Just Asking

Do you think free governments should withhold the truth from its citizens?

Remember the show, X-Files, where so much was made of the secrecy of the government about Area 51? Does Area 51 contain proof of aliens?

Do you believe we know everything the government knows about the Kennedy assassination?

Or how about American Airlines Flight Number 77, which is commonly believed to have crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Yet questions remain about the lack of airliner debris, the inability of the hijacker to fly, the conflicting size of the impact point and other questions.

Or dark chocolate ... is it really good for you? And why isn't white chocolate? And why does white chocolate taste like flavored candy wrapper?

I went with my kids to Great America once and we took in a magic show. I've seen magic shows on television and I'm the skeptic. How can the audience be fooled by these 'illusions'? What idiots. What morons.

We got there early and took the best seats to be able to uncover the illusion. We were in the front row, off to one side (so we could see behind). And I settled back with a grin, sure I'd be able to unmask the magic.

The magician came out and announced he was going to saw a young lady in half. I snorted and began to wish I'd gone to the Three D show instead. Meanwhile the magician said, "I'm going to pick out some audience members to help me."

Bah, he was going to pick shills from the crowd. People he planted there to help him.

How surprised was I when he picked ... me.

Yeah, me.

Heh ... he sure made a mistake, picking me. I climbed onto the stage with a manic grin, knowing I'd finally be able to see everything.

He had a young lady get into a coffin like box. Before closing the top, he put a rope around her neck and fed it though a hole at the top of the coffin. He handed the other end of the rope to another guy whom had been picked. The magician asked him to keep a steady, hold on the rope.

Then he did the same with the young lady's ankles, handing this rope to another volunteer.

He closed the box, and then he asked me to open a panel on the side, reach in and touch the girl to confirm she was still there.

Gulp ... married man here.

Anyway, I managed the task without embarrassing the girl or myself, and I closed the panel again.

Without any further delay, the magician slammed a metal blade through notches in the coffin. Then another. Then, quicker than could be believed, he separated the coffin into two pieces ... right in front of me!

Her legs were still poking out one side ... her head from another ... but the two coffin halves were separated by about four feet.

What ... the .... heck !!

I was right there!

It happened right in front of me!

Me, Mr. Skeptic.

Wow.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the whole thing was recorded, but the government still won't release the tapes.

Norm

(hey, y'all, my new vampire Young Adult book, Fang Face is out! Get your fang now. Come visit me at www.fangface.homestead.com and learn where you can get your own graffiti'd ... er, signed book!)