Does Your Child Have an Imaginary Friend?

Does that friend seem a little too real? Can you relate to stories like these? We want to hear from you.

"Cleveland's Beef" Uncut... or CLEVELAND GETS CAUGHT!

Cleveland is gonna kill me for this, but I don't care. It's too glorious and wonderful to suppress from the public any longer.

You may recall Cleveland's video hissy fit where he responded negatively to Mr. Xoom's posting of our "Formal Introduction" video. If so, you probably noticed an awkward edit in Cleveland's video, cutting himself off almost mid-sentence and going to his gay "Cleveland logo" while finishing his thoughts with an obviously recorded-later audio patch.

Well there was a reason for him cutting off the last part of the video. And I'm sure he thought that reason would remain safely in the memory of the Xoom team... But now, through the magic of sneaking onto another man's computer and using the "undelete" function, I, Richard Cutman, proudly present "Cleveland's Beef" in its original, uncut version:



I laughed so hard when I walked in that room I wet myself. Not kidding.

--Cutman

RE: So What's the Deal With Bacon's Sausage?

A commenter named gheySF offered another possible answer to the mystery of Kevin Bacon's bizarrely misshapen "Friday the 13th" bulge, Cutman:

"Perhaps if you set it on fire it would grow like the black fireworks i used as a kid. Its worth a try!"

I still say it looks like a pig snout.

Are You Psychic?

I am not. But perhaps you will have better luck with these electronic cards.

Cleveland, Mark, Cutman; you're all well-versed in this sort of thing. Are electronic cards a legitimate way to test for psychic ability or is physical presence of the cards required to "pick up signals?"

RE: Extending the Olive Branch

By the way, Mr. Xoom...

Apology accepted.



Out.

Weird Place, Weird Happenings

In the post about the Winchester Mansion, commenter JLanders offers this story of his visit to the place:

...Our tour guide, a small, Mexican girl (can't remember her name, but my brother had a thing for her) got off her shift and went to her car at the far end of the lot. Before she could find her keys in her purse, her ex-boyfriend came up behind her and knocked her out with the butt of a Winchester rifle... [dragged] her to her car and [tossed] her in the trunk. ... There's a car chase because someone saw him knock the girl out. Twenty cops like the O.J. thing chasing him on the 5. Only he's not in a white Bronco. ... Somewhere between the cows and the truckers on the Grapevine, the Winchester goes off and gutshots him. He swerves off the road and flips, turtle shelling the car. Cops get him, arrest him. The girl's banged up but all right, and limps out from the trunk. But the funny thing is, the guy, before he dies, tells the cops he never even loaded the gun. He'd never even bought bullets for it. So what the hell shot him? His ex-girlfriend said it was a miracle, someone watching out for him. But I think something else was at play.

Now I haven't had time to vet this story, but it definitely makes for interesting reading. A house that protects is own? Stranger things have happened, I suppose.

Go Go Gadget Disappearing Ghost Car!

Take a look at this. Did the car just vanish in thin air, only to reappear on the other side of the fence?



I like how the commentator sets it all up, making it much more mysterious than it really is. I mean, up until the car goes through the fence, nothing is strange at all like he presents it.

One theory suggests there was an open section of the fence off camera where the car had room to escape. What do you think?

Rumor has it a few years back Xoom’s own Richard Cutman made a little matchbox car disappear. Wait… forget I said that…

Bringing Legitimacy to the Field

We like to have fun around here, but the Xoom team takes investigations seriously, so we were happy to see this article about real life ghost hunting:

Lesson No. 1: Don't believe what you see on TV. Ghost hunting is boring. There is no traipsing loudly through cemeteries. No spooky séances. No startling at every sound. ...

Lesson No. 2: Ninety-eight per cent of things that go bump in the night can be fixed with a hammer or a screwdriver. ...

Lesson No. 3: Never go alone on a ghost hunt. [Added by Mr. Xoom: No kidding. And if you do, it's not a mistake you're likely to make twice.] ...

Lesson No. 4: Ghost hunting is passive.

Although séances and Ouija are commonly shown on television, Vancouver Paranormal discourages them, lest they disturb unknown forces, Ms. Gregory says.

Similarly, she adds, "It's never okay to challenge or dare a spirit. Be polite at all times." [Added by Mr. Xoom: I believe Cutman made this mistake in the early days of the team. Ha ha. From what I heard, that didn't go so well...]

Read the rest for a nice overview of real life ghost hunting. She makes some good points, even if I can't endorse her taste in decorating:

Situated in a suburban neighbourhood of Richmond, B.C., her house has been remodelled to look like a medieval lair - gothic antiques everywhere, stained glass on all the windows.

RE: So What's the Deal With Bacon's Sausage?

Great guys. Now I'm intrigued. It's clearly a baby Aardvark penis. The way to find out is to ask some of the cast and crew if they remember and joke Bacon played in that scene. Sadly, the girl in the back ground, Laurie Bartram, passed away due to cancer.

Let's get to the truth beneath, er, his bathing suit.



Laurie Bartram
(May 16, 1958-May 25, 2007)

www.fridaythe13thfilms.com


Out.

Alien Abduction Sex: Not Just for Geeky Freaks Anymore!

On the afternoon of October 16, 1957, Antonio Villas Boas was plowing his family's field. The tractor broke down and simultaneously a craft witpurple lights landed nearby. Space suit clad humanoids emerged from the craft and dragged the 23 year old Boas into their ship. He was stripped down, examined, had blood drawn and he was covered with a strange liquid.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, a naked, fair-haired "woman" entered. Antonio was immediately attracted to her and without speaking or kissing they had sex while she growled like a dog. Afterwards, because of the Viagra like qualities of the liquid, he was ready to go a second round. Finally, with the second time complete, she got up to leave and smilingly, pointed at her belly and then the sky. Before his release he was given a tour of the ship and some nice parting gifts and was returned to his normal plowing life on a farm in Brazil.

This is from a story by Nigel Watson in the Fortean Times. Watson goes on to explain how history is full of sexual alien encounters. In fact some 16th century accounts of "relations" with demons could probably be attributed to aliens.

One of my personal favorites is the story of cosmic sleaze-bag Akon. This cosmic "scientist" from the planet Meton, seduced a woman named Elizabeth Klarer in 1956. Supposedly he took her to his planet and laid this one on her:

"Only a few are chosen for breeding purposes from beyond this solar system to infuse new blood into our ancient race."

Elizabeth fell for it and they had a perfect, super-smart son named Ayling. Later she went to South Africa and died alone, while Akon and Ayling are still picking up chicks on the other side of Alpha Centauri.

Even author, Whitley Strieber, in his book, Communion, describes being sodomized by a narrow, 1 foot long alien probe. He states that while it was inside him, it felt alive and that he was surprised to see that it was mechanical upon its removal. What? I don't know if I would want anyone to know that, but hey, to each his own.

Have you been victimized by roving gangs of alien perverts? Have you been probed? We want to know.

RE: Has the Elusive Yeti Been Exposed?

MacCready,

That picture you posted is from the Roger Patterson/Bob Gimlin video. I saw where researchers tried to expose the footage as a hoax. A couple of other characters surrounding the famous video came forward--one who claims to have worn the suit, Bob Heironimus, and Philip Morris, who says he sold it to Patterson and Gimlin.

That side here.

Now check out what the Bigfoot Field Research Organization has to say about it here.

Numerous documentaries experts have studied the gait and found it to be odd at the very least. Also, the length of the arms and distance between steps is still puzzling.

Judge for yourself. The clip:



A good book to check out, The Bigfoot Film Controversy, can be purchased here.

Also, the tribe photo you posted was recently exposed as a hoax, then clarified as not a hoax, just misrepresented:

"The story is not a hoax, and none of those involved in working to protect these Indians' rights have ever claimed they were 'undiscovered.'"

Survival never claimed that the tribe was lost. The story got out of control, says Fiona Watson, Survival's Brazil expert, as a result of irresponsible reporting.

C--

OUT.

Re: So what's the deal with Bacon's sausage

Great find, Cutman...

Looks like a pig snout to me.

Lawyer Claims to Own Sun!

"Our records indicate you only spent 200 hours in the sun this month, would you like us to rollover your remaining 520 hours to next month's Sun Usage Bill?"

Okay, so that’s a little extreme, but one Lawyer’s recent claim to own the sun is real. So will he use this claim as a diabolical plan to charge all humanity for the Sun and its usage? No. Although that would make one hell of a Sci-Fi Original Movie, his outrageous claim actually was brought about to expose the ridiculousness of extraterrestrial real estate 'owners' and 'sellers'.

Virgiliu Pop (easily one of the best names ever), a PhD Candidate at the University of Glasgow, said:

"If they believe they can own a celestial body just because it has not been claimed before, and then sell it to the public, so can I say I own the Sun and charge the 'extraterrestrial owners' for solar energy".

Mr. Pop registered his claim over the Sun on April 28th, 2001, with the Archimedes Institute Claim Registration Office, registry that has been used also by Mr. Gregory Nemitz in registering his claim over asteroid Eros. "In February 2001, Mr. Nemitz sent NASA an invoice for the parking/storage fee for the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft, that landed on 'his' property.

I don’t know about you guys, but that last line about Mr. Nemitz sending invoices to NASA for the parking/storage of their spacecraft is probably one of the funniest things I’ve read in a while.

Send Us Your Phenomenon - "We're Ready to Believe You!"

The Xoom Team is looking for a new phenomenon to investigate. Anything you'd like us to look into?



If you guys come up with something worth researching, I can pretty much guarantee you these guys won't give up until they've found "the truth beneath".

Send all suggestions to mister.xoom -- at -- gmail -- dot -- com.

Extending the Olive Branch

Cleveland,

You recently decided it would be fit to complain in a very public way about how I edited the Xoom Team's introduction video.

The video was not a "sucker punch" at you or anyone on the team, Cleveland. It just felt like the best way to introduce you guys: concentrating less on the staged stuff and more on the process. You've seen some of my other videos and know that I often like to "break the fourth wall". Showing Xoom bouncing ideas back and forth and interacting like you do was a very appropriate and entertaining way to get to see you guys "in the real". The way you three interact when you're together is pure gold and it's one of the chief reasons I pushed you to move your operations online by starting this blog. I think others will enjoy you guys as much as I do.

I know you specifically came off as, should we say... "a bit passionate" in the video, but that's okay, man. That's who you are.


And I do take what you do seriously. You three helped me out of a hell of a bind with your work and I won't ever forget that. But that doesn't mean you have to be dour and boring in how you present yourself on your blog. You guys are equal parts Ghostbusters, X-Files and, let's face it, Frog Brothers. And in case you haven't noticed, two out of three of those are pretty damn funny. So lighten up a bit and enjoy yourself.

And by the way, if you have a problem, you could always call me and let me know. You don't need to make an ass of yourself on the blog.

Bob Lazar: Area 51 Whistle Blower

In November of 1989, physicist Bob Lazar sat down for an interview with a reporter for Las Vegas TV station KLAS. During the course of that interview, Mr. Lazar told of his secret work for "Sector 4", a clandestine portion of the Groom Lake military test facility. He claims he was tasked with "reverse engineering" the propulsion system on 1 of 9 disk shaped crafts.

Lazar further claims that he was briefed on the historical involvement by extraterrestrial beings with this planet for 10,000 years! How the crafts had come from the Zeta Reticulans, or Greys. He talks about a lot of things that I really don't understand, but they sound very impressive.

Many folks think Lazar is a fraud, including prominent ufologist Stanton Friedman.

They claim he contradicts himself and couldn't possibly have been employed there when he says he was. Others disagree, pointing to Lazar's supposed knowledge of the installation and the work that goes on there. However, supporters of Lazar point out things like this 1989 W2 which does seem to show that Lazar did indeed work for Naval Intelligence during the time he claims.

I personally don't know, he sounds like he might not be the swiftest hamburger in the sack, but then again, what do I know?

What do you know? Tell me something I don't know about Bob Lazar.

Has the Elusive Yeti Been Exposed?

Not quite yet, but there is new evidence to support the existence of a previously undiscovered species.

What is that evidence? Two short hairs - 33mm and 44mm long. The hairs were discovered in an Indian jungle and locals claim they come from a Yeti. Now, tests have revealed that the hairs do not come from "any known species":

"We fully expected them to come from a known animal," said Mr Redmond. "We failed to find that. So the mystery remains and we go on to the next stage of investigation."The hairs will now be examined under an even more powerful microscope and sent to two different laboratories - in Oxford and Cardiff - for DNA testing. Follicles containing cells remain on the base of the hairs, said Mr Redmond, "so there is every chance that we will be able to get even closer to the truth".

Ape expert Ian Redmond, who is co-ordinating the research, said:

"The hairs are the most positive evidence yet that a yeti might possibly exist, because they are tangible. We are very excited about the preliminary results, although more tests need to be done."

So what do you think? Is there an undiscovered species of ape still wandering around unbeknownst to the other 6.684 billion human inhabitants? Seems unlikely right? If there were a large enough population of Yeti to sustain itself, wouldn’t a body have been found by now? Wouldn’t we have solid evidence to show they exist? Probably.

On the other hand, We still run into undiscovered tribes of humans among us every now and again, even today. Just recently a previously undiscovered tribe was found in the Amazon and photographed for the first time:

"We did the overflight to show their houses, to show they are there, to show they exist," he said. "This is very important because there are some who doubt their existence."

So what does this all mean? Could there be large tribes of undiscovered Yeti right around the corner, under our nose? I guess we’ll never know until someone produces rock hard evidence in the form of a Yeti body. Of course that seems unlikely to happen in itself, or does it?

RE: A Formal Sucker Punch

Way to throw me under the bus, guys.

Nice post on Bacon's "bacon" Cutman. All the subjects in the world and you zoom in on a schlong. Oh, and the toddler from the "Sucker Punch" post, did you pick a cute baby and photo shop your hairline in?

I'll answer both:

Bacon's "schwartz" is jutted out like that for guys (and I use that term loosely and only in a technical sense, for now) like you. Who would enjoy something like that instead of the movie? Who would study it, enlarge it on the screen (and be enlarged by seeing it on the screen. Again, enlarge, another term used loosely and for technical purposes only), and do God knows what in front of your monitor before passing on your findings to us. I've seen the history on your computer before--you know how to get off on a site, get off the site, but obviously you haven't figured out how to get the site off your computer. The truth. Spoken from a guy still washing his hands from touching Cutman's keyboard.

and...

You didn't photo shop your hairline in because the baby has way more hair than you, Domeo and No Juliet.

Now, the video was posted on our behalf. For you, MacCready, and me, so we don't come off looking like morons (well, I guess it was really for MacCready and me, then). We sat down and came up with a simple, fun idea to introduce ourselves and explain what we're setting out to do. Mr. Xoom thinks it's funny and cool to show off his creative process by showing ours. So, I simply wanted to let people know that our videos are going to be more professional in the future.

Something to remember--don't shoot the soldier beside you when he's shooting the enemy in front of you. Bad things could circle back around.



You dome-ass.

C--

Out.

The Winchester Mansion--Ghosts In the Walls or Ghosts In the Brain?

Sup.

This is another story that combines supernatural (kind of) and real world elements. I'm sure many of you know of the Winchester Mystery House. Some of you have probably even took one of the guided tours. But for those who don't know this story, you have to check it out.

It's basically about Sarah Winchester, wife of William Wirt Winchester (of the Winchester Rifle empire) and her dance with madness and an architectural marvel. After her husband died, she became the heiress to the Winchester fortune. She was told by a spiritual medium she must build a house and continuously add on to it due to a family curse and for the spirits of people who had died from Winchester Rifles.

And boy, did she.

She built stairways that led to no where. Closets that opened to bare walls. Doors that opened to a large drop off.

And she continued building, adding on more oddities until she died at the age of 83.



For the detailed story, check here.

I will be in California soon on a follow-up for a previous Xoom investigation and, if time permits, I'll try to see it.

Out.

RE: A Formal Quitcherbitchin!

Cleveland and Cutman... You guys are acting like little girly men about this video stuff. I swear, it's like I'm playin' cards with my brother's kids or somethin'. You nerve-wrackin' sons-a-bitches.

On the bright side of things, if ya’ll keep perfecting the art of bitch’n, you’ll have wonderful careers as the next hosts of The View. Get over it, Cleveland. Yes, he showed stuff we didn't expect people to see, but was it really that big of a deal? Could've been a lot worse, you know. It's not like you got caught naked or something...

In the future, just assume if a camera's taping something it could end up on Youtube someday and you'll be fine. And I agree with Cutman that Mr. Xoom's intro video did a good job of showing the "real us", which was the point in making an introduction in the first place. In all fairness to Cleveland, though, I would have included a picture of Dick Cutman and Mr. Xoom on The View, too. Unfortunately, I couldn’t capture a good picture of Dick-Cut from the video and Mr. Xoom refuses under any circumstance to allow photography of himself… big baby.

So, with all that said, can we continue with the task at hand?

So What's the Deal With Bacon's Sausage?

We here at Xoom deal with mysteries all the time. And while this particular head-scratcher involving the great Kevin Bacon isn't exactly paranormal(at least I don't think it is), it certainly qualifies as an "unexplained phenomenon"...


I was talking to a buddy of mine last night who had recently watched Friday the 13th again and was alarmed by whatever it was that Kevin Bacon had crammed in his Speedo. I seemed to recall something giving me a strange, tingly vibe in the "swimming around the dock" scenes, so when I got home I cued it up. Sure enough, something horrible was residing in Jack Burrell's swimsuit. It's not evident in all the scenes around the dock, but in one particular shot it is... noticeable.... to say the least.



As I said before, this one is making me think twice, because while Xoom has investigated a lot of weird stuff, from hauntings to "slime rain" to plenty of hairy craziness in between, it's never come even close to brushing up against this level of the bizarre. This is a whole new league. Just pulling that screen grab is going to give me nightmares for weeks... Kevin Bacon's misshapen cod nightmares. And trust me, from experience, those are always the worst.

I guess, though, we here at Xoom could just treat this case as our first possession investigation - on a few different fronts:

1. What possessed Kevin Bacon to stuff his speedo with something so overtly odd?

2. What possessed the director to place his actor's truncated-looking nethers into such a prominent place in the shot?

3. What possessed the editor to then leave said shot in the movie, taking us out of the story while we contemplate where Kevin found a short length of one-inch PVC pipe laying around Camp Crystal Lake?

Can you imagine seeing this on the big screen? For those of you that remember watching this film in its original theatrical run, do you remember a reaction to this? Did everybody burst out laughing at the sight of this ginormous malformed bulge? Did popcorn fly? If you went with a girlfriend, did you curse the film for setting back your designs for weeks afterward while you tried to convince her that "not every penis looks like that"?

Please, if you have a story from your first glimpse at this monstrosity and its effects on your life, please send them our way.

So what is the mystery object? My friend said it looked like he had a highlighter in there. I'd venture a guess, but I've honestly been trying to quit my daily habit of thinking about the inside of Kevin Bacon's trousers. Between that and trying to quit smoking I've been a bear these past few months. I'm sure I will catch weeks and weeks worth of grief from my fellow XOOM members for so closely scrutinizing another man's package, but in the interest of exploring the unexplainable, I'd like to know.

What do you guys think it is? Maybe we can start a contest, try to get Kevin on the record about his contribution to cinematic history, and give a prize to whoever guesses the closest.


Digg this

RE: A Formal Sucker Punch Blah Blah

I would like to take a moment to openly address Cleveland Williams' sabotaging douche-baggery. Talk about unprofessional. We agreed to do this as a team and sometimes, within a team, toes get stepped on and egos get bruised. It's a majority rules thing. It's the nature of the beast.

Cleveland, you seem to like to dish it out, but have a very low tolerance for "taking it". You guys gang up and bag on me all the time, but I take it like an adult, like a man. So man up, son.

I think Mr. Xoom did a great job of making our introduction. No, we didn't expect him to show the creative process of us coming up with what to film for the website, but the final result was true-to-life and pretty damn funny. I think it got across who we really are better than some cheesy, staged normal intro could have.

And by the way, I CANNOT BELIEVE you chose to air this particular video, for reasons other than what you said on it... I think you know what I mean. You have SOME BALLS to do that and you're really SHOWING YOUR ASS to everyone involved here... Just imagine if the "behind the scenes" stuff from this particular video were ever to see the light of day.

RE: A Formal Introduction - Or how it feels to get sucker-punched by Mr. Xoom...

I thought Mr. Xoom's editing of the "A Formal Introduction" video was rude, uncalled for and even a bit unprofessional. So I decided to shoot a short video response to explain why I felt that way:



Our work may be funny to you, Mr. Xoom, but we've worked pretty hard at this over the last year and take it pretty seriously.

Out.

One of the Frog Brothers Devoured By Blob!

"There's our number on the back. And pray you never need to call us."

Guess who is being digested in the photo on Mr. Xoom's last post? Well, it's none other than Jamison Newlander, AKA Alan Frog from one of my favorite vampire ass-kick-fests, The Lost Boys. Just a little tidbit for you to digest. He's done a few things since then, but as far as I know this was his only other major role after The Lost Boys. He is returning as his half of the Frog brothers in the much anticipated Lost Boys: The Tribe.

"Star Jelly" or "Slime Rain"? Either way, it's gross.

I know the Xoom team recently did some investigating on a small-town case of "star jelly" or "slime rain".

For those of you not familiar with this phenomenon, "star jelly" is a substance that apparently falls from the sky every now and again and collects in gelatinous blobs on the ground. It has been described worldwide for hundreds of years and often accompanies meteor showers - hence the "star jelly" moniker:

Centuries ago, the Welsh called it “pwdre ser” which means “rot of the stars." Whatever it’s called, the star jelly phenomenon represents one of the most persistent and baffling enigmas in science history. Throughout the ages, there have been dozens of reports of eerie deposits of gelatinous blobs found on the ground the morning following the sighting of a bright meteor, or the occasional meteor shower...

Dozens of references to star jelly can be found in an array of poems, scientific journals and literary publications.

This "star jelly" continues to be reported at fair frequency all over the world, as far-flung locales and even some big city towns occasionally find themselves dowsed in this cosmic snot. It has even affected our popular culture - the 1958 sci-fi classic The Blob was supposedly based on a 1950 incident in Philadelphia where local police stumbled across a huge mass of the mysterious goo:

The cops described the gunk as "a domed disk of quivering jelly, 6 feet in diameter, one foot thick at the center and an inch or two near the edge." It dissolved into an odorless, sticky scum when they touched it. A bright meteor was seen by many witnesses the night before in the area.

So what of it, Xoom? You guys looked into an incident of this, did you not? Did you find anything of note?

RE: Devil Mirror and TV's "Lost"

Good eye MacCready. "Lost" does use the Devil Mirror octagonal shape. But check this out. I found this image of a Ba Gua design here. Look at the detail in the design. Now think back to the glowing Dharma Station plans on the wall and the details are even more similar. Maybe their trying to harmonize the island. Now, it seems they're reflect evil away. Either way, the show's not real so move on.

I've gotten some interesting emails on a couple of stories I'll post this afternoon.

Cleveland Out.

Who Was More Popular During the Democratic Primary, Hillary Clinton or UFO’s?

According to Google Trends, UFO’s – At least by search volume.

Now I realize that the Presidential election is a US phenomenon with most resulting interest being in the United States, while the entire world can be interested in searching Google for UFOs. Still, given that the rest of the world was also quite interested in the Clinton/Obama contest and that much of the English-speaking (and searching) Internet community resides in America, this is still a very interesting result.

Of course this is not a scientific study, but the numbers are still fascinating - even at her peak, UFO’s seem to be as interesting as the fallen angel of pants suits. Apparently something happened around June, as her search volume just plummets.


I guess there’s just something to be said for the unknown – It’s mysterious, uncertain and probably will never have much real impact on our day-to-day lives, but it still commands more of our attention than the most fiercely-contested Presidential primary in United States history.

Homework Assignment: Building Your Own UFO Flying Saucer

If any of our readers can put together a working flying saucer based on this article by T.B. Pawlicki I will be duly impressed. The article is titled:

How to Build a Flying Saucer After So Many Amateurs Have Failed

An essay in Speculative Engineering

Now this article has apparently been around since 1990. Since I don't see anybody skipping traffic by hovering over it in their own garage-built flying saucer I can only assume that this article is not, in reality, the home-based saucer breakthrough we've all been hoping for.

Maybe one of you will read this and prove me wrong. If you do, I demand you take me for a spin in your new digs... Explorers-style, baby!

Hat Tip: Unexplainable.net.

RE: Devil Mirror

Your Devil Mirror looks just like the Dharma Initiative logo from the "Lost" series. I guess since Lost is a fictional story, I'll give you the win and say your mirror came first....Feng Shui.

A Formal Introduction

Ba Gua a.k.a. Devil Mirror

Ello,

Just chatting with Varian. Talking about some of the posts we've got up. She took a look at the site, then told me about a Chinese belief/superstition I figured might be of some interest. It's called the Ba Gua Mirror and, according to her, is called the Devil Mirror. Many of you may know it as a Feng Shui Mirror, as it's used for such, so I've come to learn (boring). What's cool is, many use it to reflect or transform evil/negative Qi away from their homes and/or businesses.




Author Keith Rudell says:

Reflect and Transform Negative Qi

As a protective device a ba gua mirror can be hung with the mirror side facing towards the negative source. They can be hung inside or outside a building. The mirror is a weapon against Sha. One mirror may be enough but some homes and businesses use as many as four or five.

Some typical situations that a ba gua mirror may be used to remedy are:

1. A cemetery, mortuary or other negative place is located across the street from your home or business.
2. The corner of the neighboring building is pointed at your front door.
3. The building across the street burned down.
4. An electrical transformer box is near your property.
5. Your property is being vandalized or trespassed against.
6. The walkway to your front door is linear with no fence or curves to intercept negative energy.
7. Your desk is at the end of a long hall.
8. You must sit with your back to the room entrance.

(Solution: Place the ba gua mirror on the wall you are facing so that the energy of anyone entering is caught by the mirror.)

SO--

You actually reflect evil away from you and back onto the world? Is this right? If so, no more home invasions. No more failed businesses, house fires, home foreclosures?

Now that's what I'm talking about.

She also said that many believe this is what led to Bruce Lee's Death. That soon before he died a storm blew away his Ba Gua mirrors and let death in the front door.

For more info, check here.

To purchase your very own Devil Mirrors, go here.

Out.

For MacNugget--I Mean MacReady...

Nice of you to think of me, dissing my belt and all. But you're right, purple is an appropriate color for me, and here's why:

1. Only five more colors and I'll be Jackie Chan-ing some ass.

2. At the purple level, I have mastered TWO, count 'em ONE, TWO Nunchuck katas. And unlike invisible wrestlers, chucks are REAL, and one to the dome tends to smart a little.

EX.


Bet that doesn't tickle, huh? Shots like those might even turn your cranium--well I'll be damned--PURPLE.

Remember, Purple Belt=Purple Welt.



And if you need a closer demonstration, I can play a chuck tune on John Couger Melon-head, Cutman anytime.

More most definitely to come...

Out.

RE: Cleveland Betting My Balls

Cleveland, is a very confident sort of fellow. He's so cocky and confident he likes to bet parts of his colleagues' anatomy on long shots. We're all very proud of you getting your Barney-hued belt... keep running your mouth like you do and you're gonna need it.

As far as Village of the Damned is concerned, you need to understand that not everything can be your Criterion Collection edition of the Barbra Streisand mega hit, Yentl.

Macready, your stupid cut-down doesn't even warrant a response, but I'll give you one anyway. Mr. Xoom was right, you are a dumbass. You know I'm trying to lose weight.

I've warned you guys before. If you want to get ugly, I'll get ugly back. Or we can act like grown ups and try to do some good.

To everyone else reading this, I'll be posting some more good stuff soon, so keep checking back.

Oh yeah...by the way...LOL

--Cutman

UPDATE: Creepy Cross

So I’ve got some good news and some bad news. We’ll go bad news first.

Bad News: I’ve found absolutely no information about this specific cross.

Good News: My friend got back with me and I know the location of the cross. The cross is located at Le phare le la Garoupe (The Garoupe Lighthouse) in Cap d'Antibes.

But wait, there’s more. I did a little research on Pentagrams and Christianity. Apparently, early Christians used the pentagram for a variety of things.

There are many connections between the pentagram and Christianity. Before the cross, it was a preferred emblem to adorn the jewelry and amulets of early Christians (followed by an 'x' or a phoenix). The pentagram was associated with the five wounds of Christ, and because it could be drawn in one continuous movement of the pen, the Alpha and the Omega as one.

So I guess I was wrong in thinking pentagrams on a cross was weird.

As always, if you have any information on this, I’d love to hear more.

100% Authentic Ghost Video... Sort Of

I’ve been searching for this my whole life …undeniable proof that ghosts are real.



It has to be a real ghost. Way too convincing. Sign this guy up for the WWE.

What do you think Cleveland? I know your going for your purple belt – an appropriate color for you I might add, but do you think you could take on the invisible wrestler?

Follow Up: Are You Experienced?

I have contacted Travis Walton and Mike Rogers about an interview on the '75 abduction incident. I will post any and every response here as soon as they roll in. And they will. Roll in.

Cutman's left chiclet is on the line.

They'd better.

Out.

Commenter's "Coin" Harvey / Monte Ne Documentary

A commenter, Nathan, apparently has a documentary on the colorful "Coin" Harvey and his Monte Ne resort:

I did my M.A. thesis in broadcast journalism on Coin Harvey and his resort of Monte Ne, Arkansas. If anyone is interested I made a documentary about his life and times. Please contact me at ncrowde@gmail.com I have copies available for $10

Please hit him up if you have interest in the subject.

(Nathan, perhaps if you could provide a clip and post it on YouTube or something we could cross-post it here for interested parties?)

Also, Stuart at undergroundozarks.com has some great stuff on Monte Ne.

RE: Them's fightin' words, MacReady...

No, Mark, I'm not saying you're a dumbass. I know better. But if you found this video "compelling", then somebody must have whacked you with a "dumbass stick" this morning. I hope it's only temporary.

I feel like a dog thats just been slapped by a July 20th, 1969 edition newspaper before having its nose rubbed in the wet spot on the carpet.

Damn!

Are You Experienced?

What Up?

Sorry I’ve been out of the loop, but I just spent a day and most of a night talking to the beautiful Varian Chan, my Hong Kong princess.

I’ve been looking at some of the posts from yesterday and we’re all about some UFOs, huh? Well, on that note, you guys should check out the book The Walton Experience by Travis Walton. For those of you who don’t know (and Cutman, given your taste in movies i.e. Village of the Damned I’m sure you don’t) it’s the basis for the movie Fire in the Sky.



Now, on the surface this seems like your typical run-of-the-mill abduction tale, except, it’s the most documented case of abduction ever. First, there were several (seven) witnesses. And, depending on where you get your info, they (all seven) passed a lie detector test. Twice. Check out Walton’s official site.

Also, check out this segment of 20/20 that aired in 1979, a few years after Walton’s return. It’s Travis speaking about his experience while showing the location where it actually happened (the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest):



Part 1 of another short piece on the story (this one was done in the 90s, I believe) can be found here.

And Part 2...

Again, what sets this apart from all the other accounts is the witnesses, the disappearance and return, the lie detector tests, and the fact that it’s the MOST DOCUMENTED CASE OF ABDUCTION IN HISTORY!! So this is definitely one to check out and into. I also believe, and I’d be willing to bet Cutman’s left ball, that we could get an interview with Travis Walton. If we want to go this direction, that is.

I was going to use this story for our book What Follows is True but we’re backed up on stuff for now. This seems more like an Xoom project anyway. It’s bigger, needs more minds for better investigation, etc.

Oh oh, I also watched the umbrella story clip, and yes, I am a martial artist (thanks for pointing that out). I have been a practitioner in the arts for well over five years and I must say, THAT IS NOT MARTIAL ARTS! That’s a trick and the arts are not tricks. Any true martial artist knows there is a perfect balance of mind, body, and spirit involved which cannot be substituted with gimmicks.

On a similar note, I’m testing for my purple belt next week. Hell-to-the-yeah baby! Fingers crossed.

More to come…

Word.

RE: Glass Subway Tubes on Mars?

There are sandworms, crystal palaces, gigantic structures that tower up to a mile above the lunar surface.

Are you sure you're not confusing this place with your own ass?

Them's fightin' words, MacReady...

Mark's post about Edgar Mitchell and his reaction to the moon-hoax morons was great. What I didn't appreciate, however, was Mark's description of this YouTube video as "compelling".

That clip uses the standard "leading narrator" technique, where they try and fool you into believing their tripe by confidently explaining what you're supposedly seeing in the video, even though in reality what they're describing is nothing more than a very far-fetched interpretation of what's actually going on in the clip, combined with other details that don't even appear in the video at all!

Here is a quote I pulled from the video (about :34) which shows the unbelievable lengths this "leading narrator" goes to try and trick the audience into "seeing" something that simply is not there:

In this never-before seen or heard footage, not only is the radio conversation between the astronauts and Houston control audible, there is a secondary, private conversation taking place between the crew and a third confidential party, prompting the astronauts with what to say, when to speak, and how to effectively manipulate the camera to achieve the desired misleading effect.

NASA claims that the Houston transmissions were the only ones taking place with the astronauts. Listen now as Houston control initiates a conversation with the crew, only to find them too preoccupied with the behind the scenes trickery to respond.

Now here is what is actually said on the video which they show to back up this incredible claim:

Houston: Hello Apollo 11. Houston. Gulfstone says the the TD(or TV) looks, uh, great. Over.

Five Second Pause.

Voice: "Talk".

Armstrong: Replies.

This is simply pathetic. They get a pause when calling for their astronauts, and somebody says "talk" to get them to reply... and that proves something sinister is afoot? Why couldn't it have been somebody from Mission Control saying "talk"? Why couldn't it have been Buzz Aldrin or Michael Collins, who were on board the spacecraft with Armstrong, prompting him to reply? Why does somebody telling Armstrong to "talk" after a pause indicate some Machiavellian conspiracy to coach the astronauts "how to effectively manipulate the camera to achieve the desired misleading effect"?

And where in the world does the narrator get the idea that the five second pause after Mission Control tried to initiate contact with the astronauts was because they were "too preoccupied with the behind the scenes trickery to respond"? Eh? It couldn't have been because Armstrong had simply nodded off? Or was just finishing up a dump? Or just was doing something else totally innocuous at the time that resulted in a slight pause before answering?

Stupid.

The entire video is like this. There is nothing in these clips except completely innocuous things going on with incredibly far-fetched and sinister "explanations" given for them.

But that's the game: make outlandish claims, dress it up with an English accent so the narrator "sounds smart", throw in some spooky music and VOILA! You have dumbasses the world over thinking they just saw the rug pulled out from under one of the greatest achievements in American history... hell, in human history.



No, Mark, I'm not saying you're a dumbass. I know better. But if you found this video "compelling", then somebody must have whacked you with a "dumbass stick" this morning. I hope it's only temporary.

We landed on the moon, people. Get over it. Here is a good site debunking the frankly silly arguments of the conspiracy kooks.

Glass Subway Tubes on Mars?

Since we were talking about space and aliens yesterday, I found myself thinking of this story, it's kind of old, but definitely worth a look. I first read about it years ago on Richard Hoagland's site, Enterprisemission.com. There is probably some very rational geological explanation for these anomalies, but when Hoagland and his team let their imaginations run wild, it's hard not to get sucked in. These translucent "tubes" or "Hoagy's" (named after Hoagland), run up and down around each other and have visible support bands to hold up the glass-like structure. There is some sagging evident in some of the support ribs, which might indicate that these structures were mounted vertically on canyon walls. It's very interesting and a good read whether you believe it or not.

Hoagland has long been a proponent of the "Face on Mars", pyramids, and other structures in the Cydonia region of the red planet. In his book, The Monuments of Mars: A City on the Edge of Forever, he explores these and many other martian anomolies. Hoagland also has a section discussing a series of mind boggling structures on our own moon, in volume 3 of Hoaglan's Mars video series, The Moon, Mars Connection.

There are sandworms, crystal palaces, gigantic structures that tower up to a mile above the lunar surface. Lots of wild stuff, all from examining publicly available NASA photos.

It's probably all crap, but like many of you...I want to believe.

Hat tip: ebtx.com

Edgar Mitchell – Astronaut/MMA Fighter?

So we’ve all heard by now about Ed Mitchell’s claim of UFO’s and Aliens right? Well, I bet you didn’t know he was a certified ass-kicker… sort of. The video bellow shows the guys from MOONMOVIE.com questioning Ed Mitchell about the authenticity of the Apollo 11 moon landing. He doesn't take it very well.

I guess I’d be kind of pissed to if someone questioned my life’s crowning achievement. I mean, come on guys, everyone knows we went to the moon…. or did we? (Insert dramatic music here)

Below is some very compelling footage.

Very compelling indeed.

Mysterious noise plagues Wisconsin couple's home

I can't imagine how frustrating this must be:

For two years now, the Ehrfurths have been enduring an annoying, persistent noise in their home — a low, motor-like rumble accompanied by a vibration. They can't figure out what's causing it, and it's been a challenge getting others to believe them because the problem starts and stops.

They've lived in the house at 2048 Mary Queen Road for 42 years, and it's only been the last two years that it's been a problem.

"It's like there's a semi parked right outside with the engine running, but when you look out, there isn't one," said Leona Ehrfurth, 76.

Because it comes and goes, they're having trouble getting anything done about it. Testers aren't hearing anything. City officials show up to experience the problem and find nothing out of the ordinary. Not only do these poor people have to deal with this incredibly intrusive annoyance, but they've had to also endure two years of people treating them like Grandpa Simpson because of it.

"Now they KNOW we're crazy," Bob Ehrfurth, 75, grumbled after explaining how a technical expert installed vibration-monitoring equipment in their house and failed to measure anything of significance.

"Imagine putting your pillow on the hood of a running car — you can't sleep through that," Leona Ehrfurth said. "You get this pressure in your ear. Sometimes I have to get out of the house, because I can't take it anymore."

Bob Ehrfurth can sleep through it, but he doesn't like it.

"It doesn't matter if the windows are open or closed — you still hear it," he said. "It's worse in the winter."

Luckily, though, they've managed to get a few people to confirm that there is, indeed, a "there" there:

Although the two aren't in the best of health, the problem is not with them because when they leave, they don't hear the noise, Bob Ehrfurth said.

The Ehrfurths' immediate neighbors haven't complained about the noise, but the Ehrfurths have had a few people admit hearing the noise. An engineering teacher told the city's Protection & Welfare Committee he tried to help the Ehrfurths investigate the matter, and said he experienced a throbbing sensation in his ears while in the neighborhood and in their house. A resident from about a mile away made similar complaints.

"Yeah, I've experienced it," said Alderman Andy Nicholson, who has been trying to help the Ehrfurths. "It's like an engine thing, a low-frequency vibration. I think it would be an annoyance."

But the source remains a mystery.

Here's hoping they figure it out and get some peace. Any acoustical experts out there that can help these people?