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ANTLERETTE VOLUME 91 // ISSUE 1
antlerette // fall 2016
TA BLE OF C O NTEN TS 2
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Crisis Actors // Mauriana Raye
3 Where Did They Come From? // Hannah Faith Villareal
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4 Blood Drives Suck // Landon Parkinson
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Time Travel Really Does Exist // Chelsea Planesi
6 Parallel Universe or Honest Mistake? // Olivia Ali
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7 Is Totoro Really for Kids? // Tracy Tran
9 Winnie the Pooh: A Glutton? // Kyra Kwong
11 Two Truths, One Lie? // Sheralyn Laron
12 The Devil’s Triangle // Katie Goldman
13 Who Killed JonBenét? // Anna Serpa
EDITORIAL ADVISOR // MICHELLE HAMILTON PHOTO ADVISOR // KENT PICKERING DESIGN ADVISOR // MARGARET SOULIERE
LE T T E R FRO M T HE ED I TO R MAURIANA RAYE // EDITOR IN CHIEF Many conspiracy theories have come to light this past year and many of my nights were spent watching or reading threads of conspiracy theories. It’s exciting to read about different theories because you can’t know for sure if they are true or not. Some are written just for fun, while others are carefully investigated. After reading just one article, you’re left with anticipation and want to read more. For this edition of The Antlerette, I thought it would be interesting to dedicate it to either conspiracy theories or the supernatural. The staff researched and investigated conspiracy theories and mysteries to show our readers that there are two sides to every story. Each article will leave you searching for the truth.
COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // OLIVIA GARCIA GRAPHIC DESIGNERS // LISA DUNLOP, CLAIRE JORDAN, MORGANA PARSONS, CURTIS WONG
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CR I S IS ACT O R S MAURIANA RAYE // EDITOR IN CHIEF
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onspiracy theories are perfect to read if you just can’t sleep at night. There are many farfetched conspiracy theories that are completely unbelievable, but there are some that really seem plausible. One theory is that mainstream media uses crisis actors to deceive the public by staging them at tragic events. Crisis actors are the ones who are interviewed and photographed to portray a false coverage of the story, making the story seem more dramatic than it really is. Many believe that the government uses crisis actors to cover up what really happened during certain tragedies. They believe that the government hires people to be interviewed as either victims or witnesses at staged events. Some crisis actors have even shown up at multiple events giving statements under different aliases. The similarities between some of the actors is just uncanny. But why would the same actors be hired to play different people? Some believe that the media or government films all of the interviews before the “tragedies” happen, and they just have the crisis actors change outfits to play different parts. One example of this is a woman who just happened to be an eyewitness to both the Boston bombing and
Watertown shooting as well as a friend of the Sandy Hook shooter’s mother. The same crisis actor was used in three interviews after three tragedies to give false statements. Her name is Adriana Munoz and because no one has been able to get into contact with her, it is believed that the government, to keep the use of crisis actors a secret, has had her killed. It is unsettling that many crisis actors have been spotted at different events playing different people. Although both the government and the media have a huge influence over society, it doesn’t seem unlikely that they would stage fake tragedies to create hysteria. Whenever they play reenactments on shows like, I Shouldn’t Be Alive, they give the audience a performance without involving the actual people. I could see them using crisis actors instead of actual people to say witness statements in place of the actual witnesses to ensure the story is delivered accurately, but even that is just too much effort. The ideas surrounding this theory go very in depth and they make you think about just how much control the government and media have over our society.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // GABBY M CCARTNEY
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W H ER E DI D THEY C OME FR OM? HANNAH FAITH VILLAREAL // EDITOR
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any books and movies have used the concept of paranormal creatures. Two creatures, in particular, seem to be recurring topics throughout the years that tend to intertwine: vampires and werewolves. But just where did these ideas come from? Who created such creatures that would appear so much in the entertainment industry? How did those stories even spread? Vampires today are known as sun-allergic, ivory pale, blood-sucking beings. The concept of vampire-like creatures dates hundreds of years back into history. Mesopotamians, Hebrews, Ancient Greeks, and Romans told stories about spirits and demons that formed the “modern vampires” we know today. The ancient Babylonians had tales of Lilitu and Estries. Lilitu was depicted as a demon who lived off the blood of babies, while Estries were seen as female demon shape-shifters who drank blood and were said to seek victims in the night. The Greeks and Romans had similar myths revolving around Empusa, Lamia, and Striges. Empusa was a daughter of Hecate, goddess of magic, and was described as a demonic, bronze-footed being that transformed into a woman and
seduced men before drinking their blood. The Lamia targeted children in their beds at night, sucking their blood. Similar to the Lamia, the Striges feasted on children, but also preyed on adults. Many other cultures include stories such as these; however, the modern version of the vampire, the kind that everyone is more familiar with, actually comes from the early 18th century in Europe. It began when villagers claimed that a former peasant villager returned from the dead and drank blood. The leader of the village commanded a stake be driven through his heart, but that method didn’t work and instead he was beheaded. The story of the villager is the first case that describes a person to be a vampire. The word werewolf is a compound of “were” which means “man” and wolf. Werewolves are seen as humans who undergo lycanthropy, referring both to the ability to transform oneself into a wolf and to the act of doing so. The idea of this comes from the Greek and Roman myth about Lycaon, hence the word lycanthropy. Lycaon served human flesh to the king of the gods, Zeus, testing to see if he was really a god. As punishment for murder, cannibalism, and impiety, Lyacaon was
transformed into a wolf. Lycanthropy/ werewolf legends spread all over Europe and Asia sharing two common ideas: werewolves were evil and they had a craving for human meat. Soon people started to point blame and accuse others of being werewolves. It is possible that real wolf attacks were the cause and superstition led people to fear the worst. Those who were suspected of being werewolves were tortured into “confession” thus confirming the belief in werewolves. It’s also possible that the werewolf myth was created to explain rabies since it came from animals These two mythical ideas developed over time since many different stories and legends from different places contributed. Perhaps that is why they are popular concepts to use in the entertainment industry, because they were already known in one form or another and also because it is a theme easy to play around with and create new stories. Of course, in the present time, not many people really suspect others to be werewolves or vampires, much less force them to “confess” through torture. Still, a few people still believe that werewolves or vampires do exist despite any news or evidence.
BLO O D DRI VE S SU CK LANDON PARKINSON // EDITOR
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he Best Day Ever. I Saved a Life.” That’s what the shirt said, given to everyone who gave blood at Elk Grove High School this year. But “The Best Day Ever” seems like overkill to me. It might be the best day if I could witness my blood actually saving someone, but it’s too disconnected. Those who donate blood never see or hear about the results. And that is what led me to develop my theory. When we give blood, it really is the best day ever because we’re actually saving ourselves from the worst day ever. Instead of saving a single life, we may be saving all mankind from slavery. The blood we “donate” is actually tribute to the vampires who live on the moon. I know this sounds insane, but hear me out. The theory is: back in the Cold War, when the United States was rivaling
the Soviet Union, both nations’ governments received a message from the moon explaining the vampires’, as they called themselves, deal. The vampires would come to Earth and suck the blood out of any nation that failed to pay them tribute in human blood. Both nations suddenly scrambled to make rockets worthy of going to the moon. Not wanting to scare the citizens, they excused the rocket developments as a curious exploration of space. But we know better. What government would spend that much money and valuable resources on a simple exploration? When they were finally ready, they started by sending small amounts of blood to the vampires. The United States sent enough to appease them, but the Soviet Union was not as fortunate. To make an example of those who do not pay tribute, the vampires sent Mikhail Gorbachev, the
Soviet Union’s president when it fell, to earth to ensure the fall of the empire as compensation for their small payment. The United States learned quickly, and decided to shoulder the safety of the entire world. Blood drives became widespread, going to churches, schools, companies, etc. All the while the U.S. government rarely tells a lie. They simply disguise the truth, telling the citizens that our blood will go into another’s body to save a human life. And it is true, our blood does go into a vampire’s body to save not only a human life, but the survival of all mankind. Meanwhile, they team up with Hollywood to make vampire movies and books to prepare citizens for the real truth. So the next time a blood drive comes around and a needle is too scary to save another person’s life, just remember: you may be saving your own life as well. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // CRYSTAL MOORE
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // KEVIN TRAN
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ime travel has always been one of humanity’s greatest questions. Is it a possibility? Can we travel to the past or to the future? With old pictures and videos being investigated today, we can assume that it is a very realistic possibility that time travel has already occurred. In 1928, Charlie Chaplin’s film, The Circus, was released. During one scene, there is a woman in the background, who appears to be using a cellphone; however, the first handheld mobile phone was created in 1973-a complete 45 years after the film was made. The woman on the cell phone is not the only time traveler we have discovered in recent years. A man wearing a brand t-shirt, sunglasses, and a coat can be seen in a photo taken at the opening of the South Fork Bridge in Gold Bridge, British Columbia, Canada during the 1940s. His attire was nothing near what his fellow Canadians were wearing in this picture. He was fashionably ahead of his time. There is also a painting from the 1800’s where a man appears to be holding a CD box full of compact discs. Compact discs were not in use until the 1980s and plastic was invented in the mid-1800’s,
meaning that this box is out of its time. Did this unknown painter time travel or was he just a psychic? No one knows, but it is believed that he time traveled to put this mysterious box into his painting. There aren’t just cellphones, outfits, and compact discs to prove that time travel really does exist-there are celebrities. There is a long list of stars who share uncanny similarities to people of the past. Nicholas Cage grew out a mustache and traveled all the way back to the American Civil War era. A picture of a man from this era shows how Cage was there at the time. Orlando Bloom is not only an actor, but is also a Romanian painter in the nineteenth century by the name of Nicole Grigoresca and Jennifer Lawrence traveled in time to become the Egyptian actress known as Zubaida Tharwat in the 1960s and 70s. There is also photo evidence that Daniel Radcliffe and Andy Samberg are so close that they went back to the super 70s and grew out some great hair. Radcliffe was even present in the 1940s as a soldier during the war. It sounds like someone got a hold of a time turner-that or a time traveling phone booth. If you ever get your hands on a time machine, be aware of the consequences. A common worry about time travel is the
outcomes of it. The “grandfather paradox” is a theory that if you change the past, inconsistencies will happen throughout history. It is also described by the paradox of a person who travels back in time to kill their grandfather before their father is conceived; therefore preventing the existence of their father and themselves. The “butterfly effect” is another major issue of time travel, in which a small change can have large effects on everything. Another hazard is disease and immunity; if a person travels into the past or future where a deadly epidemic is occurring, they could possibly bring it back to our time and cause chaos since our bodies may not be immune to it. This issue is even more dangerous dealing with time travel to the future. It is not clear if time travel would affect us directly, or if everything we did would be a part of a parallel universe. Either way, it is dangerously awesome to time travel. Whether you have a DeLorean, a hot tub, a time turner, a T.A.R.D.I.S., or any type of time machine, be safe about your time travel for the sake of humanity. Learn interesting things from the past or intriguing things about the future, but please do not cause major changes that would affect our whole universe.
CHELSEA PLANESI // STAFF
T IM E TRAV E L R EALLY DOES E X IS T
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // JONATHAN LEON
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // KYLEE M CCONNELL
OLIVIA ALI // BUSINESS MANAGER
PARALLEL UNIVERSE OR HONEST MISTAKE?
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he Mandela Effect is the theory that our entire lives lie somewhere in a parallel universe, and it is causing us to have clear and vivid memories of things that never actually existed. While this may seem like it could easily be a mistake, it is not that simple after looking at the evidence that is now rising. The facts that the evidence proves to be true is causing people to question whether this is a mistake, or if something is actually going on beyond what we can see. The Mandela Effect received its name after Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013. While it shouldn’t have seemed like much for a 95-year-old man to pass, it scared many people. It became terrifying and confusing as so many people vividly remember Mandela passing in jail many years before, even though there are now no records of it ever happening. This could easily seem like a mistake, yet thousands and thousands of people remember mourning the death of Mandela. This is said to be one of the first cases of these sorts of things taking place. While high school teens may not remember Mandela dying in prison, the one that is really stirring them up and causing them to talk about this so frequently is the cases dealing with pieces of their childhood. As kids, almost all of our generation watched the classic movie Snow White. In the movie, there is an extremely iconic scene of the queen walking toward her mirror and saying “Mirror, mirror on the wall”. Except, she didn’t. While hundreds of thousands of people state to have remembered her repeating “mirror”, and thousands of movies and television shows have used that line in their own programs as symbolism, people have gone back to the original Snow White move to compare with new claims, and have been absolutely devastated to find that she
actually says “magic mirror”. This one is extremely persuasive to those who don’t give in to the hype of the Mandela Effect, as this is one of the most unarguable quotes of all time, and it comes from something we all watched as children. Another instance of these types of small and significant details being different than we all remember in this case of the “Berenstain Bears”. Many people all across the nation grew up watching this recognizable show about a family of bears, but they also can almost unanimously agree that it was spelt Berenstein, not Berenstain. There have even been people emerging with video tapes from their childhood spelt Berenstein to prove that it was spelled like that at one time, but unfortunately we have yet to gain any answers from producers or authors of the shows and books. So what does this mean? Does this allude to the fact that something bigger might be erased at some point? Does this mean that we may lose something extremely important to our society? Well, we can never be sure. There are multiple explanations for why there are such small yet noticeable differences. The most widely spread reasoning and cause of this phenomenon is the existence of parallel universes. This does make as if there are multiple universe, it would be practically impossible to keep every detail exactly the same as it was in the last. This theory also makes claims that we are constantly switching between these parallel universes. While no one can be quite sure why these instances keep occurring, many people of all ages can firmly agree something isn’t quite right. While there could be a firm explanation or it could just be our imaginations, only time and more evidence will tell.
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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Various conspirators believe that the film My Neighbor Totoro took inspiration of this upsetting event, while others believed that the screen writers made this as a tribute to the deceased sisters.â&#x20AC;?
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // LACEY TERRY
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I S TOTORO R E A L LY FO R KI DS?
TRACY TRAN // GUEST WRITER
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any Japanese animated films have reached around the world. One of the best known creators of these famed motion pictures is Studio Ghibli located in the heart of Japan, Tokyo. Studio Ghilbi has celebrated their 31st anniversary earlier this year. This film studio has produced many renowned animations, such as, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke. Each character leaves behind a kindhearted memory that can never be easily forgotten; however, many fans read between the lines and see its horrors. In this case, we will be delving into the obscure theories surrounding Studio Ghibli’s iconic mascot Totoro and the film My Neighbor Totoro. The movie takes place in the countryside in 1958 where we meet professor Kuskabe and his two daughters, Satsuki and Mei, who have just moved into a house to be near a hospital where their mother is extremely ill. As they investigate and begin to renovate the old home, the daughters encounter many magical spirits including the Cat Bus and the giant gray fluffy creature known as Totoro. These spirits live in the vast forest that resides by their country home off in the distance. The two girls go on thrilling adventures with the mysterious spirit, planting seeds and nuts to grow an intricate large tree for Totoro. After being told the visit to see their mother was rescheduled, Satsuki, the older sister, goes to tell her younger sister the troubling news. Satsuki fails to find her younger sibling; instead she discovers a single sandal that belonged to her sister in a gentle stream and alerts the small neighborhood to start a search party. Satsuki locates the giant furry creature that sends the little child on the Cat Bus to where Mei was. The concluding scene illustrates the two girls sitting in a tree staring through the window of the hospital. The two
daughters smile and giggle as they watch their dying mother converse with their loving father. This kid-friendly film had many viewers who have produced horrifying conspiracies that stem from the exposition to the individual characters. There is a conspiracy that the prime location of the movie is in relations to an incident that occurred in Japan. The film takes place in a location called Sayama. When the family was unpacking their household items, there were boxes with shipping labels to Sayama Hills. The incident in Sayama, Japan involved the tragic deaths of two girls. The girl who was killed in Sayama had an older sister who loved her little sister so much that she committed suicide after her passing. Sources say that the older sister was seeing big raccoon or cat-like spirits before she killed herself, due to so much pressure. Various conspirators believe that the film My Neighbor Totoro took inspiration of this upsetting event, while others believed that the screen writers made this as a tribute to the deceased sisters. The most popular theory for this Japanese movie was that the adolescents had actually died and wanted to visit their parents one final time. There are multiple scenes that support this solid argument strongly. It presents the possibility that the spirits were predicting the children’s death. In the beginning of the motion picture, the girls open the wooden doors to their home to notice clusters of black small creatures roaming along the walls and floors. In Japanese folklore, the sighting of these beings meant that someone close by is going to pass away. Later in the film, the audience can see them once again when Satsuki plans to join her sister. The Death God, Totoro, only appears to people that come close to death and cannot be seen by the normal human eye. For
example, Kanta, one of the neighboring kids, could not see the giant raccoon-like creature when the girls pointed it out. According to this theory, Mei has drowned in the river when Satusuki finds his sister’s single slipper moving downstream. She was in so much sorrow and grief that she runs towards the Death God to find a way to end the pain. As she runs to find Totoro, it means that she has died. Totoro sends her with the Cat Bus to go see her sister who has also now died. Satsuki and Mei sit in a tree outside the hospital and can’t be seen by anyone else. Some say that the daughters wanted to see their mother one last time before going off into the afterlife forever. The terminally ill mother recognized her children’s voices and says this: “I felt Satsuki and Mei just laughed near the tree”. The scene soon ends with the girls and the bus heading off into the distance. The Cat Bus that leads them to their mother is seen as a grim reaper but in another form. Many people also pointed out that in the ending scene the girls’ shadows were not visible or evident. The undetected shadows made some spectators consider the idea that the girls have died. People believed that their physical bodies are gone and what are left are only their souls. Some critics spoke out that the movie was controversial and was not meant for young children to be viewing if their true intentions were to be so terrifying. This prompted Studio Ghibli to make a response to settle the uproar of fans. Studio Ghibli released this statement: “No need to be alarmed. There is absolutely no truth or configuration that Totoros are the Gods of Death or that Mei is dead in My Neighbor Totoro. The theories may have been settled but the legend of death and horror will always surround the movie.
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W I N NIE THE P O O H: A G LUTTON ? KYRA KWONG // GUEST WRITER
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ringing it back to old 90’s shows, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Spongebob Squarepants are mainly to entertain kids, but what may not be known are the conspiracies behind them. The animated shorts with Winnie the Pooh began in 1977 and Spongebob following after in 1999. The theories behind the shows include mental disorders and the seven deadly sins. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh includes the characters: Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore and Christopher Robin. All of the characters named have their own mental disability. Pooh suffers from an eating disorder and an obsessive addiction to honey. He is seen through the series eating more and more honey, often putting himself in danger of trying to obtain the sweet honey. Pooh seems to always be hungry, thus binging on the honey he surrounds his home with. Piglet suffers from general anxiety disorder. He can be heard with his distinctive speech impediment in the animated shorts and has a timid and fearful behavior. Tigger has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, as known as ADHD. He may be seen bouncing on his tail everywhere he goes, socializing with the other characters as much as possible. Owl is one of the smartest of the characters, but he too suffers from a mental disorder, the disorder being dyslexia. His knowledge is incredible, but he has mixed around letters here and there and forgotten a couple letters in words. Rabbit suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Rabbit is almost never relaxed and insists on always being organized, especially in his garden. Eeyore’s disorder is the most obvious disorder in the collection of shorts and it is depression disorder. His attitude on life is negative and he is rarely seen in a state
of joy or happiness. Christopher Robin, the only human character among his animal companions, goes through life with schizophrenia. All of the animals in the show are all apart of Christopher Robin’s imagination. Not only that, but each of the imagined characters may symbolize the feelings he has experienced. The mental disability conspiracy theory along with the evidence helps fully open the curtains of one’s mind of the children’s show The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh by showing traits of a person with that particular disability. “Are ya ready kids?” says the old pirate guy in the introduction of Spongebob Squarepants. Spongebob is definitely a classic show watched by kids, many who aren’t aware of the theories behind several of the episodes. A theory with much added evidence for Spongebob is the seven deadly sins theory. The seven deadly sins are pride, greed, lust, sloth, wrath, envy, and gluttony. Seven main characters who possess these sins are Sandy Cheeks, Mr. Eugene Krabs, Spongebob Squarepants, Patrick Star, Squidward Tentacles, Plankton, and Gary the snail in this order. Sandy, a squirrel from Texas, is the sin of pride. She is very proud of who she is and where she comes from. In an episode called “Pressure,” Sandy places herself against the others, believing she can prove that ‘land-critters’ are better than sea creatures. Mr. Krabs is obviously the sin of greed. He demonstrates his sin often with his most precious itemmoney. Mr. Krabs is obsessed with the thought of money and
would do anything to get his claws on it. Spongebob holds the sin of lust, loving everyone in Bikini Bottom and places mentioned in some of the episodes. There are ones who don’t particularly enjoy Spongebob’s presence, but he loves everyone anyway and is more than willing to help anybody. Patrick is the sloth sin, the word ‘sloth’ pertaining to laziness. Patrick does not have a job, license, and lives under a rock. An episode illustrates the scene where Patrick is given an award for doing nothing for the longest time. Squidward is the sin of wrath. This means that he holds a huge amount of hatred inside himself. He hates his life, his neighbors (Spongebob and Patrick), his job, and is angry most of the time. Plankton is jealous of Mr. Krab’s success in his business, thus making him the sin of envy. Plankton is jealous enough to try to steal the Krabby Patty Formula multiple times, usually resulting in a failure on his part. Even Spongebob’s pet snail holds one of the deadly sins! Gary the snail has the
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // EMMA COLLINS
conspiracy theories < 10 sin of gluttony. Spongebob can often be heard in many of the episodes saying that he needs to feed Gary. If not fed, Gary will run away to a place where he can constantly be fed and spoiled. Sandy the prideful squirrel, Mr. Krabs the greedy crab, Spongebob the lustful sponge, Patrick the lazy star, Squidward the hateful squid, Plankton the envious plankton, and Gary the food-obsessed snail each carry one of the seven deadly sins. The seven deadly sins theory may seem farfetched in the beginning, but the evidence in the show assist in the theory to be true. The main characters from both shows have hidden meanings behind them shown in theories and evidence. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh presents the characters with their disabilities exquisitely, making the show get looked at in a different light. Spongebob Squarepants
sets up the main characters as symbols of the seven deadly sins, also making the show grab the attention of the audience in another light. Viewers who have watched one or both of the shows may watch them again to take a close look at the correctness of the theories.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The seven deadly sins theory may seem farfetched in the beginning, but the evidence in the show assist in the theory to be true.â&#x20AC;?
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T W O TRUT H S, O NE L IE? SHERALYN LARON // STAFF
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isneyland, the “happiest place on Earth!”. Where dreams come true and memories are made. Right? Throughout the numerous years the park has been open and attracted attention from audiences of all ages, many mysterious rumors have been made up. Have any of these rumors been proven true? Or are these rumors just an attempt at feeding into the interest and curiosity about the “happiest place on Earth” ? Let’s start with Walt Disney, the founder of Disneyland. Disney began with simple voice acting and animation, and his talents eventually expanded into the amusement park known around the world. However, Walt died of lung cancer in 1966, only eleven years after the opening of Disneyland. His death left a few projects untouched, like the secret room in the Disneyland Dream Suite intended for Disney’s family to occupy. These stories aren’t nearly as startling and don’t make us think as much as many others may. After Disney’s death in 1966, talk spread like wildfire about his head and possibly his whole body being cryogenically frozen and stored somewhere within the park for the future if a cure is ever discovered. Origins of this rumor may have come from a misunderstanding where Disney was quoted to have wanted to be frozen, but was actually just cremated days after his death. Many still believe in his frozen state even after this rumor has been uncovered, but maybe the rumor was only squashed with the intentions of keeping the park a symbol of childhood and innocence that it is known for by many. The amusement park has also gained attention for possibly being haunted, once again tainting the pure image of Disneyland. One of the park’s more famous attractions, the Pirates of the Caribbean, has garnered the attention of some as well. The realistic journey that the attraction takes its audience on really captures
the eye with its breathtaking scenery and realistic settings, but is it all really just for the looks? Before the ride officially opened, some workers were disappointed in the lack of realistic looking props among the ride and went out of their way to compile real skeletons for the new attraction to add to its convincing looks. As years went on, the bones were supposed to be replaced with artificial ones, but according to old workers and even appointed persons to investigate, some real skeleton parts still remain scattered throughout the duration of the ride. While some people choose not to believe this, many have come to the conclusion that the ride is haunted because of the real skeletons. Although this may be a result of the hidden bones, it is possibly just as likely that it is another of the many hauntings that occur throughout Disneyland by those who have died in the park. All in all, the eeriness all adds to the feel of the ride, and that’s all we care about, isn’t it? Not all of Disney’s hidden secrets are quite as paranormal as experiences on rides and may actually be innocent stories. The Disneyland theme park is said to release numerous cats that are usually kept locked up somewhere within the park after it is closed to the public to clear the park of mice, except for Mickey and Minnie, of course. This mystery has been said to be untrue, and that Disneyland has a tendency to take in stray cats to care for. The cats, however, do seem to come out to play mostly at night. There have been reports of cats wandering the land in the daytime, just check the Instagram for Disneyland’s cats! The cats simply live within Disneyland and prefer to keep mostly to themselves. If this is the case, however, and these cats are not used as rodent control, why have the majority of people not seen a cat nor a mouse? So, what is the truth, Disney?
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // SARINA BLUMBERG
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THE DEVIL’S T R I AN GLE KATIE GOLDMAN // STAFF
“In 1492, Christopher Columbus reported strange compass readings and saw an odd light emerge from the island.” PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // RACHELLE CASTILLO
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he Bermuda Triangle has been related to many unsolved disappearances and odd occurrences. There have been ships found with no people on them, or ships that have gone missing altogether. Planes would fall from the sky without reporting any problems, and divers have reported strange thing seen around the Devil’s Triangle. These occurrences have left scientists baffled. The first strange occurrence that was documented was during Christopher Columbus’ travels and the Bermuda Triangle has only gotten stranger since then. In 1492 Christopher Columbus reported strange compass readings and saw an odd light emerge from the island. Many years later there were consistent reports of people, such as Vice President Aaron Burr’s daughter, going missing. Two years after the vice president›s daughter, there was another disappearance the major difference was the entire crew was gone. Within the years of 1814 and 1881, 4 more ships were found without a soul on board. None of the people were found. Ships found without people on board after their voyage through the triangle became known as the “Bermuda Triangle ghost ships”. Later on in history the disappearances became even more extreme, they went from only the crew to the entire ship. The largest ship in the US Navy›s history, the USS Cyclops with 309 people aboard, vanished from the center of the Bermuda Triangle. There was no mayday call and not a single trace was left from the ship. Although there has been many theories to what happened none of them could ever
be proven. This was not the only ship that vanished; however, it was the most baffling and the largest number of lives lost. Ships are not the only transportation that have fallen victim the mysteries that seem to accompany the Devil’s Triangle. Flight 19 was a USS Navy plane that went missing during its flight over the Atlantic. When the plane did not return to base, the navy sent out two more planes and only one of the two planes returned. One of the Martin Mariner aircrafts with a 13 man crew did not return after its flight. In 1947 the C-54 Douglas took off from Bermuda. Almost immediately the flight was headed in the wrong direction, and neither the pilot nor the navigator were aware of this. This flight flew into the Devil’s Triangle where seemingly out of nowhere there was a sudden storm. The plane flew straight into the storm and did not attempt to avoid it. This flight resulted in the disintegration of the C-54 Douglas. This is yet another example of an odd tragedy in the Bermuda Triangle. In the Bermuda Triangle, many lives and vessels have seemingly vanished into thin air. All of these losses however have not ruled the triangle especially hazardous. Compared to the rest of the ocean, the loss of life is relatively the same. This does not mean that the Bermuda Triangle is not still interesting due to the many lost lives and vessels; it only means that people are not warned to avoid it. In fact many people navigate over this area everyday without any odd experiences, while others have still not been found after their voyage.
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WHO KILLE D JONBE N ÉT? ANNA SERPA // EDITOR
“JonBenét’s mouth was covered with a piece of black duct tape, hands tied above her head with white cord, a homemade garrote around her neck...”
“These sus are what believe th killed her
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION // KEIRA LOWE
spicious actions led many people to hat Patsy Ramsey r daughter.”
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old cases are unsolved homicides, deaths, or anomalies where there is no definitive answer. Recently, however, there has been new evidence brought to one case 20 years after the case was originally opened. This is the case of JonBenét Patricia Ramsey. In 1996, 6 year old JonBenét Ramsey was reported missing on Christmas Day. The supposed intruder left a 2.5 page ransom letter demanding $11,000, $100,000 in $100 bills and the remaining $18,000 in $20 bills. Following the call, JonBenét Ramsey was found in the unused wine cellar that was in the basement. She was covered with a white blanket and her favorite Barbie pajamas nearby. JonBenét’s mouth was covered with a piece of black duct tape, hands tied above her head with white cord, a homemade garrote around her neck made from the same cord and a broken paintbrush handle belonging to Patsy Ramsey, her mother. The homemade garrote was used to strangle JonBenét, eventually asphyxiating her. It was also discovered that there was a heart drawn in red ink on the palm of her left hand. The autopsy report showed that Ramsey suffered a severe blow to the head resulting in a skull fracture and bleeding in the brain, had 3 strange marks on her body (2 on her back and 1 on her cheek) speculated from a stun gun. The report also mentioned evidence of possible sexual abuse, but it is unknown if it happened multiple times or just at the time of the crime. Pineapples were discovered in her digestive system, in the beginning the police overlooked this detail until a bowl of pineapples was discovered on the counter. The bowl had Patsy and Burke’s, her older brother, fingerprints on it. That was the main parts of the case that the Boulder police department had to work with as well as the District Attorney’s office. Patsy and John Ramsey refused questioning, instead having written questions sent to their lawyer. The couple even went so far as to hire private investigators and have multiple television broadcasts. These suspicious actions are what led many people to believe that Patsy Ramsey killed her daughter. Many people have other theories such as an intruder killed her, Burke Ramsey, Bob Enyart — a Denver Colorado Pastor — or that the entire murder was a staged coverup. While police went to great lengths to gather evidence, they could never close
conspiracy theories < 14 the case because the crime scene was contaminated, making any possible leads hard to find. Reasons for contamination were reported, one being that John Ramsey pulled the duct tape from his daughter’s mouth and brought her body upstairs and second the crime scene wasn’t closed and the police let friends and family walk freely through the house. Lastly as the police were dusting or any kind of prints, friends would spray and sanitize the area, wiping away any potential evidence that could be gathered. However, since the original opening of the case new evidence has been discovered. In 2006, John Marc Karr, a school teacher in Thailand, falsely confessed to the murder of JonBenét Ramsey. He claims to have drugged her, but the autopsy showed up negative for any potential drugs. There was also photographic evidence that proves the teacher was in Georgia during the time of JonBenét’s murder. Then in 2010 with new DNA screening technology, DNA traces of an unknown male were found on JonBenét’s pajama bottoms and the line of her underwear. Unfortunately, police said this DNA could have been from any male although they did test the leads for DNA comparison. Due to this new development, head District Attorney Lacy dismissed John, Patsy, and Burke Ramsey as potential suspects of the murder. This year will be the 20th anniversary of this horrific tragedy and Burke Ramsey has come forward for the remembrance of his sister. He spoke in an interview with Dr.Phil about her casket, as well as the day he came home from his friend’s house. Burke smiled throughout the interview, making many people unsettled. Police have let the case go cold, because they never were able to convict anyone for the murder of JonBenét Ramsey. However, there were two possible indictments for accessory to 1st degree murder and child abuse. These charges against John Ramsey and Patsy Ramsey were dropped. So the real question is, who killed JonBenét Patricia Ramsey?
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