As further evidence that the average human mind possesses incredible latent abilities, a Czech speedway driver who was recently knocked unconscious in a crash was reported to have come out of his coma with a previously unknown ability to speak perfect and fluid English. 18-year-old Matej Kus was unconscious for about 45 minutes after the accident, but when he woke up he conversed fluidly in English with paramedics. Perhaps even more oddly, he spoke in a clear English accent. The teenager had just recently begun to study the language and his friends and teammates describe his previous language skills as "basic at best".
Peter Waite, who works for Kus's team, the Berwick Bandits, said, "I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was in a really clear English accent, no dialect or anything. Whatever happened in the crash must have rearranged things in his head."
Kus had some English language training prior to the incident, but those who knew him well say it couldn't possibly account for his instantaneous and perfect command of the language."Before his crash Matej's use of the English language was broken, to put it mildly.
He was only just making a start on improving it and struggled to be understood, but was keen to learn," explained Waite. "Yet here we were at the ambulance door listening to Matej talking to the medical staff in perfect English. Matej didn't have a clue who or where he was when he came round. He didn't even know he was Czech. It was unbelievable to hear him talk in unbroken English.
"Kus strange and sudden ability eventually disappeared as he recovered. Presently, he cannot remember the accident itself nor the following two days. But he says after hearing what happened, he is now very interested in studying English.He told the Daily Mail, through an interpreter: "It's unbelievable that I was speaking English like that, especially without an accent. Hopefully I can pick English up over the winter for the start of next season so I'll be able to speak it without someone having to hit me over the head first. There must be plenty of the English language in my subconscious so hopefully I'll be able to pick it up quickly next time.
"The type of phenomena experienced by Kus is rare, but not unheard of. Usually in concurrence with some sort of brain trauma, or disorder, several notable cases exist where individuals were inexplicably able to use savant-like abilities to make incredible mental calculations or perform stunning feats of memory. In some cases, the new ability was a permanent "improvement" on the individual's otherwise normal mental capacity.
Such was the case for Orlando Serrell, who did not possess any unusual skills until he was struck by a baseball on the left side of his head on August 17, 1979 when he was ten years old. Serrell suffered from a long headache, but after the headache ended, Orlando inexplicably had the ability to perform calculations of amazing complexity. He can also recall details of his life, like the weather, where he was, and what he was doing every day since the day his head was struck.
Mind expert Allan Snyder of the University of Sydney and director of Center for the Mind, is certain that all people possess incredible latent abilities, but only some are able to express them through "malfunctions" of overriding brain functions whether through brain trauma or certain forms of autism."They are exceptional in that they can tap in and somehow we can't. They have privileged access," explained Snyder.Snyder is currently involved in research to find a way to safely (as in no baseball bat involved) activate these "savant" abilities without compromising normal brain functioning.
Posted by Rebecca Sato
*Note: The average Daily Galaxy reader tends to be on the more intelligent side, but just in case you're the one idiot who's reading this-please do not injure your head in an attempt to gain a new ability! Since this phenomenon is incredibly rare, you are much, much more likely to sustain brain damage than you are to unlock a new mental skill.
___________
There could be several explanations for this: A past life as an Englishman or a temporary walk in that had previously been English. The mind is very complex so there could be many reasons but those two come to my mind - Aileen
Friday, September 28, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
FROM THE WASHINGTON POST
There's the Red Vote, the Blue Vote . . . and the Little Green Vote
By Dana Milbank
Tuesday, September 18, 2007; A02
Federal law limits the participation of resident aliens in the political process. But it is silent on the role of extraterrestrial aliens.
This loophole has not been lost on the life forms who arrived on these shores aboard flying saucers with little more than the antennae on their backs. After years of suffering without suffrage, these beings are now seeking to play a role in the 2008 presidential campaign.
That, at any rate, is the considered opinion of the Paradigm Research Group, which held a news conference at the National Press Club yesterday to demand that presidential candidates support a "truth amnesty" to end the "government-imposed truth embargo on the facts confirming an extraterrestrial presence."
"The truth amnesty disclosure project is reportedly recommended by the participating extraterrestrials themselves," Alfred Webre of the Institute for Cooperation in Space announced to the humans-only gathering, next door to a speech on Iraq by Rep. Jack Murtha. "That is the specific extraterrestrial civilization which approximately 60 years ago entered into a top-secret CIA human-extraterrestrial liaison program."
The 2008 presidential cycle has already been an abnormal one, and the candidates yesterday resisted this attempt to turn the race toward the paranormal.
"Let me check in with the mothership," Phil Singer, a Hillary Clinton spokesman, answered when asked about the truth embargo.
"We're more focused on lifting the government-imposed truth embargo on issues like the war in Iraq," replied Bill Burton, a spokesman for Barack Obama.
Dismissive answers such as these from the two Democratic front-runners leave an opening for other candidates to claim the alien vote -- a prospect that could create havoc in the primaries if large numbers of ETs are found to be living in Iowa and New Hampshire.
The likeliest beneficiary: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who wrote a foreword to the "Roswell Dig Diaries," a UFO book. "As a 25-year-old he was an employee of a secret CIA extraterrestrial liaison program," Webre explained. "He has inside knowledge."
But the knowledge must still be secret: His spokeswoman didn't respond to an inquiry.
Also a favorite of the ET crowd is Dennis Kucinich, the Ohio congressman. "I'm sorry to out you, Dennis, but he knows a lot about this subject," confided Stephen Bassett of the Paradigm Research Group. "If he brings it forward as a presidential candidate, he's going to make some history."
The Republican side is "really tough" for the UFO crowd, but Bassett gives his nod to John McCain, a former Navy pilot, over Ron Paul, who was an Air Force flight surgeon. "McCain has shown some displeasure with the way NASA has conducted its affairs," Bassett reasoned.
More than anybody, Bassett has been working to elevate alien affairs as an issue in 2008. He filmed video questions for the CNN-You Tube debates; they weren't selected. He urged George Stephanopoulos to ask the candidates about ETs; no luck. He wrote an article titled the "ET Ticket" -- it gives the nod to Clinton and Richardson -- for publications such as UFO Magazine. And, fresh from the weekend's "X-Conference 2007" convention in Gaithersburg, he rented a room at the press club yesterday to announce "new efforts to introduce the UFO/ET issue into the ongoing presidential campaigns."
An economy-minded Bassett didn't order a microphone for his event, and the "X-Conference" banner he bought on the Internet ("one-third the price of Kinkos!") was too big for the room and had to be continued on a second wall. About 40 X-Conference conventioneers packed the room, far outnumbering the handful of journalists.
But none of this slowed Bassett, who treated the assembly to startling revelations: the "Jimmy Carter ET studies," the "Rockefeller initiative toward the Clinton administration to end the UFO truth embargo" and the "1967 Malmstrom Air Force Base incident, where our SAC missiles were shut down by an ET craft hanging over the base."
Not one of the participants or audience members cracked a smile. Neither did they giggle when Webre proposed an environmental rationale for the ET amnesty program, saying the aliens' "advanced technology," which uses nonpolluting fuel, could "revolutionize the transport of goods and people on this planet and rejuvenate the biosphere."
The faces remained serious and earnest when Robert Miles, a film producer, announced plans to give each member of Congress a high-definition DVD titled "Fastwalkers: They Are Here." On the cover, a mean-looking alien eyes the Capitol and saucers circle overhead. "Don't tell me the American public's not interested," Miles challenged.
So far, however, the presidential candidates remain, well, alienated. Even Kucinich. "If you have a serious question, just ask me," Kucinich spokeswoman Natalie Laber replied when told of the UFO crowd's hopes for her boss. "If not, then just keep your silly comments to yourself."
By Dana Milbank
Tuesday, September 18, 2007; A02
Federal law limits the participation of resident aliens in the political process. But it is silent on the role of extraterrestrial aliens.
This loophole has not been lost on the life forms who arrived on these shores aboard flying saucers with little more than the antennae on their backs. After years of suffering without suffrage, these beings are now seeking to play a role in the 2008 presidential campaign.
That, at any rate, is the considered opinion of the Paradigm Research Group, which held a news conference at the National Press Club yesterday to demand that presidential candidates support a "truth amnesty" to end the "government-imposed truth embargo on the facts confirming an extraterrestrial presence."
"The truth amnesty disclosure project is reportedly recommended by the participating extraterrestrials themselves," Alfred Webre of the Institute for Cooperation in Space announced to the humans-only gathering, next door to a speech on Iraq by Rep. Jack Murtha. "That is the specific extraterrestrial civilization which approximately 60 years ago entered into a top-secret CIA human-extraterrestrial liaison program."
The 2008 presidential cycle has already been an abnormal one, and the candidates yesterday resisted this attempt to turn the race toward the paranormal.
"Let me check in with the mothership," Phil Singer, a Hillary Clinton spokesman, answered when asked about the truth embargo.
"We're more focused on lifting the government-imposed truth embargo on issues like the war in Iraq," replied Bill Burton, a spokesman for Barack Obama.
Dismissive answers such as these from the two Democratic front-runners leave an opening for other candidates to claim the alien vote -- a prospect that could create havoc in the primaries if large numbers of ETs are found to be living in Iowa and New Hampshire.
The likeliest beneficiary: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who wrote a foreword to the "Roswell Dig Diaries," a UFO book. "As a 25-year-old he was an employee of a secret CIA extraterrestrial liaison program," Webre explained. "He has inside knowledge."
But the knowledge must still be secret: His spokeswoman didn't respond to an inquiry.
Also a favorite of the ET crowd is Dennis Kucinich, the Ohio congressman. "I'm sorry to out you, Dennis, but he knows a lot about this subject," confided Stephen Bassett of the Paradigm Research Group. "If he brings it forward as a presidential candidate, he's going to make some history."
The Republican side is "really tough" for the UFO crowd, but Bassett gives his nod to John McCain, a former Navy pilot, over Ron Paul, who was an Air Force flight surgeon. "McCain has shown some displeasure with the way NASA has conducted its affairs," Bassett reasoned.
More than anybody, Bassett has been working to elevate alien affairs as an issue in 2008. He filmed video questions for the CNN-You Tube debates; they weren't selected. He urged George Stephanopoulos to ask the candidates about ETs; no luck. He wrote an article titled the "ET Ticket" -- it gives the nod to Clinton and Richardson -- for publications such as UFO Magazine. And, fresh from the weekend's "X-Conference 2007" convention in Gaithersburg, he rented a room at the press club yesterday to announce "new efforts to introduce the UFO/ET issue into the ongoing presidential campaigns."
An economy-minded Bassett didn't order a microphone for his event, and the "X-Conference" banner he bought on the Internet ("one-third the price of Kinkos!") was too big for the room and had to be continued on a second wall. About 40 X-Conference conventioneers packed the room, far outnumbering the handful of journalists.
But none of this slowed Bassett, who treated the assembly to startling revelations: the "Jimmy Carter ET studies," the "Rockefeller initiative toward the Clinton administration to end the UFO truth embargo" and the "1967 Malmstrom Air Force Base incident, where our SAC missiles were shut down by an ET craft hanging over the base."
Not one of the participants or audience members cracked a smile. Neither did they giggle when Webre proposed an environmental rationale for the ET amnesty program, saying the aliens' "advanced technology," which uses nonpolluting fuel, could "revolutionize the transport of goods and people on this planet and rejuvenate the biosphere."
The faces remained serious and earnest when Robert Miles, a film producer, announced plans to give each member of Congress a high-definition DVD titled "Fastwalkers: They Are Here." On the cover, a mean-looking alien eyes the Capitol and saucers circle overhead. "Don't tell me the American public's not interested," Miles challenged.
So far, however, the presidential candidates remain, well, alienated. Even Kucinich. "If you have a serious question, just ask me," Kucinich spokeswoman Natalie Laber replied when told of the UFO crowd's hopes for her boss. "If not, then just keep your silly comments to yourself."
Sunday, September 23, 2007
THE MAYAN PROPHECY KEEPER
By Walker Marchal
Four Corners Magazine
The time of the return of the ancestors is here: the return of wisdom! The prophecies are being fulfilled. - Grandfather Alejandro
Grandfather Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj is living proof of the Mayan messages he is carrying around the world. Waktel Utiw, a Mayan name that means Wandering Wolf, is his spiritual name. He is the 13th Generation Quiche Mayan High Priest who made his first visit to Sedona, AZ this July for a series of spiritual events.
When he was younger, he was told and accepted as his destiny that he was "the voice of the jungle and the messenger of the Mayas." At the age of 78, he is recognized as a primary keeper of the teachings, visions and prophecies of the Maya. Since 1995, he has been the President of the National Mayan Council of Elders, an organization of 440 spiritual elders in Guatemala.
On July 6th, with an overflowing audience at the Sedona Creative Life Center, Grandfather entered gracefully by shaking the hands of people in the audience. He welcomed everyone with the words, "Distinguished elders who honor us with your presence, my humble respect to all of you." With the deepest sincerity, he spoke of the Mayan calendar. He explained that August 16, 1987 was the day that marked the ending in the Mayan calendar of a major cycle called the Nine Hells or the Trail of Tears that began in 1524 with the Spanish Conquest. The day after that cycle came to completion a new cycle began called the Thirteen Heavens or the Harmonic Convergence. According to Grandfather, the date of August 17, 1987 was the beginning of the fulfillment period of the cycle leading up to a major shift on our planet. Many have foretold that the end of the cycle will be on December 21, 2012, but he shared that there is no exact way to determine when the time that the Maya call Zero will occur in our Gregorian calendar system. He stated that no one on earth will have to wonder whether the Zero has happened when it occurs because the earth will be plunged into three or four days of total darkness with no visible light appearing from the sun. During this period the Mayans have foretold that the magnetic poles of the earth will shift. He encouraged everyone to practice meditation during that period of darkness and to stay centered. "What we need to do, is to be the best we can, to educate our children and be with our families. God knows what he's going to do with us."
According to the Mayan prophecies, many people will be leaving the earth because they will not be able to physically endure the energetic changes on the planet. He also spoke of a time after that period of darkness, by saying that it will be up to the survivors to decide how to live on the earth. His message was not one of doom, however; for he is full of gratitude and love for the earth and all those he encounters. His message rather, is filled with hope and optimism for peace and oneness.
"Those of the center will unite the eagle of the north and the condor of the south. We will unite our brothers, because we are one like fingers of the same hand, black and white, rich and poor, indigenous and non-indigenous. What I see today is our planet covered in a veil of sadness. We are divided. Some people say they don't care, while others are interested in exploiting nature. None of this matters to the military. All they care about is conquering the world. They never think about who is dying. They never think about who they are killing. That doesn't concern us so much. All of that will fall to the ground soon enough. Those who exist now, tomorrow will not be. Those who are happy today, will weep tomorrow. And those who weep now will find solutions tomorrow. Our main interest is to stop pollution and contamination so that there can be life for all beings on earth."
On the following morning, July 7, approximately thirty people gathered in the Sedona red rocks at six a.m. for a private sunrise ceremony led by Adam Yellowbird. A human circle was formed around a ring of rocks with a central mesa altar containing sacred objects and offerings including chanupas (peace pipes), sage, crystals, rattles, drums, pendulums, smudging wands and medicine bundles. As the sun rose over the mountain and through the pines to enter the ceremonial ring, he shared that the Maya tradition is to rise each morning and offer prayers to the sun.
In addition to all his other responsibilities, Grandfather is also the keeper of an immensely important Mayan staff he inhereited from his lineage. It is more than two-thousand-years-old and bears the engraved image of the great Kukulkan, Quetzalcoatl, Tepeu, Gucumatz (the spirit of the air and of hurricanes symbolized by the Quetzal bird). It also has a serpent on its bottom and a frog in its center. The staff is being used to empower people in ceremonies and Elder gatherings, and to carry the Mayan message of unification. It represents the hurricane energy, which supports the work of the bridgemakers in bringing people together in sacred work. This ancient and powerful object was carried with him to Sedona where it was revealed for the first time in public since it was returned on June 21 of this year at Tiawanako, Bolivia. During the sunrise ceremony, the people of the north utilized the peace pipes to purify, bless and connect the staff with the north.
Grandfather and the Mayan Council commissioned Steve Copeland, a film director, to create a film called The shift of the Ages that documents Waktel and his mission to spread the messages of the Maya for unity and balance of mother earth. (www.shiftingages.com)
Adam Yellowbird, the Founder of Earthdance 8 and the President of the I.C.A. noted, "Grandfather is akin to the Dalai Lama. He is the spiritual and secular leader of his people who travels the world."
I.C.A.'s, next Earth Works for humanity global gathering will be the Return of the Ancestors and Council of Future Wisdom Keepers from April 18-28 in 2009 in northern Arizona. For more information, please contact I.C.A. at 928-646-3000 or visit their website at www.earthworksforhumanity.org.
Four Corners Magazine
The time of the return of the ancestors is here: the return of wisdom! The prophecies are being fulfilled. - Grandfather Alejandro
Grandfather Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj is living proof of the Mayan messages he is carrying around the world. Waktel Utiw, a Mayan name that means Wandering Wolf, is his spiritual name. He is the 13th Generation Quiche Mayan High Priest who made his first visit to Sedona, AZ this July for a series of spiritual events.
When he was younger, he was told and accepted as his destiny that he was "the voice of the jungle and the messenger of the Mayas." At the age of 78, he is recognized as a primary keeper of the teachings, visions and prophecies of the Maya. Since 1995, he has been the President of the National Mayan Council of Elders, an organization of 440 spiritual elders in Guatemala.
On July 6th, with an overflowing audience at the Sedona Creative Life Center, Grandfather entered gracefully by shaking the hands of people in the audience. He welcomed everyone with the words, "Distinguished elders who honor us with your presence, my humble respect to all of you." With the deepest sincerity, he spoke of the Mayan calendar. He explained that August 16, 1987 was the day that marked the ending in the Mayan calendar of a major cycle called the Nine Hells or the Trail of Tears that began in 1524 with the Spanish Conquest. The day after that cycle came to completion a new cycle began called the Thirteen Heavens or the Harmonic Convergence. According to Grandfather, the date of August 17, 1987 was the beginning of the fulfillment period of the cycle leading up to a major shift on our planet. Many have foretold that the end of the cycle will be on December 21, 2012, but he shared that there is no exact way to determine when the time that the Maya call Zero will occur in our Gregorian calendar system. He stated that no one on earth will have to wonder whether the Zero has happened when it occurs because the earth will be plunged into three or four days of total darkness with no visible light appearing from the sun. During this period the Mayans have foretold that the magnetic poles of the earth will shift. He encouraged everyone to practice meditation during that period of darkness and to stay centered. "What we need to do, is to be the best we can, to educate our children and be with our families. God knows what he's going to do with us."
According to the Mayan prophecies, many people will be leaving the earth because they will not be able to physically endure the energetic changes on the planet. He also spoke of a time after that period of darkness, by saying that it will be up to the survivors to decide how to live on the earth. His message was not one of doom, however; for he is full of gratitude and love for the earth and all those he encounters. His message rather, is filled with hope and optimism for peace and oneness.
"Those of the center will unite the eagle of the north and the condor of the south. We will unite our brothers, because we are one like fingers of the same hand, black and white, rich and poor, indigenous and non-indigenous. What I see today is our planet covered in a veil of sadness. We are divided. Some people say they don't care, while others are interested in exploiting nature. None of this matters to the military. All they care about is conquering the world. They never think about who is dying. They never think about who they are killing. That doesn't concern us so much. All of that will fall to the ground soon enough. Those who exist now, tomorrow will not be. Those who are happy today, will weep tomorrow. And those who weep now will find solutions tomorrow. Our main interest is to stop pollution and contamination so that there can be life for all beings on earth."
On the following morning, July 7, approximately thirty people gathered in the Sedona red rocks at six a.m. for a private sunrise ceremony led by Adam Yellowbird. A human circle was formed around a ring of rocks with a central mesa altar containing sacred objects and offerings including chanupas (peace pipes), sage, crystals, rattles, drums, pendulums, smudging wands and medicine bundles. As the sun rose over the mountain and through the pines to enter the ceremonial ring, he shared that the Maya tradition is to rise each morning and offer prayers to the sun.
In addition to all his other responsibilities, Grandfather is also the keeper of an immensely important Mayan staff he inhereited from his lineage. It is more than two-thousand-years-old and bears the engraved image of the great Kukulkan, Quetzalcoatl, Tepeu, Gucumatz (the spirit of the air and of hurricanes symbolized by the Quetzal bird). It also has a serpent on its bottom and a frog in its center. The staff is being used to empower people in ceremonies and Elder gatherings, and to carry the Mayan message of unification. It represents the hurricane energy, which supports the work of the bridgemakers in bringing people together in sacred work. This ancient and powerful object was carried with him to Sedona where it was revealed for the first time in public since it was returned on June 21 of this year at Tiawanako, Bolivia. During the sunrise ceremony, the people of the north utilized the peace pipes to purify, bless and connect the staff with the north.
Grandfather and the Mayan Council commissioned Steve Copeland, a film director, to create a film called The shift of the Ages that documents Waktel and his mission to spread the messages of the Maya for unity and balance of mother earth. (www.shiftingages.com)
Adam Yellowbird, the Founder of Earthdance 8 and the President of the I.C.A. noted, "Grandfather is akin to the Dalai Lama. He is the spiritual and secular leader of his people who travels the world."
I.C.A.'s, next Earth Works for humanity global gathering will be the Return of the Ancestors and Council of Future Wisdom Keepers from April 18-28 in 2009 in northern Arizona. For more information, please contact I.C.A. at 928-646-3000 or visit their website at www.earthworksforhumanity.org.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
CARVING TOTEMS FOR HEALING
By Heather Larson
American Profile
The scent of freshly cut cedar fills the air as Jewell James chisels curls of wood from a 15-foot totem pole that he hopes will bring healing to the families of three boys killed in a 1999 gasoline pipeline explosion along Whatcom Creek in Bellingham, Washington.
As he chips away at the 300 year old log in his yard on the Lummi Indian Reservation, the outline of a salmon symbolizes the fish and other wildlife destroyed when a fireball ravaged more than a mile of the creek, killing Liam Wood, 18, Wade King and Stephen Tsiorvas, both 10.
"The pole is to restore the stream and its habitat and to remember the three boys who lost their lives," says James, 54, a master carver for the Lummi Nation, based near Bellingham.
During the last three decades, James, with the help of fellow American Indian carvers, has created more than 60 totems to reawaken native culture and promote healing for families, communities and the nation.
Three of James' most famous works honor victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept.. 11, 2001. The totems, painted red, black, yellow and white to represent the races of people hurt during the attacks were dedicated in Sterling Forest in New York, Shanksville, PA, and at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, respectively each September between 2002 and 2004.
"We have used the totemic art as a teaching tool to help all of us learn to heal from grief, and this was the message we wanted to convey with the 9-11 poles," James says.
In 1972, James began carving totems and studying the ancient art of his ancestors while attending the University of Washington in Seattle. He learned about totem designs and color patterns from master carver Marvin Oliver, who taught American Indian studies and art at the university, and he gleaned even more knowledge by working alongside other carvers, including his younger brother, Dale.
James begins the totem-carving process by selecting a log. He prefers Western red cedars that are at least 500 years old. The giant, old-growth trees are valued for their tall, straight trunks, soft, lightweight wood; and natural ability to repel insects and resist decay.
"If we find an appropriate living tree, we first bless it in a prayer ceremony; then hire a logger to drop it, and pay a logging company to haul it to the reservation," says James, who works as a policy analyst for the Lummi tribe.
When a log arrives in his yard, he cuts it into lengths and removes the outer bark and soft, pulpy layer, exposing the carveable, fragnant wood. After he rounds and smooths the log with a 30 inch drawknife, James decides where he will carve the totem's figrues, which might include eagles or owls, whales or wolves, the sun or the moon.
He outlines the figures with a marker and cuts away wood that won't be part of the final design. As he carves, the totem's three dimensional images take shape until figures cover the entire pole.
James and his assitants can labor as much as 1,000 hours to create a single totem and typically they receive no compensation for the "healing" poles they carve. Volunteers often help him with cutting, chiseling, sanding or painting.
"Traditionally our people used elements found in nature for the paint colors, like red earth for red, cattail pollen for yellow, and various burned plants to create black or even an off-white," he says. "Now we buy exterior paint at the hardware store."
Among Pacific Northwest tribes, totem poles traditionally were towering accounts of family ancestry, clan achievements and creation myths. In his work, James tries to convey stories about human relationships, with each other and the environment in hope of promoting peace and healing in the world.
American Profile
The scent of freshly cut cedar fills the air as Jewell James chisels curls of wood from a 15-foot totem pole that he hopes will bring healing to the families of three boys killed in a 1999 gasoline pipeline explosion along Whatcom Creek in Bellingham, Washington.
As he chips away at the 300 year old log in his yard on the Lummi Indian Reservation, the outline of a salmon symbolizes the fish and other wildlife destroyed when a fireball ravaged more than a mile of the creek, killing Liam Wood, 18, Wade King and Stephen Tsiorvas, both 10.
"The pole is to restore the stream and its habitat and to remember the three boys who lost their lives," says James, 54, a master carver for the Lummi Nation, based near Bellingham.
During the last three decades, James, with the help of fellow American Indian carvers, has created more than 60 totems to reawaken native culture and promote healing for families, communities and the nation.
Three of James' most famous works honor victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept.. 11, 2001. The totems, painted red, black, yellow and white to represent the races of people hurt during the attacks were dedicated in Sterling Forest in New York, Shanksville, PA, and at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, respectively each September between 2002 and 2004.
"We have used the totemic art as a teaching tool to help all of us learn to heal from grief, and this was the message we wanted to convey with the 9-11 poles," James says.
In 1972, James began carving totems and studying the ancient art of his ancestors while attending the University of Washington in Seattle. He learned about totem designs and color patterns from master carver Marvin Oliver, who taught American Indian studies and art at the university, and he gleaned even more knowledge by working alongside other carvers, including his younger brother, Dale.
James begins the totem-carving process by selecting a log. He prefers Western red cedars that are at least 500 years old. The giant, old-growth trees are valued for their tall, straight trunks, soft, lightweight wood; and natural ability to repel insects and resist decay.
"If we find an appropriate living tree, we first bless it in a prayer ceremony; then hire a logger to drop it, and pay a logging company to haul it to the reservation," says James, who works as a policy analyst for the Lummi tribe.
When a log arrives in his yard, he cuts it into lengths and removes the outer bark and soft, pulpy layer, exposing the carveable, fragnant wood. After he rounds and smooths the log with a 30 inch drawknife, James decides where he will carve the totem's figrues, which might include eagles or owls, whales or wolves, the sun or the moon.
He outlines the figures with a marker and cuts away wood that won't be part of the final design. As he carves, the totem's three dimensional images take shape until figures cover the entire pole.
James and his assitants can labor as much as 1,000 hours to create a single totem and typically they receive no compensation for the "healing" poles they carve. Volunteers often help him with cutting, chiseling, sanding or painting.
"Traditionally our people used elements found in nature for the paint colors, like red earth for red, cattail pollen for yellow, and various burned plants to create black or even an off-white," he says. "Now we buy exterior paint at the hardware store."
Among Pacific Northwest tribes, totem poles traditionally were towering accounts of family ancestry, clan achievements and creation myths. In his work, James tries to convey stories about human relationships, with each other and the environment in hope of promoting peace and healing in the world.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
BBC NEWS
Scores ill in Peru 'meteor crash'
The crater has been spewing fetid gases, reports say
Hundreds of people in Peru have needed treatment after an object from space - said to be a meteorite - plummeted to Earth in a remote area, officials say.
They say the object left a deep crater after crashing down over the weekend near the town of Carancas in the Andes.
People who visited the scene have been complaining of headaches, vomiting and nausea after inhaling gases.
But some experts have questioned whether it was a meteorite or some other object that landed in Carancas.
"Increasingly we think that people witnessed a fireball, which are not uncommon, went off to investigate and found a lake of sedimentary deposit, which may be full of smelly, methane rich organic matter," said Dr Caroline Smith, a meteorite expert at the London-based Natural History Museum.
"This has been mistaken for a crater."
A team of scientists is on its way to the site to collect samples and verify whether it was indeed a meteorite.
I think there's also a certain psychological fear in the community
Local mayor Nestor Quispe
Geologists have called on the authorities to stop people going near the crash site.
A local journalist, Martine Hanlon, told the BBC experts did not believe the meteor would make anybody sick, but they did think a chemical reaction caused by its contact with the ground could release toxins such as sulphur and arsenic.
An engineer from the Peruvian Nuclear Energy Institute told AFP news agency that no radiation had been detected from the crater. He ruled out any possibility that the fallen object might be a satellite.
Afraid
Nestor Quispe, the mayor of the municipality to which Carancas belongs, told the BBC that many residents had been affected.
"Lots of people from the town of Carancas have fallen ill. They have headaches, eye problems, irritated skin, nausea and vomiting," he said.
"I think there's also a certain psychological fear in the community."
Local resident Heber Mamani said a bull and some other animals had become ill.
"That is why we are asking for an analysis, because we are worried for our people. They are afraid," he said.
Another local villager, Romulo Quispe, said people were worried that the water was no longer safe to drink.
"This is the water we use for the animals, and for us, for everyone, and it looks like it is contaminated," he said.
"We don't know what is going on at the moment, that is what we are worried about."
The incident took place on Saturday night, when people near Carancas in the remote Puno region, some 1,300km (800 miles) south of the Peruvian capital, Lima, reported seeing a fireball in the sky coming towards them.
The object then hit the ground, leaving a 30m (98ft) wide and 6m (20ft) deep crater.
The crater spewed what officials described as fetid, noxious gases.
Jorge Lopez, a health director in Puno, told Reuters news agency he had an irritated throat and itchy nose after visiting the site.
Are you near the area of the crash site? Do you know anyone who has been affected? Send us your comments using the form below.
Name:
Email address:
Town and Country:
Phone number (optional):
Comments:
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/7001897.stm
Published: 2007/09/19 11:19:34 GMT
© BBC MMVII
bbc
The crater has been spewing fetid gases, reports say
Hundreds of people in Peru have needed treatment after an object from space - said to be a meteorite - plummeted to Earth in a remote area, officials say.
They say the object left a deep crater after crashing down over the weekend near the town of Carancas in the Andes.
People who visited the scene have been complaining of headaches, vomiting and nausea after inhaling gases.
But some experts have questioned whether it was a meteorite or some other object that landed in Carancas.
"Increasingly we think that people witnessed a fireball, which are not uncommon, went off to investigate and found a lake of sedimentary deposit, which may be full of smelly, methane rich organic matter," said Dr Caroline Smith, a meteorite expert at the London-based Natural History Museum.
"This has been mistaken for a crater."
A team of scientists is on its way to the site to collect samples and verify whether it was indeed a meteorite.
I think there's also a certain psychological fear in the community
Local mayor Nestor Quispe
Geologists have called on the authorities to stop people going near the crash site.
A local journalist, Martine Hanlon, told the BBC experts did not believe the meteor would make anybody sick, but they did think a chemical reaction caused by its contact with the ground could release toxins such as sulphur and arsenic.
An engineer from the Peruvian Nuclear Energy Institute told AFP news agency that no radiation had been detected from the crater. He ruled out any possibility that the fallen object might be a satellite.
Afraid
Nestor Quispe, the mayor of the municipality to which Carancas belongs, told the BBC that many residents had been affected.
"Lots of people from the town of Carancas have fallen ill. They have headaches, eye problems, irritated skin, nausea and vomiting," he said.
"I think there's also a certain psychological fear in the community."
Local resident Heber Mamani said a bull and some other animals had become ill.
"That is why we are asking for an analysis, because we are worried for our people. They are afraid," he said.
Another local villager, Romulo Quispe, said people were worried that the water was no longer safe to drink.
"This is the water we use for the animals, and for us, for everyone, and it looks like it is contaminated," he said.
"We don't know what is going on at the moment, that is what we are worried about."
The incident took place on Saturday night, when people near Carancas in the remote Puno region, some 1,300km (800 miles) south of the Peruvian capital, Lima, reported seeing a fireball in the sky coming towards them.
The object then hit the ground, leaving a 30m (98ft) wide and 6m (20ft) deep crater.
The crater spewed what officials described as fetid, noxious gases.
Jorge Lopez, a health director in Puno, told Reuters news agency he had an irritated throat and itchy nose after visiting the site.
Are you near the area of the crash site? Do you know anyone who has been affected? Send us your comments using the form below.
Name:
Email address:
Town and Country:
Phone number (optional):
Comments:
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/7001897.stm
Published: 2007/09/19 11:19:34 GMT
© BBC MMVII
bbc
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
SELENIUM, ETC.
BLUES CANYON
In southeastern Idaho, within the vast expanse of national forests, wild roadless areas, and blue ribbon trout streams that make up the greater Yellowstone region, the Smoky Canyon Mine has earned notoriety as one of the area's worst polluters.
Owned by the J. R. Simplot Company, the phosphate mining operation leaves tailngs with extraordinarily high levels of selenium, a naturally occurring yet toxic element that is poisoning the nearby rivers and streams of the Caribou Targhee National Forest - part of the broader region that NRDC is campaigning to protect through its BioGems initiative.
Selenium is reaking havoc on the region: Idaho officials have adviced residents to limit consumption of fish from local waters, and several flocks of sheep have died after drinking from streams or eating grass tainted by selenium.
The mine is listed as a Superfund site, and though virtually no cleanup has been done, Simplot has proposed to expand the Smoky Canyon Mine, and the Bush adminstration seemes poised to approve its plan. Visit www.biogems.org to learn more.
____
CALIFORNIA CHECKUP
Ever health conscious, California has established the nation's first statewide program to monitor the levels of chemical contaminants in humans. Last fall, the state legislature passed a bill that creates a framework for public health officials to test volunteers for toxic substances like mercury, pesticides, PCBs, and flame retardants. The results will inform studies of vexing diseases with suspected environmental causes autism, cancer, and heart disease to cite a few examples. The program will also allow Californians to compare their own chemical exposure with statewide averages. "People ask to be tested for various toxic chemicals, but I often have to turn them away because there are no standards against which I can compare their results," says Gina Solomon, a medical doctor and NRDC senior scientist who provided scientific guidance to the bill's sponsors.
In southeastern Idaho, within the vast expanse of national forests, wild roadless areas, and blue ribbon trout streams that make up the greater Yellowstone region, the Smoky Canyon Mine has earned notoriety as one of the area's worst polluters.
Owned by the J. R. Simplot Company, the phosphate mining operation leaves tailngs with extraordinarily high levels of selenium, a naturally occurring yet toxic element that is poisoning the nearby rivers and streams of the Caribou Targhee National Forest - part of the broader region that NRDC is campaigning to protect through its BioGems initiative.
Selenium is reaking havoc on the region: Idaho officials have adviced residents to limit consumption of fish from local waters, and several flocks of sheep have died after drinking from streams or eating grass tainted by selenium.
The mine is listed as a Superfund site, and though virtually no cleanup has been done, Simplot has proposed to expand the Smoky Canyon Mine, and the Bush adminstration seemes poised to approve its plan. Visit www.biogems.org to learn more.
____
CALIFORNIA CHECKUP
Ever health conscious, California has established the nation's first statewide program to monitor the levels of chemical contaminants in humans. Last fall, the state legislature passed a bill that creates a framework for public health officials to test volunteers for toxic substances like mercury, pesticides, PCBs, and flame retardants. The results will inform studies of vexing diseases with suspected environmental causes autism, cancer, and heart disease to cite a few examples. The program will also allow Californians to compare their own chemical exposure with statewide averages. "People ask to be tested for various toxic chemicals, but I often have to turn them away because there are no standards against which I can compare their results," says Gina Solomon, a medical doctor and NRDC senior scientist who provided scientific guidance to the bill's sponsors.
Monday, September 17, 2007
INTERESTING CORRELATION!
Last evening on Coast to Coast AM George Knapp was the emcee. I thought it was very synchronistic that he started off the show talking about the horses that died out on Area 52 (!) because of the contaminated water in the pond they drank out of. Did he read my blog? Of course sychronistic events happen that way all the time and it makes you wonder!
Here is something George Knapp had to say about Area 51. It was reported on KLAS-TV, Las Vegas.
Reporter George Knapp for KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reports that something big is in the works at Nevada's legendary Area 51 military base: a massive new building is under construction at the top secret desert location.
Some aviation experts speculate the building might be home to a new highly classified aircraft project, possibly the successor to the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.
Photographs of the new building have Area 51 researchers buzzing. "It probably measures 275 feet by 600 feet. It's no larger than hangars at other bases, but it certainly is the largest at Area 51," aviation historian and Area 51 buff Peter Merlin said.
Satellite photos confirm Area 51 already has two dozen hangars, including some that are less than two years old, which invites the question, why the need for this new behemoth? What's going on out there?
_______
I had another thought, whether it means anything or not I don't know and no way to find out either.
When Art Bell was still hosting C2C a girl called in and said her fiance was in his plane and he was going to see what was going on out at Area 51. He was trying to call Art on his cell phone and she asked if he would clear the lines so he could talk to Art. Art did just that. The pilot told him he was over the base and Art told him to turn away or they would come after him. He said we have a right to know what is going on out there. So he kept going. Then he saw a jet take off and come after him wiggling his wings and flying close to him to get him to turn away. He kept telling Art what was happening. As soon as the jet flew close approaches to his little plane something like an eye opening appeared on the ground and a huge, what looked like a cannon, came up and out of it. Then the pilot got scared. He said I think they are going to shoot me down. Those were his last words.
In the last two weeks they have been searching the Nevada territory for Steve Fossett. They have found other wrecks but not his. What if he flew over there, thinking he could and they shot him down. You would never hear a word about it if they did. Just a thought which probably doesn't mean anything. I hope they find out what happened to him eventually. Or then, maybe a UFO took him away like Valentich!
Here is something George Knapp had to say about Area 51. It was reported on KLAS-TV, Las Vegas.
Reporter George Knapp for KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reports that something big is in the works at Nevada's legendary Area 51 military base: a massive new building is under construction at the top secret desert location.
Some aviation experts speculate the building might be home to a new highly classified aircraft project, possibly the successor to the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.
Photographs of the new building have Area 51 researchers buzzing. "It probably measures 275 feet by 600 feet. It's no larger than hangars at other bases, but it certainly is the largest at Area 51," aviation historian and Area 51 buff Peter Merlin said.
Satellite photos confirm Area 51 already has two dozen hangars, including some that are less than two years old, which invites the question, why the need for this new behemoth? What's going on out there?
_______
I had another thought, whether it means anything or not I don't know and no way to find out either.
When Art Bell was still hosting C2C a girl called in and said her fiance was in his plane and he was going to see what was going on out at Area 51. He was trying to call Art on his cell phone and she asked if he would clear the lines so he could talk to Art. Art did just that. The pilot told him he was over the base and Art told him to turn away or they would come after him. He said we have a right to know what is going on out there. So he kept going. Then he saw a jet take off and come after him wiggling his wings and flying close to him to get him to turn away. He kept telling Art what was happening. As soon as the jet flew close approaches to his little plane something like an eye opening appeared on the ground and a huge, what looked like a cannon, came up and out of it. Then the pilot got scared. He said I think they are going to shoot me down. Those were his last words.
In the last two weeks they have been searching the Nevada territory for Steve Fossett. They have found other wrecks but not his. What if he flew over there, thinking he could and they shot him down. You would never hear a word about it if they did. Just a thought which probably doesn't mean anything. I hope they find out what happened to him eventually. Or then, maybe a UFO took him away like Valentich!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
BRIAN VIKE INTERVIEWED
NEWS SENTINEL.COM
PARKERSBURG SENTINEL
PARKERSBURG, W. VIRGINIA
September 16, 2007
Mid-Ohio Valley has long history of UFO sightings — some recent
By BRETT DUNLAP, Staff Writer
PARKERSBURG — The truth is out there.
Parkersburg and West Virginia have had a long history of unexplained sightings in the sky with more than one person believing we have been visited by those from another world.
One of the most recent reported sightings in the Parkersburg area took place on Sept. 4, 2005, said Brian Vike, Director of HBCC UFO Research in Houston, British Columbia.
At around 6 p.m. on that date, a group of 12 people saw a round star-like object in the sky. The witnesses said they were sitting outside talking after dinner when their attention was drawn to a powered parasail aircraft passing overhead. As they watched it, they noticed what appeared to be a star as the parasail passed in line with it. One of the witnesses commented it was odd to see a star that early in the day.
The parasail moved on and the witnesses continued watching the “star” for several minutes before they lost track of it. Thinking it may have been a star or planet, they looked for the object on following days and evenings, but did not see it again.
One of the most famous UFO sightings in the Mid-Ohio Valley involved the late Woodrow Derenberger on Nov. 2, 1966, said local author Susan Sheppard who wrote “Cry of the Banshee,” which details the encounter through old audio tape interviews conducted at the time as well as newspaper reports and other sources.
“Mr. Derenberger was at the center of one of the most bizarre and fascinating UFO cases in U.S. history,” Sheppard said. “Derenberger’s claims were so mind-boggling, servicemen from West Virginia and the Ohio Valley listened to reports of Derenberger’s close encounter over the radio while serving in the jungles of Vietnam.”
Derenberger was a salesman, commuting daily from his farmhouse in Mineral Wells to his job in Marietta. On Nov. 2, 1966, he was driving home along a darkened Interstate 77 around 7 p.m. when he encountered a UFO similar to “the shape of a glass chimney of an old-fashioned kerosene lamp lying on its side, with a dome-like top.”
Within a few minutes, a hatch opened and a human-looking individual exited the craft. Derenberger later described the individual as “like any man you would see on the street,” and added, “there was really nothing exceptional about his appearance.”
The individual, who introduced himself as “Cold,” told Derenberger not to be afraid, that he meant no harm and he only wanted to ask a few questions.
“But the Marietta businessman was alarmed because while the man talked, his lips did not move at all,” Sheppard said.
Cold apparently pointed toward the city lights of Parkersburg that glowed in the distance and asked what that was. Derenberger answered it was Parkersburg, a city. Cold replied, “Where I come from, we call it ‘a gathering.’”
Cold held a 10 to 15 minute conversation with Derenberger, discussing topics such as cities and towns, the climate, population and the farming of livestock in the area.
Once the conversation ended and Cold gave his farewell, he got back into his craft and flew off. Derenberger went home, and his wife convinced him to call the authorities. He recounted the story to a number of authorities.
He also said Cold, who later revealed the first name of “Indrid,” remained in contact with him for awhile. He also claimed mysterious “men in black” visited him and threatened him if he didn’t stop talking about the encounter.
“What really happened to Derenberger after Cold’s visitations is open to speculation,” Sheppard said. “Some say that Woodrow Derenberger went about his life as normally as possible, ignoring both public sympathies and insults.”
Derenberger’s sighting occurred a couple weeks before the appearance of the Mothman, the insect-like being believed responsible for or which foretold the collapse of the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant. The figure said to be a Mothman was a winged creature with large glowing red eyes reportedly seen around the state during the mid-1960s, causing havoc where ever it went.
This weekend the sixth annual Mothman Festival is being held in Point Pleasant.
Vike said UFO sightings are happening every day across the United States, Canada and the world. He handles around 1,200 reports a year, including UFO reports from West Virginia.
“It appears that UFO sightings are an ongoing issue,” Vike said. “Folks are seeing a great number of UFOs, some explainable and others are just unknowns.
“I believe if more people were to take some time and watch the night sky they would certainly see a lot of moving objects, most are either satellites, aircraft, etc. However, they just might actually see something that is really unusual.”
Vike said most UFO sightings are not reported, either to UFOlogists, media or the authorities. In many reports he receives, the names are kept confidential unless told otherwise by the witness. Vike does a regular radio show involving the topic of UFOs and has interviewed hundreds of people who said they have seen something.
“We are lucky to receive maybe 2 percent of what is actually witnessed,” he said. “People still are afraid to come forward to report what they have seen, mostly worried about what others will say about them.”
Vike said any reported sightings in West Virginia are always taken seriously.
“I am sure the Mothman incident will never go away, and there are researchers who are still looking for any clue from folks who may hold some knowledge of what took place there,” he said. “A case is never forgotten. We just are waiting for a possible break to carry on with a case.
“I must admit that it is a tough job trying to find answers for the really unusual things seen above. Each sighting is looked at and we try to find the answer for what it may have been.”
Vike admits many people are sincere in reporting their sightings to him, but there are many who fabricate reports.
“Sometimes this can be an extremely hard part of UFOlogy, trying to figure out what is true or a simple hoax,” he said. “I believe that most folks are telling the truth over what they saw. They are willing to be contacted by way of phone to discuss what they saw, plus they have other people with them at the time.”
Usually filing reports from multiple sources and having other witnesses to collaborate the story can help witness credibility.
The theories about what people see vary, from secret military aircraft to the extraterrestrial, Vike said.
“Some folks believe the alien visitors are here to save mankind and that is going to happen soon,” he said. “Some believe they are here to repopulate their dying world or the beings are here carrying out experiments on us, like we may do with animals.
“The list goes on. Some are excited about their belief in this helping hand from the visitors, and others are scared to death due to what they are going through being treated like a lab experiment. I guess there is good and bad from both sides of the fence on this topic.”
Vike said he likes to stick to facts and not go into a lot of speculation.
“For me, trying to come up with a reasonable answer for what people see is the goal,” he said.
“There are a lot of reports that come in, folks claiming they watched an alien spacecraft, this has turned out to be a lot of explainable, everyday things we see flying overhead, such as military aircraft, jet airliners, planets, stars, satellites and meteors, and so on.
“I do, however, believe in my heart that there are just so many excellent cases in which there are no answers for, hence they truly are UFOs.”
Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com
PARKERSBURG SENTINEL
PARKERSBURG, W. VIRGINIA
September 16, 2007
Mid-Ohio Valley has long history of UFO sightings — some recent
By BRETT DUNLAP, Staff Writer
PARKERSBURG — The truth is out there.
Parkersburg and West Virginia have had a long history of unexplained sightings in the sky with more than one person believing we have been visited by those from another world.
One of the most recent reported sightings in the Parkersburg area took place on Sept. 4, 2005, said Brian Vike, Director of HBCC UFO Research in Houston, British Columbia.
At around 6 p.m. on that date, a group of 12 people saw a round star-like object in the sky. The witnesses said they were sitting outside talking after dinner when their attention was drawn to a powered parasail aircraft passing overhead. As they watched it, they noticed what appeared to be a star as the parasail passed in line with it. One of the witnesses commented it was odd to see a star that early in the day.
The parasail moved on and the witnesses continued watching the “star” for several minutes before they lost track of it. Thinking it may have been a star or planet, they looked for the object on following days and evenings, but did not see it again.
One of the most famous UFO sightings in the Mid-Ohio Valley involved the late Woodrow Derenberger on Nov. 2, 1966, said local author Susan Sheppard who wrote “Cry of the Banshee,” which details the encounter through old audio tape interviews conducted at the time as well as newspaper reports and other sources.
“Mr. Derenberger was at the center of one of the most bizarre and fascinating UFO cases in U.S. history,” Sheppard said. “Derenberger’s claims were so mind-boggling, servicemen from West Virginia and the Ohio Valley listened to reports of Derenberger’s close encounter over the radio while serving in the jungles of Vietnam.”
Derenberger was a salesman, commuting daily from his farmhouse in Mineral Wells to his job in Marietta. On Nov. 2, 1966, he was driving home along a darkened Interstate 77 around 7 p.m. when he encountered a UFO similar to “the shape of a glass chimney of an old-fashioned kerosene lamp lying on its side, with a dome-like top.”
Within a few minutes, a hatch opened and a human-looking individual exited the craft. Derenberger later described the individual as “like any man you would see on the street,” and added, “there was really nothing exceptional about his appearance.”
The individual, who introduced himself as “Cold,” told Derenberger not to be afraid, that he meant no harm and he only wanted to ask a few questions.
“But the Marietta businessman was alarmed because while the man talked, his lips did not move at all,” Sheppard said.
Cold apparently pointed toward the city lights of Parkersburg that glowed in the distance and asked what that was. Derenberger answered it was Parkersburg, a city. Cold replied, “Where I come from, we call it ‘a gathering.’”
Cold held a 10 to 15 minute conversation with Derenberger, discussing topics such as cities and towns, the climate, population and the farming of livestock in the area.
Once the conversation ended and Cold gave his farewell, he got back into his craft and flew off. Derenberger went home, and his wife convinced him to call the authorities. He recounted the story to a number of authorities.
He also said Cold, who later revealed the first name of “Indrid,” remained in contact with him for awhile. He also claimed mysterious “men in black” visited him and threatened him if he didn’t stop talking about the encounter.
“What really happened to Derenberger after Cold’s visitations is open to speculation,” Sheppard said. “Some say that Woodrow Derenberger went about his life as normally as possible, ignoring both public sympathies and insults.”
Derenberger’s sighting occurred a couple weeks before the appearance of the Mothman, the insect-like being believed responsible for or which foretold the collapse of the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant. The figure said to be a Mothman was a winged creature with large glowing red eyes reportedly seen around the state during the mid-1960s, causing havoc where ever it went.
This weekend the sixth annual Mothman Festival is being held in Point Pleasant.
Vike said UFO sightings are happening every day across the United States, Canada and the world. He handles around 1,200 reports a year, including UFO reports from West Virginia.
“It appears that UFO sightings are an ongoing issue,” Vike said. “Folks are seeing a great number of UFOs, some explainable and others are just unknowns.
“I believe if more people were to take some time and watch the night sky they would certainly see a lot of moving objects, most are either satellites, aircraft, etc. However, they just might actually see something that is really unusual.”
Vike said most UFO sightings are not reported, either to UFOlogists, media or the authorities. In many reports he receives, the names are kept confidential unless told otherwise by the witness. Vike does a regular radio show involving the topic of UFOs and has interviewed hundreds of people who said they have seen something.
“We are lucky to receive maybe 2 percent of what is actually witnessed,” he said. “People still are afraid to come forward to report what they have seen, mostly worried about what others will say about them.”
Vike said any reported sightings in West Virginia are always taken seriously.
“I am sure the Mothman incident will never go away, and there are researchers who are still looking for any clue from folks who may hold some knowledge of what took place there,” he said. “A case is never forgotten. We just are waiting for a possible break to carry on with a case.
“I must admit that it is a tough job trying to find answers for the really unusual things seen above. Each sighting is looked at and we try to find the answer for what it may have been.”
Vike admits many people are sincere in reporting their sightings to him, but there are many who fabricate reports.
“Sometimes this can be an extremely hard part of UFOlogy, trying to figure out what is true or a simple hoax,” he said. “I believe that most folks are telling the truth over what they saw. They are willing to be contacted by way of phone to discuss what they saw, plus they have other people with them at the time.”
Usually filing reports from multiple sources and having other witnesses to collaborate the story can help witness credibility.
The theories about what people see vary, from secret military aircraft to the extraterrestrial, Vike said.
“Some folks believe the alien visitors are here to save mankind and that is going to happen soon,” he said. “Some believe they are here to repopulate their dying world or the beings are here carrying out experiments on us, like we may do with animals.
“The list goes on. Some are excited about their belief in this helping hand from the visitors, and others are scared to death due to what they are going through being treated like a lab experiment. I guess there is good and bad from both sides of the fence on this topic.”
Vike said he likes to stick to facts and not go into a lot of speculation.
“For me, trying to come up with a reasonable answer for what people see is the goal,” he said.
“There are a lot of reports that come in, folks claiming they watched an alien spacecraft, this has turned out to be a lot of explainable, everyday things we see flying overhead, such as military aircraft, jet airliners, planets, stars, satellites and meteors, and so on.
“I do, however, believe in my heart that there are just so many excellent cases in which there are no answers for, hence they truly are UFOs.”
Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com
Saturday, September 15, 2007
REID SEEKS PROBE INTO TEST RANGE HORSE DEATHS
The Tonopah Times-Bonanza
August 30, 2007
By Mark Smith
LAS VEGAS - Sen. Harry Reid has called upon U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to conduct a full and thorough investigation into the nitrate contamination deaths of 71 wild horses in July at the Tonopah Test Range.
"There are strong concerns in southern Nevada that these deaths are the result of serious negligence in the management of the test range and the wild horse herds in the area," Reid wrote in a letter sent August 24 to the secretary.
"In light of this unfortunate event, I believe that this is also an appropriate time to take a close look at the land and wildlife management practices used on the larger Nellis Air Force Range," Reid, the Senate majority leader suggested.
The Tonopah Test Range is within Nellis Air Force Range boundatries.
The hosrses' carcasses were found at a watering hole about a mile from the Tonopah Test Range airfield.
High levels of nitrates were found in some water samples taken from a pond the horses used for drinking on a dry lake bed, the Bureau of Land Management reported August 10, and also in the deceased horses' blood serum and ocular fluid.
Water tests indicated nitrate levels of greater than 3,000 parts per million (ppm). The federal standard for human consumption is less than 45 ppm. Livestock can tolerate higher levels, BLM reported, "but problems are known to occur when levels exceed 400 ppm, and acceptable levels should be below 100 ppm."
BLM manages the horse herds in the area while the Air Force oversees operations at the range.
According to a former Air Force technical sergeant who spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently, during the 1990s de-icing compounds high in nitrogen routinely ran off the airfield runway into the desert.
"I can't imagine that we can just turn a blind eye on this stuff being dumped illegally," Reid said, "I think it's something we should look at."
According to a BLM spokesperson, the bureau is developing an environmental testing strategy that includes additional water and soil sampling "to see if we can identify the source of the nitrates."
Acute nitrate toxicity is not well understood, and there haven't been many instances of it reported, stated a BLM spokeswoman earlier this month.
"There is no indication that the problem is attributable to a contagious or infectious disease," the spokeswoman said. "Tests conducted for salts, heavy metals and algae toxin have not identified other concerns."
She pointed out the deaths stopped when the water hole was fenced off.
Nonetheless, the source of the nitrates have not been clearly identified. BLM and the Air Force were expected to conduct further ests. Springs in the area will be analyzed as well. The barrier around the pond will be kept in place "until future testing shows the water quality has returned to safe levels for the horses," BLM reported.
The pond has been a source of water for at least 20 years, BLM said. (Now what do they drink???)
Capt. Justin McVay, a spokesman for Nellis Air Force Base, which uses the Nellis range for aicraft testing and air combat exercises, deferred comment to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' office, saying it "would be inappopriate" for Nellis officials to speculate on a reaction to Reid's letter!"
_______
I was recently talking with a lady that lived in Tonopah. I asked her what that headline was all about. She said that no one drinks the water who lives across the desert area. They all drink bottled water. That is because they know it is ALL contaminated with something the planes are emitting! Seems unlikely that there is so much from winter de-icing that it would affect people and animals across such a large desert area all summer long!
Aileen
August 30, 2007
By Mark Smith
LAS VEGAS - Sen. Harry Reid has called upon U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to conduct a full and thorough investigation into the nitrate contamination deaths of 71 wild horses in July at the Tonopah Test Range.
"There are strong concerns in southern Nevada that these deaths are the result of serious negligence in the management of the test range and the wild horse herds in the area," Reid wrote in a letter sent August 24 to the secretary.
"In light of this unfortunate event, I believe that this is also an appropriate time to take a close look at the land and wildlife management practices used on the larger Nellis Air Force Range," Reid, the Senate majority leader suggested.
The Tonopah Test Range is within Nellis Air Force Range boundatries.
The hosrses' carcasses were found at a watering hole about a mile from the Tonopah Test Range airfield.
High levels of nitrates were found in some water samples taken from a pond the horses used for drinking on a dry lake bed, the Bureau of Land Management reported August 10, and also in the deceased horses' blood serum and ocular fluid.
Water tests indicated nitrate levels of greater than 3,000 parts per million (ppm). The federal standard for human consumption is less than 45 ppm. Livestock can tolerate higher levels, BLM reported, "but problems are known to occur when levels exceed 400 ppm, and acceptable levels should be below 100 ppm."
BLM manages the horse herds in the area while the Air Force oversees operations at the range.
According to a former Air Force technical sergeant who spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently, during the 1990s de-icing compounds high in nitrogen routinely ran off the airfield runway into the desert.
"I can't imagine that we can just turn a blind eye on this stuff being dumped illegally," Reid said, "I think it's something we should look at."
According to a BLM spokesperson, the bureau is developing an environmental testing strategy that includes additional water and soil sampling "to see if we can identify the source of the nitrates."
Acute nitrate toxicity is not well understood, and there haven't been many instances of it reported, stated a BLM spokeswoman earlier this month.
"There is no indication that the problem is attributable to a contagious or infectious disease," the spokeswoman said. "Tests conducted for salts, heavy metals and algae toxin have not identified other concerns."
She pointed out the deaths stopped when the water hole was fenced off.
Nonetheless, the source of the nitrates have not been clearly identified. BLM and the Air Force were expected to conduct further ests. Springs in the area will be analyzed as well. The barrier around the pond will be kept in place "until future testing shows the water quality has returned to safe levels for the horses," BLM reported.
The pond has been a source of water for at least 20 years, BLM said. (Now what do they drink???)
Capt. Justin McVay, a spokesman for Nellis Air Force Base, which uses the Nellis range for aicraft testing and air combat exercises, deferred comment to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' office, saying it "would be inappopriate" for Nellis officials to speculate on a reaction to Reid's letter!"
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I was recently talking with a lady that lived in Tonopah. I asked her what that headline was all about. She said that no one drinks the water who lives across the desert area. They all drink bottled water. That is because they know it is ALL contaminated with something the planes are emitting! Seems unlikely that there is so much from winter de-icing that it would affect people and animals across such a large desert area all summer long!
Aileen
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