Today In Strangeness

[Them]

...a morning visit to the Doctor has caused me to be late today..."Better late than never!" my mom would always say;...Actually she seemed to have to say that phrase quite a bit with me becau...?...nevermind!)

Today in Strangeness :August 2nd...

The champagne cork popping record was set by Gary P. Mahan on this date in 1975, popping the cork 103 feet. Bang!
Wild Bill Hickok was killed in a poker game holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, which became known as
a "Dead Man's Hand" (1876).

...also...

Eerie Glowing Cloud Appears on GW Bridge: (God?...Is that you!?)


Commuters cruising along the George Washington Bridge on Tuesday morning encountered an eerie cloud which suddenly emerged,
briefly enveloped traffic, and then dissipated into the air. The mysterious mist was captured on video via a traffic camera and
the footage spread quickly online as viewers were left wondering what its source may have been.

Aside from the usual paranormal explanations such as a ghostly presence or alien activity, more skeptical observers have offered
some more prosaic possibilities. The prevalent theory is that the cloud was somehow formed by a fuel spill which occurred nearby on
the other side of the bridge. However auto aficionados who have seen the video say that the event was simply vapor from a blown gasket
on one of the cars driving along the bridge.

Hopefully that explanation will bring some relief to the drivers who found themselves passing through the mist and were left
wondering what exactly they had just experienced.

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 3rd...

On August 3rd, 1958, the Nautilus, an atomic submarine, became the first vessel to cross underneath the North Pole. On this day in
1967, James Law and some high school buddies rode the entire New York City subway system in a total of 22 hours and 11 minutes.
The United States Senate began hearings on the covert CIA mind-control program, MK-ULTRA, on today's date in 1977.

...also...

'Haunted' Doll Used for Odd Train Campaign:

A train company in Malaysia has enlisted the help of an eerie 'haunted' doll to ensure that their customers stay on their best
behavior. Pictures of the unnerving doll from the film Annabelle sitting aboard one of their trains were posted online by the railway
service Rapid KL with an ominous warning to their passengers.

"Dear valued customers, lately we've been receiving surprise visits from Annabelle," the posting said, "mind your manners while you
are on our trains or… she will haunt you FOREVER."

According to the company, the clever concept was designed to improve social etiquette and curb unruly antics from passengers riding
the railway service. Whether Annabelle will actually be appearing aboard the trains to keep a watchful eye on passengers might not
even be necessary, since just the thought of encountering the doll is probably enough to keep customers from thinking twice about
causing any commotion.

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 4th...


First observed on August 4, 1181, Chinese and Japanese astronomers recorded a supernova in the constellation Cassiopeia.
The phenomenon was visible in the night sky for around six months.
On this day in 1892, the family of Lizzie Borden was found axed to death in their Fall River, Massachusetts home. Lizzie
was accused but eventually acquitted of the crimes, though she has remained notorious in American folklore.

 

[maxdogg]

R.I.P. Jim Marrs one of the best reporters on all things strange

 

[Them]

...Sup my strange football homies?!...

Today in Strangeness: August 7th...

On this date in 1958, Emilia Newcomb, age 22, spontaneously combusted while dancing at a party. She was reduced to a small pile of ash
after a brief, intense flare, with only her shoes, slightly scorched, remaining.
43 years ago, the French stuntman Philippe Petit walked across a tightrope strung between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.

...also...

Odd Accident Leaves Car Upright:

A driver in Connecticut was left dumbfounded when she encountered an accident which left a car seemingly standing upright in the road.
"I don't even know what happened," the witness behind the camera muses, "I think the wind took it." Authorities later explained that
the strange scene occurred when a telephone pole broke during a storm and the car wound up getting tangled in the wires.

...extra...

Fognado:

A beach in Santa Cruz, California shows an enormous and ominous cloud come sweeping across the sky. To the bewilderment of beachgoers,
the huge cloud briefly darkened the sky and actually caused temperatures to drop as it blocked out the sun. Fortunately for those
hoping for a fun day at the beach, the 'fognado' only last a few minutes as it quickly exited the area and conditions returned to
normal. What caused the 'fognado?'

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 8th...

In 1974, President Richard M. Nixon announced his intention to become the first president in American history to resign,
and on 8/8/88 the temperature in New York City hit a high of 88 degrees.

...also...

Bigfoot Reportedly Spotted in NC:

The leader of a Bigfoot research group in North Carolina claims to have had a dramatic close encounter with the creature during an
expedition on Friday night. John Bruner, founder of the organization 'Bigfoot 911,' says that he and six other investigators were in
a forested area of the state's McDowell County when the incident occurred. According to him, the group had placed glow sticks in the
woods because they believe that the illuminated objects can garner the attention of the cryptid.

In this instance, their suspicions appear to have been correct as Bruner spotted one of the sticks moving in the forest and quickly
turned on his headlamp to see what was carrying the glowing object. To his amazement, the light revealed a large, hairy, bipedal
creature that one would assume was, in fact, Bigfoot!

Incredibly, Bruner decided to chase after it and eventually the two came face to face near a tree, where he purportedly got a very
close look at the legendary creature. "The hair was matted and stringy," Bruner told the Charlotte Observer, "the eyes were farther
apart than human eyes." The encounter only last about five or ten seconds before the Bigfoot took off running again and Bruner opted
not to continue his pursuit, satisfied that he'd already gotten close enough to get a good look at it.

One only wishes that Bruner had been able to capture the moment on film or with a photograph, but it's easy to critique his tactics
while sitting safely behind a computer as opposed to the otherworldly predicament he found himself in at the time. No doubt the
alleged encounter will fuel additional expeditions to the area in search of the creature and, hopefully, the group will manage to
bring back some solid Bigfoot evidence some time in the future...( if you gonna be a big time Bigfoot researcher, you just might want to keep an extra camera handy there Sparky!)

...extra...

A controversial memoir suspected of being the diary of Jack the Ripper has allegedly been confirmed to be real:

Discovered in 1992, the book was purportedly penned by a Liverpool cotton merchant named James Maybrick, who confessed in the diary
to being Jack the Ripper. Details surrounding how the book had been found were shrouded in secrecy, leading many to suspect that the
diary was simply a clever forgery. However a new book claims to have successfully traced the origins of the book back to Maybrick's
home and, thus, strengthens the case that he was, indeed, Jack the Ripper.

Researchers looking into the memoir determined that the Ripper suspect's home was being renovated in 1992. An investigation into the
contractors working on the job managed to connect them to the man who eventually emerged with the memoir attempting to sell it to
literary agents in London at that time. It is their belief that the book was found hidden beneath the floorboards of Maybrick's former
bedroom in the home and then stolen when the nature of the diary was discovered.

Fear of being prosecuted for the theft is why the workers kept the story of its discovery secret, the new Ripper book suggests.
Although the research indicates that the book very well may have been written by Maybrick, the matter of whether or not he was
actually Jack the Ripper remains debatable, since simply confessing to the crimes does not necessarily mean that he had committed
them...(Ever notice how good this guys handwriting is!?!)

 

[Them]

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 9th...

The heinous Manson cult murders of Sharon Tate and friends on this date in 1969 were seen as the 'end of the 60's.'
In 1945, the US dropped the "Fat Man" atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki, leading to Japan's surrender in World War II.

...also...

NC Cops Say 'Don't Shoot Bigfoot:

On the heels of a headline-making Bigfoot sighting over the weekend, police in North Carolina are cautioning residents that they
should not shoot the creature if they encounter it. In a posting to their Facebook page on Tuesday, the Greenville Police Department
expressed concern that a tragic mishap could occur should someone think they have spotted a Bigfoot and decide to take a shot at it.
"I think we can say with some confidence that proof of Bigfoot still eludes us," the message from police says, "if you see Bigfoot,
please do not shoot at him/her, as you'll most likely be wounding a fun-loving and well-intentioned person, sweating in a gorilla
costume."

Whether someone lurking in the wilderness of North Carolina attempting to impersonate a Bigfoot qualifies as 'well-intentioned' is
debatable, the sentiment of the police warning is sound, since shooting a suspected Sasquatch is almost certainly a terrible idea.

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 10th...

On today's date in 1889, a thirty-six foot long and fifteen-foot high mammoth skeleton was found in St. James, Nebraska...
and on August 10, 1966, a daylight meteor was seen in the sky from Utah to Canada. It's said to be the only known case of a meteor
entering the Earth's atmosphere and leaving it again.
(seems like that would just be against the law of physics; maybe it wasn't a meteor at all!)

...also...


Impending Solar Eclipse Conjures Apocalyptic Concerns:

With this year's highly anticipated solar eclipse less than two weeks away, one conspiracy theorist is warning that the event is a
harbinger of our impending doom. Astronomer and author David Meade claims that numerological details surrounding the August 21st
eclipse suggest that it was foretold in the Bible and will usher in the End Times.

Specifically, Meade points to the recurring presence of the number 33 in various aspects of the eclipse, including the fact that it
will first cross over the United States in Oregon (the 33rd state) and depart on the 33rd latitude by way of South Carolina.
Taking this concept further, Meade looked at the position of the stars 33 days after the eclipse and was stunned to discover that,
on September 23rd, their alignment seems to resemble an eerie description of the stars in the Book of Revelation which describes a
'great sign' in the heavens.

As such, the researcher has expressed profound concern about the events due to unfold over the next few weeks, telling the Daily Star
that "this is indeed an amazing omen and a frightful sign." With regards to what, exactly, the eclipse is 'warning' us about, Meade
believes that it is the arrival of the notorious Planet X, which he contends is on a collision course with Earth.

Whether that disastrous meeting will take place on September 23rd or at a later date remains to be seen, but Meade is not the only
person prophesizing doom due to the eclipse. No less than four different other soothsayers have also predicted that Armageddon will
begin in 2017 and that the eclipse will play a pivotal role in the commencement of End Times.

Although it may be easy to dismiss these predictions as simply doomsday fears taken too far, one need only look to the infamous
Heaven's Gate cult for a reminder that ascribing unreal significance to an astronomical event can produce truly tragic results.

...extra...

13-Million-Year-Old Primate Skull Discovered:

A rare primate skull dating back 13 million years was recently discovered in Kenya by a team of international researchers.
The fossilized skull of an infant ape-like creature is around the size of a lemon, and one of the most intact of its kind.
Somewhat resembling a modern-day gibbon, the find could provide new information about a little known period of pre-human history,
when many species of apes were evolving in Africa.

 

[Ranched]

WOW. Great reads Gamie.

 

[Them]

WOW. Great reads Gamie.

..."Like."

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 11th...


On today's date in 1934, the first federal prisoners arrived at Alcatraz, the island prison in San Francisco Bay. Though closed in
1963, the prison is said to be haunted to this day by ghostly presences.
On August 11, 1877, Deimos, a moon of Mars was discovered-- it was named after the Greek god of fear, dread, & terror.

...also...




Unsettling MIB Encounters:


Now part of the pop culture zeitgeist, the notorious entities known as the Men in Black have purportedly made their presence known to
a number of unwitting individuals over the years. Eerie MIB cases which suggest that these mysterious 'beings' tasked with silencing
UFO researchers are far more real than Hollywood would like you to think.

The seminal stories of Albert K. Bender, who is credited with introducing the MIBs to the world, and Maury Island incident witness
Harold Dahl, who said he was visited by Men in Black following the famed 1947 UFO event. However there is one tale in particular that
stands out as truly head-scratching and one which seems to turn the MIB mystery on its head.

An esteemed folklore professor at Juilliard, Dr. Peter Rojcewicz stunned his colleagues when he confided in them that, years earlier,
he had been visited by an MIB at the University of Pennsylvania library. While reading a book on UFOs that was suggested by one of his
fellow professors, Rojcewicz was taken aback when a pale, gaunt man dressed in classic MIB attire seemingly appeared out of nowhere
and sat down next to him.

The mysterious man asked Rojcewicz for his thoughts on the UFO phenomenon and the professor casually dismissed the concept as
something he didn't find particularly compelling. This response caused the stranger to become enraged and he declared that "flying
saucers are the most important fact of the century!"

Eventually, Rojcewicz calmed the man down and he left the table, but not without one last unsettling action. As he was walking away,
the MIB put his hand on Rojcewicz's shoulder and said, "go well on your purpose."

This exchange had a profound effect on the professor, who conceded that the entire experience terrified him and left him baffled by
what had occurred. What makes this case noteworthy is that, unlike almost all other MIB events, Rojcewicz's story suggests that the
stranger was trying to encourage him to take an interest in the subject rather than dissuade his research.

It would appear that the visit worked, albeit perhaps in an unintended way, as the professor has since become one of the leading MIB
researchers in the world, looking at the phenomenon from a folkloric and academic perspective.

...NFL suspends EZE 6 games...unbelievable!...

 

[Ranched]

...NFL suspends EZE 6 games...unbelievable!...

Beautiful picture Gamie. When I look at it, it's hard to believe the escapee's didn't make it. I know the water was freezing and the tide was going the opposite way. To me, it seems possible. Hec, a woman can lift a car by herself if her child is under the tire. It's all about the mind. Zeke may get only a two game suspension. Besides, Morris is a great back up. No worries.

 

[Them]

Beautiful picture Gamie. When I look at it, it's hard to believe the escapee's didn't make it. I know the water was freezing and the tide was going the opposite way. To me, it seems possible. Hec, a woman can lift a car by herself if her child is under the tire. It's all about the mind. Zeke may get only a two game suspension. Besides, Morris is a great back up. No worries.

...The escape from Alcatraz...Funny how they never really found all the answers to that mystery...they do assume that the prisoners drowned...unless, they had someone somehow pick them up....Think about it!...if the tide was going the opposite direction...then maybe that's where a boat might have picked them up...on the opposite side of the Island, where no one was probably looking.

IMMHO...Morris is a good change of pace back when he's rested...I'm not sold on McFadden though...maybe the rookie RB Hillman, or one of the rookie FBs Rod and Keith Smith will show something special..
Zeke will probabably get a reduction in suspensions to a certain degree...hopefully he can delay the suspensions to next season....it's possible I think!

 

[Them]

This weekend I like to add another feature to the topic......I like to call it simply "the Dream."
I'll try to update on the weekends...(I would also like to add that dreams can be analyzed and
interpreted in many ways, and depending on many factors...really to many to mention, so I'll keep it
simple with the common interpretations!) ...TDM

Each night/day everyone on the planet dreams for at least an hour and a half
Whether they can remember them or not , so the scientist tells us. (if they sleep that long or sleep at all...lol)...
Yet dreams are not always straightforward in their meaning to the dreamer.
Dreams do not always tell a simple story, and can leave one confused.

“Dreams are a universal language, creating often elaborate images out of emotional
concepts,” explains Suzanne Bergmann, a licensed social worker and professional dream
worker for more than 16 years.

“There’s no single, definitive meaning for symbols and images in dreams,” Bergmann notes.
“But just as a smile usually means that someone is happy, certain dream images are so common,
that they do have a generally accepted meaning.”

1.) Being Chased...

This is one of the most commonly reported dreams. Mostly because the anxiety we feel in the dream is so vivid,
that it makes it easier for us to remember them. Often, the reason for these dreams comes not from the fear of
actually being chased, but rather what we’re running from. Chase dreams help us to understand that we may not be
addressing something in our waking lives that requires our attention.

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 14th...

On today's date in 2003, a blackout hit the Northeast United States, with 21 power plants shutting down within just three minutes.
50 million people were affected, in some places for more than a day.
August 14, 1982 saw in a steel bathtub in 13.5 hours.

...also...

Jupiter's 'Anticyclone':

NASA recently released an image of one of Jupiter's lesser known great storms, taking place on the mega-planet's northern polar
region. Called an "anticyclone," the 3,700-miles-wide weather phenomenon has winds that flow in the direction opposite to that of
the general region

...extra...


'Black Mist' Captured in Texas Hotel:

Paranormal investigators Strange Town posted a picture showing what appears to be a black mist entering the Magnolia Hotel's
"Campbell Room" followed by a white vortex directly in front of the camera. According to the hotel owners, the room's namesake,
original Texas Ranger James Campbell, was massacred by Comanches and spotted from time to time afterwards. Guest have also reported
experiencing paranormal activity at the hotel.

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: 15th...

On this day in 1877, Edison suggested the phrase "Hello" for a phone greeting to the Telegraph Co. as an alternative to Alexander
Graham-Bell's "Ahoy." After the Japanese surrendered in WWII, a victory riot took place on August 15, 1945 in San Francisco that left
11 dead and 1,000 injured.

...also...

5 Mysterious Objects Found in the Trash:

While one person's trash may be another's treasure, there have been a few items rescued from the proverbial garbage pail that proved
to be simply baffling. YouTube user Dark5 has put together a rather riveting collection of cases where an odd item found in the trash
yielded a head-scratching mystery.

Perhaps most famous of all these tales is that of a Prussian immigrant to Texas named Charles Dellschau and his mystifying notebooks.
Around the turn of the 19th century, Dellschau crafted a series of books containing fantastic drawings of flying machines and stories
of a secret group known as Sonora Aero Club, who surreptitiously built and tested early aircraft. Upon his death, Dellschau's books,
which were seemingly for his own personal collection and never mass produced, were confined to a shelf in the home of one of his
surviving family members. Following a fire at the house in the 1960's, the works were summarily dumped at a Houston landfill where
they were miraculously discovered under circumstances which remain a mystery to this day.

Eventually, the breathtaking drawings by Dellschau caught the attention of the art world and the twelve volumes of work found their
way into university libraries, museums, and private collections. Although he is credited today as an 'outsider artist' by mainstream
scholars, Charles Dellschau is seen in a much different light by conspiracy theorists, who believe that his works were a true account
of an underground aeronautical society in the 1800's.

While skeptics may scoff at such a suggestion, numerous questions still surround the Dellschau books and no one can definitively say
whether they were fact or fiction. One thing that is for certain is that if they were never found in that Houston landfill, the
entire tale would have been lost in a literal garbage heap.

Other remarkable stories featured in the collection are the Arizona landfill found to contain thousands of discarded Atari cartridges
and a haunting sandwich bag full of children's fingers that was fished out of the trash in Honolulu. Check out the complete video and,
who knows, maybe your next dumpster dive will unearth another vexing mystery.

 

[Them]

Amazing card throwing trick shots you have to see to believe
Did you know that a playing card can break a glass bottle? This talented trickster slices through balloons, fruit and so much more with just the flick of his wrist. Plus, he’s also a really great magician! Press play to see these amazing card stunts.

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 16th...

On this date in 1829, the conjoined twins, Chang & Eng, arrived in America from Siam to embark on their exhibition tour.
Their condition was the source of the phrase "Siamese twins."
On August 16, Bela Lugosi entered a coffin for the last time (1956), and Elvis left the building (1977).

...also...

Dogs Turning Blue in India:

In a Mumbai, India suburb, some stray dogs are turning blue. It may be due to untreated industrial waste dumped into the Kasadi
river, which dogs sometimes wade into to look for food. The surrounding area has close to 1,000 pharmaceutical, engineering, and
food factories, and the polluted water is likely affecting human health as well. "It was shocking to see how the dog's white fur
had turned completely blue," said Arati Chauhan, who runs an animal protection cell.

 

[Them]

Today in Strangeness: August 17th...

On this day in 1908, Fantasmagorie , the first animated cartoon, a creation of Emile Cohl, debuted in Paris.
Quake Lake was created on August 17, 1959 after a 7.5 earthquake struck southwestern Montana.
And on today's date in 1978, Double Eagle II, with three pilots, became the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean
when it landed near Paris, after leaving Maine, around six days earlier.

"Fantasmagorie" 1908

...also...

Huge Exoplanet Has Stratosphere:

For the first time, an exoplanet has been discovered to have a stratosphere, not unlike Earth. The planet, known as WASP-121b
(pictured in the illustration) belongs to a class called "hot Jupiters" and is around 880 light-years away. Its upper atmosphere of
glowing water molecules was detected using the Hubble Telescope. The world is enormous, about the size of two Jupiters, and is so hot
that iron could boil in its atmosphere.

(...?...I assume that because these "glowing water" molecules are mush colder in the higher stratosphere
of this planet, so they don't boil off...)