19th-Century Checks, Tools Remain Unclaimed

Several months back, a rider found several mounted checks dating back to 1884, along with tools from the period, at a bus station. Police made the discovery public but no one has claimed the items. Because the checks were prepared for display, police are once again looking for the owner(s) of the antiques. If no one claims the unusual finds, they will become the property of the Longmont Museum & Cultural Center. Most such found items are auctioned-off after 60 days.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

A Pond No More

When George Terry Dinnie left his home to walk his dog, his 2500-gallon water pond was full. When he returned some 90 minutes later, it was absolutely empty! Dinnie managed to save some of the expensive fish, but many died. "They pumped the water out faster than I can fill it up again. It's as weird as weird can be," Dinnie told reporters.

However, a swale on his lawn appeared moister than usual and neighbors said they saw water spraying from it while Dinnie was away with his dog. He filled the pond up again and replaced the fish and plants he managed to save. But where his pond went remains unknown.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Grave Robber Detained

Families were shocked to learn their deceased loved ones' remains had been disturbed by a thief who stole their jewelry and precious mementos. A policeman discovered the break-in at the Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in London on the 24^th.

Many graves have glass "niches" in which loved ones place special items, such as jewelry, photographs, and other effects. 23 year-old Michael Vail is alleged to have smashed several of those containing expensive items in order to steal them. He has been charged with breaking and entering, along with improperly interfering with human remains.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Things What Done Fell from the Sky: Lightning Strikes Six

A group of young men were apparently playing cricket when heavy rains forced them under a nearby tree for shelter.  Lightning struck the tree and all six men.  Authorities received several emergency calls and when they responded, one of the boys was convulsing and another was in cardiac arrest.  All were taken to the hospital, where they remain.  Five are in stable condition, but the sixth -- the one who suffered from cardiac arrest -- is in serious condition.

Never seek shelter under a tree in a thunderstorm.  According to the National Weather Service, lightning is the second deadliest natural event (next to flash floods).  If CPR is administered immediately, lightning strike victims have a better chance at survival, however few people survive cardiac arrest.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Mexican Officials Seek "Lost Island"

Mexican officials are desperately searching for Isla Bermeja, a long-lost island which first appeared on 18^th-Century maps.  They claim the US is encroaching on Mexican borders, and locating the island would help prove this claim.  Experts believe the sea bottom in the area, to which Mexican officials have already made claim, to be rich with oil.  However, reconnaissance allegedly shows nothing in the area.

Old maps were largely made by copying existing maps, and errors could appear on maps for centuries.  As more explorers made their ways into unchartered territory, and more of the land was explored, these errors were corrected on newer maps.  Isla Bermeja may never have existed, though other popular theories say an earthquake could have removed it, global warming could be to blame -- or the US bombed it!

Experts dismiss this latter claim, but say they will seek more funding to continue searching for the lost island of Isla Bermeja.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Scheduling Problems

Hey guys, I was just dropping-in to tell you some entries which were set to post did not, for some reason. Blogger has been having problems with their scheduled posting function. It appeared to be fixed, but like I said, some scheduled posts were not published as set.

It being so late, I simply changed the dates for tomorrow and Monday. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

"Stoned Wallabies Make Crop Circles"

An official for Tasmania released a statement saying wallabies were getting into the poppy fields, getting "high as a kite," then rolling in circles which create crop circle patterns.

The statement was made during a meeting on the security of the poppy crop. Tasmania supplies about 50% of the legal opium used in medicines and painkillers worldwide. It seems the wallabies are destroying some of the crop with their parties.

Another spokesperson said the incidents were rare and were not limited to the Australian wallabies. Other poppy farmers in the area backed the wallaby claims and added sheep to the equation.

It seems unlikely such "stoned" spinnings would result in the elaborate patterns of classic crop circles.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Ghost Adventures at Magnolia Plantation - Sneak!

The Ghost Adventures crew is going where no paranormal team has gone before with the first investigation of Magnolia Plantation in Natchitoches, LA. Catch this all-new episode Friday at 9 PM E/P on the Travel Channel.

Built in 1830 to grow and harvest cotton, the Magnolia Plantation consists of 5,000 acres of land. Shamefully, many slaves labored and died in the vast farming fields of the plantation. The Ghost Adventures crew uncovers evidence of voodoo rituals that many of the slaves used to seek revenge on the plantation owners. The GA crew discovers that the spirits of the repressed and tortured souls are still alive in this national park.

Check out the preview of tomorrow night's new episode!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Stonehenge Hosts Record Crowd for Summer Solstice

Stonehenge Summer Solstice (2015)

A record-setting 36,500 people were at Stonehenge to celebrate the Summer Solstice this past Sunday. Area roads were gridlocked and the main road (A303) was closed due to traffic. English Heritage, the company which runs Stonehenge, said some 6500 cars were parked in the designated visitors' area two hours before dawn. A 200 tent limit in the Avebury Ring was in place, following complaints by neighbors concerning the number of visitors in 2008. There were also more security guards and police than in previous years.

Celebrants danced to Druidic drums in the overcast dawn, while others participated in ceremonies to mark the event. English Heritage issued a warning about drug use (quoted below) and limited alcohol to four cans of beer or one bottle of wine per person. Authorities said there would be a zero-tolerance approach to drug use and drunkenness, but only 37 arrests were made (mostly for drug possession and minor disorder). According to both spokespeople for the company and individual attendees, the event was "enjoyable" and everyone was in a "jovial mood."

Summer Solstice is not a good time to experiment with drugs - the crowd, the noise and the sheer size of the place are likely to make any bad reaction much, much worse.

The event has become more popular since a four-mile exclusion zone around Stonehenge was lifted four years ago.

Though Stonehenge was used for many things by many peoples throughout history, Stonehenge was originally a sundial and calendar, likely constructed by the Hyksos around the same time as the Great Pyramid of Giza.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Ghost Adventures at La Purisima Mission - Sneak Preview!

The Ghost Adventures crew is investigating the La Purisima Mission in Lompoc, California this Friday at 9 PM E/P on the Travel Channel.

The La Purisima Mission is a former Spanish residence of padres, soldiers, and the native Chumash.  The area is beautiful but the air around it is heavy with the tragedy of disease and war.  At La Purisima, the sounds of flutes and the voices of the long-gone inhabitants are reported to still linger.  Trapped within its white-washed walls, the spirits seem bound to this land, forever locked in their struggle with one other.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Does Newest Crop Circle Prophesy Doom?

The latest crop circle to have appeared in the UK is thought by some to contain some kind of message of doom for mankind.  The pattern depicts a phoenix rising from flames, which some say is related to the end of the Mayan calendar -- December 21^st, 2012.  Mayans believed things happened in 144,000 day cycles and that date denotes the end of the 13^th cycle -- or Armageddon.

However, many believe the indications are actually a positive thing -- as in mankind recovering strongly following some great tragedy.  A recent crop circle, shaped like a jellyfish, is said to contain the first ten digits of pi.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Coincidence or Fate? - Umberto of Italy

The night of July 28^th, 1900, King Umberto I of Italy dined at a restaurant in a little town outside of Milan.  He was taken by the restaurateur's similarity in face and build.  He was astounded to then learn the man's name was also Umberto.  Then, he learned the two were born in the same town!  On the same day in the same year...

The two marveled at their many similarities, which didn't end there: They'd both married a woman named Margherita on the same date of the same year, and had both named their son Vittorio!  When he learned that they had been decorated for bravery together on two occasions, the King told his men, "I intend to make that man a Caveliere of the Crown of Italy tomorrow."

Unfortunately, King Umberto I of Italy was told his "double" had been shot and killed in an accident earlier that day.  The King asked about Umberto's funeral so he could attend and pay his respects.  Suddenly, three shots rang out!  One assassin's bullet missed, but the bullets of the other two shooters' pierced King Umberto I's heart, killing him instantly.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Things What Done Fell from the Sky: Japan - Rains of Frogs

Small showers of desiccated frogs and tadpoles have been occurring around Japan since the start of the month. In the most recent incident, about 40 tadpoles were found on a girls' tennis court. In an earlier one, an older woman discovered scores of dead tadpoles and frogs in a parking lot near her garden.

While The OddBlog generally dismisses such over-the-top explanations, given the limited number of frogs and area affected, a hiccuping heron could be to blame. A biology teacher at the school where the tennis courts were found suggested as much, but it is an old saw many have used to unfairly "normalize" such inexplicable events or explain them away. It bears mentioning here that the locales involved are many, many miles apart.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Skull Thieves

A Hernando County, Florida policeman saw an empty car in a cemetery known for illegal drugs. He then discovered a damaged tomb. While officers were investigating, two teens emerged from the woods. They initially denied knowing anything, but later admitted to breaking the casket and beheading the cadaver. The boys, 18 and 19, were charged with desecrating a grave and removing the remains.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

A Bag of Body Parts

Florida police say they caught the owner of a local funeral parlor in a cemetery trying to dispose of human body parts apparently taken from a corpse the funeral home handled mere days prior. The man, Claude Edward Holmes, Jr., has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1989, which includes drug charges as well as fraud. He was arrested on charges of disposing human waste for commercial purpose.

Holmes admitted to having dumped organs in the cemetery some 15 times over the last 10 years or so.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Things What Done Fell from the Sky: 16 Cattle Stricken Down

At neighbors' behest, Jim McDougal and his daughter went to the field to find 16 cattle dead. "They were all either sitting or lying where they had fallen in a regimented row. I have never seen anything like it in my life. The cows were singed and we could smell it in the air when we arrived."

Experts believe one cow was stricken and the electricity was transferred to the other cattle standing in the puddle. Another possibility is that all the cows were touching and so all were effectively hit. Whatever the case may be, forensics proved the cattle were struck by lightning.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

9000-year Old Brew On Shelves Now!

Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats in Delaware is offering a few new brews this season - one of which is based on a recipe over 9000 years old! Detailed by an archaeologist a few years back, the formula for Chateau Jihau is based on chemical analysis from pottery found in Jihau, China. Ingredients include rice, honey, and fruit.

Dogfish is offering consumers another ancient recipe this summer, as well: Sahtea. An updated version of the 9^th-Century Finnish potable, sahti, the owner of Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats, Sam Calagione, put together the hard way: with freshly-picked juniper berries shipped to him from Finland.

A few years back, another major, American brewer used ancient references to recreate ancient brews. Anchor Steam did this in 1989 by following the "recipe" included in the Sumerian hymn to Ninkasi, Goddess of Brewing. Dogfish Head's recipe came from Patrick McGovern, a molecular archaeologist from the University of Pennsylvania, and an avid craft brewer. McGovern offered the recipe to several breweries and thought Dogfish Head's was the best.

Dogfish Head has one more ancient beer recipe to bring us this summer: Theobrama. First brewed in 2008, Theobrama is based on chemical analysis of pottery found in the Honduras. One of the foremost ingredients is chocolate.

While researching the Sumerian recipe, the team at Anchor Steam came across a theory which posited that the first nomads (hunter/gatherers) were persuaded to settle not to bake bread, but to brew beer! The baking of bread and brewing of beer are closely intertwined.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Coincidence or Fate?: Woman Misses 447, Dies in Car Crash

History is filled with what we usually call "coincidence."  These seemingly chance happenings so defy the normal pattern that they stand out as unusual.  Some people dismiss them as nothing more than that: Chance occurrences; others say such events actually prove a larger force(s) at play.  No matter what you make of it, certain freakish events fire the imagination.  This new series will examine several of these accounts, such as the following:

Johanna Ganthalter and her husband were vacationing in Brazil in 2007, and were booked to leave on France Flight 447, but missed it by minutes.  The Ganthalters took a flight out of Rio the next day.  Johanna Ganthalter lost her life when the couple's car veered across a road and into an oncoming truck.  Her husband was seriously injured.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Things What Done Fell from the Sky: Shocking BBQ

Eric Brocklebank was grilling outside during a thunderstorm when lightning hit the fork he was using to barbecue sausages. Apparently, the lightning surged through his body and out his feet, leaving him only slightly injured.

While his arm was burned, the lightning did surprisingly little damage. Brocklebank is expected to make a full recovery.

I was told the only thing I could say as I was drifting in and out of consciousness was 'sausages'.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Are Eyewitnesses Lion?

At least two eyewitnesses reported seeing lions roaming freely about the state of Georgia recently. The first was reported near the Lumpkin County line, and the second came from Hall County.

While rare, mountain lion attacks do occur in Georgia. A mountain lion mauled a dog which protected its family from an attack just last month. Actual lions are another matter, entirely. However, authorities are taking the reports seriously.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

War on Drugs Uncovers Human Skull, Blood-Spattered Walls

Police raiding a suspected drug dealer's house in Bridgeport, Connecticut were shocked to find a grisly scene in the basement, where a human skull was found amidst blood-spattered walls. An alligator's head and a dead chicken were also discovered. Police believe the alleged drug dealer(s) were practicing Santeria.

The drug bust was considered routine until the religious site was uncovered in the basement. It shocked veteran policemen, one of whom said he did not want to disrespect anyone's religion, but he had a job to do. The religious artifacts were seized.

A professor of religion and international studies said the owners were likely casting protective spells, most likely protection from police and/or competing drug dealers. Possession of a human skull "isn't that unusual," the professor said, "but actually shows a great deal of respect."

A neighbor added a lot of people in the area practice Santeria or sorcery, and he sees nothing wrong with it.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Things What Done Fell from the Sky: Who's Dropping Acid in Hong Kong?

24 people in Hong Kong were injured when someone threw acid from a building onto the crowd below - the third such attack in the Mong Kok district in the last six months. The first attack occurred in December, 2008, and injured 46. An attack in May involved two bottles of acid and injured 30.

All of the attacks involved the same modus operandi and materials. Police suspect the attacks are related. A surveillance system has been installed in the area and a 24-hour information hotline has been set-up.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Deadliest Catch: Sidewinder

A Florida fisherman said it was "kind of a fright" to learn the warhead he'd netted and carried around on his ship as a souvenir for more than a week was a live Sidewinder, air-to-air missile.

Captain Rodney Solomon, a long-line fisherman, "caught" the missile in a net off the coast of Panama City. A hole in the warhead led him to believe it had already been discharged, so he hung it over the side of his ship as a souvenir. About a week later, he casually mentioned the catch to the local fire department, who quickly took action. After securing the location and shooing-away onlookers, the fire department contacted the Air Force, who confirmed the Sidewinder missile was live and could have detonated at any time!

Fire chief, Derryl O'Neal, said such an occurrence "does happen... but it's a rare event." He recalled a similar missile "catch" some 15-16 years ago and cautioned fishermen not to haul the missiles, but to contact the proper authorities and inform them of the location.

The location at which the Capt. Solomon discovered the missile is in or near a location used for defense testing.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Picasso Sketchbook Stolen from Paris Museum

A sketchbook containing over 30 drawings by Pablo Picasso was stolen from a Paris museum sometime between Monday and noon, Tuesday. The museum was closed but for one private viewing on Tuesday. The sketchbook was borne in an unlocked glass display and is valued at nearly $11 million. Museum officials have declined comment on the matter.

The Picasso museum is set to close for renovations over the next two years. It contains thousands of the artist's works. Pablo Picasso is most famous for the Cubism movement he pioneered, though his work spanned several periods. He is widely considered the most prominent artist of the 20^th-Century. Pablo Picasso died in 1973.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Tanzanian Albino Trials Begin

12 people are on trial for murdering albinos in Tanzania. The OddBlog has been bringing you reports of the situation: self-proclaimed "witchdoctors" in the African country are concocting and selling potions purported to make the imbiber wealthy. The potions are made of various ingredients, the most gruesome of which is ground bone from an albino. Over 40 regional albinos have been killed in the last 1¹/₂ years, alone.

While there have been numerous arrests, there have been no convictions. Affluential businessmen are said to be the witchdoctors' primary clientele and local police are among the most corrupt in the world. A single potion goes for thousands of dollars in a country where the average annual income is less than $300. Money like that buys a lot of "justice."

Now that the tragedy is getting major media attention worldwide, the ritual killings have abated to some degree these last few months, but albinos are far from safe. Entire families have been hacked to pieces inside their homes, as each part of their body can bring thousands of dollars. Their graves are cemented over to prevent tampering. There are more than 15,000 albinos in the area.

Last month, a similar trial started in neighboring Burundi. It involved a group of 11 men.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Britain's Oldest Man Celebrates His 113th Birthday

Britain's oldest (known) male resident just turned 113. One of the founders of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and WWI veteran, Henry Allingham has five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-great-grandchild. Allingham lived independently until 2006, when he moved into a communal home.

Henry Allingham became Britain's oldest man a few months back at 112, having outlived the previous record-holder, John Evans, who died in 1990. Allingham is one of two surviving WWI veterans in all of Britain.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Summer Sees Resurgence in Crop Circles

Crop circles are one of those phenomenons which seem to come in waves and lately, we haven't heard much about them. It isn't because they've slowed down, though - in fact, one expert in crop circles was recently quoted as saying, "It's raining shapes every day now." While the past couple years have been "dry" as far as crop circles go, the 2009 season has brought a resurgence in the phenomenon, with no fewer than 20 crop circle formations recorded since April!

Crop circles is one of those phenomenon which draws a thick line between believers and skeptics. While it has been proven (many times over) that crop circles can be "faked" - that is, created by humans using very simple means - there still exist formations which lead believers to think some other force(s) is at work. For most, the simple, rational explanation that all crop circles are the work of pranksters is a textbook example of "a part, masquerading as the whole." As critics of the hoax explanation point-out, some dawns bring the appearance of numerous crop circles in disparate locations - far too many for any one team, or even 10, to have accomplished in such a short time over such great distances. As a researcher, the crop circles phenomenon is sociology under the paranormal microscope and presents an excellent opportunity for understanding more about people, their belief systems, and their reactions to the Unexplained.

One of the more interesting formations to have appeared this year is the "complete monster" jellyfish pattern discovered in a field in Kingstone Coombes, Oxfordshire - the first of its kind. The jellyfish pattern measured some 250 meters (about 0.16 miles or 600'), roughly three times the average size of most crop circles, and caused somewhere in the neighborhood of $1500 in damages. Interest was so high, the farmers had to ask people not to visit, as they were causing even more damage to the crops. A leading crop circle researcher said the formation represents the magnetic field of Earth.

Crop circles are mostly limited to the English countryside and have been appearing for over 30 years now. At first, they were a genuine phenomenon unto themselves. The mystery as to whom had created them and for what purpose(s) captured the popular interest and crop circles became a pop-culture sensation. Crop circles made international headlines, were examined on TV specials, and even appeared on the cover of a Led Zeppelin CD box set! Eventually, a number of hoaxers admitted their involvement and showed how they created the circles. However, they admitted they did not create all of the crop circles and insisted there were "mysterious forces" at work from which they had taken their cue.

Many said the phenomenon would die-out - and most believed it had done just that, following the 2006 suicide of one well-known circlemaker and the unrelated deaths of two more - but it has returned in a big way (so to speak).

Circlemakers have formed groups and consider themselves "Situationist" artists who are actively shaping the pop-culture with their works. Situationist works are generally politically-motivated performances embracing a slightly anarchic philosophy. While the psychological term, "Situationism," appears to describe the crop circlists' motivation, it is said that most Situationists reject the concept's association. The leading group (see link, above) says it sometimes works in tandem with other circle-making clubs but, again, insist unknown forces/entities are to blame for the patterns they claim not to have made. Somewhere near 20% of the crop circles studied bear no signs of human interference (footprints, post holes, et.al.).

We are the heretics, calling their belief system into question by the mere fact that we exist and talk about our circle-making activities.

Researchers claim these circles are made in a matter of moments by a blast of energy which causes changes to the crops at a cellular level and alters soil composition. Some people have suffered mild reactions after traipsing through crop circles, most usually nausea and dizziness. Lab tests of crops from some of these 20% circles (called "True Circles") have produced inexplicable results which appear to bolster the "energy blast" theories surrounding their formation, including trace amounts of radiation. At any rate, a significant portion of crop circles studied cannot be explained away as the result of human interference.

Believers say some of the people involved in hoaxing crop circles used to call themselves "Team Satan" and it takes them days to complete their works, even in broad daylight. However, major companies (including Nike, Mitsubishi, Pepsi, et.al.) have paid (richly!) teams of circlemakers to create works promoting their products and services, and these were made in a single night. Circlemakers have also created overnight patterns for cameras and the media, so the believers' claims that they have "nothing to do with the phenomenon" ring hollow, where the Circlemakers' Situationist claims of altering the pop-culture are evident: crop circles have been commissioned for music videos, TV shows, to promote events, and as noted above. None of the crop circles which have appeared in 2009 were commissioned.

Further, crop circles is a money-making theme for everyone involved. While circlemakers are paid tens of thousands of dollars to produce commissioned works and advertisements, believers make a healthy living through book sales, lectures and conferences, and even tours of affected farmlands. The farmers themselves have gotten in on the act from time to time. While most are initially furious over the damaged crops, most of the crops return to their normal state after a few weeks. Meanwhile, some charge sight-seers to walk on their property, for parking, and more. One farmer was said to have made well over $50,000 this way.

The crop circle "season" starts in/around May and runs through the summer; this year's season started earlier than expected. This seems to bolster skeptics' hoax claims (who wants to make crop circles in the freezing cold?). The OddBlog has to point-out that most crops are grown in the warmer months. Skeptics also attribute the lack of crop circles (in general, but more specifically in the Wiltshire area) in the last two years to the recent deaths of three well-known hoaxers. Others cite heavy rains and strong winds.

Crop circles notwithstanding, the English countryside is home to many large ground patterns dating back hundreds, even thousands, of years - such as the Cernes Abbas (see link, above). Like 20% of crop circles, no one knows who made them, how they were made, nor why.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Spain Holds Voodoo Pimps

A little over two weeks ago, Spanish authorities arrested some 23 men following raids on 10 houses in which they seized computer equipment, materials used in Voodoo rituals, and passports. The men are accused of supplying the European sex trade with Nigerian women forced into prostitution by threats of "Voodoo curses." The average age of the girls being trafficked is said to be between 12 and 18 years.

In February, Spanish authorities received a complaint from a Nigerian woman who claimed to have been one of the men's victims. She told police the men practice black magickery and frighten their victims with threats of "destroying their souls" or "making them crazy." Some women were transported by roadway into Libya then smuggled into Italy by boat, while others were approached in European hostels from which they disappeared. Some 150+ girls disappeared from hostels in Europe in 2006 and 2007. About a dozen were recovered; the rest are thought to have fallen prey to human traffickers. The money the girls make prostituting is kept by the criminals until their debt (for smuggling them into the country) is paid. The average cost is just under $70,000.00.

Somewhat ironically, many of the trafficked women were branded witches by their villages, who threw them out of their homes and abandoned them. They were promised high-paying jobs and marriage to good men in Europe, but first had to swear an oath in a cemetery. Their fingernails were cut and pubic hair shaved, then their clothes were seized and a sanitary pad with their menstrual blood was collected. These items were ceremoniously placed in a shrine as "wicked incantations" were recited. The girls were told both they and their families would die, should they try to escape or expose the criminals. So fervent was their belief in this magick that few of the girls would leave their lives as European prostitutes when offered escape.

Some of the girls have sex with as many as 30 men a day in an effort to pay off their debt quicker. Madams encourage this by telling them the sooner they paid-off their debt, the better it is for them and their families.

11 men are awaiting trial in the Netherlands for these very practices, following their arrest in March of this year. Arrests involving Voodoo curses used to force girls into prostitution in Europe date back to at least 2007.

The OddBlog will have more on this and will follow the story closely.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Pistol-Packing Preacher Holds Armed Services

A pastor from Kentucky (shocker!) has made national headlines after he began advertising church services encouraging parishioners to bring their firearms. Pastor Ken Pagano of New Bethel Church in Louisville said many church-goers are staunch supporters of the Constitutional Second Amendment: "You would be surprised how many churches use shooting for recreation with fellowship. There are people who own firearms and do so responsibly and enjoy them as a sport, maybe like golfing or bowling."

One online post bore a red font resembling blood spatter, which read, "Open Carry Church Service." The pastor dismissed questions regarding the matter, saying it was 'just a font somebody developed' and held no further significance.

Not every branch of Christianity is pacifistic.

- Pastor Ken Pagano

Few of Pagano's peers in the community support his idea. One said the whole thing "would nauseate Jesus," while another said the whole thing "makes no sense."

Late-term abortion doctor, George Tiller, was recently slain inside a church by a staunch, Christian supporter of the Second Amendment.

The open carry services will be held June 27^th. Any profit made from the event will be given to charity, according to Pastor Pagano, though no charity was specified. The OddBlog feels it a safe bet that the "charitable organization" will be one which lobbies for looser gun control policies... and, quite possibly, against abortion.

Southern Baptists: ever tactful. However, Pagano tells the press the event was scheduled long before Dr. Tiller got what was coming to him (from God).

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Bats Know One Another's Voice

According to Dr. Yossi Yovel from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, bats can differentiate between one another solely from the sound of their "voice." The phenomenon was described as being able to distinguish a friend's voice from a single yell.

Dr. Yovel and his team pushed several bats through a series of tests in which two bats' "voices" - echolocation calls the rodents use as sonar to guide them - were played and the test subject had to choose the correct one. At first, the bat was rewarded for choosing correctly, but in later tests, the subject was rewarded regardless of the results. Dr. Yovel said the bats were correct 80% of the time in these later tests.

Analysis of the "yells" revealed that each creature is capable of producing a range of frequencies and once bats learn these, they can identify the bat making the noise. Dr. Yovel and his team believe this range is based on the differences in the bats' vocal chords. The findings help shed light on how bats remain in tight formation when flying at high speeds through the dark, and how they avoid interference from one another's echolocation calls.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Esperanza Fire Arsonist Sentenced to Death

Raymond Lee Oyler has been sentenced to death for the premeditated murder of five, young firefighers who lost their lives saving people and property from wildfires set by the 38-year old Oyler. In 2006, Raymond Lee Oyler intentionally started a fire in Riverside County which was later called the "Esperanza Fire," as it ravaged that small city (about 90 miles outside of Los Angeles). Five firemen, all of whom (save one) were in their 20s, died putting out the blaze.

Oyler was also found guilty of 20 counts of arson and 17 counts of using an incendiary device. The judge could have sentenced the arsonist to life without parole, but opted for the death penalty - a move his lawyer said was "expected."

He's been fine with this whole thing since he got over the initial verdict.

- Mark McDonald, Raymond Lee Oyler's attorney, on how his client responded to the sentence

A jury recommended the death sentence following a month-long trial.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

The Cat Abortions

My littlest cat, Sable, is only a few months old and got pregnant. I have been worried sick that she might die giving birth and have been asking what to do. Remember that I live in a rural area which is thoroughly corrupt, but seeing as how 90+% of the residents are uneducated rednecks, you would think they'd know a thing or two about animal husbandry. I freely admit I haven't the faintest idea as to how to handle this situation. But I no longer need to, as my littlest and youngest cat, Sable, is aborting her kittens as I type. Under my chair, no less!

I called a week ago to ask about the situation and the conversation went like this (remember, I am in one of those "typical," thoroughly corrupt, rural, Southern towns in the Bible Belt):

MD: What do I do?
Vet Tech: You need to bring her in to get spayed.
MD: She's already pregnant. Will that abort the kittens?
Vet Tech: [Long, awkward pause] Well... um, no.
MD: ...
MD: What happens to the kittens, then? Do they just disappear?
Vet Tech: Yes.

Scout's honor. But I digress.

I noticed her licking on something on the floor which I first thought was a chicken bone or something. When I looked closer, it was a hairless fetus! I was instantly grossed-out and stopped her from eating it. I threw it away, even though I wasn't certain it was dead. It was still warm, but obviously not breathing (well or often, if at all). Sable let loose a small river of blood from her womb-ish area, but otherwise appeared just fine.

A few minutes later, following frantic phonecalls to after hours vets which went unanswered, another fetus appeared. This one was breathing - even moving its head! However, she waited until it had mostly stopped to chew off the umbilical cord and proceed devouring it.

The one vet I spoke to - the only one who answered his phone - said the kittens had no chance of making it and to just leave her be and let her do her thing. A moment later, a family friend I'd called returned my phonecall and said she was aborting them and there was nothing to be done but wait it out. I looked online (briefly) but found no mention as to cats aborting their feti. Nevertheless, Sable has given birth to two live feti and ate one - the other I kept her from eating.

She keeps wanting to jump in my lap or on the couch and I put a towel down on the porch for her, but she won't stay there. In fact, Sable is acting perfectly fine, as though nothing were happening. While I'm thankful for that (and more than a little thankful I will not have even more mouths to feed), this is a terrible thing and I'm a little heartbroken by it.

If anyone knows anything about this phenomena (assuming there is any), please share!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Ghost Adventures Season 2 Premiere Sneak Preview

The OddBlog is an official Ghost Adventures blog; check back here every week for sneak previews of upcoming shows, interviews with the stars, contests, and more!

UPDATE 2020: Although The OddBlog no longer works with the Travel Channel, we understand that Ghost Adventures is set to return with a new season!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Prominent Egyptian Cuts Off Penis

A prominent, 25-year old Egyptian from the Qena province cut off his own penis to protest not being allowed to marry the woman of his choosing. After his father refused to allow him to marry a girl from a lower social caste, the unnamed man heated a knife and sliced off his own manhood. Doctors were unable to reattach the member.

Egyptian marriages are usually arranged and rarely involve love. Qena is one of the poorest provinces in Egypt, as well as one of the most conservative. It is home to the ruins of Luxor, which was once the site of Thebes, the capitol of Egypt in the New Kingdom. Many have referred to Luxor as "the world's greatest open-air museum."

© C Harris Lynn, 2009