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Apocalyptic works in general, and the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation in particular, are characterized by the use of symbols to convey truth. In the books of Daniel and Revelation horns and eagles speak, iron can be mixed with clay, leopards can have four heads, and dragons can chase women through the sky! A […] The post Interpreting Biblical Apocalyptic (13): Apocalyptic Symbolism appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article

Promise Hath not turned away my prayer Psalm 66:20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/20978285/optical-illusion-science-humility-reality-polarization Be sure to page down to the end.

5 "Thrilling" Facts You Didn't Know About Michael Jackson On this day in 2009, Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 after suffering from cardiac arrest caused by a fatal combination of drugs given to him by his personal doctor. Here are 5 "thrilling" facts you probably didn't know about "The King of Pop"... Jackson Did Not Invent The “Moonwalk” The moonwalk became popular around the world following Michael Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean" on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. While Jackson may have perfected the move, he certainly did not invent it. The earliest footage that portrays someone doing something nearly identical to Jackson's fancy footwork belongs to dancer Bill Bailey who used the move in Showtime at the Apollo in 1955. Marcel Marceau, a French mime, used “Moonwalk” movements in his sketch when walking against the wind, and singer James Brown also made similar dance moves throughout his career. The great Cab Calloway even performed the move in films back in the early 1930s. In 1985, Calloway said that the move was called "The Buzz" when he and others performed it in the 1930s. He Held a Patent For His Boots Jackson showcased some new dance moves in “Smooth Criminal,” including when he leaned forward at a 45-degree angle; the video used wires to achieve the effect. However, he wanted to use this dance move during his live performances, so he developed a shoe that would do the job. He and two other inventors placed a slot in the heel that used a peg that could be raised, which allowed the performer to lean forward. Jackson, along with his co-inventors, patented this invention. Jackson Almost Scrapped the Video for “Thriller” Now, Thriller is quite possibly the most iconic music video to have ever graced our screens - but it nearly didn't make the cut. Michael demanded the whole thing to be scrapped when Jehovah's Witnesses threatened to banish him when they found out about the video idea. Michael Jackson later agreed for filming to continue but added a disclaimer at the start to say, "Due to my strong personal convictions, I wish to stress that this film in no way endorses a belief in the occult." Costumes Used for “Thriller” Came From a Surprising Place All of the costumes used for the zombies in the dazzling music video “Thriller” were purchased at the Salvation Army. Jackson’s costume was specially made for him, of course, and the jacket sold at auction for $1.8 million in 2011 to a rock and roll memorabilia collector. Deborah Nadoolman Landis designed the jacket for Jackson as well as the one worn by Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Illusion of Hair Michael Jackson was a master of illusion. It infiltrated every aspect of his life, down to his hair. Known for well-coiffed locks, few fans knew that he wore a wig after his accident while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984 when his face and scalp were badly burned. To compensate for the damage, Jackson tattooed his hairline permanently on his scalp and had wigs attached to the sparse hair that remained after the pyrotechnics accident.

5 Facts You Didn't Know About the Roswell Incident_2 On this day in 1997, U.S. Air Force officials released a 231-page report dismissing long-standing claims of an alien spacecraft crash in Roswell, New Mexico, almost exactly 50 years earlier. The truth is out there, and perhaps these five fascinating facts will help you decide where you stand… Strange Flying Object Crashes Near Roswell During the middle of 1947, debris from a strange object was found by a rancher named William Brazel and his son near Roswell, New Mexico. Brazel collected the pieces of wreckage and took them to the local sheriff’s office. Some people in the area believed that the wreckage was from an alien spacecraft and that alien bodies were removed from the site to be studied, either at Area 51 in Nevada or in Roswell. It was admitted by the government that the object was part of Project Mogul, high altitude balloons that were capable of detecting nuclear testing by the Soviets. It Wasn't Just the Aircraft That Crashed. According to several eyewitness accounts, troops removed several bodies from the scene that were far from human. All accounts claimed to see the same short, 3-to-4-foot tall bodies carted away. Each had a large head, big eyes, and a single hole for a nose. The Air Force claimed that the "bodies" were, in fact, crash dummies used on the weather balloon. However, believers are quick to call the bluff on that excuse. A Future President Saw What Might Have Been a UFO Sightings of UFOs were common during the 1970s, and the governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, reported seeing one a few years before he was elected president. He was so convinced that he said he would publicize the government’s knowledge of UFOs and the mysterious crash at Roswell if he was elected president. After Carter was elected in 1977, he stated that if the information related to UFOs was released, it could be a risk to national security. Some Claim Area 51 is Famous for More Than Just Aliens. As if one conspiracy theory wasn't enough for this famed government test site, some believe that Area 51 was home to the staged lunar landing video, too. Though just 6 percent of Americans are still skeptical about the Apollo 11 mission, those who do are pretty vocal about it and have some interesting theories. The idea that Area 51 was involved actually isn't too far from the truth—the government used the site for testing several vehicles used by the astronauts. UFOs are Everywhere in Roswell Today The alien culture and celebration in Roswell lives on, even as the story was debunked. Every year, Roswell is home to a large festival to commemorate and celebrate the crash landing with costume parades for people and pets, live entertainment, guest speakers, and family-friendly activities. This year, the festival celebrated the 70th anniversary of the UFO incident. Further up the road in Roswell, you can find a flying saucer-shaped McDonald’s restaurant, an international UFO museum and research center, and UFO tours to the Project Mogul balloon crash site.

5 Shocking Facts You Didn't Know About John Gotti_2 On June 23, 1992, John Gotti, was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty on 14 accounts of conspiracy to commit murder and racketeering. Here are 5 shocking facts that you probably didn't know about the “Teflon Don”... He Once Threatened Sinatra Frank Sinatra once declined to dine with Gotti. In response, Gotti reportedly sent one of his men to threaten Sinatra. This sounds like a classic mob boss demanding he get his way, but as you can guess, there's more. Sinatra was supposed to dine with Gotti after one of Sinatra's shows. He had sent tickets to Gotti, and he and Gotti were supposed to meet afterward, but Sinatra had to bow out of the dinner because he was feeling ill -- or at least, that's the story that Gotti received. Unfortunately, Sinatra was spotted at another club later that evening looking rather healthy which made Gotti angry. One of Gotti's associates reportedly told Sinatra that if he ever stood up Gotti again, his would be the last face Sinatra would see on this earth. The Man Who Ultimately Got Gotti Convicted Was None Other Than Robert Mueller The FBI credited Sammy Gravano with supplying the evidence for Gotti’s conviction in 1992 on 13 counts, including racketeering and murder. Gravano testified against Gotti, saying that 10 of the 18 murders he had committed had been approved by Gotti and that Gotti had been behind the murder of Paul Castellano. The man who managed to convince Gravano to turn on his old boss was none other than Robert Mueller, the same man who completed the investigation against President Donald Trump. Mueller managed to get Gravano to change sides by offering him a reduced sentence for the 19 murders he had been accused of. His Conviction Caused a Riot You'd think a guy responsible for brutal murders, bringing drugs into the neighborhood, and promoting illegal gambling might not have too many fans among the general public. But, the truth is, he was a beloved character in New York during his time with the Gambino family. When he was finally convicted in 1992, a crowd of his fans outside the court went into riot mode. In fact, they stormed the courthouse and damaged cars both by smashing them and overturning them. He Waked With a Noticeable Limp John Gotti was involved with the New York City Mafia from the age of 12 years old, starting out as an errand boy for an underground club, which was run my Carmine Fatico – a captain in the Gambino family. At the age of just 14 years old, he attempted to steal a cement mixer from a construction site; however, all did not go to plan, as the it toppled over and crushed his toes. The accident resulted in Gotti permanently walking with his trademark limp. When John Travolta Made a Movie About Gotti, He Wore Gotti's Actual Clothes and Cologne After Gotti went to jail, his son took over the family for a few years but then left the "family business" after being sentenced to a few years in jail for racketeering. Post-release, John Gotti Jr. received an offer from Sylvester Stallone to make a biopic of Gotti Sr., but he turned that down. Instead, Gotti Jr. met with John Travolta, who made the film into an almost-personal project. During filming, Travolta really got into character by wearing Gotti's clothes, and cologne. Kelly Preston, who is Travolta's wife, played Victoria Gotti in the film and wore the wedding ring and other jewelry owned by the real Victoria.

5 Things You Didn't Know About The Murder of John Lennon_4 On June 22, 1981, over the objections of his lawyer, Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty to the murder of John Lennon on what he said were instructions from God. Here are 5 things you didn't know about the murder of John Lennon. This Wasn't the First Time Chapman Thought About Killing Lennon Chapman's act wasn't spontaneous, even though it did involve some last-minute decisions. According to Chapman's wife, he almost tried to kill Lennon a couple of months earlier but stopped because of his wife. Chapman expressed to his wife that he "needed to grow up as an adult and husband, and needed time to think about his life," so he decided against the plan. Unfortunately, his urge to kill Lennon won over his wish to move on, much to the dismay of his wife. She knew he had gone on a trip to New York in December but didn't realize that he was planning to go through with his original intentions. Yes, There's a CIA Conspiracy Theory Because Chapman decided to plead guilty, at least one writer decided that meant there was more to Chapman's story than wanting fame. Someone wanting fame would want to go through with a huge public trial so pleading guilty must have meant that Chapman was actually a CIA hitman. The CIA connection supposedly sprang from the fact that Chapman had previously traveled to Beirut - known for CIA activity - when he did not have a lot of money. These claims, however, were never confirmed. James Taylor Met Chapman The Day Before The Murder The day before Chapman shot Lennon, he encountered another famous musician in a train station - folk legend James Taylor. The singer later said of his encounter with the gunman "His assassin had buttonholed me in the tube station... He pinned me to the wall, glistening with maniacal sweat, and tried to talk in some freak speech about what he was gonna do... how John was interested and how he was gonna get in touch with John Lennon. It was surreal to actually have contact with the guy 24 hours before he shot John". At the time, Taylor was living in a building near the Dakota and recalled hearing the incident place just down the street. "Monday Night Football" Interrupted Its Broadcast To Break The News In a now-famous moment, Howard Cosell announced Lennon's death on that evening's Monday Night Football during a game between the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots. The announcers, Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford, had briefly debated about cutting away from the game to announce the news. "Fellas, I just don't know. I'd like your opinion, I can't see this game situation allowing for this news flash," he said to his team just before announcing the murder. "If we know it, we've got to do it," his broadcast partner, Frank Gifford, replied. "It's a tragic moment, this is going to shake up the whole world." Chapman Has Repeatedly Been Denied Parole, and August 2020 Is His Next Hearing Chapman was given 20 years to life and has been up for parole several times since his sentencing. He has been denied each time. His latest hearing was in 2018, when he was denied and kept in prison for the safety of society. His tenth parole hearing will be in August 2020, although there's no word on how the coronavirus pandemic may affect scheduling.