The Jersey Devil is a very well known legend throughout New Jersey and its surrounding areas. Its origin however is not as well known. All of the stories have the name "Leeds" included in it though. Some stories say that the devil was born in Leeds Point, NJ, while some stories say that a Mrs. Leeds gave birth to the devil. The several possible mothers of this creature had either cursed the unborn child themselves, or it had been cursed by other villagers. The sightings date back to the early 19th century and have continued up until the 1980's. The witnesses for the most part all mention a huge flying creature that leaves strange hoof prints in the ground that disappear. The devil has been known to kill animals such as dogs, cats, ducks, and geese. No one knows for sure though what this supposed 260 year old creature really is or if it ever really existed.
http://theshadowlands.net/jd.htm
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Do Mermaids exist?
Being a Marine Science major, I spend way too much time watching ocean documentaries. If its aired on Discover Channel, Nat Geo, or Animal Planet within the past 15 years, I've watched it, repeatedly. Most have been very informative, but lately there have been some pretty ridiculous "documentaries" made on the unknown creatures of the sea. This one has to be, hands down, the worst every produced.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GqleRxEDwrg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
This video clip was the start of the pseudo-documentary on the existence of mermaids. Now I would not advise you to watch the entire documentary, but there was a theory that was introduced within the bogus show that stuck with me.
The Aquatic Ape Theory, as presented by the documentary, states that early coastal hominids slowly evolved into the present day mermaid. They started out as the traditional hominid, standing on two legs and hunting around for food. However, they fished instead of collecting fruits or killing wild animals. So as a result, they developed the ability to hold their breathe for long periods of time, and the whole fin thing for swimming, obviously. The main point of it all was to say that as a species, hominids adapted to their environment in order to survive, and because these individuals were close to the shore, they developed ways to utilized the resources. The species just eventually split in two, causing two new species, Man and Mermaid. Speciation has been occurring for millions of years to every life form on the planet, so why think that humans are exempted from it? It made perfect sense, being that the world is covered roughly 70% with water, that forms of life could at any time transition into an aquatic organism. As a freshman first starting out in the field, I didn't see anything wrong with the theory, and I accepted it.
Now that I learned quite a bit about the ocean and evolution, I can see major flaws in the theory. The first one that should have been obvious back when I first saw this is the presentation of the theory itself in the documentary. The original theory, made by Sir Alister Hardy (marine biologist, specializing in PLANKTON), hypothesized that during the evolution of humans, our ancestors went through an "aquatic stage", developing features for life in the ocean before coming back onto land, and morphing into our present day forms. Apparently, the principle of convergent evolution supports the findings of certain characteristics in our anatomy and physiology today are a result of our aquatic phase. That's cool and all, but that doesn't follow the same evolutionary path that I had first heard about. And though Sir Hardy was probably a brilliant man in his field, plankton are simply organisms that are not free moving, that is they cannot swim against a current. Pretty sure mermaids swim, or else they would just be floating aimlessly around the world. And that brings me to my next point. Why haven't I seen one on any of my trips to the beach? You could argue that they don't live around our way, which I would accept. But what about everywhere else in the world? Everyone has a phone, and its impossible to walk 5 minutes without encountering someone taking a "selfie". So why aren't there any legit photos of a mermaid? In order for a species to be successful, there needs to be a certain amount of individuals present to reproduce successfully. Too little, and the risks associated with inbreeding will wipe out the entire species. If they did evolve the same time that we did, I would expect that their numbers are plentiful to have been successful all this time. And the likelihood of not one single mermaid ever washing up on shore, or being caught in a fishing net, or documented with all these research vessels out exploring the ocean, is highly unlikely.
The documentary showed multiple video footage and photos of this creature, but they didn't make any sense. The video posted shows two American boys finding this creature. But there is also a video of two men in Israel finding a mermaid sunbathing on the rocks. And there is plenty of footage that shows deep sea submersibles recording these creatures. Geographically, it doesn't make sense. This creature cannot be exist in both shallow coasts and out in the open ocean, in two different oceans. There has to be some level of environmental sensitivities, meaning that they need to be in an area with preferred salinity, pH level, temperature, water pressure, etc. Its impossible that their bodies have adapted to withstand every condition the environment that they have been found in. Which brings me to how anatomically wrong they are. They have a very slender body, yet they live in the deep? Do you know how cold it is in the the depths that they were supposedly filmed? Yet, they have no blubber or method of insulation. And the dolphin-like characteristics, like the echo-location for hunting and the tail? Where did that come from? And, not to be inappropriate, but there is no way they are able to reproduce effectively. And the list goes on about how they would never survive in the ocean.
In the end, the aquatic ape theory was an amazing discovery I thought I came across. But there is just too many flaws in the theory, and documentary, that cannot be overlooked. This long rant is only the beginning of it. I'm not gonna lie, I still do have hope it'll turn out to be real. I want someone to come along and provide actual proof that I wasn't crazy for ever believing this. But I highly doubt that will ever happen.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GqleRxEDwrg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
This video clip was the start of the pseudo-documentary on the existence of mermaids. Now I would not advise you to watch the entire documentary, but there was a theory that was introduced within the bogus show that stuck with me.
The Aquatic Ape Theory, as presented by the documentary, states that early coastal hominids slowly evolved into the present day mermaid. They started out as the traditional hominid, standing on two legs and hunting around for food. However, they fished instead of collecting fruits or killing wild animals. So as a result, they developed the ability to hold their breathe for long periods of time, and the whole fin thing for swimming, obviously. The main point of it all was to say that as a species, hominids adapted to their environment in order to survive, and because these individuals were close to the shore, they developed ways to utilized the resources. The species just eventually split in two, causing two new species, Man and Mermaid. Speciation has been occurring for millions of years to every life form on the planet, so why think that humans are exempted from it? It made perfect sense, being that the world is covered roughly 70% with water, that forms of life could at any time transition into an aquatic organism. As a freshman first starting out in the field, I didn't see anything wrong with the theory, and I accepted it.
Now that I learned quite a bit about the ocean and evolution, I can see major flaws in the theory. The first one that should have been obvious back when I first saw this is the presentation of the theory itself in the documentary. The original theory, made by Sir Alister Hardy (marine biologist, specializing in PLANKTON), hypothesized that during the evolution of humans, our ancestors went through an "aquatic stage", developing features for life in the ocean before coming back onto land, and morphing into our present day forms. Apparently, the principle of convergent evolution supports the findings of certain characteristics in our anatomy and physiology today are a result of our aquatic phase. That's cool and all, but that doesn't follow the same evolutionary path that I had first heard about. And though Sir Hardy was probably a brilliant man in his field, plankton are simply organisms that are not free moving, that is they cannot swim against a current. Pretty sure mermaids swim, or else they would just be floating aimlessly around the world. And that brings me to my next point. Why haven't I seen one on any of my trips to the beach? You could argue that they don't live around our way, which I would accept. But what about everywhere else in the world? Everyone has a phone, and its impossible to walk 5 minutes without encountering someone taking a "selfie". So why aren't there any legit photos of a mermaid? In order for a species to be successful, there needs to be a certain amount of individuals present to reproduce successfully. Too little, and the risks associated with inbreeding will wipe out the entire species. If they did evolve the same time that we did, I would expect that their numbers are plentiful to have been successful all this time. And the likelihood of not one single mermaid ever washing up on shore, or being caught in a fishing net, or documented with all these research vessels out exploring the ocean, is highly unlikely.
The documentary showed multiple video footage and photos of this creature, but they didn't make any sense. The video posted shows two American boys finding this creature. But there is also a video of two men in Israel finding a mermaid sunbathing on the rocks. And there is plenty of footage that shows deep sea submersibles recording these creatures. Geographically, it doesn't make sense. This creature cannot be exist in both shallow coasts and out in the open ocean, in two different oceans. There has to be some level of environmental sensitivities, meaning that they need to be in an area with preferred salinity, pH level, temperature, water pressure, etc. Its impossible that their bodies have adapted to withstand every condition the environment that they have been found in. Which brings me to how anatomically wrong they are. They have a very slender body, yet they live in the deep? Do you know how cold it is in the the depths that they were supposedly filmed? Yet, they have no blubber or method of insulation. And the dolphin-like characteristics, like the echo-location for hunting and the tail? Where did that come from? And, not to be inappropriate, but there is no way they are able to reproduce effectively. And the list goes on about how they would never survive in the ocean.
In the end, the aquatic ape theory was an amazing discovery I thought I came across. But there is just too many flaws in the theory, and documentary, that cannot be overlooked. This long rant is only the beginning of it. I'm not gonna lie, I still do have hope it'll turn out to be real. I want someone to come along and provide actual proof that I wasn't crazy for ever believing this. But I highly doubt that will ever happen.
Ouija Boards
Ouija boards have sparked many people’s interest for years, including mine. I’ve heard stories about Ouija board experiences on both sides of the fence: either something bad happened, or nothing happened at all. I admit that even I’m on the fence about whether, or not to believe in this paranormal phenomenon. According to our class book, Scientific Perspectives on Pseudoscience and the Paranormal, paranormal phenomenons sometimes overlap with pseudoscience, and I believe that Ouija boards may be one of those cases. For instance, there are no heavily backed scientific studies on Ouija boards. The reason is that we haven’t come up with a good way to test for paranormal entities. Most evidence for Ouija boards comes from testimonials, and personal experiences which points towards Ouija boards being a pseudoscience. It is very hard to challenge someone’s personal experience because it is very hard to replicate it scientifically. Therefore, we have no publicly verifiable knowledge along with problem that is not empirically solvable. Another clue that points to Ouija boards being a pseudo science is that the media places an emphasis on confirmation rather than refutation of paranormal experiences. If you were to research Ouija board testimonials on the internet, most of them would claim that an evil spirit was unleashed into the room; rarely is there contradicting information on popular news sites that refute these claims. Unlike pseudoscience, scientist seek out contradictory information in search of an alternative explanation. Scientist repeatedly challenge other scientists to test their research and point out flaws in their studies. This also helps to verify that the research is true, and correct.
Based on the elements of thought, our information on Ouija boards would be from personal experiences and testimonials. Because of “horrifying” testimonials, the common interpretation of a Ouija board is negative which leads most people to assume(another element of thought) that they will summon a demon. The implications and consequences of the Ouija board’s negative stigma will be a growing ignorance to paranormal activities among the population. People will not question strange experiences and simply point to a “spirit” as the cause. All of this has lead to a decreasing interest in scientific literature, and a belief in pop culture.
Overall, Ouija boards seem to be a product of pseudoscience. There are no scientific studies with publicly verifiable knowledge, and there is an over reliance on testimonials and personal experiences for evidence. All of this coupled with an emphasis on confirmation rather than refutation has lead to a rising belief in paranormal phenomenon, and a growing disinterest in science.
Check out this site on Ouija board testimonials:
Monday, February 9, 2015
Reiki
Reiki used to be a spiritual practice, but it is now considered a form of pseudoscience. It was developed in 1922 by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui. It is a form of alternative medicine using the palm healing or hands-on-healing. Sometimes know as oriental medicine by professionals. Practitioners believe that they are transferring universal energy that is in the form of qi or chi like we learned in class with the Q ray brackets. Then that energy creates a state of balance though out the body. There are three levels in which one can practice reiki. The first stage is learning the basics and being able to preform attunments on your self and others. The second level is being able to send reiki energy to anyone even if they are far away. The third level is when you are considered a "master" and can teach others, but only in this level can you teach other people. There are no concrete studies, but people are trying to test the effects that reiki have to the body and reiki can also be done to animals as well. I am certified in level one reiki and everyone that I have worked on has said whatever that was bothering them went away and they felt more relaxed and clear minded.
Faith Healing
One major belief in pseudoscience deals with faith healing.
According to the American Cancer Society, faith healing is, “founded on the
belief that certain people or places have the ability to cure and heal – that
someone or something can eliminate disease or heal injuries through a close
connection to a higher power.” This type of healing highly encourages relief
from stress, pain, anxiety, and supports peace of mind. It involves group
prayers with the patient or without the patient. When without the patient
around, often time people will hold group prayer meetings for the patient. When
with the patient, the therapist would often touch him/her with their hands
while calling upon a “supreme being.” The history behind faith healing dates
way back in the bible, to the beliefs that God had the ability to heal those
who are hurt. Though there is no scientific evidence that faith healing
actually works, many people hold this pseudoscience theory true.
I believe that this theory is very popular, but I personally
think that it is a little far-fetched. Yes, I am sure people find this type of
healing beneficial in a religious aspect. However I think it does not have the
ability to do more than lift your spirit. I believe that it can definitely help
a patient relieve some stress and feel better in their head, and can give them
a will to hang on and keep fighting. But being a public health major, I chose
the side of scientific evidence and faith healing does not have the capability
of curing any physical ailments, such as cancer.
here's a picture of a faith healing practice.
Are Ghosts Real?
Many people believe in the afterlife and spirits. In fact, Ghosts are the most believed paranormal phenomena in the United States. About 37% of the population thought ghosts haunted their house while almost half the population believes in the afterlife. Ghosts have also been a popular subjects in stories and people have tried to communicate with spirits for a long time. The show Ghost Hunters on SYFY has populated the idea of ghost hunting and shows that you do not have to be a scientist to do so. However does this mean that ghosts are actually real?
Many believe that personal experience does not trump the facts of scientific evidence. Ghosts can be hard to investigate because people have so many categories of what a ghost is, along with other factors that many scientists find hard to support. Many ghost hunters use tools that claim to aid in the hunt but do they actually work?
But if science can disprove many of this, why do people still believe? Many think its is because there is energy after we die, it does not have a place to go, so it just exists. This theory was proposed by Albert Einstein. In the end, the evidence supporting ghosts is not any better than it was years ago, but the hunt still continues since people are curious about the unknown
http://www.livescience.com/26697-are-ghosts-real.html
Many believe that personal experience does not trump the facts of scientific evidence. Ghosts can be hard to investigate because people have so many categories of what a ghost is, along with other factors that many scientists find hard to support. Many ghost hunters use tools that claim to aid in the hunt but do they actually work?
But if science can disprove many of this, why do people still believe? Many think its is because there is energy after we die, it does not have a place to go, so it just exists. This theory was proposed by Albert Einstein. In the end, the evidence supporting ghosts is not any better than it was years ago, but the hunt still continues since people are curious about the unknown
http://www.livescience.com/26697-are-ghosts-real.html
The Flanders Hotel
The Flanders Hotel, built in 1923 was named after an American cemetery in Belgium where soldiers were killed and buried during WWI. During construction the hotel was advertised as being 'fireproof' due to being constructed with concrete and steel girders. This was proved to be true in 1927 when a fire started along the boardwalk that destroyed most buildings leaving The Flanders Hotel intact. The Flanders Hotel as been able to maintain a high level of class and elegance earning a spot listed under the National Registry of Historical Places in 2009.
Growing up in Ocean City, NJ everyone always talked about The Flanders Hotel and how it was haunted. Due to so many stories travelers from all over come to see the gorgeous seaside hotel along with trying to see some ghosts. One ghost in particular is named Emily. Although some know her as 'The lady in white'. Workers and guests who have seen her say she has brown hair and is in her twenties. People say she loves to sing and is always laughing and dancing throughout the halls. Most people can see her hanging around the lobby as well as the second and fourth floor. Emily is said to play tricks on guests by unscrewing the lightbulbs in a room or playing with the door knobs. No one seems to be afraid of Emily because most seem to think she is happy and that her intention is never to scare anyone but to joke around with them. You can see portrait of her on the second floor which was painted by an artist based on different peoples stories as to what she looks like. For me, I have been to The Flanders Hotel numerous times whether it be to dine at Emily's restaurant or attend prom which is held there every year for my high school and have never encountered Emily the ghost. I can't say I believe in ghosts but if I did Emily would definitely be one that I would not mind seeing since everyone claims she is nice and playful with the workers and guests.
http://www.hauntedrooms.com/the-flanders-hotel-ocean-city-new-jersey
Growing up in Ocean City, NJ everyone always talked about The Flanders Hotel and how it was haunted. Due to so many stories travelers from all over come to see the gorgeous seaside hotel along with trying to see some ghosts. One ghost in particular is named Emily. Although some know her as 'The lady in white'. Workers and guests who have seen her say she has brown hair and is in her twenties. People say she loves to sing and is always laughing and dancing throughout the halls. Most people can see her hanging around the lobby as well as the second and fourth floor. Emily is said to play tricks on guests by unscrewing the lightbulbs in a room or playing with the door knobs. No one seems to be afraid of Emily because most seem to think she is happy and that her intention is never to scare anyone but to joke around with them. You can see portrait of her on the second floor which was painted by an artist based on different peoples stories as to what she looks like. For me, I have been to The Flanders Hotel numerous times whether it be to dine at Emily's restaurant or attend prom which is held there every year for my high school and have never encountered Emily the ghost. I can't say I believe in ghosts but if I did Emily would definitely be one that I would not mind seeing since everyone claims she is nice and playful with the workers and guests.
http://www.hauntedrooms.com/the-flanders-hotel-ocean-city-new-jersey
Demon Possession
Demon and ghost possession is something that has become very popular in horror movies and has caught the attention of a lot of people. Many people find it a good source of entertainment until they see something being "based on a true story" or claiming that they have actually had something happen to them. Things like this are often hard to prove and because of this are often shown a lot of skepticism. A family from Indianapolis caught attention from the media when they filed claims that there children were possessed by demons. Latoya Ammons claimed that her three children were being possessed by something she believed to have been evil. Even more to add to the story are claims that corroborate her story from police capt. Charles Austin and the family social worker.
She claimed that strange things were happening in her old house until they decided to moved to their house in Gary, Indiana. They had swarms of flied and wet foot prints all over their house. In addition to those strange occurrences Ammons saw her daughter floating above her bed to which she prayed over her until she came back down onto her bed; her daughter doesn't remember it happening. She also claims that her youngest son spent hours in his closet talking to an imaginary boy, has been thrown out of the bathroom when no one has been around him, and the last thing that caused to much uproar was the fact that he walked backwards up the wall to the ceiling. This was the incident that was observed by the social worker.Ammons claims that the house was visited by the church to exorcize the house and was visited by a clairvoyant who claimed that there were 200 demons that haunted the house.
I think it is interesting because of the fact that there were people who witnessed the strange things happening in the house to the point that the police officers in the town did not want to come inside the house at all to even try and see what was going on. It is hard to fake your child walking backwards up the wall and ceiling. But many of the things that happened in the house are things that can be rationally explained. Things like this always make me skeptical but who knows maybe something did happen.
(Below is a picture taken of the house from the front when no one was inside)
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/01/27/a-real-life-demon-possession-is-being-reported-in-indiana-the-details-are-almost-too-horrifying-to-believe/
She claimed that strange things were happening in her old house until they decided to moved to their house in Gary, Indiana. They had swarms of flied and wet foot prints all over their house. In addition to those strange occurrences Ammons saw her daughter floating above her bed to which she prayed over her until she came back down onto her bed; her daughter doesn't remember it happening. She also claims that her youngest son spent hours in his closet talking to an imaginary boy, has been thrown out of the bathroom when no one has been around him, and the last thing that caused to much uproar was the fact that he walked backwards up the wall to the ceiling. This was the incident that was observed by the social worker.Ammons claims that the house was visited by the church to exorcize the house and was visited by a clairvoyant who claimed that there were 200 demons that haunted the house.
I think it is interesting because of the fact that there were people who witnessed the strange things happening in the house to the point that the police officers in the town did not want to come inside the house at all to even try and see what was going on. It is hard to fake your child walking backwards up the wall and ceiling. But many of the things that happened in the house are things that can be rationally explained. Things like this always make me skeptical but who knows maybe something did happen.
(Below is a picture taken of the house from the front when no one was inside)
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/01/27/a-real-life-demon-possession-is-being-reported-in-indiana-the-details-are-almost-too-horrifying-to-believe/
Deal with the devil
Deal with the devil
We’ve all heard the story. A person sells their soul or makes a deal with the devil in exchange for anything they desire. It makes for a great storytelling trope like in The Picture of Dorian Grey or Pirates of the Caribbean but what about in real life? It’s hard to prove someone has a soul let alone the ability to sell it to anyone, but people like blues musician Robert Johnson (1911-1938) have been thought to.
Why is this a bad thing? Saying someone sold their soul to the devil is copout. Believing someone did means they’re ignoring the obvious, they worked hard! The reason Johnson got so good at guitar was he practiced. He listened to songs on a phonograph and practiced his butt off. Believing someone sold their soul also robs the individual of the potential to reach that ability. In the middle ages, ancient arch bridges, like ones made by the Romans, were considered so advanced they couldn’t have possibly been built by man and instead were made by the devil.
Sometimes things in life are hard to believe and it’s easier to believe in superstitions than the truth.
Chakras
A Chakra refers to the seven centers of energy within every person. The seven chakras are associated with the seven endocrine glands within the body: crown, brow, throat, heart, solar plexus, navel and sacrum. Each chakra has a color, purpose, physical location and dysfunction and also stores information. For an example, the throat chakra is associated with sky blue and it is the will center. Its purpose is to teach to take responsibility for one's needs. It is believed that if someone lies or even represses their feelings by not speaking out it can cause a sore throat or laryngitis due to this chakra.
You can look up the other chakras here and discover what they mean and how they can affect a person's body.
This is a video from the Nickelodeon show Avatar: The Last Airbender. It explains the seven chakras and how to open them :)
The famed 'Area 51', home to aliens or just a normal military base?
Area 51 has been a mystery to myself from the moment i was born. This secret military base that was talked about in movies, television, and the news. Home to aliens, UFOs, and other secrets so special that they needed to be hidden from the rest of the world. Area 51 has been dragged through the mud by the media and extremists that the rumors are extremely exaggerated now. What really is going on in that little plot of land in Nevada that has everyone talking?
A CNN article by Laura Koran gives some insight to what really is going on in this secret base. She states that the CIA have actually commented on the status of Area 51. They provided maps, locations and more, they have stated that it is merely a military testing site for surveillance programs. No extraterrestrial activity happens here according to them, and we are definitely alone in the universe. This shared news has made skeptics and believers alike question themselves, is this truth or not?
Another article by Joe Martino from Collective Evolution reads a little different compared to the CIA's story. This article is about the experiences of Boyd Bushman, a new deceased scientist who worked in Area 51 supposably. In this interview before his death he shares his experiences with UFOs, aliens and other experiments that were conducted in his stay at Area 51. Bushman even provides an image of an 'alien', that was at the compound. He provided a lot of information on the place that, like with the CIA, has skeptics and believers squirming.
Who really knows if this place exists, if aliens are real, or if the government is covering it up. This is a topic mainly reserved for your opinion, Are we really alone?
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/10/26/dying-senior-scientist-shares-insider-truth-about-area-51-aliens-ufos-anti-gravity/
http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/us/area-51-documents/
A CNN article by Laura Koran gives some insight to what really is going on in this secret base. She states that the CIA have actually commented on the status of Area 51. They provided maps, locations and more, they have stated that it is merely a military testing site for surveillance programs. No extraterrestrial activity happens here according to them, and we are definitely alone in the universe. This shared news has made skeptics and believers alike question themselves, is this truth or not?
Another article by Joe Martino from Collective Evolution reads a little different compared to the CIA's story. This article is about the experiences of Boyd Bushman, a new deceased scientist who worked in Area 51 supposably. In this interview before his death he shares his experiences with UFOs, aliens and other experiments that were conducted in his stay at Area 51. Bushman even provides an image of an 'alien', that was at the compound. He provided a lot of information on the place that, like with the CIA, has skeptics and believers squirming.
Who really knows if this place exists, if aliens are real, or if the government is covering it up. This is a topic mainly reserved for your opinion, Are we really alone?
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/10/26/dying-senior-scientist-shares-insider-truth-about-area-51-aliens-ufos-anti-gravity/
http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/us/area-51-documents/
Black-Eyed Children
The Black-Eyed Children are said to appear to be children between the ages of 6-16 and usually come in pairs. Most stories surrounding the Black-Eyed Children follow the same basic structure. Someone will be home, usually alone, and hear a knock at the door. When they answer the door there will be two children waiting outside, usually claiming to be lost and needing to use the phone. Not long after, the person answering the door will begin to feel an eeriness come over them and they will notice that the children have completely black eyes. It is usually at this point that the person refuses to let the children inside, which is when one, or both, of them begin to get angry and insistent. In some of these stories, the children say that they have come to "collect" the person at the door. The stories all seem to settle on the fact that the children cannot enter a home without being invited in. When they are refused entry it is sometimes said that they remain outside, watching, for a little while before eventually vanishing. Alternate stories involve the same basic premise but with a car instead of a house. The children will show up beside a car and ask for a ride. The stories play out pretty much the same after this point.
There is a lot of speculation of what the Black-Eyed children are. Some people claim that they are human-alien hybrids while others insist that they are demons or ghosts. It makes sense that no one can really decide on what they are considering nobody can actually prove that they exist. There are many "first hand" reports online detailing supposed encounters with the Black-Eyed Children, but as with most things, you can't believe everything you read online.
http://www.paranormalhaze.com/black-eyed-kids-legend-or-truth/
There is a lot of speculation of what the Black-Eyed children are. Some people claim that they are human-alien hybrids while others insist that they are demons or ghosts. It makes sense that no one can really decide on what they are considering nobody can actually prove that they exist. There are many "first hand" reports online detailing supposed encounters with the Black-Eyed Children, but as with most things, you can't believe everything you read online.
http://www.paranormalhaze.com/black-eyed-kids-legend-or-truth/
What you need to know about Shadow People
WHAT
WAS THAT?" You were sitting comfortably on your sofa reading the latest
issue of FATE in the dim light when movement across the room
caught your attention. It seemed dark and shadowy, but there was nothing there.
You returned to your reading - and a moment later there it was again. You
looked up quickly this time and saw the fleeting but distinctly human shape of
the shadow pass quickly over the far wall... and disappear.
Blue Mountain Lights
A series of ghost lights appear in Brown Mountain North Carolina. The lights are usually seen on the Blue Ridge Parkway which overlooks the Brown Mountain and the Green Mountains. The mountains are located between Morganton NC and Linville NC. The lights have been reported from the top of table rock outside of Morganton. For centuries people have been disappearing around Brown Mountain.Many people believe the disappearances are directly linked to Brown Mountain lights. The disappearances started in the 1200's. The most recent sighting of the Brown Mountain Lights was on October 11, 2011. Eye witness's have claimed they have seen the lights and captured images and videos of the event. Over 27 people were vacationing near the mountains and mysteriously disappeared.
Sports and Superstitions
Before toeing the starting line of an important race, my approach remains the same. My pre-race meal is always two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I always wear the same socks. As well as wearing the same pair of racing shoes. Everything must be done exactly the same every race. There is a certain comforting feeling that comes along with following rituals. However, on the flipside, if you do not follow the same routine, you will feel extremely uncomfortable and uneasy. If I do one thing differently and I have a bad performance, I immediately associate it with my different routine. On the contrary, if I perform well, that difference quickly becomes a part of my routine. According to Liam Blackwell, athletes review the events and actions leading up to a particularly good or bad performance and believe that there is a correlation between the events and the performance.Throughout my time as an athlete, I have realized that superstitions and rituals play a large and irreplaceable role in my life.
When thinking critically about sport superstitions, there a few Elements of Thought that play a major role. First off, the biggest concern amongst athletes is their performance. Therefore, the most important part of their career is their purpose and their goals. Their purpose is what helps to strengthen their belief in superstitions. In order for these superstitions to develop, the athlete analyzes the information. If a 100 meter runner drops 0.70 seconds from one race to another, he may use this information to develop superstitions. The runner may make an inference that wearing white socks led to his drop in time. However, logic would say that the improvement in time is due to other factors. These factors may include healthier habits, a more regulated sleep schedule, or the previous work that has been done is catching up to his body. Although most athletes understand that these superstitions are irrational, they continue to carry out these rituals.
Devil in the Pine Barrens
Since the early 1730s, there have been reports of a horrid winged beast roaming the wilds of northern New Jersey's Pine Barrens, known by legend as the Jersey Devil. Throughout the decades, people have claimed to have seen this creature, from first hand face-to-face encounters, to simply hearing strange, unknown sounds coming from the woods.
There have been several stories depicting the origin of the Jersey Devil, however the most popular one is that of mother Leeds and her thirteenth child. The story goes, that Mother Leeds, who had twelve children and lived in a cabin in an area which is now known as "Leeds Point", became pregnant with her thirteenth child. Local townspeople believed her to be a witch, and that the father was the Devil himself. When Mother Leeds went into labor, the pain was so unbearable, that she screamed "May it be a devil!," and finally gave birth to a son. The child was born normal, but suddenly began to transform into a hideous monster. It sprouted horns, wings, hooves, and had a horse-like face. The creature let out a terrible cry and began flying inside the cabin until it finally escaped through the chimney. Since then, sightings of this creature have been reported, dating back to even the Civil War.
The Pine Barrens themselves are not as barren as the name claims. In fact, the Pine Barrens is teaming with an assortment of wildlife such as deer, birds, fish, and reptiles and amphibians that have adapted to the environment. Plus, the area of the Pine Barrens stretches through a majority of the state. So, an unknown winged creature should be able to survive and remain virtually undetected right? Scientists believe that the existence of the creature is false. They argue that a creature such as the Jersey Devil, being that there is supposedly only one of its kind according to reports, could not possibly exist for such a long period of time without a stable population. There have also never have been any documented proof such as bone/tissue samples, and any so called evidence that is out there consists mainly of out of focus photos, blurry videos, and eye-witness testimony. Scientists speculate that the sightings are of a result of misidentification, and that the eyewitnesses are actually seeing creatures like owls, bats, deer, or black bears, and that certain conditions have impeded them from accurately identifying them.
So the question stands, is the Jersey Devil just a story made to frighten little children who are afraid of the dark, or is it a real creature, that by some miracle, has been able to roam the woods of New Jersey for as long as it has, scaring everyone that crosses its path? WE may never know for certain, but the imagination along with the dark can be a powerful thing. Is that eerie sound you hear at night in the woods an owl, the wind, a figment of your imagination, or is it the devil, lurking somewhere in the shadows?
Michael Fala
There have been several stories depicting the origin of the Jersey Devil, however the most popular one is that of mother Leeds and her thirteenth child. The story goes, that Mother Leeds, who had twelve children and lived in a cabin in an area which is now known as "Leeds Point", became pregnant with her thirteenth child. Local townspeople believed her to be a witch, and that the father was the Devil himself. When Mother Leeds went into labor, the pain was so unbearable, that she screamed "May it be a devil!," and finally gave birth to a son. The child was born normal, but suddenly began to transform into a hideous monster. It sprouted horns, wings, hooves, and had a horse-like face. The creature let out a terrible cry and began flying inside the cabin until it finally escaped through the chimney. Since then, sightings of this creature have been reported, dating back to even the Civil War.
The Pine Barrens themselves are not as barren as the name claims. In fact, the Pine Barrens is teaming with an assortment of wildlife such as deer, birds, fish, and reptiles and amphibians that have adapted to the environment. Plus, the area of the Pine Barrens stretches through a majority of the state. So, an unknown winged creature should be able to survive and remain virtually undetected right? Scientists believe that the existence of the creature is false. They argue that a creature such as the Jersey Devil, being that there is supposedly only one of its kind according to reports, could not possibly exist for such a long period of time without a stable population. There have also never have been any documented proof such as bone/tissue samples, and any so called evidence that is out there consists mainly of out of focus photos, blurry videos, and eye-witness testimony. Scientists speculate that the sightings are of a result of misidentification, and that the eyewitnesses are actually seeing creatures like owls, bats, deer, or black bears, and that certain conditions have impeded them from accurately identifying them.
So the question stands, is the Jersey Devil just a story made to frighten little children who are afraid of the dark, or is it a real creature, that by some miracle, has been able to roam the woods of New Jersey for as long as it has, scaring everyone that crosses its path? WE may never know for certain, but the imagination along with the dark can be a powerful thing. Is that eerie sound you hear at night in the woods an owl, the wind, a figment of your imagination, or is it the devil, lurking somewhere in the shadows?
Michael Fala
Telekinesis
Have you ever been sitting on the couch and realized that you left the remote on the counter and didn't want to get up and grab it? Well if you had telekinesis you would be able to just think about moving the remote and it would happen. What is telekinesis you might ask? Telekinesis is the ability to manipulate objects with the mind. Although many people believe that they can do this there is no proof that it can actually be done. The element of thought that I would address is the information part. There is no evidence or statistics to back up Telekinesis but there are still people who believe that it can be done. There is no accurate information to back telekinesis up.
The Mysterious Pitney House
There lies a big
historic house on Shore Road in Absecon known as the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House.
The house which is now a bed & breakfast belonged to Dr. Pitney who is
considered to be the “Father of Atlantic City”.
He is also responsible for erecting the Absecon Lighthouse and bringing
a railroad to Absecon and Atlantic City. Dr. Pitney occupied the house from
1833 until he died in 1869. However, visitors to his home believe that he still
resides there. Many guests and previous owners have reported a number of
strange happenings. One woman was lying on the bed in the Caroline Room when
she saw two men walk through the room and disappear. Another woman was staying
in the Victoria Room where she saw a strange light coming from one of the
drawers in the bureaus. The mysterious light got bigger and then it disappeared
into thin air. The sound of a fife has also been heard coming from the little
cottage outside of the house. Even though The Pitney House is considered to be
one of the most haunted houses in Atlantic County, many individuals do not mind
Dr. Pitney’s presence because he is a friendly spirit.
Many individuals believe that spirits haunt
the Earth due to unfinished business in their past life. This is just one of
several theories. Other theories on why a ghost may remain on Earth include traumatic
deaths, guilt or regret that they may have experienced in their past life, or a
strong connection to a loved one that is still living. Dr. Pitney may still
reside in his current residence because he wants to make sure that his home does
not fall into ill repair. He may also want to make sure that the town of
Absecon which, he devoted much of his life to continues to grow and prosper.
Check out this website which lists a majority of the most haunted places in NJ! http://www.theshadowlands.net/places/newjersey.htm
Have any of you visited any of these sites?
LUCID DREAMING AND THE HUMAN BRAIN
Lucid dreaming: we have all heard the term one way or another, but many are not familiar with its actual meaning. A vast majority of the population might have actually experienced it before without knowledge of it occurring. Lucid dreaming is simply the awareness of when you are dreaming; when you can look around in your dream, realize that you’re just dreaming, and then control what you do in that realm of space.
Lucid dreamers imply that there are many positive benefits of doing this. Besides the amazing abnormal feeling of flying, walking through doors, visiting any place you wish in a blink-of-an-eye, you may also be able to overcome fears! For example, with a fear of heights you can climb to the highest cliff, stand on the edge (knowing it is not real life), and confront your fear. Also, America’s number one fear in life, even over death, is public-speaking. Engulf yourself in a crowded room where you are in front of the group speaking about a topic of choice, interact with the on-lookers, and build self-confidence via lucid dreaming.
In order to perfect this, there are several techniques that may induce the lucid dreams. These include, but not limited to: Writing down your dreams when you first wake up to better remember them in the future (because we all repeat same or similar dreams, therefore it will make it easier to recall). Next, perform reality checks. Glance at your hands during the day and ask yourself if you are dreaming. Make a conscious effort throughout the day to check the time on a clock, where it may trigger you to do that in a dream. If the time jumps after a couple glances in a dream, it may trigger your awareness! And lastly, try to read a paragraph in your dream. See if the words change or don’t make any sense as you read them. It may spark an idea to test if you are dreaming, or if it’s reality.
But what truly is reality anyway? What if we are living in a dream right now and can’t realize it? Life is open to interpretation, and testing our ‘realities’ may bring us one step closer to understanding our existence and boundaries. Lucid dreaming is an explorative step into altering your reality. Our brains are extraordinary tools, and the only limit it has is the limit you think it has.
-Mike Rubino
Due to made up beliefs in today’s society, Voodoo has been depicted as a
dark religion that involves casting terrible spells. Many people today believe
that voodoo is a magical phenomenon, consisting of animal sacrifices and
harming others through the use of dolls. The steps include repeating a chant
and instilling the doll with a person’s soul. Most individuals think that if
the doll is harmed in any way, a person will suffer the same injuries and harm.
In all actuality, the Voodoo practices that are seen on movies and heard
about in the news are falsified and incorrect. The religion originated in
Africa and its primary values include experience, empowerment, and
responsibility. The people who practice Voodoo do believe that there is a
visible and an invisible world. They believe in spirits. In order to keep their
memories alive, Voodoo worshipers hang posters of the deceased and keep their
possessions. They try to connect with the spirits and manifest their energy.
People believe that Voodoo is bad because of prejudice
views. It is dated back to when slavery was an issue in Africa. In reality,
Voodoo is a type of religion, just like Christianity or Protestantism. It is
simply a misunderstood ritual.
In terms of the Elements of Though chart, the information
that is presented is that Voodoo is nothing more than religious practices. The
media has made Voodoo seem like a monstrous and terrible concept, but it really
is not. Voodoo is practiced in predominantly African countries. It includes
prayers, holy water, candles, and incense. This information provides
justification that Voodoo is not what everyone makes it out to be. It is
clearly just misunderstood.
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