A sprawling mass of cobwebs covering a 200-yard area in a Texas state park has officials and experts buzzing. According to Donna Garde, superintendent of the Lake Tawakoni State Park about 40 miles from Dallas, the webbing was found just recently and has become a main attraction for some, while others refuse to go anywhere near it. She is hoping that some experts come to view it, but none have so far.
According to one entomologist, the web may have been created by social cobweb spiders or mass dispersal in which spiders spin webs to distance themselves from one another. He also notes that while many people are unaware of it, this is not exactly unusual -- rare, but not unheard of. John Jackman, author of the book, A Field Guide to the Spiders and Scorpions of Texas and entymologist for Texas A&M, says he hears such reports about once every few years.
© C Harris Lynn, 2007-2008
The paranormal, the Supernatural, the odd and Unexplained
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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...
Friday, August 31, 2007
Nowak to Plead Temporary Insanity
Ex-astronaut, Lisa Nowak, will pursue a defense of temporary insanity.
Nowak made world headlines earlier in the year when it was reported that police had picked her up on her way to confront a rival lover. Accordingly, she was said to have worn adult diapers on the drive in order to keep from having to make so many stops. Now, police are saying they were actually children's diapers which she claimed to have used and kept in the car.
Nowak was said to be armed and planned to murder the rival girlfriend of a fellow astronaut with whom Nowak was previously romantically involved. She is not being held but is forced to wear an ankle bracelet which informs authorities as to her whereabouts at all times.
Nowak has denied all of the charges.
Nowak made world headlines earlier in the year when it was reported that police had picked her up on her way to confront a rival lover. Accordingly, she was said to have worn adult diapers on the drive in order to keep from having to make so many stops. Now, police are saying they were actually children's diapers which she claimed to have used and kept in the car.
Nowak was said to be armed and planned to murder the rival girlfriend of a fellow astronaut with whom Nowak was previously romantically involved. She is not being held but is forced to wear an ankle bracelet which informs authorities as to her whereabouts at all times.
Nowak has denied all of the charges.
The Many Faces of the Bell Witch
This is one of the accounts of the Bell Witch that is often overlooked or underplayed - even I had forgotten about this part of the tale until reading about it earlier:
Some time after the events began, the Bell Witch decided to claim that she was, in fact, Kate Batts' "witch," saying, "It was she, dancing around a pentagram, who conjured me here."
Shortly thereafter, The Spirit claimed to be four, seperate entities: Black Dog (after John Bell's first encounter with the Spirit - the black "dog" he shot at on his property), Cypocryphy, Jerusalem, and Mathematics.
Of these, Black Dog was the most heinous and violent and took charge of the other voices, but according to the school teacher, they were all one and the same. Even though they each were slightly different, they were all strongly feminine in quality.
Sometimes, all four voices would get into "drunken brawls" and alternate. Often, beyond the cacophony, could be heard the sound of pots and pans clanging and dogs barking.
All of this behavior is far beyond what is normally associated with poltergeist activity.
Some time after the events began, the Bell Witch decided to claim that she was, in fact, Kate Batts' "witch," saying, "It was she, dancing around a pentagram, who conjured me here."
Shortly thereafter, The Spirit claimed to be four, seperate entities: Black Dog (after John Bell's first encounter with the Spirit - the black "dog" he shot at on his property), Cypocryphy, Jerusalem, and Mathematics.
Of these, Black Dog was the most heinous and violent and took charge of the other voices, but according to the school teacher, they were all one and the same. Even though they each were slightly different, they were all strongly feminine in quality.
Sometimes, all four voices would get into "drunken brawls" and alternate. Often, beyond the cacophony, could be heard the sound of pots and pans clanging and dogs barking.
All of this behavior is far beyond what is normally associated with poltergeist activity.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Just a Note
I really have no idea what is making everything so damned slow lately! It seems like it's taking 4-5 minutes for just about any site to load and on the days when it isn't like that, I get that stupid, "Blog Published with Errors" message. But I'm plugging on.
Like I said, I haven't gotten any comments as to how I should go about the whole Bell Witch thing, so I haven't really messed with it lately. As I mentioned over to The Rundown, I had to go and meet with my lawyer today - at least I hope he's going to be my lawyer... I have no idea how I'm going to come up with the $500 I need to make that happen, though. And then I figured out my supper hasn't been cooking all day... and my Colitis is acting up - making my tummy jumpy. It's far more uncomfortable than funny, but it is kinda funny.
So, without further adieu, let's get into it...
Like I said, I haven't gotten any comments as to how I should go about the whole Bell Witch thing, so I haven't really messed with it lately. As I mentioned over to The Rundown, I had to go and meet with my lawyer today - at least I hope he's going to be my lawyer... I have no idea how I'm going to come up with the $500 I need to make that happen, though. And then I figured out my supper hasn't been cooking all day... and my Colitis is acting up - making my tummy jumpy. It's far more uncomfortable than funny, but it is kinda funny.
So, without further adieu, let's get into it...
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
"Expert" Advice
According to news reports, a surfer was followed and then attacked by a great white shark. This is not news; in fact, I have personally seen video footage (which should be available on the web) of two - yes, two - great white sharks working in tandem to try and bring down a surfer!
Now, experts will tell you that great whites are lone hunters. That you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than attacked by a great white. And, as they mentioned in this incident, that the shark "mistakenly" attacked the surfer because it thought he was "some kind of seal."
The Weirding's official reply to all of those is: bullshit, bullshit, and total bullshit.
You have a very great chance of getting attacked by a great white shark - if you are in the ocean. In fact, you have a slim chance of getting attacked by a shark if you swim in a river close to the ocean (check it out!). Your chances of getting attacked by a great white while swimming in the ocean are infinitely - mathematically incomputable - greater than being struck by lightning; your chances of being attacked by a shark in freshwater or on land are probably about the same as being struck by lightning. Yeah, I said it.
Sharks do not think people in the water are anything other than food. Sharks circle sinking ships - why do you think they do that? How many seals do you know that are made of wood and metal and carry a bunch of other seals on their backs? Sharks are known to "bump" lifeboats on a continual basis and reports say that they will follow such a raft for many, many miles. Why would they do that? Do they think a non-moving object, floating on the surface for a long time is a living thing?
Give it a rest, "Experts." Others' right to safety supersedes your rights to being right.
Now, experts will tell you that great whites are lone hunters. That you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than attacked by a great white. And, as they mentioned in this incident, that the shark "mistakenly" attacked the surfer because it thought he was "some kind of seal."
The Weirding's official reply to all of those is: bullshit, bullshit, and total bullshit.
You have a very great chance of getting attacked by a great white shark - if you are in the ocean. In fact, you have a slim chance of getting attacked by a shark if you swim in a river close to the ocean (check it out!). Your chances of getting attacked by a great white while swimming in the ocean are infinitely - mathematically incomputable - greater than being struck by lightning; your chances of being attacked by a shark in freshwater or on land are probably about the same as being struck by lightning. Yeah, I said it.
Sharks do not think people in the water are anything other than food. Sharks circle sinking ships - why do you think they do that? How many seals do you know that are made of wood and metal and carry a bunch of other seals on their backs? Sharks are known to "bump" lifeboats on a continual basis and reports say that they will follow such a raft for many, many miles. Why would they do that? Do they think a non-moving object, floating on the surface for a long time is a living thing?
Give it a rest, "Experts." Others' right to safety supersedes your rights to being right.
Historical Accuracy and the Bell Witch
I really want to bring you some of the accounts I am coming across as they are written. I mean, it's one thing to tell you the story, but direct quotes are always stronger.
The problem is that these events occurred back in the early 20th-Century. Things were a lot different back then. And I don't say that to insult anyone's intelligence; I say that to make the point: things were very different back then. Nowadays, the way people talked, the way certain people were treated, the very issues-at-hand, are far from politically correct.
Now, this goes every which way. I mean, it isn't just about white people using "The N-Word." In fact, the very quotes I wanted to bring you are from black people using "The N-Word." But that isn't the extent of it; there is a lot of disparaging talk about Native Americans because these events occurred not long after Red River was settled. Red River has a long and violent history of Indian attacks, which are key to Tennessee's history, and to leave that portion of the story out is detrimental all the way around.
Even more, there are some religious issues as to denomination: John Bell was "excommunicated," or banished, from the local Baptist Church (even though many of the congregation - including the pastors - continued to associate with both him and the family) and began attending the local Methodist chapel. While the specific language involved isn't necessarily derogatory to either denomination, Southern Baptists are... well, it's hard for me to even discuss them without my blood rising. If you are a Southern Baptist who gets drunk and beats his children, you "have problems"; if you are of any other denomination and act the same way, you are "possessed by The Devil." But it isn't just that I worry that my personal issues and experiences with such people will tarnish my coverage, it is also that I would be forced to dredge-up a lot of religious history and personal experiences in order to put things in perspective.
So, I put it to you: how would you prefer I handle these things?
We rarely get comments here - in fact, we don't even get that many visitors, in general - so I don't want to offend anyone. On the other hand, I also don't wish to whitewash this historical event or bow down to self-appointed PC "peace officers."
The story of the Bell Witch really is one of the best-supported cases of an entity infestation in American history. And since I am mere hours from the site where it happened and have access to a host of important information concerning the events, people, places, and history surrounding it, I feel it incumbent upon myself to bring you what I can. But I want to do so the right way: not "tone it down" or modernize it - nor do I wish to sensationalize it.
Of course, I am truly not looking to offend anyone. So I'm a little confused as to where I should go from here.
The problem is that these events occurred back in the early 20th-Century. Things were a lot different back then. And I don't say that to insult anyone's intelligence; I say that to make the point: things were very different back then. Nowadays, the way people talked, the way certain people were treated, the very issues-at-hand, are far from politically correct.
Now, this goes every which way. I mean, it isn't just about white people using "The N-Word." In fact, the very quotes I wanted to bring you are from black people using "The N-Word." But that isn't the extent of it; there is a lot of disparaging talk about Native Americans because these events occurred not long after Red River was settled. Red River has a long and violent history of Indian attacks, which are key to Tennessee's history, and to leave that portion of the story out is detrimental all the way around.
Even more, there are some religious issues as to denomination: John Bell was "excommunicated," or banished, from the local Baptist Church (even though many of the congregation - including the pastors - continued to associate with both him and the family) and began attending the local Methodist chapel. While the specific language involved isn't necessarily derogatory to either denomination, Southern Baptists are... well, it's hard for me to even discuss them without my blood rising. If you are a Southern Baptist who gets drunk and beats his children, you "have problems"; if you are of any other denomination and act the same way, you are "possessed by The Devil." But it isn't just that I worry that my personal issues and experiences with such people will tarnish my coverage, it is also that I would be forced to dredge-up a lot of religious history and personal experiences in order to put things in perspective.
So, I put it to you: how would you prefer I handle these things?
We rarely get comments here - in fact, we don't even get that many visitors, in general - so I don't want to offend anyone. On the other hand, I also don't wish to whitewash this historical event or bow down to self-appointed PC "peace officers."
The story of the Bell Witch really is one of the best-supported cases of an entity infestation in American history. And since I am mere hours from the site where it happened and have access to a host of important information concerning the events, people, places, and history surrounding it, I feel it incumbent upon myself to bring you what I can. But I want to do so the right way: not "tone it down" or modernize it - nor do I wish to sensationalize it.
Of course, I am truly not looking to offend anyone. So I'm a little confused as to where I should go from here.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Tsar's Lost Children Found?
Archaeologists believe they have found the remains of two of the missing children of Russia's last tsar. While remains were found and ceremoniously reburied in 1998, two of the family were missing. In years prior, some had stepped forward, claiming to be one or more of these children, but various medical tests revealed otherwise.
We report this here because one of the children, Alexei, is known to have suffered from haemophelia and was treated by "The Mad Monk," spiritualist, Rasputin. Rasputin is known to have possessed some form of Supernatural gifts and was said to have quite a way with the ladies: he tended to sexually assault and even rape them while his wife and many children stayed at home. Rasputin was a heavy drinker and, by most accounts, cruel man. He was conspired against and killed by a coterie of people, though no one is sure exactly what killed him: he was poisoned, stabbed, shot, and drowned.
When pulled from the river, his hands were fashioned in a divine form and tests indicated he had survived for much longer than normal in the icy waters. Recent investigations suggest at least one more unknown assailant -- most likely a soldier or highly-trained servant of some capacity -- was the final arbiter of The Mad Monk's fate.
We report this here because one of the children, Alexei, is known to have suffered from haemophelia and was treated by "The Mad Monk," spiritualist, Rasputin. Rasputin is known to have possessed some form of Supernatural gifts and was said to have quite a way with the ladies: he tended to sexually assault and even rape them while his wife and many children stayed at home. Rasputin was a heavy drinker and, by most accounts, cruel man. He was conspired against and killed by a coterie of people, though no one is sure exactly what killed him: he was poisoned, stabbed, shot, and drowned.
When pulled from the river, his hands were fashioned in a divine form and tests indicated he had survived for much longer than normal in the icy waters. Recent investigations suggest at least one more unknown assailant -- most likely a soldier or highly-trained servant of some capacity -- was the final arbiter of The Mad Monk's fate.
Change is On the Way
I thought I had mentioned this here before, but I don't think I did now that I'm looking:
The Weirding is moving. The URL will be the same, but the IP address is different. That may not mean much to you, but I think you will need to update your bookmarks - not just for The OddBlog but also for anything else you have saved across the site.
While I am planning to release a whole lot of new material, with the blogs and personal issues I have to contend with right now (including court and moving), I don't know how soon that will happen. However, as far as the blogs go, everything should be fine. As far as I know (and I haven't spoken to anyone yet, but I will next week), everything will just kind of move on its own; the blogs go according to URL, not IP address, so since the URL will point to a different address, everything that tries to access the URL (www.theweirding.net) will automatically be redirected to the new address. I don't think I have to change anything here, but I am pretty sure you will need to update your bookmarks.
Again, this has not happened yet! I am basically waiting until the very last minute to do all of this to try and avoid any downtime. I also want to have a lot of content to put up on the new address in addition to what I already have, so republishing what is already on the site now is no problem (just a quick FTP click), but I will have to reinstall The Wording and The Speakeasy and then publish any new material and that may take a few days.
I will definitely post to let you know before it happens so you have time to update your personal settings, but if you start getting "Page Not Found"-type messages, you'll know to look us up in your favorite search engine and all that.
The Weirding is moving. The URL will be the same, but the IP address is different. That may not mean much to you, but I think you will need to update your bookmarks - not just for The OddBlog but also for anything else you have saved across the site.
While I am planning to release a whole lot of new material, with the blogs and personal issues I have to contend with right now (including court and moving), I don't know how soon that will happen. However, as far as the blogs go, everything should be fine. As far as I know (and I haven't spoken to anyone yet, but I will next week), everything will just kind of move on its own; the blogs go according to URL, not IP address, so since the URL will point to a different address, everything that tries to access the URL (www.theweirding.net) will automatically be redirected to the new address. I don't think I have to change anything here, but I am pretty sure you will need to update your bookmarks.
Again, this has not happened yet! I am basically waiting until the very last minute to do all of this to try and avoid any downtime. I also want to have a lot of content to put up on the new address in addition to what I already have, so republishing what is already on the site now is no problem (just a quick FTP click), but I will have to reinstall The Wording and The Speakeasy and then publish any new material and that may take a few days.
I will definitely post to let you know before it happens so you have time to update your personal settings, but if you start getting "Page Not Found"-type messages, you'll know to look us up in your favorite search engine and all that.
Finding My Way
I'm sure you've noticed that I've been posting more general stuff lately. I mean, aside from the excuses as to why I haven't been focused more on the blog, most of the stuff here seems kind of dry to me. I love to talk about these things and when I do in real life, I get passionate and so forth - things which aren't easy to impart in the written form without taking focus off the topic. Here, I have tried to remain close to whatever I am discussing so as to stress the importance of the subject and not stray from the topic.
But, as I've said, it has started to feel dry to me - more technical and matter-of-fact than interesting. And these subjects are incredibly interesting and enjoyable to discuss! So, the past few weeks, I have been trying to kind of "feel" my way about. I wanted to get more personal and discuss life, everyday things, and just general ideas and feelings I have so that I feel more comfortable and more of myself comes through when discussing the real meat and potatoes.
It isn't so much that I want you to "get to know the real me" or anything - I have plenty of other blogs and a website where my personality is on display, if you are interested in that; I am really trying to "find my Voice" here. I know that I can discuss these things in an interesting way, yet still give you the information I want to pass along, and I'm trying to find the best way to do that here.
So I'll be getting back to the "raw data" in no time, but I wanted to stop by and fill you in on what I am up to, in case anyone was wondering why there have been more "musings" lately than actual, straight-forward paranormal posts.
But, as I've said, it has started to feel dry to me - more technical and matter-of-fact than interesting. And these subjects are incredibly interesting and enjoyable to discuss! So, the past few weeks, I have been trying to kind of "feel" my way about. I wanted to get more personal and discuss life, everyday things, and just general ideas and feelings I have so that I feel more comfortable and more of myself comes through when discussing the real meat and potatoes.
It isn't so much that I want you to "get to know the real me" or anything - I have plenty of other blogs and a website where my personality is on display, if you are interested in that; I am really trying to "find my Voice" here. I know that I can discuss these things in an interesting way, yet still give you the information I want to pass along, and I'm trying to find the best way to do that here.
So I'll be getting back to the "raw data" in no time, but I wanted to stop by and fill you in on what I am up to, in case anyone was wondering why there have been more "musings" lately than actual, straight-forward paranormal posts.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Negativity, Environment, and Brian Harnois
I don't really know where this fits. I'd say over to The Wording is probably best, but since the IP address is changing in the next couple of weeks, and I have known this was coming for several weeks now, I haven't been adding anything to that blog for a short time. I have a feeling it may just get started over from scratch (I will copy and paste a few of the more pressing entries).
But there's another reason I wanted to include this one here: because of the discussion regarding Brian Harnois and TAPS. As I reported, Harnois and a few other TAPS members recently left the group and formed their own little ghost-hunting organization.
So here's the thing:
You can't be around a certain mood, atmosphere, or person who fosters such without it affecting you. We can argue "Nurture" and "Nature" and all that nonsense until Doomsday comes, but it's really a basic fact.
I am poor. My parents weren't poor, but they weren't rich either; we were pretty much middle-class or even lower middle-class, if you please. And even though I have moved back into my parents' home a few times over the years, it isn't like I really unpacked or anything while I was there - it was more like I was just "crashing" for a while until I got back on my feet and moved out again. That being said, I have always been poor, thus I have always lived in areas where there are a lot of other poor people. The thing about a lot of poor people is that they tend to have given up.
Not all of them, mind you; there are many people who just happen to be poor. They are hard-working, upstanding people who just have too many bills or maybe children, go to school when they aren't working - whatever - and I like to think of myself as one of these. After all, I am skilled, they just happen to have outsourced most of the jobs at which I am skilled, so finding a job that earns me what I am worth is not so easy. Instead, I am eking out a living online, blogging and running a website that I have been having nothing but problems with since I paid for the damned thing!
But still, I really love what I do and, I must admit, had I not been more or less forced into doing it, I would probably still be doing whatever job I was lucky enough to have. So, for me, things seem to have worked out for the best (knock wood). But as for my neighbors?
Well, let's just say that, excepting the (very) few who are hard-working, most all are on drugs and/or drink everyday. Now, I don't do drugs, but I do drink, and I tend to drink more than I should at least once or more every few weeks, so I'm not judging that. Still, I obviously can't drink everyday and I can't afford to drink too heavily too often on the days when I do - I can't because I can't work drunk or hungover, not because I don't want to.
Most of my neighbors don't work and are not looking for work. Instead, they sit around, getting fucked-up, complaining about their lives and how they can't do anything to change it. That's the thing about people like that: they have just resigned themselves to being poor; they've become used to the whole thing and just don't mind it enough anymore to bother trying to change it. And after listening to them go on and on, day-in and day-out, you not only start to feel sorry for them, you start feeling sorry for yourself. It's just a matter of outlook and mood; even when I have wanted to chat with someone about whatever the hell Lindsay's up to or the latest movie release or some great paranormal account I just read about, they have no idea what I'm talking about and they're far too busy feeling sorry for themselves and complaining about the state of their lives to care.
Which brings me to Harnois and why, I think, it is best that he and his little crew left TAPS (at least for now): Brian was not that serious about the organization. I'm sure he was at one time, but he just hasn't been lately. And when you have one person like that in a group, he can bring down the entire group! It's like an infection of sorts - it's contagious, even if the person goes to extra lengths to avoid passing it along; you just can't be in an atmosphere like that for too long without it affecting you to some degree.
Everyone knows a "wet blanket" - like Debbie Downer from Saturday Night Live - and even though you may truly like that person and consider them a friend, you don't invite them along when you want to have a good time because you know that, even if they don't actively do anything to ruin the mood, they just have that sort of air about them that brings others down.
Brian's constant relationship issues, his jealousy of Steve, and all the other negative things he brought to the group brought the group down. It wasn't just that he wasn't focused on his job, it was that, for the rest of the group to work with Brian Harnois, they had to work around him. And while I don't blame him for that so much, I do think it best that they have parted ways.
But there's another reason I wanted to include this one here: because of the discussion regarding Brian Harnois and TAPS. As I reported, Harnois and a few other TAPS members recently left the group and formed their own little ghost-hunting organization.
So here's the thing:
You can't be around a certain mood, atmosphere, or person who fosters such without it affecting you. We can argue "Nurture" and "Nature" and all that nonsense until Doomsday comes, but it's really a basic fact.
I am poor. My parents weren't poor, but they weren't rich either; we were pretty much middle-class or even lower middle-class, if you please. And even though I have moved back into my parents' home a few times over the years, it isn't like I really unpacked or anything while I was there - it was more like I was just "crashing" for a while until I got back on my feet and moved out again. That being said, I have always been poor, thus I have always lived in areas where there are a lot of other poor people. The thing about a lot of poor people is that they tend to have given up.
Not all of them, mind you; there are many people who just happen to be poor. They are hard-working, upstanding people who just have too many bills or maybe children, go to school when they aren't working - whatever - and I like to think of myself as one of these. After all, I am skilled, they just happen to have outsourced most of the jobs at which I am skilled, so finding a job that earns me what I am worth is not so easy. Instead, I am eking out a living online, blogging and running a website that I have been having nothing but problems with since I paid for the damned thing!
But still, I really love what I do and, I must admit, had I not been more or less forced into doing it, I would probably still be doing whatever job I was lucky enough to have. So, for me, things seem to have worked out for the best (knock wood). But as for my neighbors?
Well, let's just say that, excepting the (very) few who are hard-working, most all are on drugs and/or drink everyday. Now, I don't do drugs, but I do drink, and I tend to drink more than I should at least once or more every few weeks, so I'm not judging that. Still, I obviously can't drink everyday and I can't afford to drink too heavily too often on the days when I do - I can't because I can't work drunk or hungover, not because I don't want to.
Most of my neighbors don't work and are not looking for work. Instead, they sit around, getting fucked-up, complaining about their lives and how they can't do anything to change it. That's the thing about people like that: they have just resigned themselves to being poor; they've become used to the whole thing and just don't mind it enough anymore to bother trying to change it. And after listening to them go on and on, day-in and day-out, you not only start to feel sorry for them, you start feeling sorry for yourself. It's just a matter of outlook and mood; even when I have wanted to chat with someone about whatever the hell Lindsay's up to or the latest movie release or some great paranormal account I just read about, they have no idea what I'm talking about and they're far too busy feeling sorry for themselves and complaining about the state of their lives to care.
Which brings me to Harnois and why, I think, it is best that he and his little crew left TAPS (at least for now): Brian was not that serious about the organization. I'm sure he was at one time, but he just hasn't been lately. And when you have one person like that in a group, he can bring down the entire group! It's like an infection of sorts - it's contagious, even if the person goes to extra lengths to avoid passing it along; you just can't be in an atmosphere like that for too long without it affecting you to some degree.
Everyone knows a "wet blanket" - like Debbie Downer from Saturday Night Live - and even though you may truly like that person and consider them a friend, you don't invite them along when you want to have a good time because you know that, even if they don't actively do anything to ruin the mood, they just have that sort of air about them that brings others down.
Brian's constant relationship issues, his jealousy of Steve, and all the other negative things he brought to the group brought the group down. It wasn't just that he wasn't focused on his job, it was that, for the rest of the group to work with Brian Harnois, they had to work around him. And while I don't blame him for that so much, I do think it best that they have parted ways.
It's Been Slow
I have some old stories I can get out to you, as well as a little semi-related news, but that's just the nature of this blog and this subject. I would love it if there were some paranormal news everyday, but there just isn't that much that goes on in this "weird world" that really cuts the mustard.
And I've had a lot of personal stuff going on lately that's kept me from being able to spend as much time blogging as I normally do. Regardless of the legal bullshit, I am also looking to move and am currently submitting applications, doing research, trying to figure out what I can afford, and all such as that.
The Rundown has been going a bit smoother because of the press releases. They can be a pain to format, but they still go faster than writing everything out as original content. But never fret; as I've said at least 1000 times before, I have tons and tons of books on these things, so I can always find a story or account to pass along.
I am still working on the Bell Witch, I just haven't had as much time to spend at the library lately. And most of those books are in the Tennessee Resources room (reference only - not for checking out). I do have one book here that I am about halfway through and since my cable service is "interrupted" until Wednesday, I have nothing else to do but watch old movies I've seen 10,000 times and read, so I'll get through it.
Anyway, never fret! There's stuff coming this week and, without anything on the boob tube to suck at my brain, I will get to it!
And I've had a lot of personal stuff going on lately that's kept me from being able to spend as much time blogging as I normally do. Regardless of the legal bullshit, I am also looking to move and am currently submitting applications, doing research, trying to figure out what I can afford, and all such as that.
The Rundown has been going a bit smoother because of the press releases. They can be a pain to format, but they still go faster than writing everything out as original content. But never fret; as I've said at least 1000 times before, I have tons and tons of books on these things, so I can always find a story or account to pass along.
I am still working on the Bell Witch, I just haven't had as much time to spend at the library lately. And most of those books are in the Tennessee Resources room (reference only - not for checking out). I do have one book here that I am about halfway through and since my cable service is "interrupted" until Wednesday, I have nothing else to do but watch old movies I've seen 10,000 times and read, so I'll get through it.
Anyway, never fret! There's stuff coming this week and, without anything on the boob tube to suck at my brain, I will get to it!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Great Cosmic Nothingness
As I have said before, I simply do not know that much about Astrophysics, Astronomy, and all of that stuff. I can generally follow along up to a point, but beyond that, it is literally over my head (no pun intended).
The other day, scientists claimed to have discovered The Great Cosmic Nothingness - whatever the hell that means - a space where nothing exists, literally. No matter, no antimatter, just... nothing. Nothing, as Descartes might put it.
What does this mean? Are there any sorts of repercussions or possibilities or anything to conclude from this? I haven't the foggiest. But I figured I would include the link to the article in case some of you bright minds had missed it. I'm sure most of you can make more sense of it than I can!
The other day, scientists claimed to have discovered The Great Cosmic Nothingness - whatever the hell that means - a space where nothing exists, literally. No matter, no antimatter, just... nothing. Nothing, as Descartes might put it.
What does this mean? Are there any sorts of repercussions or possibilities or anything to conclude from this? I haven't the foggiest. But I figured I would include the link to the article in case some of you bright minds had missed it. I'm sure most of you can make more sense of it than I can!
Friday, August 24, 2007
OOBE Solved?
You have likely heard that researchers claim to have discovered a way to trigger out of body experiences (or OOBE) in volunteers. Now this is a great thing for a lot of reasons, including medical applications, virtual reality gaming, and more, but I wanted to put this into perspective before I give you the link to the article:
This is only part of the research - the "part masking as the whole" problem all parapsychology faces from the mainstream scientific community. OOBE, or astral projection, is a part of some practices and a lot of interesting studies have been done over the years that lend some credence to the possibility that some people are capable of actually somehow leaving their bodies and viewing things in other places (which is not the same as remote viewing).
That researchers have discovered a way to trigger such "feelings" in volunteers does not necessarily prove that this is the way, or the only way, that OOBEs occur. To suggest this is tantamount to saying that, since money can be counterfeited, all money is worthless.
None of this discounts the possibilities of this groundbreaking research, but I wanted to make sure you had some insight into how a lot of skeptics do exactly what they claim we believers do: they have made up their minds and selectively seize onto whatever evidence or research backs up their claims, ignoring whatever else goes against it.
Here is the BBC article.
This is only part of the research - the "part masking as the whole" problem all parapsychology faces from the mainstream scientific community. OOBE, or astral projection, is a part of some practices and a lot of interesting studies have been done over the years that lend some credence to the possibility that some people are capable of actually somehow leaving their bodies and viewing things in other places (which is not the same as remote viewing).
That researchers have discovered a way to trigger such "feelings" in volunteers does not necessarily prove that this is the way, or the only way, that OOBEs occur. To suggest this is tantamount to saying that, since money can be counterfeited, all money is worthless.
None of this discounts the possibilities of this groundbreaking research, but I wanted to make sure you had some insight into how a lot of skeptics do exactly what they claim we believers do: they have made up their minds and selectively seize onto whatever evidence or research backs up their claims, ignoring whatever else goes against it.
Here is the BBC article.
Crowleyisms
Sometimes, for no good reason, something sticks in my head and I just can't shake it. Like everyone else, it's usually a snippet of a song or some insipid commercial jingle, but from time to time, it is a quote, saying, or just some kind of random something I've seen, heard, or read.
This week, it's a famous Aleister Crowley quote: "Everybody is a star."
Now, Crowley was a famed Occultist who referred to himself as "The Beast" and was called "the wickedest man alive" in his day. But to his defense, Crowley was more than just your run-of-the-mill "Satanist" and he lived during the Victorian Age, so the fact that openly espoused hanging out with hookers, doing drugs, and being just generally amoral (if not downright immoral) went a long way toward helping how he was judged.
But his writings are fantastic. I mean, much of them are blasphemous ravings of what was surely a drug-addled mind and it is said he died insane (possibly from Syphilis), but Crowley had a way with words that has rarely been equalled. And Crowley practiced and developed a number of Magickal systems; he did not just get together with some friends, make a half-assed prayer to "The Devil," and then engage in drunken orgies (though let's be assured, this was probably a part of his regimen from time to time).
So while I do not know this quote in context, the thing I have always wondered about it is what, exactly, he meant by it. Crowley's works are infamous for their multiple meanings and this one in particular can be taken any number of ways.
But I have always thought that Crowley was alluding to the idea that, with extremities outstretched, every body is a five-pointed object.
Maybe it's just me and I have no idea why this quote has been in my head this week, but I wanted to jot it down and share because I have always thought that whenever I have mused on this particular saying.
This week, it's a famous Aleister Crowley quote: "Everybody is a star."
Now, Crowley was a famed Occultist who referred to himself as "The Beast" and was called "the wickedest man alive" in his day. But to his defense, Crowley was more than just your run-of-the-mill "Satanist" and he lived during the Victorian Age, so the fact that openly espoused hanging out with hookers, doing drugs, and being just generally amoral (if not downright immoral) went a long way toward helping how he was judged.
But his writings are fantastic. I mean, much of them are blasphemous ravings of what was surely a drug-addled mind and it is said he died insane (possibly from Syphilis), but Crowley had a way with words that has rarely been equalled. And Crowley practiced and developed a number of Magickal systems; he did not just get together with some friends, make a half-assed prayer to "The Devil," and then engage in drunken orgies (though let's be assured, this was probably a part of his regimen from time to time).
So while I do not know this quote in context, the thing I have always wondered about it is what, exactly, he meant by it. Crowley's works are infamous for their multiple meanings and this one in particular can be taken any number of ways.
But I have always thought that Crowley was alluding to the idea that, with extremities outstretched, every body is a five-pointed object.
Maybe it's just me and I have no idea why this quote has been in my head this week, but I wanted to jot it down and share because I have always thought that whenever I have mused on this particular saying.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
New Great Ape Discovered?
Scientists say nine fossilized teeth, thought to be at least 10 million years old or older, that were found in Ethiopia are from a previously unknown species of great ape which could be a direct ancestor of living African great apes. Most think the new species could have belonged to the gorilla family. The findings have brought the theory of human evolution into question amongst the scientific community.
The scientific community generally holds that humans and apes split from a common ancestor many millions of years ago, but the new find may mean this split - if it occurred - happened earlier than once thought. The team - a combination of Japanese and African scientists and researchers - put the teeth through cutting-edge technological testing and found them very similar to modern gorillas'.
Of course, not all scientists agree with the team's findings.
Go figure.
The scientific community generally holds that humans and apes split from a common ancestor many millions of years ago, but the new find may mean this split - if it occurred - happened earlier than once thought. The team - a combination of Japanese and African scientists and researchers - put the teeth through cutting-edge technological testing and found them very similar to modern gorillas'.
Of course, not all scientists agree with the team's findings.
Go figure.
Witchcraft Arrests
At least three people are being held in police custody in Mozambique following a rash of murders earlier in the month. Murder, mutilation, and the exhumation of human bodies in order to harvest and traffic body parts for the use in witchcraft have become common practices in the region, particularly in the northern and central areas. They most often cultivate the genitals and sell them to neighboring areas, such as Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
In the past few years, several have been detained for these same reasons, including two men who were caught with a cache of human bones. One man arrested in conjunction with the slaying of nine innocent people was released for unexplained reasons and lynched by the populace.
Some politicians have called for a bill to be passed, specifically targeting the practices.
In the past few years, several have been detained for these same reasons, including two men who were caught with a cache of human bones. One man arrested in conjunction with the slaying of nine innocent people was released for unexplained reasons and lynched by the populace.
Some politicians have called for a bill to be passed, specifically targeting the practices.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
A Personal Note
As I discussed before, I am in some legal trouble right now. Well, I hope not too much "trouble," per se, (I hope) but I have some legal issues with which to contend. A friend of mine said that if I plead "Not Guilty," they will likely drop the charges before taking it to trial, but I am not so sure. After all, if they were going to drop the charges, I would have thought they would have done that before dragging me into court to begin with. And when I plead "Not Guilty" the other day, the judge made a continuance, so I'm not so sure they are going to drop the charges.
Still, though this has been weighing on me (obviously) for good reason, there is more. After going through this, I have redoubled my efforts to move. Maybe this was just the thing I needed to light a fire under me and get me going. So there's that, too.
Then there's the website. The name has to be renewed and the pointers have to be set to the new IP address and I haven't done the first damn thing with all of that yet. I was working on it before I got popped for drinking in my own home, but since I got back, I have been overloaded with the blogs, so... Still, I hope you are getting a good idea of what all I'm dealing with over here so you understand why I am not more active, even though there have been some really interesting stories lately that I intend to get to as soon as I can.
Still, though this has been weighing on me (obviously) for good reason, there is more. After going through this, I have redoubled my efforts to move. Maybe this was just the thing I needed to light a fire under me and get me going. So there's that, too.
Then there's the website. The name has to be renewed and the pointers have to be set to the new IP address and I haven't done the first damn thing with all of that yet. I was working on it before I got popped for drinking in my own home, but since I got back, I have been overloaded with the blogs, so... Still, I hope you are getting a good idea of what all I'm dealing with over here so you understand why I am not more active, even though there have been some really interesting stories lately that I intend to get to as soon as I can.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Things What Done Fell From the Sky - Behind the Wrecking Ball
Alright, so I was not exactly truthful about the ads slowing down today. But in my defense, I didn't realize that one was there...
ANYhoo, how's about we stop-in for one of the great Things What Done Fell From the Sky entries? Since this has become a recurring feature - and one we both enjoy immensely and are very proud of - I've decided to drop the numbers with this entry (Pts. 1-6 or 7 is where we stopped, I believe). Also, this one is a bit different from the others because this is actually about a single thing that disappeared into the skies - or just plain thin air, if you like.
This is one of the stories of the Unexplained which has always fascinated me and makes me wonder if there is any truth to it whatsoever. I could have included another, similar, tale which you have likely heard: the one about the guy from Tennessee (or a few other places, depending on where you're from and how you heard it) who was walking across the yard, waving goodbye to his family, when he just disappeared.
But that one was a fake.
The story I am about to share with you has not been verified independently by this writer and this is the only account of it I have ever seen:
One day in 1974, workers for the Dowling Construction Company in Indianapolis left a 5-ton stell wrecking ball hanging from a crane 200' above the ground. The next morning, the ball was gone. Police, officials for the company, and everyone involved were completely baffled. The ball was never found.
Mysteries of the Unexplained, p. 95
ANYhoo, how's about we stop-in for one of the great Things What Done Fell From the Sky entries? Since this has become a recurring feature - and one we both enjoy immensely and are very proud of - I've decided to drop the numbers with this entry (Pts. 1-6 or 7 is where we stopped, I believe). Also, this one is a bit different from the others because this is actually about a single thing that disappeared into the skies - or just plain thin air, if you like.
This is one of the stories of the Unexplained which has always fascinated me and makes me wonder if there is any truth to it whatsoever. I could have included another, similar, tale which you have likely heard: the one about the guy from Tennessee (or a few other places, depending on where you're from and how you heard it) who was walking across the yard, waving goodbye to his family, when he just disappeared.
But that one was a fake.
The story I am about to share with you has not been verified independently by this writer and this is the only account of it I have ever seen:
One day in 1974, workers for the Dowling Construction Company in Indianapolis left a 5-ton stell wrecking ball hanging from a crane 200' above the ground. The next morning, the ball was gone. Police, officials for the company, and everyone involved were completely baffled. The ball was never found.
Mysteries of the Unexplained, p. 95
New White River Monster Research
Okay guys, we are pretty much caught-up with all of our sponsored post backlog, so we'll try to give you a short run of some good stuff real quick. I was lucky enough to speak with someone while I was "Away" who lives on White River in Arkansas. I didn't mention the monster, waiting to see if he would bring it up, but he didn't.
What he did say was quite illuminating though, as he was talking about fishing and I asked him what varieties of fish were present in the river. He responded with a list approximately as long as my arm.
Now, I have to admit, this guy was not very credible. Not because he was in jail for having stolen a brand new 4-wheeler, but because he came in claiming to know "Ninjitsu" and all such as that, then ended up having to be taken out on a stretcher, crying, after he had signed a statement for the feds. He had your garden-variety panic attack and tried to milk it until he realized no one was buying it and let it go. He was very young and this was obviously the first time he had ever been in any real trouble. But I digress.
If what he says is true - and I don't know a whole lot about fish and such, so I have no choice but to accept that it is - then no matter what taste the alleged beast may have, it has a good selection. From wide-mouthed bass to pike to crappie to bream, White River reportedly has it all.
But it is interesting that this young guy who claimed to know "Ninjitsu," and was nowhere near short of other tall tales, made no mention of the White River Monster.
What he did say was quite illuminating though, as he was talking about fishing and I asked him what varieties of fish were present in the river. He responded with a list approximately as long as my arm.
Now, I have to admit, this guy was not very credible. Not because he was in jail for having stolen a brand new 4-wheeler, but because he came in claiming to know "Ninjitsu" and all such as that, then ended up having to be taken out on a stretcher, crying, after he had signed a statement for the feds. He had your garden-variety panic attack and tried to milk it until he realized no one was buying it and let it go. He was very young and this was obviously the first time he had ever been in any real trouble. But I digress.
If what he says is true - and I don't know a whole lot about fish and such, so I have no choice but to accept that it is - then no matter what taste the alleged beast may have, it has a good selection. From wide-mouthed bass to pike to crappie to bream, White River reportedly has it all.
But it is interesting that this young guy who claimed to know "Ninjitsu," and was nowhere near short of other tall tales, made no mention of the White River Monster.
Hot Tub Headquarters
*This is a Sponsored Post*
After a day of heavy ghost hunting or monster-watching, you are ready for a cold beer and a hot tub. Now, I have to admit, I'm no big fan of saunas because I don't like the heat. It really comes from living in the South almost my entire life - and from being so skinny. But I do love to relax!
But why concern you with what I think?
Hundreds of thousands - if not millions! - of people own and/or enjoy hot tubs and if you are one of these folks, HotTubHeadquarters.com is your online source to everything hot tub-related. Towel-off and surf over for more information!
After a day of heavy ghost hunting or monster-watching, you are ready for a cold beer and a hot tub. Now, I have to admit, I'm no big fan of saunas because I don't like the heat. It really comes from living in the South almost my entire life - and from being so skinny. But I do love to relax!
But why concern you with what I think?
Hundreds of thousands - if not millions! - of people own and/or enjoy hot tubs and if you are one of these folks, HotTubHeadquarters.com is your online source to everything hot tub-related. Towel-off and surf over for more information!
Oldest Egyptian Footprint?
Until very recently, the oldest recorded evidence of human life in Egypt dated back to about 200,000 years ago. That was before they discovered a footprint at the Siwa Oasis which some experts have been quoted as saying could be as much as 2 million years old or older. They are now carbon dating the plants in the mud around the find to try and determine exactly how old the footprint is.
Of course, carbon dating is not 100% and mistakes have been made - some of which are very famous. Unfortunately, it is the best indicator available to researchers at this time. Regardless of initial results, if they are impressive enough, you can bet the data will be re-tested and eventually, a consensus reached.
The footprint could possibly predate the oldest living human fossil, that of Lucy, found in Ethiopia in 1974 - or so at least one hopeful scientist says. "It could be the most important discovery in Egypt," he said.
- Source: BBC
© C Harris Lynn, 2007-08
Of course, carbon dating is not 100% and mistakes have been made - some of which are very famous. Unfortunately, it is the best indicator available to researchers at this time. Regardless of initial results, if they are impressive enough, you can bet the data will be re-tested and eventually, a consensus reached.
The footprint could possibly predate the oldest living human fossil, that of Lucy, found in Ethiopia in 1974 - or so at least one hopeful scientist says. "It could be the most important discovery in Egypt," he said.
- Source: BBC
© C Harris Lynn, 2007-08
Warehouse o' Hobbies
*This is a Sponsored Post*
It may seem to some that, given the theme of this blog, we have a lot of free time on our hands and we spend it in "our own little fantasy world." But it should be obvious by now that regardless of what others think, we are both passionate and serious about the paranormal, cryptozoology, and other, related subjects. But when we do have some spare time, we enjoy passing it much like anyone else.
HobbyWarehouse.com has pretty much everything you can imagine as far as hobbies go - RC parts and supplies, train sets and errata, even blimps and flying saucers! But don't let that fool you; when I say they have everything hobby-related, I mean it! From children's toys to games and collectibles, right down to the lowliest jigsaw puzzle!
Check them out and I guarantee you won't be sorry!
It may seem to some that, given the theme of this blog, we have a lot of free time on our hands and we spend it in "our own little fantasy world." But it should be obvious by now that regardless of what others think, we are both passionate and serious about the paranormal, cryptozoology, and other, related subjects. But when we do have some spare time, we enjoy passing it much like anyone else.
HobbyWarehouse.com has pretty much everything you can imagine as far as hobbies go - RC parts and supplies, train sets and errata, even blimps and flying saucers! But don't let that fool you; when I say they have everything hobby-related, I mean it! From children's toys to games and collectibles, right down to the lowliest jigsaw puzzle!
Check them out and I guarantee you won't be sorry!
Monday, August 20, 2007
Working Hard All Week Long
I realize that there are a lot of ads today. There will be a lot of ads tomorrow and probably a lot of ads the following days throughout the week. After missing seven days, I have a lot of back-up to get to. I was terribly afraid I had lost at least a few of my sponsors, but (God willing), it appears everything is going along just fine. I just have to keep plugging away and get these overdue ads out of the way. The same is going on over to The Rundown and will also be that way throughout the week.
Still, once we get caught-up on everything, it's back to The Bell Witch for a bit, more Things What Done Fell From the Sky entries, and all the regular stuff we do here. We also have some great scientific news along the way and some other stuff which isn't exactly new, but should still be interesting.
After all that I have been through this last week, not to mention the Flu or cold or whatever the hell it is I have on top of that, I am really having to jam these things out. I hate to do it because I really like to mix them up and put two or three entries between each ad, but I have no real choice right now. Hopefully, I'll have caught up by Thursday or Friday and we'll be back on our regular schedule, but I can't promise anything. To be truthful, as much money as I need right now, I kind of hope I stay under the gun through next week!
But only kind of...
Still, once we get caught-up on everything, it's back to The Bell Witch for a bit, more Things What Done Fell From the Sky entries, and all the regular stuff we do here. We also have some great scientific news along the way and some other stuff which isn't exactly new, but should still be interesting.
After all that I have been through this last week, not to mention the Flu or cold or whatever the hell it is I have on top of that, I am really having to jam these things out. I hate to do it because I really like to mix them up and put two or three entries between each ad, but I have no real choice right now. Hopefully, I'll have caught up by Thursday or Friday and we'll be back on our regular schedule, but I can't promise anything. To be truthful, as much money as I need right now, I kind of hope I stay under the gun through next week!
But only kind of...
One Dead Star
Ah, Astrophysics. Infinitely fascinating, but I would so be lying if I said I understood much of it.
Scientists have discovered what they call a "neutron star" high above our galaxy, which they have named Calvera. They are uncertain what kind of neutron star it is. As one scientist puts it, "Either Calvera is an unusual example of a known type of neutron star, or it is some new type of neutron star, the first of its kind." There are seven other known neutron stars, which are often called The Magnificent Seven within the scientific community. Calvera was the name of the villain in said movie.
A neutron star is apparently a heavenly body which has gone supernova some time in the past and lost their outer layers, forming a supernova remnant. The center of the star collapses under gravity, causing protons and electrons to form neutrons - hence the name.
I could go on and on, but like I said, I don't know much about this stuff, so I'll refer you instead to the BBC article.
Scientists have discovered what they call a "neutron star" high above our galaxy, which they have named Calvera. They are uncertain what kind of neutron star it is. As one scientist puts it, "Either Calvera is an unusual example of a known type of neutron star, or it is some new type of neutron star, the first of its kind." There are seven other known neutron stars, which are often called The Magnificent Seven within the scientific community. Calvera was the name of the villain in said movie.
A neutron star is apparently a heavenly body which has gone supernova some time in the past and lost their outer layers, forming a supernova remnant. The center of the star collapses under gravity, causing protons and electrons to form neutrons - hence the name.
I could go on and on, but like I said, I don't know much about this stuff, so I'll refer you instead to the BBC article.
Back for Now
Well, it's been a minute, hasn't it? I can't get into the whole thing just yet, but I got arrested trying to do the right thing. Of course, in this Bible-thumping, Southern shithole, that's a lot easier to do than it ever should be.
I was popped for Disorderly Conduct after I called 911 for child endangerment on a girl who has been reported for that at least a half-dozen times! The 911 operator was giving me a hrd time, then the cops showed up here and arrested me for disorderly conduct. Now that I'm out, it turns out they told my parents that I had called 911 five times, they told the landlady I'd called twice and cussed them out, and the fat bitch I called them on told everyone I'd come over there and kicked over her kids' bikes and stuff - the kids I called 911 to report being endangered!!! The kids I have been taxiing around to doctors appointments, dentists appointments, getting enrolled in school!
Anyway, I was taken in for a 12-hour charge and not released for 7 days! Everyone I have talked to around here has basically told me that's just the way it goes - "You're not from here. That long hair don't help none. That's just the way they do things." Everyone I've talked to that's not from here has been absolutely infuriated (as am I)!
Still, that's where I have been for the past week. Sorry for that, but there isn't much I can do about it; what's done is done. I am trying my best to move forward, but I am not about to plead guilty to it. I am going to set up a PayPal donation thingy if anyone would like to grant me some much-needed help, but I have so many ads to get out in such a short time, that it may be a day or two before that gets going.
Still, we'll get right into it...
I was popped for Disorderly Conduct after I called 911 for child endangerment on a girl who has been reported for that at least a half-dozen times! The 911 operator was giving me a hrd time, then the cops showed up here and arrested me for disorderly conduct. Now that I'm out, it turns out they told my parents that I had called 911 five times, they told the landlady I'd called twice and cussed them out, and the fat bitch I called them on told everyone I'd come over there and kicked over her kids' bikes and stuff - the kids I called 911 to report being endangered!!! The kids I have been taxiing around to doctors appointments, dentists appointments, getting enrolled in school!
Anyway, I was taken in for a 12-hour charge and not released for 7 days! Everyone I have talked to around here has basically told me that's just the way it goes - "You're not from here. That long hair don't help none. That's just the way they do things." Everyone I've talked to that's not from here has been absolutely infuriated (as am I)!
Still, that's where I have been for the past week. Sorry for that, but there isn't much I can do about it; what's done is done. I am trying my best to move forward, but I am not about to plead guilty to it. I am going to set up a PayPal donation thingy if anyone would like to grant me some much-needed help, but I have so many ads to get out in such a short time, that it may be a day or two before that gets going.
Still, we'll get right into it...
Personal Injury Lawyer from New York
*This is a Sponsored Post*
As I am about to get into, I have some legal problems of my own right now, and I really have no idea who to call nor where to start. I have been on the phone all day today, trying to get some idea, and I am starting to make some headway (knock wood), but the only good thing about this is that I will know where to start should anything like this ever happen again... of course, I am not hoping anything like this ever happens again!
Still, it isn't as bad as having a personal injury. And I wouldn't know where to start looking for someone who handles that, either! But if you are in New York, you can follow this link to find out more should you ever find yourself in need of a New York personal injury lawyer. If this terrible experience has taught me anything, it is that you really need to spend some time and get slightly prepared for anything of a legal nature because you never know when something of a legal nature will come up!
As I am about to get into, I have some legal problems of my own right now, and I really have no idea who to call nor where to start. I have been on the phone all day today, trying to get some idea, and I am starting to make some headway (knock wood), but the only good thing about this is that I will know where to start should anything like this ever happen again... of course, I am not hoping anything like this ever happens again!
Still, it isn't as bad as having a personal injury. And I wouldn't know where to start looking for someone who handles that, either! But if you are in New York, you can follow this link to find out more should you ever find yourself in need of a New York personal injury lawyer. If this terrible experience has taught me anything, it is that you really need to spend some time and get slightly prepared for anything of a legal nature because you never know when something of a legal nature will come up!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Changes Afoot!
The Weirding is moving. Actually, we are simply changing hosts, so the name is not changing, just the IP address. You really shouldn't notice any major changes on your end, but there may be a period of disappearance or some intermittent connectivity issues for a while.
The site will also be undergoing some major changes in navigation and structure, though the overall graphic design and navigational approach will remain the same. In particular, The Speakeasy may have to be closed for remodeling. Unfortunately, it did not take off as fast or fervently as I'd hoped, so it probably won't be missed much. The Wording will probably also be down for a moment and may even have to be restarted - for the like 5th time...
Again, you should not notice any major interruption in service, and The Rundown will not be affected at all by these changes (even though it is about to get a facelift of its own), but the other blogs will probably have some changes and may be hard to get to.
All in all, we're trying to make this as smooth as possible, and we're going to figure out some way to keep everything together, so don't fret and just stick with us for a bit while we get all of this together, please?
You can find out more about everything by following the links within, and thanks!
The site will also be undergoing some major changes in navigation and structure, though the overall graphic design and navigational approach will remain the same. In particular, The Speakeasy may have to be closed for remodeling. Unfortunately, it did not take off as fast or fervently as I'd hoped, so it probably won't be missed much. The Wording will probably also be down for a moment and may even have to be restarted - for the like 5th time...
Again, you should not notice any major interruption in service, and The Rundown will not be affected at all by these changes (even though it is about to get a facelift of its own), but the other blogs will probably have some changes and may be hard to get to.
All in all, we're trying to make this as smooth as possible, and we're going to figure out some way to keep everything together, so don't fret and just stick with us for a bit while we get all of this together, please?
You can find out more about everything by following the links within, and thanks!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Freshwater Dolphin Extinct
A rare, freshwater dolphin known to be found on ly in the Yangzte River is now thought to be completely extinct, thanks to recent research carried out over a 6-week period in which absolutely none were found or spotted. The team involved blamed unregulated fishing. This would be the first known extinction of a large vertebrate in over 50 years. It should come as no surprise it happened In China.
The six-week research endeavor was carried out using both visual and sonar equipment in December 2006 and January 2007. They also noted that other human involvement, such as boat collisions and the destruction of dams, have likely contributed. But they also noted that some small schools and individuals might have been overlooked. Still, the overwhelmingly depressing results indicate the species may very well extinct or, at the very least, severely endangered.
-Source: BBC
The six-week research endeavor was carried out using both visual and sonar equipment in December 2006 and January 2007. They also noted that other human involvement, such as boat collisions and the destruction of dams, have likely contributed. But they also noted that some small schools and individuals might have been overlooked. Still, the overwhelmingly depressing results indicate the species may very well extinct or, at the very least, severely endangered.
-Source: BBC
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A Hymn from the Bell Witch
As I mentioned, one of the recurring phenomena reported in conjunction with the Bell Witch was its recitation of hymns, songs, and prayers with which no one who heard them was familiar. It is said the entity sang in the sweetest voice - a voice which would bring listeners to tears, in fact - and the selections (“all agreed,” according to Charles Bailey Bell) were of the finest quality.
This is one such hymn the Bell descendant reported and attributed to the Spirit:
Come, my heart, and let us try
For a little season
Every burden to lay by
Come and let us reason
What is this that casts you down?
Who are those that grieve you?
Speak and let the worst be known.
Speaking may relieve you.
Christ by faith I sometimes see
And he doth relieve me,
But my fears return again,
These are they that grieve me.
Troubled like the restless sea,
Feeble, faint, and fearful,
Plagued with every sore disease,
How can I be cheerful?
This is one such hymn the Bell descendant reported and attributed to the Spirit:
Come, my heart, and let us try
For a little season
Every burden to lay by
Come and let us reason
What is this that casts you down?
Who are those that grieve you?
Speak and let the worst be known.
Speaking may relieve you.
Christ by faith I sometimes see
And he doth relieve me,
But my fears return again,
These are they that grieve me.
Troubled like the restless sea,
Feeble, faint, and fearful,
Plagued with every sore disease,
How can I be cheerful?
Monday, August 6, 2007
Lucy Across the World
The remains of the famous Lucy, the fossilized partial skeleton of a 3 1/2’ hominid is the earliest known and forced scientists to rethink the course of human evolution after its discovery in 1974. It was found in North-Eastern Ethiopia and has only been displayed there twice. A replica is on display at the Natural History Museum there.
For the first time ever, the actual remains are being shipped out of the country for a tour across America. Ethiopian officials say they will use the money raised from the six-year tour to build new museums and improve existing ones. Many have voiced complaints against the tour, noting that these are irreplaceable artifacts.
New York, Chicago, and Denver are among the cities Lucy will visit.
For the first time ever, the actual remains are being shipped out of the country for a tour across America. Ethiopian officials say they will use the money raised from the six-year tour to build new museums and improve existing ones. Many have voiced complaints against the tour, noting that these are irreplaceable artifacts.
New York, Chicago, and Denver are among the cities Lucy will visit.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
The Bell Witch: A Revised Introduction
I found yet another book on the Bell Witch the other day - the one on which the movie, American Haunting, was based - and in the introduction, the author notes that while many authors refer to the case as being “world-famous,” it is not as well-known outside the area as those writers claimed. This had never really occurred to me, since the concepts involved have been drawn upon by just about every pop-culture poltergeist-based work I can think of.
Poltergeist used the whole Indian burial ground concept; King Diamond (who is not even American) has made at least 3-4 albums based on the case; parts of the account can be found throughout several books on American history (usually in relation to Andrew Jackson’s encounter); and so on. But this doesn’t make the case “world famous.” Of course, being born and raised in Tennessee, I have always heard of the case and, as the author said, a lot of writers who have covered the events have said it was world famous, so I guess it was somewhere between an assumption and misinformation that led me to simply accept this was the case.
Being better-informed now, I suppose I need to go back and restate the general story so that everyone has some idea why this whole thing is so important. I also realize that a cursory history of Tennessee is in order for you to get a good understanding of all the concepts involved - particularly the Indians, Red River, and so forth.
Of course, whether world-famous or not, the case has gotten ample coverage by many better writers and researchers, but the facts remain that many of them either distorted accounts or downplayed them for various reasons; some people fictionalized certain facets of the story in order to sensationalize them, while others tried desperately to “explain-away” the phenomena so as to remain “trustworthy.”
My intentions are to get as much of the story correct as I can, working from the various sources on the topic itself, along with the myriad local history resources I have at my disposal, being in the area. This is especially important in this time and age, as so many people became interested in Genealogy recently, so a lot of other “independent researchers” have done much of the important work for me.
Suffice it to say, the Bells, the Gardners, Adams, TN, the Red River, and many of the other facts involved can be readily verified. And regardless of what parts of the story have been sensationalized or fictionalized, a thorough reading of the available materials is going to give me a very good idea as to what exactly happened. But I’m not fooling myself; between the Bells’ and neighbors’ reluctance to discuss the subject, the many years that have passed since it happened, and the facts having become occluded by their passing into folklore and campfire stories, we will never know exactly what happened in those terrible years.
But being so close to the location of this historical, and truly Supernatural, event, I would be remiss not to take advantage of this opportunity to delve into one of the most celebrated hauntings of all time.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
What Is/Was the Bell Witch?
Much has been made of what, exactly, the Bell Witch was. Obviously, many of the contemporaries thought her to be a witch, but this wasn’t long after the whole witch-burning thing that swept through the Western world, so that is understandable. With advances in parapsychology, it has often been referred to as a poltergeist, or “noisy spirit,” but this is not accurate, either. There have been several poltergeists recorded over the years and they do not possess the powers the Bell Witch did - or, if they do, they never show them.
I have said before that the Bell Witch was/is an Elemental and have gone to some lengths to explain what, exactly, an Elemental is. In case you don’t feel like doing the reading, an Elemental has never lived in the way we know it; it has never been human and has never experienced life or death the way we know these things.
Even many of the contemporaries dismissed the witch theory and considered it to be a “spirit from Hell” or “Greater Spirit.” The family itself referred to the Bell Witch as the “Spirit.”
And while reports conflict (at least one claims the Spirit identified itself as an Indian, while the name “Kate” came from an incident in which the Spirit claimed it was the spirit of a woman with whom John Bell had been involved in a court dispute over land [and won]), this particular quote comes from Charles Bailey Bell’s The Bell Witch of Tennessee, when the witch was speaking to James Johnston:
“I am a spirit from everywhere, Heaven, Hell, the Earth; am in the air, in houses, any place at any time; have been created millions of years; that is all I will tell you, Mr. Johnston.”
I have said before that the Bell Witch was/is an Elemental and have gone to some lengths to explain what, exactly, an Elemental is. In case you don’t feel like doing the reading, an Elemental has never lived in the way we know it; it has never been human and has never experienced life or death the way we know these things.
Even many of the contemporaries dismissed the witch theory and considered it to be a “spirit from Hell” or “Greater Spirit.” The family itself referred to the Bell Witch as the “Spirit.”
And while reports conflict (at least one claims the Spirit identified itself as an Indian, while the name “Kate” came from an incident in which the Spirit claimed it was the spirit of a woman with whom John Bell had been involved in a court dispute over land [and won]), this particular quote comes from Charles Bailey Bell’s The Bell Witch of Tennessee, when the witch was speaking to James Johnston:
“I am a spirit from everywhere, Heaven, Hell, the Earth; am in the air, in houses, any place at any time; have been created millions of years; that is all I will tell you, Mr. Johnston.”
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