X Files

"X" formations in the sky early evening, Friday June 26, 2009. Looking East/Southeast from my house. We love looking at clouds. Some interesting things show up on occasion!

I started to wonder about the letter "X" ....

We know our X chromosome looks like this lovely enhanced image. Girls have 2 X chromosomes and boys have 1 X along with a "Y" ... How did there come to be a letter X? Who decided that X should be a letter and what were they thinking? It's barely usable in the English language. lol It frequently stands for an "unknown" something. Some people use "X" to stand in for their signature when they're unable to write. We have X marks the spot, Generation X, Windows XP, the X Factor, X-rays, Super X drugs, fragile X syndrome, Xtra gum, I'm sure you know many more!

This from WIKI:

"The Phoenician letter Samekh (representing /s/) is usually considered the inspiration for Greek Xi, but as noted, Chi had a graphically distinct shape from Xi—although it may possibly have been another variant originally based on samekh. The original form of samekh may have been an Egyptian hieroglyph for the Djed column, but this too is uncertain, as no intervening Proto-Sinaitic form of this letter is attested.

The "X" in Xmas is from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of Χριστός, Christ in Greek .."

The Djed pillar (or column) was an interesting device, worthy of an entire post. In a "nut"shell:

"The Djed symbol is a pillar-like ancient Egyptian symbol representing stability. It has been interpreted as the backbone of the Egyptian god Osiris, especially in the form Banebdjedet (the ba of the lord of the Djedet). Djedu is the Egyptian name for Busiris, a centre of the cult of Osiris. During the Renewal Festival, the djed would be ceremonially raised as a phallic symbol symbolising the "potency and duration of the pharaoh's rule".[1] It has been compared to the Sumerian concept of temen. The hieroglyph for "djed" may have given rise to the letter Samekh."

Here are some other familiar things associated with the letter "X":

I miss the X-Files. That was a great show. Much of it very believable. I don't doubt much of anything these days. I'll remain skeptic in a healthy way, but given five decades of living, I really have come to believe that *nothing* is impossible. All things are possible.

Unfortunately, there are much darker associations with the letter "X": Son of Sam, David Ber'kow'itz. What's even darker is the fact that some joker is making money selling these t-shirts.

(David Berkowitz - Son of Sam serial killer from New York and the symbol he sent to the press.)

Another "UNKNOWN X" factor. The Zodiac Killer from California. I always had strong impressions that his name is either "David" or has david in the name. Weird. I used to have nightmares as teen about this guy. His "signature" was the odd circle with the cross or side "X" in it. He used to leave cryptic notes for police and news agencies. One was an "X" made out of the words "sorry cypher." He was a very poor speller - perhaps intentionally, perhaps not. Some say he and other serial killers or killers of the famous were/are Manchurian Candidates, programmed by who knows (elite gov't agencies?) to invoke terror among people. Why? That could be a whole post too.

(Zodiac Killer, remains at large, and the symbol he frequently used in letters.)

Creepier yet, my attention was first called to the president's signature on Ray's blog. Look below at that "O" in the signature. Very Zodiac-like. Now, I do NOT believe the president is the Zodiac (too young) lol



Seriously, when I first saw the signature, it looked SO familiar and I couldn't place it. Then, an AHA! moment. More than 30 years ago, I was a stenographer, working a two-year stint for the F.B.I. in Chicago. I was so young and it was always fascinating, but medicine called to me and I had to explore that field. I used Gregg shorthand as did most of the stenographers. Deep down, I adore deciphering things, puzzles, word games, and sometimes wish I had stuck with that job. ANYWAY, as I stared at the signature ... I was finally struck by the fact that it looked exactly like something in Gregg Shorthand. Now, take it all with a grain of salt, folks, remembering I haven't used it in 30 years. But, I did go back and brush up on some of the Gregg shorthand strokes (most of which looks like this:)

Using that, the sig could be interpreted as "Devoil (devil) or Devour" and "I am" or "I'm". Turned around, I devour or I am devil. :o) Such things that lurk in the subconscious of our handwriting. lol I do not believe this to be true about him, but it may be a hint into the underworkings of his own shadow side (as we all have.) (he admits one of his demons is nicotine) I hear ya on that Barack. I know, I know .. the President will probably call me now and tell me that I won't win the Publisher's Clearinghouse grand prize this year. First we made fun of his bowling after he made fun of the Special Olympics, and now this. Nyah, nyah, he did it first. Oh well. I'll hope that God's keeping an eye on me.

Okay, for any Gregg shorthand pros out there, have a go at it.

Anyway, I also did read a professional handwriting expert's analysis, clipped here:

THE first official signature of Barack Obama reveals a man grounded in action, compassion, generosity and diplomacy, a handwriting expert said yesterday.

From his penmanship, writing analyst Caro Duncan sees a highly intelligent man who thinks fast and adapts to any situation.

His Christian name is slightly more coherent than his surname, hinting at disappointment with his father or family.

HANDWRITING ANALYSIS

You can also find a little test at that link to discover if you use your right brain or left brain more often. I'm apparently more of a rightbrainer. Some would say a nobrainer. :o)

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

Which type are you?

This little Porch Gnome sits on our stoop and watches over the flowers and the eggs in the robin's nest. I don't know if he uses his left or right brain. I don't know if he even has a brain. I find no "X" symbols on him. But he was witness to the X clouds. He has, however, been the subject of X-files of the Gnome Type.