Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3 to 4 hours (in the slow cooker)
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
4 large baking apples, such as Rome Beauty or Jonathan
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Preparation:
Scoop out core of each apple, leaving a 11/2-inch-wide cavity about 1/2 inch from bottom. Peel top of apple down about 1 inch. Brush peeled edges evenly with lemon juice.
Combine apricots, walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Add melted butter; mix well. Spoon mixture evenly into apple cavities.
Pour 1/2 cup water in bottom of a slow cooker. Place 2 apples in bottom of cooker. Arrange remaining 2 apples above but not directly on top of the bottom apples. Cover and cook on LOW until apples are tender, about 3 to 4 hours. Serve apples warm or at room temperature.
Tip: To keep the apples from discoloring while cooking, brush the peeled edges with lemon juice. The acid in citrus juice prevents them from turning brown. This trick also worked with other white fruits, such as pears and bananas.
As reported today on MSNBC, a Wiccan TSA employee accused of witchcraft has been fired. As described below, listed apostles of a global evangelical movement that claims to fight witchcraft will, on April 1-2, be holding a conference at Harvard University.
While Salem has garnered all the attention, the real peak of the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s witch craze was in what is now North Andover, where two dogs were tried and executed for witchcraft. It’s been a few years now since witch hunting was in vogue in Massachusetts, but the upcoming Social Transformation Conference to be held at Harvard this April 1-2 could help rekindle the practice. Footage from a November 2009 evangelical conference held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village near Honolulu shows scheduled Social Transformation Conference speaker Dr. Pat Francis up onstage, her voice cracking with intensity, shouting out “In the name of Jesus we break the power, of witchcraft power, every witchcraft power, we drive you out!” Read full story from dailykos.com
Archeology:
The Talbot Vervel
Shropshire Council’s museum service has acquired a remarkable find by local metal detectorist, Frank Taylor – a small hoop and shield that gives us a glimpse into the life of the Earl of Shrewsbury around 380 years ago.
Although small, this hoop and shield are inscribed with the name IOHN TALBOT (John Talbot) and emblazoned with a hound or ‘talbot passant’ which was the family crest of the Earls of Shrewsbury. The design and style of the lettering suggests that the owner was probably Sir John Talbot, 10th Earl of Shrewsbury (1601-54). Read full story from pasthorizons.com
Arts & Entertainment:
‘Camelot’: A Timeless Story Becomes a Forgettable TV Show
Why do we like King Arthur so much? For T.H. White, author of the Once and Future King series, Arthur’s court was a place to explore utopian governance. Mark Twain saw him as fodder for a satire of modern technology in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. And in The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley pushed him to the side in a feminist reinterpretation of the battle between Christianity and paganism that’s perhaps the most effective distillation of the story’s continuing draw. The story of a man elevated by birth and good fortune to unite a fractured land, only to break it again in the name of Christian quest, is infinitely adaptable. Read full story from theatlantic.com
Gemini dogs are sociable and enjoy travelling, Virgos enjoy their creature comforts and appreciate peace and quiet, and Scorpios make great police dogs because they are inherently nosey.
Fiona is using her unique skills to diagnose and resolve behavioural issues with pets and charges £35 for a reading. Read full story from swns.com
Amusing as the banter was, unfortunately, they never really got to an answer. So, I thought, what about the phenomenon I focused on in my book Dark Green Religion: Nature Spirituality and the Planetary Future? How would it shape up as a candidate? More importantly, is it funny enough, or better yet, sexy enough, to convince Colbert? Read full story from huffingtonpost.com
Exorcism is the subject of a six-day conference being held this week at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome, which is under the Vatican’s authority.
“The internet makes it much easier than in the past to find information about Satanism,” said Carlo Climati, a member of the university who specialises in the dangers posed to young people by Satanism.
“In just a few minutes you can contact Satanist groups and research occultism. The conference is not about how to become an exorcist. It’s to share information about exorcism, Satanism and sects. It’s to give help to families and priests. There is a particular risk for young people who are in difficulties or who are emotionally fragile,” said Mr Climati. Read full story from telegraph.co.uk
Ireland’s last witch trial investigated
The intriguing tale of Ireland’s last witch trial has been re-investigated ahead of the 300th anniversary of a case that saw eight Co Antrim women found guilty of possessing a teenage girl.
The story of the Islandmagee witches has generated little historical re-examination in the last three centuries.
But Dr Andrew Sneddon from the University of Ulster intends to change that with a reappraisal of the trial, which took place 300 years ago tomorrow.
After being convicted at a court in Carrickfergus, the eight Presbyterian women were sentenced to a year in prison and each put in the public stocks four times on market day. Read full story from rte.ie
Paranormal:
Haunting: House at Willow Pond
House at Willow Pond was built in 1898 in Piqua, Ohio, and was recently investigated by Doorways Investigation Group – and now the subject of a video series.
Current owners know of two deaths that occurred inside the house. Today they see ghostly children running around a nearby pond. They talk about the paranormal experiences going on in the house today. Read full story from examiner.com
Folk Names: Ajo, Clove Garlic, Poor Man’s Treacle, Stinkweed
Native to Central Asia, garlic is a species in the onion family Alliaceae.
The ancient Greeks placed garlic at cross-roads as a supper for the goddess Hecate, or for protection to ward off demons. Greek midwives would hang garlic cloves in birthing rooms to keep evil spirits away. Athletes would take large amounts of garlic before competition, and soldiers would consume garlic before going into battle. Roman soldiers ate garlic to inspire and give them courage. Egyptian slaves were fed garlic to keep up strength. Tibetan monks were forbidden from entering monasteries if they had eaten garlic. Nicholas Culpeper, (botanist/herbalist/astrologer) linked garlic with the planet Mars. A fiery planet also connected with blood.Dreaming that there is “garlic in the house” is known to mean you will discover hidden secrets.
Deity: Hekate
Element: Fire (Courage, Exorcism, Health, Lust, Protection, Strength)
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars (Courage, Exorcism, Hex-Breaking, Lust, Protection, Sexual Potency, Strength)
Medicinal Uses: Garlic has been used to prevent health problems including colds, flu, menstrual pain, high blood pressure, coughs, gastrointestinal problems, atherosclerosis, and bronchitis. It has been proven to kill various fungal infections, viruses, bacteria, and intestinal parasites. Also labeled as an antioxidant, garlic may help prevent certain cancers such as colon cancer and can improve the effectiveness of the immune system. Most popular, garlic is used for its effectiveness of cardiovascular wellness, as well as treating atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, respiratory infections, and triglyceride levels.
Magical Uses: Garlic is known to be extremely protective. It is excellent in a new home, hang braids of garlic to ward off thieves and evil. For protection while sleeping, place under a pillow or make into a wreath placed above the bed. Eating and wearing garlic is said to improve agility, courage, and physical endurance.
Ritual Uses: The bulb, stem, and flowers can be used in spells and as an amulet for protection. Burn the powdered herb to break spells and curses. Place with silver in a sachet of leather to bring money. Scatter around the home to promote lust.
Other Uses: Studies have found that concentrated garlic kills ticks within thirty minutes. Dehydrated garlic is used as a nutritional supplement in pet food to repel fleas and ticks.
Scott Cunningham: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of magical herbs
Note: Consult with a Physician or certified herbologist if you are seeking medical remedies. The information is not intended as medical advice. PagansWorld.org is not liable for the misuse of the herb listed above.
Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all and have a great day!
Witchcraft accusations and human rights abuses in Africa
Witch‐hunts have become epidemic throughout Africa. Although witch‐hunts have historically been viewed as gender specific, with a large percentage of victims still identified as elderly and solitary women, recent reports show that victims of witch‐hunts include both women and men of all ages. read full story from paganrightsalliance.org3
Events:
“GhostFest: Paranormal & Horror Convention” – The heads in charge couldn’t have picked a better place than Salem for this weekend’s GhostFest: Paranormal & Horror Convention, which kicks off tonight.
Archeology:
Archaeological research visualizes urban life in ancient cities
A new archaeological research project at the University of Kent, south England, will reconstruct urban life in cities such as Constantinople during a period of history that has long remained hidden from view.
Reconstructions of daily life in ancient Roman cities such as Pompeii are plentiful, thanks to centuries of archaeological research. But that is not the case for the later Roman or ‘late antique’ period (AD 300-650) that saw the long transition from the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages.
This is set to change now – thanks to a three-year project called ‘Visualising the Late Antique City’ – that will see the University’s Dr Luke Lavan, a lecturer in archaeology, leading a team studying artwork, excavated artefacts and the ruins of ancient cities from around the Mediterranean. Although Constantinople is now obscured by modern development within what is now Istanbul, other sites in Turkey, Tunisia, and Italy are expected to reveal much of the urban landscape of the period. Read full story from pashorizons.com
Arts & Entertainment:
4 Reasons Why David Gordon Green’s Suspiria Remake Could Be Great
In between fielding questions about Natalie Portman’s thong bikini in Your Highness, director David Gordon Green confirmed that he hopes to remake Dario Argento’s horror classic Suspiria next. As someone who really likes horror movies, I’m usually somewhere between disheartened and furious each time Hollywood announces a remake of another one of my favorite 70’s films. But a remake of Suspiria actually has real potential. Read full story from movieline.com
‘Ghost Adventures’ crew to probe `Idol` mansion
Washington: The ‘Ghost Adventures’ crew believes there may be demonic activity inside the haunted ‘American Idol’ mansion and they want to investigate the place as soon as possible.
Zak Bagans, the lead investigator of the ‘Ghost Adventures Crew’, insisted the alleged paranormal activity inside the Beverly Hills mansion where the ‘A.I.’ finalists were staying sounds legit and “possibly demonic.” Read full story from zeenews.com
DVD Review: Devil’s Playground
Devil’s Playground is one of the best examples of a schizophrenic horror film I’ve seen lately – and I don’t mean this in a good way. It hovers between horror, action and movie of the week melodrama, switching in tone so fast that you’ll probably give yourself whiplash as you struggle to make it through the full 90 minutes. Read full story from brutalashell.com
Lifestyle & Religion:
How Can A Bunny Lay Eggs?
While the Easter bunny may play second fiddle to Santa Claus in the pantheon of holiday myths, the wiggly-nosed critter actually has deeper historic roots than ol’ St. Nick.
The Easter bunny’s origins predate Christianity, whereas Santa Claus came to popular attention in the 4th century. Like the Easter eggs it is said to circulate, the Easter Bunny is an icon of fertility. The arrival of spring on one hand is a symbol of renewed life for people, but it also is the mating season for rabbits and hares, and it’s the time when birds lay eggs. If you put that together with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you wind up mixing Easter with the Easter bunny. Read full story from krdo.com
Cambodia: where fear, magic and murder intertwine
BOMNOK, Cambodia — In the midday swelter of early hot season, Pah Eang shivered and walked into a mountainous forest she’d once visited every day. She said she was scared. She hadn’t been to this place, open and silent, in five months. Not since the killings and whispers of magic.
Pulling at her red sweatshirt, Pah dissolved into the Cardamom Mountains that ripple through western Cambodia, and began her search for a place that keeps this 22-year-old awake at night and plagues what’s left of her family. Her path wound deeper until everything was quiet and the only mark of humanity was a bamboo-thatched hut in a clearing so idyllic the savagery of what had occurred there was difficult to imagine.
Last September, Pah’s father and younger brother were killed around 1 a.m. in this hut. The father, Pheng Pah, 46, was stabbed to death while his son, Pah Broh, 15, had his throat slit. When the bodies were discovered the next morning, some villagers in this deeply rural community 25 miles from a paved road rejoiced. They said the father and son were “sorcerers” and had deserved to die. Read full story from globalpost.com
The Episcopal Church:The Way of Balaam
Manchester Cathedral to host tarot card readers and healers at ‘new age’ festival screamed a headline in a British broadsheet. The cathedral will also feature crystal healers and ‘dream interpretation’.
Fortune tellers, meditation experts and traditional healers will fill the pews during the day-long festival in May. The Bishop of Manchester, Rt. Rev Nigel McCulloch, said he wanted to celebrate ‘all forms of spirituality’. Bishop Nigel said the unconventional activities are not incompatible with Christian belief. Read full story from virtueonline.com
BP managers could face manslaughter charges over Gulf oil spill
The US authorities are considering charging BP managers with manslaughter after decisions they made before the Deepwater Horizon oil well explosion last year killed 11 workers and caused the biggest offshore spill in US history.
Sources close to the process told Bloomberg that investigators were also examining whether BP’s executives, including former chief executive Tony Hayward, made statements that were at odds with what they knew during congressional hearings last year. Read full story from guardian.co.uk
Paranormal:
County’s Paranormal Society explores haunted hotel
Could Sonoma State be haunted? You should ask our own team of ghost adventurers, the Sonoma County Paranormal Society (SCPS) headed by Lead Investigator, Sonoma State sophomore and Environmental Studies and Planning major Joshua Goudy and friends. The SCPS spend their free time studying locations rumored to be haunted for proof of life after death.
Goudy and his crew will be visiting the Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley, Calif. on Tues, April 12., a location famous for multiple instances of paranormal encounters.
The SCPS is made of a core group of five students of both Sonoma State and the Santa Rosa Junior College with a common interest and the desire to share experiences in their studies of paranormal activity. Read full story from sonomastatestar.com
Science:
Lost in Triangulation: Leonardo da Vinci’s Mathematical Slip-Up
Artist, inventor and philosopher Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was without a doubt a genius. Yet, there is some criticism. In his book 1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and Ignited the Renaissance (William Morrow, 2008) British author and retired submarine commander Gavin Menzies claims that da Vinci swiped most of his ideas from the Chinese. Menzies’s theory was poorly received by the world of science. Besides, isn’t da Vinci’s brilliance beyond question? Definitely, but the Dutch mathematician and artist Rinus Roelofs did find an error in one of the Renaissance man‘s drawings. Read full story from scientificamerican.com
Native to Asia, Spelt is a grain and distant cousin to wheat. It is high in just about any nutrient, Vitamins B1, B2, B3,B6, E, iron, potassium, calcium as well as amino acids. It’s also highly water soluble and much easier to digest than wheat.
Spelt is is useful for feebleness, brittle hair and nails, connective tissue weakness, general weakness, sluggish bowels, rheumatic illness and vitamin-B deficiency. (Spelt can be purchased in whole food stores)
Spelt Coffee
Ingredients:
4 parts brown-roasted spelt grains
1 part dark-roasted spelt grains (for color)
Preparation:
Blend the grains.
Boil 2 tablespoons of the mixture with 1 cup of water for 5 minutes.
Strain off the grains, mix with an additional tablespoon of the roasted grains. Let stand over night in 1 cup of water.
Repeat 3-5 times. Drink with milk and sugar.
Spelt Broth
Ingredients:
Spelt bread
1 cup of bouillon or milk
Preparation:
Slice an ample amount of bread and dry in an oven at 200F. Grind into a powder and store in a tightly sealed container.
Bring the bouillon or milk to a boil and stir in 3 tablespoons of bread powder. Serve immediately.
Tip: For insomnia or a headache, fill a pillow loosely with spelt grains and sleep on it. It will adapt to the head movements and support the neck.
References:
The Complete Guide To Natural Healing
Note: Consult with a Physician if you are seeking medical remedies. The information is not intended as medical advice. PagansWorld.org is not liable for the misuse of the information listed above.
Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all and have a great day!
Witchcraft accusations and human rights abuses in Africa
Witch‐hunts have become epidemic throughout Africa. Although witch‐hunts have historically been viewed as gender specific, with a large percentage of victims still identified as elderly and solitary women, recent reports show that victims of witch‐hunts include both women and men of all ages. read full story from paganrightsalliance.org3
Whistle-blowing witch grounded by TSA (Source msnbc)
Here’s a situation for all you aspiring managers: If you were the boss at a U.S. government agency and one of your employees complained that she was afraid of a co-worker’s religious practices, what would you do?
Would it change your decision if the religion were Wicca, and the employee feared her co-worker because she thought she might cast a spell on her? Read full story from msnbc.msn.com
Exploring power held by goddesses (Book Review)
GODDESSES FOR EVERY DAY: EXPLORING THE WISDOM AND POWER OF THE DIVINE FEMININE AROUND THE WORLD – BY JULIE LOAR
Her intention is clear: to provide goddess stories drawn from ancient myths that can empower women to find from within the courage, power, strength, love and wisdom they need to live their lives to the fullest — to “save the world one woman at a time.” Read full story from mysanantonio.com
Rob Zombie Gives a Peek at The Lords of Salem film
And so it begins. Here are a few shots from my recent scouting in Salem. Great town, great locations. Stay tuned to this blog for all upcoming LORDS updates. Much more to come since we are now moving full steam ahead. See photos at rzfilms.blogspot.com
Astronomy:
Coldest Star Found—No Hotter Than Fresh Coffee
Dubbed CFBDSIR 1458 10b, the star is what’s called a brown dwarf. These oddball objects are often called failed stars, because they have starlike heat and chemical properties but don’t have enough mass for the crush of gravity to ignite nuclear fusion at their cores.
With surface temperatures hovering around 206 degrees F (97 degrees C), the newfound star is the coldest brown dwarf seen to date. (Related: “Dimmest Stars in Universe Spotted?”)
“Over the years there has been steady but slow progress in pushing the boundaries of finding the coldest stars,” said study leader Michael Liu, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii.
“But with this latest discovery we have made a big leap forward—besting the previous record holder by at least 150 Kelvin [270 degrees F, or 150 degrees C],” he said. Read full story from nationalgeographic.com
Environment:
First Practical “Artificial Leaf” Powers Fuel Cells for Rural Homes
Scientists have long been trying to mimic the photosynthesis perfected by leaves — turning sunlight and water into energy that can be stored. While many have made attempts, there seems to be one group of scientists that have pulled it off. The news comes from the 241st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, where the researchers made their announcement. The “artificial leaf” would be used to generate power for off grid homes in developing areas, and the hope is that one such “leaf” could provide enough energy for an entire household. Read full story from treehugger.com
The monk bursts into tears, an involuntary act, as he asks heaven what he can do to comfort his destroyed hometown and begin to rebuild his house of worship.
Fujiwara needs heaven to speak to him, for he must preside over Kamaishi’s first mass burials in memory. Behind his temple, the sound of heavy machinery digging giant ditches for unmarked coffins echoes through the shattered remains of the 300-year-old building. Read full story from cnn.com
Herbalists Form National Network
Kigali — Practitioners of traditional medicine from across the country, yesterday, met in Kigali to establish a forum that will protect their rights and regulate the profession.
Herbalists currently operate without clear guidelines, although the Ministry of Health, says that it has prepared a document that spells out the ethics for the practice of traditional medicine, guidelines for quality assurance and assessment, good agriculture practice and guidelines for research. Read full story from allafrica.com
Too Many Psychics in ‘Witch City’?
Salem, Massachusetts is famous for its modern witches and history of witch persecution. The city’s unique past supports a thriving menagerie of businesses selling everything from magical charms to fortunes, but some fear the number of psychics flocking to the community north of Boston could be too many.
In 2007, the city lifted a cap on the number of psychics allowed to operate and now some believe the ‘Witch City’ is getting overrun.
Barbara Szafranski is a long-time psychic license holder who conducts readings at her downtown shop Angelica of the Angels. She needed no crystal ball to tell her business would take a hit when more fortunetellers hit the scene. Read full story from foxnews.com
Christians and the pagans
In her letter Dr Emma Chung, President of Leicester Secular Society, stated that Christians had “purloined” Christmas and Easter from pagans (Mailbox, March 16). This is wrong.
In the time of Rome‘s dominance (a pagan society), Christians were in the minority.
It was emperor Lucinius, a pagan, who “ordered” Christians to treat Sunday as a day of rest, as it suited Rome. Later, Emperor Constantine “ordered” Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the same day, December 25, pagans celebrate the re-birth of the sun following winter (the Feast of Natalis Solis Invicti), as it suited Rome. Read full story from thisislleicestershire.co.uk
A deity diverse and divisive
In the wide, red land led by an atheist and where evolution has prevailed in its political war with creationism, God has not died. But Australia’s almighty has become a far more diverse and divisive deity, still influencing laws and values and maintaining the potential to undermine social cohesion.
The complexity of beliefs haunts policies and legislators. Christians fear suffocation by political correctness and attack from opposing fundamentalism; Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists complain of bias; pagans rail against marriage laws and the ban on pagan chaplains in the military.
Indigenous Australians say their spirituality has been bundled with paganism and dismissed as a valid belief system, further undermining their ability to manage their affairs, and damaging the fragile process of reconciliation. Read full story from nzherald.co.nz
News:
Radiation levels at Japan nuclear plant reach new highs
TOKYO — As radiation levels at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant reached a new high Sunday, workers contended with dark, steamy conditions in their efforts to repair the facility’s cooling system and stave off a full-blown nuclear meltdown. Wearing respirators, face masks and bulky suits, they fought to reconnect cables and restore power to motor pumps the size of automobiles. Read full story from washingtonpost.com
Vietnam Zoo Owner Gets Jail Time For Selling Dead Tigers
A zoo keeper in Vietnam was charged with the illegal selling of five endangered tiger carcasses and was sentenced to 3 years in jail. The owner had raised the tigers on his farm near Ho Chi Minh City, but after they died (reportedly from bird flu and choking on a bone), he attempted to sell the carcasses — a product that can earn big money on the black market. Read full story from treehugger.com
Radiation From Japan Plant Seeping Into Pacific
Radiation from a crippled atomic plant northeast of Tokyo has wafted into the air, contaminating farm produce and drinking water as well as seeping into the Pacific Ocean, although officials stress there is no imminent health threat.
Highly radioactive water has been found seeping from reactor two’s turbine building, the operator said Monday, worsening fears that it is leaking into the environment.
Engineers are racing to restore cooling systems knocked out by the tsunami, but have been hindered by pools of highly radioactive water thought to have leaked from the steel-and-concrete reactor casings or their pipe systems. Read full story from discovery.com
Lisa Manning and her children Ellie, 11, and Jaydon, six, have fled their house in terror several times because of bizarre goings-on.
They include pots and pans being thrown around the kitchen, window blinds moving up and down by themselves, lights being switched on and off and drawers being opened. Read full story from dailymail.co.uk
3 1/2 oz. dried thin egg noodles (oil for cooking)
1 onion , sliced
1 yellow capsicum, cut into thin strips
1 red capsicum, cut into thin strips
3 1/2 oz. sugar snap peas
1/4 cup chicken stock
Preparation:
Heat wok until hot and dry-fry the Szechwan pepper for 30 seconds. Remove and crush with a mortar and pestle.
Combine the chicken strips, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, cornflour and Szechwan pepper in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add the egg noodles, cook 5 minutes. Drain, then drizzle with a a little oil and toss through noodles. Set aside.
Heat the wok until hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl around to coat pan. Stir-fry the chicken in batches over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add more oil when necessary. Remove and set aside.
Reheat wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry onion, capsicum and sugar snap peas over high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Return chicken and egg noodles to the wok and toss over high heat until mixed well. Serve immediately.
Paranormal research session to air tonight
MILLERSBURG — Ghosts who reside in the Victorian House Museum in Millersburg apparently had their say Saturday, shutting down a planned live Internet stream of research being conducted in the house by the Central Ohio Paranormal Research Group.
However, there is good news for ghost hunters.
Saturday’s session, which Mark Boley, director of the Holmes County Historical Society, said again revealed “lots of activity,” will be available for viewing tonight on the Internet.
Beginning at 8 p.m., the session will be available at the web site www.centralohioparanormalresearchgroup.com/Livewebstream.html. A chat room also will be available. Read full story from timesreporter.com
History:
The First Pocahontas May Have Been a Viking
Genes from the Beotuk, a long-extinct branch of Canada’s aboriginal peoples, have shown up in samples of 80 people from Iceland, a team of anthropologists and geneticists has revealed.
A study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology indicates that a woman of that line may have been brought to Iceland by the Vikings 1,000 years ago, the Montreal Gazette and other media outlets reported on Thursday. The study was conducted by researchers from Iceland and Spain. Read the full story from indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com
Lifestyle & Religion:
Diary reveals the horror of the Witchfinder General trials
A 350-year-old notebook which describes the execution of innocent women for consorting with the Devil, has been published online by The University of Manchester’s John Rylands Library. Puritan writer Nehemiah Wallington wrote passages on his attitudes to life, religion, the civil war as well as the witchcraft trials of the period. Read full story from pasthorizons.com
Coast home to 500 witches: psychic
A FAMOUS TV witch says the Sunshine Coast is a sacred and magical haven to as many as 500 practising witches.
Stacey Demarco, a judge on the 2009 psychic Australian television show The One, said the region had a variety of covens and had attracted them because the Coast’s earth had a “deep and powerful energy”.
Ms Demarco, voted Australia’s 2009 psychic of the year, will be on the Coast this weekend to teach one of her invitation-only workshops for “intermediate” witches. Read full story from bollinaadvocate.com
News:
Research Firm to Study Tribes’ Economic Impact on California
A coalition of American Indian organizations in California hired a prominent research firm to analyze tribes’ contribution to the state’s economy, states a California Nations Indian Gaming Association news release.
Beacon Economics, a consulting firm based in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, will measure the economic impact of tribes by examining Indian-owned casinos, businesses, tribal government programs, purchases of goods and services and charitable donations, amongst other things.
A spokesman for the charity said: “There are some fraudulent emails circulating claiming to be raising money for the Japan Tsunami Appeal. These may request that you donate through companies like Western Union or Money Bookers, which we would never do. If you suspect an email is fraudulent please do not open any attachments or click on any links. Read full story from guardian.co.uk
Now a relic claimed to be a thorn from Jesus’s crown is to go on display at the British Museum.
And while no one can doubt the item’s rich history, there is less evidence to support the claims of its provenance. Read full story from dailymail.co.uk
To break up all the monotony, I’ve done a little reformatting.I I hope this is more pleasing to the eye, the old format was bugging me. Be sure to check back daily, more changes are on the way. All comments and suggestions are welcome.
‘The Secret Circle’ Gets a Little Smaller
Executive producers Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain are out as executive producers of The Secret Circle, CW’s witchcraft pilot based on the novel by Vampire Diaries author L.J. Smith. More after the jump. Read full story from fearnet.com
Exclusive video: Leigh Whannell on “INSIDIOUS,”
How’s this for a match made in…hell?! The creators of the SAW and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY franchises have teamed up for INSIDIOUS, a superscary haunted house chiller guaranteed to have you jumping out of your seat. Over the next week or so, Fangoria.com will be presenting exclusive video chats (directed and edited by Bill Hall) with Australian filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell. Today Fango’s Tony Timpone continues his talk with actor/screenwriter Whannell (see part one here) about the making of INSIDIOUS and provides scoops on his future projects. Read full story from fangoria.com
Environment:
Oil Spill in South Atlantic Threatens Endangered Penguins
A major spill of heavy crude oil from a wrecked freighter has coated an estimated 20,000 endangered penguins on a remote South Atlantic island chain, the local authorities and environmental groups said Tuesday.
More than 800 tons of fuel oil has leaked from the Maltese-registered ship, which ran aground on Nightingale Island, part of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, a British territory, early in the morning of March 16, local officials said. All 22 crew members of the M.S. Oliva were rescued.
“The scene at Nightingale is dreadful, as there is an oil slick encircling the island,” Trevor Glass, a local conservation officer, said in a statement. Read full story from nytimes.com
Say it with Butterflies – Green Start-Up Grows Monarch Butterflies for Events, Therapy & Conservation
Here is an interesting buisness idea; grow butterflies to let fly at special ocasions and at the same time help the enviornment as well as people with special needs. The project is called Mariposeando (Spanish for something like ‘butterflying’) and has just hatched out in the North of Spain. The idea behind it is to help the population of Monarch Butterflies (Danaus Plexippus) grow as it has been declared as a species that needs protecting by the Spanish Ministry of the Environment. So why not let some butterflies free at your next party or send them as a green wedding gift! Read full story from treehugger.com
Health:
6 Natural Remedies to ‘Cure’ a Cold
With winter fully upon us, cold season has officially arrived, with coughing, sinus congestion, and the dullness that colds impart. Fortunately, natural cold remedies can help you to beat colds more quickly, and reduce the severity of symptoms.
Here are a few of my favorite remedies, which are free of side effects. Read full story from foxnews.com
Old cures, new uses
Modern America is chronically overmedicated, report after report says. Traditional doctors prescribe drugs for all sorts of maladies, but one shop in Chicago’s Chinatown is touting its ancient cures as an alternative.
Kent Young Health Products Center Co. in sells over 400 herbs for a variety of ailments, from the common cold, nausea and digestive problems to urinary tract infections, high blood pressure and cancer. Read full story from chicagojournel.com
Lifestyle & Religion:
Rich under attack
Newly rich South Africans are increasingly accused of witchcraft and attacked by their neighbours, police in the northern province of Limpopo said Wednesday.
“Now you are a witch because you are driving a four-by-four. This is the mentality that people have,” police spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi, told the Sapa news agency.
“Once people start amassing wealth, getting bigger houses and sending their children to better schools, it means you are engaging yourself in witchcraft. Read full story from theprovince.com
White witch Dot is refusing to die
THE White Witch of Milton Keynes is alive and magical after a spell of sickness so severe doctors gave her three hours to live.
Remarkable Dot Griffiths, known as Madam Morgana, has bounced back after gruelling surgery and radiotherapy to take her wheelchair-bound wizardry all over the country.
The 74-year-old great gran has been casting spells, practising paganism and fighting for the good of the world for decades.
Even on her sick bed, fighting stage 3 Endometrial cancer, she held impromptu clairvoyance session for her fellow patients. And while recuperating she dashed out a book of spells called ‘Grimoirs of Madam Morgana’, which she hopes to get published. Read full story from miltonkeynes.co.uk
Fairport, N.Y. — The difference between jeweler Stephen Walker and historians who study Celtic jewelry is simple. While they analyze how ancient metal crafts were made, he has a more hands-on approach — something that comes naturally to him.
Walker, who owns Walker Metalsmiths Celtic Jewelry in Fairport, has worked with silver and gold for more than 25 years, studying the intricate artistry of Scottish and Irish craftsmen of old. It’s a topic that’s interested him since the age of 13, and his curiosity has earned him a spot on the international stage.
In July he will be presenting his research at the Sixth International Conference of Insular Art in York, England. He is one of the few craftsmen presenting, and says having the chance to share his findings with the best and brightest scholars, archeologists and curators in his field is a great honor. Read full story from fairport-erpost.com
The pastor of a rural United Methodist church in North Carolina wrote a note on his Facebook page supporting a new book by Rob Bell, a prominent young evangelical pastor and critic of the traditional view of hell as a place of eternal torment for billions of damned souls.
Two days later, Holtz was told complaints from church members prompted his dismissal from Marrow’s Chapel in Henderson. Read full story from msnbc.msn.com
— More Than 26,000 Dead Or Missing: According to the latest estimate from the National Police Agency, “more than 26,000 people are officially dead or missing.” There are 9,737 confirmed deaths and 16,423 people unaccounted for. (NHK) Read full story from npr.com
The Twitter stream of Margie Phelps, legal adviser and de facto spokesperson for the small Kansas-based congregation, was littered on Wednesday with messages disparaging the late activist actress and revealing plans for Westboro to demonstrate at her forthcoming funeral.
“No RIP Elizabeth Taylor who spent her life in adultery and enabling proud fags. They cuss her in hell today. #Westboro will picket funeral!” one tweet read. Read full story from huggingtonpost.com
32 arrested for ‘witch’ murders
The suspects were found just after midnight yesterday hiding in a cave on a mountain near the village.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hangwane Mulaudzi said police launched a massive manhunt after a tip-off from members of the community, who told them the whereabouts of the suspects.
He said the police went to the houses of the suspects at about midnight. Read full story from sowetanlive.co.za
Witches have right to live
The number of victims in the various witches’ camps in Northern Ghana appears to be increasing by the day, despite numerous campaigns by both non-governmental organisations (NGO) and the media. The existence of three camps in the three, namely the Upper East, Upper West and Northern, is helping to address the problem. Many accused of witchcraft are now insulated from the wrath of their own people, by being confined to these camps.
It is a shame that in a society like Ghana, where old age has always been revered, to be in the evening of one’s life is threatening to become a nightmare.
The vulnerable, especially, old and weak women, is the group of people who always fall victim when suspicion of the existence of a witch or wizard arises among a family or society. The belief of the people of the northern part of the country makes people attribute bad dreams, poor harvests, sickness and epidemics to witchcraft manipulation. Read full story from modernghana.com
Paranormal:
Creeped Out by Paranormal Doings at Home?
Creaky floors. Cool drafts. Bumps in the night. They’re enough to get the imagination running. Hollywood images converge with rational explanations, clouding reality and making these occurrences difficult to comprehend.
“Eighty percent of the claims of paranormal activity are things that can be explained away,” said Melissa Tanner, founder and lead investigator of TnT Paranormal Investigators LLC. For three years, Tanner and her crew have been enlisted by area homeowners to dispel potential hauntings. Armed with digital camcorders, audio equipment and infrared cameras, Tanner seeks explanation. Read full story from frankfur.patch.com
Media:
Eco-homes: Living the good life – video (Source – Guardian)
Following his trip to the self-sustainable Lammas in Wales, Heydon Prowse visits Pembrokeshire national park to meet two families living in low-cost, environmentally sustainable dwellings
My Take: Japanese New Religions’ big role in disaster response
Devastating images of human suffering have been pouring in from Japan for over a week now and many of us have wanted to help. When news reports showed store shelves in Tokyo were emptying, I felt the irrational urge to mail necessities like rice, toilet paper and batteries to relatives and friends there.
Ultimately, I knew that by the time my care packages would reach Tokyo, store shelves would have been restocked. An organized relief effort requires pre-existing networks. After the Kobe earthquake in 1995, yakuza – Japan’s organized crime cartels – efficiently distributed food and water.
Since this month’s earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, other types of organized aid networks have also largely been neglected by the news media, including the Japanese news: those managed by religious organizations.
These charitable efforts include more than traditional Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines that many rightly associate with Japan. The thriving Japanese religious landscape is much more diverse than most outsiders realize, with many so-called New Religious Movements, in addition to Christian churches and Islamic centers. Read full story from cnn.com
Among the Unbelievers
It has long been assumed that Western society in the modern age—with the rise of science and the broad intellectual legacy of the Enlightenment—must become increasingly secular. What is modernity if not the movement from the authority of tradition to the authority of reason? In this view, made famous by the German sociologist Max Weber, the “disenchantment” of the world is the price one pays for leaving the charms and consolations of religion behind. The non-believing Weber was himself nostalgic for an age when faith imbued life with meaning and purpose. But he never ceased to identify secular thinking with a decisive advance in human self- understanding.
In “Holy Ignorance,” the French social theorist Olivier Roy sets out to modify this secularization theory and to overturn its triumphalist message. He begins by noting that religion, though still obviously an important part of modern society, has been relegated to the private sphere, becoming mostly an “interior” search for spiritual well-being. In such a world, “faith communities” of every stripe increasingly withdraw from the broader culture, defending their doctrinal purity against the onslaught of coarse secular trends, what Mr. Roy calls “neo-paganism.” This withdrawal, though understandable, is a danger in itself. “Faith without culture,” Mr. Roy says, “is an expression of fanaticism.” Read full story from wsj.com
Seconds Before the Big One
Earthquakes are unique in the pantheon of natural disasters in that they provide no warning at all before they strike. Consider the case of the Loma Prieta quake, which hit the San Francisco Bay Area on October 17, 1989, just as warm-ups were getting under way for the evening’s World Series game between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s. At 5:04 p.m., a sudden slip of the San Andreas Fault shook the region with enough force to collapse a 1.5-mile section of a double-decker freeway and sections of the Bay Bridge connecting Oakland with San Francisco. More than 60 people died.
Over the years scientists have hunted for some signal—a precursory sign, however faint—that would allow forecasters to pinpoint exactly where and when the big ones will hit, something that would put people out of harm’s way. After decades spent searching in vain, many seismologists now doubt whether such a signal even exists. Read full story from scientificamerican.com
My Voice: Abortion bill aims to halt coercion of women
The editorial roundup of the Argus Leader and Rapid City Journal have displayed many false allegations of what House Bill 1217 does and what it is intended to do for the women of South Dakota.
This is an entirely different bill than anything proposed in previous legislation and in statewide referendums.
This bill does not outlaw abortion. Its intent is to prevent women from uninformed and coerced abortions. Up to 64 percent of abortions are coerced against a woman’s will.
It is in response to Planned Parenthood’s sworn testimony under oath that abortions are scheduled with no history or examination of the patient by a doctor or even a nurse. The surgery is scheduled over the phone.
If a woman wants to discuss abortion, a non-medical worker schedules the surgery without determining whether it is appropriate, whether or not the woman is being coerced and without any assessment of the woman’s circumstances at all. Read full story from argusleader.com
Sammy Hagar says he was abducted by aliens
LOS ANGELES — No doubt Sammy Hagar, a former lead singer for Van Halen, has enjoyed a lot of far out experiences in life, but on Monday, the rocker told perhaps his farthest out tale to MTV. He was abducted by aliens.
Or, at least, his brain was.
In an interview for his new book, “Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock” at mtvhive.com, Hagar lets go of what even he admits might make him “sound like a crazy person” to some readers.
He and the reporter are talking about dreams he claims to have had about UFOs, and when asked whether he believed he had been abducted, Hagar answers: “I think I have.” Read full story from msnbc.msn.com
Experience: I feel other people’s pain
When I watch a film, I feel as if I’m in starring in it. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was horrific. My friend invited me to see it, and I had no idea what it was about – I normally try to avoid dramas and thrillers. When the character Salander was tortured, I felt as if my body was being beaten; I could physically feel the sensation of being attacked. It’s the same with emotions. If someone is happy, it’s like hearing an orchestra and I feel extreme excitement and joy. This is the reality of living with “mirror-touch” synesthesia, a rare neurological condition that causes sufferers to hyper-empathise.
My earliest memory of mirror-touch is standing in my parents’ garden in South Africa, aged six, watching butcher birds hang mice on the wire fence. I felt the tug on my neck and spine; it was as if I was being hanged. I remember crying to my mum, trying to explain what had happened. I wanted her to understand that I could see emotions as colours, and feel sounds; that someone else’s anger felt like heat running between my chest and stomach. “You’re just oversensitive, Fiona,” she said.
Eventually, she took me to the doctors, but they didn’t have any answers. My GP told my mum I had a lot of nervous energy. After that, she turned to the church. She’d take me in and have people place their hands on my body and pray for me. Read full story from guardian.co.uk
“Why should plants care?” The general answer to that is that there are a lot of situations where it’s important not to do something developmentally until spring has arrived,” said Richard Amasino, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin Madison. “Trees want to make sure that their buds are protected until spring.”
Sibum Sung, a molecular biologist at the University of Texas Austin has an idea of how this protective action works on a cellular level. He discovered a special molecule in plants that gives them the remarkable ability to recall winter and to bloom on schedule in the spring. Sung published his results last December in the journal Science Express. Read full story from physorg.com
