Massachusetts Mystery Meat

Someone has been leaving butcher-cut hunks of meat in the Town Center common of Framington, Massachusetts. Police want to know who... and why.

For the last two weeks, butcher-quality meat has shown up in the commons area of the town center, where many citizens walk their dogs. No one knows who is leaving the meat or why. Some fear for the safety of their pets, wondering if the meat is poisoned.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Exorcism vs. Schizophrenia

I do not know if this is an actual letter - that is, if there is any veracity to the claims - but it certainly is an interesting read which brings up a lot of issues regarding the paranormal vs. the medical/scientific community.

Let there be no mistaking that Schizophrenia is a very real, and devastating, mental illness. Let there also be no mistaking that many believe dæmonic influences, and even possession, to be the same. The truth is that the medications and treatments for Schizophrenia are almost completely ineffective and their side-effects are nearly worse than the disease itself. Even worse, anti-psychotic medications are incredibly powerful - and can be fatal - and should only ever be prescribed in the most extreme cases, however most practitioners give it out like it was candy. The side-effects are so horrible that many schizophrenics resist treatment; in a majority of cases, the side-effects preclude the disease itself, rendering otherwise troubled, but functioning, patients completely useless.

Exorcism, on the other hand, either works or it does not.

Really, my advice here is: why not have an exorcism? If it doesn't work, what are you out? While anti-psychotic medications can kill you - or (possibly worse, depending on your POV) destroy your life completely - an exorcism might be a waste of a few hours. At the very best, it might even work!

I do not personally believe all Schizophrenics suffer from dæmonic possession or influence, but I also do not believe all people diagnosed with Schizophrenia actually suffer from the mental disease. In fact, many industrialized countries have dropped the classification entirely. I am not even fully convinced that dæmonic possession itself is real.

But I do know that faith and belief are powerful things. While the author of this letter (assuming it is real) might not believe in such things, many do; no one knows what causes Schizophrenia, so why not subject believers to an exorcism? If Schizophrenia can be caused by emotional misinformation, perhaps a fervent belief in exorcism as a cure could work along the same lines to right that wrong?

Anti-psychotic drg treatment should always be the very last resort, excepting extreme cases.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

The National Institute of Marriage

The divorce rate throughout the Western world, and particularly in America, remains at nearly 50%. That means that almost ¹/₂ of all marriages end in divorce. According to many, a lack of healthy communications is to blame for this. While some try marriage counseling to save their relationship, the truth is that counseling and counselors are like anything else: some work well for some, but not at all for others; you may have to shop-around to find a counselor and/or program which fits your needs.

But the National Institute of Marriage has created programs and developed resources which may prove more useful to you. Check out the following press release:

With the national divorce rate around 50%, there is no doubt that many marriages run into communication problems at some point. There is a communication epidemic. The National Institute of Marriage has created marriage counseling programs and resources utilizing a structure that is the most powerful format they have found for helping couples who feel stuck and hopeless. They have designed several programs to help couples move past the barriers and experience the marriage of their dreams.
NIM's Intensive Marriage Counseling Programs are unique from weekly marriage counseling in three distinctive ways:

· Intensive Marriage Counseling Format: Committing to an extended amount of concentrated time like the 2 or 4 day Marriage Intensive allows people to get to the root of the problem and stick with it in order to work through it. If you’ve been in traditional marriage counseling before, you may have experienced how you spend the first half catching up from the week before, the second half getting into the real issues, and then the time is gone. The Intensive format is designed so that people have the chance to go deeper without many of the other distractions of daily life and have enough discuss to consider solutions.

· Efficiency: One of the first steps in the process is an extensive assessment with some questionnaires. This allows the therapists to gather background information and can get an idea of the best strategy to proceed before you arrive for your session.

· Marriage Counselors: The counselors at the National Institute of Marriage are specialists in this area. One analogy we like to use is that of the Mayo Clinic: people go to their regular physician but may be sent to a specialist to work with specific areas. The NIM marriage therapists have been trained in this format to maximize its effectiveness. Also, the NIM marriage counseling programs provide the perspectives and insight of two professionals rather than one.
If you are considering divorce, you must try the National Institute of Marriage before giving up. They have developed a continuum of care that meets couples wherever they may be in their relationship. Regardless of the health of their marriage they have a service that can help couples improve their marital satisfaction. Visit their website at http://www.nationalmarriage.com. Read the incredible testimonies from the couples that saved their marriages by attending a Marriage Intensive at the National Institute of Marriage.

*END PRESS RELEASE*

Divorce is a messy situation for everyone, whether or not children are involved. It seems odd that so many people would take such an important step, believing themselves in love, only to have it end in bitterness, anger, and frustration. I am one of those "an ounce of prevention" people, and that is the main reason I am still single (and childless)! Say what you will, but marriage is an incredibly big step in any adult's life (well, child's, too... but that is neither here nor there) and I find it depressing so few treat it as such these days. It seems obvious to me that one should never even consider marriage so lightly, yet it is just as obvious too many do.

Marriage is a contract and regardless of your religious beliefs, you owe it to your partner to try your best to honor those obligations. There is nothing embarrassing about needing some help to do this. Relationships can be a lot of work, even good ones, and sometimes an impassionate third party is necessary to help those involved in said relationship cut through to the real issues at play.

It's NOT a Tumah!

Phoenix-area neurosurgeons were pleasantly surprised to discover a woman's blurred vision and arm numbness was not being caused by a tumor on or near her brain stem. It was being caused by a worm!

Apparently, worms of this type are not completely unheard-of. They can be contracted by eating undercooked pork or even passed along by people with bad hygiene. People who do not wash their hands after using the restroom can expose others, some of whom will develop a worm... in their brain!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Ghost Adventures - Northern New Jersey Asylum Preview

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

DNA Evidence May Prove King Alive, Not Doing so Well

A Cleveland doctor who claimed Elvis Presley (the "King of Rock n Roll") was alive and he was treating him may now have DNA evidence to back-up his claim.

According to FOX News, Kansas City-based doctor, Donald Henton, claims he has been treating a patient who is actually the King, himself. He has been using his deceased brother's name. The man at the center of the controversy claims he faked his death with the help of his manager and that Priscilla Presley has known all along.

The doctor has presented at least one photograph of the man he claims is Elvis Presley, now known as "Jessie." Reporter, Suzanne Stratford, obtained DNA from Presley's autopsy, a Nashville-based friend, and a tissue sample taken when Elvis was alive. None of the three matched. Further, none of them matched the DNA sample "Jessie" provided.

In an even more bizarre twist, 46 year-old Eliza Presley (who recently changed her name from Alice Elizabeth Tiffin) popped-up out of the blue, claiming to be the daughter of Elvis' father, Vernon - making her Elvis' half-sister. She told a Memphis, TN probate court she based her claim partially on a DNA sample sent her by this same "Jessie." But while Eliza's mother, still alive, admits she was part of Elvis' social circle for a while, she denies ever having a child by him or his father.

A Scottsdale, AZ lab technician compared the DNA from "Jessie" and Eliza to that of a known living cousin of Elvis Presley's and declared them a match.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Pearls and Pearl Necklaces

One of the great things about running a blog like this one is learning new things. In particular, because of the subject matters The OddBlog deals with, I get the chance to learn about a lot of urban legends and lay them to rest. For example - and I did not know this until today - did you know that, contrary to popular belief, a pearl is not formed by a grain of sand?

According to what many of us thought, a pearl is formed when a grain of sand becomes lodged in a mussel. The natural movements of its powerful tongue then work the grain, eventually resulting in a pearl. But apparently, this is incorrect; a pearl is actually formed when a mollusk is damaged or, more usually, when a parasite invades its shell. The mollusk forms a sac around the invader, which dies, and its natural secretions - which normally coat the outer shell - begin coating the sac as well. This is a pearl.

Pretty cool, huh? Of course, all jewelry is naturally formed, but I believe the pearl, almost without question, has the most interesting process of formation. And for this very reason, I have always thought pearls among the more interesting jewels and there are many varieties, though freshwater pearls are the most common.

Pearls Only carries all varieties, including akoya pearls and - of course - canada pearls. Now that America's most beautiful pearls store has expanded into Canada, pretty much everyone in North America has access to these gorgeous baubles at Pearls Only's affordable, farm-direct prices.

Choose from the many varieties and presentations, including rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. The pieces are made by hand right after your order is placed and shipped directly to you within 24 hours. Shipping is free and includes beautiful, one-of-a-kind packaging.

It's like purchasing from any of the upscale retail stores, except with the added benefit of knowledgeable and courteous customer support, 24-hour availability, and farm-direct pricing. With Christmas right around the corner, what are you waiting for? Pieces start as low as $50.00, so get to shopping now!

Turtle Missing Link Discovered

The earliest turtles known to live in the water have been discovered on the Scottish isle of Skye.

Fossils of the 164-million year-old Eileanchelys waldmani were discovered embedded in rock on the Scottish isle of Skye in the bay of Cladach a'Ghlinne. The discovery included four complete turtles, as well as remains from at least two others. These are the most complete specimens from the Middle Jurassic period to-date.

The Eileanchelys waldmani is believed to be the "missing link" between ancient and modern turtles. The remains are being housed at the National Museums Scotland at Edinburgh.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Another Late Night, Another Appointment

I'm up late/early because I have yet another appointment today and it's a two-hour drive up there. Since the appointment will likely last less than a ¹/₂-hour, you understand my frustration. And being frustrated is exhausting. I have actually wanted to explore this theme here several times (and have teh drafts to prove it), but the whole issue is mired in psychological and medical knowledge which I honestly do not have, so it requires a lot of research. And, as I have repeated far too often these past several months, I simply don't have the energy or focus to get into anything else too involved right now - the two websites are more than enough for me right now!

Anyway, I am writing this early so it's the first thing you see. Depending on what I can get to before I leave, there may or may not be another post or two following later today. But since I am up so early and had to be up so early last week for the same reason, I don't know when I'll be getting back to more posting. That is, there will definitely be more coming this week, I just don't know how much or when.

So fret not, I'm still plugging-away, things are just up in the air right now.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Recent Atrocities Against Albinos in Africa

As regular readers know, The OddBlog has been following the plight of albinos in Africa almost as long as we have been here (at this address). As more of the world and news agencies are becoming aware of the issue, more incidents are being reported. This weekend alone highlights the immediacy of the situation, with no fewer than three separate reports of abuse, death, and dismemberment coming to light.

As we continue to report, some 30 albinos have been murdered and dismembered in 2008 alone. The savages of the area believe albinos' body parts, hair, and blood to be useful ingredients in Occult rituals based loosely on witchcraft (not Wicca), while others believe albinos to be witches themselves. Many are killed at birth. These belief stems from charlatan witchdoctors of the region, who use the body parts in rituals purported to make the beneficiary rich. Tanzania is the epicenter of this holocaust, though it is spreading to the neighboring Congo and Burundi regions.

Even the president of the Tanzanian region was quoted as saying, "It is utterly stupid for some people to believe that albinos have magic powers and their parts can make them rich," while speaking at a recent Tanzanian Albino Society (TAS) rally. He called for more education to help cull the genocide.

According to a 2002 census, there are about 150k albinos in the region. Some 8,000 are registered with the TAS. The TAS and others claim the actual number of albinos in the region is higher and a census is underway to find out.

In the first report, a man was arrested for trying to sell his albino wife to Congolese traders in Tanzania. Notoriously corrupt, Tanzanian cops have been bought-off to ignore the plight of the albinos. Almost none of the traders, murderers, and traffickers have ever been caught or convicted. In this case, though the husband was arrested, the traders somehow managed to escape. In other cases where arrests have been made, the accused almost always manage somehow to slip away.

Last Friday, two mothers were hacked with machetes by gangs who were trying to get their albino children. The gangs did not find the children and the women are under medical care, recovering from their wounds. Again, none of the attackers have been brought to justice; local police claim they fled the area and a manhunt is underway, but no further information has come to light.

This morning brings yet another heartbreaking report: a six-year old girl was found dismembered in Burundi. Attacked on Sunday, the girl's limbs and head were missing. She is the sixth victim discovered so far from the region. Armed attackers broke into the family's home, bound the parents, and shot the baby point-blank in the head. The family has been part of a group of around 50 albinos who had fled the region, fearing for their daughter's safety.

Last week, a 10-year old albino girl was killed.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Regency

If you are looking for a job with a guaranteed return - one you are certain to find a job in no matter where you are - then you should consider attending Regency beauty schools in indiana. No matter where you go in the nation, you will find beauty shops and hair salons - heck, even in this 10-mile long town, there is at least one! And just down the road, at the only slightly larger town, there are more than ten! People like to look nice and it is not easy to do on your own.

Regency Beauty School was founded over 50 years ago and is now the fastest growing beauty school in the country. It had only two schools in 2002 and now has over 30 schools throughout nine states - with even more planned next year!

Be sure to find a job, no matter where you are, no matter how long you need one, simply by having a viable trade. Follow the link provided above to learn more and become a cosmetological consultant today.

Technical Difficulties

Ugh! I am one of those people who lives under Murphy's Law. I don't mean I live by Murphy's Law, I mean I live beneath it: it rules my very existence.

I slaved the XP drive to get my old data off there. Great, fine, good - right? Not exactly. The CD drive is no longer being recognized, so I'm having to work without it. Further, there are all sorts of permission problems getting things out of My Documents and I have yet to find a solution. So while I intended on just pulling the stuff from that drive to the new one, I now have to discover a way of actually getting into it all, then disconnect it, on and on.

Anyway, we'll get it done.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Not a Leg to Stand On

David Thorne was short the $233.00 he needed for a payment. Ever-enterprising, he instead submitted a drawing of a spider in lieu of cash. The exchange