Month: June 2013

Tasmanian devils: An Australian woman now speaks in a French accent

The rare but existent foreign accent syndrome strikes again. 
According to MotherNatureNetwork, only about 100 cases have ever been reported of the strange syndrome.. 
Rowe was quoted as saying, “It makes me so angry because I am Australian” .. 
It leaves one to wonder this: Perhaps, just perhaps, if reincarnation is how things work in the universe, we’ve all been through numerous nations in life and many accents .. perhaps a tiny percentage of us keep that memory in our soul and it gets conjured up in a new life. 
OR we could go with the scientific ‘experts’ who say that it all boils down to ‘coincidence’.. 
Karen Croot, an FAS researcher, told the MNN.COM report this: “It’s just an accident of chance that happens to that person that what happens to their speech happens to overlap with the features of a known accent,” she says.”.. It’s all just conincidence. They say. But what accent do they say it in?

The Art Bell exclamation point Revealed

A few days ago this website reported that Artbell.com was coming back.

The former radio show host himself announced that something was going to occur on that website, and that it was under construction, and to watch for more.. Around that same time the website appeared with an all black background and one single white question mark.

Early this morning, the site changed.

The black background still remains, but now a different punctuation mark is present: The exclamation point.

No word yet officially from anyone on what exactly Bell is planning to do with this website, but there are rumors rampant online that the former webmaster of Arbell.com is once again at the helm..

Time will tell, and since there are only a certain number of punctuation marks before you run out, I don’t know what we will see next..

Case of the Mondays: News of importance from the natural world and beyond

MONDAY JUNE 17 2013
Obama and Putin at the G8.. So many issues: Syria, weapons.. the Syrian ‘rebels’ who are devouring human flesh.. .. oh, and that newfound tension now that the GUARDIAN reported that past events may have been … screened.
CHINA is asking the UNITED STATES to explain internet surveillance.. Did you ever think you’d see that headline with the nations in the order that they are written?
Vlad denies stealing a Super Bowl ring (*but anyone who remembers seeing the video will clearly remember he did*)
When exorcisms go wrong? Police were called after a woman went into cardiac arrest during an exorcism .. according to the few reports that exist on this matter, the woman seems to be unnamed and the home’s occupants were the woman lived said that a demon had been biting people and breaking objects.. Police are not filing charges.. word now is that the unnamed woman is in stable condition..
For years, experts have wondered what would happen if a big quake and big tsunami hit the West Coast.. And now a new map is showing what could happen–as the map shows less high ground in the event of a big Oregon tsunami..
Now water fights are happening over fracking.. According to this AP STORY, fracking is putting renewed strains on already strained water supplies in the nation that have been hit by drought.. A vast area where much fracking occurs is also where the 2012 dust bowl happened..
Pope Francis blesses hundreds of Harley Davidsons.. The story reminded me of the scene from PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE when Pee Wee makes the almost life threatening mistake of knocking down rows of motorcycles, only leading him to put on the large shoes and dance on stage for the motorcycle gang.. In this instance, Francis has apparently accepted the bike culture at Vatican City.. Oh, and in Pee Wee’s movie, ‘Francis’ was the neighbor who wanted Pee Wee’s bike.. another weird connection, don’t you think?

MONDAY MORNING HEADLINES SET TO PRINT–WITH GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES

Another Sunday night, another GUARDIAN doozy: GCHQ intercepted foreign politicians’ communications at G20 summits

UK GUARDIAN reports:

Exclusive: phones were monitored and fake internet cafes set up to gather information from allies in London in 2009

If the Edward Snowden story has not had global ramifications, it certainly will now.. this is a barn burner of a GUARDIAN  exclusive..
There is so much ‘there’ there.. UK spies hacking foreign diplomats. The United States and Britain hacking at world conferences in the 09 period.. And something that  may roil the Russians: We spied of the President of that nation, too!
If you thought the GUARDIAN was done hitting us with hard hitting leaks, you’re wrong. They’ve only just begun, as Karen Carpenter would have said if we were still wearing bell bottom brown pants and living in rooms adorned with orange wallpaper.. We have only just begun indeed.. 
Matt Drudge’s DRUDGE REPORT labels the latest Edward Snowden leaks at as a ‘SNOWSTORM’ in a blazing headline tonight. That is not at all far from the truth.. this is certainly a storm of epic-and global-consequences. 
The Monday morning headlines will be amazing tomorrow. The GUARDIAN piece hit today.. and sent shockwaves around the planet..

The MAN OF STEEL for the men of the cloth

A few days ago on the HORROR REPORT, I wrote about how the new Superman movie is being marketed to the religious and faithful–which makes sense, after all family friendly and religious themed films do quite well at the box office.

I received one message from someone stating that Superman has historically been compared to Jesus and there was nothing new or different about the MAN OF STEEL concept..

I respecfully disagreed with that assertion. And now a CNN article posted this weekend backs up my contention that this movie, unlike many others, is directly being marketed to Christians .. 
CNN REPORTS that ministers were being given special screenings of the movie.. and perhaps the hope that they would praise Christ from the pulpit along with remind the flock of the benefits of going to see wholesome movies–especially when the hero is being portrayed quite like Christ. 

And after all.. Jesus Christ was an Inside Job.

Clearly the numbers for the movie have been swelling to epic proportions over the weekend. We know Friday night and Saturday night date nights went well for the MAN OF STEEL.

Father’s day Sunday may be strong–and maybe even a big bolster coming with mid-day post Church goers looking for deeper and hidden meanings in the MAN OF STEEL.. 

DEVELOPING..

A FATHER’S DAY REFLECTION

Mother’s day came first. Dad was an afterthought. And then Father’s day followed. But that’s fine. 

You see, Mother’s Day, in many respects, is what matters. ‘Mom’ goes through the nine months of changes, the labor pains.. the glorious feeling when she holds her child.  Dad of course had a hand in the whole affair, but.. .. .. and for that, we know why dads mean something.
I have sought to be the best father, ever. Period. I don’t know how often I sink or swim with my son, Ayden, but I certainly try..
Since the first time I looked at my son’s face, I felt a connection that is stronger than the physical form. This may sound corny, and for non-believers, potentially repugnant, but I see “God” in my son’s eyes. Whatever your idea of God is, of course. Because God may not be the God we think God is, or he may be a she, or maybe just electricity.. or maybe nothing.  But I see more than nothing in my son’s eyes, therefore I know there is something more than nothing—and the something is something I have no clue how to even try to understand.. 
And re-re-reading that paragraph, I know it makes little sense. But life sometimes just… makes little sense.
What does make sense, though, is being a father. Sharing laughs, wrestling matches (without real punches), fights, and love.
Family first. At least according to Adam Sandler in CLICK.
And I follow that motto. Family first.
We certainly don’t have to be friends. But we need to be family.
In 1993, I received a Christmas gift: My mom subscribed me to TIME magazine. I have been a reader since. Though I will admit now over the past 10 years I sometimes page through the smaller than ever print edition and just toss it aside. But in 1993 I read a story called ‘FATHERHOOD’… Never of course, at the age of 13, realizing that 20 years later I’d be celebrating my third father’s day…
And in 2003, ten years after that TIME edition was printed on old paper, I was cruising around in my 1999 RED Volkswagen Jetta, searching for a mate and not realizing my best friend Tara would soon be my wife… While cracking the windows, I played my COMPACT DISC of Simple Plan. I’d Do Anything… And now, ten years later, my son Ayden  is watching 2003 reruns of SCOOBY DOO and he is singing along to songs by Simple Plan, as they did the theme songs and background music for the show.. At one point about three weeks ago, I had Ayden in my car and put my old scratched up CD of Simple Plan in.. and me and my son shared a moment of singing along to music. In 2003 did I ever think I’d have a child, let alone be married? No.. I did not.
This is what happens. Life happens when you are busy making other plans. Right, Mr. Holland? Your Opus proved that..
I think I may go back to the 1993 article of TIME and read what  being a father is all about..Though I think I know.
Being a dad is being there. Being the wrestler in Chief and sometimes the disciplinarian in chief. Easing mom’s tension by taking the child away for a while. Being a friend. A foe. And an ally to the end.
Yes, fatherhood is interesting, beautiful, and amazing. All at the same time. I am glad I am taking part in this grand experiment.
To all the dads out there, including my own: Happy Father’s Day. For a few hours Mom may tell you it’s “your” day. Actually it’s not. It is your child’s day — everyday..

THE MAN OF STEEL FOR FATHER’S DAY

Theater goers across the world are flocking to see a semi-Jesus in blue and red, modern of course, fly across the friendly skies and battle foes with ease.. 
MAN OF STEEL is set to be a big movie, raking in $151 mil worldwide and most likely $125 or more mil in the United States..
WARNER is boasting of strong Saturday matinees. 
Even more, Saturday night and even Sunday daytime sales are expected to be strong..
An email the other day from the CINEMA PSYCHO (read his site if you have not already) reminded me that, regardless of what people like Spielberg or Lucas may say, Hollywood may not implode as they predict. 
The PSYCHO also told me to watch for a strong presence of the MAN OF STEEL this weekend with robust ticket sales. He was right.. 
Though it was highly predictable the movie would be great, it certainly puts into renewed perspective the strong possibility that those predictions of doom and gloom for the Hollywood sign are overdone..
Ticket sales still developing..
Date night Saturday. Dinner after..
Father’s day dinner first, movie to follow..
MAN OF STEEL rises.

FINALLY FRIDAY UPDATE

FRIDAY JUNE 14 2013

National interests. . international affairs.. the red line has been crossed. Last night, it was learned that the United States believes Syria’s government has used chemical weapons against people (earlier reports indicated that the rebels the US was supporting used them) .. the ‘red line’ as it was known was apparently crossed. Now action will take place.. and maybe Senator Stinky will get his wish.. Do we really want another war?? Do we even realize another war is beginning?
What we know about Syria right now:
Does it matter what the facts are..?

Life goes on, in a sense.. the photo posted of the baseball player and the fire in the background: Peter McEvoy posted it on his Twitter late Tuesday visible from behind home plate Pine Creek High School, just southwest of the evacuation area. (Credit: Peter McEvoy/Twitter).. A frightening image in a sense.. very eerie..
The latest on the wildfire conditions: 15,000 Acres charred 94,000 Acres under mandatory evac, 13,000 Homes, 38,000 people evacuated, Expected wind gusts: 35 mph, Single digit humid



If you were pulled over at roadblocks this past weekend in Alabama, chances are you were asked for a DNA sample.. AL.COM is reporting that St. Clair and Bibb County residents who were stopped at several roadblocks set up and were asked for a voluntary samples of blood and DNA (for a study, according to the report) .. a study.. hmm.. were they studying something for scientific research, or were they studying how far they could make innocents motorists go in giving their own blood and DNA?
Genetically modified frankenfoods are leading to diseases in pigs.. inflamed stomachs and other conditions.. Incidentally, my dad is a pretty good cook. And over the past few months, each time he made pork chops, he has claimed the meat is getting tougher and tougher–and he cooks it the same as he did years back when a pork chop was tender and juicy. If GM feed has this much of an effect on the pigs’ organs, does it not make sense to think the meat would also change in texture and taste?







HGTV shame: Clyde Lewis points out that they are giving their viewers reccomendations on how to use an American flag: Use it as a tablecloth! That’s right, as Lewis points out, the decoration tip for your July 4th BBQ is in direct conflict with the US Flag Code. Maybe the television network will decide what to do with those smaller flags that often grace cemetaries. Toilet paper perhaps? Why not.. what’s the difference between that and a brown baked bean stain on your once proud ragged flag?





Remember what Steven Spielberg and George Lucas said about Hollywood???? Read this: Paramount offering $50 ‘mega ticket’ for WORLD WAR Z screening..