen depends on microscopic ocean life makes it sensitive to environmental change, particularly the warming of temperature. The risk is the collapse of marine food webs that depend on these organisms, and the loss of a major carbon dioxide sink that helps regulate global climate.

ISSUES TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT
Despite the fact that so much of the ocean is unexplored, we know the life that the seafloor supports is crucial to the larger ocean ecosystem and to survival on the planet. Because the seafloor is largely unexplored and difficult to reach for prolonged periods, the condition of the ocean bed is a major concern.

● Habitat Destruction And Loss Of Biodiversity

● Deep-Sea Mining

● Pollution, Marine Debris, and Plastics
Once plastic makes its way into the ocean floor, it becomes near impossible to remove. It’s estimated that the ocean floor is covered in 14 million tones of microplastic, which is considered a conservative estimate. Microplastics make their way into the diet of sea creatures, often suffocating or poisoning them.

● Climate Change
As the global temperature rises, the temperature of the ocean goes up. This, along with altering sea levels, change in ocean acidification, and changing currents have profound effects on benthic life. Coral bleaching is one major concern that arises from global change.

● Lack of Knowledge and Access

REGULATIONS AND GOVERNANCE OF THE SEABED
A complex network of international agreements govern and regulate the sea floor. The United Nations Convention n the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) establishes the legal framework regarding the ocean, including the seabed. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) deals with regulations such as seabed mining activities in international waters, issuing licenses, and promoting sustainable practices.
World Oceans Day to about awareness and conservation. Life may depend on it.

JUST SAYIN’

Sources:
https://unworldoceansday.org/
https://www.worldatlas.com/oceans/how-many-oceans-are-there-in-the-world.html
https://earthhow.com/5-oceans/
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/worlds-seas/
https://biologyinsights.com/what-are-all-the-seas-a-look-at-the-worlds-major-seas/
https://learnertrip.com/geography/world-seas/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Oceans_Day
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean-oxygen.html
https://www.worldatlas.com/geography/deepest-oceans-and-seas.html
https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-floor-features
https://iere.org/how-does-oxygen-get-into-the-ocean/
https://thecriticalscript.com/article-details/5-major-sources-of-oxygen-on-earth
https://scienceinsights.org/what-produces-oxygen-on-earth-oceans-plants-more/#google_vignette
https://www.blue-growth.org/Oceans_Rivers_Seas/Index_Oceans_Seas_Bays_Gulfs_Of_The_World_%20A_To_Z_Lists.htm
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JUNIA: Was She The Only Female Apostle?

5/15/2026

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On May 17 certain Christian denominations celebrate the feast day of Saint Junia, and many others which do not recognize saints, honor her as an important Biblical figure and acknowledge her role in the early church. The service in her honor states that she suffered martyrdom for Christ.

You’ve never heard of The Apostle Junia or Saint Junia? You are not alone.

WHO WAS JUNIA?

ROMANS 16:7 (King James Bible)

In St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, he states, “…salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.”

◄ Icon of Andronicus and Junia with St. Paul
Image Source: www.oca.org/saints-lives

In the context in which Romans 16 takes place, Paul is sending his personal greetings to the Romans and lists individuals who have worked with him. He asks the people of Rome to welcome Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, and others who have had an important role in Christian history, including Junia. He gives thanks for their dedication and asks the people to of Rome to greet each of them.  www.christianity.com

This is the only passage in the bible which mentions Junia by name, although some scholars have also identified her with a woman from the Gospels named Joanna, the wife of Chuza, who appears in Luke 8:1–3 and the narrative where the women visit the tomb of Jesus towards the end of the Gospels. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junia  Other scholars believe she was the wife, sister or other relative of Andronicus.*

This Bible verse has engendered extensive discussion and research on several points, but primarily in relation to these questions:
● Was Junia a man or a woman?
● Was Junia an apostle? (i.e. Could a woman be an apostle?)
● Was Junia a relative of Saint Paul, from the same country or region as Paul, or another Jew?

WHAT IS THE REAL ISSUE?
The primary subject of debate within the academic and theological world concerns the implications of a female apostle leading within the early Church and what it might suggest regarding the ordination of women.

The debate over Junia’s identity affects how scripture is interpreted regarding apostleship and leadership, and it certainly flies in the face of 1 Timothy 2:12 which translate as “And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.” (New King James Version)
    ▼Original text of John 3.16    Image Source: www.christianity.com

A WORD ABOUT TRANSLATIONS
Anyone who reads the Bible knows the translation from the original written text is everything. How words, particularly ones in ancient languages, are expressed in another more-modern language involves interpretations.

Biblehub.com identifies no less than 46 English translations, many of which translate the original words to mean something different -- some slightly, some more -- all subject to interpretation. biblehub.com/was_junia_an_apostle

WAS JUNIA A MALE OR FEMALE?
While most translations of this passage use the name “Junia”, some use “Junias.”
In terms of historical usage, “Junia” was a common Latin female name in the ancient world, whereas “Junias” (the proposed masculine form) is exceedingly rare and has little documentary evidence in Greco-Roman records.

St. John Chrysostom (347 CE – 407AD), an early Christian bishop and theologian known for his homilies and commentaries on the Bible, in his Homily 31 on Romans, writes about “Junia” as a female. His commentary expresses surprise that a woman could be held in such esteem. He indicates delight at her faithfulness and distinction, gives no indication that the name could be masculine, and lauds her as worthy of honor among believers.

◄ Image Source: www.pinterest.com

The male name "Junias" has been discovered only once in non-biblical Greek literature, referring to the bishop of Apameia of Syria, while the name “Junia” is found often on inscriptions, tombstones and records, most notably, the half sister, Junia Secunda, of Marcus Junius Brutus. Therefore, prior to the 13th century, most Bible commentators and translators favored the female name “Junia.” Based on this, scholars and theologians have generally accepted that Junia was female, consistent with many standard references.

The first texts regarding Junia as a male named Junias come from 12th century manuscripts and the first named author to describe Junia as a male was Giles of Rome in the 13th century.

A number of sources contend that by the 13th century the church would no longer consider the idea of a woman being an apostle or leader in the church and purposely had scribes change the name “Junia” to “the male name “Junias.”

According to Christine Schenk – American Catholic nun, author, and founding director of the international group FutureChurch -- "transcribers could not believe a woman would bear the title apostle, even though virtually all early Christian writers, from Chrysostom to Origen to Peter Lombard, assumed that Junia was a woman apostle.” Finding no equivalent male name in ancient sources, while the female Junia is common, they changed the name to “Junias”. www. en.wikipedia.org

The source faithward.org states that “There was no evidence in ancient manuscripts that anyone understood Junia as a male, no evidence in translations she was a male, and there was no ancient evidence that Junias was a man’s name. Still, the church got into a rut and rode it out until some courageous folks said, “Oh yes, Junia was a woman and she was an apostle, and we’ve been wrong, and we’re going to do something about it.”
www.faithward.org/women-of-the-bible
Finally, she was canonized by Pope Francis on July 5, 2015.

▼ Image Source: www.bibleodyssey.org/junia

WAS JUNIA AN APOSTLE?
First, we must ask what constitutes an “apostle”?
The word is derived from the Greek word “apostolops,” which means “one who is sent on a mission.” One source indicates its origin as a military term but was subsequently employed to refer to messengers or envoys in various contexts.

An apostle, in the Biblical sense, is “one whom God has sent on an errand or with a message. An apostle is accountable to his Sender and carries the authority of his Sender. An apostleship is the office an apostle holds. Jesus Christ Himself has an ‘postleship.’ He wears ‘Apostle’ as one of His descriptive titles (Hebrews 3:1). He was sent to earth by the Heavenly Father with God’s authoritative message, which He faithfully delivered (John 17:1–5).”

In the New Testament, an apostle can be one of the Twelve and, later, Paul (although he never claimed to be included among the original twelve), or the term can apply in a broader sense, as “one who is sent,” which would include apostolic delegates tasked with spreading the gospel.

So, depending on context, someone “well-known among the apostles” could be recognized as holding a distinguished ministry or could be understood as part of the wider group of commissioned individuals entrusted with proclaiming the gospel, or that they enjoyed a high reputation among the apostles. However, because Paul makes a special point of emphasizing how well known the couple is to him, and his references to the couple's imprisonment with him, one can reach the conclusion that he feels confident to introduce them as "apostles" on the basis of his own involvement with them.

It is interesting to note that the issue of what Paul really meant when he referred to Junia an apostle, never came into question until scholars and theologians began to focus on Junia as a female.

Another observation is that the earliest interpreters saw no major conflict in identifying Junia as a female co-laborer in the gospel, potentially recognized for evangelistic work and missionary activity. biblehub.com/junia_an_apostle.htm

There is no doubt Junia was an important figure in spreading the Christian faith. In later centuries, saints who significantly spread the Word are often referred to as “equal to the Apostles,” and this title is given without reference to gender.

WAS JUNIA A RELATIVE OF PAUL?
While this interpretation may not be as significant as the first two questions, there are several differences in translation of the relationship between Paul, Andronicus, and Junia.

● New Living Translation
“…Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me.”

● English Standard Version
“…Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners.”

● Berean Standard Bible
“…Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners.”

● New American Standard Bible
“…Andronicus and Junia, my kinsfolk and my fellow prisoners,”

● World English Bible
“...Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners,”

In some translations, Junia is identified as a "fellow countryman" of Paul, which suggests that she was of Jewish descent and possibly related to Paul by blood or at least through a shared cultural heritage. This connection underscores the diverse backgrounds of early Christian leaders and the inclusive nature of the Gospel message. biblehub.com/junia--a_relative_of_paul.htm

Junia's status as "outstanding among the apostles" highlights her importance regardless of familial connection. Theologically, her relationship to Paul could influence interpretations of gender roles in ministry. Image Source: en.wikipedia.org/Andronicus_of_Pannonia ▼

A WORD ABOUT SAINT ANDRONICUS*
Andronicus of Pannonia was a 1st-century Christian who had become a follower of Jesus Christ before Paul's Damascus road conversion. He and Junia were among the Seventy Apostles chosen and sent forth to preach by Christ (Luke 10:1). It is generally assumed that Junia was his wife, but they could have been brother and sister, or father and daughter, or no close relation to each other, but to Paul as kinsmen.

Andronicus was appointed bishop of Pannonia, but instead of staying in one place he preached all over Pannonia with Junia as his helper. By faith they converted many pagans to Christ, destroyed many idolatrous temples, drove out demons, worked miracles and healed every type of disease and illness. Both were martyred, and their relics were discovered on the outskirts of Constantinople together with the relics of other martyrs at the gate of Eugenius.

He was canonized in the 4th century during the early Christian period, and his contributions to spreading Christianity were significant in the early church history. The Catholic Archbishopirc of Moravia was originally established by Pope Nicholas I in the 9th century as a revival of the see founded by Andronicus.

TAKE AWAYS
● The average person must depend on the work of numerous scholars, linguists, and theologians who spend many years studying, translating, and interpreting the original text of the Bible. Today, the majority of these dedicated individuals believe that Junia was a female, that she was among the Seventy Apostles chosen and sent forth to preach by Christ (Luke 10:1), and suffered martyrdom for Christ.

● Whether Junia was a relative of Paul or not is, in my view, essentially irrelevant. Her contributions to the early Christian church are relevant and worthy of note.

● For anyone who takes exception to this belief, there are numerous, long and tedious analyses of the original written text which you can study yourself and come to your own conclusion. Ultimately, each of us choose to believe what we believe regardless of the evidence.

JUST SAYIN’
Sources:
Junia A Woman An Apostle by David Williams (Mar 5, 2014)
Junia: The First Woman Apostle by Eldon Jay Epp (Sep 22, 2005)
https://biblehub.com/q/was_junia_considered_an_apostle.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junia_(New_Testament_person)
https://www.faithward.org/women-of-the-bible-study-series/junia-the-hidden-apostle/
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/people/who-junia-in-the-bible.html#google_vignette
https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/junia-female-apostle-examination-historical-record/
https://juniaproject.com/who-was-junia/
https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/junia/
https://www.antiochpatriarchate.org/en/page/546/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andronicus_of_Pannonia
https://orthodoxwiki.org/Apostle_Junia
https://www.oca.org/saints/all-lives/2024/05/17
https://www.saintforaminute.com/saints/saint_andronicus
https://biblehub.com/q/was_junia_considered_an_apostle.htm
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-Chrysostom
https://www.gotquestions.org/apostleship.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Schenk
https://www.seminary.edu/center-for-women-in-leadership/junia-the-female-apostle-imprisoned-for-the-gospel/
https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/0201/10/09/102907-venerable-andronicus-and-his-wife-athanasia-of-egypt
https://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints?contentid=58
https://byzantinela.com/may-17-2025/

Other References
The Lost Apostle, Searching for the Truth about Junia By Rena Pederson
Junia: A Forgotten Apostle – Rediscovering Her Legacy in Early Christianity By Dr. Ferris W Corbett
Junia Arise: Apostolic Women On The Frontlines By Axel Sippach
end

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MOTHERS LEAVE FOOTPRINTS IN YOUR HEART

5/1/2026

1 Comment

Mother’s Day is May 10 and I intended to write a simple update of my blog from a few years back about this special day. As I’ve said before, nothing is simple.

Searching the internet for some new inspiration on the topic of Mother’s Day, I found heart-felt but gushy praises (see quotes above) and, to my surprise, a plethora of articles about why people hate their mothers. Oh, my!

MY CONFESSION
I confess I am guilty of writing of writing one of those gushy praises, to wit my blog from 2023:

“FIRST FRIEND, BEST FRIEND, FOREVER FRIEND
Mother’s Day is the special time of year set aside for celebrating a very special person: our best friend, our mentor, our personal advisor, the person who always has our backs. It is the time to remember that person and show our love to all the women our lives, be it mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend.”

While I now concede that “First Friend, Best Friend, Forever Friend” might be a tad unrealistic for many of us -- I loved my mother very much, but I can't say we were ever "best friends" -- I stick by my statement that all of us were born young and someone’s love guided us to become what we are today. Mother’s Day is a good opportunity to show our love to the women in our lives who have made a positive difference.

But I promised myself not to indulge in repeating all the gushy Happy Mother’s Day wishes.

WHY PEOPLE HATE THEIR MOTHERS
I always had a good relationship with my mother growing up and, as an adult, I don’t remember any of my teenage friends being particularly unhappy about their mothers, either. So it came as a surprise when I discovered how many people I knew claimed to hate their mothers and/or disliked being around them.

After sifting through the literature about the many reasons why people (primarily young people) hate, or at least think they hate, their mothers, it became apparent that most psychologists writing about the topic on the internet attribute the feeling to Betrayal Trauma.

According to www.verywellmind.com, “Your mother was once solely responsible for your vitality and responded to your every need. Therefore, we hold intense bonds with our mothers. That intensity often impedes our ability to view our mothers as humans, along with the flaws and damage that correspond with that. People usually harbor feelings of hatred towards their mothers when they believe they’ve been mistreated, neglected, or abused…Relationships with mothers are often complicated. Rarely are mothers ‘all-bad’ figures, and therein lies the problem.”

There are numerous reasons why someone might feel detached from their mother, even if there is no history of neglect, abuse, or toxicity in the relationship. However, the professional commentaries seem to boil down to the fact that, in most cases, the individual feels “betrayed” because the mother in question did not l live up to their expectations.

MY INSPIRATION: UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Being a mother is a tough and stressful job under the best of circumstances, and being a single mom is even more so.
◄ Image Source: www.animalia-life.club

According www.msn.com, addressing unrealistic expectations placed on mothers, states that tradition and society, “still tend to increase the pressure on these mothers by promoting a vision of motherhood that is far from reality. Mothers are expected to be perfect, available, and fulfilled in all circumstances, both at work and at home. On top of that, we want them to smile all the time. However, these expectations are often unrealistic and guilt-inducing. In reality, no mother can tick all these boxes at once.”

Scientific studies are finding that social media content present idealized portrayals of motherhood, which may be putting increased pressure on mothers and negatively affecting their mental health. www.sciencedirect.com

A few of the unrealistic expectations identified include but are not limited to:
● Presenting a polished and always-in-control image. A mother must always be smiling, perfectly coiffed, and fulfilled.

● Shedding immediately weight gained during pregnancy. The media and certain celebrities perpetuate the illusion that a postpartum body can become "perfect" again in just a few weeks. Demanding that a woman quickly regain herre-pregnancy appearance is not only unrealistic, but also dangerous to her health.

● Always being available for your children. The idea of a mother who is entirely devoted to her children and available every second of the day is no longer possible for mothers who work, manage a household, juggle schedules, and juggle a multitude of responsibilities.

● Always being patient and caring.
Mothers can no longer express the frustrations of daily living and caring for a family without fear of being judged. Today, the myth of the constantly caring mother creates additional pressure and makes those who crack, raise their voices, or show their limits feel guilty.

● Continuing to perform well at work as if nothing had changed.
● Provide homemade, balanced meals.
● Keeping the house spotless at all times.
● Managing the mental load of the family alone.
● Succeeding without ever asking for help.

● Staying attractive and available for your partner. Women's magazines and popular culture still perpetuate the idea that a woman must remain attractive, available, and perfectly fulfilled, even after the arrival of a child.

● Prioritizing academic success of children with a strict and demanding parenting style. Striving for success in both her child’s and her own life, mother are often pursuing unattainable perfection.

● Presenting their idealized rather than their actual selves on social media and to others. Apparent roles such as the caring mother, the strong and wealthy husband, or the diligent student serve as idealized performance presentations sanctioned by society. This phenomenon not only facilitates self-presentation but also contributes to identity construction, fostering both a desire and, an expectation among observers to adopt similar roles

Because these values are projected in everything children see and hear, their expectations may naturally reflect these influences. Mothers are human and imperfect like everyone else. They have good and bad qualities, and experience human emotions. An individual’s experience with their mother reflects both the magnitude of their flaws and also on our ability and capacity to accept their mistakes and faults.

The pressure to conform to societal -- and their children’s -- expectations can have a significant impact on a mother’s feelings of guilt, anxiety, and inadequacy. Mothers commonly identify themselves as falling short of the expectations and experience stress which leads to burnout, depression, and a sense of lost identity.
therelatabletherapist.com/societal-expectations-for-motherhood

I HOPE YOUR MOTHER LEFT FOOTPRINTS IN YOUR HEART
Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (32nd US President), is often referred to as an iconic first lady who changed the rules and is the gold standard for the first ladies who follow. She wrote a poem about friendship entitled “Footprints In Your Heart.”

Hopefully, your relationship with your mother was that kind of friendship, and you can say she left footprints in your heart.

Footprints In Your Heart
By Eleanor Roosevelt
Many people will walk in and out of your life,
But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
To handle yourself, use your head;
To handle others, use your heart.
Anger is only one letter short of danger.
If someone betrays you once, it is his fault;
If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.
Great minds discuss ideas,
Average minds discuss events,
Small minds discuss people.
He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses much more;
He who loses faith, loses all.
Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,
But beautiful old people are works of art.
Learn from the mistakes of others.
You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.
Friends, you and me.
You brought another friend,
And then there were three.
We started our group,
Our circle of friends,
And like that circle –
There is no beginning or end.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.
That’s why it’s called the present.

TAKE AWAY
Cut your mother some slack. Don’t expect her to be perfect! After all, you aren’t perfect either. Go out of your way to appreciate her on Mother’s Day.

JUST SAYIN’
Sources:
https://www.ambersperling.ca/blog/expectationsinmotherhood
https://mariasnajder.medium.com/why-the-good-mother-ideal-is-failing-moms-around-the-world-88d1617d7da3
https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2024-64667-001.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563222002394
https://therelatabletherapist.com/busting-out-of-societal-expectations-for-motherhood/to play.
AI Summary Yahoo.search.com
https://jamiededes.com/2017/02/18/footprints-in-your-heart-a-poem-by-eleanor-roosevelt/
https://thriveworks.com/blog/i-hate-my-parents/
https://www.reddit.com/r/TooAfraidToAsk/comments/1729v9f/why_do_people_hate_mothers_so_much_why_are_they/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6230657/

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WORDS MATTER: Commonly Misused Words and Phrases

4/15/2026

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COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING
In today’s world, communication is more important than it has ever been. Yet, most Americans tend to be lazy about language. We speak in slang, in clichés, in generalities, and local terms without giving much attention to saying, with precision, what we really mean. This frequently leads to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

Lazy language occurs more often in verbal than in written communications. At least we can proof read written words if we care enough. Most people can’t unhear spoken words, even if further explanations or corrections follow. They make an impact.

Writers and authors are expected to be more careful with their use of language, and we owe it to our reading audience to make our best effort to choose the correct words and phrases. Getting them in the correct order is part of our creative process.
Image Source: www.cartoonstock.com

One pitfall of self-publishing is self-editing. Of course, the writer must self-edit, often many times. But in the final polishing stages, it is best to have an experienced editor. An outside eye helps to avoid those hidden grammar and wording mistakes which sometimes sneak into a manuscript because people misuse and misspell words so frequently we tend to read right over the top of them. [I know from experience. You may have found some already.]

COMMONLY MISSUED WORDS
The English language is complex, and all of us make mistakes. Using the wrong word can be the result of several things.

● Not knowing or understanding the definition of the word. This often happens when the words are similar in sound.

● Two or more words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spelling. E.g. new and knew, discreet and discreet. (Homophones)

● Incorrect grammar (Malaproprisn) when a word is used in place of one that sounds similar to the correct one. E.g. “supposively” instead of “supposedly”; “fortuitously” instead of “fortunately”; “your” instead of “you’re”; “should of” instead of "should have."

Some of these can get picky. The whole purpose of this discussion is to avoid sounding (and being) ignorant. A lot of words fall into the category of improperly used words, but I’ve picked ones that I have seen recently in novels, and a few from my own earlier works.

Affect vs. Effect
“Affect” used as a verb means to have an influence on something. For example: "The weather affected my mood."

"Affect” used as a noun refers to feeling or emotion. Image Source: www.cartoonstock.com
For example, “Her face bore a dismal affect.”

"Effect” is most commonly used as a verb meaning to cause something (stronger verb than “affect,” which refers to merely having an influence on). Thus, you would “effect change,” and could be described as “effective.”

"Effect” used as a noun refers to the end result of the influence: "The weather had no effect on my mood."

Capitol vs. Capital
“Capitol” refers to a building, and specifically, the building where legislators meet. Capital is applied for every other use, but has a number of different meanings.

Compliment vs. Complement
A “compliment” is something nice that you say.
A “complement” is an addition, enhancement, or improvement.

Discreet vs. Discrete
“Discrete” means individual, separate, or distinct.
“Discreet” means careful, cautious, or evidencing good judgment. This was a mistake in my first published book; and more than one reader let me know.
    Image Source: www.grammexa.com
Defuse vs. Diffuse
“Defuse” means to render a bomb non-explosive by removing the fuse, or to render a situation less dangerous.
"Diffuse” is a verb that means to disperse over a wide area. The word is also be used as an adjective to describe something that is not concentrated but, in this case, is pronounced with a soft-s sound.

Emigrate vs. Immigrate
You “emigrate” when you leave your country to permanently live in another.
You “immigrate” when you arrive in another country to live permanently.

These words always give me problems and, considering current usage, seem picky. I’m not sure how many dictionaries would agree with this definition.

Eminent vs. Imminent
“Eminent” describes something or someone prominent.
“Imminent” describes something that is about to happen.

Further vs. Farther
“Farther” refers to actual physical distance, which is to say, a literal distance.
“Further” refers to a figurative distance. www.rd.com/list/words-youre-using-wrong/

Merriam-webster.com disagrees and treats them as synonyms. “Further” and “farther” share meanings relating to distance, whether spatial, temporal, or metaphorical.” As adjectives, meaning "more distant”; As adverbs, meaning "at or to a greater distance or more advanced point."  merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farther

Insure, Ensure, Assure
“Insure” means promising to compensate someone for damages, loss, injury, or death in exchange for advance payment.
“Ensure” means making sure of something.
“Assure” means guaranteeing something.

Illusion vs. Allusion
An “illusion” is a misleading image or impression, such as an optical illusion.
An "allusion"  is a reference to something else, such as a literary allusion.

Irregardless vs. Regardless
Dictionaries may now accept "irregardless" as a legitimate word because of common usage, but the correct word is “regardless.”
  “Here’s how to remember the difference between lay and lie.
You lie on a keyboard and you lay a mouse on a pillow.”

Lay vs. Lie
A person only “lies” down. A person does not lay down, unless you mean someone is “laying down" an object. You can also lay down the law. And hens lay eggs.

One exception if you mean a person lying down in the past tense. This is not to be confused with the past tense of the word “lie,” when used to refer to a non-truth, in which case the past tense is “lied” as in, “He told a lie. Therefore, he lied." Image Source: www.weareteachers.com

Nucular vs Nuclear
The correct word is “nuclear”, a term that relates to the nucleus of an atom.“Nucular” is a common, proscribed pronunciation of the word, which first appeared in print in 1943. Although the word is disapproved of by many, its use is widespread among educated speakers, including scientists.

Safe deposit
Not safety deposit box.

Sit vs. Set
Putting your rear end in a chair: use “sit.” Placing an object, it’s “set.”

Poisonous vs. Venomous
“Poisonous” refers to something that is toxic if you eat it.
“Venomous” describes something that is poisonous if it bites you.

Principal vs. Principle
“Principal” in reference to a person and “principle” in reference to a standard, rule, or belief.

Reluctant vs. Reticent
“Reluctant” describes unwillingness in general.
“Reticent”, in its oldest use, means someone who is inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech; reluctant to share one’s thoughts.

Sensual vs. Sensuous
“Sensuous” refers to things that relate to the senses or appeal to the senses, such as a fabric or song.
“Sensual” also refers to things that appeal to the senses, but the connotation is erotic.

Undoubtably
If you mean “without a shadow a doubt,” then you have two choices, and neither of them is “undoubtably.” You can say either “undoubtedly” or “indubitably.”

Nauseous vs. Nauseated Image Source: www.yourdictionary.com

I saved this mistake for last because it is my all-time favorite. It is an alarm bell that the writer or speaker is ignorant when it comes to proper English grammar.

Contrary to current popular usage “nauseous” is an adjective which means to cause nausea or disgust, such as nauseous smell. I have to laugh when people say “I feel nauseous.” I always want to ask them why they feel disgusting and repulsive.

The correct term is “nauseated” if you are physically affected with nausea/stomach distress. I understand that language is always a work-in-progress and always changing. To say you are “nauseous” when you have stomach issues has become the common usage. But novelists should know the correct terms and apply them appropriately in their manuscripts.

COMMONLY MISSUED PHRASES
I believe most of these mistakes come from hearing the phrase used incorrectly often, without thinking consciously about the meaning, until it is integrated into one’s vocabulary. Most writers will not make these mistakes in writing, even if they might in speaking. It is just sloppy grammar. However, I did discover several that were new to me.

"All and All" vs. "All In All"
“All in all” means everything being taken into account, or “in sum”. “All and all” is just redundant.

"At Nauseum" vs. "Ad Nauseum"
I haven’t seen this mistake in a book, but it is common in speaking. “Ad nauseum” is Latin for an argument or a discussion that has been extended to the figurative point of nausea or sickness. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_nauseam

"Baited Breath" vs. "Bated Breath"
Correct version: “Bated breath” means abated or breathing that is restrained. The word “bated” is a shortened version of “abated.”
Image Source:ismagazine.wisc.edu

"Beg the Question"
This one is unusual because it isn’t a mispronunciation but a common misuse based on a basic misunderstanding of what the expression means.

When most of us say that something “begs the question” we mean it suggests that a question should be asked. The real meaning of the phrase is that it “makes the question unnecessary so there’s no need to ask”. www.phrases.org.uk/phrases-people-get-wrong

"Butt Naked" vs. "Buck Naked"
The actual term is “buck naked,” although grammarians actually are beginning to accept “butt naked” as a proper idiom.

"By In Large" vs. "By And Large"
Correct version: “By and large” which means “in general or near enough”. It is originally a nautical term which means “this way and that” as it pertained to wind and sails.

"Deep-Seated" vs." Deep-Seeded"

Correct version: “Deep-seated” means firmly established and is generally the correct term to use. It also had an earlier literal meaning of “situated far below the surface” which is the source of the mistakenly written “deep- Image Source: www.grammarnestly.com seeded.” www.merriam-webster.com/deep-seated-deep-seeded-usage

Yahoo.search.com AI states that “Deep-Seeded is less common and typically refers to ideas or beliefs that have been planted deeply, suggesting a strong foundation.” I didn’t find that interpretation anywhere else.

"First Come, First Serve " vs. "First Come, First Served"
Correct version: “First come, first served”. (no hyphens)
“First come, first serve” suggests that the person who arrives first serves the latecomers, but the expression means the first to arrive gets served first.

The phrase is a shortened form of the earlier proverb “he that comes first to the mill grinds first”, found in Chaucer’s 14th century ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale‘.

"For All Intensive Purposes” vs. “For All Intents and Purposes”
“Intensive” indicates that something is powerful and focused. If you’re discussing an intensive purpose, you’re simply indicating one focused purpose (or perhaps a few very focused purposes).workandmoney.com/commonly-misused-phrases

“For all intents and purposes”, the correct phrase, means that something is coming from more or less all important angles or opinions. Image Source: www.redbubble.com

"It’s A Doggy-Dog-World" vs. "It’s a Dog- Eat-Dog World"
Correct version: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world”.
The expression “A dog-eat-dog world” alludes to the kind of ruthless, red in tooth and claw world of wild animals. The implication of such a scenario is that either you destroy your competitors or they will destroy you.

"On Accident" vs. "By Accident"
The correct usage of the phrase "by accident" is when describing something that nobody saw coming. It was an unforeseen happenstance; a surprise. The phrase has been around for a long time. “On accident” has become popular in American colloquial speech, especially in regional dialects and informal conversations, during the 20th century.

"I Could Care Less" vs. "I Couldn’t Care Less"
Most people say they “could care less” in an attempt to show how little they care about an issue. Actually, saying you could care less implies that you not only care, but you care enough that you would have the ability to care less if you wanted to. If you don’t care at all “I couldn’t care less” is more accurate.

As I said before, some of these grammarians get very picky. The common usage seems clear enough.

"On Tender Hooks" vs. "On Tenter Hooks"

Correct version: “On tenterhooks” which means “under stress or tension.
“Tenterhook” is an archaic word that isn’t used anymore outside of this expression.
A “tenter” is a wooden frame which was used in the past to dry cloth attached to the frame with hooks.
Image Source: www.phrases.org.uk

"One in the Same" vs. "One and the Same"
Both phrases are idiomatic expressions used to suggest equivalence or identity.

“One and the same” is the phrase used to emphasize that two things are identical.
“One in the same” is incorrect, although commonly used, but should be avoided in writing.

"Shoe-in” vs. “Shoo In"
“Shoo in” is the correct term. This was a new one to me, so I have probably been using the phrase incorrectly forever. The word “Shoo” is a verb that means “To usher in.”
"Shoo in” (as a noun) means a candidate who is very likely to win a contest or other competition.
“Shoo in” (as a adjective) describes such a candidate.

The phrase is a “shoo in” dates back to horse-racing days when you could urge — or shoo — something toward victory. Hyphenated, the word takes on a modified meaning. A “shoo-in” someone who is likely to be ushered into victory. writingexplained.org/shoo-in-or-shoe-in.

Many years ago – at least a hundred and fifty – when I began writing novels, the editors, conference speakers, and teachers would always say, “There is only one rule: There are no rules.”

Of course, they always seemed to follow that with a litany of things author should and should not do. In those days, as well as in today’s market, you can do just about anything you want from grammar and spelling to content. The caveat is: It has to work.

No one seems able to define what makes a novel “work.” Hence, an editor’s stock phrase is, “I’ll know it when I see it.”

BREAK THE RULES FOR A PURPOSE
Breaking the rules is okay, but first a novelists needs to know what the rules are. And for a beginner, it is usually best to follow them until you have more experience. Then, if you choose to break the rules, you should have a reason for doing so.

My message is to make fully informed choices that are not based on ignorance. There are always readers that can tell immediately.

JUST SAYIN’

Sources:
https://www.rd.com/list/words-youre-using-wrong/
https://www.rd.com/list/fancy-words-sound-smarter/
https://www.rd.com/list/mispronounced-words/
https://www.rd.com/list/words-that-make-you-sound-old/
https://www.rd.com/list/grammar-jokes/
https://www.rd.com/article/dictionary-editors-prank/
https://www.rd.com/article/oxymoron-examples/
https://grammarist.com/usage/nauseous-nauseating/
https://bestlifeonline.com/common-incorrect-sayings/
https://www.rd.com/list/grammar-jokes/
https://guidetostressless.com/words-and-phrases-that-make-someone-sound-ignorant/
https://egrammarbook.com/usage-of-on-accident-vs-by-accident/
https://grammardiary.com/usage-of-one-in-the-same-vs-one-and-the-same/
https://writingexplained.org/shoo-in-or-shoe-in
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/phrases-that-people-get-wrong.html
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farther
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nauseous
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_nauseam
https://vocabclarified.com/deep-seeded-or-deep-seated/#google_vignette
https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/deep-seated-deep-seeded-usage
https://englishsumma.com/other-ways-to-say-first-come-first-serve/
https://discover.hubpages.com/literature/Commonly-Misused-Words-Phrases-that-will-Make-You-Sound-Unprofessional
https://www.workandmoney.com/s/commonly-misused-phrases-that-will-make-you-sound-unprofessional-1923fda75f53419d

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PERUVIAN BAND OF HOLES

4/1/2026

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In 1927, Peruvian archaeologist Toribio Mejía Xesspe first realized that the Nazca Lines in the area south of Lima were massive images and symbols carved into the earth, so big that they were unrecognizable from ground level. Since then, many people have believed that other unexplained phenomenon discovered in Peru had supernatural overtones.

So it is unsurprising that the rediscovery of the “Band of Holes” in the hills about 20 miles east of the City of Pisco on the Nazca Plateau in Peru, generated a whole new set of alien / supernatural theories.

Image credit: Jacob Bongers
Image Source: smithsonianmag.com/mysterious-holes

WHAT IS THE “BAND OF HOLES”?
The “Band of Holes” is a series of ancient and mysterious man-sized holes found in the Nazca Desert, Peru. They are located in the Pisco Valley area, known as Monte Sierpe [Serpent Mountain] or Cerro Viruela [Smallpox Hill], roughly 20 miles east of the city of Pisco in the foothills of the Andes.

For decades, archaeologists have been perplexed by the 5,000 to 6,000 man-sized dimples stretching across the landscape. The depressions are arranged in a long, slender grid pattern and appear to have been dug methodically and deliberately, and carefully planned.

Image Source:weather-forecast.com/Pisco/

The holes -- actually pits with raised edges – are about 39 inches in diameter and 20 to 40 inches deep. They are arranged in discernable blocks or segments along a band that varies in width from 46 to 69 feet (average 62 feet). They stretch across the landscape with precision in what seems to be a deliberate pattern.

WHY THE INTEREST IN HOLES?
Although the local people have been aware of the phenomenon for centuries, they have no particular idea or folklore about who made them or why. I searched references and found no mention of folk stories about the holes.

Geologist Robert Shippee and Navy Lieutenant George R. Johnson are credited with “rediscovering” the archeological phenomenon in 1931 during an aerial photography expedition in Peru. Two years later, National Geographic published their photographs of the unusual shapes, raising wider spread awareness of their existence and sparking curiosity about their origins.

Since then, there has been renewed interest in uncovering the mystery.

Image Source: www.cnn.com/2025/band-of-holes Image Source: www.usf.edu/news/mysterious-band-of-holes.aspx

Monte Sierpe “Band of Holes,” Image Source:www.saexpeditions.com

Theories regarding their purpose have ranged from water storage, graves, defensive positions, and storage places built by the Incas (1438–1533). Some researchers speculate that they are part of a larger archaeological site linked to the Nazca culture (200 BCE to 600 CE). Undoubtedly, there are plenty of ancient-alien theories also.

THE LATEST RESEARCH AND THEORY
Recent ongoing scientific studies of the “Band of Holes” now theorize that the system functioned as a barter marketplace before becoming an accounting system for the Inca.

University of South Florida anthropologist Charles Stanish, combined sediment analysis, drone photography, and radiocarbon dating to determine a timeline and come up with a new concept of what the site was actually used for.

Age
Radiocarbon dating technology supports the belief that the site was used between 600 and 700 years ago. However, researchers also believe the holes were constructed between AD 1000 and 1400, which aligns the idea of pre-Inca civilizations using the site.

Findings
The findings, published November 2025 in the journal Antiquity and co-authored by Charles Stanish, support the emerging theory that the system was part of an indigenous system for accounting and exchange centuries before Europeans arrived.

The new study provides the first hard data supporting an explanation grounded in Andean cultural practices. Researchers suspect the holes were constructed roughly 1000 years ago and used by the pre-Inca Chincha people as a regulated central gathering place for exchanging food and goods. A market place.

Researchers believe the site was first used by the pre-Inca Chincha Kingdom as a regulated marketplace and later adapted by the Inca Empire as part of its state-run system of storage and redistribution. Then, when the Inca Empire conquered the Chincha roughly 400 years later, they took over the site and adapted it as a state-run system of storage, redistribution, and collection of tributes from local groups.

“Sediment samples revealed pollen from at least 27 different plants, including crops like maize and sweet potato, as well as a wild grass known as bulrush that the Chincha people used to make baskets. It’s unlikely that the pollen was carried to the site by the wind, which suggests that humans may have transported the plants there.

Archaeologists think local groups may have first lined the holes with plant matter before placing various types of goods inside of them. They may have used bulrush baskets to carry the goods to the site, which functioned as a barter marketplace.“ www.usf.edu/new-study-band-of-holes.aspx

INCA ACCOUNTING SYSTEM
Overhead imagery, taken by drones, led researchers to realize the holes looked like Inca record-keeping devices known as quipus, and then to theorize the Band of Holes may have later functioned as a large-scale accounting device for keeping track of tributes from different groups.

Inca Quipu - Image Credit: Claus Ableiter aus enWiki
Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Inca_Quipu.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2986739

According to Jacob Bongers of the University of Sydney, the high-resolution aerial images showed clear patterns in how the holes were organized. The rows appear segmented and mathematically structured — a layout that mirrors quipu, a knotted-string devices the Inca used for counting and recordkeeping.

Archeologists realized the slender, snake-like structure is made up of more than 60 sections separated by strips of land. The blocks contain varying numbers of rows and holes.

“There are these interesting mathematical patterns,” Bongers told New Scientist’s Chris Simms. “You have some [sections with] multiple rows of eight holes, and then you have other sections that have alternating counts. Eight holes, then seven, then eight and seven, then eight. It hints that there was some sort of intention behind it."
www.smithsonianmag.com/

With a clearer understanding of what the site was used for, researchers have their work cut out for them and plan to build on the work by studying the types and origins of plants found in the holes — including those with potential medicinal properties. There is much more work to be done to fully understand the implications of the “Band of Holes."
www.usf.edu/2025/band-of-holes.aspx

Note:
“A quipu usually consists of cotton or camelid fiber cords, and contains categorized information based on dimensions like color, order and number. The Inca, in particular, used knots tied in a decimal positional system to store numbers and other values in quipu cords. Depending on its use and the amount of information it stored, a given quipu may have anywhere from a few to several thousand cords.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quipu

JUST SAYIN’
Sources:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thousands-of-mysterious-holes-dot-the-landscape-in-peru-archaeologists-say-they-may-finally-know-why-180987681/
https://allthatsinteresting.com/nazca-lines
https://lifeboat.com/blog/2025/11/iconic-andean-monument-may-have-been-used-for-indigenous-accounting
https://vimeo.com/1138603829
https://thecoloradodaily.com/science/new-study-reveals-monte-sierpe-as-indigenous-accounting-tool/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band_of_Holes
https://montanainsider.com/science/new-findings-suggest-monte-sierpe-was-indigenous-accounting-hub/
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/01/12/the-unexplained-band-of-holes-in-pisco-valley-peru/
https://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Pisco/forecasts/latest
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quipu
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/there-are-thousands-of-aligned-holes-in-peru-archaeologists-now-think-they-know-who-made-them/ar-AA1QT9Jl?cvid=3a7ef41d0bc2451488db40a8cf8dcc51&ei=10
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/5-200-peruvian-mystery-holes-under-investigation-after-scientists-crack-600-year-old-code/ar-AA1QFd4c
https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/new-interpretation-of-monte-sierpe-indigenous-accounting-system
https://www.usf.edu/news/2025/new-study-suggests-accounting-not-aliens-explains-perus-mysterious-band-of-holes.aspx
Inca mythology - Wikipedia
Gods, demons and beasts from the Andes
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/indigenous-accounting-and-exchange-at-monte-sierpe-band-of-holes-in-the-pisco-valley-peru/41D83389D230D99CFF18194CF274A9A3

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WHY WE HAVE COLUMBUS DAY

3/14/2026

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THE REASON MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU THINK
Like everything else, it was all about politics.

On July 21, 1892, US President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed that Friday, October 21st, would be a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America. But the reason for this was not to honor Christopher Columbus or the rediscovery of North America.

Instead, it was the end result of discrimination against Italians, a mob (including leading citizens and future elected officials) that lynched eleven innocent Italian emigrants in New Orleans in 1891, and political damage-control maneuvering to get a US President reelected.
The first official federal Columbus Day was celebrated 45 years later in 1937.

Told ‘ya!

THE INNOCENT ELEVEN
The inciting incident that set this historic event into motion started 135 years ago although, like all social situations, the history behind them preceded 1891.

According to Basil M. Russo, National President of Italians Sons and Daughters of America:
“On March 14, 1891, prominent New Orleans citizens, including future mayors and governors, led America’s largest-ever lynch mob into the darkest pages of U.S. history. Holding torches, rifles and rope, this mob of vigilantes stormed into Parish Prison and pulled out 11 Italian Americans.

Thousands assembled outside the jail and cheered as the wrongfully accused were riddled with bullets, hanged and ripped apart for souvenirs.

The horror of that night shocked the world, but today one will be hard-pressed to find the story in high school or college textbooks. It was the worst of more than 40 lynchings carried out against Italian Americans between the late-19th and early-20th centuries.” orderisda.org/the-innocent-11-and-the-creation-of-columbus-day

BACKGROUND: EMIGRATION INFLUX
The late 1800’s experienced a great influx southern Italians migrating to the US. In 1885 Sicilian emigrants numbered from 60,000 to 100,000 (depending on the source) and continued to increase. Italian, and particularly Sicilian, emigrants were looked down on by the well-established and suspicious Anglo-Saxon-dominated culture. The emigrants were unwanted and were subjected to ethnic discrimination, horrible living conditions, and severe restrictions on where they could live and go. ▼Image Source: archives-nolalibrary.contentdm.oclc.org/

New Orleans had become a popular destination for these newcomers. The city had been a port of call for ships carrying Italian citrus fruits and goods since the 1830s, and many emigrants arrived via these trade vessels. In addition, sugar plantations, in particular, sought workers who were more efficient than formerly enslaved people, and they hired immigrant recruiters to bring Italians to southern Louisiana.

Despite the class tension, New Orleans, in the late 1880s and early 1890s, remained an area in which Italian emigrants began to thrive owing to its familiar climate, jobs and expanding economic opportunities, and Roman Catholic traditions. The French Quarter became known as “Little Palermo”, but the Italians were not confined to specific sections of New Orleans (as they were in New York and other cities) and integrated throughout the city.

TROUBLE IN NEW ORLEANS
Like most American cities of the time, New Orleans had its street gangs and criminal underworld. The Italians added another element to that mix. When Italian criminals, fleeing Italy to escape prosecution, arrived in New Orleans, fears of Sicilian mafiosos began to creep into the minds of New Orleans residents.

Rightly so, since one of the escaping arrivals was Giuseppe Esposito, a Sicilian kidnapper and extortionist, who succeeded in emigrating after bribing his way out of an Italian jail.

He arrived in Little Palermo flaunting his outlaw status and wasted no time going back to his gangster ways. Soon his less-than-low-key kidnappings gave away his location. New Orleans Police Detective David Hennessy and his cousin Michael aided two New York detectives in capturing Esposito. He was extradited to Italy where he received a life sentence in prison.

All’s well that ends well, right?

Not so! Hennessy did not get the promotion he expected from the arrest. Afterward, he and his cousin shot and killed the Chief of Detectives. Claiming self-defense, the Hennessys were acquitted but were fired from the force. Hennessy worked as a private detective until 1888, when the new mayor, Joseph Shakspeare, hired him back, with a promotion to chief of police.

The new mayor was not exactly a fan of Italians and openly expressed the typical anti-Italian prejudice of the times, complaining that the city had become attractive to "...the worst classes of Europe: Southern Italians and Sicilians...the most idle, vicious, and worthless people among us." He blamed the emigrants for just about everything that was wrong with the city. themobmuseum.org/columbus-day

During the whole of the 19th century and well into the 20th, Italian immigrants to the United States were often referred to as "White niggers". en.wikipedia.org/New_Orleans_lynchings

HENNESSY’S FOLLY
Police Chief Hennessy tangled with the Italian community in May 1890 when a group of dockworkers were shot at and wounded. The victims were members of the Italian stevedore company controlled by the Matranga Family. The Manrangas blamed the killings on their competitors, the Provenzanos.
◄ Image Source: themobmuseum.org/columbus-day

When the Matrangas pursued criminal charges, Hennessy provided witnesses from the police force to back up the defendants’ alibis, since he was friendly with the Provenzanos, allegedly for shady business reasons involving brothels. When the court convicted six of the Provenzanos for the shootings, the Police Chief promised to aide in their appeal, and it was rumored that Hennessy himself would testify.

Four days before the retrial, on October 15, 1890, Hennessy was ambushed walking along Basin Street to his home. The assailants shot him with sawed-off shotguns, but he returned fire. Some resources say he bled to death on the street where he was overheard by a witness. Some say he died in the hospital 10 hours later. I didn’t pursue the issue. Either way, the only thing anyone heard him say was, “The Dagoes shot me.”

Immediately, Mayor Shakspeare ordered the New Orleans police to “arrest every Italian you come across, if necessary,” and organized the Committee of Fifty, a citizens’ group to investigate and eliminate “Mafia” groups in the city.

"Shakspeares’ Mafia crusade was born from nativist fervor rather than actual evidence. Nevertheless, the prevailing anti-Italian sentiments in the community expected that the courts would avenge the slain chief of police.” themobmuseum.org/columbus-day

Any Italian who owned a fire arm or was remotely associated with the Matrangas was under suspicion and many were arrested.

THE LYNCH MOB
All but nineteen of those arrested were eventually released. Nine men went to trial in February 1891. Six were acquitted, including the family head Charles Matranga. The other three had hung juries which ended in mistrials.

The Committee of Fifty was outraged and organized a public meeting for the following morning. Thousands of angry citizens came. William Parkerson, a local attorney, political leader and ally of the mayor, addressed the crowd saying, “When courts fail, the people must act. What protection or assurance of protection is there left us when the very head of our police department, our chief of police, is assassinated in our very midst by the Mafia society and his assassins are again turned loose on the community? Will every man here follow me and see the murder of Hennessy avenged?”

Source of Images: themobmuseum.org/columbus-day

In answer to the challenge, the rabid mob stormed to the Orleans Parish Prison, breached the walls and proceeded to lynch 11 of the prisoners. The exact mode of death for each of the victims varies a little with the source, but apparently some were shot first, one reportedly 42 times. The descriptions of some of the witnesses are stomach-turning.

Eight prisoners escaped the carnage, including Matranga, who hid under a mattress.Local newspapers praised the actions of the mob, while publications in other states condemned them but conceded that it was a necessary evil.

Parkerson later referred to the lynchings as “a wonderful thirty-minute experience.”

In a letter to his sister dated a week after the lynchings, future US president Theodore Roosevelt wrote: “‘Various dago diplomats were present, all much wrought up by the lynching of the Italians in New Orleans. Personally I think it a rather good thing, and said so.”

Ironic that it was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who proclaimed Columbus a National federal holiday on September 30, 1934. www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ Or, if you want to believe Yhoosearch.com’s AI, it was 1937. [Close enough for artificial intelligence?]

THE VICTIMS
The following people were lynched
● Antonio Bagnetto, fruit peddler: tried and acquitted.
● James Caruso, stevedore: not tried.
● Loreto Comitis, tinsmith: not tried.
● Rocco Geraci, stevedore: not tried.
● Antonio Marchesi, fruit peddler: tried and acquitted.
● Pietro Monasterio, cobbler: mistrial declared.
● Emmanuele Polizzi, street vendor (mentally impaired): mistrial declared.
● Frank Romero, ward heeler for the Regular Democratic Organization: not tried.
● Antonio Scaffidi, fruit peddler: mistrial declared.
● Charles Traina, rice plantation laborer: not tried.
● Joseph Macheca, American-born former blockade runner, fruit importer, and political boss of the New Orleans Italian American community for the Regular Democratic Organization: tried and acquitted.

The supposed leader and "Instruments of the Mafia: - Image Source: themobmuseum.org/columbus-day

The following people managed to escape lynching by hiding inside the prison:
● John Caruso, stevedore: not tried.
● Bastian Incardona, laborer: tried and acquitted.
● Gaspare Marchesi, 14, son of Antonio Marchesi: tried and acquitted.
● Charles Matranga, labor manager: tried and acquitted.
● Peter Natali, laborer: not tried.
● Charles Pietza (or Pietzo), grocer: not tried.
● Charles Patorno, merchant: not tried.
● Salvatore Sinceri, stevedore: not tried.

Despite intensive investigations, the actual murders of Chief Hennessy were never identified or brought to trial.

POLITICAL FALLOUT
A New York Times headline announced, "Chief Hennessy Avenged...Italian Murderers Shot Down."

A Times editorial the next day vilified Sicilians in general saying, “These sneaking and cowardly Sicilians, the descendants of bandits and assassins, who have transported to this country the lawless passions, the cut-throat practices, and the oath-bound societies of their native country, are to us a pest without mitigation. Our own rattlesnakes are as good citizens as they...Lynch law was the only course open to the people of New Orleans.”

In fear of further vigilante attacks on Italians, the Italian consul in New Orleans requested Mayor Shakspeare and the Louisiana governor to call in the National Guard.

When they refused, the consul notified Italy’s Ambassador to the United States of the event and indicated he feared for his life. The Ambassador and Italian Prime Minister reached out to the US Secretary of State, who apparently held the same opinion about Italians as the New Orleans officials.

That created an international incident resulting in both countries recalled their ambassadors, and the Italian parliament introduced a resolution calling for a retributive naval assault on the Eastern Seaboard.

ENTER US PRESIDENT BENJAMIN HARRISON
The Italian resolution handed the presiding US President, Benjamin Harrison, with an both an international and an election crisis. Image Source: www.britannica.com ▼

Harrison’s first step to damage-control a $25,000 indemnity payment to the Italian government. With the issue behind them, Italy proceeded with its plan to gift a statue of Christopher Columbus to the United States to commemorate the 400 hundred year celebration of Columbus’ landing in America. After the statue was installed on a traffic circle at the southwest corner of Central Park, the area became known as Columbus Circle.

The next step was to make peace with the Italian Community which Harrison attempted by proclaiming a one-time celebration of “Discovery Day.” The action formalized at a federal level an event which was already celebrated in Roman Catholic and Italian communities.

The president hoped this would be seen as an apology for the New Orleans tragedy. The Knights of Columbus organization, founded in 1882, further promoted these festivities as a rallying point to unite American Catholics, who faced opposition from the Protestant majority.

The last-gasp effort failed and Cleveland defeated Harrison in a landslide victory. While it was the end for Harrison, Columbus Day was just beginning.

The 77-foot monument in the center of Columbus Circle in New York is topped with a 13-foot granite sculpture of Christopher Columbus.
Image Source: themobmuseum.org/columbus-day

Subsequently, the Knights of Columbus lobbied for the day to become a yearly tradition. In , and in 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt declared October 12 as Columbus Day. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation making it an official federal holiday beginning in 1971, now occurring on the second Monday of October.

TAKE AWAYS
I told you the holiday had little to do with Christopher Columbus sailing the ocean blue in 1492 or the recognition of his discovery.

Granted, it was because the Italians in general heralded [in the 1800s] the man’s achievements that he became the symbol of the contributions made to the world by Italians and Italian emigrants. But the creators of the holiday didn’t have that in mind.

“While today’s holiday has become a point of contention regarding its namesake, its origins had little to do with 1492. It emerged as a recognition of the Italian American and Catholic communities, established by a president who urgently needed support in an upcoming election.” themobmuseum.org/columbus-day

The holiday today should serve as a reminder how quickly prejudice can turn into unwarranted, unthinking violence, and an opportunity to memorialize the 11 Italians slain in 1891, victims of an angry mob that saw Italian immigration as nothing more than a pipeline of criminals invading New Orleans.

JUST SAYIN’

Note: "The word 'dago' is a derivative of the Spanish name 'Diego', which means 'James'. It was originally coined in the 17th century by British sailors to indicate Spanish or Portuguese people, especially sailors. Despite the hispanic origin of the word, in the 19th century the word 'dago' became more commonly used in the USA as a derogatory term for Italians, due to the large immigration from that country. However, it is still used to indicate Spanish or Portuguese people as well, but rarely the French." funtrivia.com/

Sources:
https://orderisda.org/culture/stories/the-innocent-11-and-the-creation-of-columbus-day/
https://themobmuseum.org/blog/columbus-day-and-its-mafia-origins/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1891_New_Orleans_lynchings
https://www.britannica.com/event/New-Orleans-lynchings-of-1891
https://www.history.com/articles/the-grisly-story-of-americas-largest-lynching
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1890s_in_organized_crime
https://search.yahoo.com/
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1636&context=etd
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/italian/the-great-arrival/
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-2101-columbus-day
https://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question106725.html#google_vignette
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hennessy
https://orderisda.org/culture/stories/our-darkest-hour-anarchy-a-lynch-mob-and-11-souls-lost/
https://archives-nolalibrary.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16880coll45

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