As over at The Rundown, I'm working on template changes and so on here for the next few days. I'm still learning my way around the new Template system, and it's different here than for blogs published on Blogspot, which makes it even more work for me (like always), so there are bound to be some errors and mistakes along the way.
Further, I am also working on changes to The Wording and it uses WP, not Blogger, so that's really three different blogging systems I have to wrap my head around. Still, entries will continue unabated, though they are going to continue to be slow-going for the time being.
If things are hard to read or jumbled - if there are any errors on your end - please let me know. In particular, The Rundown had some kind of issue on at least one reader's end which I cannot duplicate anymore and therefore thought was fixed, but she continued to complain about it. Unfortunately, since I fixed it on my end and absolutely no one else complained about it, I have nothing to go on but to assume that it has to do with her system... which made her VERY upset, but all I can say to that is if you're so damn smart and got it all figured out already, then you ought to be able to tell me how to fix it.
02-27-2007
UPDATE: I'd reported on California police arresting a reporter who refused to give-up his film following one of their many instances of corruption caught on film, and the WP was immediately deleted, then corrupted. So I moved to Blogger. See "Google, Ltd." for more information on how that's working-out. - 2018
The paranormal, the Supernatural, the odd and Unexplained
Featured Post
Operation: All Clear - The Oklahoma City Bombing
Oklahoma City Bombing The Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 was alleged to have been carried-out by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols (alone...
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Jesus' Tomb Found?
Director James Cameron, of Titanic fame, has a new film which claims that the tomb of Jesus has been found. Further, it claims that He and Mary Magdalene were a couple and that they had a son named Judah.
In 1980, Israeli construction workers building an apartment complex in the East Talpiot district uncovered 10 2,000 year-old ossuaries, 6 of which bore the names Mary, Matthew, Jesua son of Joseph, Mary, Jofa (Joseph, Jesus' brother), and Judah son of Jesua.
While Cameron says, "It doesn't get any bigger than this," most others say they don't believe the tomb to be that of the Biblical Christ. The names were actually common for the day and most people think Cameron and company are simply trying to sell their film. Cameron insists that DNA and other evidence backs up his claims, though.
Most authorities on the subject and related matters do not expect Christians to accept Cameron's notions, but the entire idea is sure to bring debate - hopefully healthy debate, but not likely...
In 1980, Israeli construction workers building an apartment complex in the East Talpiot district uncovered 10 2,000 year-old ossuaries, 6 of which bore the names Mary, Matthew, Jesua son of Joseph, Mary, Jofa (Joseph, Jesus' brother), and Judah son of Jesua.
While Cameron says, "It doesn't get any bigger than this," most others say they don't believe the tomb to be that of the Biblical Christ. The names were actually common for the day and most people think Cameron and company are simply trying to sell their film. Cameron insists that DNA and other evidence backs up his claims, though.
Most authorities on the subject and related matters do not expect Christians to accept Cameron's notions, but the entire idea is sure to bring debate - hopefully healthy debate, but not likely...
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Bat Demon Blamed for Sex Attacks
A bat demon known as Popo Bawa, which means "winged bat" is thought to be preying on women in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. The belief is so strong in the region that some men are sleeping outside in groups or staying awake at night.
The demon is thought to be able to take the form of a man and has been blamed for rapes within the city. Smearing one's self with pig oil is thought to repel the demon. Authorities in the area say that most residents don't actually believe in the legend, even though it is persistent. Belief in superstitions and particularly witchcraft is widespread in Tanzania.
The demon is thought to be controlled by witches, summoned and used by them to torment their enemies.
The demon is thought to be able to take the form of a man and has been blamed for rapes within the city. Smearing one's self with pig oil is thought to repel the demon. Authorities in the area say that most residents don't actually believe in the legend, even though it is persistent. Belief in superstitions and particularly witchcraft is widespread in Tanzania.
The demon is thought to be controlled by witches, summoned and used by them to torment their enemies.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
New Finds at Necropolis
Archaeologists have reported on new findings at the Egyptian necropolis, Saqqara. Saqqara, the city of the dead, lies near Egypt's capital.
Findings include the tombs of a royal scribe and butler, as well as those of a priest and his female companion from the 12th Dynasty. The tomb of the scribe appears to be from the reign of Akhenaten, who ruled just before Tutankhamen.
At least one of the tombs contains paintings in orange and blue, depicting scenes with animals. Some of the others are mad of mud brick instead of limestone and have not stood up to the tests of time as well as the rest, but are still considered "really important."
Experts guess that less than 30% of Saqqara's treasures have been uncovered so far.
© C Harris Lynn, 2007-08
Findings include the tombs of a royal scribe and butler, as well as those of a priest and his female companion from the 12th Dynasty. The tomb of the scribe appears to be from the reign of Akhenaten, who ruled just before Tutankhamen.
At least one of the tombs contains paintings in orange and blue, depicting scenes with animals. Some of the others are mad of mud brick instead of limestone and have not stood up to the tests of time as well as the rest, but are still considered "really important."
Experts guess that less than 30% of Saqqara's treasures have been uncovered so far.
© C Harris Lynn, 2007-08
Monday, February 19, 2007
Priest Jailed for Failed Exorcism
A priest in Romania has been jailed following the death of a nun he was attempting to exorcise. Four nuns who were also somehow involved were also charged with manslaughter and found guilty. The case has shocked Romanians and led church authorities to vow reform.
Daniel Corogeanu, a 31 year-old priest at the Holy Trinity convent in the Tanacu village in Romania, attempted to exorcise Irina Cornici, a 23 year-old nun he thought possessed by a devil. The nun was chained to a cross in a secluded convent and died of starvation.
Corogeanu was sentenced to 14 years, while the nuns involved got between 5 and 8 years each. The Orthodox Church has promised psychological testing for those wishing to enter the monastery, then banned Corogeanu and excommunicated the nuns. Dozens of their supporters packed the courtroom and cried when the verdicts were read.
The real question here is why the church apparently doesn't believe in exorcism, or at least that people can be possessed. While Corogeanu may have been wrong in this specific case, and his rites of exorcism were definitely mishandled, is the Orthodox Church saying that Exorcism is not part of their religious beliefs? If so, are they then saying that demonic possession is not part of their ethos?
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Once Again on the Defensive
New reports indicate that a belief in "pseudoscience" is on the rise. According to some kind of new poll(s) conducted by some kind of someone somewhere, people today generally know more about science than past generations, but tend to believe in things such as aliens, Bigfoot, and other "pseudosciences" or what we at The OddBlog like to refer to as "fringe science."
This comes as no surprise to me and shouldn't to you, either. The government, Church, and other factions involved stand only to lose if any of these "fringe" scientific fields and findings are confirmed and accepted as truth. There is more evidence for many of these things than there is for other scientifically-accepted theories and hypotheses, such as black and white holes, for example.
The important thing to remember when considering any of this is that scientists dismiss photographic and eyewitness evidence of "pseudoscience" and dismiss all compelling factoids which seem to support such things as "coincidence." On the other hand, the only evidence they have for things such as black holes is photographic and theoretical. Kind of a double-standard there, isn't it?
To put a finer point on it: when someone brings me the carcass of a black hole, I'll consider it "proven."
This comes as no surprise to me and shouldn't to you, either. The government, Church, and other factions involved stand only to lose if any of these "fringe" scientific fields and findings are confirmed and accepted as truth. There is more evidence for many of these things than there is for other scientifically-accepted theories and hypotheses, such as black and white holes, for example.
The important thing to remember when considering any of this is that scientists dismiss photographic and eyewitness evidence of "pseudoscience" and dismiss all compelling factoids which seem to support such things as "coincidence." On the other hand, the only evidence they have for things such as black holes is photographic and theoretical. Kind of a double-standard there, isn't it?
To put a finer point on it: when someone brings me the carcass of a black hole, I'll consider it "proven."
Friday, February 16, 2007
Skydiver Survives 32,000' Drop!
Champion paraglider, Ewa Wisnierska, was sucked into a tornadic storm as she and 200 other paragliders began a world paragliding championship in Australia. She was lifted over 32,000 feet into the air (high than Mt. Everest), suffering frostbite and being covered with ice and hail. She lost consciousness due to extreme cold and lack of Oxygen, but then came to at around 7,000m and made contact with her ground team a little while later.
She managed to land herself, comparing it to the landing of Apollo 13, having made contact with her ground crew at around 7,000 feet. They were tracking her via GPS, but were unable to do anything to help her. She was treated at a hospital for frostbite on her face and ears, then released.
Fellow paraglider, He Zhongpin, a 42-year old chinese man, was not so lucky. Caught in the same storm, he died - presumably due to extreme weather and lack of Oxygen. An autopsy will be performed next week to determine the actual cause of death.
She managed to land herself, comparing it to the landing of Apollo 13, having made contact with her ground crew at around 7,000 feet. They were tracking her via GPS, but were unable to do anything to help her. She was treated at a hospital for frostbite on her face and ears, then released.
Fellow paraglider, He Zhongpin, a 42-year old chinese man, was not so lucky. Caught in the same storm, he died - presumably due to extreme weather and lack of Oxygen. An autopsy will be performed next week to determine the actual cause of death.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Ancient Chimps Used Tools
According to a new BBC article, ancient chimpanzees in West Africa may have used stone tools to crack nuts and possibly more. Chimps were first observed using tools in the 19th-Century and scientists are uncertain as to whether the chimps began doing so in imitation of humans, or if we actually learned tool usage from them.
Carbon-dating places stone tools found on the Ivory Coast at 4300 years old. According to the researchers, the tools had scratches and fiber shavings which indicated they'd been used for cracking nuts. The settlement is the only known ancient chimpanzee site.
Carbon-dating places stone tools found on the Ivory Coast at 4300 years old. According to the researchers, the tools had scratches and fiber shavings which indicated they'd been used for cracking nuts. The settlement is the only known ancient chimpanzee site.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Introduction
Even before BlogCharm ripped me off, I was planning on moving The OddBlog (then called The Weirding). Since I had registered the site domain and am constructing it, I decided the blog would have a better chance, and be better situated, on The Weirding domain.
BlogCharm is one of many new hosts that have been built in the latest blogging craze. This was the reason it took me so long to set up a blog on another service (even though LiveJournal, DeadJournal, and Blogger were around back when): I knew a lot of them would disappear and/or be absorbed by other sites and institutions, and I stood a general likelihood of finding my blog suddenly gone one day (still do - 2019)! This is another reason I have been moving blogs around and quit using community sites.
Sure enough, BlogFeast has completely folded, WritingUp is down more often than it's up, and BlogCharm decided to "recalculate" their earnings tool about the same time I broke the payout amount -- coincidence? You decide.
At any rate, community sites are just not a good bet for any serious blogger for a number of reasons. Most notably, the amount of splog is staggering and has led many to using the pejorative description, "hivesite" to describe them. They may have restrictive TOS. Finally, you are not in control of your blog; the site can go down or even fold completely at any time -- sometimes before you even realize it!
Still, community sites can be a lot of fun specifically because they are communities. You meet a lot of people you'd be hard-pressed to find in the larger, disconnected Blogosphere (largely because they tend to blog about things in which you aren't interested) and, by the same token, a lot of these people find you. Community posts tend to get a lot more comments than other blogs and that's a lot of fun. And they tend to get a lot more hits, as well.
Still, the old Weirding blog -- which covered the paranormal, supernatural, psychic phenomena, UFOs, cryptozoology, and all of that kind of stuff -- is now The OddBlog. The Weirding website has its own blog, The Wording, which is a cross between a personal blog and siteblog.
BlogCharm is one of many new hosts that have been built in the latest blogging craze. This was the reason it took me so long to set up a blog on another service (even though LiveJournal, DeadJournal, and Blogger were around back when): I knew a lot of them would disappear and/or be absorbed by other sites and institutions, and I stood a general likelihood of finding my blog suddenly gone one day (still do - 2019)! This is another reason I have been moving blogs around and quit using community sites.
Sure enough, BlogFeast has completely folded, WritingUp is down more often than it's up, and BlogCharm decided to "recalculate" their earnings tool about the same time I broke the payout amount -- coincidence? You decide.
At any rate, community sites are just not a good bet for any serious blogger for a number of reasons. Most notably, the amount of splog is staggering and has led many to using the pejorative description, "hivesite" to describe them. They may have restrictive TOS. Finally, you are not in control of your blog; the site can go down or even fold completely at any time -- sometimes before you even realize it!
Still, community sites can be a lot of fun specifically because they are communities. You meet a lot of people you'd be hard-pressed to find in the larger, disconnected Blogosphere (largely because they tend to blog about things in which you aren't interested) and, by the same token, a lot of these people find you. Community posts tend to get a lot more comments than other blogs and that's a lot of fun. And they tend to get a lot more hits, as well.
Still, the old Weirding blog -- which covered the paranormal, supernatural, psychic phenomena, UFOs, cryptozoology, and all of that kind of stuff -- is now The OddBlog. The Weirding website has its own blog, The Wording, which is a cross between a personal blog and siteblog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)