Sophia Stewart

When Sophia Stewart (aka Zenia Kavala) went to see the movie, "The Matrix", in 1999, she discovered what she considered plagiarism.

In subsequent legal action, Stewart alleged that the movies "The Matrix" (I, II, and III) and "The Terminator" borrowed from her own life and work, particularly her 1981 work, "The Third Eye".

Those movies were produced by Warner Brothers, part of the mega-media conglomerate AOL-Time Warner.

Apparently Stewart is a gifted visionary, adept at mathematics and possessing a knowledge of history derived from spiritual revelation. She claims to be a practitioner of astral projection. You can read some of her own remarks here.

Looks like Stewart may be starting to get some justice. Reports are just out that she won a legal case. You can read details here. Similar reporting, but with link to interview with Stewart, is here.

We might need to reserve judgment on the truthfulness of these reports, however, as there is already a history of similar reports in the category of "urban legend".

Indeed, an article on Wikipedia claims that her lawsuit was dismissed in June 2005. Was another claim introduced since then, with positive results only now? As always, we must get independent verification. I'm sure this will all become clear in the days ahead!

Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail, a 2178.3-mile footpath extending from Maine to Georgia, is a popular destination for lovers of nature. It is also a destination for people wanting to test their outdoor skills, including hiking, camping, and wilderness navigation.

Those hiking the entire trail will move about 5 million steps! It's estimated that about 400 to 500 hike the entire length each year.

Here is an interesting short account of a hiker who went the distance recently.

The National Geographic cable channel just aired a program earlier tonight (Nov 10) called America's Wild Spaces: Appalachian Trail. The program is set to air again at 4 pm (EST) on Tuesday, November 17.

It seems you can see a bit of video from this program here.

For anyone serious about doing the full hike, there is a nice 4-part series at Trailspace.com on planning for such an endeavor. See it here.

While the above article series lists many good resources, a key site is www.appalachiantrail.org, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. There you can find official trail guides and maps, the Appalachian Trail Data Book, and the AT Thru-Hikers’ Companion, both updated annually. Check out the additional member benefits.

News: a federal grant to help preserve 1,000 acres of land along a stretch of the trail in Vermont was recently awarded. See the report here. It's good to know the trail is being conserved. I'm sure more work is needed, especially in remote areas.

If you hike the trail, be prepared to meet hikers along the way, and make some friends. Also be prepared to navigate the trail through many climates and ecosystems. In some areas there are large predators, such as bears!

Have fun in the great outdoors. Maybe the Appalachian Trail is in your plans for future fun!

descendants of Pocahontas

Edith Bolling Galt was a descendant of Pocahontas. She became Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, marrying US President Woodrow Wilson who suffered a stroke during his presidency. His wife Edith apparently conspired with doctors to keep the President's true condition hidden. She controlled access to the President and through her actions became known as the first woman president.

Pocahontas and President George W. Bush Are Related, as revealed through a study by Ancestry.com. Although the Bush family counts relatedness to Pocahontas, it is not through direct descent but through marrage. You can find a report here, and the Bush-Pocahontas family tree can be found at www.ancestry.com/jamestown.

Isn't genetics wonderful?

AdMob acquired by Google

Google taking over the world?

Well, the world of online eyeballs, maybe!

Earlier today Google announced it was buying AdMob for about $750 million. AdMob specializes in delivering ads to mobile platforms, like the iPhone.

Also, Google has acquired Gizmo5 for $30 million. This will allow Google to add more robust functionality to a number of Google products, including Google Talk.

If it seems like Google is taking over the world, there are good reasons!