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

In Defense of Newtonian Dynamics (MOND)

Whirlpool Galaxy M51

MOND, or Modified Newtonian Dynamics, is usually short-handed as an alternative theory to Dark Energy and Dark Matter (FLRW, or Concordance, Model).  While the latter is generally accepted as fact, and even taught in schools, few realize that there is absolutely no evidence that Dark Matter or Dark Energy exist!  The entire "proof" of those concepts lay in theoretical mathematical equations, and nowhere else.

The FLRW Model depends (more or less) on the argument that one cannot prove a negative -- that is, we cannot prove that Dark Energy and Dark Matter do not exist, so they could exist.  Accepting that much, if you then accept a lot of other supporting, yet also unproven, theories, the Concordance Model might be correct.

The primary motive behind this is to support the "Multiverse Theory," which is largely a hobbled-together hypothesis based on Schroedinger's Cat and Uncanny X-Men comics, stating (loosely) that there is an infinite number of universes in which all possibilities occur.  There are other reasons for the theories of Dark Energy and Matter, but the Multiverse Theory is what kicked it off and gave it traction.  Again, there is no way to disprove this, but there is absolutely no proof of it, either!

It's Faith-based Science on a universal scale.

We can see in large scale structures, such as forming galaxies and their collapse, the same patterns we see in cell formation, and the collapse and formation of cellular networks.  As numerous "spirituality"-based memes suggest, this is no coincidence -- and, in that at least (more usually, at most), they're correct.

The similarities do not end there; we have innumerable cases to which we can point in which small scale structures reflect large scale structures in both form and formation, and often degradation.  This appears to suggest that matter follows the same patterns during formation and dissolution, regardless of the structure's scale, and possibly regardless of atmospheric constraints -- such as a lack of oxygen, gravitational fields, et. al.

It is because of this, but not this alone, that I discount the FLRW Model in favor of MOND.

I am not suggesting that Dark Energy and Dark Matter conclusively do not exist, as a rule, nor even that a multiverse is impossible; I am saying their existence has yet to be proven, so we cannot take their existence on faith.  In fact, I willingly concede that "empty," or "Dark," space likely has some measurable weight, even if only at a sub-atomic level.  This makes perfect sense, as we also know factually that many particles are too small to be seen with the naked eye or even powerful devices, and these should then both occupy space and have measurable weight (if not mass) -- but the leap in logic from that concession to the Concordance Model is pure fantasy.

The processes we have observed appear to closely follow Newtonian Principles, with some forgiveness for atmospheric conditions, including the weight of "empty" space, so this is a more provable -- and more viable -- theory than the FLRW Model.  In fact, you have to accept a byzantine structure of auxiliary theories to even make the mathematical gymnastics of the FLRW Model work!

Until there is a functional way to literally prove the existence of Dark Energy and Dark Matter and/or the existence of a multiverse, it's detrimental to teach it to children, and it's astounding that it has found such wide acceptance in the scientific community -- especially in such a short time.

This is a case-in-point as to why so many question the "Religion of Science" -- and a damn good one, IMO!

As I favor the theory of Mu/Pangaea over the more accepted, but also thoroughly lacking, theories concerning disappearing isthmuses, I favor MOND over FLRW.  Just because you cannot prove a negative does not mean any fantastic theory need be entertained, especially at the scientific level.  And, since the Concordance Model fails to meet the Scientific Method, it should never have been accepted as anything more than the less preferred theory -- particularly when compared to Modified Newtonian Dynamics.

© The Weirding, 2018

Watch Worlds in Collision: Immanuel Velikovsky Streaming Free

Velikovsky's Worlds in Collision

Immanuel Velikovsky is largely unknown today, though he rose to fame in the '60s and '70s for his 1950 work, Worlds in Collision.  A resurgence of casual interest in comparative mythology and Catastrophist theory in the 1970s was somewhat derisively termed Velikovskyism (it has also been applied to theories that attempt to rectify ancient tales and legends with scientific evidence).

The popularity of the questions he raised prompted inquiries by major scientific organizations, and became such a spectacle that it was its own scientific event, examined in "The Velikovsky Affair." Velikovsky's work and theories were vociferously mocked throughout the established scientific community well into the mid-1980s, but supporters still exist despite his "debunking."

Immanuel Velikovsky died in 1979, but the theories he proposed so captured the interest of both the public and the scientific community, that they continue to be debated.  Worlds in Collision remains a hot topic in some discussions.

Many of Immanuel Velikovsky's unpublished works are also available online.

© The Weirding, 2016

Watch Chariots of the Gods Streaming Free

Chariots of the Gods

Erich von Daniken is largely credited for the ancient astronauts theory. He made his rather rambling, but not entirely meritless, case in a series of three books. Chariots of the Gods was the first, and most successful, of von Daniken's series.

The book was made into a film and, although successful, it varies somewhat from the book and fails to convincingly present a cogent case. It is thought-provoking (though dated), and worth a watch for those interested in the ancient astronauts theory.

Erich von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods movie was released in 1970.

© The Weirding, 2016

The Technological Possibilities of Ghosts

Have you ever wondered if ghosts are just imagery, in the same sense that you see film cells when the projector starts skipping or is slowed down, or the way the monitor flickers when it's going out?

This is not an original thought; I'd actually been thinking about something similar (because I was having monitor issues) when I saw a meme in a ghost-hunting group positing much the same question, and I returned to the idea of veridical imagery -- the concept that some things are somehow "recorded" in time, and set to playback on certain anniversaries, whenever triggered by events, emotions, memories, or something else in this reality (or at random).

It may suggest multiple realities or dimensions but, if true, we could be reflections of veridical imagery ourselves -- even as we're alive!  Perhaps something that happened in our past lives was emotional or spiritual enough in nature to have made it off the cutting-room floor and is playing in perpetuity even as we discuss it?

This could explain all manner of things, from Green Children to The Lost City of Alaska, and could be electromagnetic in nature (but it certainly doesn't have to be).  There have been, and will continue to be, things that simply escape our knowledge and ability to comprehend.  This could be one of those things -- but, with the advancement of technology clipping along at such a pace, knowing more about these things might be just around the corner.

© The Weirding, 2014-2015

Nearly Half of Americans Believe in Ghosts

According to a poll conducted by HuffPost/YouGov in 2012, 45% of Americans believe in ghosts.  A 2009 poll conducted by CBS showed roughly the same results, as well as that 78% of those polled believed in some form of life after death.  

In the HuffPost/YouGov poll, 1000 people were questioned, with 64% saying they believed in life after death.  Nearly 60% said they had never experienced a ghostly encounter, and 43% said they do not believe ghosts can harm the living.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

No Flame, No Wick Effect

When investigators examined the charred remains of 52-year old Allen Small, they found the carpet beneath him had been scorched, but there was no sign of fire anywhere else in the small Deer Isle, Maine home.  In fact, the stove lids were all secured, and Small's unlit pipe set on an intact shelf a few yards away from his burned body. 

To this day, the 1949 case of "spontaneous human combustion" has yet to be fully explained.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Darwin's Theory of Evolution Turns 150

Today marks the 150^th anniversary of the first publication of Charles Darwin's seminal theory of evolution in On the Origin of Species. First published in 1859, the theory was actually not all that "new" - Darwin had been working on it for years and another thinker was publishing very similar papers elsewhere in the world - but the book and its theory became one of the most controversial of all time, and remains so to this day.

Evangelical actor-turned... well, evangelist, Kirk Cameron, released a bizarre video on his website in which he calls Darwin a misogynist and links him to Hitler! Today, a video of Cameron being confronted by UCLA students surfaced on TMZ in which the actor-turned-evangelist stumbles all over his "theories." Cameron is releasing some version of The Origin of Species in which he presents counter-theory throughout.

Christie's auctioned-off a rare first-printing of Darwin's On the Origin of Species which was found on a family's bathroom shelf in Oxford. I do not know if the book has been sold yet, but it is expected to fetch upward of $100,000. About 1250 copies were in the first-print run.

Celebrations across the world have commemorated Darwin's 200^th birthday this year. Many separate "Darwinism" from "Evolution," but zealous Christians do not.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Does Cain Still Walk the Earth?

Now, this one is a bit far-out and I freely admit that. However, I also posit that this is only a theory and not even a completely serious one, at that. Serious to the point that it's a possibility, but not to the point that I am convinced it explains or "solves" anything. I am just putting this out there because it has occurred to me often enough that I wanted to share it and also because I'd love to hear what anyone else has to say about it:

When discussing the Devil's Footprints phenomena, I had mistakenly thought there were only a couple (maybe three) recorded instances. I knew of the Jersey Devil and the night in England some years prior. However, research has turned-up at least one other, credible report and several other accounts. While some of the others are not exactly in keeping with the general theme of the story, they are still close enough that they are included in the Devil's Footprints lore; we are going to except those for this immediate discussion, though we will include them in future posts for completeness.

We are not excluding them because they present information which could prove contrary to what I am about to suggest, but more specifically because, as I noted, they contain information which lay outside the other, accepted and very credible, reports. Not to mention the fact that I am not too impressed with some of them and question their veracity.

In Genesis, Cain rose up and slew his brother, Abel. While this is after the Original Sin, it is before God sent down the Ten Commandments and much has been discussed of this story. In particular is the discussion of why God chose to punish Cain as He did.

In Genesis 4, verse 10-@14, God sentenced Cain to walk the Earth forever, then clearly marked him so none would kill him.

Again, no one really knows why God did this, though theories abound (my favorite -- and one I was not aware existed outside my own, twisted mind until recently -- is that God felt He shared some of the blame, as Cain could not have known that smiting his brother would lead to his death: According to the Bible, no one had died before this), but it has been alluded to time and again in legend, literature, and lore regarding immortal Evil, such as vampirism.

In the cases of the Devil's Footprints, the reports say that while a few people witnessed something, all witnesses saw tracks resembling a single, horseshoed hoofprint in straight lines.

Yes, it may be "outrageous," but hear me out: what if Cain did exist? What if Cain cannot die, as said in the Bible, but could be injured? What if Cain lost one leg somewhere throughout the last, oh, 5000+ years or so? Living the way he must have to, he wouldn't bother learning to sew or cobble, but he may have hammered a horseshoe onto his feet (now foot, just the one) -- it eliminates the need for footwear and is suitable for all climates.

But, let us go further and separate the Biblical from the idea: 

What if there is a unique creature -- meaning to say, the only one of its kind -- that is simply immortal? It can lose limbs, but can neither die nor reproduce. Would it be intelligent enough to shoe its own extremity or even see the need for it? Is it completely unreasonable to think that, at some point, someone could have captured or imprisoned the beast and shoed it? Maybe in hopes of enslaving it as a beast of burden or a paid attraction. Maybe it actually lost its leg during this theoretical capture?

Granted, this may seem like a "silly" theory or discussion, but things like this are part of what interest me in the paranormal: It makes you think about stuff, no matter how "silly" it all seems. And, there's no way to outright dismiss such a general concept, as the entire phenomena remains Unexplained.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Baby Boy's Shooting Blanks!

Recent research has led scientists to theorize that problems involving male genitalia, such as decreased sperm count and testicular cancer, are determined by factors in the womb during the 8-12 week stage.

Research performed at the University of Edinburgh suggest that low levels of male hormones, or androgens, during this critical period of development may lead to a host of health issues, including cryptorchidism (testes not descending properly), hypospadias (urinary tract opening in the wrong place on the penis), and disorders that only become apparent later in life.

Further, the distance between the penis and anus (the anogenital measurement) may give doctors an indication as to what the hormone levels were in the womb, even later in life. The shorter the distance, the less confident doctors can be that the right hormones were present, and/or that they acted properly.

In other words, it's all women's fault!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Machines Will Have AI by 2029

One researcher has predicted that machines will have human-level intelligence by 2029.

Ray Kurzweil, an American Inventor, suggests that the dark future of Cyberpunk is upon us. By 2029, not only will computers and machines have achieved human-level intelligence, they will be routinely implanted into humans to improve our skills sets, intelligence, and more, as well as "automatically go into full emergent virtual reality environments through the nervous system."

In the Cyberpunk tabletop role-playing game, fully-supported by The Weirding, based on sci-fi literature and films, this type of technology is commonplace. Nanotechnology and virtual reality simulation is a routine, and integral, part of everyday life. This is not a plug; I bring this up because I am intimately familiar with the concepts as put-forth in the literature and games of the Cyberpunk genre, so I have some small insight into this topic.

Within the genre, most characters are neurally-enhanced by cybernetics, which allow them to "login" (called "jacking-in") to everyday appliances in order to symbiotically enhance their use. For example, soldiers jack-in to their weapons, making them "smart guns," which improve their accuracy. In this example, the soldier's aim is improved tremendously because his nervous system is cybernetically boosted; instead of having to concentrate on aiming, he simply points his weapon in the general direction of what he is trying to hit and the machines within his body send a signal to his hand to pull the trigger when the target is in the weapon's sights.

Also featured in the game are "chipsets," which basically grant the characters skills without them having to study. If a character wants to "learn" martial arts, he simply buys a martial arts chip, which implants the knowledge into his brain and body. While this was developed straight from the Neuromancer novel and series (on which The Matrix movie was based), advancements in computers have since changed the idea somewhat.

In the game, written in the 1980s, these chipsets function as independent floppy-disks on which this information is stored; when the chip is removed, the character loses the abilities associated with the chip. The Matrix movie suggested a method far more likely to come to bear: one where the information is downloaded into/onto the brain. Both require cybernetic implants connected directly to the central nervous system.

Kurzweil was one of 18 "geniuses" chosen by the US National Academy of Engineering to outline the technological challenges facing humanity in the 21^st-Century.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Was Moses ON DOPE!?

An Israeli professor of cognitive psychology has forwarded the theory that Moses may have been under the influence of hallucinogens when he saw the burning bush and received the Ten Commandments atop Mt. Sinai.

Benny Shanon mentioned his own psychedelic experiences, taken as part of religious ceremonies, which led to religious-based hallucinations and allowed him to "see sound."  He also noted that the use of psychedelics in religious ceremonies is a time-honored tradition in many religions around the world.  In fact, concoctions made from the bark of the acacia tree, oft-mentioned in The Bible, have hallucinogenic effects comparable to those of ayahuasca, an hallucinogen still in use in religious ceremonies in the Amazon.

Like the acacia, ayahuasca is a plant with hallucinogenic properties.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Mt. Sinai is listed as "E 101st St, New York, NY 10029, USA" because Israel's current borders are rightfully unrecognized by the entire world outside of the US MIC (and Israel).  This may be the address of AIPAC/religious -backed, legal representatives.  Mt. Sinai absolutely never existed in North America; it is located in disputed areas in the Middle East.  I just had to include this to point-out the incredible overreach of the US military industrial complex (operating in this case under the name Google, Ltd.) and its continued terrorist activities.  That is fucking crazy. - 2018

Suspected Serial Killer Gets 438 Years

A suspected serial killer in Phoenix, AZ, received a sentence of 438 years for the sexual assault of two sisters! 43-year old Mark Goudeau, pleaded innocent to the charges of raping one of the women and sexually assaulting the other, one of which was 6 months pregnant. Both women identified Goudeau as their attacker and DNA evidence linked him to the crimes. Goudeau is also facing charges in connection with the murders of eight people which occurred between 2005 and 2006; he is one of three suspects arrested by Phoenix police believed to be the Baseline Killer, so named for a street in south Phoenix where many of the attacks took place.

It is unclear exactly what charges Goudeau faces in the other trial, as there appear to have been two serial killing sprees in the area at the same time, committed by three men... or something. It is most likely the police and legal system are using the cases as an excuse to "clean-up the streets" and remove as many of those they deem "trouble" from society.

438 years is an outrageous length of time for sexual assault, no matter how you slice it - that's a pretty ridiculous amount of time for any crime! Of course he deserves a harsh sentence - rape is one of the most heinous of all crimes - and I realize the sentence is meant to serve as an example to other would-be rapists, but the American justice system really needs to check itself. These outlandish prison terms when we're in the throes of a prison overcrowding epidemic is inexcusable; it's a big part of why there is an overcrowding problem to begin with. I mean, it's not as if the guy's going to get out before he dies, had he just been given a life sentence and although I would completely understand that, even that seems a but much for a rape case, given the current state of the penal system. The Deputy County Attorney was able to prove a previous violent criminal record which made him eligible for a higher sentence and they were obviously trying to make a point to the community in this election year, for which the entire tribe should be condemned and brought-up on charges of misconduct (though they won't be).

But my real concern is that I have a theory concerning these longer-than-life sentences: could it be that these sentences actually cause hauntings?

The Lord's Prayer contains the line, "...Thou will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven," and the story of Cain and Abel tells us that Cain's sentence was to walk the Earth forever, where no man could touch him. Could it be that these sentences damn the guilty to do just that?

Of course, I'm relaying this theory from a Judaeo-Christian standpoint, but it needn't be so; I think the theory stand up just fine, divorced from Christianity - or any other religion - as it is only a theory.

The Healing Touch - Reiki

I have discussed the power of healing touch therapy for years now. I may not have touched (eek!) upon it here in print, but healing touch therapy is a lot more powerful than most "accredited" science would have you believe.  This practice, developed in 1922, is known as Reiki.

In short, the therapist focuses on certain energy points -- upper body, mostly -- such as the head and shoulders. The, usually gentle, touching of these areas has a freeing result. My theory is that it correlates to the idea that these are "No"-zones -- areas considered intimate by many, and so off-limits to strangers and others with whom we are unfamiliar. The direct stimulation of these spots in non-intimate ways results in emotional changes that allow relaxation.

I am not suggesting that touch therapy brings upon any changes in the person's actual sense of awareness; touch therapy does not, in itself, induce an altered state of consciousness. However, it does result in a state of relaxation most people do not regularly experience. It's akin to being in the company of friends and others you trust, allowing you to let down your guard against the outside world.

With your energy freed to focus on other things, you can better attune yourself to your health. I would venture to say that people in general (particularly Americans) are fairly self-involved -- whether due to sociological concerns or inherent needs of survival -- so this redirected energy tends to point itself toward healing one's wounds. That garbled mess of stumbling is to say that, when you are comfortable, you can focus on healing.

Whether or not my theory holds true is still widely-debated, but this recent report shows that more and more of the medical community is starting to accept that, whatever the reasoning behind it, touch therapy does have some medical validity.

UPDATE:  I learned that this is known as Reiki.  Numerous links, particularly regarding Health and Medication, in several posts have been removed by parties unknown (military). - 2018

Headless Spirits

There are a host of apparitions who are said to appear headless, many of whom are said to carry their heads. A lot of these were actually known to have died by decapitation or to have had their heads removed after their deaths - Anne Boleyn being one of the more famous of these. Others though appear without their heads for no known reason. Of these, their headless appearances are often reported only sometimes; they are also seen with their heads fully intact.

While reading on this, something struck me as to the extensive research I did many, many, many years ago for a comic book project involving vampires: in many cases, particularly if the victim had died of Consumption or possessed a good color for a long time after death, certain measures were taken to ensure the corpse did not return as a vampire. One of these measures was to decapitate the body and either bury the head separately or burn it. Then, of course, there is also the matter of grave robbers, which continued to be a serious problem well into the 19^th-Century.

Now, this may sound like a stretch, but since one of the prominent ideas concerning hauntings is that disturbing one’s grave can upset their spirit, it logically follows that cutting one’s head off would disturb their spirit.

Now, this is just a theory that obviously hasn’t really been put to any sort of testing, but I think it a pretty good one. This says absolutely nothing about headless horsemen, which are often seen as portents of impending doom or death, and are most likely Elemental in nature (and quite possibly Daemonic).