Altruism Is My New Goal
What immediately follows are the answers to the riddles that were in the treasure hunt contest. I will then explain about a new and different contest that has already begun. Though it has already started you will see that everyone still has ample time to take part.Congratulations are in order for the winner of the online contest asilofreak@yahoo.com. Bill Kenney of Georgetown, Indiana was the first person to correctly give all of the answers to the riddles that were posed. The following day after I had received his answers I mailed his package to him. I have since received his email assuring me that he received the package and he gave me permission to use his personal information in this posting. (This was something that I had requested of him.) Once again I would like to thank everyone that took part in this contest.
For the prize that was buried on Plank road I had set up a remote camera that recorded the immediate and surrounding area. My hope was to capture the first person to the area that was hunting for the prize. I had not counted on the very cold weather and the snow that began to fall that evening. Since there was no electricity in that area I had to use a wireless camera that ran on batteries. I correctly figured that twelve hours of taping would have been sufficient. What I had not counted on was the effect that the severe cold would have on the batteries. In short, all that I was able to record was a lot of traffic noisily passing by until the batteries became so cold that within two hours of the start of the tape; the unit quit working. Sorry.
(WEEK 1 RIDDLE)
(FIRST STANZA EXPLAINED)
From the Americans to the French, (began with the Americans) I began with a question and ended with silence; (“What hath God wrought?”) The first message that was sent out was a question. It was sent May 24, 1844. (“Calling all. This is our last cry before our eternal silence.”) This was the last message sent by the French Navy in 1997; never again would Morse Code be used to signal a ship in distress. In 1997 we still regarded the French as an ally, until, as usual they surrendered before the fighting started and would not help in the war on terror.
(SECOND STANZA EXPLAINED)
There was a 153 year span from 1844 to 1997.
In fits and starts; (communication) telegraph, cable, etceteras, I do my peculiar work; ten cent telephone calls.
(THIRD STANZA EXPLAINED)
Samuel Morse (horse) had an associate, Alfred Vail.
(FOURTH STANZA EXPLAINED)
The lightning strikes on the cover of my book are in Morse Code. There is a .2 second hold for a dot and for the dash it holds for .8 seconds. Between the words it holds for 2 complete seconds and then there is a 5 second hold and the cycle starts repeating.
It reads: . - - . / . - .. / . - / - . / - . - / . - . / - . . (end of code). These seven letters translate to the answer; which is ----- PLANK RD.
(WEEK 2 RIDDLE)
(FIRST STANZA EXPLAINED)
“A dog is man’s best friend, and vice versa.” ----- Anonymous
The ancient Roman poet, (author of the epic, Aenid) was Virgil.
Virgil my dog was born in 2001. At the time I wrote this riddle he was, “still only three."
(SECOND STANZA EXPLAINED)
1/3 of the letters in his name when added (sum) will equal the whole.
The next two lines are filler only.
(THIRD STANZA EXPLAINED)
The number of times he is named in my book. I hid his name by the use of an
acronym: V. I. R. G. I. L.
The next two lines are filler only.
(FOURTH STANZA EXPLAINED)
The number you need is: Virgil = 6 letters. 1/3 of 6 = 2. The first two letters are VI (Roman Numerals) and when added (sum) they = 5+1= 6.
(WEEK 5 RIDDLE)
(FIRST STANZA EXPLAINED)
In my book this particular one that is mentioned is four-feet tall. Robert Frost was credited for saying: “Good fences make good neighbors.”
(SECOND STANZA EXPLAINED)
This entire stanza is pretty much self-explanatory.
(THIRD STANZA EXPLAINED)
Again, self-explanatory, except for one scene in the book. In that scene Jame leans over a (4 ft. high) fence to try and shield a lit candle from the storm. ANSWER: FENCE
ANSWER TO WEEK 4 RIDDLE:
No separation of letters will exist in this weeks riddle. Also you will notice that there are no capitalizations or punctuation marks of any kind. The message this week is clear. The road where the treasure is located is very short, and this one small area alone will contain the answers to riddles five, six and seven. Please do not hunt for the treasure until you have the answer to riddle number seven; because there are other areas on this road that will also have what is found in answers five and six. But, when you get number seven, then you will have the three items necessary to properly locate this buried treasure. And I wouldn’t want anyone to dig in the wrong spot. This is filler as I need to fill in this sentence so that it ends at the proper place, ok? Whew!
ANSWER TO WEEK 6 RIDDLE:
This is the easiest one yet. Using the letters of the alphabet A-Z; assign a numerical value for each letter-beginning with a. (A=1, B=2, C=3, etceteras) The number 13 represents m. The number 1 represents a. The first line spells Maple. The second line spells tree.
Answer: MAPLE TREE
(WEEK SEVEN RIDDLE)
(FIRST STANZA EXPLAINED)
It began with a cauldron in China and the idea was brought to the West. Even in modern times this device is the best at what it does.
(SECOND STANZA EXPLAINED)
Patented: It was legally named in 1801 and early pictures showed they were silver, black, and sometimes even white. (the most common ones today are yellow or red)
(THIRD STANZA EXPLAINED)
Blodgett’s was a hotel that for awhile housed the Patent Office. Frederick Graff Sr. was the inventor. That fateful night they used a bucket brigade in an attempt to put out the fire as it(FIRST STANZA EXPLAINED)
“A dog is man’s best friend, and vice versa.” ----- Anonymous
The ancient Roman poet, (author of the epic, Aenid) was Virgil.
Virgil my dog was born in 2001. At the time I wrote this riddle he was, “still only three."
(SECOND STANZA EXPLAINED)
1/3 of the letters in his name when added (sum) will equal the whole.
The next two lines are filler only.
(THIRD STANZA EXPLAINED)
The number of times he is named in my book. I hid his name by the use of an
acronym: V. I. R. G. I. L.
The next two lines are filler only.
(FOURTH STANZA EXPLAINED)
The number you need is: Virgil = 6 letters. 1/3 of 6 = 2. The first two letters are VI (Roman Numerals) and when added (sum) they = 5+1= 6.
(WEEK 5 RIDDLE)
(FIRST STANZA EXPLAINED)
In my book this particular one that is mentioned is four-feet tall. Robert Frost was credited for saying: “Good fences make good neighbors.”
(SECOND STANZA EXPLAINED)
This entire stanza is pretty much self-explanatory.
(THIRD STANZA EXPLAINED)
Again, self-explanatory, except for one scene in the book. In that scene Jame leans over a (4 ft. high) fence to try and shield a lit candle from the storm. ANSWER: FENCE
ANSWER TO WEEK 4 RIDDLE:
No separation of letters will exist in this weeks riddle. Also you will notice that there are no capitalizations or punctuation marks of any kind. The message this week is clear. The road where the treasure is located is very short, and this one small area alone will contain the answers to riddles five, six and seven. Please do not hunt for the treasure until you have the answer to riddle number seven; because there are other areas on this road that will also have what is found in answers five and six. But, when you get number seven, then you will have the three items necessary to properly locate this buried treasure. And I wouldn’t want anyone to dig in the wrong spot. This is filler as I need to fill in this sentence so that it ends at the proper place, ok? Whew!
ANSWER TO WEEK 6 RIDDLE:
This is the easiest one yet. Using the letters of the alphabet A-Z; assign a numerical value for each letter-beginning with a. (A=1, B=2, C=3, etceteras) The number 13 represents m. The number 1 represents a. The first line spells Maple. The second line spells tree.
Answer: MAPLE TREE
(WEEK SEVEN RIDDLE)
(FIRST STANZA EXPLAINED)
It began with a cauldron in China and the idea was brought to the West. Even in modern times this device is the best at what it does.
(SECOND STANZA EXPLAINED)
Patented: It was legally named in 1801 and early pictures showed they were silver, black, and sometimes even white. (the most common ones today are yellow or red)
(THIRD STANZA EXPLAINED)
roared through the temporary Patent Office. The building was destroyed and most of our patents up until that time were forever lost.
(FOURTH STANZA EXPLAINED)
The Civil-War started in 1861 and at that time Louisville was still not using these; now of course everywhere that you look, you see them. --- Fire Hydrant.
(WEEK 3 RIDDLE EXPLAINED)
Line number 2 needs to explain what line number 1 contains. Then line number 3 will explain what line number 2 contains. Example: Line number 1 starts with 3 (8’s) and that would be written, 38. Then there are 3 (0’s), and that would be written, 30. If you follow that all of the way you end up with 38302837. Once you have that answer on line 2, you will see that line 3 explains what is actually written on line 2. All that would be left is to place the decimal point in the proper spot and look up that particular Latitude (38.302837) and you will have: JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA.
Altruism as defined by a dictionary states: n: the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
I have to admit that when I first conceived the idea of posting my book on line it was for the polar opposite of the above definition. My goal was more along a capitalistic ideal. I wanted to get published and make some money. There is not necessarily anything wrong with that thought and I would still like to get published ... and yes ... make some money. I have not given up on that proposition as I recently sent out a copy of my manuscript to a publishing house in Pennsylvania. Because of the response to the blogs (Treasure Hunt / James Christens) I have thought of another contest that ultimately could benefit a lot of people. My hope is that those of you that have played along so far will continue with me into this new contest and invite some of your friends to join.
When the contest ended on March 14, there had been more than a thousand hits to our blog and 17 different time zones had logged on to read. As of my typing these lines the contest has been over for eight days and yet we have logged another 100+ hits and one more time zone has tuned in.
Please watch for another new post to this blog on April 2nd.
If you join with me on this new contest I will assure you of four things.
First: this new contest does not have anything to do with the publishing of my book.
Secondly: If I am successful in what I am going to try to accomplish, then a lot of people (with you as the participants helping) might benefit.
Third: It will be 100% altruistic on your part.
Fourth: It will be mostly altruistic on my part.
Watch for April 2 posting.
posted by Robin Johnson @ 10:22 PM
