Daily 23

UK Magistrate Busted for Frog Porn

2011-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

The bigger story from this news report of a judge in the UK who got busted for very strange adult material on his computer is that there is apparently such a thing as "frog porn."

Michael Hall, from Rotherham, South Yorks was sentenced to 144 days of treatment for sex offenders for possessing photos and videos of women having sex with a variety of critters, including, most notably, frogs.

Frogs are amphibians, and should not be engaging in sex with humans.

Hall was governor of three schools and member of various councils involving children; I suppose we should be a bit relieved that no kids were involved with the dastardly porn on his laptop, though a PETA-type might not feel reassured by this fact.

Extraterrestrial Life Found In Meteorite By NASA Scientist

2011-03-05T15:34:00.000-08:00

Are we the only living beings in the universe? A discovery by a NASA scientist says: perhaps not. Richard B. Hoover, Ph.D. found "microfossils" of bacteria within a meteorite that could only have originated with the meteorite, not picked up later on Earth. From the Journal of Cosmology, which published Dr. Hoover's paper:

"Dr. Hoover has discovered evidence of microfossils similar to Cyanobacteria, in freshly fractured slices of the interior surfaces of the Alais, Ivuna, and Orgueil CI1 carbonaceous meteorites. Based on Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and other measures, Dr. Hoover has concluded they are indigenous to these meteors and are similar to trichomic cyanobacteria and other trichomic prokaryotes such as filamentous sulfur bacteria. He concludes these fossilized bacteria are not Earthly contaminants but are the fossilized remains of living organisms which lived in the parent bodies of these meteors, e.g. comets, moons, and other astral bodies. The implications are that life is everywhere, and that life on Earth may have come from other planets."

It has been my experience that to even entertain the idea that there is life of any sort on other planets is to be regarded as a kook and "unscientific," prone to flights of fancy. I have always found this consensus viewpoint of modern society -- especially one who always points to the pre-Gallieo position that the world revolves around the Earth to be ludicrous and evidence of the stifling nature of organized religion -- to be so close minded to the possibility of alien lifeforms.

And yet we have a pop-culture *obsessed* with alien life and extraterrestrial allegory. Deep down we *know* there is something other than us in the universe, we understand it intuitively. But those beliefs are discouraged and suppressed by society, and thus emerge all over our entertainment (where it's considered fantasy and therefore *safe* to contemplate).

Also of note is that this discovery might mean life on our planet could have originated somewhere else in the universe, with fragments of comets and meteorites acting almost like "space sperm." This might mean that the same bits of proto-life dumped on our planet by various space debris could have caused similar life-forms -- perhaps humanoid -- on other planets.

The bottom line: humans might *not* be the center of all life in the universe. Deal with it.

"Two Suns" In Sky Caught On Tape In China

2011-03-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

Is it a deadly comet? A meteor? The planet Nibiru? A cover-up by NASA?

Recently "two suns" were spotted in the sky in China, causing some degree of paranoia and fear among those who are concerned about such matters. As the translation of this news clip from Mandarin indicates, the two suns are explained as a "double sunset optical illusion," the result of a nearby cloud refracting light.

Urban legends, lore, and conspiracy theories about two suns abound; scientists say we are due for a possible "second sun" in our skies because of an exploded star sometime in the next million years.

Real Warlocks Offended By Charlie Sheen

2011-03-03T12:30:00.000-08:00

It looks like that Charlie Sheen has ticked off more people: according to TMZ, the "warlock" community is pissed off that Sheen called himself a "vatican assassin warlock."

The ironically-named Christian Day, warlock from Salem's Coven of the Raven Moon in Salem, Massachusetts, told TMZ that he would "magically bind" Sheen to prevent him from taking the word in vain in the future. He also offered to perform a "cleansing" on the embattled actor's life and career.

In other news, tigers are apparently also offended at Sheen's recent remarks, noting that he does not in fact share the same blood as them.

Randy and Evie Quaid Allowed To Stay In Canada

2011-02-27T15:45:00.000-08:00

Randy Quaid and his wife Evie will be allowed to stay in Canada, officially refugees from the United States. While it is possible Canadian authorities accepted the Quaids' story of fleeing Hollywood Star-Whackers, Evie's dad being a Canadian citizen -- allowing her to become a Canadian citizen earlier this month, and sponsoring her husband as an immigrant -- probably helped as well.

In a news conference, Randy Quaid expressed his appreciation of the Canadian government:

"When Evi and I came to Canada last October we could never have envisioned how things would unfold and how our lives would change. Today we're here to say thank you Canada. Thank you for your warm welcome. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to live in peace..."

The Quaids fled to Canada last year, fugitives from the law and facing felony charges. They claimed they were being targeted and framed by what they termed "Hollywood Star-Whackers," a shadowy cabal who are supposedly responsible for the deaths of many stars such as David Carradine and Heath Ledger.

Of course, the obvious question that arises from all this is -- is there a place in Canada for Charlie Sheen?

"Voodoo Sex Magic" Gone Wrong

2011-02-27T00:44:00.000-08:00

A "voodoo sex ritual" performed to bring good luck provided exactly the opposite in Brooklyn recently, as it accidentally started a fire that left one woman dead and 100 homeless.

Apparently spilled rum on the floor and having sex on a bed surrounded by candles is a fire hazard, as a desperate woman and a "witch doctor" (this is all quoted from The New York Post) performed the time-honored ritual of sex magic and in the process set their apartment -- and, in turn, their entire building -- on fire.

A Wikipedia definition of "sex magic" --

"Sex Magic is a term for various types of sexual activity used in magical, ritualistic or otherwise religious and spiritual pursuits. One practice of sex magic is using the energy of sexual arousal or orgasm with visualization of a desired result. A premise of sex magic is the concept that sexual energy is a potent force that can be harnessed to transcend one's normally perceived reality."

On the other hand, it is possible that this fellow used the promise of sorcery and good luck in order to simply sleep with women (and get paid for it).

At any rate, the lesson here is not to have passionate sex surrounded by candles, discarded clothes, and flammable liquid.

"Second Sun" On The Way As Star Explodes, According To Scientists

2011-01-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

It sounds like the plot of a science-fiction movie...but a "second sun" might be on its way this year, as the red supergiant Betelgeuse, which is part of the Orion constellation 640 light years away from Earth, is nearing the end of its life and is ready to explode.

When Betelgeuse does explode, it will be so bright it will appear that the Earth will have two suns from one to two weeks.

So brace yourself for two suns, my friend, as Betelgeuse is slated to explode any time from now...to a million years in the future.

10,000 Cattle Die In Vietnam

2011-01-23T17:20:00.000-08:00

An unusually harsh winter has been blamed in Vietnam by its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for a rash of 10,000 cattle and buffalo deaths, according to WSBT News:

"The government is attributing this death to the exceptionally cold winter, however, and not to any of the swirling theories explaining other recent instances of animal deaths."

Those other recent instances of mass animal deaths include birds falling from the sky in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Italy; thousand of fish in Maryland and Brazil, and hundreds of cows dying in Wisconsin.

However, despite the rough winter in Vietnam -- with temperatures -- cattle in other parts of the world, such as North Dakota, survive in far greater cold conditions.

Kennedy/Lincoln Coincidences

2011-01-14T19:27:00.000-08:00

It's uncanny!

Box 13: Comics For Conspiracy Theorists

2010-11-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

Anybody into conspiracy theory -- including tales of MKULTRA -- would do well to read Box 13 from Comixology. The continuing story of a Manchurian Candidate-like program shrouded in secrecy is by David Gallaher and Steve Ellis -- and is available FREE from Comixology to read online (Part One and Part Two) or on your phone right now! (you can also buy the book at Amazon)

We hope to have a more in-depth look at Box 13 and its conspiracy connections in a future post. But for now you can enjoy this fan-made trailer of the comic:

ESP Study Shows Precognition/Porn Link

2010-11-11T10:34:00.001-08:00

Cornell Professor Daryl Bem's research paper "Feeling the Future" provides some statistically important data which might prove the existence of psychic abilities such as precognition. But onto the *really* interesting stuff...his data seems to provide a link between accurate predictions and erotic subjects.

In one experiment Professor Bem had 100 subjects, half male and half female, play a computerized game in which they had to choose which of two curtains on a screen had a picture hiding behind it. Some of those images were erotic in nature. The result? The erotic photos had a greater chance of being chosen correctly than the non-erotic ones.While the spike in accurate psychic predictions for the erotica was not huge, it was greater than that of chance.

Perhaps the unseen erotic images stimulated the brains of the experiment's subjects? Maybe human brains are built with porn radar? And how can we use this in our psychic war against the Communists?

So many questions...thank Gob we have scientists to answer them.

Via Popsci

Video: Jim Carrey Vs. The Illuminati in "In Living Color" Sketch

2010-11-11T10:34:00.000-08:00

Jim Carrey's character walks into an art gallery and freaks out at a painting of an all-seeing-eye in a triangle...

Architects Design The Best Zombie Safe-House

2010-11-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

If you are like me and are up nights worrying about the impending zombie-apocalypse-collapse-of-civilization, you can sleep easy knowing that the world's best architects are designing a place for the remaining humans to wait it out.

The 2010 Zombie Apocalypse Safe House Competition, sponsored by Architects Southwest, provided entrants with several issues to address in their design:

Program Issues to Address:
1. How many people can you fit in your safe house?
2. How are you handling power, potable water, and waste?
3. How are you handling access to your safe house?
4. How many days do you plan to stay in your safe house, and how much food and water are you providing?
5. How will you escape in the event of a zombie intrusion?
6. How will you keep zombies out of your safe house?

The budget was unlimited.

On the site are four contestant designs to vote for, and there's even talk of a possible 2011 competition. They better hurry if they want to get these houses up by 2012!

Via Blastr

Are Harry Potter Fans Trapping And Killing Wild Owls in India?

2010-11-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh blames the wild owl shortage in the country on Harry Potter fans, according to a recent report published by the conservation group Traffic.

Specifically, the report cited white wild owls being captured and used at Harry Potter-themed birthday parties, as well as the killing of the birds in "black magic and sorcery driven by superstition, totems and taboos." From the Traffic report:

"Shaman or black magic practitioners frequently referred to as tantriks in India, prescribe the use of owls and their body parts such as skull, feathers, ear tuffs, claws, heart, liver, kidney, blood, eyes, fat, beak, tears, eggshells, meat and bones for ceremonial pujas and rituals"

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was so disturbed by the news that she issued this statement on her website:

"There has been a spate of stories in the press recently concerning the upswing in popularity of keeping owls as pets, allegedly as a result of the Harry Potter books. If it is true that anybody has been influenced by my books to think that an owl would be happiest shut in a small cage and kept in a house, I would like to take this opportunity to say as forcefully as I can: please don’t."

Via Discovery News

Video: Larry King "Did UFOs Cause U.S. Missile Misfires?"

2010-11-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

Former military testify that UFOs caused U.S. missiles to malfunction.

MC Hammer VS. Jay-Z: Analysis of "Better Run Run"

2010-11-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

MC Hammer seems to have bought in to the "Jay-Z is an Illuminati/Mason/Satanist" rumor/folk legend that is so widely popular in conspiracy circles, if his new video "Better Run Run" is any indication. The video implies that Jay-Z literally sold his soul to the devil in exchange for fame. But a closer look at "Better Run Run," plus the products sold at Hammer's "Alchemist" clothing line, confuses the issue somewhat.

Part One: The Video

"Better Run Run" starts with 5 men sitting around a conference table. The caption informs us that this is Alchemist MMA Management -- Hammer is currently the CEO of Alchemist Management, which works together with prominent members of the Mixed Martial Arts community on a number of projects.

In a song and music video that so explicitly uses Christian imagery of the most hardcore Fundamentalist sort, I found the choice of the word "Alchemist" for Hammer's company to be somewhat strange. Certainly, the history of the use of alchemy has been quite interwoven with the history of the Church -- sometimes sponsored by the Church, sometimes banned. However, I haven't observed contemporary Christianity exactly embracing the concept of alchemy. But as we will see, Hammer has a habit of hearkening back to far more ancient and occult religious practices and philosophy than is implied on-the-surface in the video.

In the next scene, MC Hammer enters the conference room -- only now he's called "King Hammer." Some interesting stuff on this name later on. This first scene at the conference room seems to go on for a while, far longer than necessary. Does the image of these men sitting around the table seem familiar at all to you?

Two groups who to whom the concept of Alchemy would not have seemed strange or blasphemous are the Knights Templar and the Freemasons. In fact, the philosophy of alchemy is central to their whole belief system. Even the electronic device at the center of the table seems like the Masonic square and compass.

But wait...I thought Jay Z was "bad" because he was a "Mason." But now Hammer's using these terms and symbols that seem themselves to be part of some sort of Gnostic/Templar/Freemason riff. I don't get it.

Wait, it gets better. Back to the video.

And so now we visit the torment of (a fake) Jay Z, whose image is matched with an open flame -- hellfire!

"Thats the fire, thats the fire, thats the fire

Thats the fire, thats the fire, thats the fire

Thats the fire, thats the fire, thats the fire"

Now a dude in a devil fright-mask is chasing Jay-Z -- and even makes his "Masonic"/Iluminati hand gesture! King Hammer, with his back-up dancers (you don't have a Hammer vid without the back-up dancers) provides commentary:

"I could see it in his eyes, the boy sold his soul

Devil said I’ma give you the World
“I’ll take it, plus give me a girl”
Mr Devil can you give me a sign
he said “Throw the Roc up, thats one of mine"

And so now we have it: Hammer reiterates the rumor that Jay Z sold his soul to the devil. Jay Z has given himself to Lucifer. Only...wait a minute.

Let's take a look at that T-shirt Hammer is wearing.

Wings...like an angel. An angel called "Rebel Spirit."

Whaaaaaaaaat???

So Hammer represents an angel called "Rebel Spirit" who leads a crew of other angels. Sort of like...Lucifer.

OK, I'm confused.

Maybe Hammer just wasn't aware of the symbolic significance of his T-shirt. Because as we go on in the video, it's obvious the real evil guy is Satan/Lucifer (dude in the fright mask) who is possessing Jay Z.

"I don’t really have to go in on the fella

but that dude wrote back to devil

nah nah I don’t roc-your-wear

your shoes I don’t need a dark pair"

And so we see fake Jay Z ("Fay Z") writing his lyrics against the church and Jesus with the Devil goading him on. It's up to King Hammer to save this guy! And so he does: tackling Satan (with what must be a mixed martial arts move) and then BAPTIZING Jay Z. Or drowning him. You choose.

The End.

Part Two: The Alchemist Clothing Line

Long story short: MC Hammer shouldn't call out Jay Z about his supposed Masonic/Occult imagery when his own clothing line has plenty of images that aren't exactly run-of-the-mill Christian stuff.

For starters:

That's a Knight Templar complete with official logo in the background:

The Templars, by the way, were executed because of so-called blasphemy against the church, and accusations that they were worshiping Satan (plus financial reasons). So before Hammer persecutes Jay Z for "selling his soul," he should take another look at the symbolism on his own clothing.

But let us continue.

Norse God T-Shirt:

You know what symbol is KEY to the Norse gods?

A Hammer. You could say that Thor is the "King Hammer."

Or how about Kali, the Death Goddess?

Or dragons, skeletons ("skull and bones"), Greek gods, etc.

But no Jesus.

Now, it's OK to not have Jesus depicted in your clothing line. However, when you have just sanctimoniously called out another performer for being in league with the devil, you might want to include a crucifix or two.

Oh wait, here's one:

But the description calls it:

"the symbol of the stone “High Cross”, which takes its design from the “sun cross” that can be found throughout history dating back to the Stone Age. The shirts design symbolizes faith in work, life, and human progress. To believe in the progress of yourself as a person and the accomplishment of your goals is the true symbol of the shirt and is a part of the Alchemist Clothing mission."

Again, no talk about Jesus or Christianity or anything. But with those roses surrounding it, the cross on the T-shirt could also be...

"The rose cross (also called rosy cross and rose croix) is a symbol largely associated with the semi-mythical Christian Rosenkreuz , alchemist and founder of the Rosicrucian Order.^[1]^[2] The Rose Cross is, as its name suggests, a cross with a white rose at its centre^[3] and symbolizes the teachings of a tradition formed within the Christian tenets:"

and

"The Rosy Cross is also a symbol found in some Masonic Christian bodies^[18] and employed by individuals and groups formed during the last centuries for the study of Rosicrucianism and allied subjects,^[19] but derived from the adoption of a red rose."

and

"Within the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite concordant body of Freemasonry, the Eighteenth Degree is specifically concerned with the rose cross and confers the title of "Knight Rose Croix". Of one version of the degree, Albert Pike wrote in 1871,

"The Degree of Rose Cross teaches three things;—the unity, immutability and goodness of God; the immortality of the Soul; and the ultimate defeat and extinction of evil and wrong and sorrow, by a Redeemer or Messiah, yet to come, if he has not already appeared."^[20]"

and

"The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn made use of the rosy cross as well, including 'The Ritual of the Rose Cross," designed for spiritual protection and as preparation for meditation. Based on the Rosicrucian symbolism of the Red Rose and the Cross of Gold, it is also a key symbol of the Golden Dawn's Second Order. According to Regardie, the Golden Dawn rosy cross contains attributes for the Elements, Planets, Zodiac, Hebrew alphabet, alchemical principles, the hexagram and pentagram, the sepheroth of the Tree of Life, and the formula of INRI."

and

"The symbol of the rosy cross played a substantial role within the system of Thelema as developed by Aleister Crowley."

CONCLUSION: The purpose of this article was not to condemn symbolism or practices outside the mainstream Christian norm. I have no problem with the symbolism used in the Alchemist Clothing T-shirts, or in Gnostic views concerning Christ.

HOWEVER, when one public figure calls out another in a music video and labels them basically a "Satanist" -- not to mention playing into a conspiracy theory that has already made many hip-hop fans paranoid -- they ought to have their symbology a bit more straightened out. Yes, Jay-Z uses hand gestures and symbols in his work that can be construed as "occult" -- but not that much moreso than MC "King" Hammer.

"Demon" Photobombs Wedding Anniversary Picture

2010-11-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Joe Martinez credits the image of a "demon" photobombing a photo taken at the 50th anniversary of his in-laws with turning him to God.

Is the dog-like creature above Martinez's shoulder a real demon, representing his life of sin and drugs? Or can there be another explanation?

Randy Quaid: Hero To YouTube Conspiracy Theorists

2010-11-02T05:13:00.000-07:00

While the mainstream has serious doubts over the veracity of Randy Quaid's claims of "Star Whackers" and a conspiracy to kill and defraud celebrities, he has captured the heart of many hardcore "Anti-Illuminati" conspiracy theorists on YouTube. Here is a sample of comments left in support of Quaid on YouTube:

"Way to go Randy ! I support you."

"I don't think he sounds paranoid and dellusional AT ALL...he's just stating it as HE see's it and is speaking his mind ... which is what MORE people should be doing!!! Good for him : ) xxx"

"Randy Quaid has got real guts to come out and say this ! especially being its the truth !"

"They did it to 2Pac, the whole rape charge and all Pac didn't do anything but still went to prison. When that didn't stop him they killed him, it's funny too because they still don't know who did it but yet they're able to find saddam hussein hiding in a hole."

"to all the doubters...yes this may sound "crazy" if u look at it as an isolated case but if u stand back and look at the picture u will see an growing trend of actors musicians talking about the industry and trying to escape it....."

"Randy, if you get to see this I want you to know I and many others know you are telling the truth and I personally want you to know that I stand by you 100%. You have amazing courage to stand firm on this matter and my heart and prayers are with you and your family. If we had more men with your spirit to aid in the fight against the tyranny that plagues this once great nation, the Bilderberg group and others ran by the elite would be stopped dead in their tracks. Thank you and God Bless"

"Michael Jackson said as much.. the truth is coming out. He also said tommy mottola was the devil. This stands to reason... control the sheep via the TV. People are soo caught up in TV they cannot think for themselves."

"I believe him 100%.
He is not delusional. Control of the media and what we see is how they operate. They have many celebrities under their wing. Some are blackmailed or under threat and some are probably under mind control (Britney Spears / Madonna).
Thanks Mr. Quaid for telling the truth. You have great courage.
Stand firm and be safe."

"Randy Quaid does not sound or look paranoid or deliusional! Christians! Pray for his safety!!!!!!"

"You Rock Randy Quaid. Just to let you know that many of us support you in your battle. There is something very smelly in our society and you are very brave to take the Hollywood illuminati on. Welcome to Canada. I hope you are treated well here."

In his official statement and a subsequent appearance with his wife on Good Morning America, Quaid also said that Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Mel Gibson are possible other targets of a shadowy conspiracy designed to ruin their reputations and/or murder them and/or take all their money.

Are Beyonce, Lady Gaga, And Other Pop Stars Just "Maria" From Metropolis?

2010-10-28T04:56:00.000-07:00

The mysterious blogger known as "Vigilant Citizen" (who claims to be "a music producer who has composed music for some fairly well-known “urban” artists") thinks so:

"...Metropolis is excessively echoed in popular culture, especially in the music business. Whether it be in music videos or photo shoots, pop stars are often portrayed as the character Maria, an android programmed to corrupt the morals of the workers and to incite a revolt, giving the elite an excuse to use violence repression. Are pop stars used by the elite in the same matter, to corrode the morals of the masses?"

Whether you agree with VC's theory that today's pop stars are just "robots" in service of the so-called "New World Order," the photographic evidence points to the fact that Fritz Lang's 1927 movie is still very influential:

The Paul The Octopus Death Cover-up Conspiracy

2010-10-28T04:53:00.000-07:00

Did Paul the Psychic Octopus really die on July 9th -- two days before the end of the World Cup -- and replaced by German aquarium owners with a lookalike double? Jiang Xiao, a Chinese filmmaker, makes the shocking claim:

"I am 60 to 70 per cent sure that Paul died on July 9th (two days before the World Cup final) and the Germans have been covering up his death and fooling us for a long time..."

He alleges that the German public was angry that Paul was picking Spain over his native country as the winner of the World Cup...and that somebody might have done Paul in!

Further: that this alleged ersatz octopus was no psychic!

Well, just when you thought this story was over, it sort of isn't (though it probably is anyway). Sorry.

Woman Claims She Caught Her Husband On Camera Turning Into An Alien Reptile

2010-10-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

You're gonna need a big pot o' coffee for this tale, folks...woman on YouTube claims that ex-husband is a bug-eating "reptilian" from another planet. (I know what you're probably thinking...*that's what they all say!*)

Graverobbing Bears Terrorize Russia

2010-10-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

The Guardian reports that a lack of food around the Arctic Circle has forced bears to dig up graves in nearby Russia -- and eat the corpses!

The article begins with the delightful image of what looks like a large person in a fur coat mourning over a grave...

...only to turn out to be a BEAR! A big, hungry bear eating the dead body!

This incident happened in the northern republic of Komi, near the Arctic Circle, and it is apparently not an isolated case. Reports of overturned tombstones and half-eaten corpses strewn over the grounds are common in the area.

But don't worry, the Russian government is on the job: drafting legislation to kill the bears during the winter months. When all they really needed was a sandwich or picnic basket.

Philip K. Dick And The Book That Wrote Itself

2010-10-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

In 1974, Philip K. Dick wrote a novel called "Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said." He later claimed that following the writing of this book he experienced a series of coincidences that linked the text from the book with real-life. For the sake of expediency, the following is quoted from Wikipedia:

"In his article 'How to Build a Universe That Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later'[1] Dick recounts how in describing an incident at the end of the book (end of chapter 27) to an Episcopalian priest, the priest noted its striking similarity to a scene in the Books of Acts in the Bible. In Dick's book, the police chief, Felix Buckman, meets a black stranger at an all-night gas station, with whom he uncharacteristically makes an emotional connection. First of all he hands the stranger a drawing of a heart pierced by an arrow. He then flies away, but quickly returns and hugs the stranger, after which they strike up a friendly conversation. In the Book of Acts (chapter 8), the disciple Philip meets an Ethiopian eunuch (i.e. a black man) sitting in a chariot to whom he explains a passage from the Book of Isaiah, and then converts him to Christianity.

Dick further notes that a few months after writing the book, he himself uncharacteristically came to the aid of a black stranger who had run out of gas. After giving the man some money and then driving away, he returned to help the man reach a gas station. Dick was then struck by the similarity between this incident and that described in his book (approaching a black stranger, and returning again)."

Dick goes into more detail and speculation regarding this phenomenon in the novel "VALIS." I first came across the topic in the Richard Linklater film "Waking Life," and it has stuck with me ever since.

The "Flow My Tears The Policeman Said" phenomena takes on a particular meaning for me, as I believe I am in a similar situation. Not saying I am as good a writer as Dick, because I'm not, but let me explain:

I wrote a 600-page novel in 2004-2005 when I was bedridden and very ill. I literally had nothing else to do but write this book. The artistic merits of the book itself are questionable. But here's the thing: the book has accurately predicted many events in my life.

That's not bullshit: it really has predicted this stuff. I mean like: the name of the man I am going to marry, specific people I ended up meeting, particular situations in detail, stuff like that.

As such, I began to wonder if the book was meant to be published at all, or was it just some sort of weird prefiguring of the years to come? Was it just a personal guide for myself?

I write this now because I've been continually experiencing a lot of hip pain, to the point where I need to use a cane. At the end of my novel, the main character, who has retired from writing, uses a cane. There are other details surrounding this part of the book and its collarary in real-life that are very striking, but are personal and I won't get into here. Suffice to say: it's really creeping me out, because I feel I am in the exact same position as the main character at the end of my book.

At the very end of the book, the protagonist from her beach house spies a space capsule falling into the sea. She hobbles with her cane out to the beach to inspect it. A figure with a purple "spacesuit" with glyphs written all over it comes out of the capsule, and removes its helmet. The protagonist laughs. The End.

WTF?! Who or what is in the purple spacesuit? Does the protagonist ever write again?

So anyway, as I truly have reached a crossroads in my own life -- including, I guess, "retiring" from writing -- and am not sure what direction to take, the end of my own book greatly interests (and frustrates) me.

I guess I'm going to have to start writing another book.

Vision Test: Do You See Marilyn Monroe or Albert Einstein In This Picture?

2010-10-27T04:36:00.000-07:00

And if you see John F. Kennedy in this picture, you are bipolar.

Woman Banned From Church For Erectile Dysfunction Commercial

2010-10-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

An Australian woman has been "disfellowshipped" from her church until the erectile dysfunction ad she starred in is taken off the air.

The ad features a woman who uses her husband's newly erect penis as a step-ladder to reach a cookie-jar over the refrigerator. The actress, Libby Ashby, admits that the ad was in bad taste, but that she needed the money and that her "Visa was calling out for mercy."

Thou shalt not use an unnaturally erect member as a step ladder to get cookies, I guess.

Paul The Psychic World Cup Octopus Is Dead

2010-10-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

Paul the Octopus, who correctly predicted the outcome of eight World Cup matches this year, has died in his tank in Germany. While one would suspect that the daily strain that goes with accessing the unnatural psychic talents of his molluskian mind might have contributed to Paul's death, it is reported that he died peacefully and of natural causes.

Good news, though: the staff at the Sea Life Aquarium in Oberhausen report that Paul II is already being trained.

Paul, also known affectionately as "Pulpo Paul," made his psychic predictions by choosing a mussel from one of two transparent boxes identified with the national flags of the two opposing teams.

Spiegel Online: "Death Of An Oracle: Rest In Peace, Paul"

Was A Time-Traveler Caught On Camera In Charlie Chaplin's 1928 Film "The Circus"?

2010-10-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

YouTube user yellowfeverbelfast claims to have spotted a woman (or man in drag) talking into what looks like a cell phone in the 1928 Charlie Chaplin movie "The Circus." Is this some sort of time traveler accidentally caught on film? Was the person talking on an advanced device perhaps devised by someone like Nikola Tesla? Or is there a perfectly reasonable explanation? Watch the video and decide for yourself.

Related Posts:
Can You Spot The Alleged Time-Traveler In This Photo?
Keanu Reeves, Paul Mounet, and the Bill and Ted Connection

12 Members Of Family Jump Off Building To Flee The Devil

2010-10-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

A wife in France woke up to see her husband standing naked, called him the devil, and shortly thereafter her and 11 other members of her family living in the house jumped off their 3rd-floor balcony to flee him.

The so-called devil's sister-in-law stabbed the man in the hand before joining her family members in leaping off the balcony. A four-month-old child died in his mother's arms as the result of the mass jump.

Obviously, there's a lot of unanswered questions, here. Was the family hyper-religious?

The Sun: "Devil Fall Kills Baby"

The 30 Most Deadly French Fries

2010-09-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

These french fries, as ranked by The Daily Beast, should be registered as deadly weapons.

At the top of the list are Chili's Texas Cheese Fries with Chili and Jalapeno Ranch, which clocks in at 2070 calories, 64 grams of saturated fat, and a whopping 5950 milligrams of sodium. Rounding out the top five are: Friendly's Loaded Waffle Fries (1650 calories), Old Spaghetti Factory's Garlic Fries Appetizer (1410 calories), Steak n Shake's Large Chili Cheese Fries (1170 calories), and Nathan's Famous Super Size French Fries (999 calories).

On the healthy end of the spectrum, Burger King's Large Fries is a measly 540 calories.

The Daily Beast: "America's Deadliest French Fries"

"Mad Hatters" Were Hat Makers With Mercury Poisoning

2010-07-30T04:47:00.000-07:00

Mad Hatters were truly "mad" -- as the result of erethism, a form of mercury poisoning.

English hat-makers used to use mercury during the process of felting a hat's wool. Sufferers of erethism -- or, erethism mercurialis -- suffered such symptoms as shyness and social phobia. In a sense, they went "mad."

However, Alice In Wonderland author Lewis Carroll did not base the character The Mad Hatter on a person suffering from the ailment. Instead, it is believed Carroll's inspiration for the Hatter was Theophilus Carter, an eccentric furniture dealer and inventor.

Source: Wikipedia

Koko The Gorilla's Sexual Harassment Suits

2010-07-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

Koko the sign-language communicating gorilla has been the subject of several claims of sexual harassment -- all focusing on the ape's apparent "nipple fetish."

Three women claimed that they were pressured by Koko's handler, Francene Patterson, to lift their shirts and expose their nipples to the gorilla. They claimed they were in danger of losing their jobs if they did not comply with what Patterson claimed was Koko's signal to expose their nipples.

All sexual harassment claims against Koko were dropped in 2005. Patterson claims that Koko merely uses the word "nipple" to refer to humans because it sounds like that for "people."

Source

"Pornographic" Men's Underwear Pulled From Walmart After Pastor Complaint

2010-07-29T17:23:00.001-07:00

Men's underwear with what a pastor called "pornographic" pictures on the packaging got pulled from a Cullman, Alabama Walmart.

Frank Boren, pastor of New Hope Christian Center Church of God, explained:

"I was in there shopping for some underwear one day, and looked at the men’s pictures on the packaging. On a few of the packages they were very pornographic in the way they were dressed, in skimpy underwear, so I went to the manager and asked her if she thought it was inappropriate to be displayed."

Walmart did not remove the offending underwear, so Boren started to file several more complaints over the next few weeks with the Walmart home office. He also for some reason got a sheriff involved. Finally, the underwear was recalled.

And America is safe once again.

Via The Cullman Times

BulletGirl: Fine Jewelry Made Out Of Bullets

2010-07-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

Forget Tiffany's -- you need to get your sweetheart a nice .223 REM bullet pendant or "357" MAG bullet bracelet at BulletGirl.

BulletGirl promises that the women who wear their unique jewelry will feel empowered by the experience:

"It's the right ammunition for women who choose to fight back for the right reasons."

The jewelry is made out of bullets plated in 24K gold and rhodium, and can run anywhere from $16o for a ring to as much as $1500 for a pendant with a diamond peace sign on it. They also come with special travel instructions, presumably so as not to cause an upset in the airport with all your ammo bling.

Video: Cosmic Sumo Wrestling

2010-07-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

"This video was not edited in any way. This is how real sumo is. Every other sumo video you've ever seen has been edited to protect the secret of just how powerful sumo really are."

Scottish Map Used In UK Film Censorship Test

2010-07-28T05:06:00.000-07:00

If the phallus in your movie was aroused in an angle beyond that of Scotland's Mull of Kintyre -- you were out of luck with the UK film censors!

The Mull of Kintyre Test was said to be used by the British Board of Film Classification to determine whether a penis was erect enough on film as to be censored. A map of Scotland shows a very phallic Mull of Kintyre. If the member in question was higher than the land mass in that map, it was unacceptable.

The Mull Of Kintyre

The BBFC adopted this rather unique form of film classification in 1992, according to Professor John Hoyles of the University of Hull: "the male performer's penis must never appear more than slightly tumescent."

By 2002, the BBFC abandoned such "tumescent penis" rules.

Source: Wikipedia

LiveBlog: "The Colony" Season Premiere

2010-07-27T19:05:00.001-07:00

I am live-blogging the season premiere of The Discovery Channel's reality TV series "The Colony." The premise: a number of participants will live out a "test-run" on an apocalyptic super-flu disaster. All played out in the ruins of Hurricane Katrina. They receive no cash prize, and have signed a contract stating that they understand really upsetting shiat is going to happen to them.

The show really stresses through "experts" that this situation totally could happen, and that the government is actually preparing for exactly these scenarios.

Robert: this dude is 70

Now our heroes are walking through the actual ruins of Katrina, wearing yellow plastic suits, after spending 72 hours each alone in quarantine.

"This is basically as close to burnt-out hell as it can be."

I really get the sense at the beginning of this show that the participants are almost enjoying this -- that whole "forgaging after the apocalypse" scenario. I'm hoping that soon changes.

Dude, that guy is 70?!!!11!

They find a wedding dress in the ruins...and tear it up to use for survival!

This is like "The Real World" of Doomsday. They've VH1'd the Apocalypse.

They're eating MREs -- "Meal Ready To Eat." With their bedding & rations, they still seem a little too comfortable.

Becka The Model: because every post-apocalypse needs a model

Then scary drifter mutants approach the colony! Do they carry the "Nuclear Flu?" The medical masks and bandannas come on. They ask for food & water -- will the Colony give it to them?
They are obviously tattooed drifter infected freaks!

They give over a jug of boiled water and powdered milk. But they want MORE!

Is a post-apocalyptic beat-down going to happen?

Yes! They beat back the Strangers. But every person who touched them has to be in 20 hours Quarantine.

Then it rains. They get gallons of free ready-to-drink drinking water...but their house and supplies are potentially compromised. Then -- they find a snake!

"The colonists are not familiar with local wildlife, and react with aggression."

Alert PETA -- they just killed the snake!

Uh-oh...our first inter-colony tension. Hipster Guy is sitting back while Construction Guy chops wood.

ROTTING PIGS IN THE TRUCK!!!!11!!1

Jim: "We could use the rotting pigs for bait."

Jim the Crazy Carpenter offers to carry the fetid rotting pigs in order to keep them for fishing bait...but is overcome by the stench.

"THEY'RE MAGGOTS EVERYWHERE!!!!"

"The pigs are nasty, but this nice salami is wrapped. I suggest we take the salami."

My vote for Colonist most like to go bat-shiat insane: Jim.

Hipster Guy "just has to sleep."

"I'm surrounded by idiots!" says Hipster Guy as he carries his bedding to get away from the rabble he's forced to spend the post-apocalypse with.

Now they start bitching about Hipster Guy while he snoozes. They accuse him of "not taking things seriously."

OH SHIAT THERE'S LIKE 2 MILLION CRAZY TATTOOED INFECTED THUGS ENTERING THE COMPOUND!!!!!111!!1

It's just like Night of the Living Dead!

"Armed with smoke bombs and pepper spray, they will use force if necessary."

The colonists are blinded with the pepper spray! The colonists are easily overcome. Chaos! People hitting each other with pipes!

This is reality TV, folks!

"He just hit me in the head!"

George: "Surrounded by idiots"

This dude is just hitting Hipster Guy with one of those big Tupperware containers.

"We definitely had our asses handed to us."

Now they are pouring milk into people's eyes to counteract the pepper spray.

"I know everyone's eyes hurt but please don't use all of it (the milk) on the eyes please!"

"This is not a picnic. This is not a barbecue session. This is a survival session."

Beatles Impersonators Sue Beatles Impersonators

2010-07-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

Will the real Fake Fab Four stand forward?

Nevada-based Beatles impersonators The Fab Four are suing Colorado's Beatles tribute band The Fab 4 because the latter is "essentially identical in sound and appearance" to the former. Of course, both of them are essentially identical in sound and appearance to these guys:

But more specifically, The Fab Four worry about a confusion in branding. They hope the suit will force The Fab 4 and any other similarly-named group to be unable to use any trademark that sounds like "The Fab Four."

No word yet on...

Via Las Vegas Sun

"Meteorite" Lands During Cricket Match

2010-07-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

Two spectators during a cricket game watched something fall out of the sky, land at their feet, and brake in two. The object was a five-inch black rock, and potentially a 4.5 billion years old meterorite. Witness Richard Haynes commented,

"We were quietly supping our pints, both looked up at the same time and saw a black object coming towards us – we didn't know what it was."

Fellow onlooker Jan Marszel added:

"It landed five yards inside the boundary and split into two pieces. One piece bounced up and hit me in the chest and the other ended up against the boundary board. It came across at quite a speed – if it had hit me full on it could have been very interesting."

The duo have kept the potentially cosmic rock as a souvenir, but would be happy to have experts check it out. If it is really a meteorite, it will be the first to land in the UK since 1992.

Via The Age

The Cheeky Cadavers Of 17th Century Anatomical Drawings

2010-07-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

The "cadavers" in this collection of mostly 17th Century anatomical drawings are no somber, dead-eyed folk. Instead, they proudly -- almost flirtatously -- present their innards to the viewer for inspection. From the intro to the Dream Anatomy site's "Show-Off Cadavers" section:

"In the works of Giulio Casserio, John Browne and Pietro da Cortona, the illustrated anatomy book is a stage featuring posing, prancing cadavers. Animated with an exuberant vitality, the corpses perform an anatomical show for the reader’s gaze."

"The Lying Nun"

2010-07-26T03:03:00.000-07:00

First, the award for best newspaper headline for 2010 goes to The New York Post:

"Lying Nun Begs On Behalf Of Unholy Rape Clan"

A "nun" who has collected money in New York's Little Italy for "orphanages and the homeless" for over a decade is not who she says to be:

"She got off at Avenue J/Kings Highway, where, cigarette dangling from her lips, shedisrobed on the street. She pulled off her white coif, black veil and tunic-like habit to reveal a pink tank top. She put on brown shorts under her black skirt, which she peeled off, folded and stuffed into a plastic bag. After buying a sandwich, canned pasta and a bottle of water, she took a bus to Linden Boulevard in East New York, lit another cigarette and rang the bell at 714 Jerome St., a rundown brick house with garbage strewn across its front yard. A hulking man emerged, gave her a bear hug and whacked her lustily on the behind."

The so-called "Sister Milindia" is really Mindy LeGrand, connected to a "church" founded by "a killer rapist" in the 1970s that maintained a "harem" of fake nuns.

The complete story in the NY Post includes an extensive photo section of the Lying Nun undressing in the middle of the street and smoking a cig.

Batman Comic About The "Paul Is Dead" Rumor

2010-07-26T03:02:00.000-07:00

Batman knew the real truth behind the "Paul Is Dead" rumor -- and it's a shocker!

Batman #222, published in 1970, featured a very Beatles-looking band called "The Oliver Twists." Robin investigates the rumor that band member Saul Cartwright (Paul McCartney?) had died in a freak motorcycle accident and was replaced by a double. Luckily, Batman/Bruce Wayne is the major stockholder in The Oliver Twists' music label Eden Records (or, Apple Corps), and the two have access to the band.

What is the true shocking secret of the story "Dead...Till Proven Alive?" Saul is Saul -- it's the rest of the band members who are fakes, the originals having died in a tragic plane crash.

Featuring a cover that looks like that of Abbey Road but from a different angle, Batman #222 just proves how utterly pervasive the rumor of Paul McCartney's death and "replacement" was in pop-culture, just a scant year after it started.

Source: Oddball Comics

Pet Store's "Bring In Your Rottweiler" Event Ends In Tears

2010-07-26T03:01:00.000-07:00

A West Auckland, NZ pet store's "Bring In Your Rottweiler" promotion ended in tragedy as a woman got her face ripped open by one of the dogs.

The unidentified victim had bent down to offer food to the rottweiler when the animal suddenly bit her face. It was an attack that produced, according to one witness, "horrific" injuries, possibly ripping her upper lip completely off.

But neither the victim nor the dog's owner want to have the dog destroyed; and it is hoped that by neutering the male canine, his disposition will mellow out considerably.

Meanwhile, the pet store is currently reviewing its safety procedures for such events.

Via 3 News

Access Code To The U.S. Nukes For Over A Decade Was...

2010-07-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

OOOOOOOO

Yes, for the period of time between 1968 and 1976, the only thing standing between nuclear annihilation was eight zeroes.

Cue:

Source: Harper's Index

Village of Shitterton Keeps Getting Their Sign Stolen

2010-07-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

Citizens of the English hamlet of Shitterton are fed up with puerile pranksters stealing their sign.

Says Shitterton resident Ian Ventham:

"Every two or three years somebody comes along and nicks our sign because, clearly, Shitterton is amusing."

So now the village council is striking back with a ton-and-a-half stone engraved sign that, they hope, will be too heavy for jokey-jokesters to haul away.

Shitterton was referred to in ancient Norman French as Scatera, which means "a little town in the stream of a sewer."

Via: BBC News

"You Can Get Chicks Too!" Claims "Brother Inspiration"

2010-07-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

The overweight webmaster of the mostly-photo site "Brother Inspiration" assures readers:

"Hi Everyone,

I am 励志哥 [li zhi ge, "Brother Inspiration" or "Brother Encouragement"], and if you are still complaining that you have bad luck and can’t find a good girl, take a look at me. If you are still complaining that God is not fair to you, take a moment to take a

look at me. Let Brother come show you what is love.

Overwhelmed? Envious? Then emulate Brother, remember Brother, Brother is not a legend, Brother is called Brother Inspiration."

What follows is a series of photos of the rather charismatic Brother Inspiration posing with his girlfriend, by himself, with a camo-clad posse holding a machine-gun, and other scenarios. All SFW, as far as I can tell, except for a couple where you see a little bit of his butt crack.

Second Henge Found At Stonehenge

2010-07-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

Just call it "Timberhenge."

Archaeologists are excited to have unearthed a second henge -- or, circular monument -- at Stonehenge. The henge is believed to have been constructed with wooden posts, though only the pits that were dug to hold them remain today.

The historic find was made about 900m (2,950 ft) from the monument, is about a meter/3 feet wide, and is believed to date back to Stonehenge's heyday.

Though believed by traditional researchers to be a cemetery, Stonehenge is also considered to have been built upon a geographic location containing high energy and the site of many secret rituals. If the area truly is energized/sacred/etc., it might make sense there was more than one ceremonial henge built in the general area.

More info on Stonehenge, from an expert:

Philip K. Dick's Neo-Nazi Syphilis Letters To The FBI

2010-07-22T03:02:00.000-07:00

If I felt that a shadowy Neo-Nazi organization was pressuring me to include code words in my best-selling science fiction novels in order to trigger an incurable new wave of syphilis, I'd write to the FBI for help. Which is what Philip K. Dick, author of such classics as "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?" and "A Scanner Darkly" did in 1972, at least twice. Letters of Note runs two of his typed letters to the FBI, with transcripts. Some highlights:

"Beyond any doubt, Kinchen is an ardent Nazi trained in such skill as weapons-use,explosives, wire-tapping, chemistry, psychology, toxins and poisons, electronics, auto repair, sabotage, the manufacture of narcotics. Mr. Bader is of course aware of this.

What I did not pass on to anyone, because I feared for my life, is the fact that Kinchen put coercive pressure, both physical and psychological, on me to put secret coded information into my future published writings, "to be read by the right people here and there," as he put it, meaning members of his subversive organization. As I told you in November, he accidently responded to a phonecall from me with a codesignal. Later, he admitted belonging to a secret "worldwide" organization and told me some details."

By "secret worldwide organization" could Dick be referring to...THE ILLUMINATI?!!1!1!!?

Onto the syphilis plot:

"The coded information which Kinchen wished placed in my novels (I of course refused, and fled to Canada) had to do with an alleged new strain of syphilis sweeping the U.S., kept topsecret by the U.S. authorities; it can't be cured, destroys the brain, and is swift-acting. The disease, Kinchen claimed, is being brought in deliberately from Asia by agents of the enemy (unspecified), and is in fact a weapon of World War Three, which has begun, being used against us."

Dick also believed he was in touch with an alien intelligence called VALIS -- Vast Active Living Intelligence System -- which he claimed helped him accurately diagnose a life-threatening medical condition in his son.

Spiderboat, Spiderboat...

2010-07-22T03:01:00.000-07:00

U.S. authorities in Guam turned away a spider-invested cargo boat that was last docked in South Korea. Just how many spiders are we talking about, here?

"The Guam Department of Agriculture said hundreds of large spiders and thousands of smaller ones were seen when stevedores began offloading insulation and beams for housing units from the ship, the M.V. Altavia."

Hundreds of the large ones are enough for me, thank you.

Officials don't know exactly what types of spiders they are, but that they are definitely not the variety regularly found in Guam:

"It's not on Guam, we don't want it here."

They also found this dude in the cargo hold:

Elvis's Autopsy Tools Up For Auction

2010-07-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

In what might be considered one of the more morbid celebrity auctions, a number of tools used in the autopsy and embalming of Elvis Presley will go up for sale at Chicago's Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.

The items, which are all listed as having been used only once, include:

"John Doe" toe tag
rubber gloves
makeup
needles, tubes, and hooks
various paperwork

The gruesome collection was saved by a senior embalmer at the Memphis Funeral Home for over thirty years.

Mary Williams, a spokesperson for Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, commented on the unusual sale:

"It's really about owning a piece of the celebrity themselves ... and how much closer can you get than the actual embalming instruments?"

Via MSNBC

Parachuting Donkey Used In Russian Advertising Stunt Gone Awry

2010-07-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

A donkey was apparently attached to a parachute and thrown from a plane as part of an advertising stunt in the southern Russia. Onlookers snapped pictures and babies cried as they watched the poor equine creature flail in the air and land in the Sea of Azov.

The stunt was an attempt to attract tourists to the beach area.

"The donkey landed in an atrocious manner: it was dragged several metres along the water, after which the animal was pulled out half-alive onto the shore."

Police are investigating the incident, and those responsible may face criminal charges for animal cruelty.

"There was clearly no thought for this animal's welfare before they strapped it into a parachute, sending it catapulting into the sky."

The marketing team behind the stunt is obviously the same one that pulled off this infamous promotion for a radio station:

Via BBC News

Exorcist Blames Possessions On Wicca, Ouija Boards, Stephanie Meyer

2010-07-21T03:01:00.000-07:00

Wicca, Ouija Boards, Harry Potter, and Twilight are all gateway drugs to demonic possession, says Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, the author of the new book "Exorcism and the Church Militant."

"Harry Potter and these Twilight vampires glamorize the power of evil, and this has lead to many, many cases of possession among young people."

a poor confused girl who read too much Stephanie Meyer

Rev. Euteneuer claims to have seven years of experience "ministering to those possessed by demons," and describes Jesus Christ as "Chief Exorcist." In this passage from his book, he describes the difficulty of dealing with the minions of the "Prince of Lies" --

"Once, in an exorcism, a demon used the person's actual voice to attempt to throw me off the track. The person said to me in her natural voice, "I think he's gone, Father. No, I am sure he is gone, I feel so much better." I suspected that it was the demon speaking, so I commanded the person to recite the Hail Mary, and when the person refused, I knew whose the voice was."

picture of demon-possessed woman

with an ugly crooked nose

Rev. Euteneuer is not an official exorcist for any Catholic diocese, but practices his demon-banishing part-time. He is also author of the book "Demonic Abortions," and is available for speaking engagements.

Via Catholic.org

The iPhone 4 Saga, As Told By Taiwanese Animation

2010-07-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

I really wish we had this sort of news coverage in the United States. A Taiwanese news program "re-enacts" the iPhone 4 saga using 3-D animation that includes lightsabers, gore, and mystical force-fields.

Porky Pig Attacked At Six Flags

2010-07-20T03:02:00.000-07:00

Is nothing sacred?

Two employees at a Six Flags theme park right outside of Chicago are accused of punching a young woman who was portraying Porky Pig.

Taras Sikalchuk and Dmytro Petrychenko decided to visit Six Flags on their day off. After asking the Porky Pig mascot to pose for a picture, they jumped her and repeatedly punched the 24-year-old woman inside the costume in the head.

Sikalchuk and Petrychenko denied they assulted the woman -- but were fired by Six Flags and banned for life by the theme park. The unidentified woman only had minor injuries.

(insert Porky Pig joke of your preference here)

Via True Crime Report

As Economy Falters, Psychics Make A Killing

2010-07-20T03:01:00.000-07:00

In a time of fiscal uncertainty, one group that traditionally benefits are the psychics, tarot card readers, astrologers, and all-around general prognosticators. These are the findings of the Northern Nevada Business Weekly, who interviewed local psychics about how the recession has impacted them.

One psychic, Theresa Peacock, said that most of her clients are looking for financial advice:

"It’s all related to the state of the economy at this time. ‘Am I losing my house? Am I going to find a job? Nine out of 10 people are concerned about their financial futures."

While some psychics have claimed that retail sales in products such as tarot cards, incense, and other esoteric items have dipped, customers are still willing to pay more for one-on-one sessions, readings, and classes.

This post brought to you by the American Association of Psychics and Tea-Leaves Readers.

Darth Vader Banned From Star Wars Conventions

2010-07-19T03:05:00.000-07:00

75-year-old David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the first three Star Wars films, is reportedly "banned" from attending Lucasfilms-sponsored events and conferences.

Prowse wrote on his official site:

"It is with regret that I have been informed by my friends at C2 Ventures, Ben and Phillip, that I am not to be invited to C5 this year or any other Lucas Film associated events. After enquiring, the only thing I have been told is that I have "burnt too many bridges between Lucas Film and myself" - no other reason given.
I have also been advised by the promoter of Paris Manga in September that LFL have requested no photo opportunities with the 501 Squadron, even though I am commander in chief of the 501."

The Sun reports that the ban was allegedly imposed on Prowse for "annoying" George Lucas. Prowse claims that he was accused of leaking the news of Darth Vader's death in Return of the Jedi, and that Lucas had initially promised to use his voice and face for Darth's unmasking at the end of the trilogy.

Celebrity Psychics: The Rant

2010-07-19T03:04:00.000-07:00

I get through my Google Alerts many press releases from "psychics to the stars" who make some sort of alleged prediction or intuitive statement about this or that star. Sometimes they will send out a press release on something pretty banal and stupid, such as the one where the psychic had an "intuitive flash" that the reason Lady Gaga has nightmares is because she eats before going to bed.

I mean, really: isn't it common sense that people will get nightmares from eating spicy food and all that? Do you really need to be Sylvia Brown or the Ghost Whisperer to make such a pronouncement?

The latest one is this release from a "psychic to the stars" who makes shocking predictions about celebrities like Mel Gibson and Lindsey Lohan. Predictions like:

"Mr. Gibson is a control freak which helps in his career, but makes romantic relationships difficult. He is having major issues with alcohol which enhances his anger and spins his rage out of control. He will not be able to control his behavior if he does not get help. The help will be forced on him soon."
"Lilo will serve time, but I don't feel it will be the full 90 days. Soon after being released she will be pushed into rehab. Lilo and Sam have a co-dependent relationship. Sam is taking the parent role. They are not back together, though in the future I see they will reunite, but it is short lived."
"Kim Kardashian will keep seeking Mr. Right, but she will make a mistake."
"Bristol is in love with the idea of being in love, but that won't make her marry Levi in the upcoming year. Mom might have something to do with that. 'I don't see I do I see I don't!' If they did get married I'd expect to see a lot of trouble in the marriage and it would be exposed in the headlines! Sarah Palin can't afford that. I'm pretty confident that there is no marriage taking place between the two."

OK...aren't these all sort of common sense conclusions? Aren't these the conclusions most people are making (assuming that they care)? Do we really need a psychic to tell us these things?

Don't get me wrong. I love this crazy stuff. I think it's campy and hilarious. I just wish they'd be more creative, that's all. I miss those Weekly World-type predictions with the fire and brimstone and aliens and Hitler's brain and all the rest.

Also, I've had my share of intuitive insights as well, but at least I can admit when there might a common-sense explanation. You know: "Greenhouse effect will bake our planet like a roast beef." "The BP oil spill will cause many environmental problems." "Inception will be nominated for many Oscars." Etc.

Can I issue press releases on common-sense predictions on famous celebrities and make lots of money too? Can I be a rich psychic? Can Demi Moore hire me? I'll tell her not to eat spicy food before bedtime.

Video: Vintage Parkour

2010-07-19T03:03:00.000-07:00

The following is video footage of daredevil Arnim Dahl (1922-1998), a popular stuntman from Germany. He had spent more than 4 years total in hospitals recovering from more than 100 fractures. Despite the label "1930" on one of the videos, the footage was most likely taken in the 1950s.

Atheists Use Hair Dryer To "De-Baptize"

2010-07-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

Upset that you were baptised as an infant without your consent? Regret that baptism you received when you thought you were Born Again? Well, Edwin Kagin, legal director of American Atheists, has the perfect solution: a de-baptizing ritual.

Using a hair dryer, Kagin evaporated the lingering moisture of many unwanted anointings at the annual American Atheists Convention. The hair dryer was labeled, "Reason and Truth."

Kagin told the convention crowd regarding religious believers,

"They are practicing child abuse in teaching that the world operates in ways other than it does. And in my opinion, they are engaged in terrorism by weakening our nation and our understanding of science and things with which we can defend ourselves and progress. If it had not been for these fools we could have been at the stars 2,000 years ago."

Ironically, Kagin's son is a fundamentalist minister in Kansas. He had this to say regarding his son's claim to have a personal revelation in Christ: "I am totally unable to say that's not true. There are examples all through history of quite sane people who have had such experiences. I don't think it is but I'm not going to say it isn't."

Via: ABC News

Suicide Ants

2010-07-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

The cylindricus ant will essentially "suicide bomb" enemies by "detonating" into a highly toxic and sticky glue. Ecologist Mark W. Moffett explains what happened when he introduced a rival ant colony to a tree occupied by the cylindricus:

"After an hour, weaver ants along with another species of carpenter ant located the bait and started arriving at the cylindricus-occupied tree. One of them started up the trunk, but then came down again. That one would live another day. Another climbed a bit higher and attempted to walk by a cylindricus minor worker. Just as I clicked the shutter there was a splash of yellow, and both ants were immobilized in a sticky, grotesque tableau."

The cylindricus will purposely rupture its body to produce the deadly substance: a grisly scene displayed in the photo below:

Moffett details this and other bizarre ant stories in his new book "Adventures Among Ants."

Via Discovery

Is The iPhone 4 A Victim Of The Chinese "Number 4 Curse"?

2010-07-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

With the iPhone 4 suffering so many woes and bad press since its launch, some are speculating that a Chinese "Number 4 Curse" might be to blame.

In China -- where the phone is manufactured -- the character for "death" looks eerily similar to that of the number 4...so much so that the number has been historically associated with bad luck & karma. As a result, many buildings, license plates, and phone numbers avoid the jinxed numeral. Electronic companies such as Canon & Nokia will also skip from 3 to 5 when assigning model numbers.

"four"

"death"

The iPhone seems to have been plagued with problems even before it has been released:

The suicide of a Chinese factory worker accused by his superiors of losing an iPhone 4 prototype
An Apple employee who left another prototype at a bar, resulting in a major news leak about the device on the Internet
A problem with the antenna that might result in a massive recall of the device

Are all those things just coincidence? Or is it the result of the Number 4 Curse?

Via: Pat's Papers

"World War III Will Happen In Space" Says Geopolitical Scientist

2010-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

Imagine Japan teaming up with Turkey to knock out American satellites and start World War III in space. That's the prediction made by George Friedman, geopolitical scientist and author of "The Next 100 Years: A Forecast For The 21st Century."

Friedman posits that by 2050 Japan & Turkey will emerge as threats to the U.S., and will wish to usurp the latter's control of maritime ports. One way to hit the United States where it hurts? Attack their interests in space:

"The center of gravity of American military power is in space. Everything from navigation to communication to intelligence satellites operate in space. If any power were to knock out the United States, it would have to knock out those assets. If the Japanese and Turks were to take on the United States, that would be the place they would have to strike first, to blind us, to cripple us. I would expect the war to start there. It seems like science fiction, but one wonders how somebody in 1900 would have felt about a description of what World War II was going to be like."

Via Smithsonian Magazine

Russell Brand Believes His Hair Has Magical Powers

2010-07-15T18:07:00.000-07:00

Call it a case of Samson-on-the-brain, but British comedian Russell Brand believes that cutting his hair could ruin his career.

He is said to have run into a psychic who claimed his hair has magic powers...and that cutting his long locks could ruin his career:

"A psychic went up to him in the street in New York, held his hand and told him his hair has an energy that is crucial for the success of the movie and if he cuts it the film will be a flop."

So he was allegedly none-too-happy to be asked to trim his hair for his latest film, fearing he would be jinxed.

Still no explanation for Katy Perry.

Via Monsters and Critics

Confessions of a Deliberate Dreamer, Part Two

2010-07-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I referred to my dreams as having varying degrees of "intuitive accuracy." That might seem like a fancy word for "psychic." But "psychic," I think, implies some sort of concrete ability or skill -- and if my dreams were truly such, I'd probably be at least making more money than I am now (aetheric insider trading, betting on the horses, and whatnot). Further, since I have already wrote a comic book about a psychic, referring to myself as such would probably heap more skepticism and scorn upon this blog series than I think it warrants.

However, the biggest reason I use "intuitive" rather than "psychic" is because the former implies an accessibility to all of humanity that the latter lacks. And this is a key point to remember as you read all of this. This is not an alien ability, something special conferred only to "Chosen Ones". The only things you really need to start your journey down the road of Deliberate Dreaming are intention, research, and practice. (more on that later, in case you are interested)

Now where was I? Oh yes, the fearsome dream-tornadoes from last post.

The night of, and day that followed, my tornado-dream was host to several large tornadoes that struck across the United States -- 17 in all. For example, there was the "Spring's farewell tornado" that hit Superior, NE, damaging buildings and sending trees crashing into cars and homes. There was also the half-mile-wide tornado that hit homes in Eagle, WI, and the one that snapped 100 trees in Binghamton, NY.

However, I think the correlation between my dream and the actual events are not the issue, here. While the 22nd was a day of an unusual amount of tornadoes, the whole week had been pretty bad in that department. Perhaps my unconscious had picked up the news stories from days previous, and merely purged them during my sleep.

What is far more significant to me is the fact of the sudden job woes me and my friends suffered immediately after the dream. That is the true intuitive "hit," and the real purpose of me having the dream in the first place.

Because really, when you think of it: if I had a dream about a tornado or other natural disaster, what good would it do to help others? Even if I dream of the location and possible date? Who will believe me? And further: people and "prophets" have been making exactly those sorts of predictions based on dreams and visions for hundreds and hundreds of years -- and were DEAD WRONG! (a few were right tho)

No: the point of the dream was to warn me about upcoming (and somewhat jarring) life changes. Any correlation between the literal event in the dream and real-life was merely to underline the dream as a warning to be taken seriously. It's the Universe's way of saying "this wasn't just the result of the pizza you ate last night, please take this dream message seriously."
Let's take a look at that dream again:

So me and my fiance were vacationing in California, and it was the last day. I was experiencing that sensation of time compression at the end of an extended holiday, that feeling as if I had just arrived yesterday. My bags were packed. I was sitting in a room with many other people, and this well-dressed young woman next to me remarks, "It must be interesting to date Spider-Man." I think about what she has said, and reply, "I guess he can just swing you around in the city on his web as a date." In my mind's eye, I flash to a tranquil scene somewhere in the Northeast, a pond with geese on it. Then my attention returns to the room -- or rather, the scene brewing outside the large glass windows.

Hovering before the glass are huge gray raging tornadoes. The tornadoes are so powerful, they have picked up heavy debris such as cars...and now threaten to dump said debris through the windows on top of us. It's terrifying and ominous. And yet, the funnels are moving so slowly, almost deliberately hesitating before us. The woman who sat next to me doesn't know what to do. Nobody in the room knows what to do, but remain paralyzed and bewildered before the darkening windows...

...but I run.

Besides the tornadoes, there are several seemingly incongruous details to this dream that need further explanation. For example, the sudden vision of the geese by the lake. What was the point of the geese?

These were the geese I had snapped with my iPhone camera the last time me and my fiance were in Prospect Park. On July 8th, when the issues foreshadowed by my tornado dream were well in full bloom, those geese (400 in all) were rounded up by the Agriculture Department and killed.

The fact that these geese were indeed gone from the Park (as a recent visit had demonstrated) hit me really hard. It made an already unsure situation -- the loss of my job -- now seem even more depressing. It also made me angry. It seemed like such a needless slaughter of so many animals, one of the few creatures children could expect to encounter in the Park (outside the zoo area).

So the geese in my dream foreshadowed not only their death, but was yet another red flag to me that I was headed into an important, if not potentially scary, period of my life. On the same day the story about the geese "broke" in the New York Times, word of the passing of one of my idols, Harvey Pekar, also made the news.

Like many of the things I hear about, I reacted to the news with both sorrow and a little bit of something else...

Dream
5/27/10

Invasion of tiny dogs..."toy" dogs as packs of strays.

An African-American woman has started a new project, gives me a pen with a blue fish on it.

Harvey Pekar comic, last panel. He looks like he is dead.

So the geese are gone, Harvey's dead, and the metaphorical "tornado" has ripped through my everyday life pattern. All these things foreshadowed beforehand via dreaming, none completely surprising, all still very disheartening.

What now, oh Dreamer? Do you only dream about things that are sad?

Well, actually, no. Through the last months I've also been shown positive things, new directions which I might not have contemplated otherwise. More about how that -- and Deliberate Dreaming -- works next post.

NOTE: Further posts in this series to be found here.

Confessions of a Deliberate Dreamer, Part One

2010-07-15T05:58:00.001-07:00

So me and my fiance were vacationing in California, and it was the last day. I was experiencing that sensation of time compression at the end of an extended holiday, that feeling as if I had just arrived yesterday. My bags were packed. I was sitting in a room with many other people, and this well-dressed young woman next to me remarks, "It must be interesting to date Spider-Man." I think about what she has said, and reply, "I guess he can just swing you around in the city on his web as a date." In my mind's eye, I flash to a tranquil scene somewhere in the Northeast, a pond with geese in it. Then my attention returns to the room -- or rather, the scene brewing outside the large glass windows.

Hovering before the glass are huge gray raging tornadoes. The tornadoes are so powerful, they have picked up heavy debris such as cars...and now threaten to dump said debris through the windows on top of us. It's terrifying and ominous. And yet, the funnels are moving so slowly, almost deliberately hesitating before us. The woman who sat next to me doesn't know what to do. Nobody in the room knows what to do, but remain paralyzed and bewildered before the darkening windows...

...but I run.

***

I had that dream on June 21st of this year. Two days later, I was informed that the day job that had so recently been reduced to part-time hours would suddenly end due to budget constraints. The next week, the publishing imprint that my fiance worked for essentially closed down, effecting not only our livelihood, but that of many of our friends. Things, within the space of a couple weeks, were now suddenly uncertain.

But I "knew" that was all going to happen, back on June 21st. I was, to a degree, emotionally prepared. I even had a battle-plan: "run."

This is because I have experienced and recorded dreams of varying degrees of intuitive accuracy for almost twenty years. And now I am going to tell you all about it.

"Otherworld Contact Day" Is 10/10/10

2010-07-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

Researcher Robert Goerman has declared the unusual date of 10/10/10 as "Otherworld Contact Day," and is urging all of those who Want To Believe to join him in instigating a close encounter.

Goerman suggests people attempt communication with creatures like Bigfoot, fairies, and aliens on that day through methods such as chanting and special messages. He says:

“I don’t know if we can get an answer, but we’ll try. Some of them may not speak English. If they do, we’ll share it with the world.”

It is Goerman's belief that these weird creatures are "transient anomalies," living in another realm until summoned by humans. He points to the fact that no "roadkill of little fairies or a carcass of Bigfoot" has ever been recovered as supporting his theory.

Via Flash News

Justin Bieber: "I'm Not In The Illuminati"

2010-07-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber recently put a series of rumors to rest on Twitter -- including the confirmation that he is not in the shadowy and nefarious Illuminati organization:

"I have not joined the Illuminati or any other cult. I'm a christian and I pray before every show and am thankful for every blessing..."

Bieber has the distinction of being one of the few celebrities to publicly deny being in the Illuminati or to acknowledge its existence. Because first rule of the Illuminati: what happens in the Illuminati, stays in the Illuminati.

No word yet on Lady Gaga. But we'll keep you posted.

CNN Blog (who should know better): "Bieber is neither dead nor in the Illuminati, he confirms"

California School Serves Students Hot Cheetos With Melted Cheese

2010-07-01T03:03:00.000-07:00

A California high-school cafeteria serves their students hot Cheetos with melted cheese on top, according to the Slow Food USA blog. Students of the unidentified high-school said their cafeteria offered the "delicacy" not in the regular lunch line, but in a special "competitive foods" line. The competitive foods offerings are supposed to appeal to the student who is strapped for time and just needs to nosh quickly.

One student told the blog:

"I really hate seeing this kind of food going around at the school because it probably causes some of the most long term problems in any of the kids at my school. I’m not going to lie, many kids at my school are overweight. One student was so big, he broke his ankle just by trying to run. Fortunately, that problem doesn’t affect me directly, but it affects my friends and people i care about. If this kind of food is the only food a student can get at his school without wasting his whole day waiting in line, well every kid is going to have to pack bag lunches to school for the rest of their high school lives."

Who made this school's menu -- Elvis Presley?

Moscow Doctor Charged In Intention To Commit Psychic Assassination

2010-07-01T03:02:00.000-07:00

Dmitry Shubin, a Moscow pediatrician, has been charged by police for trying to recruit people online to psychically kill Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill.

Shubin was trolling for co-conspirators for the psychic assassination on the social network Vkontakte.ru. The doctor and his theoretical assistants were to form a "collective mind" that would work together to kill Patriarch Kirill through the creation of a thought-form or "egregore."

Shubin denies that he is guilty, and says that “I just wanted to express my opinion against the government’s policy on religious issues." If convicted, he faces a fine of up to 300,000 rubles ($9,700) or a sentence of up to two years in prison.

Officially, Shubin was charged with "inciting hatred," but we've all seen "Scanners" and know the score.

Via The Moscow Times

Maggots On A Plane

2010-06-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hey, imagine you're sitting in your seat on an airplane taxing down the runway...and then see maggots falling from overhead and into your lap.

US Airways passenger Donna Adamo:

"Then I heard the word 'maggot' and that kind of got everybody creeped out...All of a sudden, I felt somebody flick the back of my hair and on the front of me came a maggot, which I flicked off me."

Flight personnel were soon alerted and an announcement made that the plane was returning to the gate because of a "minor emergency." Meanwhile...

"I felt like they were crawling all over me because it only takes one maggot to upset your world...And as they're telling us to stay calm and seated, I see a maggot looking back at me and I'm thinking, 'These are anaerobic, flesh-eating larvae that the flight attendants don't have to sit with.'"

The plane was evacuated, and the maggots traced to a container of spoiled meat in another passenger's carry-on bag. Then a crew was sent to clean those mother@$&%ing maggots off that mother@$&%ing plane.

Via SFGate

Ringling Bros. Hires Psychic To Channel The Spirit Of P.T. Barnum

2010-06-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey have hired a Brooklyn psychic to channel one of the most famous circus personalities of them all: P.T. Barnum.

Gemma Deller will channel Barnum and act as his "voice" for his 200th birthday event at Coney Island on July 5th. Deller told The Brooklyn Paper:

“It’s time to communicate with him — I don’t think he’d want it any other way because Barnum did things in a grand and fabulous way. It’s very possible that he is the one orchestrating the meeting — I think that P.T. led Ringling Bros. to me.”

Will this event, dubbed "Illuscination," be the real deal -- or will it be a case of, as Barnum himself once famously said, "there's a sucker born every minute"? You will have to find out yourself at Ringling Bros. “Illuscination," Surf Avenue at W. 21st Street in Coney Island, July 5, 10 am (800-745-3000).

Giant Rat Killed In Huddersfield, UK (Pic)

2010-06-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

This picture is of an alleged giant rat killed in Huddersfield, UK. A member on the site Reddit said the photo was found on a Facebook page.

What do you think? Is it the real deal? And if so, can humans really hope to band together and fight this furry menace?

Master Splinter?

Variety: More Cable Networks Catering To Conspiracy Theorists

2010-06-29T03:03:00.000-07:00

Cable networks such as the SyFy Channel and TruTV are focusing more and more on believers in conspiracy theories and UFOs, Variety reports.

Television programming like "Conspiracy Theory With Jesse Ventura," a plethora of History Channel specials, and the upcoming SyFy series "Warehouse 13" all seem to be catering to what Variety tactfully dubs the "wackadoodle" market. The message of the Variety piece seems to be that regardless of the audience demand for this sort of programming, the TV networks should know better and stop making them anyway just on principle:

"One can only wonder where the wackadoodle road leads. "The Militia Hour of Power?" "This Week With Ted Kaczynski?" Paddy Chayefsky's satiric vision in "Network" -- with a TV landscape populated by raving mad-as-hell anchors, soothsayers and militant groups -- appears to come a few steps closer by the day."

Are TV shows about Mayan prophecies and UFO cover-ups just a "gateway drug" to becoming a stinky long-haired recluse bomb-maker with a hand-typed manifesto? Variety also holds disdain for those who "simply enjoy such programming for its kitsch-y charms without necessarily embracing the paranoid delusions," insinuating that they too might be seduced by programming's message and start hearing voices.

While we sympathize with Variety's views on "Conspiracy TV," we also think that they might also be just a wee bit...paranoid.

Retired U.S. Army Pilot: "I Saw A UFO in 1955"

2010-06-29T03:02:00.000-07:00

The Desert Sun's profile on retired U.S. Army Air Corps pilot Bob Schneck yields an interesting nugget for UFOlogists: he claims to have seen seen an unidentified flying object over Newfoundland in 1955.

Schneck describes the UFO, which was seen by multiple crew members, as

"A big white spot that's way off in the distance. It moved very fast, back and forth. It's something you've never seen before it would zoom across the horizon.”

According to the official report, the speed of the unidentified craft was estimated to be about 1,500 mph. When ground control sent a fighter to chase down the object, the aircraft's radar became inoperative.

Schneck then describes being interrogated by a "special crew" back at Ernest Harmon Air Force Base about the close encounter.

Tila Tequila Vs. The Illuminati, Part 3

2010-06-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

It was with baited breath that we at The Daily 23 awaited the 3rd installment of Internet Celebrity Tila Tequila's invective against the Illuminati and devil-worshippers in the entertainment industry. This time, her focus was mainly on Lady Gaga -- who Tila referred to as the Illuminati's "Top Puppet" -- though she threw in some other pop stars and celebrities just for good measure.

"USING HER as a human tool, a machine in disguise, to rot our brains and turn it to mush. Don’t you guys notice how everyday music video’s are becoming more and more satanic, dark , loads of overly sexual images, and VERY EVIL?? Oh don’t even let me start on deciphering each music video for you and what they all mean! I would have to write a freakin’ BOOK about all this ishh! *shudders*"

Cue:

Alberta Alien Caught On Video: Is This The Real Deal?

2010-06-28T03:03:00.000-07:00

Some people are describing the following video footage of an alleged alien as being the most convincing yet -- while others feel it's nothing but a hoax. View it for yourself and decide!

From YouTube user MrBeeHat's introduction to the video:

"This footage was taken at around eleven or twelve at night in rural Alberta on June 7th 2010. A few days prior to this, me and my brother had been hearing noises from the yard at night and thought we had seen something out the window, so we decided to keep a camera handy in case it happened again. As you can see, the footage we captured shows a tall creature with a strange manner of walking. It had quite large hands with three fingers each and appeared to almost go completely invisible at times. One of the strangest features of this being was it's almost metallic looking skin."

Woman Falls 3 Stories, Bounces Off Car, Sleeps On Couch

2010-06-28T03:02:00.000-07:00

A Chicago woman is lucky to be alive after falling out a third-story window and landing on a car. The unidentified woman bounced off the vehicle, and, dazed, proceeded to walk into a neighbor's house. The neighbor found her sleeping on the couch and called 911.

It is theorized that the woman slipped when opening a window in her townhouse, and then crashed through the screen onto the car below. She suffered no life-threatening injuries from her ordeal.

Police have labeled the incident a "freak accident" and said that foul play or drug/alcohol use were not factors.

Via The Daily Herald

Hardgate Horse Boy: Exposed!

2010-06-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

An eagle-eyed reader of The Daily 23 has spotted the infamous "Hardgate Horse Boy" who has been captivating thousands of Google Maps users from the UK all day:

Who was this mysterious prankster? David Icke? We may never know.

(special thanks to Murph!)

Horse Boy Spotted In Hardgate Via Google Maps

2010-06-24T05:16:00.000-07:00

In a development that will no doubt excite cryptozoologists worldwide, a "horse boy" was spotted in Hardgate, Aberdeen via Google Maps. The creature appears to have the body of a human but a clearly equine head. A reverse centaur, if you will.

please click for larger image

If you have any more information on Horse Boy, or would like to report a sighting, please contact our staff at thedaily23@meaningofitall.com

41% Of Americans Believe Jesus To Come Back By 2050

2010-06-23T03:03:00.000-07:00

A recent poll by the Pew Research Center For The People revealed that 41% of Americans expect Jesus Christ to come back to Earth within the next forty years.

Americans were quizzed on a bunch of issues in the poll, and were found to be surprisingly optimistic about the future. Maybe because of the whole Jesus thing. Or the iPad. I don't know.

Some of the other findings from the poll:
71% believed that cancer would be cured
81% believed that computers will become more "human"
53% believed that ordinary people will be able to travel in space
42% believed that "brain-scanning" technology will be developed that can read minds
89% believed that a female president will be elected by 2050

Via Telegraph

Anti-Theft "Moldy" Sandwich Bags

2010-06-23T03:01:00.000-07:00

These "moldy" anti-theft sandwich bags apparently follow a similar principle to the Dirty Underpants Safe -- said principle being that if people think there's yecch on something, they will stay away.

These plastic bags don't have genuine mold, of course. Realistic greenish mold-like spots are printed on both sides of the transparent bag, giving the effect that whatever is in it is a rapidly decomposing pile of putrid rot.

Perfect for paranoid office workers everywhere.

Via foodiggity

Bogus Piñata Bust In Arizona, Citing "National Security"

2010-06-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

An illegal piñata ring was busted wide open by U.S. Customs trying to cross the border at Douglas, AZ. The tractor-trailer carrying 108 illegal Disney character piñatas was on its way from Mexico to Thornton, CO.

Custom officers confiscated the bootleg piñatas, citing violation of intellectual property rights. Assistant port Director Eli Villareal pointed out that while the fake Disney piñatas might seem harmless, the sales of such items undermined the U.S. economy as well as "national security."

Illegal piñatas account for several deaths in the United States each year, and might dispense such unregulated items as lead pellets disguised as bubblegum and small weapons like ninja throwing stars. Scores of children are also injured by these ersatz piñatas when they open, industrial waste metal flying out like shrapnel. OK, I'm totally lying.

The Celebrity Doppelganger Conspiracy Theory

2010-06-22T14:27:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that Megan Fox has been looking sort of...different lately? Not sure why? Could be botox...or the fact that she has been replaced with an Illuminati clone.

The Celebrity Doppelganger/Clone conspiracy theory is one of the fastest growing within the edgier folds of the Internet, a narrative that combines celebrity gossip, science-fiction, and the evil machinations of an elite secret society.

The "grandfather" of this theory, and possibly the most famous, is the "Faul" Conspiracy -- that Beatle Paul McCartney really died in a car accident in 1966 and was replaced with a lookalike (thus named, "Faul" for "Fake Paul"). The "Paul Is Dead" rumor falls in perfectly with this theory, as the "clues" to the singer's alleged death are supposed to reference the car accident and installation of the "double."

Much of the "Faul" theory hinges on photo analysis of McCartney pre- and post-1966. Photos are placed side-by-side and lines drawn from one feature to another, noting discrepancies. Apply this methodology to other celebrities who have seemed to "change" over the years...and you have a large part of the Celebrity Doppelganger Theory.

Take the case of John Travolta, for instance. When photos of the actor over several decades are compared, his facial features seem to be different. According to the Celebrity Doppelganger Theory, it's possible that Travolta was "replaced" somewhere between 1990-1993. In the case of Megan Fox, it's theorized that she is up to her 2nd possible replacement (which has echoes with the "Grandmoviestar" conspiracy theory & its "23 Megan Foxes").

Of course, there might be other explanations for the change in appearance in these and other celebrities. Age + heavy plastic surgery + Photoshop. Celebs these days are into such extreme -- and in many cases unnatural-looking -- plastic surgery that one couldn't be faulted for believing that they have literally changed/been replaced. And thanks to digital manipulation, any photo can be retouched to "perfection".

Perhaps the existence of the Celebrity Doppelganger Theory is just the natural result of a public who has been subjected to the very unreal world of Hollywood Beauty for far too long.

Or maybe...just maybe...it is something far more sinister.

Doppelganger and Identity Research Society forum

Catholic Movie Reviews: Jonah Hex OK, The Backup Plan Evil

2010-06-22T03:03:00.000-07:00

Jonah Hex: Catholic Seal Of Approval

I'm not sure if the Rotten Tomatoes covers the film reviews of the United States Conference Of Catholic Bishops. Instead of stars or thumbs-up and thumbs-down, the reviews of the USCCB's Film and Broadcasting office uses the following system:

A-I -- general patronage;
A-II -- adults and adolescents;
A-III -- adults
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling.
O -- morally offensive.

Basically, as long as your film falls between the A-I and the A-III, you're in the clear. L movies are "problematic," and Os...well, the Os are probably gonna send you straight to hell.

The Daily 23 looked over the USCCB's archive of current movie reviews to see which ones "made the grade," and which ones received the dreaded O...

A-I:

Toy Story 3
Marmaduke
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Princess and the Frog

A-II:

A-Team
The Karate Kid
How To Train Your Dragon
Twilight Saga: New Moon
Alice In Wonderland
Prince Of Persia

A-III:

Jonah Hex
The Blind Side
Clash of the Titans
Iron Man 2
Robin Hood
The Wolfman
Sherlock Holmes

Date Night
The Book of Eli
The Losers
The Bounty Hunter
Green Zone
It's Complicated

The Backup Plan
Valentine's Day
Sex In The City 2
Get Him To The Greek
Splice
Legion
Kick-Ass
Death At A Funeral
Hot-Tub Time Machine
MacGruber
Nightmare On Elm Street
Shutter Island
Youth In Revolt

What does it take to get the O? Valentine's Day was cited for "Implicit approval of nonmarital sexual activity and homosexual acts." The Backup Plan "contradicts Catholic moral teachings on the necessity of maintaining the connection between the unitive and procreative aspects of marital love." And Nightmare On Elm Street not only contains "a pedophilia theme" but an "an implied nonmarital relationship."

In contrast, while in Jonah Hex "Scores die, by gunshot, ax, fire, dynamite, even rabid dogs" -- it's also "always clear that the bad guys go to hell." And so it's OK.

"Psychic Court" To Be Paranormal Courtroom Show

2010-06-22T03:02:00.000-07:00

A pilot is being shopped around for a new twist on the courtroom TV genre: "Psychic Court."

On the show, Judge Larry Seidlin -- who made his claim to fame handling the 2007 court battle over Anna Nicole Smith's remains -- would consult tarot readers, psychics, astrologers, and faith-based mediums when deciding the cases brought before him.

Judge Seidlin explained the premise for the show:

"Psychics, clairvoyants and the telepathic are much like judges in that they possess tremendous intuition. I often rely on my intuition to determine who's being truthful and who's lying, and in 'Psychic Court' I'll benefit from the assistance of those who are experienced in the paranormal. It's going to be amazing."

Via SunSentinel

Medical Supply Company's Sexy Skeleton Pin-Up Calendar

2010-06-22T03:01:00.000-07:00

Fleshy pin-up girls are for snobs! The babes in medical supply company EIZO's calendar are all strictly skeletons. Literally.

The X-Ray Girls in EIZO's pin-ups are shown in every detail. Perfect for the medical professional, or just those who want something a little different.

Via Geeks of Doom

Did Doctor Who Predict The End Of The World On June 26, 2010?

2010-06-21T07:27:00.001-07:00

Astrologers point to the upcoming June 26th lunar eclipse & full moon as being of "global significance." Susan Miller of AstrologyZone.com says of the date, "You will be hearing all sorts of news, on TV and the rest of the media," and provides all sorts of ominous portents. Astrologer Penny Thorton has this to say about 6/26:

"I have been looking at this period of the year with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Major national and international events tend to cluster around eclipses and with this lunar eclipse in the sign of Capricorn closely conjunct Pluto there is an end of an era feel to the astrology."

Enter Doctor Who.

On June 26th the season finale of Doctor Who will air on the BBC. Called "The Big Bang," the episode not only features the exact date of 6/26/2010 in the storyline but invests the day with a cataclysmic import similar to those cited by the astrologers. Coincidence? A case of synchronicity? A dark portent for the future?

The special back-to-back screenings of the first two "Twilight" movies on that date, promoting the new movie "Eclipse," only seals the deal as far as we're concerned.

"The Great Doctor Who Conspiracy III: The Big Bang Theory"

Man Sells Letter Q On Ebay, Gets $9000+ In Bids

2010-06-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

A film student put up the letter Q on eBay -- and has $9,000+ so far in bids!

The Q was drawn in marker on a piece of cardboard. The listing reads:

"Q is the 17th letter of the alphabet and would be a timeless addition to your collection of knickknacks, as the letter Q has survived as a member of the alphabet for centuries and will no doubt last for many centuries to come. You can buy this item knowing that one day, you will have a story to tell your grandchildren about the time you bought the letter Q on ebay.

I will throw in a letter U for free since Q is useless without its companion."

The letter Q will also come with a document testifying to its authenticity, the listing says, and the proceeds from the auction will go to the seller's college tuition.

The Letter Q - eBay

23 Michael Jackson Conspiracy Theories

2010-06-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

While the late Michael Jackson was no stranger to far-out tabloid tales and urban legends when he was alive, his death spawned an unprecedented number of conspiracy theories. Here are 23 of them.

23. Michael Jackson was killed by the greedy hangers-on in his entourage.
In July of 2009 Michael Jackson's sister LaToya made several interviews with British newspapers alleging that members of Michael's circle felt he was "worth more dead than alive" and "killed" the pop star by a combination of overwork & drugs:

"I believe Michael was murdered - I felt that from the start. Not just one person was involved, rather it was a conspiracy of people. He was surrounded by a bad circle."

LaToya vowed not to stop investigating MJ's death until she found who was responsible. link

22. Michael Jackson is alive and well and living with Elvis Presley in a bunker under Graceland.
The website 68comeback claimed shortly after Jackson's reported passing that the singer was hiding out in a seven-story-deep bunker under Graceland with fellow death hoaxer Elvis Presley. Further, not only Michael & Elvis were living there, but other dead celebrities. As we will see, this is only one of many theories speculating that MJ is still alive. link

21. Michael Jackson gave a cryptic message regarding 2012 in footage shot for the documentary movie "This Is It"
Was MJ referring to possible apocalyptic 2012 events when he was filmed telling his crew: "We have four years to get it right or else it's irreversible"? Did the Illuminati get upset at Jackson "spilling the beans" and decided to shortly thereafter rub him out? video link

20. A Michael Jackson impostor was used for his March 2009 tour announcement at the 02 Arena.
Technically, this rumor started before MJ died, but was greatly elaborated on after his passing. Paul Harris of The Mail wrote an elaborate article questioning if it was truly MJ who made the announcement at 02, or a lookalike:

"But why use a lookalike? The (speculative) theory is that Jackson - filmed falling on the steps of his minibus before it left for the Arena - was either injured or too ill to appear in person. With millions at stake in ticket sales, who would be bold enough to disappoint the waiting fans and international broadcasters now?"

Other theories speculate that MJ might have died as much as two years previous to 2009, his double making all subsequent public appearances. Since Jackson had changed his face so much over the years...who would notice his replacement? video link

19. All the child molestation charges against Michael Jackson were trumped-up by the Illuminati in order to ruin his career
This is one of the most widely-believed conspiracy theories surrounding Michael Jackson. The theory goes: Michael Jackson was getting too popular and powerful, and so the Illuminati decided to elaborately frame him as a child molester as to destroy his fame and mental well-being. These theories overlap those of less esoteric sources like GQ's Mary A. Fisher and author Aphrodite Jones, who blame not the shadowy secret society but a combination of greedy parents and an overly-zealous news media. link

18. Michael Jackson was a big fan of Aleister Crowley, and allowed the influence of the infamous dead occultist to corrupt him.
I go into some of this theory in the post "Is Aleister Crowley on the Cover of Michael Jackson's Dangerous Album?" The basic idea is that Aleister Crowley was a big influence on rock and pop musicians in general over the decades, and MJ was no exception. While it is a fact that rock idols like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin admired Crowley, whether the King of Pop did is still under debate in conspiracy circles. video link

17. Michael Jackson was killed in order to gain access to his song catalogue.
Former MJ advisor Leonard Rowe claims in his book "What Really Happened To Michael Jackson" that the singer was specifically killed to gain access to his one billion dollar song catalogue. His theory dovetails into LaToya Jackson's 2009 's allegations regarding her brother's death and possible murder. Rowe, who claims to be a close personal friend of Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson, told RadarOnline:

"Michael always felt he would be killed for his catalogue. When he was speaking about it, I paid him no attention but as the latest events have unfolded, I couldn’t help but think about his statement -- and it still haunts me today."

16. Michael Jackson's memorial was filled with "Satanic" symbols.
While much was made in conspiracy circles about the symbols shown on the screen at MJ's memorial service, it should be noted that the symbols weren't "Satanic" at all but those of a number of religious faiths, including Christianity. video link

15. Michael Jackson is alive and well and assuming the identity of childhood burn victim Dave Dave.
In one of the weirder Michael Jackson Is Alive theories, the singer faked his death and assumed the identity of Dave Dave/David Rothenberg, a victim of severe childhood burns who MJ maintained a long friendship with. The theorists claim that a recent interview with Dave Dave on CNN's Larry King shows physical discrepancies that might indicate it is not really him but Michael Jackson in disguise. Dave Dave denied this claim on his MySpace page:

"Since the untimely passing of my friend, there has been much speculation regarding what I would call a "Death Hoax." This particular hoax is just a hoax."

link link 2

14. Michael Jackson was disguised as an old man in a fedora at his own funeral.
Was MJ, no stranger to disguising himself in public, that weird old man in the hat at his funeral? Some people think so. video link

13. There is video of an alive Michael Jackson stepping out of a coroner's van.
This video caused a big stir on the Internet when it first emerged, but was later admitted to be a hoax created by the German broadcaster RTL. link video link

12. Michael Jackson was a victim of the MK-ULTRA project.
This is one example of a grander conspiracy narrative that claims various celebrities and pop stars were part of a CIA plot as children to control their minds and influence the public. MJ's own tales of being abused as a child by his father are used as evidence for the theory. Roseanne Barr is said to have stated on her blog the following:

"joe jackson is an mk ultra operative
who's abuse of his own children was used to profit the CIA's programs that follow and study the effects of child abuse on the young, and how their minds can be controlled to such an extent, and with such abuse, that they can be forced to develop talent."

link

11. Michael Jackson was sighted at a train station in Ottawa shortly after his supposed death.
The creator of the Michael Jackson Sighting Society claims to have seen MJ alive and well in Canada:

"Late on Thursday night I was at the train station in Ottawa, Canada and I saw Michael Jackson alive! I only got a quick glance but when I returned home there was already buzz in Ottawa that other people had seen him as well. I was able to meet some of the other people who saw Michael alive, and that is why we decided to start the M.J.S.S."

link

10. Michael Jackson had dated the son of his dermatologist from 2008-2009.
Jason Pfeiffer, son of MJ's former dermatologist Dr. Arnie Klein, made allegations in May that he was engaged in a "passionate and sexual" relationship with the singer for the year leading up to his untimely passing. This conspiracy included alleged multiple death threats to Pfeiffer and Klein, and the theory that the "revelations" were timed to draw attention away from a TV special with author Aphrodite Jones about his death. link

9. Michael Jackson was a victim of the "law of threes" in celebrity deaths, rounding out a trio that included Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon.
Was MJ's death merely a result of the mysterious "law of threes" in celebrity deaths? link

8. Claims regarding Michael Jackson's plastic surgery have been greatly exaggerated.
YouTube user acucena's documentary "Changes" uses photo comparisons to demonstrate that MJ did not have as much plastic surgery as alleged in the media. This video is sometimes erroneously referred to as stating that Michael Jackson didn't have any plastic surgery. video link

7. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had Michael Jackson killed.
Jackson's death in June of 09 quickly overtook the Iranian student protests as Twitter Topic DuJour. Was this all part of Ahmadinejad's evil plan to distract the West in their support for the students? link

6. Omer Bhatti is Michael Jackson's secret son.
When 25-year-old Omer Bhatti was seated in the front row of Michael Jackson's memorial service, rumors flew that he was the singer's secret son. Since then there has been seeming confirmations of the Norwegian rapper's lineage by Jackson family members, and a denial by Bhatti himself. As of this writing, the Wikipedia page for Omer Bhatti has been deleted. link

5. The movie poster for the Michael Jackson movie "This Is It" was made to resemble the "Satanic" symbol Baphomet.
Proponents of the Illuminati-killed-MJ camp allege that the image of the singer on the official movie poster of "This Is It" was purposely made in the shape of the head of Baphomet. Others also link the image to Isis and other "occult' symbology. link.

4. Michael Jackson's three kids are in danger.
There are various theories related to the idea that MJ's three children are in possible danger. One suggests infamous poppa Joe Jackson plans to turn them into the next Jackson singing group (if you've followed stories about the elder Jackson's treatment of Michael, you can see how this would be a concern). Another cites the case where Jermaine Jackson's son pointed a stun gun at the children. Finally, as MJ's heirs, the three kids might face opposition from a number of sides. link

3. Michael Jackson left behind a "death hoax" diary.
A man named Derek Klontz claims to have exclusive access to Jackson's diary through a "family friend." The alleged diary paints a picture of an exhausted MJ who compares himself to Elvis towards the end of his life. There are also several cryptic quotes from the diary that might suggest the King of Pop might have planned a death hoax:

"If Elvis … (illegible) … so can I."
"I’ll come back, but only when I’m ready. Bigger than Elvis in ’69."
"“A back-from-dead tour, a real Thriller. But I have to rest. I’m tired. I’m not (thinking) clearly."

link

2. The spirit of Michael Jackson is communicating through psychic mediums and channels.
Since MJ's passing a number of psychic mediums have claimed to be in contact with him. Some claim to be the only true channel for Jackson, and that the singer himself has denounced the others as frauds. One of the most prominent supposed channels for MJ is Bonnie Vent, who claims to have received so much sensitive information from Michael through her sessions that she chooses to keep some of it private. Here is a sample of MJ beyond-the-grave:

"I was very confused at first. I had been in similar states of being many times and always came back to my life and went through my schedule just as directed. This time was different. The environment changed suddenly and I was trying to get back. I had done this successfully before but not this time. I can see many people around me but there was no noise... complete silence and it was wonderful…"

link video link

1. Michael Jackson's ghost was recorded during a CNN video tour of Neverland for Larry King.
Was the ghost of Michael Jackson recorded by a CNN film crew walking through Neverland? video link

Examining this list of Michael Jackson conspiracy theories and rumors that have flourished after his death, we can make several conclusions:

Some people have a hard time accepting/believing he is dead.
Some people have a hard time with the notion that he could have died just as a combination of drug abuse and possible medical malpractice -- such a banal passing not befitting someone of MJ's stature (see: theories regarding Elvis and "death by constipation").
The standard "Illuminati" conspiracy theories have now been retrofitted to include Jackson as a key celebrity figure within its narrative.

One last note: I failed to mention in this list the subject of Michael Jackson's autopsy photos. It is rumored that his autopsy photos are being (understandably) suppressed but are circulating around the Internet and even made their way into a Japanese newspaper. I have had the extreme misfortune of clicking a link to the alleged photo in the newspaper in question. Whether the photo was real or Photoshopped, it was one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen in my life. I'm not touching the possibility of running into that image again with a ten-foot-pole. However, the fact that I have never seen the image again in general Google searches for Michael Jackson photos, nor in popular picture posting sites, leads me to believe in the possibility that the pic in the Japanese newspaper was real, and subsequently "scrubbed" from the Internet.

Counterfeit Condom Crisis In NYC

2010-06-18T15:47:00.001-07:00

It's one thing to buy a counterfeit purse or watch...maybe the quality will be a little shabby, or the logo not look just right. But if you use a counterfeit condom, you might be in for a bit more trouble.

That's why federal officials are so concerned about fake Trojan condoms being smuggled in from China. The ersatz prophylactics are described by a prosecutor for the United States attorney’s office in Brooklyn as “a danger to the public.”

Counterfeit condoms are often made in unsterile conditions and lubricated with substances like vegetable oil. Because they bear trusted brand names like Trojan, Durex, or Rough Rider, the users of these bootleg rubbers are unaware that they may be putting themselves at risk.

Feds found more than half a million fake Trojans in a recent bust. These condoms did not have spermicide as advertised on the label, and leaked during water testing.

Via New York Times

Vuvuzela Fears For Pope

2010-06-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

The vuvuzela-hatin' continues as the Vatican fears the instrument might mar Pope Benedict's visit to England in September.

The Archbishop of Westminster had this to say about the vuvuzelas, which were made popular during this year's World Cup in South Africa:

"I have had enough of them already."

The Archbishop worries that because people have gotten so used to using the instrument during sporting events, a few rogue persons might sound the plastic horns during the papal visit -- thus damaging the delicate papal eardrums.

Special care has traditionally been afforded to the Pope during his visits so he is not inconvenienced or offended in any way, as seen in the recent case in Malta where "panda graffiti" and a phallic statue were covered up.

No word as to whether there will be an official vuvuzela ban during the papal visit.

Via The Telegraph

Tea Party Confessional: "We're Playing To The Reptilian Brain"

2010-06-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

The latest Playboy features a "confessional" by an alleged Tea Party consultant that claims, among other things, that he was paid to play to the "reptilian brain" of average Americans:

"We're playing to the reptilian brain rather than the logic centers, so we look for key words and images to leverage the intense rage and anxiety of white working-class conservatives...In other words, I talk to the same part of your brain that causes road rage."

The anonymous K street consultant also writes that one of the organizations he works for describes the methodology they will use to win the next election as "the black arts," and that Truthers (people who think 9/11 was an inside job) and Birthers (who think President Obama is not a real United States citizen) are considered to be pariahs:

"Here’s a good example of why some Tea Party members aren’t as stupid as you may think: They know the birther argument is a loser. (That’s the theory that President Barack Obama’s missing birth certificate is the key to unlocking a vast conspiracy.) It’s no secret people think my friends are crazy; they are hypersensitive about being considered conspiracy theorists. Truthers are equally unwelcome."

So adamant is the Tea Party to distance themselves from "conspiracy nuts," the consultant alleges, that:

"Our candidate-interview process is pretty simple. The candidate is asked two questions:
(1) Are you a birther?
(2) Are you a truther?
If the answer is anything but "no" or "hell no," the conversation ends right there. If the candidate answers correctly, the conversation continues, looking at viability and whether we can have a worthwhile impact. The reality of this litmus test is as patriotic as practical. Donors don’t contribute to lunatics."

This is all very interesting in light of the fact that much of the Tea Party is seen through the lens of the media (outside of Fox News) as being very paranoid and prone to conspiracy theories. The leaders of, and consultants to, the Tea Party seem anxious to weed such people as the Truthers and Birthers out of their organization -- but one wonders how much of that very same "lunatic fringe" is fueling their grassroots efforts.

Also, the idea crossed my mind that this "confessional" to Playboy was in itself highly calculated to get the "word" out to the public that the Tea Party is in the process of ridding themselves of that fringe.

Via Playboy

Airlines Worker Finds Box Filled With Human Heads

2010-06-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

"Eight Heads In A Duffel Bag" has nothing on the 40-60 partial and whole human heads found by a Southwest Airlines worker in Arkansas.

The heads were bound for a medical lab in Fort Worth, Texas -- but the package was flagged for being improperly packed and labeled. For example, instead of being vacuum-packed, the heads were sealed in plastic containers using duct tape.

While Southwest Airlines does ship human specimens for research purposes, the package apparently did not meet their standard. It is unclear if any headway has been made in getting the box to where it needs to go.

Via NPR

Westboro Baptist Church Hates The USA Flag

2010-06-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

The controversial Westboro Baptist Church issued a press release just in time for Flag Day slamming the Stars and Stripes as being an "impotent blood-soaked feces-stained semen-slathered f*g flag."

Nobody knows why the ire of the WBC has suddenly turned to the flag of the United States, other than an attempt to make their brand of irrational hatred seasonal, and perhaps reuse their existing "God Hates F*gs" signs by just adding one hastily scrawled letter with a Sharpie.

The WBC also helpfully penned an anti-Flag Day song:

"You're a filthy flag; you're a red, bloody flag
And the perverts they love you to wave"

The Westboro Baptist Church is of course one of America's most edgy and original improvisational comedy troupes. They exist solely on the publicity and chthonic lifeforce generated by the media who apparently can't get enough of their adorable antics

Via Denver Westword

Editorial: The Legion Of Concerned Moms

2010-06-17T03:03:00.000-07:00

Whether they are protecting their children from talking dolls who make death threats, or finding phallic-shaped bonbons in their box of candy, or discovering cigarettes at the bottom of a Happy Meal -- mothers are the first line of defense for the world's youth. A week does not go by in which I do not read at least two news stories about shocked moms discovering something evil. Moms are like that. Moms get things done. They'll sue you silly.

Take the recent case of the Wendy's free karaoke CD that included the Donna Summer song "Last Dance." Upset mothers complained that they could hear the phrase "so horny" in the song. As the CD was marked "safe" for three-year-olds, that sort of ribald lyric just would not fly. And so Wendy's, fearing the wrath of the Legion of Concerned Moms, pulled the CD.

But was pulling the karaoke CD enough to fix the damage done by 3-year-olds hearing the word "horny?" How do you take that time back, that fallen innocence, that moment when you were all in the car listening to a Wendy's karaoke CD and the word "horny" played? "Mommy, what does that word mean?"

Now a whole unwanted dialogue emerges, a dialogue regarding when a man and woman love each other very much, or maybe don't really love each other, or maybe it's two guys, or maybe when a man loves himself very much. The specifics don't matter. The point is: Donna Summer just borked the childhood of your spawn with her filthy lyrics. What now?

The only real remedy the Legion of Concerned Moms should take, it seems to me, is to sue sue sue sue sue. That cigarette at the bottom of the Happy Meal? Your baby could have lit that up and started a lifelong addiction to tobacco! And the Cadbury chocolate shaped like a penis? Your child could have assumed all genitalia is made out of chocolate. You know what happens to kids who are faced with such things?

Yep, that's what happens. Your child grows up to be Joran Van Der Sloot. It is rumored that Van Der Sloot accidentally listened to an adult version of Father Abraham's "The Smurf Song" on a Dutch fast food karaoke CD.

So The Daily 23 -- and the law firm of Ossning, Ossning, Ossning, and Ferrazzi -- salute the legions of concerned moms out there who keep finding messed up things and contacting the local news.

Newsweek To Feature Cover Depicting Sarah Palin As "Saint"

2010-06-17T03:02:00.000-07:00

An upcoming issue of the magazine Newsweek is deifying Sarah Palin...literally!

The one-time vice-presidential nominee is depicted on the cover clasping her hands in prayer, a halo around her head. The headline is "Saint Sarah."

A quote from the accompanying article, "How Palin is Reshaping The Religious Right," casts her in an even more divine -- and messianic -- light:

"To millions of women, Palin’s authenticity makes her a sister in arms—“Sisters!” she called out in Washington, as if at a revival—a beautiful, fearless, principled fighter who shares their struggles. To a smaller number, she is a prophet, ordained by God for a special role in the cosmic battle against the forces of evil."

In response to the Newsweek cover, Vanity Fair came up with their own Photoshopped versions of the saintly image including one of her as "Sarahstopheles":

Researcher Says Alien Tech Could Clean Up BP Oil Spill

2010-06-17T03:01:00.000-07:00

Denver "Alien Expert" Jeff Peckman claims that the alien technology exists to clean up the BP oil spill, citing information given to him by "whistle-blowers."

Peckman is quoted by the Denver Daily News as saying:

"More recent messages coming from this direction or that direction have affirmed that there are such technologies in existence that could be made available to us once there is open contact, acknowledgment and diplomatic relations with these advanced extraterrestrial cultures..."

Peckman is currently running a Denver ballot initiative to that would create a commission to study extraterrestrial affairs, and credits popular movies like Avatar for increasing public interest in such issues. He hopes that the proposed commission will foster better relations between humans and aliens, and allow us to benefit from the higher-advanced alien technology.

"This initiative would help just in raising the awareness that there are such technologies that have been available and even known by our government for decades that could produce clean energy technology, cure cancer, cleanup the environment — a wide range of technologies that have been there..."

The commission would feature a seven-person panel, and be funded by grants and donations. The public will vote on the initiative in November.

Keanu Reeves, Paul Mounet, and the Bill and Ted Connection

2010-06-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

The uncanny resemblance between Keanu Reeves and 1800s actor Paul Mounet (click here for info & pics) doesn't end with just them! A past-life researcher claims that Mounet/Reeves was part of a "soul group" that all reincarnated around the same time to be together again -- and included Reeves's Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure co-stars Alex Winter and George Carlin!

Brianstalin claims that Paul Mounet's actor brother, Jean Mounet-Sully, eventually reincarnated as famed comedian/actor George Carlin:

And that Mounet-Sully's childhood friend, Samuel-Jean Pozzi, would eventually return to our time period as Reeves's movie co-star Alex Winter:

If true, this would make the film Reeves, Winter, and Carlin did together, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, especially ironic -- a story of time-travel and the past meeting the present!

Brianstalin claims to have discovered these and other reincarnated celebrities & world figures by accessing the Akashic Record -- a metaphysical repository of sorts that contains all information from everywhere -- via use of meditation and a pendulum.

The Brianstalin Keanu Reeves page

The Brief Life Of Ohio's "Touchdown Jesus"

2010-06-16T03:12:00.000-07:00

On June 14 a familiar southwest Ohio landmark was struck by lightning and subsequently burned to the ground: "Touchdown Jesus." The six-story statue had depicted Jesus Christ, his arms raised up to heaven, apparently emerging from the water; it received the nickname "Touchdown Jesus" after the way it looked like He was signaling a touchdown in football.

Finished in 2004 by artist James Lynch, who had created other larger-than-life sculptures for Disney World and Ceasar's Big Neptune, the "King of Kings" statue was constructed from plastic foam and fiberglass over a metal frame. For six years it stood in front of Monroe's "mega church" Solid Rock, a perfect backdrop for baptisms and highly visible from the I-75. Solid Rock Church believed it might be one of the biggest Jesus statues in the world, and even submitted it to the Guinness World Records.

Reaction to the statue by the locals was mixed, however. According to the site Roadside America, a poll indicated that 25% of residents felt that the sculpture was a "Godsend, good for Monroe," while 75% found that it was an "Eyesore." And comedian Heywood Banks even created a song in its "honor"-- "Big Butter Jesus".

Now that Touchdown Jesus has essentially exploded due to an act of God, how will Solid Rock explain this event? Was it a Job-like tragedy designed to test their faith? Was the incident a warning about creating and worshiping graven images? Some sort of "divine commentary" of the state of society?

At any rate, there are already plans to resurrect "Touchdown Jesus."

52-Year-Old CA Construction Worker Caught Trying To Kill Bin Laden

2010-06-16T03:11:00.000-07:00

Gary Brooks Faulkner didn't just talk the talk about fighting terrorism and bringing Osama Bin Laden to justice. He also walked the walk -- all the way to Pakistan. With a pistol, a 40-inch sword and night-vision goggles. So he could personally cut off Bin Laden's head.

The 52-year-old construction worker from California was detained by police in Pakistan. When asked by authorities why he was carrying the weapons, Faulkner frankly responded that he wished to "decapitate" Osama Bin Laden.

Faulkner's relatives said that he was a very religious man who was dying of kidney disease. His brother Scott told CNN,

"Osama had made some references to our God, the God of the Bible, in a poor light, and the fact that he was taunting America and getting away with killing thousands of Americans, my brother took that very personally."

Via The NY Post

Cow Executed For Seducing Man

2010-06-16T03:10:00.000-07:00

When Busti Ngurah Alit was caught having sex with a cow, he did the only thing he could do in such an uncomfortable situation -- claim the cow totally asked for it!

The 18-year-old Indonesian man was caught standing naked while holding the back end of the cow. He claimed he thought that from behind it was the form of a beautiful woman who had seduced him. Alit's elders then made him marry the cow in a cleansing ritual, during which he understandably fainted.

Finally, the cow was drowned in a river to rid the town of any bad luck brought on by the man/cow coupling. Hardly seems fair to the hapless cow.

Via Say What?