EDITORIAL Hello and welcome to another issue of Phenomena Magazine. Firstly, I’d like to introduce Darío A. Fernandez from e-nigmas / portal de lo paranormal. Dario is our newest member to our team and has come on board as one of our distributors in Spain. Details of his website can be found in this issue. Its certainly been a trying time as the UK venture into its fourth week of a heat wave. Only a handful of UFO reports, which we are looking into have surfaced and for once, it’s been relatively quiet on the paranormal front. Guess a lot of people are taking time out ie holidays. For us here at Phenomena Magazine, we have been setting the path in regards future conferences and events as well as putting together a new website called ‘VURA’ The Visual UFO Research Archive, which will be the largest UFO material trading site on the internet, featuring thousands upon thousands of documentaries, newsclippings, TV Shows, Series and Movies in regards to the UFO subject. VURA will also be offering a number of Free services. I will of course inform our readers when the site is accessible, so… watch this space! Again, a great mix of articles and interesting news items can be found in this July 2013 issue. Enjoy!...
SUB-EDITORIAL There was a programme on TV recently about the remarkable and lonely journey of both Voyager spacecraft. They have now completed their mission designed to send back images and information from all the planets in our solar system and both have now gone beyond it; Voyager 2 being the last one to leave. This raises a really fascinating prospect, because in theory these two machines could continue travelling indefinitely, journeying ever further into the reaches of interstellar space. In fact, if they are not damaged or destroyed by some accident, they could continue on literally for ever, perhaps long after the human race even exists and the way we are going, one way or another, that will eventually happen. That would mean that the two, small, relatively primitive devices, would be the only legacy we have left to posterity to mark our passing. They are small and in the immensity of the universe effectively invisible and will probably never be discovered by any of the races who, presumably, are out there and even if they were what would they make of us. Both vehicles carry 12 inch gold discs, rather like old fashioned long playing records that contain information about our location, what we look like, our history, plus a range of images and sounds that encompass what we are. They drift on through space still nominally functional, and since sunlight is no longer sufficient to drive the solar arrays, relying on plutonium generators to produce the energy that drives the recording and transmitting equipment they have on board. When that runs out they will be dead; just inert constructs of metal, silicon and other synthetics as evidence that we ever existed. It seems so sad that we have left nothing of any real consequence to mark our passing as a race, because unless we make contact with an extraterrestrial race in the foreseeable future that is how it will be. When/if that happens, hopefully the contact will be meaningful, beneficial and above all peaceful.
WWW.PHENOMENAMAGAZINE.CO.UK
Editorial Contact: Steve Mera - s_mera@yahoo.com Sub-Editorial Contact: Brian Allan - Paratec7@aol.com Columnist: Richard Holland - editor@uncannyuk.com
THIS MONTHS CONTRIBUTORS
Steve Mera, Brian Allan, Gary Heseltine, Philip Mantle, Sam Wright, Alex Dónal Callaghan, Andrew McKellar, Dean Crawford, Dario A. Fernandez, Danial Verdon, John Prytz, Andrew Hind, Kelly Roncace, Alex West, Nick Pope, Eric Pfeiffer, Jack Royston, Lee Holmwood, Lee Brickley, Rev Randal Smyth, Richard Holland, Rodney Howarth & KTPF. The PM Team: Sotiris at STRANGEFILES.ME, Danial Verdon at UREI, Randy at UFOSTORE.COM, Dario Fernandez at e-nigmas / portal de lo paranormal. Tim at UFOTV, Richard Holland at UNCANNYUK.COM, Main Distribution Brian Allan, Reporter Jackie Heighway & Reporter / Photographer Rodney Howarth.
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Due to MAPIT protocols, personal or group promotion will not always be accepted. All submitted articles to Phenomena Magazine must be 'Original Work'. MAPIT / Phenomena Magazine are not responsible for articles that appear in the magazine which do not belong to the individuals submitting them. MAPIT / Phenomena Magazine do everything in their power to credit individuals work and images. If you are aware of any material featured in Phenomena Magazine that is not credited correctly, then please inform us as soon as possible. The MAPIT Copyright covers only articles wrote by MAPIT investigators, construction and group logos found throughout the magazine. The views and opinions expressed in any of the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MAPIT or Phenomena Magazine.
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Page 1 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
CONTENTS Page 2: The Banshee. In this article, new contributor Alex Callaghan looks at the Banshee, one of the frequently terrifying creatures that inhabit the world of ancient myth and folklore. A female spirit that originates from Irish folklore and is generally viewed as an omen, or a messenger of the forthcoming death of a loved one. It is rare to see a Banshee, but there have been various reported sightings throughout history… Page 4: Spiritual Healing: The Miracle Man. Healer Andrew McKellar is no stranger to Hampshire readers, he has been featured a number of times over the last few months. Andrew was in no doubt born to heal the sick, his gift is recognised world‐ wide. People travel from as far as Australia, America, New Zealand and other countries to obtain his help. Along with Steve Mera, An‐ drew McKellar reveals some remarkable incidents... Page 5: Living Forever. It is often said that the only sure things in life are death and taxes, and sometimes that one is the cause of the other. But what if that were no longer true? That death was no longer an absolute certainty? Scientists have discovered Micro‐organisms which have been revived, and identified as being approximately two hundred and fifty million years old. And yet they LIVE! Dean Crawford explains...
Page 11: The Trouble with The Standard Model of Human Evolution. John Prytz retired Science Librarian brings us another fascinating article. When it comes to the standard model of how modern hu‐ mans evolved from primate ancestors, especially the chimpanzee, you should be prepared to ask tough questions and see if they get answered. Questions like, can you really go from chimpanzee to what makes you, the reader, via natural selection in 6 to 7 million years? Page 17: The Spectral Steamship. Muskoka is Canada’s cottage country, a region beloved for its natural splendor, countless shimmering lakes, quaint communities, and end‐ less expanse of tranquil forest. That’s the lure that attracts many tourists, but there’s another, a more sinister one which isn’t haunt‐ ingly beautiful… just merely haunted. Andrew Hind explains the strange incidents aboard the The RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Segwun. Page 27: 2000 Years of Remarkable Weirdness: Cannock Chase. A vast area of enchanting forest known for it's spooky and mysterious happenings, Cannock Chase has a long and rather peculiar history. It's curious memoir spans the centuries, back to a time before the Ro‐ man invasion in AD43. In those early days, this intriguing woodland was occupied by a salt mining, horned‐god worshipping, Celtic tribe, known as the Cornovii. Lee Brickley reveals more… Page 30: A Nocturnal Visitor. I awoke from a deep sleep at approximately 2.30am this morning being 26th October and saw Anatoly standing by my bed dressed in what looked like a hospital gown. There was a certain amount of moonlight shining through my bedroom window, certainly enough to see who it was. He told me he had been in a serious accident before fading away. Rev Randal Smyth explains...
Also Featured: Latest paranormal news from around the World... Book and dvd reviews. Events and Conferences. Astronomical news, Advertisements and much more... If you have an interesting article, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Phenomena Magazine Editor Steve Mera: s_mera@yahoo.com or Phenomena Magazine Sub‐Editor Brian Allan: Paratec7@aol.com
The Banshee By Alex Dónal Callaghan
The Banshee is a female spirit that originates from Irish folklore and is generally viewed as an omen, or a messenger of the forthcoming death of a loved one. The name 'Banshee', has its etymological roots in the old Irish Gaelic language, originally called the 'bean‐ sidhe', which translates as 'woman of the fairies' or 'woman of the fairy mound'. In Irish folklore the Banshee lives up to its true name, and is indeed a fairy woman who starts to wail if someone is about to die. It is rare to see a Banshee, but there have been various reported sightings throughout his‐ tory. However, she is perhaps more famous for her wail, or mourning call. It is also rarer that the Banshee screams in the day, but she is generally heard wailing around woodland areas and forests. The story of the Banshee began as a fairy woman who would weep and wail at the time of an important persons death, such as the death of a King or a Priest. However, in later stories, the appearance of a Banshee, or at least the sounding of her mourning call, would indicate that anybody, from prince to pauper, were going to die. A simi‐ lar supernatural entity appears in the folk‐ lore and culture of other counties in north‐ ern Europe. In Scottish folklore, the Banshee is alternatively known as the 'bean‐sith' or the 'bean‐nighe', which translates as 'woman of the fairies' and 'washer woman', respectively. Perhaps the latter accurately describes the Scottish Banshee, as this fairy woman is reportedly seen washing the clothes of the person who is about to die. Similar beings are also found in Welsh, Norse, and American folklore. The Banshee is also known as the ancestral spirit of the fairy world, in Irish folklore, and is amongst the oldest fairy folks of Ireland. Some people have also speculated that the Banshee is perhaps a type of devil, or at least a demon‐ like creature, who wails for the souls that are lost to her as they ascend to heaven. Others have suggested that the Banshees are familial guardian angels; the souls of children who had died before they were christened, eternally damned with original sin, or that Banshees are the souls of women who had committed the sin of pride during their lifetime. Banshees were appointed to
watch over Irish families, and their duty was to inform the family of the impending death of a relative. Her presence alone brings no harm or evil, but to hear the Banshee in an act of wailing is to have witnessed and reluc‐ tantly recognised the announcement of the death of a loved one. In times gone by the Banshee has been seen washing the heads of humans, their limbs, and also their bloody clothing until the water has been dyed red with their blood. This aspect certainly ties in with the Scottish 'washer woman' Banshee. The image of the Banshee changed over the years, and it is claimed that Banshees now pace the land, wringing their hands and crying. Solitary creatures of the fairy world, a Banshee's love for the mortal family she has been appointed to is fierce and bound‐ less, and she may become disorientated or anxious when she knows a death in the fam‐ ily is nigh. In fact, it is at this point when the Banshee is anxious and disorientated that she will pace the hills in sorrow. The Ban‐ shee will also follow her family's members throughout the world, wailing for them wherever Irish immigrants have settled. It is also claimed that the Banshee will some‐ times attend the funerals of the dead family members she has wailed for, and she will join the mourners in their lament. Interestingly, the Banshees wail has been described in a variety of sounds that can be categorised geographically. In Leinster, the south‐eastern province of Ireland, in which the capital Dublin is located, the Banshee is referred to as the 'bean‐chaointe', or 'keening woman', whose wails are so pierc‐ ing that the sound she emits can shatter glass. In County Kerry, in the south‐west of the province of Munster, her wail has been described as a 'low, pleasant singing'. In County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland, the Banshee's mourning call has been described as 'two wooden boards being struck to‐ gether'. Finally, on Rathlin Island, off of the coast of County Antrim in Northern Ireland, the Banshee's wail has been described as a 'thin screeching sound, somewhere between the scream of a woman, and the cry of an owl'. A valid explanation that people use to debunk the alleged sounding of a Banshee is that it is rather the screech of a Barn Owl,
which is a nocturnal hunter that is known for its chilling screech. It is not only the Banshee's wail that varies; also her appear‐ ance varies from each rare occasion in which she has manifested herself to people. This is an important aspect of the Banshee in Irish mythology, as she has three main forms that each represent one of the triple aspects of the Irish Celtic goddess of war and death: Badhbh, Macha, and Morrigan. This is evident in one of the earliest men‐ tions of a Banshee in Irish mythology, which claims that the Banshee appeared on a battlefield, and she later turned out to be the goddess Morrigan in disguise. The Ban‐ shee mainly manifests as an ugly, frighten‐ ing old hag, which is perhaps her most com‐ monly reported appearance. However, she may appear as a stately matron, or even a stunningly beautiful young woman. She usually wears either a grey hooded cloak, or the robes of the dead.
Banshee The bansh from Irish: bean sí ("woman of the sídhe" or "woman of the fairy mounds") is a female spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Other‐ world.
Wikipedia
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The Banshee By Alex Dónal Callaghan
Banshee In legend, a banshee is a fairy woman who begins to wail if someone is about to die. In Scottish Gaelic mythology, she is known as the bean sìth or bean‐nighe and is seen washing the bloodstained clothes or armour of those who are about to die. Alleged sightings of banshees have been reported as recently as 1948. Similar beings are also found in Welsh, Norse and American folklore. Wikipedia
Interestingly, according to Irish folklore, the Banshee doesn't have to appear in human form, and can appear as a hooded crow, a stoat, a hare, and a weasel. All of these ani‐ mals are associated with the art of witch‐ craft in Ireland. Written accounts of the Banshee go back as far as the year 1380, though it is thought that the sightings date back to the 9th cen‐ tury AD. In 1380, the 'Cathreim Thoir‐ healbhaigh', or 'Triumphs of Torlough' was published by Sean MacCraith. Banshees are also mentioned in Norman literature that dates back to the 14th century. In legend there are only a few particular families who are believed to have Banshees attached to their bloodline. Most Irish surnames associ‐ ated with Banshees either have the 'Ó' or 'Mac' prefix, although sometimes this is not the case. One of the five great Gaelic fami‐ lies of Ireland that are said to be haunted by a Banshee does not begin with either prefix. Altogether, the five great families are the Ó'Gradys, the Ó'Neills, the Ó'Briens, the Ó'Connors, and the Kavanaghs. The Ó'Briens' Banshee was thought to have the name 'Eevul', and was the leader of twenty five other Banshees, who would always be in her presence. In Irish folklore it is documented that the wailing of the numerous Banshees signifies the death of a great or holy person. Strangely enough, it is reported that a Ban‐ shee wailed at the coronation of King Brian Boru, the true king of Ireland. Throughout the centuries, there have been eyewitness reports of Banshee apparitions, the most prominent of which actually takes place outside of Ireland, in Scotland. In 1437, Scotland's King James I was ap‐ proached by a supposed Irish seer, who predicted to him his murder at the instiga‐ tion of the Earl of Atholl, the King's very own uncle. Historically, King James I had fought an unsuccessful campaign in a war against the English, and as a result he needed to increase taxes in Scotland to raise money for another campaign. The Earl of Atholl, and other aristocrats, spoke out against the King's wishes, so the King imprisoned the aristocrats who disagreed with him. The Earl of Atholl then sent a group of men to assas‐ sinate the King, which took place in a sewer in which he had fled to avoid his assailants. The Irish seer in this story was later identi‐ fied as a Banshee, and is one of many docu‐ mented prophets believed to be incarnate Banshees attending the great houses of Ireland and Scotland. In the 18th century, a group of children were on an evening walk when they came across a little old lady sitting on a rock by the side of the road. She instantly began to wail at their arrival and clap her hands, and as a result the children ran away in fear. They later discovered that the old man who lived in a house that was situated behind the rock had
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died at that very moment. A century later, a little girl was standing at a window in her house in Cork, Ireland, when she saw a fig‐ ure on a bridge. She heard the wails of the Banshee, and then the figure abruptly disap‐ peared. The next morning her grandfather fell as he was walking and hit his head, never to wake up. In a shocking turn of events that same little girl who experienced the wail of the Banshee when her grandfather died, was a grandparent herself by the year 1900. One day when she was very ill, her grand‐ daughter heard the Banshee's wail in her bedroom, and soon the grandparent passed away. Another report is based on a yacht that was sailing on a lake in Italy. Some peo‐ ple onboard the yacht told the owner, Count Nelsini, formally known as 'Ó'Neill', that they had witnessed a woman screaming, with red hair and a hellish look in her eyes. Nelsini was concerned that the Banshee was an‐ nouncing the death of his wife or daughter, though within two hours he died of an an‐ gina attack. In the memoirs of Lady Ann Fanshaw, a Ban‐ shee appeared before her whilst she and her husband, Lord Richard Fanshaw, were visit‐ ing a friends baronial castle in 1642. At mid‐ night, Fanshaw was suddenly awoken by a terrifying, supernatural scream. She leapt upright in bed, and looked outside her win‐ dow to see a young and beautiful woman hovering in the moonlight. The woman was pale, with dishevelled and loose red hair, and she wore a dress in the style of the an‐ cient Irish. The apparition stayed for a few moments before it disappeared with two violent shrieks. When morning came, Lady Fanshaw told her host what she had wit‐ nessed during the night. Her host looked at her gravely and explained to her that she had witnessed the family Banshee. This Ban‐ shee, the host claimed, was the ghost of a woman of inferior rank who married one of his ancestors, who drowned her in the moat outside to find atonement for the shame he
had brought upon his family. During the same night that Fanshaw saw the Banshee, a relation of the host died in her sleep, just a few miles away. Most recently, during the 1960s, a radio show was produced for the BBC in Ireland, based on the subject of Ban‐ shees. The show documented that a baker in Kerry, and his workmates had heard the Banshee's mourning call and described it. 'It started low at first, then it mounted up into a crescendo... and you could make out a few Gaelic words in it; then gradually it went away again slowly'. The next day an employee, who had been absent on the previous shift at the bakery, arrived at the establishment and informed his co‐workers of the tragic death of his aunt the day be‐ fore. Stories of Banshee’s can also be found in the USA in the late 18th century. One story originates from Tar River, Edgecombe County, North Carolina. In this story the Banshee simply appears as a ghost, rather than an omen of death. Another story origi‐ nates from the badlands of South Dakota. The Banshee in this story wailed upon a hill near Watch Dog Butte. Prospectors and cowboys experienced either the wailing, or the apparition of the Banshee, which in this case was attributed to being the soul of a Native American lady. It seems that in American folklore the Banshee does not manifest to someone whose relative is about to die, but in fact is more similar to a ghost, and haunts specific areas of land that were perhaps known to the Banshee prior to her death. In conclusion, it is evident that the Banshee is a much more complex entity than an old woman who screams to foretell death. Though she is not an evil spirit, the Ban‐ shee's manifestation, whether vocal or physical, is an exceptionally terrifying con‐ cept which we should hope to never experi‐ ence...
Spiritual Healing: The Miracle Man By Steve Mera & Andrew McKellar
SPIRITUAL HEALING THE MIRACLE MAN Healer Andrew McKellar is no stranger to Hampshire readers, he has been featured a number of times over the last few months. There was no doubt that Andrew was born to heal the sick, his gift is recognised world‐ wide. People travel from as far as Australia, America, New Zealand and other countries. When you see Andrew’s healing testimonials in their thousands you can see why. He says “healing is a gift and there are only a small handful of gifted healers in the UK. Miracle healers are rare to find, one must be careful when seeking a healer.” Can one learn to heal? Andrew says “No, many people seek to learn so they can ob‐ tain a certificate, but no certificate will make anybody a healer”. Andrew knew from an early age that he would become famous one day and that he would help people way be‐ yond the boundaries of medical science. He now runs the Nirvana Healing Sanctuary in Park Gate, Southampton. He is not con‐ nected to any religion, he says “I am not interested in religion, I’m only interested in helping and curing people, healing has noth‐ ing to do with religion, I heal through com‐ passion for suffering people, healing is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon man. The results I achieve with the sick and suffering the medical profession can only dream of achieving, even medical practitio‐ ners visit me for treatment.” Three people recently took their dogs to Andrew, all dogs needed an operation from the vets. Not now they have seen Andrew, animals have no preconceived ideas about healing so no faith is needed when receiving healing. Amongst the thousands of testimo‐ nials at the Sanctuary, here are just a few recent healings that have taken place there… Matt Larkin arrived recently from Australia suffering with severe pancreatitis and colon trouble, medical science had no answers. “I’ve been here for two weeks and the dif‐ ference is amazing I’m 50% recovered and will continue my treatment with Andrew”. Alister Harris developed a growth on the bridge of his nose, he was told an operation was needed. “I went to Andrew, I had about seven visits to him and the growth vanished. The operation was cancelled and Andrew saved me from being disfigured for life”. Beryl Allan suffered from chronic pain in the ribs for 2 years and spent most of her time
in bed. She saw many specialists with no medical answers, she could not be helped. “I had a few healing sessions with Andrew and he cured me. The gratitude I feel is beyond words, I also had a baker’s cyst behind my left knee. Andrew said no problem, I will get rid of that and it vanished”. Sue Keith suffered with Carpal Tunnel – an operation was booked for December, she said “Andrew cured me in six sessions”. Fa‐ mous folk singer Noel Murphy suffered with M.E. “Andrew cured me in eight healing sessions”. Sue Murphy suffered with degeneration of the upper spine and neck, she was in a collar for eight months. “Andrew freed my neck on the very first visit all pain disappeared. I’ve thrown the collar away, Andrew’s gift is Extraordinary”. Gail Jones suffered with chronic arthritis. “I was a cripple in agonising pain all over, An‐ drew cured me in a few visits to him”. Jo Morane was crippled with arthritis of the spine, it took her half an hour to get out of bed in the mornings, she said “no one could help me, until I met Andrew. He cured, yes cured me in seven visits to him.” The testimonials go on and on in their thou‐ sands, miracle healer Andrew McKellar says thousands more will take their place in the future…
(Well worth checking out… PM)
Andrew can be contacted on 01489 589260 www.andrewmckellar.com
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Living Forever By Dean Crawford
It is often said that the only sure things in life are death and taxes, and sometimes that one is the cause of the other. But what if that were no longer true? That death was no longer an absolute certainty? Page 5 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
Living Forever By Dean Crawford
In 1999, scientists working inside a cave complex in New Mexico extracted samples of bacteria in suspended‐ animation from sodium chloride crys‐ tals formed in prehistoric sea salt. Not only were the micro‐organisms re‐ vived, but they were identified as being approximately two hundred and fifty million years old. Bacillus permians remains to this day the oldest living organism known to man, but it is not alone. Bacillus sphaericus were found in the stomach of a prehistoric bee encased in amber and successfully revived. The bee had been entombed in the amber for forty million years. But lon‐ gevity is not only the preserve of bac‐ teria: in 2007, a fifty‐ton Bowhead whale was caught off the coast of Alaska and was found to have a har‐ poon embedded within its blubber. The projectile had been manufactured in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1890. The oldest trees live for many thousands of years. Many species of jellyfish are able to return to a polyp stage of their development before re‐ maturing again at will and coral colo‐ nies are effectively immortal, the ge‐ netic material of the source coral re‐ generated continuously for thousands, even millions of years.
But these extremes could not apply to humans, could they? For millennia men have sought immor‐ tality and their quarry has gone by many names: The Philosopher’s Stone, The Fountain of Youth, The Elixir… Yet the solution to one of the greatest and most powerful medical advances we could ever have imagined has lain within us for our entire history at the heart of every cell in our bodies. Age is not defined by a maximum number of years: it is a process, and one that is being slowly reversed in humans as science explores our mortality. The truth is that nothing actually ever dies of “old age”. Like most biological species, humans die of proximal causes: infections, injuries and illnesses caused by the increasing failure of our cells to accurately reproduce over time. Our cells contain something called telomeres, which have a “length”. Each time a cell replicates,
the telomeres shorten slightly. Shorter telomeres mean less accurate replica‐ tion, and so errors begin to occur. These gradually building inaccuracies cause the onset of disease: weakening bones and skin, failing eyesight, grey‐ ing hair etc, which we eventually suc‐ cumb to as our internal organs likewise fall into disrepair. Yet now, slowly but surely, science is examining these tiny powerhouses of our cells and creating new ways to extend their length and thus the life‐ spans which depend upon them. The purpose of this research is not just to control but to cure: conditions such as Werner Syndrome cause extensive premature ageing in children due to a faulty gene which produces excessive telomere attrition.
The victim’s hair turns gray and falls out, skin thickens, cataracts form and bone density is lost. They can die of old age before they reach their teenage years. Pursuing these potential avenues, sci‐ entists at the Dana‐Faba Cancer Insti‐ tute targeted the chromosomes in cellular nuclei and learned how to con‐ trol the enzyme telomerase, which regulates the length of the telomeres. The affected mice became rejuve‐ nated: their brains increased in size, cognition improved, hair regained a healthy sheen and fertility was re‐ stored. It was the equivalent of taking an elderly human and returning them to middle‐age. Even without the help of scientists, humans are able to control to a limited extent their own ageing. Low protein diets are known to prolong lifespans. Not smoking, taking little alcohol, avoiding excessive sunlight and con‐ suming diets based on those eaten by Mediterranean and Japanese cultures can dramatically affect how we age. Despite the extraordinary advances of science and increasing public aware‐ ness of the importance of protecting our health, there are many who be‐ lieve that such experimentation into the fringes of immortality could spell the death knell for our species.
The population explosion of the past two centuries is now exceeding our planet’s “carrying capacity”: its ability to produce enough food and fuel to sustain us. The prospect of perhaps doubling life‐expectancy in the west, in the countries that consume the great‐ est proportion of resources, does not bode well for our planet’s future. Death is not just an unfortunate conse‐ quence of life: it is something that has evolved along with us. There would be no room for new gen‐ erations were older ones not to die off. Our tendency to mate young is a direct result of life itself: the longer we live, the more likely we are to injure our‐ selves or become victims of predation and compromise our ability to pass on our genes to our offspring. And if we truly were able to live forever, would our desire and perhaps even our ability to reproduce be curtailed? Ironically, any ability to overcome senescence may bring down our entire species as all that might remain are the people fortunate enough to have been born into the age of immortality, doomed to share it with a “lucky” few for all eter‐ nity.
Human Overpopulation Human overpopulation occurs if the number of people in a group exceeds the carrying capacity of the region occupied by the group. The term often refers to the relationship between the entire human population and its environ‐ ment, the Earth, or to smaller geographical areas such as countries. Overpopulation can result from an increase in births, a decline in mortality rates, an increase in immigra‐ tion, or an unsustainable biome and depletion of re‐ sources. It is possible for very sparsely populated areas to be overpopulated if the area has a meager or non‐existent capa‐ bility to sustain life (e.g. a desert).
The possibilities are endless, and most likely will be governed not by our tech‐ nical abilities but by our own moral compass. Immortality is not impossible… Whether we really want it or not is another question entirely…
Wikipedia
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Information on UFO Activity around the World Interviews with leading UFO investigators and Researchers Strange and Ancient Mysteries & much more
Dario A. Fernández I'm not a researcher, just a "collector", tireless. Our website E‐nigmas has existed since 2003. A great looking Spanish website where you can find all things strange and profound. Well worth a visit for all our avid researchers, investigators and subscribers throughout Spain. Also, I’m please to state Dario has joined our team of distributors here at Phenomena Magazine. We look forward to working alongside Dario in bringing Phenomena Magazine to your neck of the woods. (Steve Mera: Editor).
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
Now working on our new issue, Phenomena Magazine has gone from strength to strength. We can now comfortably say that PM is now the leading Ezine of its type in the UK and is quickly becoming recognised Internationally thanks to UFOSTORE and UFOTV freely advertising and distributing the magazine throughout the U.S. Now with further distributors in Russia, Canada, Australia and Greece, we are often asked how many people are actually reading our monthly issues. We can say with some accuracy that thousands are reading it throughout the UK but on a global scale... well... who knows? It’s next to impossible to say for sure. Phenomena Magazine requires feedback from our readers so we can assess our efforts in providing this free monthly magazine. What readers would like to see more of or maybe less of. We are always open to new ideas and encourage article submissions not only by recognised writers, investigators and researchers of these subjects, but also newcomers. The Phenomena Magazine website features numerous pages that include DVD, book and equipment reviews, information about those responsible for bringing you Phenomena Magazine, Interesting links, and our back issues page where you can download every issue of Phenomena Magazine. Check it out Phenomena Magazine at:
www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk Page 5 Don’t
forget to drop us a line in regards your thoughts, feedback, article submissions etc. We would love to here from you.
Phenomena Magazine: May 2013 - Issue 49: www.mapit.kk5.org
Luton Paranormal Society www.lutonparanormal.com
Formed originally from an amalgamation of regional UFO societies and individuals, our subject encompasses history, archives, investigations and research and is well known across the U.K. and also internationally. BUFORA works with other organisations which share a similar ethos and approach to investigations and research. We seek the facts through a scientific and factually evaluative approach and our fully trained team of investigators are required to pass a thorough course in all types of sightings, whether it is lights in the sky, vehicle effects or high strangeness cases. IF YOUR INTERESTED IN UFOs THEN THIS IS THE PLACE TO VISIT:
http://www.bufora.org.uk/content/
Steve Mera takes you on another journey into the world of the Strange and Profound. This book contains a number of investigations Stephen has carried out as well as concise information pertaining to investigation techniques and details of some of the many things that have been reported to him throughout 25 years of investigating... Available at Blurb.com for just £6.95
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The Other Sides of Paul Kimball is one of Canada’s leading UFO and paranormal researchers, both through his work as an award-winning documentary filmmaker (2005 EBE Awards for Best UFO Film and Best Historical Documentary for Aztec: 1948, 2007 EBE award for Best Historical Documentary for Best Evidence; nominated for a total of seven other EBEs from 2005 to 2007), and as a researcher, writer, and speaker. He has appeared on television, radio (Coast to Coast, CBC Morningside, Binnall of America, Strange Days Indeed, The Paracast) and in person at conferences and symposiums in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, to discuss the UFO phenomenon and the paranormal. Paul also stars with Holly Steven's in the TV series 'Ghost Cases', assisted by UPIA.
Visits Paul’s Amazing Blog Spot at: http://redstarfilms.blogspot.com
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The Trouble with the Standard Model of Human Evolution By John Pryzt
When it comes to the standard model of how modern humans evolved from our primate ancestors, especially apparently the chimpanzee, you should be prepared to ask the tough questions and see if they get answered to your satisfaction. Questions like can you really go from chimpanzee stock to what makes you, the reader, you, via natural selection in 6 to 7 million years?
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The Trouble with the Standard Model of Human Evolution By John Pryzt
That's not just a little change, but a massive change and on several broad physiological, anatomical and behavioural fronts. Contrast your society, lifestyle and body‐plan with that of the chimpanzee. So, if you think the standard model is unlikely, and you reject any supernatural explanation, that leaves but two alternatives, an artificial selection by ancient aliens, or we're akin to characters in a video game ‐ we are simulated beings. Modern humans have evolved over the past six to seven million years a number of traits that make us, Homo sapiens, a very unique species indeed. We alone of all the mammals (as well as all invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles) have a bipedal gait. We alone of all of our primate cousins are for all practical purposes hairless. Of all the animals that are, or have ever been, we're top of the pops with respect to brain size as a function of body size, and in terms of intelligence, king of the hill full stop. And while animals can communicate via vocalizations and body language, none can communi‐ cate the extremely wide range of practical and especially abstract concepts that we can. Last, but not least, humans are nearly unique in making and using external tools, tools unique in terms of their sophistication. All five major traits noted above, and a lot more that's related besides, don't seem to be a requirement for basic survival, since other species sur‐ vive and thrive without them, and in fact all these major five defining traits (and more) seem to have some actual evolutionary drawbacks, not the least of which require very serious modifications to basic primate anatomy for apparently no increase in that Darwinian phrase "survival of the fittest". The proof of that pudding is that our ultimate primate ancestor still sur‐ vives ‐ the chimpanzee; their ultimate descendent survives ‐ the modern human; yet all those in‐betweens hominids who were presumably adapting via natural selection resulting in all those evolutionary changing improve‐ ments, went kaput ‐ over twenty species of them. If these "survival of the fittest" evolutionary adaptations were all that crash hot and necessary, then why was their demise? Any ancestral hominoids that went extinct prior to 200,000 years ago can't have Homo sapiens as the villain. Those 20 plus extinct hominid species aside, why aren't many of those natural selec‐ tion improvements really so crash hot for us modern humans either? Here's the trouble with human evolution. But first consider this. THE ROOT CAUSE & DRIVING FORCE The current standard model of human evolution explains the 'why' ques‐ tion due to rapid and extreme shifts in climate in continental Africa over that six to seven million year period. The central problem there IMHO is why these shifts failed to drastically produce evolutionary changes in the rest of the animal populations like elephants, lions, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests and other African landlubbers as the Dark Continent went from jungle to forest to savannah to arid deserts and back again. Now of course environmental change is a major driving force behind bio‐ logical evolution, at least when it comes to natural selection. But one has to look at the Big Picture, the entirety of the bio‐realm and not just isolate one changing species and link the two and ignore all else. The environment changes and hominoids change but all the other species seemingly don't change. That makes for an anomaly. One of the key phrases in evolution is that "there is a price to pay" for change ‐ no free lunch or get out of jail card is authorized. That "no pain, no gain" price applies whether you're dealing with natural or artificial selec‐ tion. But I sometimes wonder whether one is getting a fifty‐cent gain return on a dollar investment worth of pain. Consider the following. OUR BIPEDAL GAIT Is an anomaly in that human beings, alone of all the mammals, walk rou‐ tinely on just two legs. It called for a complete redesign of our musculoskeletal system in regards to our chimpanzee ancestors.
That results in an increase in all our various painful bad back trials and tribulations. And it also requires a rearrangement of our internal organ attachments. A bipedal gait needs a harder working heart to pump blood up to our now higher upper reaches, like the head and neck, instead of mainly sideways. A bipedal gait means having to fight the better fight against gravity. A bipedal gait results in an increase in difficulties in maintaining an upright balance (especially as one grows older) because the centre of gravity has shifted dramatically. It's much easier to push over a standing human than say a standing dog. A bipedal gait further results in a decrease in survival value due to the ever possible loss of or injury to a leg, foot, ankle, etc. Lose the use of a leg and in the wilderness, you're nearly helpless. A bipedal gait has to the best of my knowledge only arisen once before, and that was in the theropod dinosaur branch, like T‐Rex, etc. That was the branch that gave rise to the birds, therefore they are also bipedal, but it originated with an early, early ancestor of T‐Rex. Some may argue that kan‐ garoos and their relatives like the wallabies are bipedal, but they don't put one leg in front of the other in a left‐right‐left‐right‐left‐right fashion. They hop, which doesn't quite put them in the same category as humans or even birds. Further, the theropod dinosaurs, the birds, and even the kangaroos all have tails to help keep their centre of balance, well, balanced. That's cheating!!! Humans lack that support structure (a rather sad tale I'm sure), so I'll argue that the human bipedal gait is still unique among all animals, past and present. Humans remain the one and only really bona‐fide bipedal entity. Okay, a few tailless primates can 'walk' for brief intervals, but their normal locomotion is via their four limbs on the ground when not swinging in the trees. A bipedal gait isn't a lifestyle walk‐the‐walk gait that is commonly noted in cats ‐ in fact it isn't noted at all. Why cats? Why not cats? C is for Cat; C is for Comparison. So as a comparison, let's take cats, who have a multitude of feline relatives (tigers, lions, etc.) and who have survived and thrived for quite some considerable time. Why cats? Firstly because I'm familiar with cats and secondly because they are an advanced multi‐cellular relatively sophisticated mammalian species, much liken to us. Cats share a great deal with us humans apart from being warm‐blooded mammals. Cats, like hu‐ mans are curious, playful, tend to look after number one, are territorial, like to sleep, dream, have a good memory, show emotions, and like humans have colonized the globe ‐ except Antarctica ‐ either as domestics or as ferals or as wild animals, etc. But, they don't walk‐the‐walk on just their two hind legs! A LARGE HUMAN BRAIN Is an anomaly, along with that associated brain thingy high IQ or intelli‐ gence we have, relative to the rest of the animal kingdom, which collec‐ tively aren't quite, by any stretch of the imagination, in Einstein's league. Humans have the largest brain size as a function of body size in the entire animal kingdom, again, apparently both past and present.. A large human brain makes for an increasingly hazardous childbirth. The relatively large head of the foetus at childbirth, having to pass through the space available via the hip opening, has resulted in not just a rather painful experience for the mother (and presumably the infant too) but has often led to the premature death of a lot of said newborns and/or their mothers. Now another anomaly here is that if the human body has accommodated all the massive anatomical changes required for a bipedal lifestyle, you'd think an increase in the birth canal hip opening size would have been rela‐ tively evolutionary child's play. The human brain takes years to develop fully, nearly two decades worth in Page 12 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
The Trouble with the Standard Model of Human Evolution By John Pryzt
fact, leaving infants totally dependent on others for survival. Infants need care not just for a few weeks or months or seasons, but for many, many years, extending right through their teens, thus cramping the lifestyle of the parents. This length of time for brain development and associated acquiring of survival skills to fully develop is unprecedented in all other primates. A large human brain is a very energy‐intensive organ. In fact 25% of our energy requirements are required to fuel our upstairs grey‐matter wet‐ ware. That in turn puts additional pressures on hunting and/or gathering for that extra in food resources required to supply that energy need. Appar‐ ently the increase in those energy demands is what drove us to begin to hunt down and eat meat and invent cooking (to make the meat easier to digest). Well, maybe.
Cats meow, lions roar, but their meow (or the lion's roar) has nothing to do with communicating abstract concepts like basic mathematics. If you think the standard model of human evolution is unlikely, and you reject any supernatural explanation, that leaves but two alternatives, an artificial selection by ancient aliens, or we're akin to characters in a video game ‐ we are simulated beings. Let's continue exploring that scenario…
Cats, however endearing, are not a little feline version of Einstein. A LACK OF FUR Is an anomaly since humans alone of nearly 200 species of our primate cousins are considered a "naked ape". Our relative lack of fur makes us dependent on sweating for temperature regulation, also making us highly dependent on sources of freshwater and salt. Our relative lack of fur has the apparent advantage of enabling humans to become long distance endurance runners since we can continually keep cool, even while running, by sweating, yet what we are running after (prey), or from (predators), don't sweat and therefore are quickly overcome by heat exhaustion. We get a meal, or escape from being one. Well that's the standard scenario. I think it would have made more sense to have used our social group numbers, increasing IQ and tool making abilities to hunt and ambush game rather than running them down. As for escaping predators, perhaps we should have retained our tree climb‐ ing abilities, and if no trees were available, there are always rocks to throw and sticks to club predators with. I'm not convinced loss of fur in order to sweat in order to run marathons in order to eat or avoid being eaten are related in a cause‐and‐effect way. In any event running is also very energy consuming and it isn't normally sound practice to expend more energy than you have to, especially when you don't know where and when your next meal is coming from. And if it is advantageous for evolving hominoids to lose fur, take up sweating, take up jogging, and run to exhaustion large prey animals, then it should also be advantageous for other predators, like the lion, to do the same. But that hasn't happened. Why not? Our relative lack of fur requires the need, as a substitution, for clothing in cooler environments. Why a human, originating in and adapted to a tropi‐ cal climate without need of fur, therefore without need of clothing, would migrate into cooler, even cold habitats where fur, or now a clothing substi‐ tute instead, is a near requirement, is itself an anomaly. You swap fur for clothing, but clothing in itself requires a whole lot of special skills to pro‐ duce ‐ fur doesn't. Cats, as well as their wildlife big cat cousins, do not lack a natural covering of fur. A VOCAL LANGUAGE Is an anomaly in that only humans vocalise not only everyday, routine, sur‐ vival 'language' (all manner of animals do that) but abstract concepts (which no other animals do). A vocal or spoken language required to communicate abstract ideas, as apart from just making sounds, requires an evolutionary rearrangement of the relevant internal organs required; lips, teeth, tongue, hard and soft palate, larynx, etc. Page 13 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
TOOL USE Is an anomaly in that while a few other animals can make and use tools, that relative degree of sophistication relative to what humans have achieved is akin to comparing the survival skills of a day‐old infant with that of an adult. Tool use requires an evolutionary rearrangement of the finger‐hand‐wrist‐ arm‐shoulder configuration, as well as that extra‐large brain thingy to fig‐ ure out that a tool is required, what resources are required to make that tool, and how to manufacture the necessary implement from those re‐ sources. A lot of just‐so conditions have to be met to accommodate even the most basic of tool technologies. Tool use could ultimately prove our undoing as tool use, or technology, is a double‐edged sword. A gun can put food on your table; it can also extermi‐ nate humans. Cats are not adapted at using tools. If they could use a can opener and a spoon they could get their own meals! That would suit me just fine, but alas. BREEDS or ETHNIC/RACIAL DISTINCTIONS Are anomalous in that when taking into consideration the rest of the animal and plant kingdom, breeds (groupings that look different but can still breed and produce non‐sterile offspring) tend to be associated with artificial, not natural selection. Are human breeds therefore a product of artificial selec‐ tion, and if so, by whom? Human breeds cannot be adequately explained in the just 70,000 or some odd years since that one unique racial type of Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa and spread throughout the globe diverging into numerous racial types. Even if there were several migrations out of Africa, a wave of migra‐ tions, all those migrant waves were of one race or breed. The 70,000 year time period is very short, the blink of an eye in evolutionary terms, to achieve this uniqueness of going from a local African uni‐race to a multira‐ cial global society. Further, the evolutionary (survival of the fittest) advan‐ tage or reason(s) for ethnic distinctions are lacking any rational natural explanation, apart from in some selected races, skin colour.
The Trouble with the Standard Model of Human Evolution By John Pryzt
Your standard pussycat comes in various breeds. That's artificial selection at work, albeit the whodunit in this case is well known.
Cats have ears; cats do not have earlobes. RISK TAKING
UNIQUE FACIAL FEATURES Are a relatively human anomaly. Apart from identical twins, no two humans from the neck up look the same, and thus this is how we tell human identi‐ ties, once seen, apart. We tend to tell animals of the same species or breed (if applicable) apart by size, colour, skin/fur patterns, abnormalities, or else we don't distinguish who's who at all. To me, all magpie faces look the same. The question is, why humans have unique facial features and not the rest of the animal kingdom? If you took 100 pure short‐hair black cats, same size, same sex, same eye colour, could you tell them apart by looking at just their face? I doubt if I could. THE WHITES‐OF‐YOUR‐EYES Are anomalous in that apparently no other animal show them, and based on all the animals and birds I see around my local environment, that cer‐ tainly seems to be the case. So why do we show the whites‐of‐our‐eyes? There would appear to be no rhyme or reason for this natural human evolu‐ tionary (if it was a natural selection) trait. The whites‐of‐our‐eyes: how very, very odd. Cats have whites‐of‐their‐eyes, only you have to peel back the skin sur‐ rounding their eyeballs to see the whites‐of‐their‐eyes. Looking at a stan‐ dard cat, you'll fail to see the whites‐of‐their‐eyes. HEREIN LIES THE RUB Speaking of eyes, to the best of my knowledge and from personal observa‐ tions, humans are the only, therefore unique, species in their apparent need to 'rub their eyes'. We probably all do it. Why don't other animals? Cats use their forelegs to wash their face, ears, etc. so they could, if they wished to, rub their eyes with their forelegs, but I've never seen them do so. EARLOBES Are anomalous in that apparently no other mammal (and certainly not any fish, amphibian, reptile or bird) have them. So why do we have them? Earlobes? WTF you ask? Well we all know that our ear‐ lobes serve a cultural pur‐ pose or function as a prime site as an accessory to fash‐ ion ‐ pierced ears and ear‐ rings. However, earlobes serve no actual biological function. You could exist, survive and thrive without them. Because we alone have earlobes, and because they serve no biological pur‐ pose, they are anomalous. On the other hand, earlobes apparently don't do us any harm. But, biological evolution tends to select for the positive benefit, not the neutral. Why would Mother Nature evolve them if they serve no biological purpose? WTF indeed!
Is anomalous in that if done just for the sake of doing it, serves no positive evolutionary purpose or outcome while accenting a negative one, giving oneself a 'Darwin Award' for eliminating yourself from further contributions to the evolution of the human species. No animal will engage in any hazardous activity that doesn't have some connection towards its own, its immediate family brood, its community or its species survival. An animal doesn't take risks just for the sake of taking risks and just for the thrill of it all. Humans however will often engage in extreme risky activities, without any benefit to anyone, including them‐ selves, except to perhaps remove themselves from the gene pool. Risky behaviour might include right up to and including suicide which most decid‐ edly removes you from the gene pool. Suicide is not a trait that tends to be shared by our animal relations, and apparent exceptions, like whales stranding themselves in shallow water, have a physiological explanation. Cats are not known to take risks above and beyond the call of their feline duty, even if they do occasionally get stuck up a tree! PRIVACY AND EMBARRASSMENT Is anomalous in that no animal species, outside of the human species, seems to be the slightest bit concerned with privacy (not to be confused with territoriality or personal space, rather just privacy from being ob‐ served under certain conditions or in certain situations usually of a sexual or bodily function nature). Nor do animals, unlike humans, suffer any form of embarrassment. That suggests that there is no evolutionary or survival aspect to the need for privacy or the suffering of being embarrassed. Some‐ how, in humans alone (but not yet in babies or infants), these concepts have been imprinted onto our collective psyche. Imprinted by whom? What is the ultimate origin and how far back does it go? Why is it so? Who knows! But the upshot is that this has to be a cultural quirk; it's certainly not a biological one. There are apparently two real taboo places in human society where intrud‐ ers are not welcome: the bedroom and the bathroom, or put another way, sex and bodily functions, where privacy is paramount and when violated, embarrassment ensues. The latter especially is puzzling in that bodily func‐ tions are universal. Every human has to go to the bathroom, all women have 'that time of the month', so why these should be embarrassments if witnessed by others is anomalous. That's also highlighted in that sex and bodily functions are not biological events which animals find requires pri‐ vacy or causes embarrassment to them if witnessed by others. Nudity per se doesn't seem to be the root cause, as people seem to be way less shy of appearing nude in fairly standard social situations than when engaged in more personal bedroom/bathroom matters that require expo‐ sure. Embarrassment in humans can be caused by many other oops events, maybe comical, like wearing mismatched socks, maybe somewhat more serious like splitting your pants in public. But if an equivalent event hap‐ pens to an animal, no such reaction comes to the fore. For example, if you stumble and fall down, piss your pants, or vomit in public, you're embar‐ rassed. If an animal does the equivalent, it just picks itself up and acts like nothing unusual transpired. Animals don't blush. Cats don't care if you or another cat sees them mate or go to the litter box. They don't suffer embarrassment and they don't blush. CATS Its only fair to ask in regards to my feline comparison, does a cat have any
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The Trouble with the Standard Model of Human Evolution By John Pryzt
anatomical or physiological or behavioural feature unique to them and only them? The surprising answer is yes. Cats purr, and the reasons why and how are still not well understood. Humans don't purr. No other animal purrs. Their big cat relatives don't purr, but then again lions and tigers, etc. roar, and your pet pussy cat doesn't. So perhaps the two vocalizations are related from way back when they all had a common ancestor! But purr or roar, there appears to be no evolutionary drawbacks, just positive survival benefits like warning off rival lions (my roar is louder than your roar) or mother/kitten bonding in cats. CONCLUSIONS There are four possible explanations for the various anomalies associated with the existence of the modern human species relative to our alleged ancestral stock which goes right back to the chimpanzees. In descending order of probability, IMHO, there's the simulated universe scenario inhab‐ ited by us as virtual entities (created by 'persons' or things unknown and probably forever unknowable); there's artificial selection (the ancient
astronaut theory); there's natural selection (the Darwinian biological evolu‐ tion concept); and way, way last, by a wide, wide margin, there's super‐ natural creation (the dust‐and‐rib theory and variations thereof). Why this ordering of probabilities? There are many paths to a simulated universe, from wetware to software, via extraterrestrials or maybe a future 'human' society, that it borders on the near inevitable. There's but one pathway to the artificial selection scenario, though that too is just about inevitable. There are many issues to be had with natural selection as this essay demonstrates, though that's the standard model. Lastly, the concept of an all‐perfect supernatural deity who would screw up things so royally is laughable ‐ as is the concept of a supernatural deity in the first place. The interesting bit is that a virtual reality simulation could easily be a simulation of an 'ancient astronaut' generated artificial selection, or Darwinian natural selection, or even a supernatural creator deity! Truth be known, only the simulated universe scenario makes any real sense, IMHO, because therein, "anything goes", and when it comes to the problems with human evolution, one needs an "anything goes" explanation...
ISSUE 2 NOW AVAILABLE
July 8 ‐ New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 07:14 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere. July 22 ‐ Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 18:15 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Buck Moon because the male buck deer would begin to grow their new antlers at this time of year. This moon has also been known as the Full Thunder Moon and the Full Hay Moon. July 27, 28 ‐ Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower runs annually from July 12 to August 23. It peaks this year on the night of July 27 and morning of July 28. The second quarter moon will block out most of the faint meteors, but you should still be able to catch quite a few good ones if you are patient. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
The Spectral Steamship By Andrew Hind
Muskoka is Canada’s cottage country, a region beloved for its natural splendor, countless shimmering lakes, quaint communities, and endless expanse of tranquil forest. That’s the lure that attracts tourists, but there’s another, more sinister Muskoka, one which isn’t hauntingly beautiful… merely haunted.
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The Spectral Steamship By Andrew Hind
When the topic of Muskoka’s ghosts and ghouls comes up, the same locations invariably form the focus of the conversation: the Bala Bay Inn, Gravenhurst Opera House, Inn at the Falls, and the Severn River Inn. However, while these places are justifiably famous for their active oth‐ erworldly inhabitants, there are many lesser known but no less intriguing haunts that exist within the shadowy nether regions of Muskoka. In fact, it seems as if each town or village has a ghost story, and that every person you speak with will recall something that is just plain spooky. Sometimes these ghosts can be found in the most unlikely of places, such as aboard a graceful Victorian‐era steamship that offers pleasant excursions out onto the crystalline wa‐ ters of Lake Rosseau.
unforgettable. Though the ship is more than 120‐ years old, it looks as though it hasn’t aged at all, such is the care of its restoration. Greeted by a uniformed porter, we ventured across a gang‐ plank and entered the ship through a portal in the hull.
The RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Segwun is one of the most iconic images of Muskoka, a graceful throw‐ back to another era. Built in 1887, she’s famed for being the last steamship in North America still fuelled by hand‐shoveled coal and today offers peaceful voyages out onto the tranquil waters of Lake Rosseau. The steamship has seen many passengers and crewmen come and go during the 125‐years since its launch. The experience of sailing aboard her has changed little over the years, and it’s a cruise you instantly fall in love with. Perhaps that’s why at least one spirit has never bothered to disembark, sailed eternally aboard the Segwun as she glides peacefully through the tranquil Muskoka lakes. The story goes that the Segwun’s century old hull is home to a ghost of similar vintage, said to be that of a devoted former crewman whose wavering form has been seen throughout the ship, from the dark shadows of the cargo hold to the command‐ ing height of the wheelhouse. We decided to go aboard the venerable vessel and explore Muskoka’s own ghost ship, to un‐ earth its stories and unravel its mysteries. The first sight of the Segwun, tied alongside the wharf in Gravenhurst, smoke spewing from the stack as the coal‐fired steam engine warms up is
The horn sounded the departure, and we made our way to the top deck to lean against the rail‐ ing and watch as the ship pulled away from the shore. The rhythmic thrumming of the engines heard and felt even several decks above, only added to the feeling of nostalgia. Soon, the pic‐ turesque shores of Lake Rosseau, so typical of Muskoka‐‐‐rugged rock, draped by a dense green forest and lined with elegant cottages‐‐‐began to pan by at a leisurely three knots. We decided to climb up to the wheelhouse and enjoy a chat with the ships skipper.
Captain Jim Caldwell is a veteran sailor, a man perhaps more comfortable with the subtle roll of waves underfoot than on dry land. After 29 years of experience aboard ships plying the Great Lakes, he has served on the Segwun for a further 25 years. While spinning the ship’s wheel, Cap‐ tain Caldwell spun tales of the Segwun’s past. With the sun setting at our backs, we eagerly soaked up the history lesson. The Segwun was built in 1887 as the Nipissing II, we were told, after the original Nipissing burned to the water‐ line and sank. The Segwun was unique in that her hull was built of Welsh iron and was fabricated in Scotland, being shipped across to Canada in sec‐ tions where they were assembled and riveted together in Gravenhurst. The quality of iron and construction assured the vessel a long‐life. As part of A.P. Cockburn’s Muskoka Navigation Company, she ferried passengers and mail to points all across the Muskoka lakes for three decades. In 1914 the ship was laid up due to an engine breakdown and subsequently spent more than a decade out of service. It wasn’t until 1925 that the ship was extensively refitted and pressed back into service. With a new look came a new name: Segwun, which means “springtime” in Ojibway. The vessel operated until 1958, by which point she was the last of the steamships operating on the Muskoka lakes. After being laid‐up, the Seg‐ wun served as a floating museum, displaying memorabilia pertaining to the area in general and steamship history in particular. During this idle period the ship deteriorated so that by 1973 she was in danger of sinking. Recognizing that she was irreplaceable, the community sprang into action to save the Segwun. Over a period of seven years and at a cost of $1.2 million the heri‐ tage ship was restored by the Muskoka Steam‐ ship and Heritage Society. It was re‐launched in 1981 and has been offering sightseeing cruises ever since. “This ship, with its history, is hard to leave,” Cap‐ tain Caldwell says with a far away look in his eye. Could this literally be the case? When pressed whether he thought that a former crewman might indeed continue to serve aboard her, un‐ able or unwilling to leave, the salty old sailor remains silent but there is something in his look that tells us he believes it’s possible, if not likely. Kate Cox is far more vocal in her belief that there is a spirit wandering the ship’s decks. Since com‐ ing aboard as a crewmember almost twenty years ago she has had several head‐scratching experiences that she chalks up to the ghost. “Things are constantly and mysteriously being misplaced, especially my pen,” Kate says seri‐ ously. “I was doing a crossword once when cus‐ tomers came over and distracted me from my puzzle. I needed my pen, but when I turned around it was gone. I turned the puzzle upside down, I searched the counter top, I searched the floor‐‐‐nothing, it was gone. A few moments later I turned around and there it was, just sitting atop the crossword puzzle. I had customers witness it; Page 18 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
The Spectral Steamship By Andrew Hind
they saw me searching for the pen and they saw it reappear.” Only once, in all her years aboard has the cheer‐ ful bartender ever actually seen the spirit. “It was in the morning one day and I was alone in the bar area, getting ready for the first cruise of the day. The engineer had come aboard and was sitting at one of the tables in the bar. I saw him out of the corner of my eyes, and I distinctly remember he was wearing a green shirt. I started talking to him, saying ‘good morning’ and chatting away. He didn’t reply, which I thought was weird, and when I looked up to say something else he was gone. I was completely alone. When I went to find the engineer and ask why he left so suddenly, I found he was wearing a white shirt and he had not been up in the bar. I later learned no one had come up to the bar, and there was no one on board wearing a green shirt either, so I believe I saw a ghost…I know I saw a ghost.”
One passenger claims to have seen several balls of light, of different sizes, hovering near the ceil‐ ing, and according to Kate, engineers over the years have felt an invisible presence while over‐ seeing the steam‐powered machinery that runs the ship. Even the heights of the wheelhouse are not out of reach for the spirit. One passenger, an Australian woman, enjoying an excursion aboard the historic vessel suddenly approached a crew‐ member and matter‐of‐factly informed him that the Segwun had a ghostly passenger. She claimed to have seen his misty form, distinct in detail and yet transparent, standing behind the vessel’s wheelhouse. The solemn and slightly bewildered look on the passenger’s face left the crewmem‐ ber to conclude she truly believed she had laid eyes upon the shadow of someone long de‐ ceased. Kate isn’t the only crewmember to step forward to share her experiences. Another bartender,
Kate isn’t the only person to see the spectral engineer, and he must wander a lot since he has on occasion made his presence known on every deck. People will occasionally feel something unusual in dark of the hold, a distinct but intangi‐ ble sense of someone unseen watching them. The person might see a movement in the dark‐ ness, perhaps even catch a momentary glimpse of a face peering out from the shadows, and yet he’s completely alone in the bowels of the ship.
Linda, is similarly convinced the Segwun is haunted. She has had several instances when she has felt an unseen presence nearby, hovering, watching. Linda describes this presence as “definitely male and friendly.” The question remains: who is this ethereal crew‐ man? Does the historical record offer any hints? While certainly there have been several individu‐ als particularly associated with the Segwun, each of whom dearly loved the graceful vessel, one person stands out among the crowd. Captain Jack Ariss was a lifelong mariner who spent more than five decades aboard a number of ships, including twenty as skipper of the Segwun. He loved life as a sailor, and even as old age crept up on him he refused to pass over control of the helm to anyone else. On Labour Day 1956, 69‐ year old Captain Ariss was guiding the Segwun out on an afternoon cruise when he collapsed at the wheel, suffering a massive stroke. While he survived the attack, he never fully recovered, and remained partially paralyzed for the few remain‐ ing years of his life.
It’s also said that the engine room has on occa‐ sion been the scene of unusual phenomenon. Page 19 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
Everyone who knew the old mariner knew that when Captain Ariss left the ship for the final time he left behind a part of his heart and soul. Is it possible then that it is his spirit that lovingly re‐ mains aboard the Segwun? It seems possible, and certainly fits the long‐standing lore and the eyewitness accounts. Thousands of people come aboard the graceful RMS Segwun every year, enjoying the opportunity step back in time and explore the beautiful lakes as our ancestors did a century ago. Most of blissfully oblivious to the fact that within the bowels of the vessel, masked by the ship’s blowing whistle and rhythmic thrumming of coal‐fired engines, are whispers of mystery and misfortune that emanate from the past. Should you be lucky enough to take a se‐ rene cruise aboard the Segwun you might be joined on deck by a spectral crewmember. Spectral Lore of Muskoka’s Lakes The RMS Segwun isn’t the only paranormal story tied to Muskoka’s famed lakes. Here are a few others to sate your thirst for more maritime mys‐ teries. Lake of Bays Lake of Bays retains a sense of peace even a cen‐ tury after cottages first began to appear along its rugged shores. Somewhere within the black depths of the lake where sunlight doesn’t pene‐ trate and the water runs cold wallows a mon‐ strous beast. The creature, said to be a survivor of prehistoric times, occasionally rises to the surface to panic stunned onlookers. Most wit‐ nesses describe a similar beast: reptilian, with a long serpentine neck; charcoal‐black skin; a long, snake‐like tail; and eyes of crimson. Tall tales wove around campfires suggests the monster sinks boats in the dead of night and feasts on the screaming passengers cast into the inky waters. They are just tales, right? For every person who believes in the existence of the Lake of Bay mon‐ ster there are two or three who dismiss it with a chuckle, claiming its nothing more than a hoax. And yet, many reputable people from as far back as a century ago have reported seeing its menac‐ ing form gliding across the lake, some of whom were even willing make our sworn affidavits. If the creature is indeed more than a campfire tale, one hopes that at least the stories of its blood‐ thirsty hunger are fabricated. Bohemia Island Port Carling is one of the most picturesque vil‐ lages in Muskoka. Hardly the type of spot to find restless wraiths, most would agree. But stand by the water and gaze out onto Lake Muskoka. Just north of here lies Bohemia Island, which in 1892 served as the summer residence of the ‘Master of the Macabre’, Algernon Blackwood, and be‐ came the setting of his first horror story, ‘A Haunted Island’. Perhaps he was inspired by the local legend of a long‐dead Indian who wanders the island on fog‐ shrouded nights? Sightings of the ghost are bless‐ edly rare, for they are terrifying in their inten‐ sity…the type that leaves silent screams trapped in ones throat.
The Spectral Steamship By Andrew Hind
Rosseau Falls Rosseau Falls is a rugged chute of water that tumbles into Lake Rosseau. In wet years, there are few places more beautiful in autumn ‐‐‐the foliage afire in brilliant reds, oranges, and yel‐ lows, the water thundering down the river with primal abandon, and the beautiful expanse of Lake Rosseau stretching out below you. It’s a beautiful location, but some say a tragic one as well. It’s said that a beautiful maiden wan‐ ders the shores, awaiting the return of her be‐ loved from the annual spring log drives that a century prior made the Rosseau River a hive of activity. Apparently, the young man died in a mishap—perhaps drowned or crushed by a fal‐ ling tree‐‐‐before the betrothed couple could be reunited. As a result, the ghost’s vigil is doomed to be an eternal one.
Haunted Ships. Throughout the world there are many alleged haunted ships… Not to get confused with ghost ships which are allegedly apparitions of ships. One of the most famous haunted ships is the Queen Mary where there have been hundreds of reported paranor‐ mal incidents.
New Horizons! The friendly meeting‐place for free‐thinking people! Based in St. Anne’s‐on‐the‐Sea, Lancashire. Entrance only £3, which includes refreshments. Open 7.30 PM for 8.00 PM start ‐ [Usually finishing at about 10:30] A new speaker every week on an amazing variety of topics! Conspiracy Theories... true or not? / The Global Economy / Hidden News / The Paranormal / Complementary Health / Alternative History / Self -empowerment / Ancient Mysteries / Alternative Science and Technology / The Legal Rights of the Individual... and much more.
To find out what’s in store for you this July, check out our programme at:
http://www.newhorizonsstannes.com/this_year.htm POP ALONG… YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED Page 20 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
Title: Conspiracies: The Facts, The Theories, The Evidence Author: Andy Thomas Publisher: Watkins Publishing ISBN: 978‐1‐78028‐508‐5 Price: £9.99 A new book from Andy Thomas is always welcome and this, his latest offering, is no exception. In this new work, Andy, a noted commentator on the subject of conspiracies and related enigmas, takes a look at some of the more persistent conspiracy theo‐ ries that have emerged over the years. These include historical conspiracies like the alleged extraterrestrial influence of the Annunaki bloodlines, through conspiracies in ancient Rome to modern variants such as Ufology, the abomination of 9‐11 and Wikileaks. The author also revisits the still troubling demise of Princess Diana and there and is also the granddaddy of all conspiracies; the killing of JFK and yes, the New World Order is there too. What the author has done though is present the evidence for these many occurrences in a remarkably even handed manner and still succeeds in gleaning other details that may have slipped below the radar. Another useful inclusion is a run down of the pros and cons of conspiracy theory (in fact the books opens with this) and a very clear explanation of the standard ploys used by both sides of the conspiracy divide, something your reviewer has encountered at first hand. Although covering familiar territory, this book is not just another reappraisal and reboot of the conspiracy theory phenomenon, because it is reasoned, objective and most importantly fair. It is a valuable addition to the existing canon of literature on this most fractious of subjects: fascinating, sometimes worrying and highly recommended. Title: Haunted Objects: Stories of Ghosts on Your Shelf Author: Christopher Balzano and Tim Weisberg Publisher: Krause Publications ISBN: 978‐1‐4402‐2991‐6 Price: $15.99 This is one of the very few books dealing with the paranormal that actually succeeded in creating a frisson of genuine unease in the mind of this reviewer; it might even put off anyone who reads it from buying second hand articles at car boot sales or indeed anything that has a ‘history’, including expensive antiques. The authors, who are admirably qualified to write about this always fascinating subject, also give one particularly sage and worrying piece of advice: never, ever, for any reason, buy dolls that have belonged to someone else: you’ll see why. The book, which is also well illustrated, is set out in seven sections covering everything from clothing, jewellery, books, house‐ hold goods (it’s apparently not a good idea to buy second hand beds either), musical instruments and hand tools as well. There is so much good and well researched material in the book that it is difficult to select any of the uncanny tales that stand out from the rest, but a short selection might include ‘Mirror on the Wall’, ‘Altered Belief’ (a chilling account of a Voodoo doll), ‘Sacrifice’, ‘Masking Evil’ The Ghosts of Two Christmases Past’ and (especially) ‘The Psychic, the Little Girl and Three Killers’. This last chapter deals with both the notorious Amityville hauntings and also the iconic Lizzie Borden House and was, for me, the real stand out. In short this is a book that deserved to be written and also deserves to be read and I have no hesitation about unreservedly recommending it…although you might think twice about using ‘E Bay’ again…and coming into contact with old dolls!! Title: Black Holes in The Dead Sea Scrolls Author: Robert Feather Publisher: Watkins Publishing ISBN: 978‐1‐78028‐377‐7 Price: £18.99 Next to the Turin Shroud, one of the most enduring enigmas relating the Christian Church are the Dead Sea Scrolls and the near obsessive displays of secrecy and obfuscation that often surround them and what they say. This is hardly surprising, since they could easily undermine more that two millennia of tradition and deeply held belief. However, in this meticulous examination of the story surrounding these fragments of parchment, metallurgist and noted re‐ searcher Robert Feather comes up with some truly remarkable observations and asks some genuinely difficult questions regard‐ ing the titular ‘Black Holes’. These ‘Black Holes’ refer to the many gaps (both literal and figurative) in the scroll fragments and also to several people who are mentioned, but not identified. In fact the area of Qumran where the scrolls were found is pivotal to their understanding and even here there is no consensus on what the function of the community actually was. The author also demonstrates that there has been an ongoing conspiracy to conceal what the documents actually say and re‐ counts some of the bitter infighting and recriminations. Whether or not this was in order to protect and preserve various ideolo‐ gies and agendas is open to question, but the evidence is quite damning and not surprisingly those involved are loathe to admit any policy of concealment. This book is a valuable and timely addition to the existing works looking at the Scrolls, and perhaps the most searching and honest so far written: well worth a look.
Title: What the Buddha Never Taught Author: Tim Ward Publisher: Changemakers Books ISBN: 978‐1‐78279‐203‐1 Price: £11.99 This is the 20th anniversary edition of a classic piece of writing, part travelogue and part journey of self discovery told with a self‐ deprecating and humorous twist. The writer, Tim Ward, tells of his experiences in the Pah Nauchet Buddhist monastery in Thai‐ land when he decided to see what it would be like if he became a monk, his quest did not last all that long, but the results are told in a captivating, honest, thought provoking and light hearted manner. The book tells of his initial arrival, in the bucketing rain at night, at the jungle based monastery and continues as he struggles to engage with the very different thought process so vital to understanding the Buddhist mindset and its 227 steps of teaching from Buddha. In fact the book shows the very wide gulf between the materialism of the west and the transcendental nature and self denial of spirituality. It also hints at a very real and unexpected danger to anyone who gets too deeply involved with meditation. The writer manages the difficult feat of bringing the people he meets to life on the page and making the reader actually connect with them. He also gives snapshots of his extensive travels elsewhere and his description of Mother Theresa’s sanctuary in Cal‐ cutta is short but very moving and powerful. The book is now required reading in a number of schools and universities, and rightly so, because it does more that just entertain, it can actually change the way you think, a small masterpiece and worth every penny of the asking price. Title: Numerology Made Easy Author: Hilary H. Carter Publisher: Dodona Books ISBN 13: 978– 1846947179 Price: £6.99 Numbers are everywhere in your everyday life yet most people don’t pay too much attention to them. But is there more to num‐ ber than meets the eye? Author Hilary Carter thinks so. Do interesting dates such as 11/11/11, 11/1/11, 12/12/12 or 21/12/12 mean anything? Is 666 really an evil number? What is the secret behind the mysterious number 23? What is the meaning of the 11:11 phenomenon? Why do you keep looking at the clock at exactly 22:22 or 3.33? Do you keep seeing number patterns such as 1221 or 123321? Or repeated digits like 555 or 444? What numbers are hidden within your name? Can you change your name to change your life? What number are you? Are you a number 5 person, flitting from one thing to another? Maybe you are an inven‐ tive and energetic number 1. You could even be a very rare number 22. You can find the answers to all these questions in this practical and easy to use guide to numerology. You can also learn how to interpret number sequences and how to decode the fascinating and enlightening language of number. I had a good read through this book as I don’t often read that much material on the subject of Numerology. It was rather interest‐ ing and was made reasonably simple to digest. As for its accuracy and correct interpretation is another thing. For me even though interesting, it did not grab my attention and as I got through the pages I found it a little dull. Never the less, for those interested in the subject of numerology and thought it was simply too hard to get your head around… then maybe this book is for you. A rather small book with only 84 pages of material, which sheds some light on this perplexing subject. Not a bad book, but probably would‐ n’t make a special trip out to buy it. (Steve Mera: PM). Title: The Two Faced Moon Author: Simon Lewis Publisher: Trafford ISBN 142512076‐8 Price: £8.99 I can only describe my book as a search for the truth. The Moon is one of the most beautiful sights in the night sky and is always there. Back in time the first astronomers pointed there simple telescopes at the Moon and started to document information of a world with many mysteries. It became apparent that our neighbour was alive and showed signs of volcanic activity and even clouds. When we finally reached the age of rockets we were able to get a closure look, first with probes and then with human beings. The Apollo missions brought to us the reality of a very dead world and one that had a very harsh environment. The Moon was soon forgotten. What if everything you were told was one great big lie. It does seem we might be facing the biggest untold story of the century. Evidence points to the Moon being well and truly alive, and visited not just by us. Just think if all the Apollo mis‐ sions were just a show and secretly off camera and communications we were looking at evidence of intelligent life. I intend on opening the book of truth and reveal to you, The Two Faced Moon. Well, a 104 page delight to read. I’m truly fascinated all things Moon orientated, especially conspiratorial. Alien bases, ancient structures and the whole ‘did we go or not’ keeps my eyes glued to the text. Simon has been involved in the UFO and conspiracy subject for many years and I’m also pleased to say I’ve met him a couple of times. He is one the great guys who will always take the time to discuss his ideas and thoughts in regards world mysteries. For me, I couldn’t put his book down. Read it in 4 hours and loved it. Even though for a seasoned investigator like myself, I found a few new bits of data I was unaware of. This book really gets you thinking in regards what the truth is about our nearest celestial neighbour. It is occupied, has it been and are we being monitored by UFO intelligences? Well worth the read and having in your collection. (Steve Mera: PM).
15 Aliens stole my Datsun and dog. By Alex West ALIENS in spaceships swooped to steal an old Datsun Cherry car and a pet dog, a builder has claimed. Keith Robins, 37, said he was camp‐ ing with friends when up to 15 UFOs “beamed up” his car and the Staffordshire pit bull ter‐ rier. Keith said: “We parked up and left the puppy inside. It was only out of sight for three minutes. “When we turned back, it was gone. Then these fiery orange orbs rose from where the car had been. There were about 12 to 15 of them and they were gone in a flash.” The terrifying incident happened in Cardiff when Keith was 17. One of the worst fires in West Midland’s history. He reported it to the Ministry of Defence’s UFO desk — and sent a spaceship diagram. CAUSED BY CHINESE LANTERNS MORE than 200 firefighters were involved in fighting a huge blaze at a West Midlands plastics recycling plant caused by Chinese lanterns. Around 50,000 tonnes of recycling material went up in flames at J&A Young in Smethwick, Birmingham last night. West Midlands Fire Service said it had more than 35 appliances at the scene of the blaze in Dartmouth Road. Emergency teams on site say the fire was caused by a Chinese lantern floating over the factory and setting bales of plastic alight. Emergency services were called to reports of a fire and nearby residents have been advised to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution.
The close encounter was revealed as the MoD — whose UFO desk shut in 2009 — released its final batch of documents to the public.
Paranormal Corner: Kids who talk to 'invisible friends' may be sensitive to spirits, experts say. By Kelly Roncace / South Jersey Times.
ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME CHINESE LANTERNS ARE BANNED! Known for previous fire and dangerous to livestock as well as causing havoc with Civilian flights.
A boy and his imaginary friend ‐ or could it be something more? As soon as a child enters the world he begins to learn. His wide, gazing eyes take in every tiny particle of life. He sees the way the wind blows the leaves, the way the dog wags its tail and the way his mother moves her mouth to speak. But what else does that baby see? Fast forward a few years, and the person who was once an infant is now a toddler, playing all by himself in his room. You hear him babbling and dismiss the sound as being just a child at play. So, why does it sound like he is interacting with someone else?
When you ask him who he was talking to, he gives you a name, a description and a storyline. “Where does she come up with this stuff?” you ask yourself, shaking your head and walking away. But, really — where could he have come up with a story about a girl dressed in colonial clothing who drowned in the stream in the woods behind your house. He doesn’t even know there is a stream in the woods behind your house. Paranormal investigators everywhere hear stories similar to this one quite often. Jason Hawes, co‐ founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) of the Syfy series, “Ghost Hunters,” wrote about the relationship between children and spirits on the TAPS website (www.the‐atlantic‐paranormal‐ society.com). “Many times, when I am contacted by someone having a paranormal situation, I am informed that their child or children are playing with invisible friends and that they talk to things that are not there,” Hawes Has the Loch Ness Monster mystery been "solved"? By Eric Pfeiffer wrote. “People want to understand why their children are doing this.” Hawes explains that the child could The legend of the Loch Ness Monster has persevered for more than 200 years. But could tales of a prehistoric sea creature lo‐ cated in a deep Scottish body of water be explained by science? That’s the source of a new theory, which speculates that the Loch Ness Monster may actually be a fault line lying underneath the Scottish lake. Even after 200 years of technological advances since the first reported spotting in 1806, rumours of the Loch Ness Monster continue to persist. In fact, technology has played a role in spawning some Nessie theories. For example, in 2011, local boat skipper Marcus Atkinson produced a sonar image of what he described as a large object following his boat for several minutes at a depth of 75 feet. And in 2012, George Edwards shared a photo of an unexplained image in Loch Ness. Skeptics have said the image was likely of a log floating atop the water. Scientific American reports that Italian geologist Luigi Piccardi believes the Great Glen fault system is actually responsible for mysterious bubbles and the shaking ground commonly associated with sup‐ posed creature sightings. "There are various effects on the surface of the water that can be related to the activity of the fault," Pic‐ cardi told Italian newspaper La Repubblica. And he has some compelling evidence to back up his case. For example, he notes that many of the alleged sightings have happened at times when the 62‐mile fault was experiencing an active period. "We know that this was a period [1920‐1930] with increased activity of the fault. In reality, people have seen the effects of the earthquakes on the water." So, what do you think? There have been strange reports near Loch Ness going all the way back to the 7th century. Are the numerous sightings over the years proof of the creature’s existence, mere coincidence, or even a self‐fulfilling prophecy continued on by people who want to take part in the legend? or, could it all actually simply be explained by a natural phenomenon
Page 23 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
be psychic, and may possibly be “sensitive,” but a better explanation is simply that children have open minds. “To a child, anything is possible,” Hawes wrote. “Everything is real. Santa still comes down the chimney every Christmas and the Easter Bunny still comes and brings them baskets every Easter.” Hawes said, because of their openness, children do see more than adults. “They have not been conditioned by society yet as to what is real and what is not,” he wrote. “Over the years they will be told, ‘Stop playing with your pre‐ tend friend Bobby,’ and this helps close them off to what they experience. We have done some investi‐ gations into this, and the conclusions are out‐ standing.” Hawes said families who believe in the idea that there are spirits and “other things out there that we cannot see,” are more accepting of their children playing with invisible friends, and don’t try to change the child’s ideas. “It seems that more and more sensitives are being brought into this world by these people,” he wrote. “They are being allowed to grow without being told what they saw as a child was not real, so, in return, being able to see these things as they did when they were children.” However, children raised by families who do not believe in the paranormal are robbing their children of the chance, Hawes said. “They have a closed mind and refuse to let the child be open,” he wrote. “In re‐ turn, telling the child that they should not play with something or someone who is not really there.” He said telling children to “stop playing with nothing” or “there is nothing there so stop it” is the reason why children stop believing that anything is possible. I have heard many times that children are taught to fear the unknown and, if left to their own beliefs, could teach us all a little something...
Closed encounters of the third kind. By Nick Pope
Uri Geller’s secret Cold War ‘spy role’ By Jack Royston & Lee Holmwood
Expert's verdict on last batch of Govt UFO files to be made public… It ends a five‐ year operation to declassify all the Government’s UFO documents and transfer them to the National Archives. The MoD’s UFO project was axed in December 2009 – as revealed exclusively by The Sun. The latest files reveal the plug was pulled because, alongside soaring numbers of UFO sightings, the MoD was being bombarded by Freedom of Information Act requests about alien activity. After the FOI act came fully into force in 2005, the MoD was soon receiving more requests on UFOs than on any other subject. The files also reveal defence chiefs kept copies of The Sun when we reported apparent UFO incidents, like the one below. Here NICK POPE, who worked on the MoD’s top secret UFO project, gives his verdict on these fascinating documents now available for public scrutiny. IF you see strange lights in the sky or weird objects hovering overhead, don’t bother alerting the authorities — all recent reports of alien activity ended up being SHREDDED. Recent files show the Ministry of Defence destroyed any stories of extra‐terrestrial sightings sent in after their top secret UFO project was axed in December 2009. The MoD decided to make their UFO files Ex‐Files because they were being snowed under with sightings of ET and his mates, while also weighed down with requests about alien sightings under the Freedom of Information Act. So if anybody sent the Government PROOF of alien visitation after 2009, it would have gone straight in the bin. The tenth and final batch of real‐life X‐Files declassified by the MoD has been published. It con‐ tained 25 files, comprising around 4,400 pages of documents, of incidents occurring mainly between 2007 and 2009. Of course, the files contain many sightings reported by well‐meaning members of the public that turned out to be simply weather balloons or light aircraft. But among these are the inexplicable experiences of those who sincerely believe they have had, as in the 1977 hit film, a Close Encounter Of The Third Kind. Revelations in the files include the fact that defence chiefs kept cuttings from The Sun when the paper reported on soldiers filming strange lights in the sky while on duty. It made the front page, above. One email in the log says: “The Sun has reported a UFO sight‐ ing over Tern Hill Barracks in Shropshire at 11pm on June 7, 2008. “It appears that a number of soldiers saw lights in the sky and made a video which they passed to the newspaper.” Members of the public also urged the MoD to investigate a suspected UFO crash into a wind turbine, which was on The Sun’s front page in January 2009, an incident detailed on the right. One of the most bizarre reports in the files is of a 2007 sighting near Cardiff. It states: “The witness saw spaceships then said one of them abducted his dog, car and tent, when he and his friends were out camping.” It does not reveal whether rover returned. Fear of the unknown ... scene from 1977 movie Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. In another, a message left on the MoD’s UFO answer‐phone on June 24, 2008, states that a UFO was seen above the caller’s house in Carlisle and that he was “living with an alien”. On July 3, 2008, a woman reported seeing two orange spheres in her garden, a foot away from her. She was concerned that her dog may have been “contaminated”. In response to a question about UFO technology, another document reveals that MoD scientists were aware of “anti‐gravity and gravity modification research” and would “assess whether such technologies could be of any benefit to defence in the future”. In tandem with the newly‐released files, a new iPhone/ iPad app — called simply UFO Files UK — is being launched to showcase some of the material, allowing people access to the once secret documents. You can also find out about UFO sightings in your area. The release of these files and their transferral to the National Archives has been a massive undertaking. The first batch was made public in May 2008 and further batches followed every six months. In all, more than 50,000 pages of documents have been released, some of which are classified “Secret UK Eyes Only” — pretty impressive for a subject the MoD constantly told Parliament, the media and the public was of “no defence significance”. In the early days of the UFO file‐release programme, the documents seemed to sup‐ port the MoD’s public line that the UFO phenomenon could be explained away as misidentifications of aircraft lights, weather balloons and Chinese lanterns, with a few hoaxes thrown in for good measure. The files contain pages of material detailing mundane sightings of flashing lights over airports and UFOs seen by people leaving pubs at closing time. But much more interesting material is hidden away among the pages. There are incidents where military jets were scrambled to intercept UFOs and where UFOs were tracked on radar doing extraordinary speeds and manoeuvres. There are sighting reports from police offi‐ cers and military personnel, along with terrifying incidents involving near‐misses between UFOs and com‐ mercial aircraft. Some think the file release is part of a campaign to prepare for the day when the Govern‐ ment announces aliens are REAL. Others believe it is all disinformation, designed to allow the “New World Order” to fake an alien invasion, declare martial law and take over the world. As the public face of the file‐ release programme, some believe I still secretly work for the Government. I left in 2006. To the fury of many, it seems much of the best material has not been released. Defence Intelligence Staff files on the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident, detailed on the right, have been “inadvertently destroyed”. Old gun cam‐ era footage taken from jets sent up to chase UFOs back in the Fifties and Sixties has been “lost”. UFO pho‐ tos sent to the MoD in 1990, showing an alien craft in Scotland, have been “misplaced”. And a ship’s log that might have contained details of a UFO seen during a NATO exercise was blown overboard by a “freak gust of wind”. Ultimately, the release of these files is unlikely to change what people think about UFOs. The conspiracy theorists will continue to believe that my colleagues and I hid proof of an alien presence for decades. As one angry letter in the new files states: “Some UFOs are of ET origin. You know this. “I hope you make the correct decision and disclose this information before they make themselves known in a big way.” Keep watching the skies — the truth is still out there...
SPOON bender Uri Geller worked as a CIA spy in a “psychic arms race” with Russia, a documentary claims. The telly magician is said to have used his powers to wipe secret Soviet floppy disks and change the mind of an unnamed Russian leader to help the US. Geller, 66, mocked‐up here as movie spy James Bond, refuses to talk about his secret agent career — but he did admit his Cold War bosses asked him to stop a pig’s heart using telepathy. He said he refused in fear of being asked to perform the same trick on a HUMAN. The psychic also said he tried to “execute missions that were positive” and “said ‘no’ to dark things”. His secret agent days are explored in film‐maker Vikram Jayanti’s The Secret Life of Uri Geller — Psychic Spy? was recently broadcasted on BBC2. In it, CIA officer Kit Green and Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell both say they have first‐hand knowledge of the Israel‐born mystic’s activities. Jayanti said: “When Jimmy Carter was elected President in 1977, one of the first things he did was to have Uri Geller give him a four ‐hour briefing on the Soviet psychic threat. “America didn’t want a psychic gap and Uri was the go‐to guy.” The documentary was premiered at last week’s Sheffield Doc/Fest where Geller admit‐ ted other secret missions. He also apologised to Scotland for making the football move just before Gary McAllister fluffed his Wembley penalty against England at the Euro 96 tournament. But in an exclusive interview with TV Biz, Uri says he is now uneasy about what the revelations will mean for him. He says: “In the last 40 years I dropped hints that I did this and that but it has never come out clearly before. “For 40 years I have been immensely controversial but the main controversy was whether I was real or not. Is it magic or supernatural powers I have? “But for me the controversy was an inbuilt safety device, a camouflage covering the dark, cloak‐and‐dagger secret missions I engaged in. “But now this documentary is out, there is an uneasiness in me about it.” Uri, who lives in Berkshire, first became interested in spying when he was growing up in Tel Aviv and Cyprus — and was obsessed with James Bond. He says his first contact with a spy came when the Israeli government used his family’s guest house. He says: “I was only 13 and I stopped a man living there and looked into his eyes and said, ‘You’re not an archaeologist, you are a spy’. “He was shocked but said he wanted to use my talents. That started the passion for me, the emotional journey to become a super spy for Israel.” Uri says his desire to defend his country grew when he was a soldier during the Six‐Day War in 1967 and was forced to killed a Jordanian soldier. He recalls: “If I didn’t press the trigger of the Uzi he would have killed me first. It was a matter of survival.” After leaving the army he became a star in his home country with his spoon‐bending tricks and later went to the US and Britain. He says: “All the fame and everything went to my head. I used to go to Studio 54 where I got together with John Lennon and Elton John. “When I met Elvis, I envied his fame. I wanted to be like him.”
Page 24 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
Probe International are the UK leaders in Paranormal Conferences. Many speakers from all over the world attend Probe International Conferences. We cover any subjects Includ‐ ing Ufology, Crop Circles, Paranormal Phenomenon & much, much more. Probe International holds two main conferences per year in Lytham St Annes ‐ Nr Blackpool, Lancashire, a two day event in both October & March.
Location: Y.M.C.A. ‐ St.Annes, St.Albans Road, Lytham St.Annes ‐ Nr Blackpool, Lancashire FY8 1XD Tickets: £19.00 per day or £36.00 for 2 days. Concessions for students/OAPs and groups of four or more. Doors open @ 9.30am. Free car park, lift, bar, café, books, magazines, aura readings, crystal stall.
Saturday October 5th Speakers
Sunday October 6th Speakers
First speaker: Janine Regan-Sinclair 10.15 am to 11.45 am Jo-Ann Richards—from the USA 12.00pm - 1.30 pm Charles Hall—from the USA - 2.30 pm to 3.45 pm Madeleine Walker - 4.00 pm - 5.15pm
First Speaker: Don Phillips - 10.15 am to 11.45 am Charles Hall—from the USA - 12.00 - 1.30 pm Miles Johnson - 2.30 pm to 3.45 pm Jo-Anne Richards—from the USA - 4.00pm to 5.15 pm
Title: Falling Skies Series 2 Director: Various Main Cast: Noah Wylie, Moon Bloodgood, Drew Roy, Connor Jessup, Maxim Knight Format: DVD and Blue Ray Price: DVD £21.13, Blue Ray £28.75, both on Amazon.
Title: Defiance: Season 1 Main Cast: Grant Bowler, Jaime Murray, Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas Format: DVD & Blue Ray Distributor: Universal Studios Price: £29.99 Blue Ray, £24.99 DVD
For those who enjoyed series one of this rather good, Spielberg produced (and it shows in terms of sheer production quality) sci‐fi show, this new ten episode release picks up after the last one stops and our intrepid band of heroes continue to alternately battle with and/or flee from the extraterrestrial invaders who have wrought a bloody apocalypse on the earth. Where it does differ is in how it approaches the subject and much of the fat has been cut away allowing the characters and plot to develop in a much darker and intense fashion and it helps. We find that three months have now passed since one the main characters Tom Mason (Noah Wylie) agreed to go with the invaders and the small rebel group that he lead has faced many battles and is now much more efficient fighting unit. It has to be said though that this show has to be very special in some way or another to deliver something new on what is, in effect, yet another reboot of the alien invasion scenario, such as has been done several time before and the classic TV show ‘V’ is a case in point. The actual plot for those who are not familiar with it revolves around an invasion of the earth by the Overlords who are in charge of a six legged species called ‘skitters’ who in turn control mechanical attack machines known as ‘mechs’. Over 90% of the population have been destroyed and of those left, young people between the ages of eight and eighteen are rounded up to have device called a ‘harness’ fitted, which turns them into virtual zombies though which the Overlords communicate. Although a series, each episode can more or less stand on its own merits, but at least some back‐ knowledge is required to make sense of it; having said that after viewing a couple of episodes most of the missing ‘fill‐ins’ can be guessed at. Fortunately the series ends on high‐note with the arrival of a new alien species which bodes well for future episodes. For me it’s well worth the money and a good example of its kind.
This is an absolutely splendid combination of high adventure and space western set on a devastated future Earth inhabited by a motley set of diverse species who are the all that remain after a devastating battle. If you think of it as a mixture of ‘Mad Max’, ‘Terra Nova’ with a generous splash of ‘Firefly’ thrown in, but with added steroids, loads of steroids, you’ll be on the right lines. The action is full on, the special effects are absolutely top notch and the gadgets are really nifty. What really makes it different is that there is a well constructed video game of the same name that runs in parallel with the series, what’s not to like? The story concerns a spacefaring race known collectively as the Votans who arrive on Earth in colossal orbiting ‘space arks’ seeking a new home after their home system was destroyed by a freak galactic collision. The humans at first offer them limited access to earth, a base in Brazil, but after an assassination a disastrous war breaks out between humans and Votans, which eventually devolves into a truce through necessity. Eventually the space arks accidentally explode and their cargo showers down on the planet and part of the cargo terra‐forms the earth into something altogether different and hostile to both earthlings and Votans. The wreckage of the orbiting arks sometimes releases more debris, which can take the form of useful technology, but also lethal ‘razor rain’; a nifty (if bloody) effect when it happens. There is also another mutant race, the ‘Volge’, who kill anything, irrespective of whether it is human or otherwise, that gets in the way. Anyway, each episode stands well on its own, but to be honest it take a few episodes before you get a handle on the whys and wherefores of what is actually going on and also who’s who. Oh, and there is also a back story of shady subterfuge as well. Anyway, this has all the makings of a long running and successful series and I look forward to what is (hopefully) yet to come. Top notch, thrilling action Sci/Fi and well worth a look.
2000 Years of Remarkable Weirdness: Cannock Chase By Lee Brickley
A vast area of enchanting forest well known for it's spooky and mysterious happenings, Cannock Chase has a very long and rather peculiar history. It's curious memoir spans the centuries, back to a time before the Roman invasion in AD43, when Eng‐ land was a very different place indeed. In those early days, this ceaselessly intriguing woodland was occupied by a salt mining, horned‐god worshipping, Celtic tribe, known as the Cornovii – a word that is understood to literally mean “people of the horn”... Page 27 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
2000 Years of Remarkable Weirdness: Cannock Chase By Lee Brickley
These early inhabitants (like many other groups in Britain at the time) realised their safety de‐ pended upon living at the highest point of a given area. A tactic like this enabled lookouts to spot enemy fighters approaching from great distances, which is precisely why Cornovii crafts‐ men assembled an impressive hill‐fort on Can‐ nock Chase that still exists in modern times, known as Castle Ring. This relatively small but logical decision is inevitably responsible for sav‐ ing the tribe from mass‐slaughter when Roman soldiers finally arrived in the region. By the time legions of troops under the command of em‐ peror Claudius descended on the forest, the entire Cornovii tribe were long gone. Even now, when visitors gather at the ancient monument on a clear afternoon, it is still possi‐ ble to see the skyline of Birmingham, some 26 miles away – a truly breathtaking sight. History tells us that Celtic tribes in mainland Britain were rarely peaceful. Their love of war‐ like activities is extremely well documented, but strangely, this particular kindred seems to have been relatively pacifistic, choosing to concen‐ trate their efforts on mining, cattle breading, and creating their notably eccentric and strik‐ ingly colourful clothing. This trait is illustrated by them expressing little interest in standing their ground and defending the woodland territory. Although reports are somewhat sketchy, many researchers and historians believe the Cornovii frequently participated in rituals involving hu‐ man sacrifice and were perpetually fascinated by magic and deep‐trance bewitchment, which is undoubtedly where the weird saga of Cannock Chase really begins. No‐one knows for sure exactly how far the tribe progressed in their understanding of supernatu‐ ral forces, but ever since that time the entire area has witnessed some of the strangest and most gruesome events ever to grace England's beautiful landscape. From bloody murders and unexplained mutilations to alleged UFO crashes and tales of terrifying werewolves ‐ if you can dream it up, it's probably already happened on Cannock Chase. Perhaps the most depraved and disgusting mur‐ der ever to occur in the area was committed in the early 1900's by a man known locally as Henry Thomas Gaskin. This particular incident saw the end of his young and beautiful wife Elizabeth, whom he suspected of being involved in a romantic affair. Rarely are the actions of one man so brutal. Henry surgically dissected and decapitated his wife before leaving her body to decompose in an unused gasworks, he then confessed to the crime somewhat enthusi‐ astically at Cannock police station only four days later which eventually resulted in his death by hanging at Winson Green prison in Birmingham in 1919. Ever since then, the area of Cannock Chase in which the murder took place has been
known strictly as “Gaskins Wood” and many local people, even very recently, claim to have seen the ghost of Elizabeth wondering silently through the region. UFOs Move forward to 1964 and Cannock Chase hits the headlines once again as the location of a UFO crash known to many as “The British Ros‐ well”. U.S Navy files show that an apparently unidentified craft blew up in the skies over mainland Europe, with a small part landing in West Germany whilst a much bigger section supposedly came down in Cocksparrow Lane, near the village of Penkridge. Although the Brit‐ ish Ministry of Defence refuses to acknowledge the incident, the U.S files say it happened, and there have been some relatively credible wit‐ nesses come forward. In Nick Redfern's book “Cosmic Crashes”, we are told of a local man named Mr South who claims on the night in question, to have been stopped at a roadblock by military personnel and local police whilst witnessing a large metallic vessel being loaded onto the back of an aircraft transporter. Inter‐ estingly, when Redfern arranged to interview the man, he began receiving calls from Army officers, warning him not to talk to the UFO investigator. So could this be evidence of a monumental cover‐up? Many researchers cer‐ tainly believe so. Another intriguing incident of the aerial variety occurred at around 9pm on 16th May 1988, and this time the M.o.D admit it. When the British defence department released their first batch of UFO files some ten years ago, inside were a shocking amount of letters and sighting reports from members of the public claiming to have seen a strange, dark, triangular craft in the Can‐ nock Chase area. Adding more credibility to their claims is the fact that Bill Cash, MP for
Stafford at the time, wrote to the M.o.D himself to find out what was going on. Unsurprisingly the response was unenlightening, but it does show just how serious this local politician con‐ sidered the matter to be.
Werewolves When people start talking about werewolf sight‐ ings, understandably many rational people in‐ stantly switch off, but so many of these cryptids are spotted in Staffordshire that maybe we should look at the whole situation in more de‐ tail. As a writer and paranormal researcher, I am often sent eye witness reports of werewolves on Cannock Chase, one of which I will share with you now. This report came in from a gentleman who had been walking his dog close to the infa‐ mous Pye‐Green telecommunication tower:
Page 28 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
2000 Years of Remarkable Weirdness: Cannock Chase By Lee Brickley
“It was about 3am, and we had gone for our morning stroll on Cannock Chase. All of a sudden my dog lay down and refused to move any fur‐ ther. I tried pulling him but he was being stub‐ born. He yelped and cowered as if a larger ani‐ mal was near by. His eyes seemed transfixed on an area of trees, so I followed his line of sight, and that’s when I saw this huge wolf‐man thing glaring at us. It couldn't have been more than 50 feet away and it's eyes were a piercingly bright yellow. As our eyes met the creature let out an almighty howl, and myself, and my dog, began running in the opposite direction. Luckily the monster didn't follow us, maybe he was just trying to scare us away?.....”
Stories like this are sent to me on a monthly basis, so what could these people possibly be seeing? Is lycanthropy really afoot? Well, pre‐ suming all local people aren't totally mad, two distinct possibilities seem to arise. Either the witnesses are really laying their eyes on devilish creatures of the night, or something is causing them to hallucinate. Whichever category you believe the sightings fall into, you have to admit something very odd is going on in these woods. The Pig‐Man The strangest cryptid ever spotted on Cannock Chase has to be The Pig‐Man. Local legend tells that sometime during WW2, British military scientists stationed in the area created a hu‐ man/swine hybrid who seemingly escaped and has since resided in the forest. Although this story sounds almost fantastical, many sightings have occurred over the years and the story has inspired a terrifying rhyme, recited in school playgrounds to this very day:
When night falls, enter the woods at your peril, For inside lurks something worse than the devil, Avoid at all costs, the gathering place, Where at midnight, the pig-man roams on Cannock Chase. Page 29 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk
A gentleman contacted me last year claiming that his grandfather once told him the military concocted the story as a way of keeping people away from the area during wartime. Two huge training camps were located in the woods dur‐ ing the 1940's and they encompassed a facility for holding German prisoners of war, so it does seem plausible that the army wanted people to stay well clear, but would they have made up a story like this? Who knows, but if they didn't, how can sighting reports like this next one possi‐ bly be explained?
the dirt was what looked like a man, wearing trousers, a blazer, but no shirt. His face was totally deformed and I can almost certainly say he had a snout....” So did Claire, and all the other people sending in reports, really spot England's weirdest monster? And if we are to believe they did, does this mean the British military have been engaging in a monumental double bluff? Either way someone has to be telling porkies, and who is more likely to have done that: residents who stand to gain nothing, or personnel running a relatively secre‐ tive army compound? It doesn't look good does it?...
UFO's Werewolves & The Pig -Man: Exposing England's Strangest Location Cannock Chase. A fascinating book by Lee Brickley. Available at Amazon. Received last year: “My name is Claire. I came across your blog a week or so ago and have been meaning to email you about something I saw in 2005 when I was on a bike ride around the Chase. After 5 miles, I pulled my bike over to the side of one of the tracks to rest for a moment and catch my breath. I took a sip from my water bottle and began hearing a sort of rustling noise coming from between the trees to my left hand side. I thought id try to take a closer look as I sus‐ pected there could be a fox or badger close by, but what I saw was shocking. Kneeling down in
Lee Brickley is a British free‐ lance writer, journalist and author. As a child he lived with his father in a haunted house, and often witnessed strange and usual psychical phenomena, which are probably the main cause of his interests today. For his reviews and magazine arti‐ cles, Lee has received praise from all over the world. He has also helped many author’s and publishers of alternative literature achieve the extra publicity they often so badly need, as well as bringing a new, unique perspective to the fields of paranormal research and ufology… Photography: Paranormal Magazine, Emma Blackburn & Book Cover Artwork ‐ David Reeves. http://leebrickley.weebly.com/index.html
A Nocturnal Visitor By Rev Randal Smyth
I have a friend who is a Russian civil engineer. Recently he has been working in Taiwan on a large construction project. A couple of months ago he was taken seriously ill with a stomach complaint; some tropical illness I believe and had to go back to Moscow for treatment. After about four weeks he returned to Taiwan to continue his work and after he had been back for a couple of days he seemed to disappear and did not communicate with me by email or with his family. Anatoly, which is his name, was a good reliable person and phoned or emailed his family daily and contacted me every weekend, usually on a Sunday. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I awoke from a deep sleep at approximately 2.30am this morning being 26th October and saw Anatoly standing by my bed dressed in what looked like a hospital gown. There was a certain amount of moonlight shining through my bedroom window, certainly enough to see who it was. I immediately switched on my bedside light and he was still there; perfectly real and lifelike. He told me that he had been hit by a car and had received serious head injuries which caused bleeding inside his head and to relieve the pressure, the surgeons in the local Taiwan hospital had to operate by removing part of his skull after the surgery the piece of skull was replaced and held in position with metal staples. He then just faded away after having told me this. I was rather shocked by this incident and after having thought about it for a while I drifted off to sleep again. All this was so realistic and I was awake. I know that one would just suspect it as having been a dream and I can understand anyone arriving at this conclusion and that is what I thought when I woke up. However when I went down stairs in the morning, about 7.00 am I checked my email and there was an email from his wife confirming exactly what I was told by the apparition of Anatoly during the night. I cannot explain this in any other way except that I really did receive a visit from the spirit of Anatoly. Of course I am open to other explanations from readers. Anatoly is much better after surgery and is expected to make a complete and full recovery‌ The Rev Randal Smyth.
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Page 30 Phenomena Magazine: July 2013 - Issue 51: www.phenomenamagazine.co.uk