You know . . . this technological, fast paced, instant communication between total strangers across vast spaces around the world society we live in has its pitfalls. Using our computers the way we all do is one of the leading ones.
Yep – I’ve been duped again.
And I’m mad at myself because I should know better. I mean, it’s not like I haven’t succumbed to the forwarding of false information e-mails before, although I try really hard any more to take everything that comes into my e-mail inbox with a grain – make that ton – of salt.
As you all know, I’ve had to recant a couple of recent posts right here at Finding Direction. Then, there was the alleged Kurt Warner love story I got and passed along to just about everyone in my address books. The next day I had to send out corrections to all the same people with the "real" story, which was much better than the fake one, anyway.
And, I’m an attorney, for crying out loud! Evidence. Fact checking. In depth research. Combing through piles and piles of cr*p to find the nugget of truth.
This time it is the photo featured in my last post – "Sunset Over the North Pole." If I had taken the time to think about it for a while, I would have realized the problem myself. In fact, I did keep wondering about such an unusual sight that didn’t seem quite right to me, somehow. But, it was just so beautiful, you know?!
I still think that it is, but thanks to our good friend Ron, I have to share with you that it was photoshopped. Here’s what Ron said in – what else – an e-mail to us (but I know Ron personally, so trust that he’s correct! ha!):
I checked Dee’s blog the other day and
could access it [Note: Ron's away at sea], couldn’t do that from my government computer at
home. Anyway I’m not sure if I should mention it but the Sunset over
the North Pole picture is physically impossible. The sun and moon are
always about the same angular size when viewed from the earth. It has
to be a photochop.
So . . . once again I must apologize. One,for being a dummy. Two, for not reflecting further on the unusual photo that kept nagging at me in the back of my mind before I did anything with it. And three, for posting it here, anyway, as (what I thought was) a "real" photo.
It’s not. But, that doesn’t make it any less stunningly beautiful as a work of art (to be kind). So, I suppose the lesson is to be more free with the "Delete" button than the "Forward" button when receiving bucket loads of e-mails. Especially those that have been forwarded about 200 times, already, and have dire warnings for breaking the chain or not sending them on within 7 minutes or the rest of your life, what’s left of it after you’ve broken the chain, will be lived in misery and ill fortune.
That’s the warning I leave with each of you today. And, if you don’t pass this on to all your e-mail friends within the next 2 minutes, you may meet some terrible disaster and never find your way back to Finding Direction again to get even more kernels of wisdom from moi. You know – the ones to not do as I do!
Cheers! And, have a blessed day! Dee
Dee Andrews
Don’t worry about it Dee. The Earth is still filled with His Glory even it if it has to be photochopped at times to fit on our monitors.
Ahhh … an honest attorney. That still sets you apart from the others!
it’s still a cool shot, even if’s not real
huggs
I just wish I knew stuff like, “The sun and moon are always about the same angular size when viewed from the earth.” There must be great gaps in my education.
Listen, if this is the biggest mistake you made today, you had a pretty good day.
Dee, I echo everyone else here. You were wrong about a story and a photo. I have been wrong about God, politics, money, and relationships. I think that still puts you WAY ahead of me on the metaphysical grading curve!
If you’re a dummy, so are most of the rest of us! I am forever forwarding something I think is really neat, only to be taken to task by somebody who refers me to Snopes (I think that’s the name!). It was a beautiful picture, regardless, and you were simply sharing…………..
What I detest are the ’send this or God won’t love you’ forwards. Obviously there are ppl out there in cyberspace e-mail who live and die to send junkmail, urbanlegends, hoaxes, photoshop scams, you name it. If they stoop to invoke God, they will stop at nothing for their five second fix over the internet. Has anyone here thought of a way to minister to these troubled, clandestine pranksters?