We'll Be Right Back

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Moko No Let Go

Moko, a lone dolphin, took up residence at Mahia Beach two years ago and has become quite the tourist attraction. Moko even made international news recently, when he guided a confused whale and her pup back to the sea. Many tourists and residents like to swim and play with Moko, but one woman nearly drowned when Moko wouldn't let her quit and go home!

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she went swimming alone, later than one should (and admitted it was "probably... not the wisest thing to do"), and enjoyed playing with Moko for a while. However, when she began to head for the beach, Moko was not done playing! Patrons of a cafe nearby finally heard her screams and rescued her from the buoy she'd been hugging. She said Moko meant no harm.

Scientists, however, are worried about the three-year old bottlenose dolphin (nature's rapist), as he has been scarred by boats and fishing hooks. They note that, of the 30 "lone" dolphins catalogued worldwide, almost half have been killed due to their interaction with humans.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Off-Duty Policeman Captures Big Cat on Video

Helensburgh ABC, 2009

An off-duty Ministry of Defense (MoD) policeman was helping a friend in his garden when he spotted what he thought was a very large Labrador.  Being a police dog handler by trade, he quickly dismissed the Labrador theory, as the large, black animal moved like a cat.  Intrigued, PC Chris Swallow grabbed his video camera and captured just over one minute of footage, as well as a single still image, which appears to show an extremely large cat nosing around the train tracks in Helensburgh, Argyll (outside of Glasgow, Scotland).

PC Swallow told reporters he had heard reports of big cats roaming the countryside but never believed them -- until now. "We were stunned. It was remarkable," he told reporters. The sighting occurred on June 30^th, 2009.

Looking back at the video I don't think there's any doubt that it's a big cat. - PC Chris Swallow [Source: BBC]

Big Cats have been reported throughout the United Kingdom for decades now.  In fact, a Big Cat has been reported in the very area in which PC Swallow took the video.  First sighted in 2004, the "Coulport Cat" is said to roam the area around Loch Long.  The Coulport Cat is said to be tan, but a black Big Cat has also been spotted close-by, leading many to theorize there is a panther on the loose.

The theory is not at all far-fetched; Big Cats are almost always black, and the general consensus amongst cryptozoologists is that these Big Cats are actually panthers.  According to the Big Cats of Britain group, there is at least one sighting of a Big Cat in the British Isles every day, almost invariably black.  They are thought maybe to have escaped from a private zoo or collection, but the number and frequency of the reports throughout the years suggest a family of pumas or panthers at-large.

The Beast of Exmoor is probably the most famous Big Cat in Britain.  First reported in the 1970s, The Beast of Exmoor became world news when a picture of the creature was taken in 1983.  Interestingly, The Beast of Exmoor was also said to be either black or tan, with a handful of reports indicating two Big Cats -- one of each color.  Panthers can be either black or tawny, and the term "Panther" is sometimes used to describe many large cats, which further clouds the issue.

While the Big Cats of the UK are by far the most popular, Big Cats have been spotted all over the world in areas and climates in which experts refuse to believe they could survive.  Most recently, there have been reports of two lions in the American state of Georgia.

Britain's Big Cats are sometimes termed "ABC," or Alien Big Cats.  While the term is tongue-in-cheek, large cats were once thought to be alien to the UK.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

African Leader Denies Cannibalism

Charles Taylor, the first African leader to ever be tried by an international court, denies allegations of cannibalism. Taylor faces 11 counts of war crimes - including such heinous acts as hacking off victims' limbs and conscripting child soldiers - and several of the soldiers who worked for him have given testimony concerning cannibalism.

One soldier said he ate human flesh with Charles Taylor during the meeting of a secret society, named Poro. Several of his men told the court he had ordered them to eat the flesh of their victims. This was a common practice amongst many barbaric tribes eons ago, which still exists in parts of the DR Congo, New Zealand, and elsewhere today.

Taylor said the allegations were "Total nonsense." He also told reporters, "It is sickening. You must be sick to believe it. It makes you feel like throwing up!" However, he confirmed that there are cannibals in the Sierra Leone area.

Charles Taylor denies all of the charges he is facing.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Again with the Technical

I told you all a few weeks back that The Weirding might be down for a few days while the domain is switched to the new registrar. Well, just as before, I am having mega-problems with the current registrar.

Along with the move, the 30-hour power outage, and the fact that the storm blew-up my Vista computer, things have been rather a mess as late. I am going to try to set things right this weekend, as best I can, but you'll have to bear with me.

First things first, I want this domain transferred. You might not be able to get on the site (including this blog) until it's all done. Just check back Monday, if that's the case.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

The Silent City

Alaska's Silent City was said to be an incredibly realistic mirage of a cityscape visible over Muir Glacier between June 21^st and July 10^th of each year. So many eyewitness accounts had been recorded - often from Indians and prospectors - that, by the turn of the 20^th Century, the story of the Silent City was well known and widely accepted, though no one could account for its detail and clarity, nor why so many had seen the same mirage. The most prominent explanation was that it was a reflection of a town in either Russia or Bristol, England. Both towns were at least 2500 miles from the location at which most eyewitnesses claimed to have encountered the bizarre phenomenon. Skeptics claimed that was flatly impossible.

In 1897, the duke of Abruzzi led an expedition in search of the fabled mirage. According to reports from members of that expedition, the party met with spectacular success. "We could plainly see houses, well-defined streets, and trees. Here and there rose tall spires over huge buildings which appeared to be ancient mosques or cathedrals.
- L.B. French, The New York Times

The picture above was one a prospector claimed to have taken sometime between 1885 and 1888. It was widely circulated and became the image most associated with the phenomenon. But the picture is a hoax. The San Francisco Examiner sent a reporter to track down the mirage, but the reporter did not find the Silent City, he found that the prospector had actually bought the photograph from a British tourist some years earlier. He was passing the cloudy picture of Bristol, England off to people who took his tour - a tour to see the Silent City!

Even though the photograph has been debunked, belief in the Silent City remained stalwart throughout the early 20^th Century. Sightings have not been made in over a century.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Ghost Adventures @ the Moonlight Brewery - Sneak!

This week the Ghost Adventures crew is locking down at the Moon River Brewing Company in Savannah, arguably one of the most haunted cities in the country.  Catch the episode premiere Friday at 9 PM E/P on the Travel Channel.  Below are episode details and a preview video I wanted to share with you.

The Moon River Brewery Company occupies the building where the first hotel in Savannah, Georgia, once stood.  The City Hotel was an upscale establishment, however the affluent clientele occasionally resorted to violence to defend their Southern honor.  Since the Moon River Brewery opening, staff and customers have encountered many unexplained, and sometimes violent, occurrences.  Accounts include bottles being thrown by unseen forces and people being touched, pushed, and slapped by invisible spirits.

One prominent ghostly figure is "Toby," who lurks in the bar's billiard room where he has been known to push patrons and staff.  A glowing white apparition has also been reported on the restaurant's upper floors and is believed to be the spirit of a hotel worker who died there in the late 1800s.

Check out the sneak peek of tonight's Ghost Adventures episode and check back with us every week for a sneak preview of the show before it airs!  The OddBlog is an official Ghost Adventures blog and has inside information and links to great extras, as well!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

30-Hour Power Outage

Sorry. The power went out at around 4:30p Wednesday afternoon and didn't come back on until 9:30-10:00p last night!  The phone was also out, but it turns out that's because the storm killed my Vista box!!!  Luckily, I have this trusty Win 98 back-up.  I can't afford to have the Vista computer repaired right now; it would take every dime I have.  Maybe I can have someone look at it in a few weeks.  In the meantime, I'll make-do with this superior piece of machinery.

Anyway, I didn't get your Ghost Adventures preview posted yesterday, but it's a few hours before the show, so I'll get it to you in a few.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

UPDATE:  May have been some sort of glitch. - 2018

Saudi Family Sues Genie

A Saudi family has taken a genie to court, citing theft and harassment over the last two years.  Some say this case is being taken more seriously because every person in the family alleges the genie's existence and testifies to the theft and harassment.  A local charity has moved the family to a temporary residence while an investigation is conducted.

The family says they were first made aware of the djinn's existence two years ago, when they began hearing strange noises.  While they dismissed them at first, the events became more boisterous and impossible to overlook.  The family alleges threatening voicemails, theft of their cellphones, even assaults by rocks!

Many Saudis believe jinns, djinn, or genie exist and are even capable of daemonic possession.  The belief is prevalent in the Islamic religion, as the creatures are even mentioned in the Quran.  Djinn are Elementals.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Messages from Dead Lead to Clairvoyant's Arrest

A self-proclaimed sorceress from Nizza Monferraro, Italy has been arrested for defrauding a young seamstress of nearly $35,000 through her cellphone. The young woman was seeking her father's advice and his approval of her upcoming marriage. Unfortunately, her dad was a little dead. So she consulted the Sorceress of Nizza Monferraro, who sent her text messages and claimed they were from her father.

When the young woman confided in a friend as to the amount of money it was costing her to hear her dead father's advice, her friend told her 2 TXT 911.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Ghost Adventures at Eastern State Penitentiary - Sneak Extended View!

The Beastie Boys The Ghost Adventures crew is going on a true "lockdown" this week as they investigate the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, one of the oldest standing prisons in the country. I wanted to provide you some location details and an extended video preview of this all new episode, premiering Friday at 9 PM E/P on the Travel Channel.

The Eastern State Penitentiary, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is considered one of the most haunted locations in the world. The prison first opened its doors in 1829 and was designed to hold 253 prisoners, each occupying a solitary confinement cell for their entire sentence. Although executions were not carried out at Eastern State, the prison was home to its fair share of murders. At least two guards were murdered over the years, as were many inmates. Hundreds of others died from disease and old age. The inmates are long gone but there is strong evidence that their angry spirits continue to roam the cell blocks and corridors.

Also check out these behind-the-scenes photos from previous episodes!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Death by Chocolate

A 29-year old factory worker has died after falling into a vat of melting chocolate. According to spokespersons, the man died instantly after he slipped into the 8' vat and was hit in the head by one of the mixing paddles. Co-workers tried desperately to turn off the mixer, but were too late. Vincent Smith, Jr. was a temporary worker at the chocolate factory in Camden, New Jersey.

Three of the men were standing on raised platforms, feeding the vat with chunks of chocolate which was being melted for shipping out to other companies, who use the melted chocolate in their recipes. Smith somehow lost his balance and fell into the vat. A co-worker tried to save him, but could not. He was pictured, covered in chocolate, standing outside the factory while waiting for emergency rescuers to arrive, obviously disturbed by the accident.

Investigators are looking into the accident but do not suspect foul play.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Technical Notes

I have switched registrars and have been having some issues getting it to go through. I will be working on it today and that may keep me from posting anything new for a day or two. But the real reason I'm writing is in case things get wonky and the site can't be reached.

If The Weirding is down for any amount of time, please be patient and we'll be right back. Like I say, this shouldn't happen, but you know how things go; just in case it does, I can always be found at The Rundown. I'll address any technical issues there, so you can keep-up with it all until we get back on our feet.

Again, I did everything right and in plenty of time, so there really shouldn't be any problems; this is just to give you advance warning - a "better safe than sorry" scenario.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Turkish Game Show Seeks to Save Souls from Eternal Damnation, Draw Laughs

Stop me if you've heard this one: a Christian priest, a Muslim imam, a rabbi, and a Buddhist monk enter a room full of 10 atheists... It's not a joke, it's Penitents Compete, a new game show out of Istanbul in which the men of the cloth try to convert atheists into believers. Winners get to take a pilgrimage to a location based on their newfound faith (the Vatican for Christians, Tibet for Buddhists, etc.).

Of course, some religious leaders/spokespeople have a bit of a problem with this light-hearted chucklefest. While some say it cheapens religion, faith, and belief in God, producers argue otherwise.

We are giving the biggest prize in the world: the gift of belief in God. God is great and it doesn't matter which religion you believe in. The important thing is to believe,

Before the atheist can enter the program, he must be evaluated by a panel of theologians who will attempt to ferret-out the real non-believers from those just looking for a free trip. The show highlights recent socio-political matters in the area, as religion has taken a more prominent role in politics there with detractors of the ruling party insisting it has "a hidden Islamist [sic?] agenda." The ruling party denies this.

Penitents Compete starts lighting-up the charts this September. Meanwhile, future fans are encouraged to play the game at home, stones and glass houses not provided.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Ghost Adventures at Bird Cage Theater - Sneak Peek!

This week the Ghost Adventures Crew is heading to Tombstone, AZ for an investigation of the Bird Cage Theater, one of the most haunted buildings in the wild west.  Tune in for the episode premiere and see what evidence the team discovers this Friday at 9 PM E/P on the Travel Channel.

The New York Times once called the former gambling hall, saloon, and brothel, "the roughest, bawdiest, and most wicked night spot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast."  The walls of the Bird Cage Theater are riddled with over 140 bullet holes and at least 26 people lost their lives here in gun or knife fights.  Visitors and employees of the Bird Cage Theater have reported seeing the spirits of former prostitutes and men in cowboy hats.  Some claim to have been touched and pushed by unseen forces.

Click the link above to see a preview of Friday night's episode!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009