November 22, 1987 - WTTW Chicago

The general public would be absolutely horrified to know the extent to which modern television and radio has been weaponized to manipulate them.

Some of it can be blamed on time zones, which have also been weaponized to control the flow of information.  Sometimes, signals are relayed or delayed to one specific part of the country while another sees entirely different coverage of the same event.

Such as when only part of America saw WTC7 collapse in 2001.

The footage included interrupted a Dr. Who episode on Chicago's PBS station, WTTW - Channel 11, on November 22^nd, 1987.  What appears to be a man in an ill-fitting Max Headroom mask and oversized suit addresses the audience for no discernible reason, saying nothing of apparent import.

He appears to be filming inside of a rental storage unit and to reference Michael Jackson when he places a glove on his hand.  Michael Jackson was arguably the biggest musical star in the world at the time and Max Headroom was a top-rated, dystopian sci-fi TV show in America, as well as a pop-cultural icon who sold everything from Pepsi to sneakers.  It was about the corruption, commercialization, and weaponization of the media.

The video has never been explained and whoever committed this act of piracy has never been caught or identified... publicly, anyway.

This is known as "The Max Headroom Incident."

© The Weirding, 2019

5 Cults from the 1960s and 1970s

By Nancy Wong - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44405530

America, and the Western World in general, underwent a Spiritual Revival in the late 1960s and early '70s which experts largely attribute to a drop in organized religion and rise in Agnosticism and Atheism.  The "Free Love" vibe of 1960s America gave rise to numerous cults, several of which originated in California and charmed Hollywood.

This Spiritual Revival spawned numerous, pseudo-religious cults and generated widespread interest in them, but also later did them in.  The backlash from traditional, and far more organized, religious believers was so strong that it evolved into an Evangelical Revival in the late 1970s which then metastasized (Stateside) into Televangelism the following decade. 

The original belief systems espoused by these 1960s sects owe much to Theosophy, a religious movement founded by Madame Blavatsky during America's first massive Spiritual Revival at the turn of the 20^th-Century, following the end of the Civil War.  

That American interest in Spirituality should peak following major wars with massive casualties is no coincidence -- neither is the omnipresence of Theosophy with Judaeo-Christian overtones, the militarization of the more successful cults, nor the media hype surrounding them.  While most were either fueled entirely by sex and drugs or later exposed as con games, they were harmless... some cults, however, were more sinister -- and it can be difficult to tell the two apart, even today.

Introduction to, and induction into, most cults is passive at first: Many start as open religious constructs or social movements, just like modern "political" groups, becoming progressively less communal as one rises in the ranks.  They are uniformly hierarchal, and ultra-secretive at the top.

In fact, the formulation of several, modern, American protest groups is directly patterned after the emergence of cults in the 1960s, some of which were manipulated by clandestine agencies using intelligence gathered from the first American Spiritualism Revival, refitted for the era (Feminism, Civil Rights, Irony as anti-Establishmentarianism, et. al.) for recruiting efforts.

Almost all of these cults are based on slivers of numerous religions and bits of science, with heavy Theosophical, Eastern, and Judaeo-Christian influences; most revolve around one or two central, Messianic figures (usually the founder[s]), generally thought to be somehow mystical; and larger sects uniformly exhibit paramilitary organization.  The latter tend to be "Doomsday" cults, but only as a generality.  Most were largely innocuous (all things considered), and many former members went on to live fulfilling lives in mainstream society.

Other similarities are contextual, as mentioned previously, reflecting the era in which the cults were spawned.  For example, many ironically adopted Satanic, and vaguely Nazi, emblems and dress early-on -- primarily for recruitment purposes.  Originally regarded as an act of defiance, such fashion quickly became counter-culture kitsch and rightfully recognized as a cry for attention.  Several cults also had (drug) ties to motorcycle gangs that used similar imagery, fueling the mystery surrounding them.

That is, until the Tate-LaBianca murders.  

• Anton LaVey (d. 1997) established The Church of Satan in Los Angeles in 1967.  After his The Satanic Bible sold over one million copies worldwide, LaVey appeared as The Devil in Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby (1968), and on the album covers of both The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour and The Eagles' Hotel California.  He claimed responsibility for several high-profile deaths to which he had no connection, such as that of Jayne Mansfield (a former member), which landed LaVey and his "Church" in hot water following the Tate-LaBianca Murders.  While sensational in its time, LaVey's Church of Satan languished in obscurity until the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, when it was resurrected by well-coifed talk show hosts.  LaVey had previously worked as a lion-tamer, carnival worker, and police photographer.

• The Church of Scientology was founded in 1953 by writer, L. Ron Hubbard, and survives to this day, boasting many famous members from the Hollywood community.  Hubbard's best-selling book, Dianetics, serves as the introductory foundation, but there are at least eight levels of Scientology (not including the legendary Level 9, which only Hubbard himself is said to have reached), and members spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to reach each one.  A lot of cults -- a lot, many -- were splinters of Scientology, and many cult members came from, or went on to, other cults... some of which are very questionable.  The Church of Scientology itself has increasingly come under scrutiny in the last few years for its checkered legal past and reported malfeasances, but members say they are being persecuted.

• The Process Church of the Final Judgement was established in 1966 by Mary Ann McClean and Robert DeGrimston, who met at the London branch of the L. Ron Hubbard Institute of Scientology.  The two developed their own system of auditing called "The Process," and formed Compulsions Analysis, which was later renamed.  The Process Church found some small renown in the 1960s, eventually establishing churches across the United States.  Processeans dabbled in Nazi-chic and Satanic imagery and hob-knobbed with rock stars, but after Ed Sanders' 1971 book, The Family, directly implicated The Process Church of the Final Judgement as the real "Family" in the Charles Manson case, they revamped their image and beliefs and changed their name to the Foundation Church.  But the Process Church was directly tied to the founders' relationship (and also sex and drugs), and it fell apart once that ended.  Despite its former, considerable stature, it is almost entirely forgotten today.

• Heaven's Gate was founded by two people but is said to have sprung originally from Marshall Applewhite's inability to deal with his homosexuality.  During "Class," the cult held deep, philosophical discussions on many things, culminating in a shared belief that death -- "leaving one's vehicle [body]" -- was just another step on the path to Immortality, and mass suicide was the means by which they would all make that journey together.  Following the discovery of the Hale-Bop Comet in 1995, 39 Heaven's Gate followers donned brand new Nike sneakers, ate an applesauce tincture, then climbed into their compound bunks and died, believing a spaceship in the comet's tail would carry them onto that next stage of Immortality.

• The Source Family was the most akin to The Manson Family, although it had far more Hollywood cachet and only half as many murders.  While its public facade espoused the usual Hippie notions about returning to the Earth and Nature and rejecting societal norms and mores, The Source Family was mostly about sex and drugs... and a rock n roll band fronted by their Messianic leader, Father Yod.  Father Yod's real name was Jim Baker, and Jim Baker was almost certainly CIA (although that cannot be confirmed, it cannot be denied).  Whilst The Source Family outlasted the Manson Family, it eventually imploded due to its excesses, and disbanded after Baker leapt to his death in Hawaii on a homemade hang glider.

No rundown on 1960s cults would be replete without mentioning the Manson Family, in case I haven't, whose series of grisly murders brought the hippie movement to a brutal end, along with most of the cults and communes it had inspired.  While most of them died-down or dissolved entirely after the chilling Tate-LaBianca Murders, a few cults from the 1960s and '70s straggled on -- some exist, even today!  

The cult craze swept Japan a decade earlier, thanks to Operation: Golden Lily.

* Please pardon all the formatting and clerical errors.  I've been sitting on this for over a year now.  Thanks! 

© The Weirding, 2018-2019

Ivan T. Sanderson on the Long John Nebel Show, 1956

Ivan Sanderson

Ivan T. Sanderson is best known as the man who coined the term, cryptozoology -- the study of unknown animals -- but he also founded SITU, the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained.

Here, he discusses his theory of UFOs as biological entities on the Long John Nebel Show in November of 1956.  Sanderson frequented the radio show throughout the 1960s, but this is probably his best known appearance.

Ivan T. Sanderson died in 1973, but his legacy lives on in the numerous books he penned on the paranormal and cryptozoological, as well as travel, zoology, and more.  Sanderson's SITU is still around, as well.

© The Weirding, 2019

Joe Rogan, Dave Foley, and Paul Greenberg Discuss the Unexplained

Joe Rogan's Lunch with Erich von Daniken

While you may not be a fan of Joe Rogan, or The Joe Rogan Experience, this brief clip from his podcast featuring Dave Foley and Paul Greenberg delves into many of the topics we explore here to The OddBlog.  Rogan's interest in these subjects is well-known -- he even hosted a SyFy show entitled Joe Rogan Questions Everything in which he explored them.

Rogan's healthy interest is tempered by an equally healthy skepticism, particularly toward the more outlandish.  The clip's title is perhaps misleading, as von Daniken is hardly mentioned during a wide-ranging discussion covering Bigfoot, UFOlogy, lost civilizations, and more.

The Joe Rogan Experience broadcasts live on YouTube irregularly, and features a range of guests covering a wide variety of subjects, including the Unexplained.  He and Dave Foley co-starred in the 1990's TV show, NewsRadio.

© The Weirding, 2019

Bob Zemeckis' Blue Book Lands at History

Dr. Allen Hynek

The History Channel has changed its name to History and teamed-up with A&E to bring audiences Robert Zemeckis' Blue Book series.  Set in the 1950s and '60s, it follows Dr. Allen Hynek and others involved in the USAF's highly secret Operation: Blue Book.  Blue Book, which went by other names in other incarnations, was the first big study of disinformation campaign surrounding the UFO phenomenon in America.

A speculative, scripted series based on real cases and events, Blue Book is expected to start this season.  Zemeckis is best known for movie classics such as Forrest Gump and Back to the Future.

© The Weirding, 2017

Horror Movies Include Infrasound to Scare You

Infrasound

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”- Nikola Tesla

© The Weirding, 2016

RIP Harold Ramis, aka Dr. Egon Spengler, Ghostbuster

Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters

Harold Ramis has died at age 69 due to complications related to auto-immune inflammatory vasculitis, which he had been battling for years. Although he has a list of impressive credits a mile long, I am writing an obit for him on The OddBlog because he will best be remembered as Dr. Egon Spengler from the classic comedy, Ghostbusters.

Ghostbusters is an American pop-cultural touchstone, but it's of special interest to those of us who enjoy discussing ghosts and the Supernatural. A comedy classic centered on the paranormal, one of the many reasons it is so notable is that it set the Hollywood standard for theme songs. 

While countless movie theme songs have become hits both before and after Ghostbusters, the incredible popularity of both the movie and song swept the world, making "ghostbusters" a household word. Ray Parker, Jr.'s classic pop song also introduced the phrase, "Who ya gonna call?" into the American vernacular. The movie inspired a sequel, as well as a Saturday Morning Cartoon.

Co-star, Dan Aykroyd's, father was a paranormal investigator in real life, known then as a Ghostbreaker. Peter Aykroyd's book, A History of Ghosts: The True Story of Seances, Mediums, Ghosts, and Ghostbusters, was the basis for the film. Many of the movie's themes are based on actual theories from the field of parapsychology, though obviously not meant to be taken seriously given that it's a comedy. Still, the popularity of the film made paranormal investigation somewhat more acceptable to the mainstream, and sparked a general interest in matters of the Supernatural outside of a religious context.

Ramis not only appeared in the film, he co-wrote it with co-stars Aykroyd and Rick Moranis. Aykroyd claims to have experienced the Supernatural and has even written about it.

Our condolences to Harold Ramis' friends and family.

© The Weirding, 2014

Fright-Day Nights on The Weirding @ Facebook

Still Wrong.

Okay, so I freely admit the name is a bit cheesy/cornball, but it's all in good fun. The point of this post is to let you know that we are playing Horror, Supernatural, and Paranormal --themed programming on The Weirding @ Facebook Page on Friday nights. Most of these programs are from Hulu and you can watch them on your computer (though not always on your TV or mobile devices, unfortunately). Then, at midnight, we have a Horror movie.

We've only done it once and I meant to promote here before then but got tied-up with another event and simply forgot. That page is a lot for one person to run by himself but I'm doing what I can!

So please join us and Like and comment on the programs and features you enjoy so I know what to bring you more of. Thanks!

© The Weirding, 2014

UPDATE:  Fright-Day Nights have been discontinued, and we no longer maintain the Facebook pages.  We still sometimes riff movies, and have four seasons' worth of videos for viewing, though!  Find out more on The B-Raters. - 2018

Actress Sues Amazon, IMdB

An unnamed actress "of Asian descent," who is from Texas, is suing Amazon for revealing her real age on IMdB.  According to the suit, the actress "cannot physically portray" a 40-year-old woman, yet she is missing roles because IMdB lists her real age and she has such a "youthful appearance."  I'm quoting a lot because the source and suit are so specious (and stupid).

The suit claims the actress, who is listed as Jane Doe, joined IMdB Pro in 2008, and the company listed her real age on her IMdB profile.  The company refused to remove it when asked, so the actress is suing for a cool $75,000 plus $1 million punitive.

Amazon refused to comment on the suit.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

31 Days of Horror

Yes, 31 Days of Horror movie reviews will be back this year at The Rundown. I know things got hinky last year, but that wasn't entirely my fault and I've started early this year, so I'm hoping for the best.

Anyway, that's one fresh review of a probably rotten horror movie every day in October, leading up to Halloween on The Rundown, starting October 1^st. There will be a decent mix of cult-favorite B-raters, mainstream horror fare, classics, and the like, so be sure to check it out.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Power of Christ Compels Christian Actor to Chop-Up Mom

Authorities say 31-year-old actor, Michael Brea, has been admitted into psychiatric care after neighbors heard screams emanating from his apartment. When police arrived, Brea was screaming Bible passages at the mutilated corpse of his mother. Cops say Brea stabbed her numerous times and decapitated her. They believe he held her hostage for several hours.

Neighbors reported nothing unusual about the family or actor, calling them "quiet people." Brea appeared in TV sit-coms, movies, and even a Coca-Cola commercial campaign. He also owned a restaurant and was known to participate in charity work. "My parents raised me to always share and to give charity in the name of God!"

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Halloween Horror Movie Reviews

I forgot to tell you guys: I am reviewing (well, trying to) 31 horror flicks for October over to Rated-B. Of course, I've had a few setbacks, but I can still feasibly pull this thing off, and I'm going to do my best to do exactly that, so if you dig horror flicks, please check it out.

This link is for all the Reviews on the site, but the first 31 will be the horror movies. Unless you read this months after Halloween, in which case, you're on your own! (Still working on that pesky navigation thing...)

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

'The Last Exorcism' Leads American Box Office

The Last Exorcism, produced by "torture-porn auteur," Eli Roth, topped the American Box Office this weekend, raking in far more than expected. The movie is said to have been filmed in Louisiana for about $1 million. With another $15+ million in prints and advertising, The Last Exorcism has already made back its money, with an estimated $21 million take.

Although I have not seen the movie, reviews say the first half centers on a faked possession, making the latter half of the film -- which is supposed to show a real possession -- that much harder to take. Mixed reviews have all said the same thing: The first part of the film undermines the intended horror of the latter half.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Porn Film Shot on Location at London Hospital

A 'big budget' porn film was shot on-location at a London hospital prior to 2002, according to the heads of the Primary Care Trust (PCT). Speaking to the House of Commons during a meeting involving more transparency in government accounting, Ms Mordaunt, Portsmouth North MP, said the film -- a "big budget affair" -- "generated substantial income for the hospital."

A big-budget porn film generally consists of $15, an 8-ball, and the promise of a ride home.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

The Titanic Fun Ride

A 40' Titanic bouncy castle slide into inflatable icebergs on display at a toy fair in Switzerland has been condemned by fair attendees. Perhaps strangest of all, organizers of the fair can't seem to figure out why: "The tragic Titanic accident happened years ago and those emotions have been dealt with long ago. Now people are having fun... and enjoying themselves." 

Visitors, however, disagreed, calling it "insensitive" and "sick."

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Coincidence or Fate?: It's a Small World After All

While going through childhood photographs, Donna Voutsinas came upon a photograph of herself and friends at Walt Disney World in Florida.  But, what caught her eye was a man in the immediate background pushing a stroller.  That man turned out to be her future father-in-law, pushing her future fiance!

Source: Gadling

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Catholics Sue Over "Mistreatment" of Christ Statue... in a Movie!

The Catholic Church is threatening to sue over director Roland Emmerich's treatment of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the apocalyptic flick, 2012. 

According to their lawyers, the movie was specifically denied the right to show the statue being destroyed in the movie, but deliberately did so anyway.  The lawyers claim people of "many faiths" were offended by the imagery and want Columbia Pictures to state that it did not intend to offend anyone.

Columbia Pictures says they did have permission to "destroy" the statue -- from the sculptor's estate, not the Church.  While a spokesperson said they hope to speak with the archdiocese to resolve the matter, reports say an "amicable agreement" has yet to be reached.

According to some, the Church manages the copyrights related to the statue, erected in 1931.  Because the sculptor died in 1961, whomever controls the copyright will continue to do so until 2031, when it technically enters the public domain.

A lawsuit has yet to be filed though talks have been going on since December of last year.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Is Ralphie the Big-Assed Rabbit Possessed by a Ghoul?

Ralphie's mom, Amy, was the largest rabbit in the world until her death.  Now, Ralphie is poised to take that honor -- knocking-back a whopping $20 worth of ruffage a day, and weighing as much as your average three-year old child!  But TV medium, Derek Acorah, feels Ralphie may also be channeling the spirit... of a ghoul!

Apparently, Acorah "spoke" with Ralphie recently, and concluded the oversized bunny rabbit's ghoul-channeling was the source of "spooky happenings" about the family's estate.  Ralphie's owner calls the idea "a load of old nonsense," but agrees that Ralphie, "isn't your average rabbit."

She also said that Ralphie's local celebrity pays-off when neighbors offer to help foot the feeding bill.  Some stop her at the grocery store and offer her cabbage, carrots, and apples -- the vegetables which constitute Ralphie's ghoulish, daily intake.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Another Fine Mess...

Carlos Laurel and Andre Hardy, both in their 30s, were arrested in Luzerne County, PA when they attempted to deliver 50 bags of cocaine -- yes, 50 -- to an unidentified recipient. Both were already on probation for prior drug-related arrests. Oliver Laurel also had 10 bags of marijuana -- yes, 10 -- in his waistband, along with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Laurel and Hardy were charged with the following felonies:

• Delivery of a controlled substance
• Criminal conspiracy to commit delivery of a controlled substance
• Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance
• Criminal conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance
• Criminal use of a communication facility

In addition to the following misdemeanors:

• Possession of a controlled substance
• Possession of drug paraphernalia
• Criminal conspiracy to commit possession of a controlled substance

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

The Return of the Son of Bat Boy - The Revenge, Pt. II: The Sequel

American-based tabloid, Weekly World News, has signed with CAA, which will rep the company's 30-odd (and I do mean odd) characters in movie talks. Yes, Bat Boy could very well be coming to a theater near you quite soon! Bat Boy is, by far, the most likely candidate for a movie, TV, or new media deal, as he quickly became the tabloid's poster child after his introduction.

Bat Boy's story was simple - and simply brilliant: In 1992, the puny thing was found in a cave and taken to an undisclosed location where it was studied "and some say abused" by government agents and scientists. Bat Boy escaped time and again and Weekly World News was always on the scene, no matter where it happened.

The headlines from the August 31^st, 1999 issue ¹ include:

• Scientists Discover UFO Buried in Desert
• Divers Come Face-to-Face with Their Dead Dad's Ghost
• Amazing 'Ostrich Boy' Can Swallow Anything!
  

Mind you, this was a good decade or so past Weekly World News' heyday. Within a year of this issue, WWN just stopped trying; they jumped the shark with headlines like, "Handyman Patches Hole in Ozone." A few years back, WWN stopped their print periodical, becoming an online-only magazine. Prior to this though, alien babies, Bigfoot babies, resurrecting Kings of Rock n Roll, a tiny Merman, and many more such creations featured prominently. These are now the properties rights-holders are hoping to bring to motion picture.

---
1 : Pic coming, once I get one of the scanners working. For no good reason, they work fine until unplugged, then the drivers somehow become corrupted or something. It's weird, but this is all pretty old equipment.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009