On a yearly basis I post the song linked with this published HORROR REPORT today, September 2, 2015. My birthday.. I don’t remind readers of this for selfish reasons. As a matter of fact, I purposely ‘hide’ this information on my personal Facebook page simply because I don’t want to navigate the ‘Happy birthday” or “hope you have a…
On a yearly basis I post the song linked with this published HORROR REPORT today, September 2, 2015. My birthday.. I don’t remind readers of this for selfish reasons. As a matter of fact, I purposely ‘hide’ this information on my personal Facebook page simply because I don’t want to navigate the ‘Happy birthday” or “hope you have a…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bdtuwPpQIk]
On a yearly basis I post the song linked with this published HORROR REPORT today, September 2, 2015. My birthday..
I don’t remind readers of this for selfish reasons. As a matter of fact, I purposely ‘hide’ this information on my personal Facebook page simply because I don’t want to navigate the ‘Happy birthday” or “hope you have a fun day” comments from folks that haven’t talked to me in 364 days.
Instead I post it simply because I want to mention that I am 35. I am in my MID-THIRTIES, something that I would have never contemplated would have occurred in my younger state. Some may still say I’m young.. I still feel fine, actually. Interestingly enough, with a refocus on being healthy and eating better, I actually feel much better than I did during my beer swigging pizza eating early 20s..
But I am still 35. The pace is getting faster..
The times are getting further..
I am beginning to head into the home stretch. It may be some time before the final years—God I hope it is—but 35 is a crossroads.
If I live to 70, the average for my gender, I am now halfway home. I am at a midway of life.. That is a big deal. And a strange one for my to contemplate.
I remember when I was really young, a show called 30 SOMETHING was on TV. I loathed that show at the time, I laughed at the ‘old people’ in it. Now I’m it. I am 30 something.
There is something distinct about being 35 that I feel, more so than any other age. Though I called myself “old” since 18, now that I am actually getting old I feel younger. But at the same time, I feel more confused. More estranged in a sense from life. Life goes so fast, professional activity gains so much stature in life, and extra activities unplanned reign supreme. It sometimes becomes hard to even live. It becomes confusing to ponder what life means, the existence of the big picture questions like life after death and life before death become challenging to contemplate. Time is of the essence. It’s fleeting. And in my 30 somethings, I am now beginning to realize that in the latter half of life, I need to carve out the reason I lived.
That is a trying thing.
Perhaps impossible, given the fact that life will throw at you the strange bursts of diversions.
Trying be damned. It’s necessary.
Thirty-five is a crossroads. It’s a moment in time when you realize what is important—making time for the important things is the demand and difficult road to hoe, but worthwhile to make the attempt.
I am currently in the process of revaluating my life. In some regards, perhaps, evaluating it for the first time.
And in doing so I am questioning everything I have ever assumed. Everything about faith and fate, ‘normalcy’ and strangeness.
My family is first and foremost in my mind. At the same time, I want to give to them a piece of a legacy that I can leave behind. Even bigger than legacy, I want to do something for the planet. Add something to the world.
It has been my longstanding hope that this website does a little something. A part of my mind wants to make a food truck, maybe it’s time to get serious about trying to do something I love.
After all.
I’m halfway home, right? Or maybe even further down the path, being that life’s surprises often include premature evacuation of a soul from the planet earth.
35.. reflections..
I found something of the old times that are still a ‘flyin I wanted to share.
There is even a section of the INTERNETS that still exists with my famous last words back when I turned 20–a lifetime ago, my friends.. Angelfire, will you ever NEVER delete these old pieces of rubbish? *(Thanks so far for leaving it be)* .. I wrote this in 2000:
Well, as you may or may not know–depending on whether or not you know me–Saturday, September 2, 2000, is (or was) my 20th birthday. I have been a live for 20 years. It’s been a strange 20 years.
As the administrator of this popular web site, I realize there may be a large influx of presents. I beg of you: do not send me presents. As much as I need things–such as all 10 Late Night with David Letterman anniversaries shows that are on sale at ebay–I don’t want them. Sure, I suppose anyone could use keys to a new convertible–BUT I BEG YOU YOU, don’t send me them. As much as you would enjoy the expression on my face after opening a card with $100 in, I don’t want it.
I can’t claim “teenageism” when I sleep to long, or when I am to lazy. I will soon be old enough to legally drink. But like I said, NO PRESENTS (unless you really want to give me something, then I won’t argue, of course.)
In this, my 20th year alive, and the second year as webmaster of 21nickels.com, I plead to you: I need your help, so I never have to work again. I want to make this site popular enough that people will want to advertise with me. I want to make you laugh until I’m dead. Tell your friends of the benefits of 21nickels.com. Tell them what they can see here. Explain the mocking of public officials, and the lame attempt to be funnier than theonion.com. I was told once, “If I built it, they would come.” Well, I built it, and come they haven’t!
Last month, 21nickels.com recieved over 500 hits. It’s not enough. I know for a fact at least 200 of them were me editing the page, and I know my friend Joe was at least 100. Make us your homepage–anything. I don’t ever want to work again, and this may be my ticket to home-work and laziness for the rest of my life! I will let you sleep on it…Your guilt will soon catch up to you.
Sincerely,
Bryan Smolock
Webmaster
Times have changes. Websites have too..
But my ‘last words’ are still as melancholy as they were in my 20s.. the difference, of course, is life. Then, I was more carefree.. I was waiter and went out every night of the week religiously. These days, I find myself attempting to sneak back to bed even earlier than my 4 and a half year old..
Stack the chairs on the table tops. Hang the sheets on the chandeliers..
Jimmy Snuka, the legend of wrestling known as the high flying SUPERFLY, has been charged with third degree murder for a 1983 death of his girlfriend in Allentown, PA..
It has been a tremendously bad year for wrestling, with deaths of some like Dusty Rhoades and Roddy Piper, and the ongoing lawsuit that has embarrassed Hulk Hogan and forced the WWE to remove virtually all references of him from their website..
Now Snuka.
Snuka was arrested in his New Jersey home and is currently in Lehigh County Jail under a $100,000 bond..
Reporting from James Montgomery of the ROLLING STONE:
Snuka, 72, was arrested Tuesday morning in his New Jersey home and is currently in Lehigh County jail under $100,000 bond, according to Allentown’s The Morning Call. The case involving the mysterious death of his girlfriend, Nancy Argentino, was reopened last year and turned over to a grand jury, after a Morning Call story revealed a never-before-seen autopsy report that labeled it a homicide.
Following the reporting cycle to the MORNING CALL in Allentown, Manuel Gamiz Jr. has the story:
Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin re-opened the case last year, prompted in part by a Morning Call investigation that raised questions about the death of Snuka’s 23-year-old girlfriend, Nancy Argentino, in May 1983. The Call story revealed a never-before-seen autopsy report that labeled the case a homicide.
Snuka had been at a WWF taping at the Allentown Fairgrounds on May 10, 1983, and returned to his Whitehall Township motel room to find Argentino, of Brooklyn, gasping for air and oozing yellow fluid from her mouth and nose, records show.
Argentino was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital the next day. An autopsy determined she died of traumatic brain injuries and she suffered more than two dozen cuts and bruises — a possible sign of “mate abuse” — on her head, ear, chin, arms, hands, back, buttocks, legs and feet.
But.. according to reports, her injuries at the time were indicative of being hit with a stationary object..
The report that spawned this latest action–and subsequent arrest–is here: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-jimmy-snuka-cold-case-20130608-story.html#navtype=summary
And the rest is history.
Speaking history, here’s some old articles worth seeing all over again that spoke about the sordid event in 1983. And event that, years later, will define the career of SNUKA in totality.
I read MISSING 411 in about one day. That’s not to say David Paulides’ book was a lackluster effort at entertainment, but just the opposite. I could not put it down, with each page offering thought provoking tale after another about missing people, cases of the extraordinary, and unbelievable stories about people who vanished. There were those picking berries—lots of people picking berries as a matter of fact—and other strange lapses of normalcy with people quite literally vanishing and often being found near water, in water, and without clothing. The book went back to the 1800s for some stories.
A series of stories and books came after the success of MISSING 411, where Paulides focused on certain areas of the United States.
The most recent project, however, may be the most unnerving. Paulides fast forwards through time and brings us to the modern day in MISSING 411: A SOBERING CONINCIDENCE. And through that effort, perhaps, some of the most horrid and bone chilling tales are told through a series of stories of people—mostly young men—missing. The same connection, it would seem, is evident: Water. And it’s water some would even say that bind those stories of ancient days to that of the modern era..
Some interpret meaning to what Paulides does not say. Though he has been known for work and research into Bigfoot, he never made any hint or suggestion that his stories of people going missing in forests or parks had anything to do with Bigfoot. He actually made an effort to say that he did not know. Likewise for the newest set of accounts. The non fiction work has nothing at all to do with aliens. At least not in the sense that Paulides is using alien abductions as the cover for the truth behind why people are going missing and how they are seemingly eerily connected in the conclusion.
Paulides appeared with George Knapp Sunday night on COAST TO COAST AM. Knapp has previously hosted Paulides for a series of shows that make your arm hair stand on end. This program was no different, with Paulides giving real records to listeners about a series of mostly young males who go missing, often after drinking at bars, and then get founds weeks later in a relatively fresh state of decay in water. The cases are often ruled suicide. They are also coupled with weird particulars, like phone calls going dead, phones themselves going missing. Two of the weirdest perhaps are the stories of Shane Montgomery, who went missing in 2014 in Philadelphia, and Todd Geib.
Another focal point of Paulides: The strange case of Elisa Lam at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles.. This story is one that I have long paid attention to and written about. It’s plain weird. Not only is the video of Lam acting bizarre on the elevator creepy, but the actual story of her death is even worse. Found in a water tank, almost bloodless, with the death being ruled accidental. Of course logic must be put to the side when you consider not only the tanker being locked and too tight to enter ,but also the fact alarms would be set off if someone tried. After TB scare in LA, Paulides pointed out,a kit was used to test water called LAM ELISA. That’s not a joke. It’s also plain uncanny..
I listened with great interest to the Sunday program.
I have long researched this story and followed a number of groups that are hell-bent on finding answers—answers that have proven elusive to say the least over the year.
One common theory heard from those who try to defy the unexplained with an explanation: Smiley Face Killers. There is a theory that some of the deaths of young men found near water also are accompanied by a symbol or sign etched into trees or other landscapes in the shape of smiley faces. Though law enforcement have never given widespread credence to this theory, there are a number of Facebook groups that do, some of which include members of the police community. Additional to that, there are tales across the NET on places like REDDIT and other forums where people actively spread what they purport as true stories of people in vans attempting to abduct younger men at bars—the focal point of the Paulides group studied in his newest book.
That said, it is notable to point out that Paulides does not harbor answers on his shore, but simply sets the boat of truth to sea. You can decide for yourselves.
I spoke to George Knapp, the host of COAST TO COAST, and award winning journalist, about the subject matter.. He clearly is as disturbed as his listeners.
Knapp told me that it’s “likely the most compelling mystery of modern times.” I think he’s on to something. At face value, the deaths and disappearances are normal and mundane. Man walks into a bar.. drinks.. leaves intoxicated. Drowns. But it’s not that simple, especially when you consider so many aren’t drunk in any typical sense, and know a sense of direction. But yet somehow, within seconds, are lost not to be found again until in a source of water, floating dead.
Knapp told me this the entire story “might turn out to be a not-so-recent sequence of events.”
“David has now shown that it is not merely a rural phenomenon, that it happens in cities and towns as well.”L
Knapp said, “I suspect that if the records can be found ,it will turn out that this has been going on throughout recorded history.”
There is a very human and emotional connection many have to this entire story. People that go missing are sons, daughters. They are children. They are siblings. They are family. Friends. And they are human beings with emotions and fear, happiness and sadness. And they go missing.
There are quite a few people who would settle into the “it won’t happen to my family” mentality. Then it does. And when it does, I would only imagine the life changing personal apocalypse it would incur.
As Knapp said to me, “Something is harvesting humans. It’s like fishing, and we’re the fish.”