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    Infantile Behavior…


    2009 - 08.22

    Posted in bigfoot, childhood, death, florida, friendship, news, paraguay, people, personal, rants, united states | Comments Off

    Another interesting week draws to a close. Keeping busy with a plethora of things, checking up on friends, and receiving my first onslaught of negativity from an unexpected (well, expected… but not expected) source. Shocking? Slightly. Crushing? Not at all. I know who I am and what I believe, and this year has been educational about the definition of friendship. If not marching to someone’s drum or telling people what they want to hear makes me a bad man, then hooray for being rotten!

    But it’s an interesting world out there with plenty of views. And while a lot of the news is on the depressing side, there are some things that aren’t so dire and jaded.

    Take, for example, Jose Alvarenga of Paraguay who opened his infant son’s coffin this week to find that he wasn’t dead, as doctors had told him. While it’s good news for the new father, it doesn’t bode well for doctors and staff at the unnamed hospital in Asuncion. If you can’t tell dead from living, perhaps medicine isn’t the proper field for you.

    Then back to the United States, where in Florida sightings of what is described as a “baby Bigfoot” have been reported in the Baker County area. While it might be an orangutan, the mystery creature has an apparent sweet tooth. Among the witnesses was a bear hunter who lost a few jelly donuts too the furry caper. Subsequent attempts too lure the pint-sized furball out in the open with confectionery treats have failed.
    That’s all for now when it comes to abnormal childlike behavior. Bear with me as I struggle with graphics, barrel ahead toward autumn and Halloween, and blaze a few trails in the world, as well as my own life…

    When "Horny" is a Bad Thing…


    2009 - 06.26

    Posted in connecticut, exorcism, gay, gay ghosts, news, religion, united states, youtube | 4 Comments »

    Want the holy ghost in you? Feeling possessed by one of those pesky gay demons? Well, you might be in luck. All you need is a little help from the friendly folks at Manifested Glory Ministries of Bridgeport, Connecticut. After all, they helped someone out recently. The church held an exorcism to rid a teen boy of his homosexuality, hence equating it with demonic possession.

    Reverend Patricia McKinney and her cult… I mean congregation… performed what they called a “casting out of spirits” (because she thinks the ‘exorcism’ label isn’t accurate) three separate times on a 16-year-old boy (the reverend claimed he was 18) at his request. he writhed on the floor, vomiting up the “evil”, while onlookers made such priceless statements as “Loose your grip, Lucifer!” and “Right now in the name of Jesus, I call the homosexuality, right now in the name of Jesus!“

    When did homosexuality suddenly become an object or energy? I missed that memo.

    So, what do you to when you get rid of the “homosexuality demon”? You post it on YouTube, of course! I guess they figured they already had a website and the best way to scare the hell out of people (no pun intended) is to be were the action is. Activist groups and citizens are up in arms about the video, since taken down by the flock. But the church stands by their actions. McKinney, who calls herself a “prophet”, told the press, “”Every Sunday we call people up to the altar who want to be delivered from any spirit that causes them to not be able to function. We were just beginning to worship the Lord and all of a sudden he hit the floor.”

    “Manifested Glory Ministries is not against homosexuality. We do not hate them,” the reverend said. “We do not come up against them. We do just not believe in their lifestyle.” I’m sure it makes sense to someone. Is that anything like a double negative?

    And did their purging work? According to the executive director of True Colors, Robin McHeavin, the boy told their organization he has since been “engaging in risky behavior”. I guess if you take something out of someone, you just have to put it back in.

    This is actual footage from the “exorcism”:

    Sleeping with a Stiff in St. Louis…


    2009 - 06.22

    Posted in gay ghosts, ghosts, hauntings, missouri, paranormal, true stories, united states | 1 Comment »

    Our next story which fell through the cracks during book research brings us deeper into the center of the United States. This time, the setting is St. Louis, Missouri during the mid-1980s. It centered around a musician named David Udell and an unusual experience which he recalled on his blog.

    At this time in his life, David called an apartment on Oregon Avenue his home. It was by no means spacious; with a mock recording studio taking up one entire room, his bedroom consisted of a large converted storage room facing the street, just large enough for sleeping quarters. The streetlights maintained a certain level of illumination on David’s bed all through the night. His more-fortunate roommate stayed in a separate bedroom in the rear of the home.

    On one particular night in either 1983 or 84, he was settling down after a late night. It was some time after three in the morning when he laid down on his mattress to get a bit of shuteye, his back turned toward the doorway. Moments later, he heard the sound of what he believed to be his then-girlfriend entering his room. He felt some comfort as he felt someone slip in bed beside him, nuzzling up close in a spooning position. Playfully, he reached around and gave her rear a squeeze. For reasons still unknown to him, he felt a compulsion to reach around to the front.

    What awaited him wasn’t anything he had expected. His hand latched onto something. Something becoming stiff. Whatever was in bed with him wasn’t a woman, and it seemed a bit too happy to see him. David yelled and turned around, only to find himself alone. In seconds, he was out from beneath the covers and bounding over studio equipment in a mad dash for his roommate’s bedroom. Waking him from his sleep, David told him of his experience and forced him to stay awake with him until daylight came.

    When David’s roommate asked him if he finally believed in the paranormal, his response was a weak and sheepish “no…”

    A San Francisco Haunted Anniversary…


    2009 - 06.16

    Posted in california, gay bars, ghosts, hauntings, paranormal, san francisco, united states, writing | Comments Off

    For anyone visiting San Francisco this summer, or even local residents looking for something unique and historical, Trax Bar is celebrating their 70th year of business. The name might sound familiar, since I mentioned a ghostly legend involving the bar and a former patron or employee spotted on a few occasions. I was contacted last month and gave permission to a graphic artist for using part of my blog entry for the flyer. And here it is!

    (click the image to enlarge)

    I wish I could be there! Thanks again, Tim!

    News That’s Beyond Bizarre…


    2009 - 02.06

    Posted in australia, celebrities, england, ghosts, hallucinations, monsters, murder, news, photos, psychology, science, sweden, television, united states, vampires | Comments Off

    To end the week on an interesting note, here are some unusual stories from our weird world. And that’s no hat trick…

    The Whisperer and the Ghost…

    Yes, Jennifer Love Hewitt, star of Ghost Whisperer, does believe in ghosts in real life. In fact, she recently had a conversation with her dead grandmother, thanks to psychic James Van Praagh. She told OK! Magazine, “She just wanted to say hello and tell me that she was looking out for me. It was really nice.” I’m sure Hewitt was an easier audience for Van Praagh than Barbara Walters.

    Please, No Pictures…

    The hunt for Storsjöodjuret, the infamous lake monster of Sweden, continues. But there is one slight snag for cryptozoologists: cameras have been banned by the council from being used on the shores of Lake Storsjön. Under-water surveillance has passed through local ordinance four times, but if you’re planning an impromptu jaunt with a digital, you had better think twice. Who needs evidence, anyway?

    Those Bloody Lesbians…

    Perth was shaken in 2006 by the slaying of a 16-year-old girl. The two assailants, Jessica Stasinowsky and her lover Valerie Parashmuti, both pleaded guilty this week to bludgeoning their roommate to death with a concrete block. Apparently, the deed turned them on and they proceeded to make out while standing over her body. Parashmuti, 19, belonged to a vampire cult which engaged in the ritualistic drinking of blood. Their motive? They thought the girl was “annoying” and believed she was flirting with the girls significant other. Thus perpetuating the belief that lesbians are tough, vicious creatures…

    Was Darby O’Gill Delusional?

    If you’re seeing faeries outside of the nearest gay bar, you might be suffering from Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS). British doctors estimate as many as 100,000 people in England may suffer from CBS. The disturbance causes hallucinations of people, objects, and even little winged human figures while the sufferer remains otherwise of sound mind. Scientists say it is caused by a lack of visual stimulation, not mental illness. Theories for ending CBS vary from stimulating the fingertips to holding your breath to (in extreme cases) medication. In the case of visual hallucinations of leprechauns, I might recommend looking for that pot of gold anyway…

    The World Is Watching…


    2008 - 11.04

    Posted in election, opinions, presidency, united states, voting | Comments Off

    …quite literally. It is election day in America and this could very well be the most important election of recent history. Come tomorrow morning, we will either have the first multi-ethnic president this country has ever seen or the oldest in our nation’s history.

    Many of us will be anxiously awaiting the results (and breathing a sigh of relief that the phone calls and television ads have subsided) as the world turns its eyes to us to see what decision we make.

    Though it is election day, I have not voted and will not vote today. Is it because I’m a bitter, jaded curmudgeon who believes the process is futile? Not at all. In reality, I already voted weeks ago via absentee ballot. For me, my part in the process has been over for a while. But for the majority of America, today is a shining moment to make their voices heard.

    We often forget that voting is a privilege. In some countries, the government domineers the people and keeps them silent. If we had such a history, perhaps voter turnout would be at a higher level. People become lax, apathetic, and careless. These principles are what foster dictatorial rulers.

    No matter what your views, remember the importance of the election process. If you fail to take the time and cast your ballot, you become part of what is wrong with the country. Passiveness becomes a harbinger of oppression. And when politics go awry, you revoke your right to criticize.

    If you have voted, congratulate yourself on being part of the solution instead of part of the problem. If you haven’t, there’s still time to make a difference.

    The world is watching. What you decide to do today can effect the course of history.

    The View From Down Under…


    2008 - 10.19

    Posted in australia, blogs, opinions, rants, thoughts, united states | Comments Off

    With my great love affair with Australia, I had to share an interesting and thought-provoking article on Joe Bageant’s blog. It was a letter submitted by an Aussie retiree with quite strong views following the Washington bailout and the effects of US debt on the rest of the world. Here’s an excerpt:

    “…finally the USA has run out friends…. …the USA has betrayed not only itself but also those who believed in it. The USA crapped all over us after we trusted it…. …your nation is now reviled as it never has been before. You were our saviours in two world wars. We, the rest of the world, worshipped the ground on which you, America, walked. We now wish that America wasn’t around anymore. We’ll be glad when you’ve stopped embarrassing yourself and us and have left the room.

    America is the old guy at the street party… who’s become incontinent, talks rubbish about past glory days and bores the crap out of us with monotonous tales of how good he used to be… …the USA was the best… …but now, just go home, old friend. Just go home and die. This is sad, very sad. So, Joe, say “goodbye” to an old mate. I loved him dearly when he was a young man. It’s a great pity that he passed away the way he did. He deserved a far better send-off.

    …I really believe that the USA will become a very dangerous place to live within the next few years. Meanwhile, we here Australia will be learning Chinese as a second language.“

    I’ll admit I had a good chuckle over this. I might have laughed more if I didn’t think he had a good point…

    Supernatural Spotlight: Sherri Brake-Recco


    2008 - 08.18

    Posted in authors, books, ghost hunting, ghosts, ohio, spotlight, tours, united states, websites | Comments Off

    Over the years, I have met and worked with many paranormal investigators. Only a select few have been gracious and kind, and made working with them a pleasurable experience. In 2005, when I local newspaper asked to accompany me on an investigation, I assembled a makeshift crew of the best people I knew locally.

    That night on the Towpath Trail, I had the distinct pleasure of collaborating with a delightful investigator and dowser, Sherri Brake-Recco.

    Sherri has over 25 years of experience investigating hauntings. A Civil War reenactor for over a decade, her keen interest in genealogy and history drew her into the supernatural realm.

    Back in 2003, Sherri began conducting ghost walking tours in the Canal Fulton area. She achieved so much success that she formed her own ghost tour company, Haunted Heartland Tours, the following year. It is currently ranked one of the Top 10 Ghost Tours in the country.

    While her tour company keeps her beyond busy year-round, she still finds the time in her hectic schedule to teach classes on a wide range of paranormal subjects and give presentations and lectures at various libraries and events. And now, Sherri will be adding a new title to her roster: author.

    The History Press has signed her on for a book, Haunted Stark County, which will be released some time in July of 2009. If all goes according to plan, another book, Haunted Tuscarawas County, will follow the proceeding year.

    Keep an eye out for these titles because they’ll be here before you know it. And if you’re ever looking for a little haunted excursion to a cemetery or haunted landmark, be sure to give her tour a try…

    They’re Always After Me Lucky Anal Probes…


    2008 - 08.07

    Posted in aliens, california, creatures, lake tahoe, nevada, photos, united states | Comments Off

    Floridian Lloyd Deneau, 41, was recently on a vacation to Lake Tahoe, on the California/Nevada border. Like most tourists, he took plenty of photographs.

    One seemed to turn up something interesting.

    Dubbed by his children as the “leprechaun-alien”, the wee three-foot creature turned up in a photograph of the wooded wilderness. Lloyd swears there was no one or thing there at the time he took the photo. It was only after downloading the photos to his computer that the anomaly showed up.

    “I have a military background and don’t really believe in aliens,” he said, “but I can’t explain this.”

    Leprechaun, alien, elf, or baby bigfoot? Everyone is speculating yet no one seems to be certain. But I highly doubt the real answer involves a pot of gold…

    Double, Double, Toil and Trouble…


    2008 - 07.23

    Posted in colorado, drunk driving, news, united states, witchcraft | Comments Off

    On July 11th, police encountered a female driver swerving on the streets of Eagle, Colorado. She was pulled over and showed obvious signs of intoxication.

    Upon being arrested, the 56-year-old suspect flew into a rage. She announced to the officers that she was a “black witch” and vowed to hex the two cops. In the back seat of the cruiser, she kicked, screamed, and smacked her head on the inside of the vehicle.

    That’s what happens when you mix tequila and methadone.

    The woman now faces charges of careless driving, disorderly conduct, failure to display a drivers license, driving under suspension, and resisting arrest.

    If she had been sober enough to place a curse, apparently it hasn’t worked yet.

    Flying would’ve been a far safer option.

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