Starfish Prime, Dominic I and II: Fishbowl Films

Too few realize that the US military/political "electorate" and science-for-pay community are criminally insane -- they think they're "heroes" who are "just doing their job" through mass murder.  The Fishbowl series of nuclear explosions in outer space should change these peoples' minds, but probably won't.

In 1962, these "heroes" decided it was logical to set-off a series of atomic explosions in outer space, as well as within the Earth's atmosphere -- to, you know, find out what would happen if they did.  Probably a bit like stickin' a firecracker in a fishbowl, right?  That kind of "hold my beer Science" is bad enough but, when you're dealing with these pathological "heroes" and their G.O.D., it only ever gets worse:

Some evidence suggests that, by the time they were shooting the Fishbowl Films, the US had already established a military base on the moon.

Could it be that the Starfish Prime exercises, Dominic I and II, were designed to see what kind of atmospheric changes would take place if they repeatedly launched nuclear-powered, space-capable vehicles from the "Fishbowl" climate of Earth into outer space?

UPDATE:  Sorry the formatting for this is so wonky.  I'm trying a few things but I can't see exactly how they're going to look live until I publish them.  Thanks!

© The Weirding, 2019

May is Zombie Awareness Month

Yes, and you should be wearing your little, gray ribbon to let everyone know you are prepared (preparing?) for the coming zombie Apocalypse, according to the Zombie Research Society, which informs readers that October is not associated with zombies because zombies are flesh and blood creatures not associated with the pagan rituals of Samhain or All Hallows' Eve. Also, many zombie movies were set in the month of May, including the granddaddy of them all, George Romero's Night of the Living Dead.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Woman Auctions Off Souls

A New Zealand woman auctioned off vials said to contain the souls of two dead people for just under $2000 earlier this month. Avie Woodbury of Christchurch said the spirits were captured during an exorcism at her home and the vials dipped in holy water, which "dulls" them. One is thought to be the soul of a man who lived in the house in the 1920s, while the other is that of a "disruptive girl" who was called forth during a Ouija board session.

The auction drew over 200,000 page views. Woodbury said the proceeds would pay the exorcist's fee and the remainder donated to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Coincidence or Fate?: In Threes

A Jersey Central train hurtled inexplicably into Newark Bay in 1958 through an open drawbridge after the conductor breezed through three warning lights, killing 48.  One of the images captured showed the rear coach being lifted from the bay.  The number, 932, was clearly visible on this front-page picture.  That day, 932 was the number chosen by thousands throughout New York in the numbers game.  And 932 was the winning number.

This one apparently ran in the Scientific American in 1972.  Of course, we know the mob ran the numbers game in New York at that time, so it is possible that they noticed a run in the numbers and paid-out as a nostalgic sort of tribute to their community -- John Gotti threw a lavish 4^th of July party every year which included a vibrant, though illegal, fireworks display.

I don't claim to know how that works, so I'm just putting this out there.  The conductor may have suffered a heart attack, seizure, stroke, or the like.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Twin Cities Pagan Pride 2009

This weekend, Minnesota pagans are gathered at a community center in Minneapolis to share their knowledge and celebrate their religious beliefs and freedoms. The Twin Cities Pagan Pride 2009 weekend was kicked-off with an unspecified opening ritual and continues through tomorrow with workshops on charms and spells, panels and discussions on paganism throughout the world, activities for the children, and more.

The event is thrown annually by the Twin Cities chapter of the Pagan Pride Project, a larger network dedicated to supporting pagans the world over. If you, or anyone you know, attended the event this weekend, or have attended a similar event in the past, we'd love to hear more about it. Just drop us a line in the comments!

© 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

World Nude Day

I got an early jump on things, so to speak (I sleep nekkid). February 6^th is "World Nude Day" and their site is filled with pics of people taking the opportunity to shed their clothes - though, not so much to shed some pounds. I strongly suggest you brace yourself before clicking on the link; "these are not models," as one Gatherer put it.

To celebrate, all you need do is get naked, do something funny (that may be redundant for many of us), and have someone film you. You guys are on your own with this one.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Times Square Kiss-Off

Organizers held a pre-New Year's Eve kissing seminar in Times Square the other day. Advertised on craiglist and elsewhere, the seminar matched-up 50 couples from the participants who showed up. They passed out lip gloss while an emcee offered kissing tips. Judges then scored the couples on their performance.

The idea came from the long-held superstition about kissing on New Year's Eve, a time surrounded with superstitions based on luck for the new year; kissing someone on New Year's Day, right after the countdown, is said to bring you good luck the year-round. Organizers suggested couples abstain from kissing until the big day, to make it more special.

Many of the participants had never met one another before and some even exchanged information with plans to date!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Ghost Adventures Return to Wilder

Zak Bagans and the Ghost Adventures cast and crew will return to Wilder, OH and the Bobby Mackey's Music World January 20-22^nd - and they want you to join them!

Ghost Adventures' frontman, Zak Bagans, will give a symposium, followed by a private Bobby Mackey concert, and then an investigation of the bar (for the second time) with those in attendance (at 3am). Tickets are $259.00.

Bagans called Bob Mackey's Music World, "...one of the most haunted places I've ever been to in my life." Tickets can be purchased online.

The OddBlog brought you a sneak-peek of the premiere episode of Ghost Adventures, which was the investigation of Bob Mackey's Music World. Zak was scratched across the back during the investigation.

The OddBlog is an official Ghost Adventures blog and brings you inside information, sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, and more every week. Ghost Adventures' season finale is coming December 5^th, followed by another live chat event.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Water to Wine

Every year, the Italian town of Marino interrupts the water supply to flow wine through to the statues at the center of their Grape Festival. But due to a technical error this year, wine flowed from taps in peoples' homes for a full three minutes!

Many thought it was a gift from the town council, but it was simply an error that was quickly corrected. 10-12 homes experienced the "gift," along with the main local bar. The Grape Festival is held annually on the first Sunday in October to celebrate Admiral Marcantonio Colonna's return home following his victory over the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Olympics Singer Lip-Synched

According to reports, the little girl who sang at the 2008 Olympic opening ceremony in China was lip-synching.  Apparently, the girl who provided the actual vocal tracks that were used was not as "flawless" as 9-year old Lin Miaoke and organizers believed using her as the face of the music was 'in the best interests of the country.'

News of this charade came to light that a fireworks display was faked.  An official for the games admitted that, due to poor visibility, previously-recorded footage was used.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

10 Stricken by Lightning

At least 10 people were stricken by lightning at an outdoors sporting event Sunday afternoon in Dorchester. Four are in critical condition.

The people had taken shelter under a large tree during a thunderstorm. Lightning struck the tree before bouncing to strike the men, eight of whom were rendered unconscious by the blast. All were transported to area hospitals, suffering burns and heart problems.

The men had been playing soccer when the thunderstorm arose. Some victims were injured by falling branches. The men's ages ranged from 13-41.

You should remember never to take coverage beneath trees in a thunderstorm; they used to tell us that in grade school.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

No Dog Meat for Olympics

China has banned dog meat from appearing on the menus of any restaurant deemed "official" for the 2008 Olympics, to avoid offending foreign visitors.

Known as "fragrant meat" in China, dog is often eaten for medicinal purposes. But restaurants that have been honored as "official" have been told they must offer alternatives to the delicacy for any customers ordering it during the course of the event. Failure to do so will result in the restaurant's being blacklisted. Further, surrounding, "non-official" restaurants and eateries have been encouraged to follow suit.

This is just one of many changes China has instituted to avoid visitors being offended or "amused" by local customs. Residents have also been told to line-up as Westerners do, smile, and not spit in the streets.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

The New World

On May 14^th, 1607, English settlers arrived in the Chesapeake and founded Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the New World.

Facing many challenges, the settlers suffered greatly in those years. Poor leadership, fouled relations with the Powhatan Confederacy, a harsh climate, and the travails of establishing a self-sufficient colony conspired against them. When additional colonists and supplies arrived in 1610, only 60 of the original 214 colonists were still alive.

Previously, two colonies had been established. In 1585, the first colony of Roanoke was founded and the survivors were rescued by Sir Francis Drake. Two years later, the second Roanoke colony was established. In 1590, no trace of the 90 colonists was found. A single word had been ominously carved into a nearby tree. It said "CROATAN."

No one knows what became of the colony or colonists, nor what the word, Croatan, means.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Mr. Roboto Conducts Symphony

If you haven't seen this, you really have to! Click on through to see the video of this little robot conducting an American symphony.

Honestly, I was skeptical of it at first because the little guy is so lifelike! He hunches over and shuffles on his tiptoes to the front of the orchestra, then waves at the musicians. His movements are deliberate, but so fluid as to be bizarrely natural.

I don't really know what practical application this exercise has, so I'm assuming it was simply for fun. I mean, I guess an orchestra needs a conductor, but are they really in such high demand that a manufacturing line is necessary?

A line of robotic cops - now that's something to think about!

© 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

Heart of Rome Unearthed - The Lupercal

Some are saying they may have found the heart of Rome -- literally.

An integral part of Roman mythology, the Lupercal is where the she-wolf is said to have suckled the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, after they were found on the banks of the River Tiber. The cave was uncovered by workers near the ruins of Emperor Augustus' palace on the Palatine hill.

The 26'-high cave is decorated with shells, mosaics, and marble. In Roman times, young nobles called Luperci participated in a popular fertility festival called the Lupercalia every February 15^th. Naked but for the skins of goats sacrificed that day, the young men would run around Palatine hill, striking women's hands with strips of the goatskin.

The Italian Culture Minister, Francesco Rutelli said archaeologists were "reasonably certain" the cave is, indeed, the Lupercal. Lupa is Roman for "wolf."

The cave was found about 15' underground, and has only been explored by technological means due to fears of collapse. After a near $20 million restoration, parts of the famous Hill will re-open to the public in February. I do not know if it will coincide with the famous festival, nor what fanfare will accompany the event.

Live Earth - Hypocritical?

So I gave my thoughts on the Live Earth events and coverage over to The Rundown. I talked about it both while I was watching it and then after it was over, and my outlook was basically the same. I really hoped it was going to change, but it didn’t; I was rather disappointed by the lackluster coverage all the channels provided. But I digress.

A lot of critics have busied themselves pointing out how these popular musicians are such polluters, what with their tour buses and private jets, not to mention the lights and fireworks and excesses they promote during their concerts. One critic said that for it to be have been a truly “green” event, the musicians should have played all acoustic sets in local venues near their homes.

Well, yeah, I can agree with that. But how would that have really raised awareness?

Where I live, I was literally the only one in the entire neighborhood who watched the event or even knew it was on! In fact, I’m one of the few who has cable TV and without it, all you can pick up is the local ABC affiliate. They didn’t mention anything about it on the radio, there was nothing about it in the local newspapers, and the NBC coverage was not promoted to any great extent that I noticed. From my street-level, "grassroots" perspective, this thing occurred on all seven continents, in like ten countries or cities or whatever, and it still wasn’t all that effective. In fact, unless you have cable TV and/or are interested in "being green," I doubt you were even aware that history was being made. And history was made; Live Earth was the biggest, most successful, global event in history. So while being a purist might have been less hypocritical, it certainly wouldn’t have been more successful.

While it is a decent point, it isn’t very valid because what coverage they did provide - whether you thought it good, bad, or mediocre - absolutely did raise awareness as to the issues surrounding the movement. The spots they showed during the coverage, the short films Sundance showed constantly, and the literature you can find online absolutely educated at least a few people as to some of the simpler ways they can make the world a slightly better place without enacting any major lifestyle change.

So, while hairy-legged hippie chicks might think it a failure on purist grounds, hairy-legged hippie chicks are kinda nuts anyway. I also find it completely hypocritical that all these hippies have been bitching about this for years now and suddenly, when change is being made, they want to act all snobby, like, "We don’t want any Johnny-come-latelies." That’s the problem with those kind of people - you just can’t win with them.

© C Harris Lynn, 2007-2008