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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...

Monday, April 28, 2008

The White-Toothed Shrew Hits the Emerald Isle

Scientists note that the greater white-toothed shrew has made its way to Ireland.

Its natural range is Africa, France, and Germany, but researchers think the Crocidura Russula piggybacked a ride with some of the new immigrants of which Ireland has recently seen a surge. A small number of them could (and obviously have) populate the island quite rapidly.

The good news is that the new species will provide a healthy diet for the endangered birds of prey, such as the Barn Owl, the study of which led to the discovery of the white-toothed shrew. The downside is that it may lead to dwindling populations of indigenous mammals, such as the pygmy shrew.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

The OddBlog Scoops Yahoo!

While we here to The OddBlog don't like to toot our own horn... oh, who the hell are we kidding?

While I often go-off on rants about how blogs are not supposed to report the news so much as discuss it, I was happy to note that today's Yahoo! headline features a story we told you about almost two weeks ago!

Yes, it appears that someone over to Yahoo! just realized that a new study says multivitamins can be bad for you. Someone over to Yahoo! obviously doesn't read The OddBlog, because we told you that 12 days ago!

Now, let it not be said that no one ever learned anything here. Of course, we are not in the business of reporting the news, just discussing topics which interest us - primarily those that are odd or paranormal in nature - but we often bring you items which are based in traditional science and medicine and this just happened to be one.

So maybe someone over to Yahoo! is reading The OddBlog? Like once every two weeks or so... it's all good - we ain't picky!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

To Subscribe... or Not?

No, this isn't one of those "please subscribe to my RSS feed" posts.  Though -- you know, while we're at it -- it couldn't hurt...

Seriously though, this is about all the many subscriptions I get monthly that I never read.  It isn't that I don't enjoy the magazines, nor that I never try to read them; I carry them along with me whenever I go out, just in case I have some time to kill along the way or what-have-you, and I always enjoy the articles whenever I do read them.   It's just that I honestly do not have the time!

And I've given this a lot of thought because I somehow seem to find the time to read so much online that you would think I could spend an hour or two devouring the latest issue of whatever it is I've paid to receive... and note that word paid -- I have already shelled-out my hard-earned money to receive these rags, so it would seem that that fact, alone, would be the incentive I need to plunk my skinny ass down once a month and give them a look-through.  But, excepting a few trades here and there, I rarely do.

So I am writing this to remind myself to do exactly that.  And, since I've put it in print, I want you to hold me to it!  Seriously.  I want you to say, "Hey MD, read anything new lately? (wink)"  Just every once in a while.  To keep me honest.

Oh, and while we're at it, subscribe to my feed.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Coming Up

This is just a quick note to let y'all know what's coming up. I had some errands to run this afternoon that took far longer than they should have, so a lot of what I was working on is going to take until tonight/tomorrow and they're pretty in-depth. I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know what's coming up so you didn't think I was just goofing on you.

Following the St. Pio piece, I decided to do an article on stigmata. Then there's some news concerning gene therapy (following). After that, I am either going to do a piece on Big Cats (because I have been promising that piece for... um, you know - like two years). Then there are just some odds-and-ends - which is appropriate enough, given the title.

So, just checking-in, as I'd hoped to have the stigmata piece done by now and I still need to do dishes, cook dinner, and clean the house.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Lice for Art's Sake

Seven German artists in an Israeli museum have willingly contracted lice and intend to live with the parasites for the duration of the installment.

While they denied any association to Nazism (as in Jews being viewed as "parasites"), they acknowledged the some might make this assumption. In fact, the artists took proposals from around the world and turned to The Bible and other sources for inspiration before deciding on the lice.

The idea is to examine the relation between host and parasite. As one participant put it, "The idea is that we live in the museum as their guests, and at the same time we are hosting lice on our heads."

The Museum of Bat Yam near Tel Aviv has hosted several avant-garde displays these past years. One, entitled Sleeper, had the artist dressed as a bear, roaming the museum. The film won the Turner Prize.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Blogger Bugs?

Hey guys, sorry for the absence. It's rare that I take more than a single day off and even rarer I do so without warning.

Last week (pretty much the entire week), Blogger was having technical issues. So much so that they scheduled a series of maintenance outages throughout the week and made a few posts concerning it. Needless to say, most of the week was touch-and-go and I have no idea how this week will play-out, so we're going to give it a shot.

If we suddenly fall-off - well, I do have an errand to run sometime this afternoon, but other than that - you'll know we just can't get through and we'll try again later.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Bum-Bot Draws Ire of Atlanta Ne'er-Do-Wells, Hippies

Bum-Bot
Bum-Bot
Rufus Terrill, nearing both his 60th birthday and retirement, recently purchased a pub in a run-down section of the crime-infested Atlanta, GA.  Due to vagrancy, break-ins, drug use, and overall fear engendered by the ne'er-do-wells in the area, Terrill resorted to his own measures to curb problems:

Utilizing his skill at engineering, he collected ordinary bits and pieces of machinery to create The Bum-Bot.  Hand-controlled (like a video game) by Terrill himself, the Bot sneaks up on people and alerts them that they are trespassing and have seconds to vacate the premises.

The 300+-lb., box-shaped robot is equipped with glowing red eyes, along with a bright spotlight, and a high-powered water cannon.  The neighborhood surrounding it is a renowned druggie haven, replete with spent needles littering the area.  It also happens to be home to a playground and child care facility.

While gangbangers activists say the Bum-Bot is nothing more than a marketing and political ploy for Atlanta's Rufus Terrill, others say they feel safer by the Bum-Bot's presence.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

One of My Favorites

These "reports" are amongst my favorite:

It seems a near-70 year-old man died after being attacked by what was likely a great white shark off the California coast in what those damned hippies cannot stop referring to as a "rare" attack.

Statistically-speaking, there have only been 11 fatal shark attacks in the area since they started being recorded in the 1950s... but who knows how many others prior?

My favorite analogy whenever such a tragedy occurs is when they tell people "your chances of getting struck by lightning are infinitely great than being attacked by a
  1. Don't swim in the ocean and shark-infested waters
  2. Don't go outside in a lightning storm.
This is the kind of no-nonsense wisdom what makes me an expert in the field.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

A Day Late?

Well, Blogger's nonsense kept up off and on for the past few days - well, the entire week, really. I finally just gave up at some point yesterday. If anyone was having trouble logging on to the sites, this is why. It would load and load and load and load and sometimes come up, but just as often, say no establishment could be made.

Finally, I just got sick of it and gave up for the day. I would have gotten back to it later, but I got involved in cleaning and it slipped my mind.

You may have noticed a return to some of the more "scholastic" articles. I told you I was going to try and get back to those as I could. And since I couldn't do much else yesterday, I worked for a few hours on the St. Padre Pio post. I love these subjects and it goes without saying that I am an expert on such matters (to whatever extent such can be said), but while I can speak like nobody's business on the paranormal and cite case studies, etc., the truth is that, once I'm done, I tend to recall, "Oh! I meant Dr. Livingston, not Dr. Loudmouthingston... dang!" So when it comes to setting it to print, I always like to double-check before I publish. And I just don't usually have time to do that and keep up with everything else.

Still, I'm going to try to get back into it more often, which will likely result in fewer posts overall (per day/week - just generally), but those of a higher quality.

On a related note, thanks to all who have commented more recently. You haven't seen more of them because the majority tend to be spam.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Technical Difficulties

I'm trying, guys. This week's technical difficulties were brought to you by the corporate pirates at the Google-owned Blogger and as such, are completely out of my control.

Hopefully, things will straighten themselves out, but the scheduled maintenance outlet isn't until like 6:00 my time, so I don't know if you'll hear anything else from me today/tonight or not.

Sorry.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

St. Padre Pio on Display in Italy

St. Padre Pio's body will be on display in Italy to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his death.

St. Padre Pio was said to have had stigmata - a Christian affliction (and paranormal oddity) in which the sufferer bears Christ's wounds, generally manifested in bleeding from the hands and feet and, even more rarely, from the side or head; St. Pio's was said to be on his hands, feet, and side. While his body is well-preserved despite no measures having been taken to achieve this (incorruption, also a Christian paranormal oddity - which fall under the category of miracles here - often associated with sainthood), there is no sign of stigmata. Of course, St. Padre Pio's blood has long stopped flowing.

Beatified in 2002 by Pope John Paul II, Padre Pio had legions of followers before his death - but the Catholic Church was not among them. In fact, Pio was banned from attending or performing public mass. Many thought him a fraud, and several contend that to this very day; one skeptic suggested he used carbolic acid to create his wounds (a pretty ludicrous claim).

Born in 1887 in the village of Pietrelcina in Southern Italy, St. Pio joined the Capuchins at 17 and lived for 11 years as a novice. On September 20th, 1915, he began experiencing severe pains in his side and extremities for which doctors could find no reason nor cause. Exactly three years later, to the date, St. Pio fell to the floor in agony at the altar of the church in Foggia. His fellow monks found him there, unconscious, bleeding from his side, hands, and feet. He bore the stigmata unto his death; no medical efforts healed them and no evidence of imposture was ever found.

Throughout his lifetime, Padre Pio was attributed many miraculous cures, as well as the gifts of precognition and bilocation. Pio rarely left his monastery and died peacefully on September 28, 1968.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Agenda

Plenty to get to, I just ran out of steam yesterday after doing a bunch of posts and then some technical stuff - not to mention that Blogger has been exceptionally difficult this week.

However, today is a busy one offline, as I have a doctor's appointment and then expect some company later in the afternoon. At any rate, I will definitely be around at some point, though I have no idea what to tell you to expect. I have an advance review I really need to do over to The Rundown; if I put it off any longer, it won't be an "advance" review...

Still, I have been collecting stories all week and there are several items to discuss, so we shouldn't be without.

ttys!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Extinction Could Come at a Price

Scientists and doctors are once again warning us about the dangers of extinction and how it could keep us from discovering new medical cures.

Not too long ago, we reported on a similar warning concerning flora, but this time, researchers are discussing fauna. They mention a particular type of toad which raised its young in the females' stomach; researchers said studies were being conducted on them to develop treatments for stomach ulcers and similar conditions, but the last time the toad was recorded in the wild was 1981.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Afghan Painting Predates History

In 2001, Taleban terrorists (that's repetitive) completely destroyed two 6th-Century statues of Buddha at Bamiyan. In a strange twist of fate, behind the statues were cave complexes where the monks who built them once lived. There, French scientists have discovered paintings made possibly from walnuts and poppy seeds, which prove that oil painting techniques were being employed there some six centuries before the technique was known in the West.

A team from the European Synchotron Radiation Facility studied paintings found in 12 of the caves, and believe these may be the oldest known oil paintings in the world. The devotional wall paintings depict Buddha in colorful robes. It is theorized the work may have been carried out by itinerant artists traveling the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the West.

There are discussions to reconstruct the destroyed Bamiyan Buddha statues, but everyone agrees it will be a monumental task.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

The Jedi Church - No, Really

Let me preface this by saying, "I did not make this up. I could not make this up."

What started as an anti-government joke has evolved into an actual religion for some. Yes, The Jedi Church is based on the tenets of the robed knights from the sci-fi Star Wars movie series. While the series mentions some of these, members of the Church of the Jedi have apparently surmised and added more.

In 2001, nearly 1/2-million people listed "Jedi" as their faith on official census forms. The whole thing is still referred to by politicians and one even ran on a Jedi platform in 2003. In 2006, the UK actually gave the religion its own processing code (896) but refused to list it on the forms. However, numbers dropped dramatically. But some people don't know when the joke is over.

Two brothers in the UK have taken it far more seriously and further than anyone else. Not only did they establish the UK Church of the Jedi, they have gone to extraordinary lengths to prove the religion's authenticity. And some people are buying it!

In February of this year, the founder of the church petitioned a news source in regards to a story posted and received an apology! The founder and his brother also appeared in court to complain about a neighbor's Dark Side attack.

While this is all hilarious and I am all-for individuals' personal freedoms, no matter how "silly" or outrageous they may seem to others, I think it's quite obvious that these two guys are truly fucking nuts.

The website is abominable - while almost completely void, what little content there is is characterized by barely-contained lunacy, rife with misspellings, poor grammar, and an all too-real zealotry that bleeds through. I actually find it disturbing.

Still, they seem largely harmless, so who am I to judge? The Jedi Knights are the good guys in the Star Wars films and The Force carries positive messages; one could do worse than to belong to the Church of the Jedi. Like belong to the First Baptist Church.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

11:15PM

Once again, I awoke with a start because my bed was shaking, but I do not see anything specific in the news so far today.

It was either 11:14 or 11:15 when my bed started moving back and forth and, yet again, I tried to make sure it wasn't just some kind of leg spasm or the like. Both times this has happened before, I had the same idea, but the other times were so aggressive, there was simply no way it could have been anything but a quake. However, the one I felt last night was far more subtle and could very well have been some kind of leg spasm or the like.

I hesitate to say that because I have had leg spasms or similar plenty enough to realize I am having one - it's just a part of life - and I have never awakened with a start the way I have the last few nights when the actual earth shook.

Still, last night's episode was more of a trembling, but it went on for up to a full minute and I got up and recorded it in my day planner (which was over here, on the desk) and did not feel my leg spasming when I did. Though, I admit I didn't feel the trembling when I got up, either - of course, I'd been so shocked at first, I waited a bit before leaping out of bed.

The only new thing I found today about quakes was all the way in Nevada, but that doesn't mean I didn't feel something. I talked about feeling tremors while living in Memphis almost my entire life - certainly several times in the last 10 years or so - but nothing ever appeared in the news, and most people just said they hadn't felt anything or rolled their eyes at me.

I'll be honest, I don't think we've seen the worst yet.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Monday, April 21, 2008

Doggone Long Trek

We have all heard the story of the cat who made his way back to his owners after being separated by many miles, but a dog?

A Siberian Husky named Moon ran away when her owner stopped at a rest stop nearly 100 miles from home. While her owner said she had run off before and always returned, he certainly did not expect this to be the case after seven days.

Yet, he received a call from the vet's on the 14th to tell him that she'd shown-up in town and a kindly neighbor had given her some food and a place to sleep before calling the number on the tag.

Moon's trek took her across White River and over the Ward mountain range!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

The Glad-Eye Gets Man Prison Sentence

An Italian man has been sentenced to a fine and 10 days in prison (suspended) for giving a woman the "Glad-Eye."

On at least two separate occasions, the man and woman traveled on the same train. Both times, the woman claimed the man stared at her intently and the first time, he sat too closely. Eventually, she filed a police report against him for sexual harassment.

While the man's lawyer said he would appeal the decision, forcing the court to explain it, I can definitely see this. Whether or not the man's stare had sexual overtones, intently staring at someone in general is downright rude and far too many people do it nowadays - apparently as much in Italy as in America.

Just the other day, the ambulance arrived in my neighborhood. I, along with the rest of the neighborhood, stood outside to see what was going on - a natural thing. Soon, no fewer than four police cars pulled-up. The policemen entered the residence, came back outside and put on plastic gloves, then re-entered the house. I was standing on the balcony directly outside my front door, which was open. Mind you, neighbors throughout the neighborhood were also outside, watching the events unfold. Yet, one of the policemen came outside the house, noticed me and began staring me down!

There is no reason for him to have done so - excepting that the Decatur County, TN police have been harassing me incessantly for over two years now - and it was an obvious and intentional act of provocation, as well as an attempt to terrorize me. Obviously, I have encountered this behavior from others, in other situations; it has become all too common in modern times.

Intently staring at someone, whether your intention is to provoke, intimidate/terrorize, or connote sexual attraction, is completely inappropriate behavior, though to what extent, I could not say. I consider it more a form of terrorism than assault, but I think a valid argument could be placed for either interpretation. Given the scant details in the report, I think the court's decision was fair.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

12:40 AM

I felt it again!  The earthquakes woke me up both times!

And, both times, I got up and recorded the times they occurred in my day planner with "quake?" beside it.   And, both mornings, I did a search and found that they were, in fact, exactly that.

It's interesting because this is my first experience(s) with an earthquake.   They both lasted far longer than I expected and, both times, I really had to make sure I wasn't dreaming or that maybe my leg was spasming or something along those lines.

The aftershock (or precursor) last night registered a 4.5, according to reports, and its epicenter was the same as the earlier quake.  I'm worried that this may signal a larger quake on the way and absolutely none of the people around where I live are in any way prepared for such an event.   I'm not sure I am, but I am at least educated enough to know how to survive.   These rednecks will be shooting each other and mass panicked...

My neighbors scare me more than the thought of this building collapsing, now that I think about it.  Though, given the amount of swaying -- swaying, not shaking -- it did both times, I'm pretty sure it will fall like a house of cards...

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Sunday, April 20, 2008

in 2008, The OddBlog was a Blog

OddBlog 2018 Edition
OddBlog 2018 Edition
Hey guys.  I know there have been more of these "agenda" posts than usual lately, but I said there would be because the whole site is undergoing redesign, and this is not exactly one of those-type posts.

What I wanted to do was mention something I talked about on Weird Ink Friday and feel quite strongly about.  I mentioned it over to The Rundown, as well, and I want to preface this by saying that I am not condescending to anyone, just laying it out as best I can:

The OddBlog is not a news service, news magazine, or news site; this is a blog.  Pure and simple, plain-Jane, no-holds-barred blog.

While many of the articles presented here are basically rewrites of news items I am interested in or think you would be, just as many are my opinion on news items or subjects and that's what you should expect. Like I said, the best blogs offer information, along with the blogger's opinion, assessment, or evaluation of that information.

But, like Weird Ink to writing, The OddBlog is meant to develop into a full-blown online resource for paranormal research.  It is a lofty pursuit and not necessarily one I am aggressively pursuing, but there it is. So there will be more journalistic articles and entries here than on the other blogs, but at the end of the day, The OddBlog is still -- quite firmly -- a blog, not a "media outlet," not a "news service."  


That we "report" more truth than these traditional news outlets is due to something called the NDAA -- which is the same provision that allows us to speculate freely without fear of legal repercussion or civil consequence (it's a Post-Truth World, motherfuckers, so suck it up - ed., 2018) -- and, also, their gross incompetence and total complicity as co-conspirators.

The reason I am making such a stink about this everywhere is because the media and others have so bastardized the concept that I am now constantly confronted with new "blogs" and "bloggers" who are either looking to make a quick buck (they won't), or think this is the way to leap-over traditional routes to becoming an actual reporter (it isn't).  I want to disabuse everyone of this notion.

Again, there are actual articles contained in the archives and there will be more in the future, but the overwhelming majority of what is to be found here -- and what you should expect -- are simple blog entries: What I think about this, what I am doing, what I am going to do, what I think this means, and so forth -- along with general rewrites of odd news items I think you'll find interesting or entertaining, or that are related to the subjects we cover here.

Again, this is just to clarify: The OddBlog is a blog, not a news source or magazine [2008 - ed.].  While you will find useful information herein, as well as news, and it is meant to be used as a resource and reference, this is not its primary function.

And I, as much as anyone, have lost sight of this lately, as well.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008


UPDATE:  The OddBlog can now be considered one of the most trusted sites regarding these subjects currently available online.  The passage of the NDAA allowed malicious entities, particularly from the governmental sector (in addition to the rest), to label mere blogs, social network accounts, and basically the entire Internet "Fake News" and "Russian Propaganda" -- that is, literally, one of the goals of the NDAA.  This began as far back as 2008, before the NDAA had been passed, and this is when (and why) this post was written.  The OddBlog is about as far from "fake" as shit gets. - 2018

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Hypnotist Refuses Anesthetic

A 61-year old hypnotist from Sussex underwent surgery without anesthesia and says he felt no pain.

Alex Lenkei has been practicing hypnotism since 16 and his surgeon was confident in his abilities. According to the article, Mr. Lenkei is a registered hypnotist and the surgeon had no problem signing-off on this rather unusual request.  While such requests are becoming more common, they are rarely allowed due to fear of legal reprisal, should something go wrong.  An anesthesiologist was present, just in case, but Mr. Lenkei did not need him.

Lenkei says he was aware of everything going on around him, including the use of a chisel and saw at various points of the operation, but felt nothing.  The surgery -- which included removing part of a bone and fusing together the joints in his thumb -- was successful.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Friday, April 18, 2008

Trials of the Black Widows

Two elderly women have been found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder for financial gain, and await sentencing.

The women are both in their 70s.  They met and befriended a man at a homeless shelter in, or around, 1997.  After putting him up in an apartment for two years, he was found dead in an alleyway -- the apparent victim of a hit and run with no witnesses.  But, it turned-out the women had taken out multiple life insurance policies on him.

In 2005, yet another man was found dead under the same circumstances.  The women were tried for both murders and convicted, and now face life in prison.   All-told, they collected $2.8 million off the men's deaths.   Both men were homeless and destitute, without family members or friends who would miss them.  Both were kept alive for two years because, after that time, the life insurance policies become incontestable.

In secretly-recorded tapes made shortly after the women were arrested, one told the other, "You were greedy - that's the problem."  Her accomplice responded, "Be quiet. Don't say anything."

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

4:38 AM

Did you feel the earthquake last night?

At 4:38AM, I awoke, shaking - the entire building was shaking! Never having been through an earthquake, I really didn't know what to think, however we live on a fault (or very close to one, at any rate), and "earthquake" was the first thing that came to mind. I entertained the notion that maybe someone had run into the building, but I hadn't heard a crash and no one else came outside or anything, so I knew that's what it had to be.

I immediately turned to the early-morning news programs, but they were all about what the schools are serving for lunch today and how coupons can help save you hundreds every year at the grocery store, blahblahblah. So I got up and smoked a cigarette to calm my nerves and make sure I hadn't dreamed it.

The satellite radio antenna the neighbor beneath me has on his window proved it was no dream; it kept thwap-thwap-thwapping from the shake for a good minute, minute-and-a-half after everything settled down. The most frightening thing was how the building itself took a moment to stop swaying - a lot longer than I would have expected!

It didn't knock things off the shelves or anything, but it gave me a pretty good scare.

The New York Times reports that the earthquake was centered in Illinois and was felt as far South as Atlanta. It knocked bricks from structures in Louisville, KY. The Wabash fault is believed to be the one that caused it, which is an extension of the New Madrid fault - on which I live! They say it was a 5.2 quake that happened at 4:37 AM.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Darwin Downloaded

The works of Darwin are now online and available to anyone who wishes to view them.   But be warned: The collection is said to be so vast that you could not digest it all in two months, even if you downloaded one image per minute!

The family has always wanted Darwin's notes available to the public, and the mountain of notes and papers shows his devotion to his work, as well as the thoroughness of his research.

The first draft of his groundbreaking work on evolution has recently been added.  You can view all of Darwin's works online here.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

More Bad News for Asthma, Sinusitis Sufferers

Studies have shown that expensive precautions against dust mites and allergens, such as mattress covers, high-powered vacuum and specialist cleaners, air filters, and the like, are basically worthless against allergens in the home.

36 trials tested these, and other methods, including combinations, and found that even thought mite reduction did occur in just under 20% of the tests, it was not significant enough to be effective against sinusitis, asthma, or related conditions. In all, these costly methods simply did not do enough to be effective.

The only thing the panel could recommend was washing linens in hot water and throwing out things like plush toy animals and similar objects. These precautions tended to help as much as 90% of sufferers.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Vitamins Are Deadly?

Once again, comes a new and thoroughly contradictory study which concludes that vitamins are not only unnecessary, but may even shorten one's lifespan!

Trials involving over 225,000 people who were taking dietary supplements found that vitamin A supplements contributed to a 16% greater risk of dying, beta carotene supplements to 7%, and vitamin E increased the risk by 4%.  Further studies concluded that antioxidant supplements show no signs of decreasing the risk of dying.

Basically, the study suggests that vitamin supplements are useless and can even increase the risk of death!

Of course, advocates for the industry were quick to point-out that many people simply do not get the necessary nutrients and vitamins they need from their regular diet, and so need these supplements. But the researchers who carried-out the study suggested people simply improve their diets, eating more fruits and vegetables, and cut down on smoking.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Serial Pranksters Get Forked

For the last few years, whenever the Tschudis left home, their neighbors, the Joneses, pulled some sort of prank on them. When the Joneses finally left town, the Tschduis decided to get even...

Over the years, the Joneses have strung beer cans like Christmas lights across the Tschudis' house; they drew chalk outlines on their sidewalk and strung crime scene tape around it; and they even put a for sale sign in their front yard.

When they left town for a wedding over the weekend, the Tschudis decided to try and keep up with the Joneses, so they set about placing over 3000 forks in their yard. When a passerby asked them what they were doing, Mrs. Tschdui explained, "We're aerating their lawn."

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Whizkid Corrects NASA Figures

NASA calculated the odds of the Apophis asteroid colliding with Earth at 1 in 45,000 -- pretty good odds, all things considered -- but a 13-year old German whizkid noticed a discrepancy, and recalculated those figures for a science project. 

And NASA says his figures are correct!

Nico Marquardt noticed the astronomically-inclined eggheads had failed to consider the very real possibility of Apophis hitting one of the 40,000 satellites orbiting Earth on its 2029 run.   If that happens, it will change the asteroid's trajectory, making it hit Earth on its 2036 run.   Marquardt calculated the odds of this happening at 1 in 450!

And NASA agreed.

If the asteroid hits Earth, it will land in the Atlantic Ocean, creating devastating tsunamis which will destroy coastlines as well as inland sites, and create a cloud of dust which will indefinitely darken the sky.

The name, Apophis, comes originally from the Egyptians.  He was the enemy of the sun god, Re, and was a much feared serpent of the Underworld.  The name continued into later mythologies, always referring to serpent gods.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Pollution Leads to Pneumonia?

A new study found that areas with higher levels of pollution also tend to have higher rates of death from such illnesses and diseases as pneumonia, cancer, and COPD.

While the author warns that more research is necessary, he believes the study clearly shows "a strong correlation" between air pollution and respiratory illness.  Social factors, such as smoking and deprivation, also contribute, and the researchers could make no division between car pollution and other chemical components.

Areas with the most deaths had higher levels of pollution, generally related to auto exhaust.  Pneumonia tended to be the major cause of death in these areas.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Scientists Give Mice a Cold

Scientists have been able to give genetically-modified mice a cold!

Discovered some 50 years ago, rhinoviri are thought to be the major cause of the common cold and other respiratory-related illnesses, such as COPD and bronchitis. However, mice seem immune to these viri, and thus no significant advances have been made in the treatment of the common cold.

But genetically-modified rodents can catch the virus, which means scientists can finally work on developing treatments for such illnesses as the common cold and flu, which could effectively end fatal asthma attacks (as most are brought-on by simple infections).

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Monday, April 14, 2008

Agenda

A friend talked me into attending some kind of out-of-town seminar with her today. I'm scared it's going to be one of those where they try to get you to join their money cult or something, but it's free and tax-deductible, and it gets me out of the house, so I can't complain... yet.

I have tons of stuff I've been collecting this week, I've just been so busy with technical stuff and taxes that I haven't gotten it out to you yet. Depending on when I return, I'll be getting it out to you throughout the week. I may not be home tonight, but I will definitely be near a computer - just depends on how I feel. I'm taking some books along, just in case; I'm just not in any mood to join a cult today.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Sunday, April 13, 2008

NY Yankess Avoid Curse, May Pursue Lawsuit

Construction workers removed the tattered remains of a Red Sox baseball jersey from 2' of concrete at the site of the new stadium to avoid a curse.

Apparently, a construction worker -- a Boston Red Sox fan -- placed the jersey there when the concrete was being poured in order to jinx the Yankees. When overseers discovered it, they alerted others. The decision was made to dig it up and remove it in order to avoid any "curse" the jersey might inflict.

Baseball is well-known for its superstitions. Players are said to have lucky articles of clothing, rituals they must go through before and during play, and more. When a player is doing well, he is said to be "on a streak" and often adheres to strict behavioral codes based on superstitions that, should he change whatever he was doing when his streak began, he risks losing that "mojo."

The jersey bore player, David Ortiz', name. The Yankees are going to give it to charity and may file a suit against the worker.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Medical Assoc. Gives Away Daughter's Organs, Consigns Mom to Death

Rachel Leake has suffered from imminent kidney failure for nearly a decade. Her daughter, a lifetime asthma sufferer, died on April 2nd, and was a registered organ donor. While she wanted her organs to go to her mother, Britain's Human Tissue Authority (HTA) intervened, stole the dead woman's organs, and gave them away to strangers.

In general, donors' organs are given to those who need them most (according to a list), but in cases such as these, the HTA and other medical organizations with similar responsibilities most certainly should make exceptions. Obviously the daughter wanted to help anyone who could benefit from her organs; what should be just as obvious is that she would have preferred to help her mother over others because, well... it's her mother.

While some who commented on this issue said they had family members who had survived thanks to the organ donor list, thus they believe the system "works," that's plain selfishness -- the same kind of selfishness they are indirectly accusing Rachel Leake of practicing! Face it: they like the current system because their loved one(s) benefited from it; I am 100% positive they would be just as against the system were their loved one(s) robbed of those organs the way Rachel Leake, and her mother, were.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Friday, April 11, 2008

Hindu Goddess Reincarnated?

A baby born with a condition known as craniofacial duplication is being praised as the reincarnation of the Hindu goddess of valor, Durga.

Craniofacial duplication is a medical condition in which the person has two faces. Baby Lali, from the Indian village of Saini Sunpura (about 25 miles outside of New Delhi), has two complete faces: two noses, two mouths, and four eyes. She can drink from both mouths and all four eyes blink simultaneously. While often linked to serious health problems, Baby Lali appears to be doing fine.

When news of her condition reached surrounding neighbors, they came from miles around to kiss her feet. She has been receiving about 100 visitors a day now. They believe her to be the reincarnation of the Hindu goddess of valor, a fiery demon goddess of many arms and three eyes, associated with feminine and creative energies. The village chief has written the government for funds to erect a temple in her honor.

While it is obvious that the countrymen have misplaced their faith, some have suggested that the chief and others are using the child's disfigurement for financial gain and religious fame for the village. A doctor offered to give the child tests which would observe her internal organs to make sure everything was alright, but the father refused, saying she is a normal child.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Taking It at Face-Value

A new study shows that men and women are pretty good judges of character based on appearance alone.

The study worked with 700 students in their 20s and found that both men and women recognized subtle facial features which indicated the type of sexual relationship the person was interested in. Women looking for short-term sexual relationships tended to have narrower faces and more eager-looking eyes, while men with the same proclivities had more prominent jaws and noses; these women were generally perceived as more attractive and the men more masculine.

The research indicates these subtle facial clues may be how we assess possible mates and rivals on first-sight. While lots of previous studies have proven that people can tell a lot about others by their faces, this is the first study of its kind involving romantic relationships.

Supposedly, most women found promiscuous-looking men unattractive for both long- and short-term relationships.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Ghost Hunt in Asylum? That's Crazy!

We recently brought you news from Iowa, where the local Historical Society had petitioned the town council for permission to have a small, professional group carry out a paranormal investigation in an old asylum. It looked like things were smooth-sailing and we looked forward to bringing you the details... but not so fast.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors has changed its mind about allowing the investigation, because officials at the former asylum itself, now a home for the mentally ill (which is... different from an asylum?) called Chatham Oaks, oppose it! Yes, the very people whom the investigation was set to help do not want the area -- once an asylum, now Chatham Oaks Home for the Mentally Ill -- investigated.

The Carroll Area Paranormal Team requested access to the building due to persistent rumors of a haunting. They planned to spend a single night at Chatham Oaks, armed with the requisite paranormal investigators' kit.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

British Kids Can't Ketchup

Supermarkets in the Norfolk area will no longer sell ketchup or eggs to minors.

Supermarkets in the Caister area have been asked to quit selling ketchup in squirt bottles to children, following a rise in reports of incidents involving minors using the condiment to deface property. The ban also includes eggs.

While it sounds bizarre, a police spokesman noted that reports of ketchup-related incidents have diminished since the ban went into effect. Though using ketchup to deface property is not technically a criminal offense, it could lead to criminal charges, if damage is caused.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Agenda

I have been hard at work on the technical aspects and some of it is starting to pay-off. I know you can't necessarily see a lot of what I'm doing, but trust me, I've put in a lot of hours here... it's just not the easiest thing in the world to do and it takes a while. There is a real art to webdesign and, like all art, it's largely a matter of taste and trial-and-error. The more you do it, the better you get at it, but most of it comes down to personal preference. When you change something, you have to stop and eyeball it, then go back in and change it again (or change something else to better fit the changes you just made), go back and check it out, ad nauseam; every little change affects everything else and it all takes time.

I am having some problems with the color scheme. Obviously.

I want to go with an Earth-based theme - blue (we got that covered - in spades!), yellow/orange, greens, browns - but I don't have full control over all the colors already set in the template. I should, I'm just not as good with CSS as I'd like to be. I'm learning, but it's a steep learning curve - there's an art to coding too, and a lot of it is like every other art: everyone has their own "style." I have yet to figure out the "style" in-play on this particular template, so I'm having trouble locating all the elements I want to change. And, like I said, I don't necessarily know wtf I'm doing once I do find them; trial-and-error.

I would absolutely love some input, if anyone has some suggestions. Otherwise, I'm still chugging along, as best I can.

Anyway, just stopping-by to keep you informed. I'd like to thank everyone for stopping-by, I just wish more of you would comment so I know how I'm doing! And don't forget to subscribe. We have a whole lot more on the way and once the redesign is finished, I'll have more time to do more of the in-depth posts. In the meanwhile, there's no shortage of odd goings-on to keep you entertained.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Cyberpunk Restaurant

A new restaurant in Germany is almost completely automated -- at least the ordering and serving processes are, anyway.

Diners place their orders on a touch-screen. The order is sent to the kitchen upstairs, where it is prepared by traditional chefs and cooks, and then set on wheeled trays. The trays are then placed on a series of long, metal tracks which criss-cross the dining room, where they come spinning down the tracks to the customer.

Each table is color-coded. He inserts his debit card, which tracks his purchases so he can pay before he leaves. After the customer places his order, he is free to use the computer terminal to send e-mail, or even learn more about the dish he chose and its ingredients.

The automated system not only eliminates surly, forgetful waiters, it also eliminates tipping!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Mail Carriers Hounded by Turkeys

Postal workers in Madison, Wisconsin can brave the elements and face the dogs, it's the turkeys that are getting them ruffled!

The area reports that 5-10 wild turkeys have been pestering mail carriers, pecking them with their beaks, even scratching them. One flew into a mail truck and attacked the driver.

The mailmen armed themselves with water pistols, which worked for a while, but the birds grew accustomed to it, so they began carrying long sticks and appealed to the regional wildlife conservatory. Experts note the aggressive behavior is tied to the birds' breeding season and theorize the turkeys may be attracted to the red, white, and blue colors of the workers' uniforms and trucks.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Monday, April 7, 2008

The Lynx Returns to Italy

Growing up, the lynx was my favorite animal. Who the hell has a favorite animal? Well, we were kids - we had favorite everythings! - and I had a subscription to National Geographic World, so I was always getting carried-away by things like that. I remember wanting to go to Clown College for years after the issue featuring that arrived...

But the lynx is nearing extinction; wildlife conservationists think there may be as few as 100 left in the Swiss Alps. They were nearly hunted to extinction in the early 20th-Century by hunters, as well as farmers who feared for the safety of their livestock.

One lynx that was tagged in February after being caught in Switzerland crossed the border into Italy. Conservationists say it does not pose a threat to livestock, as it preys primarily on small animals, such as wild hares, but they are concerned for the cat's safety, as many farmers in the area have not taken simple precautions, such as electric fences and dogs trained to protect cattle. Lynx do sometimes prey on animals as large as deer.

Lynx were reintroduced in Switzerland in the 1970s.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Assault with a Hedgehog

A 27-year old New Zealand man has been charged with assault with a weapon - specifically, a hedgehog!

The man apparently heaved the animal at a 15-year old boy. It hit the teen in the leg, leaving "a large, red welt and several puncture marks." Police do not know if the hedgehog was alive or not when it was thrown, but it was deceased when collected as evidence.

If convicted, the 27-year old faces up to five years in prison!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Combination Therapy

As the description notes, we try to bring you information covering a variety of topics, mainly dealing with the paranormal and Supernatural. But we also inform you of developments in the more traditional fields of science, religion, and related matters - what the mainstream accepts as "real" science.

Lately, there have been several reports dealing with the applications of therapy and treatments largely considered metaphysical in nature - such as meditation, "positive thinking," Native Remedies, and the like. These are not really called "alternative medicine," since that really applies largely to herbal and dietary supplements that are reputed to have certain medical properties, but are not prescribed by doctors and have rarely been tested by science; the mainstream sees these practices as being part of larger structures of religion or philosophy - such as meditation to Buddhism.

For a very long time - sometimes hundreds, even thousands, of years - many of these practices have been regarded as healthful by practitioners and believers, but skeptics always drop their big hammer of "conclusive evidence" to dismiss these claims. And mainstream society often uses the skeptics' straw man "Prove It" nonsense to relegate these ideas to the area of "fringe science" or complete nonsense. It's a real catch-22, because the skeptics demand "scientific proof," but work so hard to damage the credibility of the practices that no "serious scientist" will agree to research these fields, so no scientific data is ever collected that could possibly, one day, "prove" these theories.

Luckily, prevailing attitudes toward a lot of these areas is changing, and more and more scientists and doctors have embraced the study of these fields. And while I applaud their efforts and wish them to continue their work, when dealing with medical issues, I strongly suggest you take the little positive evidence you have and run with it!

When it comes to drugs, doctors embrace the least positive results to move forward with testing; when it comes to things like meditation or transference of feelings, they are extremely conservative as to their findings and applications of them. Why not separate the milder cases and create a control and testing group from them to further the collection of empirical data, but go ahead and use the techniques unabashedly on more severe cases?

For example, A has been diagnosed with cancer, but is in a very early stage and has shown a lot of improvement with traditional medicine and therapy, so place him in the research category. B is in a later stage of cancer and is struggling with his medication, so get him to writing about his condition, meditating daily - the whole nine! Why be so conservative with these treatments when there are absolutely no drawbacks to them - especially when we are so quick to prescribe new drugs that can have deadly side-effects!? And I don't mean here and there, or if the patient consents, and so forth: make it an integral part of the overall treatment and dive into it headlong!

If there is even the slightest amount of evidence that these things can be beneficial, then we owe it to patients to try anything we can to alleviate their suffering and help them get better! Put all this "is it real or not" shit behind us and do what's right!

And, yes, I know that some doctors/centers do this, and some doctors/centers believe this, but why don't they all? Again, they are more than willing to prescribe new drugs and drug-related treatments that were developed only a year ago, but wary to suggest "fringe science" or "New Age" practices that have been around for eons! Why?

Why!?

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Look Ma - No Hands!

According to studies done in both the US and UK, amputees may find relief in watching others rub their hands together.

It has long been documented that people who lose limbs or other parts of their body experience "phantom limb" phenomena - the sensation that the limb is still there. This most often manifests itself as phantom limb pain, a condition that is generally untreatable; while phantom limb pain is normal for up to six months following the injury, if it persists, the prognosis is not good. Traditional treatments include massage of the amputated area, surgery to remove remaining nerve endings, drug therapy, even biofeedback, but no clear-cut method stands apart from the rest as being more effective.

Using various methods, the study found that they were able to "trick" the amputee's brain into experiencing sensations in their phantom limb. Some patients even claimed their pain disappeared for up to 15 minutes!

The research sought to discover ways in which to trick "mirror neurons" - neurons which fire when a person intentionally performs an action, as well as when someone else is observed performing intentional actions, such as waving. Under normal conditions, these neurons help us predict others' intentions by simulating the action in the brain, but under the controlled conditions in the study, they were tricked into not sending a blocking signal to the brain, thus making the patient "feel" the observed action in/on his phantom limb. In this case, it was the intentional act of massage. The potential for such study goes beyond phantom limb pain: for example, stroke victims might be able to relearn movements simply by watching others perform them.

Many of these studies relied on hypnotic techniques meant to help the patient suspend his disbelief. As one expert put it, "...the patient has to accept the illusion is real for it to work."

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Medicinal Plants Face Extinction

Another one of those that got shuffled into the wrong bookmark folder and lost, until now...

Researchers from the Botanical Gardens Conservation International surveyed 600 (earlier this year) of its members and identified at least 400 species of plant that are facing extinction. The group represents botanic gardens from over 120 countries. This is incredibly dangerous to Man, as some of the plants are those from which important medical drugs are culled, including the yew tree, which is used in the manufacture of one of the most widely-used cancer drugs!

While many of the other plants on the list are not medicinally-related, as the researchers say, who knows what the future may bring? There exists the very real possibility that, should these plants go extinct, we may lost the cure for any number of diseases before we even discover them!

Many of the chemicals garnered from plants are now made synthetically, but over-harvesting and deforestation of the plants' indigenous areas are the leading threats.

As many as 5 million people worldwide depend on flora-based medicines.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Agenda - Update

Okay, I have several more items to get out to you, but I'm going to divide them between today and tomorrow because this is the weekend and I don't want to run out of things or overwhelm you.

I know I haven't done many research pieces lately, but there are some being drafted. For new readers, there are many entries in our archives that go into great detail on specific subjects we cover, such as The History of EVP and The Beast of Exmoor, and it was always my intention to bring you more of these. The OddBlog's goal is to become a key resource for online research into the Unknown and the paranormal, and to those ends, I fully realize we need a lot more of these in-depth articles.

Unfortunately, we had some technical setbacks a few months ago
(mainly with the feed) and then I redesigned. I am redesigning all of the blogs right now, actually - and the entire site, to boot. Of course, one man can only do so much and manage to keep-up with his personal life (and I have nothing even resembling a social or sex life, so that's not an issue - I'm just talking about cooking, cleaning, bathing, paying bills, etc.), and this is tax season. Needless to say, I only have so much time - and lately, I haven't had much of any.

Which brings me to my other point: I told you earlier that I had some technical stuff to worry with here today and I was going to wait until later tonight, but I got up early thanks to the construction going on in my neighborhood (they missed yesterday due to rain), so I don't know how long I'm gonna last. You are going to get some churn and may not be able to get to the site off and on, but once I'm done, you will definitely be able to tell I was here.

I have several projects going at-once, so this is going to be off and on for the rest of the evening; I wish I could say, "I'll be done by x:00" or "I'll be done in a few hours," but I can't. If you have any problems viewing content or your feed starts turning up old posts, then readjusts, then starts-up again, you know I'm working - just try again in a few minutes.

I apologize for the inconvenience. Once the redesign process is finished, I promise to keep the maintenance routine down to a minimum and try to make sure it is done during off-peak hours. Of course, the entire weekend is generally "off-peak hours" here, so you weekend warriors ought to subscribe!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Food Riots in Haiti

Demonstrations against rising food prices in Haiti turned deadly, leaving three dead in Les Cayes.

Prices on staple foods in Haiti have risen over 50% in the last year. One of the poorest regions in the Americas, most Haitians live on less than $2.00 per day. While the Prime Minister claims to have allotted $10 million to programs designed to prevent rising food costs, including half-priced fertilizer and and food aid, thousands took to the streets to demonstrate. The rallies erupted into violence in many regions.

Roads were blocked, cars were burned, and stores were looted. UN peacekeepers on patrol in the region claim their gate was damaged when several protesters broke into the grounds. Some fired on the peacekeepers, who returned fire, killing one man with a headshot. The UN is looking into the incident.

The United States itself has seen dramatic increases in food costs this year. It is worth noting that many of the "Dark Future" games which The Weirding supports have fictitious histories which include rapidly-rising food prices that lead to mass demonstrations which erupt into violence and lead to political uprisings and war.

Have the science-fiction authors gotten it right again?

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

American History Goes to Shit

Fossilized human feces found in a cave near an Oregonian lake may tell researchers when and how humans first came to the Americas.

The coprolites - fossilized fecal matter - apparently pre-date the Clovis culture, which dominated the American continents just over 10,000 years ago. They were discovered in the Paisley Caves in 2002-2003, amongst other artifacts, including baskets, animal hides, wooden pegs, and the bones of what may have been pack animals.

The coprolites became the center of controversy when human DNA was found in them. It strongly suggests that there were people on the continent prior to the Clovis culture. Some initial studies suggest the DNA is closely related to groups indigenous to Siberia and East Asia. This bolsters the notion that the first American settlers came from Siberia.

"[They] either had to walk or sail along the American west coast to get around the ice cap... unless they arrived so long before the last ice age that the land passage wasn't yet blocked by ice," noted Eske Willerslev, director of the Centre for Ancient Genetics at Copenhagen University.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Accessories to Crime

Two completely unrelated stories feature handicapped "criminals":

The first is from California, where police say a man in his 60s robbed a bank and made his getaway on an electric wheelchair. After robbing the bank with a black handgun, he made his way through traffic on a major thoroughfare, where witnesses saw he had both legs wrapped in bandages - the right one sticking straight out in front of him as he weaved past their cars. Police are searching for a white van in which he may have made his getaway. They are uncertain as to whether the wheelchair was a prop or if the man is really disabled.

Clear across this great country, in Kentucky, our Australian friend, Sire, came across an interesting little piece: police ticketed a handicapped man for reckless driving!

To protect and serve, indeed.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Agenda

Sorry about yesterday, folks. I got up early and had to run some errands, but I got those done fairly quickly. It rained off and on all day and, as usual, the lights went - throughout the tri-county area - for a few hours. I was right in the middle of posting when they went out and by the time they came back on, I was just too worn-out to mess with anything. I meant to stop by and let you know, but I got sleepy and just forgot.

Anyway, we'll get right into things today, because I have a whole lot to get out to you. I also have some tweaking to do around here, so you'll notice a few changes when you come back. If you get some churn (you probably will) or have any problems accessing the site (you shouldn't), that's why.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Tanzania Cracks Down on Witchcraft Albino Murders

The President of Tanzania has called for an immediate end to the mutilation of albinos for use in witchcraft.

As we've been reporting, albinos are feared in most parts of Africa - so much so that their families often hide them away to protect them - thinking their genetic condition is due to a curse put upon the family. Many believe their body parts possess magical properties and the murder and mutilation of their bodies for use in rituals has become widespread. 19 albinos were murdered in Tanzania last year.

Many have accused the government of a lack of response and now the President of the region is calling for a crackdown on witchdoctors and others who traffick in albino body parts and rituals which employ them. People believe their fingers will bring them luck at fishing and mining, while other body parts have other properties.

Superstition runs rife throughout the region. Women with red eyes are thought to be witches and a rash of rapes in 2007 were blamed on the popo bawa, a winged daemon believed to be summoned by witchcraft.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The Science of Meditation

Meditation is sweeping Europe.

As a means of aversion therapy (to Depression), a course called Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is offered in all of the counties across the UK and can be taken at the expense of the national healthcare system. It is not suggested for those currently suffering from Depression, but those who have suffered it 2-3 times previously. The doctor who founded the method refers to it as 20% cognitive therapy, 80% meditation.

While practitioners and skeptics have long argued whether or not meditation has any real impact, scientific research is finally being done on the matter, particularly in the US. Some studies suggest that meditation has real, and measurable, effects on the brain, with one researcher suggesting that the brains of those who had practiced meditation for years had thicker areas of their cortex. Another study, conducted on Buddhist monks and others, shows that people who undergo meditative training had more activity on the left side of their brains than they did before learning the technique. This side has been linked to feelings of happiness and enthusiasm.

While the data is still being collected and no real conclusions can be made at this early stage, scientists are excited by the scant findings and suggest now is the best time to collect more information. Whether or not the recent increase in interest is a passing fad, the fact that meditation could significantly help people suffering from Depression, suicidal thoughts, and similar emotional and psychological issues, is a promising development deserving of a closer look.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Agenda

Good morning ladies and germs!

Today will be sketchy, as I have to change the template over to Weird Ink. I like the one that's on there, but it just doesn't work for my purposes -- hell, it only half-works, period. The interesting thing is that I have more material for this blog than for any of the others this week, and I will be getting it out to you, but this takes precedence.

I had meant to bring you some posts on the history of the Spring holidays and every time they came up, something happened -- I got sick, something broke, I was under deadline, etc. -- so I'll have those to do next year. But there have been a lot of scientific developments and goings-on lately that I'm sure you will be interested in, and I'll to get to them when I can.

I also have to get back here and tweak the place out. I've been having so many issues tweaking the other blogs that I grew leery of the process, and have been putting it off. Maybe I can get to that sometime today, as well -- we'll see how things go.

Don't forget our archives -- there are tons of great posts here: You can find something to interest you simply by clicking on one of the subjects listed in the sidebar.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

One Gen-Xer Down, Too Many More to Go

I am no fan of my generation. Let's see what we've given the world so far: Techno music, Starbuck's, GHB and XTC (not to mention meth), the seemingly everlasting concept that everyone's a winner even when they're a complete fucking loser... which brings us to the 36-year old Kentucky man who thought it was a good idea to keep dangerous, poisonous lizards as pets.

This genius was harboring seven rattlesnakes, a gaboon viper, a king cobra, an iguana, two monitor lizards, two alligators, a boa constrictor, and a python. Keeping "undomesticated" (in quotes because such creatures cannot be domesticated) lizards, snakes, and amphibians as "pets" became all the rage in the 1990s - the practice being taken up largely by morons who liked to drop XTC in their GHB-laden drinks, do a little meth, and "rave 'til dawn" to Techno music.

This particular moron was charged with 10 counts of possessing dangerous animals, as well as 15 counts of transporting wildlife into the state. The creatures were seized, but Dr. Rave-a-Tron wasn't there to see it; he was having his fingers amputated, following a snakebite.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Bigfoot Returns to Chiropractor

Sasquatch Sam was kidnapped in January of 2007 and had his feet sawn off.

Sasquatch Sam was a wood-carved statue that set outside Dr. Tom Payne's Chiropractic clinic for five years. Since his disappearance, the clinic has been Bigfoot-less. So the marketing department of Washington's very own Pemco Insurance decided to create a contest to replace him.

Three chainsaw artists entered and when the sawdust cleared, 58-year old Charlie Hubbard won the judges over with his 9'-tall, smiling Sasquatch. Hubbard used to fell trees for a living, then switched to his new line of work following a heart attack.

The Pemco Insurance Company added Roadside Chainsaw Woodcarver to their current advertising campaign, "Just Like You," which also features such archetypes as Ponytailed Software Geek, Smug Hybrid Driver, and Super-Long Coffee Orderer.

And chiropractor, Tom Payne, got himself a new Sasquatch statue. He is thinking of forming a new contest for residents to help him name the giant.

The original 8', 400-lb. Sasquatch Sam was stolen by a man and adolescent male who then lopped-off Sam's 16" feet. While police believe the reasoning behind this was to avoid being captured (huh? - how does that... why would... wha-at?), and the two never gave a motive even though they admitted committing the crime, it seems obvious to me that they wanted to create fake footprints.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Gold Necklace Oldest in Americas

A gold necklace found near Lake Titicaca in Peru is the oldest hand-fashioned necklace ever discovered in the Americas.

The necklace, fashioned from what are believed to have been gold nuggets, is more than just a piece of jewelry; according to researchers, it indicates that the making and wearing of jewelry to indicate status and prestige is a custom older than once thought. Apparently, the custom stretches all the way back to more simple, hunter-gatherer, societies and shows that when it was made, the society in which the wearer lived was undergoing complex changes and sociological advancements.

Researchers believe it was made by using a hammer of some sort to flatten the gold nuggets around a cylindrical object to fashion tubing. It was found alongside an adult jawbone and is believed to have been worn by an adult female. It was obviously used to denote prestige and status/wealth, reinforcing the notion that this is a fundamental human need.

Perhaps this explains our society's current obsession with celebrity?

© C Harris Lynn, 2008