Believe: You're Capable of a Bit More....

When I think about mental, emotional and physical roadblocks, I am reminded of the weight loss TV shows where a physical trainer intimidates, pushes, cajoles and then orders the overweight person to do yet another mile on the treadmill. The contestant whines, cries, goes into full-blown hysterics and, before he knows it, he did the mile and ends up feeling euphoria of kicking butt and going past the exit sign. 

Lightning Phenomena

Catatumbo Lightning is a phenomena found in Venezuela mostly at the mouth of the Catatumbo River. This small region receives so many concentrated lightning strikes that it is considered the largest generator of tropospheric ozone. It can happen 160 nights a year, up to 9 hours of continuous lightning each night.

Back Road Scary Legends

Along the back roads of America, there are lots of odd, quirky spots. If you're planning a road trip based on creepy things, there's nothing better than unexplained legends.

1950s SciFi Heroines: Women's Changing Roles

On the tail end of atomic knowledge and talk of future space travel following World War II, the 1950s ushered in a scientific era. Science Fiction movies were the rage and they churned out the formula fast and furious, trying to keep up with Cold War themes, fear of radiation, as well as women's changing roles after their work place contributions in the 1940s war time.

The Urban Sasquatch Journal: Perspective on the Site

This is the reporting by a Bigfoot researcher of an ongoing study in the Southern part of the United States in a very large park area near homes and urban setting.


Prior Installments
#1 What is Urban Sasquatch?
#2 "The Original Experiment"
# 3 The Urban Study Begins"
#4 "Signatures and Signs" 
#5 "Mixing It Up"
#6 "Neglected and Discouraged"
#7 "Adding Complexities"
#8 "Stunning Interactions"
#9 "Showing My Intent"
#10 "I'm Being Directed"
#11 "New Team Member"
#12 "Working It Vigorously" 
#13 "Curious Interactions"
#14 "New Season Begins"
#15 "Answering My Thoughts?"
#16 Trail Cam Sham 
#17 Training for Cameras
#18 Weather, Birds and Unexplained Sights
#19 More Preparation For Filming
#20 Revealing the Urban Research Site
#21 Research Considerations
#22 Making Signs
#23 Footprint Found 
#24 Testing Animal Versus Sasquatch
#25 Enticing With Food and Curiosity
#26 Amping up the Exchange
#27 Opening Communication
#28 Extended Visit
#29 Pillaged and Moved 
#30 Feather Gift
#31 Disarray
#32 Evolving
#33 Flooding and Chaos 
#34 After the Floods 
#35 Lots of Changes
#36 Hair Samples 
#37 Lots of Tinkering
#38 Shocking Find 
#39 Between Storms
#40 Are They Understanding?
#41 Amping up the Challenges
#42 The Calm Before the Storm? 
#43 Drawing Them Out of Hiding
#44 Footprints and Disruption
#45 Narrowing the Locations
#46 Smelling Something Close
#47 2015 Year In Review and 2016 Begins!
#48 Twigs and Balls
#49 Come and Take It! 
#50 Making Themselves Known
#51 Footprint of the Treat Thief!

Bigfoot: Biggest Covert Operation or Biggest Hoax?

Whether we want to accept it or not, there are only two ways we can take the subject of Bigfoot; either they are the world's most exceptionally shy and elusive tribe OR Bigfoot is a hoax perpetuated by thousands of people and continued today for reasons that are unclear.

Talk about a world of insanity!

Ancient Giant Stone Jars: Laos Mystery

In Laos, in a remote valley, there are a number of ancient "jars" made of stone littering the ground. There are not just a few, there are thousands.

Believe: Planning Halloween Costumes

Halloween is THE season for most of us into the paranormal realms of study. In fact, in Julie Ferguson's and my book, "Paranormal Geeks," there is a whole chapter on how geeks celebrate the season and we spoke to lots of geeks about how they do up All Hallow's Eve. 

Your Body as a Paranormal Barometer

The human body is the single best barometer of the unexplained.

1980s Horror Movie Actors: Where Are They Now?

The 1980s ushered in the biggest wave of horror movies ever. They ran the gamut from supernatural and religious themes to stalker, slasher and monster themes. Some of the more obscure but memorable actors seemed to have faded away. What are they doing now?

Haunted Checklist: How To Tell If a Location Has Haunted Potential

More often than not, people make assumptions about haunted locations. They see an anguished or tragic history and say, "this place has to be haunted!" And, so, a parade of teams study Eastern State Penn or Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum until the buildings are nothing more than haunted by eager teams.

The Urban Sasquatch Journal: Footprint of the Treat Thief!

This is the reporting by a Bigfoot researcher of an ongoing study in the Southern part of the United States in a very large park area near homes and urban setting.


LINK TO PRIOR INSTALLMENTS

A Psychic Premonition and a Disaster Averted!

**This is a special guest post by researcher and author, David Claerr**

It is often said that Providence works in mysterious ways. Sometimes baffling and frustrating circumstances can lead to a totally different result for an undertaking in which we engage.

I recently had an unusual and somewhat remarkable episode occur a few weeks ago as I was attempting to go out on an outing with my family one fine Saturday afternoon.

We had planned a visit to the Dallas Zoo which we had not been to for a couple years or so, but where previously we had many an interesting and enjoyable time. We had planned to leave earlier in the day, but some unexpected chores, phone calls and email correspondence had taken up most of the morning. But as we set out, some time after noon, there should have been plenty of time for a typical outing.

However, recently, there had been some major reconstruction and rebuilding projects on the Dallas roadways and an unusual amount of detours. That day there were also prolonged delays due to several fender-benders and rear-end collisions. I even took some tried-and-true shortcuts and alternate routes to escape the gridlock, but we were engulfed in the worst traffic situation that I ever experienced in Dallas.

When we finally arrived at the Zoo, the trip that should have taken 30 minutes had taken about two-and-a half hours! I was trying to be very Zen in the midst of this difficulty, and we told stories and discussed some science and technology breakthroughs to entertain ourselves while crawling along in traffic. But when we went through the Zoo gate, the attendant informed us that the Zoo was closing early that day and would only be open for another hour. By then my blood pressure and frustration level was at an all-time high.

However, I did have a backup plan, which was to visit a favorite shopping spot, a grocery-clearance center that stocks gourmet and organic products at affordable prices. We liked the store because of the interesting and unusual fare there- the boys always got the cricket-and-chocolate bars that, for some reason, were always an overstocked and low-price item. So since it was relatively near to the Zoo, we headed there.

At the store, I felt restless and enervated, still overcharged with adrenaline from the harrowing drive around the city. I looked out the front window across the road to a vacant lot that had an appealing grassy meadow and shaded woodlot. On the north side of the meadow there was a new apartment complex.

It was then that I had the impression, a sort of wordless, yet strong “suggestion” of sorts, that I should go over and walk around the vacant lot. I had the definite sensation that it was somehow important that I comply with this impulse. Since I previously have had these types of psychic impressions or leadings, I felt as though I should not ignore the direction that I seemed to receive.

And I also reasoned that a walk through a fairly wild or untended patch of woods and meadowland would probably help me to calm down and work off the adrenaline and stress-hormones still surging in my bloodstream. I told my family that I was going for a walk through the woods and would be back soon.

I crossed the street and walked over to the lot , which was somewhat overgrown. There were no signs of ownership or any “No Trespassing” notices. The land appeared to be part of the public land along a creek. I then noticed that it seemed to be the site of a former homestead, quite old, and, judging from the very old, towering trees, possibly dating back at least to the mid-1800's. It was a patch of land that had been settled, but never cleared of timber or put to the plow. Plots of land like that are rare, and sometimes intriguing artifacts can be found. I first walked through the small meadow, then into the woods, where I found old bits of stone-and mortar work, rough-hewn log beams, bits of cast-iron and other remnants of a pioneer-style homestead. There were pieces of an old wagon as well.

I scouted around the old homestead and then went down to the creek, which was full to overflowing, with no good way to cross-over in sight. So I headed back through the woods to the meadow. Then I had the wordless combination of emotion and thought, that seemed as if to say: “You're not through yet, look around, you have work to do” That seemed a bit strange, but I walked around the meadow from side to side, looking for some clue or inkling as to why I was there.

Then, rather suddenly, as I tread slowly through the grass, flowers and weeds in the meadow, right in front of me was a deep hole, almost obscured by the tall grass. If I had been walking faster, I might have stepped right into it, especially if I had not been looking down at the time.

I came to an abrupt halt, and brushed away some of the grass at the edge. The hole looked to be a yard wide. Then I went over to a clump of trees and picked up a dead branch and a few stones. I went back to the well and pulled back the grass with the branch to find the edges. Then I dropped the stones down the well, and I heard the “plunk” of the stones hitting the water. Not too far down to the water, maybe fifteen feet.

I leaned over and peered down into the well, trying to adjust my eyes to the darkness. I could see some jagged pieces of limestone slab-rock jutting out from the edges of the well shaft. It seemed obvious that this was a very old, hand-dug well. With the water at the bottom, jagged edges and obscured opening, the well was a very dangerous trap for the unwary.

And here's what sent chills up my spine: at the end of the meadow was a brand-new housing project, with a number of multi-family apartment buildings. I could hear children playing boisterously outside, hollering and squealing as children often do. There was a fence along one side of the meadow, but access to the meadow was very open at the front, with only the fallen-down remnant of a barbwire fence across the long side fronting the street.

My task was then very clear: I must plug the well, right there and then. 

apartments with meadow and plugged well in foreground

Looking around, I saw to my relief that there were quite a few large dead branches and even deadwood trunks of trees in the ancient woodlot. So I set about dragging the branches and trunks to the well. I even pushed-over a couple standing dead trunks. Many of these pieces of raw timber were very heavy, and it took most of my strength and all my knowledge of torque and leverage to maneuver them over to the well shaft and tip them up, to slide down into the hole.

Judging from the length of the trunks I placed down, the well shaft appeared to be about twenty feet deep, so maybe it had about five feet of water at the bottom. Deep enough to drown a child.... OK, so maybe I was guided in some mysterious way to end up there, despite everything, and plug the well.

While plugging the well, I tried to force the timber into the shaft, interweaving and interlocking the trunks and branches to make them very difficult to remove. I believe that strategy succeeded, and the well was sufficiently blocked to prevent any accidents.


plugged well shaft with foot for scale

plugged well west side, tallest trunk is about 5-1/2 feet above ground

After plugging the well, I walked back across the street, sweaty and tired, but feeling good about having accomplished something that day despite all the delays and frustrations. And it also occurred to me then, that the delays and frustrations were even part of the process.

I then rejoined my family who were just then finishing up on the shopping and heading for the checkout counter. Well, for once that day, the timing of events was working out smoothly.

But one more eerie thing happened: As I was driving out of the parking lot, we saw two children running through the meadow, giggling and laughing as they frolicked about. My hair stood on end as I watched them run right past the plugged well, as they chased each other around, scarcely watching where they were running.


Epilogue:

I have notified the city about the well, which is in a small community in the south-west of Dallas. I am at present expecting a report on a more permanent resolution of the hazard.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  David Claerr is an avid researcher of Bigfoot, ancient giants, anthropology and archaeology, as well as a talented artist. You can find his books on Amazon (LINK) and his personal design site with beautiful posters (LINK) in the link locations. 

Horror on Netflix Streaming

Let's have a look at some of Netflix streaming's horror offerings now. I'll try to hit every category of type of horror. 

My Oil Paintings - Evolving Collection

My Madam Curio Shop is starting to fill day by day with interesting unusual vintage finds that suit me and my quirky tastes, as well as lots of my oil paintings that show my obsession with sky and the effects it has on anything below. I am about to start some new ones of sunflowers and an oil pumper, but I expect to expand into some desert ones to go along with the ocean ones. 

Here's the ones in the shop now for sale - 

CRASH

TIDE

BLUE CRAB

THUNDERBIRD

THOR'S QUEST

BRONWYN

ADAHY: MAN OF THE WOODS

Here's ones I'm still working on - 

LIGHTHOUSE

MONTANA RURAL ROUTE

NORTH CAROLINA

MISSION BAY

Other odd items -

ABBY: THE ABANDONED MANNEQUIN HEAD

CROW EATER SCARECROW HEAD

BLACK-EYED CHILDREN MIRRORS

I am having the time of my life painting again and evolving my sky work and my colorful images. This is how I see these scenes, as a psychic, a natural lover, and someone who feels space viscerally. 

Thanks for supporting my artistic efforts. I also have upcoming books in the pipeline of creative industry, as well. I will keep my readers posted.

MY SHOP LINK

Believe: Logical Thoughts and Logical Emotions

Logical thinking: Use of clear sound reasoning. 
Logical emotions: The results of clear sound reasoning.

Medusa and Pandora's Box

These two stories have fascinated me since I was a kid; Medusa and Pandora's Box.

Medusa

Here's a basic description of Medusa: The medusa was an ugly creature. Let's have a look at how she came into existance, for she wasn't always that ugly... Again, the Gods played their role. The Medusa was the daughter of Phorkys and Keto, the children of Gaia (Earth) and Okeanos (Ocean). She was one of the three sisters known as the Gorgons. The other two sisters were Sthenno and Euryale. Medusa was the only mortal out of the three. She was once very beautiful and lived far in the north were the sun didn't visit. Being very curious, she wanted to see the sun, and asked the Goddess Athena for permission to visit the south. Athena refused to allow her to visit. The medusa got angry and dared to say that Athena hadn't given her permission because she was jealous of her beauty. that was it! Athena was angered and punished her by turning her hair into snakes and cursing her by making her so ugly that who ever looks at her eyes would turn into stone.

"The Gorgon"

Pandora's Box

Here's the story of Pandora's Box: "Prometheus was a Titan who really liked humans. He helped them in any way he could. When he saw them shivering at night and eating raw meat, he knew they needed fire. But the gods did not allow man to have fire. They knew that man would misuse it and destroy with it. Prometheus was sure that the good man did with fire would outweigh the bad, so he stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. Zeus decided to punish Prometheus with trickery. He called Aphrodite to pose while Hephaestus made a clay figure of a woman. Then he brought the statue to life. The gods granted the woman with many gifts including beauty, charm, cunning, wit, eloquence, deceit, skill, and curiosity. Then Zeus gave her a box and told her she was never to open it. Zeus then offered Pandora as a wife to Prometheus. The Titan wanted her, but he refused because he knew it must be a trick of the gods. Zeus became angry and punished Prometheus. The Titan was chained to a rock. There, a vulture came daily to feed on his flesh. Prometheus's brother, Epimetheus, accepted Pandora as his wife, and the couple settled down for a happy life. But Pandora always wondered what was in the box Zeus gave her. Finally she couldn't hold her curiosity down anymore. She opened the box, and from it flew hate, anger, sickness, poverty, and every bad thing in the world. She slammed the lid down and managed to trap the final evil still in the box: hopelessness. So today, even when the going gets tough, every human still has hope."




There are some very elemental lessons about life embedded in these legends. You see, legends of all kinds are trying to teach another generation, sometimes by extraordinary explanations, such as those found in religious texts or the legends carried on by indigenous people of the world. They are trying tell us about real issues, real events, real lessons, and doing so in a way that will assure it is passed down by generations and that is in the form of story telling.

Which would you rather have to deal with, Medusa or opening Pandora's Box? 

Scariest Asylum Practices

My oldest sister was a runaway as a teen and my parents caught her smoking pot. They didn't know what to do with her and in 1970, the option for them was to put her away in a mental hospital where the people working there assured them that she needed to remain. Over the years there, my sister received so much electroshock therapy that she lost all memory of her childhood or any experiences she ever had with us. She was a shell of the person I knew when she came out and it took us decades to rediscover each other and forge a new relationship. It was archaic to say the least, and that was in 1970!

Is Death the Beginning?

When I was 16, my father had a heart attack in the kitchen. The paramedics hovered over him and one called out that he was dead. 

My family huddled together to grieve the shocking loss when 4 minutes later the paramedic pronounced the paddles worked and they had a heartbeat.

The Urban Sasquatch Journal: Making Themselves Known

This is the reporting by a Bigfoot researcher of an ongoing study in the Southern part of the United States in a very large park area near homes and urban setting.

Prior Installments
#1 What is Urban Sasquatch?
#2 "The Original Experiment"
# 3 The Urban Study Begins"
#4 "Signatures and Signs"
#5 "Mixing It Up"
#6 "Neglected and Discouraged"
#7 "Adding Complexities"
#8 "Stunning Interactions"
#9 "Showing My Intent"
#10 "I'm Being Directed"
#11 "New Team Member"
#12 "Working It Vigorously"
#13 "Curious Interactions"
#14 "New Season Begins"
#15 "Answering My Thoughts?"
#16 Trail Cam Sham
#17 Training for Cameras
#18 Weather, Birds and Unexplained Sights
#19 More Preparation For Filming
#20 Revealing the Urban Research Site
#21 Research Considerations
#22 Making Signs
#23 Footprint Found
#24 Testing Animal Versus Sasquatch
#25 Enticing With Food and Curiosity
#26 Amping up the Exchange
#27 Opening Communication
#28 Extended Visit
#29 Pillaged and Moved
#30 Feather Gift
#31 Disarray
#32 Evolving
#33 Flooding and Chaos
#34 After the Floods
#35 Lots of Changes
#36 Hair Samples
#37 Lots of Tinkering
#38 Shocking Find
#39 Between Storms
#40 Are They Understanding?
#41 Amping up the Challenges
#42 The Calm Before the Storm?
#43 Drawing Them Out of Hiding
#44 Footprints and Disruption
#45 Narrowing the Locations
#46 Smelling Something Close
#47 2015 Year In Review and 2016 Begins!
#48 Twigs and Balls

#49  Come and Take It! 

Closed Indefinitely: Top 10 Disaster Towns

Some locations that once boomed with great industry to support mining and energy industries soon became closed indefinitely due to pollution, whether contaminated ground water, asbestos, mercury or radiation, as well as ongoing fights with mother nature and the natural disasters associated with the location. Let's take a look at the top 10 towns closed indefinitely  -

THE Bigfoot Event in May!!!

With spring and summer coming, lots of outdoor events are proving that, even if you aren't a Bigfoot hunter, ghost hunter, or UFO hunter, there are ways to enjoy it for a weekend. 

If you wonder about Bigfoot in Pennsylvania (one of their favorite stomping grounds), this is your opportunity to get outdoors, meet like-minded outdoors people and also learn about Bigfoot from those who have experienced encounters and do the real leg work and research.

2016 Pennsylvania Bigfoot Camping Adventure

May 6th, 7th and 8th this event will offer workshops and speakers to inform you on the subject of Bigfoot, as well as camping in a campground (or if you like a nearby hotel). 


Here's a look at the speakers for the event.

One of the presenters, Eric Altman, is one of my favorite minds in the field. Be sure to check out his site.  He has a very healthy attitude about Bigfoot and research, is a super kind and intelligent man. 

I just got word that Trapper from "Mountain Monsters" will be attending. Okay, this sounds like even more fun!

I hope that you consider attending this event. Honestly, if I were in the east in May, I'd be there in a heartbeat!

Island of the Giants

Vespucci the explorer on the island of giants

The Canary Islands, Channel Islands of California, Easter Island, and more have been described as once housing civilizations of giants, as well as along coastlines of countries around the world.

Believe: Haunted Bed and Breakfast

I always dreamed of having an old historic building to convert into a Bed and Breakfast, perhaps have a 10 o'clock scary story telling in front of the fireplace while sipping brandy with the guests. 

There is something interesting about having guests in a haunted location for the night. When I was growing up, it seemed that weirdness came out in droves during the night for visitors. 

One time, my brother's friend awakened to something often encountered in the house, a blue mist forming overhead and icy cold temperature drop. Another friend was playing hide and seek with me, hid behind a berm and a ghost man in a war uniform on horseback leaped over her, disappearing in mid air. Another time, a visitor went upstairs to check on her baby and screamed. She saw the dark shadow figure in the hallway.

In Missouri, there is a place called the Haunted Castle House and it has been turned into a bed and breakfast.

This place is apparently quite active with lots of phenomena and has even had investigators and psychics give it a visit and proclaim the place is haunted.

(pic from second floor Martha Dixon room)

The place allows for ghost investigation teams, has tours, and haunted rooms. And, once every month they have a fun event (I've done one before and they are fun) - a murder mystery act. 

For all my Midwestern buddies or those on road trips trekking through this region, you might want to put this spot high on your list. 

More info:
Article

South Mountain Park: Flying Humanoids, Phoenix Lights, Pyramids, Treasures and a Missing Tribe!

Here in Phoenix, Arizona in the seat of all weird things in the sky, we find a new sighting of a flying humanoid videotaped near South Mountain - which is also the location of the infamous Phoenix Lights. 

You Can't Get Enough Josh Gates?

Josh Gates is universally loved for his sense of humor, his curiosity, his bravery and keen intelligence. He has the right amount of hope and skepticism to make his evaluations of the unexplained quite compelling.

If you loved him in "Destination Truth," you surely checked him out on "Expedition Unknown" on Travel Channel. You can find the first season out on Netflix streaming now!

I think we all hope to see Josh continue as the Indiana Jones of our ancient world in that fantastic way that a dynamic and charismatic, charming and yet awkward nerd should present finds to us via our TV and computer screens.

Some day, I'd like to see him take off six months or so and just investigate one impossible mystery and make a documentary based on the expedition. We all like to ride along with him, and not have to suffer the mosquitoes and traveler's illness, the freezing cold or the poisonous snakes.

Keep it up, Josh, we love you!