Three Men In A (Historic) Barrel Ride Over Niagara Falls

The Three Men Give A Toast 

To Their Coming Plunge

This team of scientists came up with the perfect attention-getting stunt: they all went over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

They all work for a high-tech company in Silicon Valley. Tim the guy in the middle egged on the other two scientist and they agreed to go along with his plan. A large crane lifted the barrel within one foot of the edge of Niagra Falls so the three men could get in. Then they carefully sealed the top. And within 30 seconds they were dropped over the edge. 

With cushions lining the barrel to break their fall they plunged through the falls to the bottom.

Going down they were knocked violently from side to side by the rapids and miraculously the three reached the shore alive after being towed by a small boat, if a bit battered, around 20 minutes after their journey began. After a brief flurry of photo-ops and speaking engagements they were whisked away. The scientists are seeking to donate any money from any future speaking engagements to charity.

Annie Edson Taylor

These three men follow in the footsteps of Annie Taylor.

Annie Edson Taylor (1838 – 1921) was an American adventurer who, on her 63rd birthday, October 24, 1901, became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

Desiring to secure her later years financially, and avoid the poorhouse, she decided she would be the first person to ride over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Taylor used a custom-made barrel for her trip, constructed of oak and iron and padded with a mattress. Several delays occurred in the launching of the barrel, particularly because no one wanted to be part of a potential suicide. After the journey, Annie Taylor told the press:

“If it was with my dying breath, I would caution anyone against attempting the feat... I would sooner walk up to the mouth of a cannon, knowing it was going to blow me to pieces than make another trip over the Fall."

Black Hole Swallows Star

Astronomers have captured a Black Hole swallowing a star with its strong inescapable gravitational pull and a hot flare of matter was noticed by the team, proving a strong evidence of the destruction of star. The phenomenon noticed by the study author Sjoert van Velzen, a Hubble fellow at Johns Hopkins University, can be compared to a hot plasma burp. The star was similar in the size to our sun. The star shifted from its customary path and slipped into the gravitational pull of a supermassive black hole.

Professor Velzen was helped by an international team of astronomers and the research paper has been published in the journal Science. A star being swallowed by a black hole has been witnessed for the first time along with a clear indication of ejections of matter, moving at the speed of light.

Astronomers believe that Supermassive black holes exist at the center of all massive galaxies. Their pull is much stronger compared to black holes and can gulp stars and other matter with their gravitational pull.

The first observation of the star being destroyed was made by a team at the Ohio State University, using an optical telescope in Hawaii. That team announced its discovery on Twitter in early December 2014.

The research paper said...

"Previous efforts to find evidence for these jets, including my own, were late to the game," said van Velzen, who led the analysis and coordinated the efforts of 13 other scientists in the United States, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Australia.

Supermassive black holes, the largest of black holes, are believed to exist at the center of most massive galaxies. This particular one lies at the lighter end of the supermassive black hole spectrum, at only about a million times the mass of our sun, but still packing the force to gobble a star.

The first step for the international team was to rule out the possibility that the light was from a pre-existing expansive swirling mass called an "accretion disk" that forms when a black hole is sucking in matter from space. That helped to confirm that the sudden increase of light from the galaxy was due to a newly trapped star.

"The destruction of a star by a black hole is beautifully complicated, and far from understood," van Velzen said. "From our observations, we learn the streams of stellar debris can organize and make a jet rather quickly, which is valuable input for constructing a complete theory of these events."

Van Velzen last year completed his doctoral dissertation at Radboud University in the Netherlands, where he studied jets from supermassive black holes. In the last line of the dissertation, he expressed his hope to discover these events within four years. It turned out to take only a few months after the ceremony for his dissertation defense.

Van Velzen and his team were not the only ones to hunt for radio signals from this particular unlucky star. A group at Harvard observed the same source with radio telescopes in New Mexico and announced its results online. Both teams presented results at a workshop in Jerusalem in early November. It was the first time the two competing teams had met face to face.

The End Of The World

Since the beginning of human history, speculation about the end of the world has fascinated mankind. Myths and stories about the end of the earth exist in almost every religion and culture ever known. And yet, somehow, men seem unsatisfied with the answers they receive. They turn to Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, or ancient Hindu writings hoping to uncover some modicum of truth that will satisfy their innate desire to know something about the future and the ultimate fate of the world.

Never has mankind's fascination with the end been more prevalent than it is today. Fears of global warming saturate the news media. Worry over a nuclear holocaust persists into its sixth decade. And storylines of asteroids, comets, aliens, or bio-engineered super-diseases wiping out all planetary life continue to dominate the themes of many Hollywood blockbusters.

Throughout the world, people are plagued with the same recurring questions. Will the human race become extinct? Will nuclear war or global warming destroy the biosphere? Will the world as we know it continue to exist?

The answer to these questions and many others concerning the end of the world are not found in the writings of Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, or any other self-professed psychic. They can't be found in Islamic, Hindu, or Buddhist writings. However, they can be found in the Bible. The bible, which has a track record of 100% accuracy when it comes to future events, has much to say about the ultimate fate of the earth, the people who live here, and creation itself. For those who wish to know the answers to these age old questions, the bible is your definitive source.

What the Bible Says

According to the bible, the earth is eternal. So despite what some people say, we shouldn't worry about the earth itself being destroyed. However, throughout the ages, the nature of the earth has changed, and it will change again in the near future.

The Book of Genesis teaches that God created the earth and everything in it to be perfect. However, the nature of the earth changed when Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. This act prompted God to place a curse on the earth, and it radically transformed the nature of the earth itself. Several centuries later, the human race had become so corrupt that God decided to destroy it with a flood. However, God spared Noah and his family, allowing them to repopulate the earth of the present day.

Throughout these changes, the earth as a creation has remained intact. But its nature has been radically altered twice. The bible teaches that it will soon be altered third time, and this time, the result will be far different from the previous ages.

The New World

Verses throughout the bible point to the creation of a new earth. This shouldn't be viewed as an entirely new physical creation by God. Rather it should be viewed as a highly transformative process whereby the current earth is reshaped by the hand of God to create a different world. The prophet Isaiah described this process over two thousand years ago:

"Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth " so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more.' Isaiah 65:17-19 (NLT)

The nature of the present earth will change dramatically. It will be transformed from a place of sadness and weeping to a place of intense happiness, where "the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more." The creation of this new earth is also mentioned by Peter who encourages us to live our lives in accordance with God's will. He encourages us to do so, because he knows this present age will soon pass:

"And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish." 2 Peter 3:7 (NLT)

"But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment." 2 Peter 3:10 (NLT)

"Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! You should look forward to that day and hurry it along - the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God." 2 Peter 3:11-13 (NLT)

From these passages, it is clear that God will one day use fire to create a new earth from the present world. It will be dramatically different from the one in which we live. But how different? What will the new earth look like? The bible provides us with a vivid illustration.

What Will the Future Earth Look Like?

The Book of Isaiah contains a wealth of information on the nature, quality, and characteristics of the new earth. One of the first references is found in Chapter 11:

"In that day, the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard and the goat will be at peace. Calves and yearlings will be safe among lions, and a little child will lead them all. The cattle will graze among bears. Cubs and calves will lie down together. And lions will eat grass as the livestock do. Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes and pull it out unharmed. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. And as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord." Isaiah 11:6-9 (NLT)

God will finally lift the curse He placed on the earth following the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. This curse created a conflict between the animal kingdom and mankind with many humans killing animals and many animals killing humans. But on the new earth, "nothing will hurt or destroy." And the number of people who know the Lord will be as endless as the waters in the sea.

Isaiah continues his description in Chapter 65:

"No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only sinners will die that young! In those days, people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. It will not be like the past, when invaders took the houses and confiscated the vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees and will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. Poisonous snakes will strike no more. In those days, no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!" Isaiah 65:20-25 (NLT)

Babies will not die, and the lifespan of the human race will be extended well beyond current expectations. Life expectancy will be so great that the death of a one hundred year old person will be a notable tragedy. People will enjoy the fruits of their labor without fear that someone will come and steal what they have. The people of the new earth will be so close to God that He will answer their prayers before they have even prayed them! Animals who are natural enemies in our age will become friends on the new earth, and all the animals of the earth will be herbivores.

In addition, waters will burst forth and give life to that which was previously uninhabitable:

"And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will shout and sing! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the desert. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived." Isaiah 35:5-7 (NLT)

The first part of this passage was partially fulfilled in the miracles of Jesus Christ. Through the life of Christ, the human race received a glimpse of the new earth that is to come. It will be a place where the miracles performed by Christ two thousand years ago will be in perpetual abundance. The blind will see. The deaf will hear. The lame will leap like deer, and the mute will shout and sing.

Meanwhile, the land will be blessed with life-giving water:

"On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously both in summer and winter. And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord - his name alone will be worshiped." Zechariah 14:8-9 (NLT)

The Dead Sea will spring to life, and the name of the Lord alone will be worshiped throughout the world. All idols, false religions, and false prophets will disappear. The new earth will be filled with people who know the Lord and are devoted to Him only.

More importantly, the Lord Himself will be king over all of the earth. He will dwell among His people, providing them with everything they need:

"In the last days, the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem will become the most important place on earth. People from all over the world will go there to worship. Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Israel. There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him." For in those days the Lord's teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will settle international disputes. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end. Everyone will live quietly in their own homes in peace and prosperity, for there will be nothing to fear. The Lord Almighty has promised this!" Micah 4:1-4 (NLT)

On the new earth, Jerusalem will be the center of the world. It will be the dwelling place of the Lord, and people from every nation will travel to Jerusalem to worship and to have their disputes settled. War will no longer exist. Because of this, armies and weapons will no longer exist. The Lord will settle all disputes, and the people will devote the energy they previously expended on war to prosperous living and worship of the Lord. Peace and prosperity will be abundant, and there will be nothing to fear.

Knowing what we now know about the new earth, who would not want to live there? Unfortunately, the bible also tells us that many will turn down their invitation to this blessed new world. The only way to get there will be to place one's trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who will be the undisputed ruler of the new earth.

When Will This Future World Arrive?

Because the new earth is the creation of Jesus Christ, it will not arrive until after His Glorious Appearing. In the interim, many politicians, idealists, and others will conjure their own ideas of how to create such a world. But placing faith in any of these people or their schemes will only lead to disappointment.

For the bible is clear that the new earth will only arrive when God comes to physically dwell among His people:

"I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, 'Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.'" Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT)

When God dwells among men, the earth will no longer harbor death or sorrow or crying or pain. It will be a new world. The old world will have come to an end - its evils gone forever.

The End of the World is Not to be Feared

Knowing the promises of the Lord, none of us should live in fear of the end of the world. The present fears of this world are fleeting in nature, and the Lord is in perfect control. He has made clear the end from the beginning, and it is clear that the final end of this world is not a time to mourn, but rather a time to celebrate. Jesus Himself reiterated this concept:

"The courage of many people will falter because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth, because the stability of the very heavens will be broken up. Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!" Luke 21:26-28 (NLT)

The arrival of Jesus Christ at the Glorious Appearing should not be a time of anguish, but a time to rejoice. Although we are familiar with the things of this world, we can not fathom the glory of that which God has in store for us. It will far surpass the things of this world, so we should patiently and eagerly await the Lord's return. For Christ's return will bring with it our salvation and the blessings of the new earth.

Conclusion

Those who worry about the end of the world or live in fear of a great worldwide catastrophe are not living their lives in accordance with God. For God tells us to live boldly and without fear of the things of this world:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

Don't worry about global warming or a nuclear holocaust. Don't live in fear of a worldwide pandemic or asteroids or comets or aliens or massive volcanoes. The Lord is in control of everything, and He has already revealed what will happen to this present age. He will usher in the end of the world and transform the earth into his own dwelling place. Therefore, if we are to have fear of anything, it should be the Lord Himself. 
The prophet Isaiah agrees:

"Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else." Isaiah 8:13 (NLT)

Jesus reminds His disciples of this command while teaching them not to fear persecution:

'Don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.' Matthew 10:28 (NLT)

In short, don't fear the end of this world. Celebrate it. Christ is coming. And when He arrives, He will eliminate all the evils of this world, including our fear and worry.

Dog Plays Piano And Sings Only To Frank Sinatra Songs Releases Album

 

Meet Fifi

Here she is performing easy-listening ballads at a time when the charts are full of rock and roll. Fifi loves Frank Sinatra. And that's the only songs that'll she'll sing.

Her owner lives in London and is a mechanic.

Fifi's craving for attention and her remarkable voice and piano playing skills has given her a taste for the limelight and she wants more.

Her voice is beginning to get noticed. A demo record that was made had reached the ears of the popular record label, Soundwey, so they set up an audition. Fifi’s enchanting voice wowed everyone at Soundwey.

They took her on and gave Fifi a new name, Dixie. Especially impressed was a young music promoter, Barry Newell, whom everyone called Bobbie.

Soundwey’s faith in Dixie has slowly began to pay off. They released an LP, Sentimental.

Suddenly Dixie has a new life, a new album, and a new name. But Dixie's life recently has really changed for the better when Dixie was asked to sing the Frank Sinatra album called 'My Way'. The album was to be produced by Bernie Wellensom. Dixie had to sing 'For Once In My Life' in the style similar of Frank Sinatra as Bernie was familiar with. Dixie was flawless.

In the end Bernie was so impressed with Dixie’s version they included it first track on the record.

Barry has since given Dixie a new contract and hits have quickly followed, all of them Sinatra songs.

Since Dixie's singing doesn't interfere with her normal life: her owner is quite happy to let her sing and record albums as long as it doesn't have an detrimental effect on his routine. 

Dixie's favorite Frank Sinatra Songs:

An Affair to Remember, After You've Gone, All of Me, The Best is Yet to Come, Devil May Care, I've Got You Under My Skin, My Way, and New York, New York. 

The Author Of Our Salvation

2,000 years ago, the most controversial figure in History, Jesus Christ, was born in a manger. Though he came into the world in a humble way, to an everyday couple, that small baby was God’s answer to humanity’s desperate need for salvation.

Doomed by our sin, we were separated from God and cut off from the richness of His blessings. God, because of His great love for us, wrapped Himself in humanity and came to earth as a simple man — Jesus. He lived and dwelt among us and eventually sacrificed Himself, all because of His great love. The cost of our sin was His life, and He gave it that we might receive salvation through Him.

John 3:16, one of the most famous scriptures, illustrates just this, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son. That whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have everlasting life.”

Jesus became the bridge between mankind and God so that we can have a relationship with the Father. He is our Savior, our healer, and our friend.

Jesus came that we might have a more abundant life. He came to carry our weaknesses, our sickness, our pain, so that we can walk in total freedom, peace, power and purpose.

Jesus is more than a historical figure or a great teacher who once lived. He conquered death so that we might live. We don’t have to earn His love and salvation, its’ a free gift available to all who will believe. Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with us. All we have to do is receive it by faith, and come to Him just the way we are.

Baptism

Once you make a decision for Christ, we encourage you to take that next step of faith and follow in believer’s baptism. The water itself is not special, but a demonstration that you no longer are your old self; you have been buried, and now resurrected in Christ and walk in His power, purpose and love.

A New Life In Christ

Now that you have made the most important decision of your life, it’s important to make a few changes to keep your life on track with Christ. First, make today a day of new beginnings in your life and don’t look back! Know this, God has forgiven and forgotten your past and has a bright future ahead of you. 

Romans 8:1 says there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. When condemning voices remind you of your past, don’t forget, God no longer remembers your sin anymore. God’s Word says as far as the east is from the west, so your sins are from His memory.

Second, commit to a Church where your faith can grow. Surround yourself with other believers and friends that will encourage you on this new journey of faith. Bring your friends so that they can learn and grow in their faith with you.

Finally, we encourage you to get involved in a bible study group where you can be taught the fundamentals of walking with God. Discover the wonderful promises and blessings the Lord has in store for His children.

Sorghum Or Molasses - Grandma’s Secret Ingredient

It’s the secret ingredient for baking and cooking. Grandma’s Molasses is a nutritious alternative to refined sugar and is perfect in slow-cooked dishes like baked beans barbecue sauce recipes. It enhances ordinary meals by making them extraordinary, cherished recipes that meet Grandma’s seal of approval!

History of Molasses

In recent American history, Molasses dates back to 1493 when Columbus introduced it to the West Indies. Molasses became an important product in Colonial trade. The founders of Georgia used molasses as a reward for settling there.

Baking was the most popular way to prepare food in the Colonies, so molasses became associated with baked goods: doughnuts, mince pies, pumpkin pies, gingerbreads, baked beans, corn bread, cookies, and cakes. Maine children poured it over buttered bread for Sunday night supper, while molasses formed the base under the crumb topping of Pennsylvania Dutch shoofly pie. In England, any candy made of molasses was called toffee, which later evolved into taffy.

The most important spirit that warmed the Colonists’ was rum, made principally from molasses. Before the Revolutionary war, it is estimated that Colonists downed an average of four gallons of rum a year. Some historians argue that it was not the British tax on American tea that precipitated the Revolutionary War but the Molasses Act of 1733, which imposed a heavy tax on sugar and molasses coming from anywhere except the British sugar islands in the Caribbean. There was such widespread evasion of this tariff that it was lowered in 1764.

Molasses remained the most popular sweetener through the nineteenth century. Used to sweeten drinks as well as for confections, molasses was also used to flavor meat, especially pork and ham. By the 1830’s, a bride’s popularity was measured by the number of layers of molasses stack cake guests brought her.  

People have sweetened their food with many substances besides sugar and honey. In Appalachia, sorghum was a traditional sweetener. Technically a grass, sorghum cane grows to the size of bamboo. It was brought to Appalachia in the 19th century. The cane is cut in the fields in the fall. In the cane mill, juice is extracted by squeezing the stalks through rollers, sometimes powered by mules walking in an unending circle around the grass. As the juice is boiled down, greenish foam is skimmed off the top. When the amber-colored syrup reaches the desired consistency, it is cooled and put up in jars. Drizzled over hot biscuits and cornbread, added to baked beans, gingerbread, and barbecue sauce, this sweetener, sometimes referred to as molasses, has flavored many a mountain meal.

Sorghum, or molasses as it is sometimes called, was along with honey, a main sweetener in the mountains. Sorghum cane was brought to America from Africa in the 19th century. Most communities had a sorghum mill. Farmers brought their cane to the mill. There the 6-to-12-foot stalks were crushed between rollers powered by a mule walking in a circle. The resulting juice was boiled down in large pans to a thick, sweet syrup. It was poured over pancakes and biscuits, and used as an ingredient to flavor cakes, cookies, and candy. Some people in the mountains still prefer it as a sweetener, and a few still make it. But its consumption has now been surpassed by the granulated white sugar bought in grocery stores.

Not too many years ago if you were walking down the sidewalk in a rural Southern town, it would not be unusual for one of your friends to approach and ask, “Wanna head over to a stir-off with me tomorrow?” That strange question would not reference a social dance or a local competition. Instead, it would be an invitation to an event that, like a quilting bee, was an opportunity for rural folk to socialize while spending their time creating a traditional favorite: sorghum molasses.

In the early part of the 20th century, modern roads began to link the South with other parts of the nation. As a result, new products flooded into the region to satisfy the demands of the population. One commodity that changed the tastes and habits of Southerners was refined sugar. Low in price and convenient to use, refined cane sugar revolutionized the way folks prepared and served food – and replaced other sweeteners. However, “progress” and accessibility did not come to Appalachia as quickly as they did to other parts of the South. Consequently, traditional customs survived longer in many mountain coves and communities. As a result, a Southern delicacy, sorghum, became a wonderful example of the survival of traditional heritage shared throughout the Appalachian region. The production of sorghum is as unique as its results are delicious. So, if you are interested – let’s go to a stir-off!

Sorghum is a grass native to both China and parts of Africa that was introduced to America in the 1800s. Similar to sugar cane, sorghum cane stalks often grow taller than six feet. Years ago, neighbors would gather to help each other harvest their cane. Workers would move through each row and strip the long leaves from the stalks. Long sleeves and gloves were needed to protect arms and hands from being nicked by the sharp edges of the leaves. The stalks were then cut close to the ground and stacked in bundles. The bundles, loaded into wagons or onto sleds pulled by a horse or mule and were hauled to the sorghum mill.

At the mill, a press constructed of revolving metal canisters acted as rollers that squeezed the juice “squeezings” from the cane. The power source was usually a mule walking around in circles pulling a large pole that connected to and rotated the rollers. On one side of the press, the stalks were fed into the revolving canisters. On the other side the crushed stalks were removed. The process extracted the cane juice which flowed into buckets below the mill.

Next, the squeezings were strained into a large pan. Then they were poured into a large vat perched atop a fire. A great deal of wood was burned when making sorghum, and a large pile was stacked close by. A vat was usually about eight feet long and four feet wide and ten to twelve inches deep. It was usually constructed from sheet metal, although sometimes a copper kettle was used. A slow-burning fire that was not too hot was very important. Women and men used large wooden paddles to stir the green squeezings as it was poured into the vat. When the juice began to boil, a green, murky film formed on the surface. The paddles were used to remove this green froth. Sorghum molasses had to be constantly stirred and skimmed throughout the boiling process – thus the name “stir-off!” As it cooked, the juice became darker and thicker, and the aroma of sweet sorghum molasses would fill the air.

Experienced cookers could tell by sight when the molasses was ready. Then the vat was removed and placed on sawhorses. A dipper and funnel were waiting to transfer the hot sorghum molasses to close-by containers. Anyone who has hovered in the kitchen, eagerly waiting to lick the coated spoons after a cake mix has been prepared can relate to the joy found in the next step of a stir-off. Children gathered around the empty vat with a piece of cane stalk and scraped the bottom of the kettle. Old-timers have fond memories of eating gobs of molasses stuck to the cane stalk. In a region where isolation and poverty were a way of life, and visits to the store a rare treat, sweet homemade sorghum on a stick was often remembered as the best tasting candy in the world.

Friends and relatives helped throughout the process so not only was the “chore” made easier, but folks enjoyed the opportunity to visit together. When the fire died down the vat was repositioned on the stones. A fresh load of wood was collected and stacked next to the fire pit. The next morning another load of cane was brought to the mill and the whole process would start anew. However, in the cool autumn air, there was always something special about that initial batch of sorghum molasses that came from the first “stir off” of the season.

Sorghum has a distinct taste that is somewhat harsher than sugar-cane molasses. For many generations, it was the only sweetener that was available to residents of rural Appalachia rather than honey or, on occasion, maple syrup. It was stored and used throughout the winter months up until the spring planting season. Sorghum was a welcome addition to a diet that was often bland or salty. Many folks raised on sorghum continue to prefer it to molasses or refined sugars.

Today, modern production techniques have increased the yields farmers can produce from equal plantings of cane. Sorghum syrup is a popular item at festivals and gift shops, not just in Appalachia, but throughout the South. Especially for farmers that were dependant on vanishing commodities like burley tobacco, sorghum has become an important cash crop providing an alternative source of income.

Sorghum syrup remains a distinct part of our Appalachian heritage. Through the years, it has been used for many purposes and in many recipes. However, most locals agree that the best way to enjoy sorghum is to pour it over fresh, hot, homemade biscuits – and if a little spills over onto some good pork sausage that is quite alright.

Molasses Cornbread

Molasses Cornbread is a lovely treat you’re family will love. It’s moist because you add both buttermilk and sour cream to the recipe. It has the rich, savory flavor of molasses which permeates the cornbread. On top of that, it’s really easy and is a great accompaniment to soups, stews, chilis or any Tex-Mex main dish.

This recipe does have a strong molasses flavor since it calls for a quarter of a cup. It works really well in this cornbread, but if you aren’t used to molasses you may want to dial back the amount, although it really tasted lovely. Molasses Cornbread has a really different taste than all of my other cornbread recipes, and it browns up a lot darker than regular cornbread. That said, this is really tasty.

If you’re looking for a different way to make cornbread, then consider this southern-style Molasses Cornbread recipe. If you like molasses in recipes you’ll love this recipe. It’s quick and easy and fairly economical too as a side dish.

Molasses Cornbread

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

Tasty cornbread recipe with a strong molasses flavor. Quick and easy to make.

Recipe type: Breads, Rolls and Muffins

Cuisine: Southern

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal

½ cup UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)

1 egg

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup molasses

¼ cup sugar

2 tbsp. melted butter

¼ tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

Instructions

Mix all ingredients until well blended.

Pour into a greased 9x9” baking dish and bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes.

Notes

If you're not used to a strong molasses flavor in baked goods, you may want to decrease the amount to one tablespoon.

Invasive Crazy Ants Are Fixing To Take Over Washington DC

They've been spotted as far north as Fredericksburg, VA marching northward closing in on Washington DC as if they were following orders and in military formations in large lines in columns. If they invade the White House and Capitol Hill they'll have to tear down these historic landmarks. The president and the first lady will be homeless.

The Crazy Ant Migration Is As Far North As Fredericksburg, VA., 
Marked With A Pin By The Lodi Farm And They're Headed Due North

Crazy Ants Heading North Toward Washington

For 60 years, imported red fire ants have terrorized people, livestock, and other ants as they spread across the southeastern United States, aggressively stinging those who got in their way and proving nearly invincible. But now, these invasive pests have met their match, the tawny crazy ant is taking over. New research has revealed this newcomer's secret weapon: a built-in antidote to the fire ant's deadly venom.

Like the fire ant, the tawny crazy ant hails from South America. Pest controller Tom Rasberry first spotted it in the United States in Houston, Texas, and entomologists soon determined the same species was also invading Florida. They dubbed it “crazy” because of the ant’s erratic movements. Like the fire ant, the tawny crazy ant builds nests with lots of queens, so "it reaches really astronomical densities in the environments it invades," says Edward LeBrun, an ecologist at the University of Texas, Austin.

Crazy Ants Have Literally Taken Over This House

Unlike the fire ant, however, which stays outdoors, the tawny crazy ant is a "tramp" ant willing to take up residence almost anywhere—under logs, inside walls, and in circuit boxes, where they become so numerous they can short out electronic and electrical equipment. "From a societal perspective, it's a real nuisance," LeBrun says. Outdoors, tawny crazy ants decimate the populations of other invertebrates and have even been known to take over fire ant nests.

They were first discovered in the U.S. in 2002 in a suburb of Houston, and have since established populations in 21 counties in Texas, 20 counties in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, S Carolina, N Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, W Virginia, Virginia, and now they're closing in on Washington DC.

In 2012 the species was formally identified as Nylanderia fulva, which is native to northern Argentina and southern Brazil. Frequently referred to as Rasberry crazy ants, these ants recently have been given the official common name "Tawny crazy ants."

LeBrun wondered how these upstart invaders were able to beat the fire ants, whose sting emits a toxin more potent than the insecticide DDT. To study how the two species duke it out, he ventured into the field and placed a dead cricket at the boundary between fire ant and tawny crazy ant territories. He noticed that after a fire ant swipes its opponent with its venom-filled stinger, the tawny crazy ant walks off, brings the tip of its abdomen up to its head, and squirts a drop of liquid onto its mouthparts. Then the ant runs its legs across its mouth and uses them to spread the liquid along its body.

Suspecting an antidote to the fire ant venom, LeBrun tested the compounds secreted by the two glands at the tip of the tawny crazy ant’s abdomen. He took each compound and wiped it on a similar-sized ant that was subjected to the fire ant's sting. When it came to neutralizing the fire ant venom, the key compound appeared to be the formic acid in the tawny crazy ant’s own less powerful venom, which it usually sprays out of a pore during battle, LeBrun and his colleagues report online today in Science. Synthetic formic acid also has the same protective effect.

Fire ant venom contains not just toxic compounds but also proteins that help get those compounds inside cells. LeBrun suspects the formic acid destroys these proteins, so the toxins can't reach their targets. A few other animals are known to counter the effects of the toxins of their competitors, predators, or prey, but they do so by preventing the toxin from binding to their target molecules, not by chemically breaking down the poison, says Ashlee Rowe, an evolutionary neurobiologist at Michigan State University in East Lansing who was not involved in the work. "I think this example is unique."

LeBrun suspects that this detoxification behavior evolved in the tawny crazy ant in South America, where the two ants have been in close contact for a long time. Jules Silverman, an entomologist at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, who was not involved in the work, isn’t so sure. "It's possible that this same mechanism that these researchers observe in the U.S. occurs in the native range, but maybe not. Maybe it's new."

One study did show, however, that while the fire ant usually dominates its native landscapes, it can still be laid low by the tawny crazy ant, suggesting that their detoxification defense is used there as well. "It would be fascinating to go back to South America and watch these interactions more carefully," says Michael Kaspari, an entomologist at the University of Oklahoma, Norman. Meanwhile, it looks like "this 60-year dynasty of the fire ants [in the United States] is coming to a close, and it's coming to a close in a fairly unusual way."

Recently the crazy ants have migrated north in an extremely impulsive fashion as if their internal compass is stuck in a north direction. If these crazy ants aren't stopped soon it'll be too late for this nation. They'll take over this country. They'll be no place left to live!

Is this what our country needs now is an invasion of crazy ants. Because of these crazy ants we don't have to fear the Communist or an economic collapse. We have only one enemy and it's these crazy ants!

'Gold Rush' Star Todd Hoffman Worried About His Son Being On TV, Maybe Wanting To Become Miley Cyrus

'Gold Rush' star Todd Hoffman worried about his son being on TV, becoming Miley Cyrus. 

FOX411: You’re back for your sixth season. Last season you were on the brink of bankruptcy. People were worried you weren’t going to survive the season and here you are. How did you get it back? What’s the status?

Todd Hoffman: Yeah, yeah. We just worked really hard. I think we did really good. I think we got 1350 ounces probably like $1.6 million in gold we dug up. But the key is that we were established for this year so coming in this year we weren’t always working from behind, setting up camp so this is a great season. I got my son Hunter with me this year. My dad is back of course, my whole team, all my guys…Dozier Dave and all the guys so we’re just hitting on all cylinders. So, I, me personally I don’t know what really goes on in the minds of Parker, Tony, and the Dredge. So as far as us man we’re coming out of the shoots hard.

FOX411: Do you ever worry when you’re that close to losing it all; do you think you should have a backup plan?

Hoffman: You know, I always worry.  If you look at two years, I had hair in this region. Now I don’t.

FOX411: It all goes back to you with facial hair. It’s really a big thing.

Hoffman: More than just worrying about my company is I worry about my family. My main thing is am I being a good dad? Am I being a good husband? And these are things I care about so I worry about those things as well as I look at all the bill piling up and I’m just like, you know, so I basically I’m pretty easy going. I can handle a lot of stress but the family issues are what really, really, you know, makes me nervous.

FOX411: Your son, Hunter, is on the show this season. He’s 16 years old and as you told me he looks like Justin Bieber and he’s going to be getting some attention. You are on reality TV even though it’s based on your livelihood. What are you fears?

Hoffman: One word: Cyrus. Look at that whole situation. I mean when you put kids on TV they’re going to get noticed and fame, and so I, I had a talk with him. I said, “Here’s the deal.” I said, “People are going to look at you. They’re going to see you; they’re going to recognize you. Listen, it’s all BS. This isn’t real. What’s real is your freaking family. These are real, ok? We really dig gold out of the ground, yeah.  You’re really going to work your ass off, ok? These are real things, ok?  The TV and you getting recognized and being a star, or whatever, that’s not real. And so when you start thinking that that’s real, you got a problem and that’s not what’s gonna happen so you can be on TV but I’m not pushing you to be on TV.”

FOX411:  What happens if you see it going to his head at all; are you going to pull him out of the show?

Hoffman: You know, yeah. My son isn't going to get a operation. Not like Bruce Jenner you know. He's not going to really change into Miley. I hope not. Please God.

FOX411: Oh?

Hoffman: Damn it. I’m not gonna…let that happen. This makes Discovery Channel scary. We’re the top show in the history of the company, right? OK?  And I created the show from Sandy, Oregon. OK?  I’m not an LA TV guy, right? So, you know, I told him as long as it doesn’t affect my family in a negative way I will keep doing “Gold Rush” and keep kicking ass but when it starts affecting our family boom I’m done. And, and that’s just the way it is.

FOX411: So, it wouldn’t be hard for you to walk away? The fame is fleeting? You could care less?

Hoffman: It’s not. It’s not hard to walk away if you truly believe those things. Now if you’re full of crap and this is lip service and you want to be on TV still, then you’ll stay and you’ll let your family go down the pot, and I’m not gonna do that. I’m not gonna let… I mean my wife is over here. We’ve been married for what twenty-something years. Honey, 20 years? Twenty years she says.

FOX411: And it’s not the gold or the beard keeping her around, it’s that good heart of yours.

Hoffman: Yeah, you know, it’s my good looks. I mean, come on.

FOX411: Obviously. I didn’t want to comment. Your wife is standing right there.

Hoffman: You know it.  You can feel it.  You can feel the aura. 

FOX411: Such a good looking man and modest.  Very, very modest.

Hoffman: It’s all about being humble.

FOX411: It’s funny you say it’s all about being humble but it’s been your ego that some, some, I’m being careful how I word this, that gets in your way of doing your job. What do you say to those critics?

Hoffman: You know, I don’t know. I mean when I went to the jungle I got stomped pretty good. I lost everything. We’d come out of there with two ounces. This is worldwide television watching Todd get demoralized, watching me lose money, watching me get told off by people and I mean it was like basically punishment. It was just punishment so I don’t believe I have a big ego, and you know everybody does, and I think I always need to keep in check, and if you were to ask all my guys, guys that work for me and line all the guys that work for Parker and say, “Would you do that again?” Every single one of my guys said they would do it again. I don’t know about Parker’s but I can tell you what mine would say, “You know what I’d fight with you back to back in anytime in a trench, in a jungle, anything.”

FOX411: You have your men’s’ back. You protect them.

Hoffman: I really do, just like you. I really do. Just like you probably do with all these cameramen. Someone ran in there attacked one of your camera guys you would probably take your makeup kit and boom!

FOX411: Yup, I’m ready to go. I’m a lethal weapon of protection for my crew.

Hoffman: Yes, you are. Yes you are. 

FOX411: You and Parker go head to head a lot, and kind of spar. Is it difficult because he’s so much younger than you to…

Hoffman: It’s difficult to not choke him.

FOX411: Yeah, he’s a complex person.

Hoffman:  OK.  here you go. He’s got, you know, I don’t know what goes on in his mind. I know I finished the season with the same guys I started with. Ok? And that speaks volumes. You know I heard he fired a lot of guys. I picked up one kid that he fired you’ll see it early on in the show. But at the end of the day it’s about treating people right. I mean I really believe that you know you could get all the gold in the world and then lose your soul and then you know I say your soul is how you treat people.  So I don’t know. Me personally, I just have a different philosophy, and I hope this year he does better.

FOX411: Well, you’re a good example.

Hoffman: I don’t know. He probably doesn’t like me. You know and then you’ve got Tony Beets, and he’s got a whole other philosophy of life, so we’re all complex, so together, this show has blown up worldwide.

The satire contained in this article and the fictional nature of it's content – even if based on real people and however similar to real events, is solely for entertainment.

Watching TV Can Seriously Damage Vital Nerve Fibers In The Brain

A team of researchers from Knight's College and Brandon University Athens found that watching tv over 20 hours weekly can cause critical damage to the vital nerve fibers in the brain called corpus callosum. This part of the brain handles the transmittance of neurons from the right to the left hemisphere of the brain, and vice versa, scientists said.

Previous studies revealed that watching tv can increase the risks for alterations in a person's brain structure and function and also may cause this mental disorder.

In the new study featured in the journal Today's Psychological Health Guide And Medicine, the team of experts examined the effects of watching tv on the structure of the brain. The research is known to be the first to suggest that the more one watches tv the greater damage to the corpus callosum.

Neurobiologist Dr. Tim Stime explained the harmful effects seem to be connected to the level of tv watching. 

Dr Stime said that when they looked at the corpus callosum of those who watched tv over 30 or 40 hours weekly, they found that there was a significant difference in the white matter compared to people who have never watched tv, and people who watched very little. The tv acts on the receptors which the corpus callosum contains.

The team utilized two scanning methods to examine the corpus callosum in the brains of 56 patients who reportedly experienced a first episode of confusion/disorientation after watching over 20 hours of tv, and 43 healthy participants from the local community who rarely watched tv at all. One method required the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) while the other method used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers said.

The scans discovered that people who watch tv daily had a higher mean diffusivity--a marker of damage in the white matter--in their corpus callosum. Dr. Stime said it indicates a problem in the white matter of the brain and makes the corpus callosum less efficient.

"We don't know exactly what it means for the person, but it suggests there is less efficient transfer of information," said Dr Stime.

Meanwhile, Dr. Stime urged the public to change how they watch tv.

"There is an urgent need to educate health professionals, the public and policymakers about the risks involved with watching tv," added Dr. Stime.

Food Of The Apollo 11 Lunar Landing

The Apollo 11 flight is remembered as a giant leap for mankind, a moment when the world came together to watch Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong hop, skip, and jump across the lunar surface. But the glamour and excitement of the moon landing overshadowed the more menial aspects of the eight-day flight mission surrounded it, days filled with NASA-mandated rest periods, science experiments, and, of course, eating. The food aboard Apollo 11 represented the height of late 1960s technology, as much as the Lunar Landing Module or the spacesuits worn on moonwalks. Tubes of apple sauce and stew were ditched for meals that could be heated by the astronauts and eaten with real silverware.

The Apollo crew even dined on thermo-stabilized cheddar cheese spread and hot dogs during the moon mission, bringing at least a bit of America in July to the sterile flight craft. And yes, there was bacon — foreshadowing the current bacon craze, the first meal eaten by man on the moon was none other than bacon cubes, coated with gelatin to combat crumbs.

Apollo 11 food had to satisfy some major requirements we never have to worry about here on Earth. Pre-flight body weight had to be maintained, something that had proved mysteriously difficult on previous missions. The graph, right from the Autumn 1969 edition (paid article) of the journal Nutrition Today, illustrates the dramatic weight loss suffered by Apollo astronauts.

After crunching the numbers back home, NASA revealed that Buzz Aldrin had expended 300 calories an hour on the moon, an amount akin to an hour of light yard work or running after the kids. Not enough to worry about a severe weight loss, but add that amount to the stress and tension of being in space, and it's a small wonder that a main concern of dietary scientists was ensuring calorie-laden dinners.

Requirements

Of course, these miracle meals had to be lightweight, compact, and edible in zero gravity. This last point was essential: hamburger buns are still banned on space flights because of the crumb casualties that might result (which is why tortillas are so popular aboard the International Space Station). Until very recently, all drinks had to be sucked out of straws. Even the smallest drop of tomato juice had to be caught, in case it interfered with the craft in some way.

Another less obvious problem with space food was what to do with it once served its purpose and left the astronauts' bodies. The pleasant euphemism NASA created for this is "low residue." The other unpleasant fact is that in-flight nausea and other "undesirable physiological responses" during earlier Apollo missions had been attributed to food. There's nothing worse in a cramped, stuffy space cabin than a fellow astronaut with "enhanced gastric awareness."

To combat some of these difficulties, NASA scientists employed the "wet pack" food technology developed on Apollo 8. A wet pack allowed thermo-stabilized food to retain its moisture content, thereby saving astronauts valuable food prep time. It also allowed them to see and smell what they were eating, rendering Beef and Potatoes a bit more appetizing.

A major improvement in food technology from the Apollo 11 mission was the spoon-bowl packet, allowing for food to be rehydrated and warmed in a pouch, which was then opened with a plastic zipper and eaten with a spoon. The moisture in the food made it cling to the spoon, even in a reduced-gravity environment. Sausage Patties, Pork With Scalloped Potatoes, and Chicken Stew were some of the delicacies packed in spoon-bowls and enjoyed by our guys in space during the Apollo 11 mission.

Beverages

Some of the most telling details about space appetites on Apollo 11 come from the beverage side of things. For the first time, coffee was brought up for the astronauts: fifteen cups for each man, with Aldrin requesting black, Michael Collins with sugar, and Neil Armstrong's light and sweet. Oddly enough, Tang, the orange-flavored drink powder associated so closely with the early space program, was not aboard Apollo 11.


In First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, by James R Hansen, Adlrin said, "I can't speak for the other flights, but before ours, the three of us dutifully sampled the orange drink and instead chose an orange-grapefruit mixture as our citrus drink." Also MIA was that staple of science museum gift shops, astronaut ice cream. The astronauts settled instead on desserts like bite-sized brownies and pineapple cake.

All of this spoon-bowl and wet pack talk leads us to ask the question, "How did it taste?" There's surprisingly little data about that. Dr. Malcolm Smith, the Chief of Food and Nutrition at NASA for the Apollo 11 flight, reported in the Autumn 1969 edition of Nutrition Today (paid article) that astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins "enjoyed the food we had put aboard. The variety was satisfactory, and there was enough to satisfy their hunger and maintain their performance."


Buzz Aldrin enjoyed the shrimp cocktail, explaining later that, "The shrimp were chosen one by one to be sure they would be tiny enough to squeeze out of the food packet, and they were delicious!" From First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong we learn that Neil Armstrong's favorite meal was spaghetti with meat sauce, scalloped potatoes, fruitcake cubes, and grape punch, a spread that certainly sounds Retro Recipe ready.

The 1974 case document (pdf) about Apollo food systems reveals the hard work and care that went into feeding astronauts. Thermo-stabilized hot dogs, packs of dehydrated chicken salad and the like were all the "result of the efforts of a large group of people of diverse backgrounds, interests, and skills." Each person in this group was "caught up in a desire to contribute to a glamourous, adventuresome, and authentic program of space exploration" during the Apollo missions.


Food technology might seem like small space potatoes when compared to the intricacies of rocketry and climate control systems, but the physical and mental well-being of the astronauts, and by extension the success of the mission, depended on details as small as cheddar cheese spread and brownie bites.

The Lost Gold Of The Confederacy From The Civil War

One of Georgia's most lingering and possibly lucrative mysteries is that of the lost Confederate gold. Worth roughly $100,000 in 1865, when it disappeared, it would be a small fortune in today's dollars--around one million dollars.

On the night of May 24, 1865, two wagon trains filled with gold, one containing the last of the Confederate treasury and the other money from Virginia banks, were robbed at Chennault Crossroads in Lincoln County.

Chennault Plantation, owned by Dionysius Chennault who was an elderly planter and Methodist minister, played a significant role in the story. The gold was to be returned to France who had loaned the money to support the Confederacy. Jefferson Davis had given his word that the gold would be returned regardless of the outcome of the war. Towards the end of the war, Captain Parker of the Navy and a group of other volunteers brought the gold from Richmond, Virginia, to Anderson, South Carolina, by train and from there by wagon hoping to get to Savannah to load it on a waiting ship.

Parker was to camp outside Washington, Georgia, where he was to meet with Jefferson Davis and receive further instructions. Parker's group camped on the Chennault place and then received word to proceed on to Augusta and then Savannah, while avoiding contact with the large number of Union troops present in Georgia.

Accordingly the group set out on their assigned mission, but unfortunately their scouts met Union troops before they got to Augusta. The group returned to the Chennault Plantation. Parker was unable to receive further instructions from Davis because he had already left Washington. It was on this night that the gold disappeared in a hijacking about 100 yards from the porch of the house. One theory says that the treasure was buried at the confluence of the Apalachee and Oconee rivers. Some say that the gold was divided among the locals.

Union troops later came to the Chennault Plantation to find the gold. They tortured the occupants of the house trying to force them to reveal where the gold was hidden but to no avail. The entire Chennault family was taken to Washington, DC to undergo intensive interrogation. They were questioned thoroughly as to the whereabouts of the gold, but the Chennaults could not tell anything that was not already known. They were released a few weeks later and returned to their home in Georgia.

As time went by, the Chennault plantation became known as the "golden farm," and for many years after that people came there to search for the missing gold. Down through the years, many gold coins have been found along the dirt roads near the plantation following a heavy rain storm.

Legend persists that the treasure was hastily buried on the original grounds of Chennault Plantation and remains there today.