Category: Guest Authors

The Geek Month in Review: September 2014

by Administrator, posted in Art, Geek Stuff, Guest Authors, Science

By JB Sanders

Woo! Fall!

Alien Landscape on Earth
Because it’s very isolated, the biome of Socotra island (off the coast of Yemen) is unique on Earth. And looks it.

The Nerd-Fu is Strong With This One
So, your typical person looks at a box of crayons, and thinks: “I can make art with these!” This guy? He doesn’t draw an elaborate picture with the crayons. He carves the crayons. Into scifi nerdy sculptures.

Loudest Known Sound
The loudest sound known to have occurred, on Earth mind you, was the eruption/explosion of Krakatoa. How bad was it? People 100 miles away suffered permanent hearing loss.

Plum Island for Sale
If you aren’t aware of Plum Island’s reputation, you’re in for a treat. It’s long been rumored to be the site of the US Government’s biological warfare research, or something even more sinister and oddball. Officially, it’s been the Plum Island Animal Disease Center since 1954. But now it’s for sale, and if isn’t going to be the source of the zombie/plague apocalypse, then it’d be a swell place to survive one of those. It has it’s own power plant, and water treatment facility. Plus tons of other interesting features.

For some background, the Wikipedia view of Plum Island:

Brain Surgery & 3D Printing
For some particularly difficult brain surgery procedures, doctors have started taking very high-resolution scans of the patient, printing a replica of their brain in a semi-solid medium, and testing the procedure ahead of time. They even print the blood vessels in a different color medium. How wild is that?

Postcards from the Great Exhibition
If you’re not familiar with it, the Great Exhibition was the first world’s fair, encompassing 13,000 exhibits under a purpose-built structure called the Crystal Palace. It’s a popular destination for time travelers, since it was easy to blend into the crowd of almost 6 million visitors, and everyone went. The engravings are themselves beautiful examples of High Victorian art.

Cheap and Easy Hydrogen Production
One of the downsides of renewable forms of energy is that if you don’t use it when it’s produced, it’s gone. And there aren’t any good storage solutions, to hold onto that energy for later use. In comes hydrogen. If you can use the renewable energy to extract hydrogen from common sources (like from water), you can store up the volatile gas for later use — either burned directly, or combined with other elements to produce electricity directly. Some scientists have found a way to produce hydrogen far more easily than was previously possible.

Don’t Screw With the Swiss
I think they invented the term “ruthlessly neutral”. Here’s a primer on why it’s never worth it to invade, despite their strategic deposits of chocolate.

Massive Old Prison for Sale
It was built in 1886, and is no longer in use. It has 85 acres, 47 buildings, a baseball diamond, basketball court, and of course, a lot of barbed wire. Need a little vacation place? Or an apocalypse compound? Here you go.

DC Superheroes Like Norman Rockwell Would Do ‘Em
Ever wonder, in an idle moment, what comic books might look like if famous artists had done them instead of the slightly-less-famous-artists who did? Wonder no more!

What Real Space Battles Would Look Like
Ok, this video is more instructional and party-pooper than cool special effects. But take a look at the silliness that is Hollywood space battles.

Largest Medieval City in the World? Angkor
Yes, that Angkor — the one made famous by the largest religious complex in the world (three times the size of the Vatican), Angkor Wat. The city recently discovered surrounding it was over 1000 square kilometers at its peak — it took 700 years before London was that big. How did they discover this massive city? Lasers.

Eye of the Tiger — On Dot Matrix
I’m sure you’ve heard tunes played on dot matrix printers before — the benighted wailing of a lost generation. But this is so awesome, you have to give it gander. That’s right, gander, because you can watch it produce it’s remarkably close rendition.

And on floppy drives, just for comparison:

Make Your Own Cloaking Device
No, really. It’s all about optics, man.

Fighting in Full Plate? Yuch!
So some French medievalists demonstrate how maneuverable those knights in full plate armor really were. Answer? Pretty damned maneuverable. Though I can see why they might not be the stealthiest bunch out there.

About John:
John’s a geek from way back. He’s been floating between various computer-related jobs for years, until he settled into doing tech support in higher ed. Now he rules the Macs on campus with an iron hand (really, it’s on his desk).

Geek Credentials:
RPG: Blue box D&D, lead minis, been to GenCon in Milwaukee.
Computer: TRS-80 Color Computer, Amiga 1000, UNIX system w/reel-to-reel backup tape
Card games: bought Magic cards at GenCon in 1993
Science: Met Phil Plait, got time on a mainframe for astronomy project in 1983
His Blog:http://www.glenandtyler.com/

Moonlight Tarot’s Question Corner: Mystical Answers to Mundane Inquiries

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, Tarot

By Angela Kaufman, Moonlight Tarot LLC

Fall is harvest time! In preparation for a very special gift for you, readers, I am revising the focus of this column to attune with the most popular topic for Tarot readings…Love!

This month’s Querent is a woman we will call Anna. Anna is gorgeous, friendly, and has a great sense of humor, yet like all of us she suffers the ups and downs of rollercoaster relationships. She asks if her boyfriend and she will be reuniting.

The initial guidance coming for Anna is not from the cards, but from a very significant spiritual presence that surrounds her. This figure appears as a woman in very bright white clothing-whose presence is very peaceful and healing- she appears as if carrying a Rosary and either Anna or this woman in her life would have had strong attachment to the Catholic faith or would have carried a Rosary. Anna is being guided to take a second look at this relationship as if it were not the best situation even though it may be what Anna wants. I also see a gavel coming down as if a judge were making a big decision or a verdict being reached. There is a lot of stillness/apprehension with this image- I feel like Anna is putting a great weight on this relationship so that it feels like other options are being excluded.

I get a sense of energy around the possible reunion in this relationship but it comes in faintly- as if to say there is a pulse but not a strong one. The cards drawn are the King of Swords- reversed, followed by the three of Cups, Lovers and the 7 of Swords. Yes I know that is 4 cards, not 3, but the King of Swords is a “Leaper” a card that “jumps” from the deck to signal the reading is ready to begin so I count it as holding significance.

I feel the reversal of the King of Swords shows a judgment about this past relationship that holds the man in a position that is not favorable to Anna. Either he has lost connection or for Anna and he are not on the same wavelength- he is out of touch, but I don’t sense that he is completely out of the picture.

The 3 of Cups and Lovers suggest to me that the potential for continued connection and renewal/reunion in this relationship is possible but I feel that efforts need to be made to bring about change in the relationship. If all continues as it was I don’t see this being a fulfilling situation.

The 7 of Swords suggests futility, wasted energy, and even a note of deceit or disappointment because of the lack of follow through on his part. This couple was brought together for important reasons, however it also feels like the “pulse” on this relationship is very weak I encourage Anna to proceed carefully, mindful of actions speaking louder than words. It feels like at first it would be a happy time, with excitement to have him back followed by a reminder of what went awry to begin with which will feel like a repetition of a self-sabotaging pattern from the past. I am a strong proponent of free will- so having stated this if such insight helps you to manage the relationship in a new way, open to possibilities but also aware of limitations, the outcome can be shaped by Anna’s actions and choices.

We all can benefit from Anna’s reading in an important way. By remembering free will, choice and the process of cultivating a relationship, we are reminded that partnerships are not just about whether someone is in our lives. A relationship is an active process involving effort and choice. All too often we subconsciously repeat old patterns, expect different results, and become frustrated as we watch history repeat itself.

Have you had a question like Anna’s before? Whether he returns or not, relationships take honesty, risk, and effort. To help you gain clarity and understanding, I am offering a FREE recorded presentation. Join the mailing list to receive the audio presentation 3 Biggest Reasons Single, Professional, Independent Women are NOT Finding the Love they Want. Receive this gift FREE by clicking here and joining the mailing list: http://eepurl.com/2k6r9

This month’s Tarot reading was conducted using the traditional Rider Waite deck. For more information on this deck, please visit http://www.usgamesinc.com/Rider-Waite-Tarot-Card-Deck/. This deck was created by A.E Waite and Pamela Colman Smith and is currently under copyright by US Games Inc, 2012-14.

Interested in finding out more about Psychic Readings from Angela Kaufman of Moonlight Tarot LLC, check out the new website moonlighttarotllc.com.

Writing with Nature

by Administrator, posted in DIY, Guest Authors

By Tina Welling

The author didn’t exactly have writers in mind when he put forth his idea, but being a writer that’s how I translated his work. Ralph Metzner in his book “Green Psychology, Transforming Our Relationship to the Earth”, discovered that tuning into the four different elements of nature – air, earth, fire, water – produces an experience of consciousness that is associated with the qualities of each element.

For writers this is a valuable tool.

When we align ourselves with the element of nature that meets our writing needs we dip into a vast inventory of inspiration and insight.

For example, if we offer our attention to the element of air, we align our body rhythms to the wind or breezes, breathing deeply if the winds are strong, quietly if the breezes are soft. We follow cloud movement across the sky, offer our full attention to the birds, butterflies, airborne seeds.

As writers we may be especially comfortable here. We enjoy soaring through the skies of our imagination, darting quickly from thought to thought, winging it. When we need such qualities in our writing as lightness, humor, change, we align with the element of air. This also works well for fast lists, witty dialogue, and overviews. Experiment with solving these writing problems using the qualities of air.

• Need surprise? Offer a sudden shift in direction that follows the dive of an osprey, which is a brief, almost imperceptible halt, before the abrupt change.
• Looking for patterns in plot or character? Get some distance on the problem with a “bird’s eye view” which allows us to note only the most prominent aspects.
• Does the pace plod? Storms are preceded by mounting energy that gathers toward resolution. Quicken the winds of your writing.

The element of earth is considered the practical realm. This element creates a mood almost the opposite of air. When our writing needs foundation, when a character needs to be strong-willed we go outside and sit on the ground and become conscious of how each thing including ourselves is rooted to the earth, that this is the source of sustenance for the trees around us, the animals passing nearby. These smells and textures and sounds need to be found in our language. The element of earth is helpful when we consider:

• Storylines that depict slow-moving, stuck, immoveable, or stubborn qualities. Those grounded in history or culture.
• Conveying simple, basic moods and emotions, such as long-suffering, generosity, attachment, fear, envy.
• The foundations of life – food, shelter, mates, heritage, religion, family, organizational structure.

The element of fire is the realm of energy, that often unseen activator of actions. Creative energy itself belongs to the fire element. We notice fire itself immediately. It excites us. In our writing when we want to set the scene for conflict, anger or passion we may have someone light a cigarette or a candle or fondle a gun. To create tension we may use the fire element emotionally as well as environmentally to underline the mood, foreshadow a plot, define a character. The element of fire is helpful when writing about:

• Flashy personalities.
• Abrupt resolution in story or character.
• Mounting tension, disaster, conflict, passion.

The element of water can douse fire or it can be churned to its own peak images of crashing waterfalls, stormy seas, beating rain and hail, as well as soothing pools and cups of tea. Water carries the symbolism of emotion, ranging from sorrow to joy, tears to moist lips. It is the realm of sensitivity and spirituality. Try aligning with the element of water when addressing these writing situations:

• Reflections of a character or narrator.
• Amplify tempo and pace using water’s vast spectrum, which ranges from seeping to surging, dripping to flowing.
• Emotion involves water in our bodies – tears, saliva, phlegm, gall, sweat, blood.

The rhythms and moods of the four elements support our personal energy and expand the field of choices in our creative work.

And one more benefit: Partnering with the natural world offers us language that holds universal resonance. Everyone on the planet can identify with our writing, because we all experience the same four elements.

About Tina Welling:
Tina Welling is the author of “Writing Wild: Forming a Creative Partnership with Nature” and three novels including “Cowboys Never Cry”. Her nonfiction has appeared in “The Sun, Body & Soul”, and a variety of anthologies. She lives in Jackson Hole, WY. Her website is www.TinaWelling.com

Based on the book “Writing Wild”. Copyright © 2014 by Tina Welling. Reprinted with permission from New World Library. www.NewWorldLibrary.com.

Geek Month in Review: June and July 2014

by Administrator, posted in Geek Stuff, Guest Authors, Science

By J.B. Sanders

June – Summer!

Personal Drone Selfie
Meet the AirDog, a drone designed to let you photograph yourself, generally being marketed to the sports crowd, but so many other uses come to mind.

LEGO Fusion
It’s like playing SimCity, only when you add buildings, you prototype them in LEGO first, then take a picture of the prototype, and the virtual building springs up in your city. Wild.

Trampoline Park in Abandoned Mine
Yeah, you read that right — these nut cases strung trampolines all over this abandoned mine, added funny lights and made a theme park.

Dead Trees Not Decaying Around Chernobyl
Not exactly because of Magic Radiation(tm) but due to the fact that a lot of the microbial life that should be busily helping the decay process along is gone.

July – More summer!

Indoor Farming Better Than Outdoor
Japanese scientist/farmer (been a while since we could use that one) has setup a hydroponic farm using LED lights and a tighter-than-normal day/night cycle to speed up production 250%.

Futurama in 3D Live Action Video
What would Futurama look like if some geniuses (genii?) threw some computer time and some serious artists at it? Wonder no more! It would be cool if this were a test shot for a future MMORPG or something, right?

Skeet Shooting With a Tank
That’s it. You don’t need more than that. Just watch the video.

Geekiest Basement Ever? You Decide
Guy has over $500k in Star Trek memorabilia. Good grief!

SciFi Writers, Start Your Engines
So here’s an odd thing: giant sinkhole in Siberia. Sure, sure, nothing all that odd about that — it seems like half the stories of sinkholes come from Russia (the other half from Florida). What’s odd about this one is that it’s HUGE, and might be more than a sinkhole. More like a crater, in fact.

Siberian Mystery Crater Solved
Turns out some permafrost ground simply flash-melted. Also, some pretty spectacular pictures of Russian arctic tundra.

Japan Getting Luxury Trains in 2017
They look like movie sets for that CyberPunk epic, during the bit where the hero is on a luxury train.

About John:
John’s a geek from way back. He’s been floating between various computer-related jobs for years, until he settled into doing tech support in higher ed. Now he rules the Macs on campus with an iron hand (really, it’s on his desk).

Geek Credentials:
RPG: Blue box D&D, lead minis, been to GenCon in Milwaukee.
Computer: TRS-80 Color Computer, Amiga 1000, UNIX system w/reel-to-reel backup tape
Card games: bought Magic cards at GenCon in 1993
Science: Met Phil Plait, got time on a mainframe for astronomy project in 1983
His Blog:http://www.glenandtyler.com/

Meister Eckhart on Mindful Meditation

by Administrator, posted in Christianity/Catholicism, Guest Authors, New Age

By Matthew Fox

Meister Eckhart was a late-thirteenth- and early-fourteenth-century preacher and mystic, yet like Rumi and Hafiz, he remains relevant today. He speaks to so many and touches people’s hearts. In this short excerpt from his new book “Meister Eckhart: A Mystic Warrior for Our Times”, bestselling author Matthew Fox shares his insights on letting go.

How do we get to that silence, to that Source of all things? Meister Eckhart calls on the story of Jacob in Genesis (28:20): “‘Jacob the patriarch came to a certain place and wanted to rest in the evening, when the sun had gone down.’…He says: ‘To a place’; he does not name it. The place is God. God has no name of His own, and is the place and position of all things and is the natural place of all creatures.” We commune with the Godhead, which is natural for us: “The Godhead alone is the place of the soul, and is nameless….‘Jacob rested in that place,’ which is nameless. By not being named, it is named. When the soul comes to the nameless place, it takes its rest. There, where all things have been God in God, the soul rests. That place of the soul which is God is nameless. I say God is unspoken.” It is in repose, at night, in silence, that God’s love burns the hottest. “In a God-loving soul it is evening. There is nothing there but repose, where a person is thoroughly penetrated and made illuminated with divine love….The soul remains in the light of God and in the silence of pure repose, and that is evening: then it is hottest in the divine love.” Darkness holds its special power and its special attraction. God likes a no-place, a no-where, and the soul wants to commune with God there as well. “As long as the soul is anywhere, it is not in the greatest of God which is nowhere.” After all, “God is nowhere….God is not here or there, neither in time or place.” Christ, too, is to be found there in a place of nothingness. “Where is Christ sitting? He is sitting nowhere. Whoever seeks him anywhere will not find him. His smallest part is everywhere, his highest part is nowhere.”

The journey is a journey inward, for that is where the human spirit is most at home and so too is God. Eckhart says, “God is a being who always lives in the innermost. Therefore the spirit is always searching within. But the will goes outward toward what it loves.”

How do we go about this journey inward to a nameless and unknown place? Eckhart says, “The Word lies hidden in the soul, unknown and unheard unless room is made for it in the ground of hearing, otherwise it is not heard. All voices and sounds must cease and there must be pure stillness within, a still silence.” To meditate is to collect ourselves. “The soul must be collected and drawn up straight and must be a spirit. There God works and there all works are pleasing to God. No work ever pleases God unless it is wrought there.” We learn to focus, for “the more the soul is collected, the narrower it is, and the narrower it is, the wider.” Great things happen in this place of silence, which is “the doorway of God’s house….In the silence and peace…there God speaks in the soul and utters Himself completely in the soul. There the Father begets His Son and has such delight in the Word and is so fond of it, that He never ceases to utter the Word all the time, that is to say beyond time.”

The journey inward into the dark and silence is a trip into simplicity, Eckhart says, a letting go of all things — all forms and images and memories — into the “essential mind of God, of which the pure and naked power is understanding, which the masters term receptive. Now mark my words! It is only above all this that the soul grasps the pure absoluteness of free being, which has no location, which neither receives nor gives: it is bare ‘beingness’ that has been stripped of all being and all beingness. There it takes hold of God as in the ground of His being, where He is beyond all being.” One lets go of all desire, which is so “far reaching” and measureless. “All that understanding can grasp, all that desire can desire, that is not God. Where understanding and desire end, there it is dark, and there God shines.” The Word of God is heard there, for “to hear this Word in the Father (where all is stillness), a person must be quite quiet and wholly free from all images and from all forms. Indeed, a person ought to be so true to God that nothing whatever can gladden or sadden him or her. She should take all things in God, just as they are there.” Then God will do the work and humans need only not resist. “If only the soul would stay within, all things would be present to it.” Solitude is tasted, for there the soul “must be alone as God is alone.”

About Matthew Fox:
Matthew Fox is the author of over 30 books including “The Hidden Spirituality of Men”, “Christian Mystics”, and most recently “Meister Eckhart”. A preeminent scholar and popularizer of Western mysticism, he became an Episcopal priest after being expelled from the Catholic Church by Cardinal Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI. You can visit him at http://www.matthewfox.org.

Excerpted from the book “Meister Eckhart: A Mystic Warrior for Our Times” ©2014 by Matthew Fox. Printed with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA. www.newworldlibrary.com

The True Story of the Bridgeport Poltergeist on Lindley Street

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, Paranormal

By William J. Hall

Laura Goodin was distraught. She was exhausted and concerned, fearing she was nearing the end of her rope. “Why us? Why us?” she repeated in her characteristic loud and less than pleasant, voice. It had been her question for many days now but something about it was different that time. Her tone seemed more reflective than before. She lowered her head into her hands and sobbed.

Laura was a plain looking, overbearing, heavy set women with 1970’s horned rim glasses and a stodgy wardrobe. She was socially inept, though filled with love for her family and eager to provide well for them. She was a loyal and supportive wife and devout in her faith. What little personal strength she had exhibited early in their ordeal clearly had begun to wane.

She lifted her head from her hands and continued, “Everything of value in our home is gone.”

This thorough suffering became immediately obvious as I listened to hour upon hour of private, intimate interviews with the family that had been undertaken and recorded as part of a serious scientific investigation. The Goodin’s story is a perplexing one. All they sought was solitude, away from the reporters and the hordes of people who insisted on hanging on in the hope they might witness some inexplicable event, which they could take away with them and exploit for personal advantage in its retelling. The Goodin’s made no money from the haunting and they shunned fame and self-promotion. They had nothing to prove to the world. Day after day, month after month, they quietly plodded along, side by side with the unexplainable terrors life kept feeding them. This is their story—their real heart-touching, life-changing story.

The year was 1974. The world had experienced “The Exorcist” less than a year before the horror that had been the Goodin’s reality, at last went public. There were the husband and father, Jerry, the wife and mother, Laura, and their ten year old adopted daughter, Marcie. They lived in a tiny bungalow on Lindley Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Jerry supported his family working as a low wage maintenance man at Harvey Hubbell, Inc. in Bridgeport. Laura was a stay at home housewife.

Due to her olive skin color as a full blooded five nations Indian, Marcie was picked on relentlessly at school. The bullying peaked when she was beaten up by another child and, as a result, found herself in a body brace. This incident only further fueled her mother’s destructive, if well meaning, overprotective instincts. The little girl’s frustration and loneliness boiled within her as she struggled to quietly hold it all inside. The parallel with events in the movie, “Carrie”, is uncanny.

According to experts, those kinds of frustrations and enforced inhibitions are the essential elements for inviting a poltergeist into one’s midst. The phenomenon is reflected in objects being moved and damaged, and people being roughly handled by an unseen force. One theory suggests that a child or teen who, without any physical action, unconsciously disrupts a setting, such as a home, by unleashing energy born from his or her pent up, boiling anger. Other paranormal experts suggest that these entities come to occupy areas through a parallel world. Some suggest that the mere circumstance of such an intense emotional phenomenon produces or invites an evil spirit to inhabit the home. Still others say it is a mixture of both spirit and psychic energy. The discrepancy among these theories continues to be the subject of much debate.

One aspect that distinguished this phenomenon from other similar situations was that it morphed into a very public matter. During November of 1974, the bizarre antics of the little house leaked to the public and attracted crowds that swelled to over 2,000 onlookers. Lindley Street was barricaded and traffic was backed up for a mile or more in all directions. A catch phrase developed and spread among the spectators up and down that street, and very soon across the continent: The house on Lindley Street is haunted!

Newspapers, radio, and television stations throughout the U.S. and as far away as Australia and Israel told of the strange things happening there: police officers reported seeing a 300-pound refrigerator float up off the floor and rotate, objects flying off walls, an amorphous, misty figure appearing to a house full of people, a talking cat, and even little Marcie being forced through the air until she hit the wall behind her.

Unlike many alleged ghostly events that had occurred in isolated, rural houses with only the report of their residents, these incidents had more than seventy-seven credible witnesses, among them a police lieutenant, a police captain, two fire chiefs, police officers, firefighters, two priests, neighbors, extended family, a seminary student, reporters, and others. In addition, approximately four hundred onlookers reported seeing the phenomena from outside the home. Well-known paranormal investigator Ed Warren said at the time that it was the most well-documented haunting in 100 years.

A major question remained, then: Why didn’t this case move the reality of the paranormal into a position of legitimate study in mainstream science?

After three days, the Bridgeport Police Superintendent Joseph Walsh announced that the incidents were a hoax created by the resident Goodin family’s ten year-old daughter Marcia and the case was closed. Police badly needed an acceptable explanation to placate and disperse the crowd camped near the house. Its mere presence was disruptive well beyond that block. It continued to block streets for miles around, causing mischief and property damage while holding valuable law enforcement resources hostage.

But behind the scenes, the inquiry into the events at Lindley Street was far from over. Police continued to offer the family protection from the phenomena even after the case was deemed closed by the police. The police captain also required officers, who had been on the scene, to assist in a scientific investigation conducted by two agencies: the Psychical Research Foundation, which got its start at Duke University in 1961, and the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship. It seems obvious that the authorities clearly didn’t believe their own ‘hoax’ explanation. Police and firefighters who witnessed these bizarre events stood by what they had reported at the time.

The study for which they were interviewed concluded that the events were the doings of a poltergeist – literally, meaning “noisy ghost.” Poltergeist activity typically consists of strange noises, footsteps, moving objects, and the destruction of property with no visible physical cause, most often occurring in the environs of a prepubescent child. Ed Warren and a priest on the scene also attributed this particular series of events to a demonic presence in addition to the typical poltergeist manifestations.

So there I sat—a skeptic at heart looking at folder after folder of undeniable proof. In addition to the multitude of recorded and transcribed interviews from 1974 and 1975, there were official data sheets describing each event as it had been witnessed. Each incident was charted, describing what happened and where everyone was at the time. It is very unusual to have such precise and thorough documentation in which multiple witnesses from varying physical perspectives had their testimony charted individually. It allowed for mutual corroboration of the minute details, which substantiated there was no misinterpretation of the facts. The witnesses approached the phenomena logically, often not considering the paranormal as the source until eliminating other possible causes.

In my mind, the investigation did not dare end there. I began retracing the steps of those involved. I contacted several of the witnesses with whom I had interviews from 1974 and 1975. I also discovered numerous new witnesses. There were children of the witnesses from all those years before and electrical engineers, employees who worked in the records department of the Bridgeport Police, friends of the family, Jerry’s co-workers, and, whenever possible, surviving family members.

It is a heartbreaking story about the unwelcome forces that came to dominate every aspect of this poor family’s life – a family whose members only wanted the freedom to establish and maintain a quiet, fulfilling, happy life. They had not sought either fame or notoriety. They accepted no compensation for their story. They shunned the public view and abhorred having been hurled into the court of public opinion.

©2014 William J. Hall, author of “The World’s Most Haunted House: The True Story of the Bridgeport Poltergeist on Lindley Street” published by New Page Books a division of Career Press, Pompton Plains, NJ. EAN: 978-1601633378 List Price: US $15.99

About William J. Hall:
William J. Hall was born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where the events of this book took place. He watched the news coverage of the Lindley Street haunting on television when he was 10 years-old. Hall is professionally equipped to recognize trickery. After more than 25 years as a performing magician, he knows how to create and recognize illusions. He is experienced in researching the unexplained, from folklore and urban legend to fortunetelling, the pyramids, and other mysterious tales. His syndicated 1990’s column “Magic and the Unknown” ran for six years in multiple local papers in his home state. Hall has two sons and resides in Plainville, Connecticut.

Moonlight Tarot’s Question Corner: Mystical Answers to Mundane Inquiries

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, Tarot

By Angela Kaufman, Moonlight Tarot LLC

July brings the climax of summer and for this month’s Querent Jonah, the heat is on. Jonah has excelled in his career with many successes but feels the pressure to make a change. He wants to know what potential the future brings to find success in advancement of his education, or whether a different career track is in order.

Exploring the crossroads in his career I sense the stagnation- that he is good at what he does but it has become routine and I also feel that there is/may be a change in family responsibility and caretaking that also influences the desire for a change.

Jonah will have an opportunity to make a drastic change and reinvent himself, this will be a breath of fresh air. I feel like education is a part of this but it may involve taking a class, or completing a training program- I don’t feel like it involves going back to school for a lengthy period of time as it seems to promote his skills with a new level of development. I feel like his interests are being stirred up and I perceive a pattern of fine lines- like a plaid pattern involved- this may be related to visual arts or to a technological device that consists of these fine lines- it isn’t clear to me, but I feel like he is being inspired in a new direction for a reason. It seems that if he wanted further education he would be assisted through a program to help re-enroll and get training, I feel like this is either government sponsored or with the assistance of a powerful agency and that he would be recognized by them as a good investment. I feel like part of what keeps him back is an obligation to others or caretaking for a family member however the change would be good for him and would not involve as much stress as he is expecting.

The three cards are the Ace of Rods (Wands), 7 of Cups and King of Cups. This suggests that a new plan is in order and will appeal to his curiosity and need for excitement, following the change in direction will bring Jonah close to numerous old goals and current interests. Here is the best part- of the numerous talents, and the numerous goals, whichever he chooses Jonah will find success, the only difficulty is prioritizing.

Decide which talent brings the most joy or is of the most interest and focus on that for now and he will develop it successfully. I feel like Jonah already has most of the experience and knowledge and if he did further his education it would just be to learn the ground rules and receive the credibility on paper. A healing or helping profession is involved- like medical work but more family, children or counseling focused.

I say this because the final card is the King of Cups and it seems like he is in for a rise in status and the reputation will be that of powerful nurturer and provider for others’ emotional needs. Jonah’s family obligations do not seem to suffer, in fact he become stronger in your role of provider. Going back to the drawing board and following a new idea that brings interest and excitement will work out for success and emotional well being in the long run.

This month’s reading was conducted using the Aquarian Tarot by David Palladini. This deck follows the format of the traditional Rider Waite deck which are my template for working with Tarot and the archetypes. Palladini adds his own style to the original themes and cards without changing their names/numbering system etc. As the Rider Waite deck has been written about previously, I wont belabor the specifics in terms of theme, format etc. for this deck as the Majors and Minors are in the same template with the exception of Wands being labeled as Rods. What is different and inspiring about this deck is its artwork. As the name suggests, Palladini brought the archetypal representations originating in the Renaissance forward to his era- the 1970’s when the deck was published. In doing so, we have a blast from the past with art deco, “stained glass” feeling imagery. The original symbolism and figures now pop with color and classy style. If my reaction to first seeing the Rider Waite deck was mistaking the cards for being flat and lifeless, and my love for the originals an “acquired taste”, this deck is more a love based on intrigue. Intentionally two dimensional it feels like each card is its own stained glass window which for me further evokes a feeling of sanctity in the cards. They are not the neon signs that many modern decks try to be, nor are they a passive menagerie of colors and pretty pictures that easily become wall paper. Each card is rather commanding.

While the cards have been modernized in this deck in true Aquarian style, in which mystical wisdom is brought forth in a dramatic way and distributed to the people, and for the benefit of the people, I like seeing a deck that is modern in color scheme and design without being quite so modern that it becomes a reminder of everything digital. Therefore for me, this deck is advanced enough so I can smile at the colors that are so 70s it may as well be part of their name (mostly 70s orange, 70s blue, 70s red) but not wince at seeing one more graphic design that was formulated on a computer and looks identical to many other images designed the same way. There remains a human touch in these images. Plus the artwork inspired by the original trumps but brimming with newer colors and illustrations of Palladini’s time is also reminiscent of the revival of classical wisdom and folklore rampant at the time of their creation. So each card could easily be an album cover for Donovan, or an even folkier revival group, portrayed through Tarot archetypes. In addition the spiritual quest made hip edge invokes the energy of the day in which many religious “molds” were broken and spirituality in its own context became liberated from the confines of traditional Towers (think Jesus Christ Superstar, or even Tommy, in which spiritual themes are explored in taboo or unorthodox ways that speak to a modern world without losing the original message). The artwork is liberated but not so trippy as to be unrecognizable.

I chose this deck without giving much initial thought to why, but in retrospect I feel it was a perfect match for this month’s Querent who is hovering between his past and future mission, reinventing himself and choosing between traditional and revolutionary roles. This deck is easy to use and I recommend it for beginner to advance. Specifically, if a student of Tarot or a Querent is straddling two worlds, or exploring new horizons and needs an energetic boost to bring revolution to their own lives, this deck carries inspiration that can help catapult the Querent into their future self without forgetting their roots.

In accordance with NYS law all readings are intended for entertainment purposes only.

Aquarian Tarot is produced through US Games Systems Inc. and was created by David Palladini (1970). http://www.usgamesinc.com/Aquarian-tarot-deck/

Interested in being the Querent in next month’s column? Contact Angela at Trionfi78@gmail.com.

About Angela Kaufman:
Angela Kaufman has been exploring divination through Tarot cards for over a decade. She is a Certified Professional Tarot Reader and uses the Tarot and intuition to assist clients in exploring personal growth and development, and in accordance with New York State Law offers readings for entertainment purposes. Angela began providing readings on a professional, “Moonlighting” basis in order to provide affordable readings to those seeking guidance, inspiration and fun. Angela is also co-author of the new book “Wicca, What’s the Real Deal? Breaking Through the Misconceptions.” (Schiffer Publishing, 2011) and Sacred Objects, Sacred Space; Everyday Tools for the Modern Day Witch (Schiffer Publishing 2013). In August 2014 a third book, The Esoteric Dream Book, will be available also through Schiffer.

For more information on services offered by Moonlight Tarot LLC, visit http://www.moonlighttarotllc.com.

Moonlight Tarot is now part of The Psychic Connection! Check out the profile at: http://thepsychicconnection.net/moonlight-tarot-psychictarot-reader/ New callers register at: https://prodca.click4talk.com/c4a/usignup_page.php?c4a=30236 to receive your first five minutes FREE!

If you prefer a live reading, check out www.cafenolany.com for listing of Tarot events at Café Nola in Schenectady NY.

For weekly FREE Tarot Card-A-Week Workout Journaling guide and other great offers and updates, join the mailing list by clicking here: http://eepurl.com/UF0N1

Moonlight Tarot’s Question Corner: Mystical Answers to Mundane Inquiries

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, Tarot

By Angela Kaufman, Moonlight Tarot LLC

It’s graduation season, a time of high hopes and high anxieties. This month’s Querent, whom we will call Veronica, asks if she will be likely to get full time employment after graduation. In conducting her reading, the initial impression before drawing any cards is that of success, having a job offer through an agency she is currently connected to through internship or temporary work that becomes long term, especially with the help or mentorship of a friendly professional woman within the organization. I also sense an initial compromise, a feeling that time with this job shows is to not be as Veronica was expecting. Either not being recognized for her skill level or not being compensated at the rate she was expecting initially, but that it is a valuable starting point nonetheless. I feel like this job will be a foot in the door that will bring Veronica valuable experience, yet in 1-2 years she will make a significant move and will seek new employment at that time. The sense I have is this is a move to an area in the midatlantic, connected to a change in relationship status.

The cards drawn are positive indicators for career. Right away the Ace of Pentacles appears. This is a positive beacon of a new job being handed down unexpectedly. Veronica may still need to send out applications, network and interview, but this opportunity seems closer at hand than she may expect and appears to fall into place. This is a new beginning and as a starting point may not have the status, pay, or level of credibility from peers that she is expecting, but she will come to earn the recognition she deserves with time. The impression that goes with this job is that of a city area and a fast paced environment where it feels as if Veronica is part of a large structure that involves some excitement as it is a very action oriented workplace. It feels like being part of a race- at times exciting, at times high pressure, but that she has the energy and talent to keep up. I also feel like at first she will be restrained from fully getting engrossed in the work- either prolonged training or orientation sessions, a slow start but this will not be for long and once the action starts she will be quite busy.

The following cards are the 9 of Wands and the Devil. This suggests that Veronica will receive much in the way of training and at times may feel like she is spinning her wheels and not progressing. I feel like there is potential for frustration with a colleague or with the organization itself, this frustration stems from perceived criticism or miscommunication. If communication blocks are caught early and addressed assertively with an open mind, this can perhaps be avoided. The key is to take feedback seriously but not personally. I feel like it will also be important for Veronica to have an outlet for her stress to keep balance in her life. This is especially true with the appearance of the Devil card as it is likely that Veronica will become so enmeshed with work responsibilities and stress that it could trigger headaches, exhaustion and compulsive escape behaviors to “turn off” work on the off hours such as drinking or over indulging in other escapes. Veronica will do well to find healthy ways to leave work at work and take the valuable lessons from this job without allowing criticism or work stress to impact her self esteem and identity. I also feel like this job varies from the initial job description or expectations in some ways and knowing this in advance, Veronica can keep an open mind to reading between the lines and discerning what is promised from what is delivered. Observe early on how things- especially interpersonal dynamics in the office- are, and avoid expecting things or people in this organization to be as they “should” be rather than as they are. It seems like later in the year the demands of the job will increase and it will be important for Veronica to strive for balance. This brings a valuable lesson as well, in boundaries and fostering balance in spite of high demands from work.

My sense is that in spite of the demands and mental stress load that accompanies this job it will be endured for at least a year motivated by reasonable pay, and will provide the opportunity to make a good financial start. I feel like Veronica will start to feel stuck at this job but will find it profitable and in under 2 years will have the opportunity she needs to move to the next stage in her career.

This reading was completed using the Girlfriend’s Tarot. This is a delightful deck full of modern, sassy illustrations. It was also a gift from my boyfriend several years ago making it particularly special to me. The Girlfriend’s Tarot is smart, modern, and sassy. Gabrielle Tolliver is the creator and the deck was produced in 2005. The cards are not your typical Tarot or even Oracle type card sizes. They are mini-squares measuring 3.4 x 2.9 x 1.8 inches. They are easily handled by even the daintiest hands and are an ideal deck for younger people (or people of any age whose shuffling ease has been affected by arthritis). The deck contains 78 cards. Ok, I won’t lie, my deck has 79- there are two Hermits but I find this ironic and hysterical, adding to the deck’s charm. The interpretation of the major and minor arcana are different from traditional decks.

They are given a modern feminine spin on the “girl’s night” side of feminism. They radiate girl power while reclaiming everything delicate, curvy, intuitive and light. It is the energy equivalent of estrogen appreciation, rather than estrogen overthrowing testosterone and having an androgenous party. Some examples of its modern spin include the Chariot. I love the interpretation of the Chariot not as a traditional wagon commandeered by a robed figure and pulled by two Sphinx. Rather Tolliver gives us a modern gal balancing on one leg as she propels herself on a razor scooter. It is also balanced both in representation of gender and ethnicity as the figures come in many skin tones and ages. Kings and Queens are expressed as traditional gender connected roles but may be wearing sun shades or dressed as if for a party. Another favorite is the Devil, of all things, a business man with a contract held behind his back. Very clever. The minor cards are also updated. While the Swords are called Swords, they are drawn as pens (which I am told is mightier than the classic weapon) and since Cups or Chalices are rather Medieval, Tolliver gives us cute little coffee-house style mugs which could also pass for large tea-cups. Pentacles keep their name but are drawn as Pentacles inside flower blossoms. The Wands are likewise called Wands but illustrated as Umbrellas. The bohemian style of this deck is also illustrated in the Lovers- a couple standing in a yogic tree pose and supporting each other this way.

The backgrounds are all earthy solid colors, green, yellow orange, burnt sienna, and a neutral grey-sandy color which is much more attractive than the words I am using to describe it *see the picture of the Ace of Pentacles) and the illustrations are simple yet powerful. The point is clearly expressed in each card and a novice can easily learn on this deck. It is just as impressive symbolically in spite of the lighter take on the images. No flaming Tower here, the Tower is a birdcage sprung open from which free birds fly….in escape of some rather small and unintimidating flames. The message is the same- a challenge creating the need to spread your wings and fly, and much more tolerable than suggesting that all of one’s structure has just taken a nose dive…have a nice day. The Girlfriend’s Tarot deck comes with an equally cute instruction booklet, and the deck and book are packaged in a sweet little box with magnetic flap. The box has held up quite nicely.

This deck is very inspiring for me and the images connect me to the energy of milestones, especially those achieved related to youth and the promise of young adulthood. It was also published around the time I graduated from college so I gravitate toward it as a young person’s/college grad deck making it ideal for this reading. Perhaps some day in the future I will look on its symbolism the way people growing up in the 60s look back on the symbolism and trends portrayed in pop culture depicting this time and make enjoy the nostalgic moments. This however brings me to my only complaint about this deck. In order to ensure that it lasts long enough to bring my nostalgic moments, I have had to discontinue using it in one on one readings. After about a year the edges of the cards have begun to fray, not a good track record in my opinion. The quality of the cards do not seem to withstand repeated heavy duty usage and this is quite sad as I would love to make this my ideal on-the-road deck. It would fit in well at Café NOLA, or in graduation parties or gatherings for young adults or trendy people of any age, but I do not trust that it would hold up to rough handling over a long period of time so I have been reluctant to bring it out in order to preserve it. This may just be my deck being special, however. It does, after all have two Hermits!

If you are a beginning reader looking for a modern connection to the archetypes or an intermediate or advanced reader looking for a fresh interpretation, check this deck out just handle it with care. Best of luck to Veronica in her pursuit of post graduation success and happiness! Remember no matter where you are reading this, all readings are intended for entertainment only in accordance with NYS law.

More about this deck as well as purchasing information can be found here:
http://www.amazon.com/Girlfriends-Tarot-Gabrielle-Tolliver/dp/B005Q8NL0CCopyright 2005

Interested in being the Querent in next month’s column? Contact Angela at Trionfi78@gmail.com.

About Angela Kaufman:
Angela Kaufman has been exploring divination through Tarot cards for over a decade. She is a Certified Professional Tarot Reader and uses the Tarot and intuition to assist clients in exploring personal growth and development, and in accordance with New York State Law offers readings for entertainment purposes. Angela began providing readings on a professional, “Moonlighting” basis in order to provide affordable readings to those seeking guidance, inspiration and fun. Angela is also co-author of the new book “Wicca, What’s the Real Deal? Breaking Through the Misconceptions.” (Schiffer Publishing, 2011) and Sacred Objects, Sacred Space; Everyday Tools for the Modern Day Witch (Schiffer Publishing 2013).

For more information on services offered by Moonlight Tarot LLC, visit http://www.moonlighttarotllc.com.

Moonlight Tarot is now part of The Psychic Connection! Check out the profile at: http://thepsychicconnection.net/moonlight-tarot-psychictarot-reader/
New callers register at: https://prodca.click4talk.com/c4a/usignup_page.php?c4a=30236
to receive your first five minutes FREE!

If you prefer a live reading, check out www.cafenolany.com for listing of Tarot events at Café Nola in Schenectady NY

Operation Meditation

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors

By Brian Leaf

It’s 5:00 AM. I have to pee very badly. And I’d like to go meditate.

Someone else would simply get out of bed, pee, and blithely head off to their cushion.

Not me.

To do this, I must pull off a CIA operation.

I must remove the covers, inch by inch — in the dead of night our comforter sounds like a crinkly bag of potato chips. I must crawl to the edge of the bed (our bed is pinned against the wall to make room for Benji’s changing table). I must step off, and in the pitch-black, follow the border of the bed frame.

I must round the corner of the bed, where someone who designed our bed has very cruelly placed a jutting protuberance at exactly shin height. At five in the morning I forget this every time. I must stifle my cries. Power through the pain. Eyes tearing, I round the corner and toe the balance-beam width between Benji’s changing table and our bed, ever careful, ninja-like, to step lightly.

I am almost out. But now I face my greatest challenge. The small distance between me and the door, maybe five feet, is a minefield of creaky floorboards. Gwen has them memorized. For some reason I do not. At first I pause to consider my options, and then I panic, sprinting the short distance to the door. My feet land extra heavy, and the floorboards creak like mad…yet no one awakens. Hashtag grateful.

On the way out, I shut the door in one motion, careful that it does not squeak, promising to myself that today is the day I will remember to oil the hinges.

Failure in this operation is not an option. Benji is not sleeping more than two hours at a stretch. Neither, therefore, is Gwen. She is grumpy. I must not wake her or Benji.

If stage one of OPERATION MEDITATION goes well, I can leave the room with Benji and Gwen still asleep. Now I’m in the hallway. I must pass Noah’s doorway without him stirring. He can sense me. I must cloak my scent, my very energy signature. Any stirrings, and he will roll over and groggily say something like, “Dad, lie with me.” Which is lovely. Truly. But it’s not why I am out of bed. I am heading to my cushion to meditate. Plus, Noah’s bed is two inches too short for me. So I cannot stretch out my legs and I won’t fall asleep. I will lie there listening to him sleep. Content, but wishing I were meditating or asleep in my own bed.

Alternatively, he could wake up and be alert for the day. Unacceptable. Waking at five to cuddle or meditate is one thing. But art projects and Monopoly are another.

Before I can meditate I must pee. Meditation cannot happen otherwise. The bathroom is opposite Noah’s room. I shut his door. Do I also shut the bathroom door and risk a squeak? This one is a judgment call. More art than science. Today I leave it open.

I lift the toilet seat. I pee. To minimize noise, I aim just above the border of the water and the porcelain. Thirty-eight years of standing pees have trained me for this moment. I execute it flawlessly and lower the seat without a clank.

At this point I consider heading back to the lion’s den, back to my cozy flannel sheets. This is madness. Gwen and Benji are certain to stir.

Don’t do it, I thought-scream at myself as I turn left out of the bathroom. Past Noah’s room. Down the hallway. Into my bedroom. Over the creaky floorboards. Around the bed frame. I climb in. Under the crinkly comforter. Ahh. I close my eyes.

Benji stirs.

I am in big trouble.

About Brian Leaf:
Brian Leaf is the author of “Misadventures of a Parenting Yogi” and “Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi”, as well as the owner and director of the holistic New Leaf Learning Center in western Massachusetts. He has studied, practiced, and taught yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda for twenty-three years. Visit him online at http://www.misadventures-of-a-yogi.com.

Excerpted from the new book “Misadventures of a Parenting Yogi” ©2014 by Brian Leaf. Published with permission of New World Library http://www.newworldlibrary.com

Geek Month in Review: May 2014

by Administrator, posted in Creatures, Geek Stuff, Guest Authors, Science

By J.B. Sanders

May flowers!

Robo-snakes
Nothing else to add: robot snakes. With video and explanations. Creep factor 5!

How to Flood-proof Manhattan
Anyone else remember when this kind of thing seemed like science fiction? Yeah, me too. This time, especially after Hurricane Sandy, people are seriously talking about it.

Shipping Container Houses
Normally, when you hear that phrase, you picture stuff that is one step up from “shack” and many steps away from cool homes. Not so with the ones in this article. They look like something you see in Architectural Digest.

Concrete-Eating Robot
I know, it sounds like a bad scifi movie, or the name of a pulp novel from the ‘60s. Nope! It’s a robot, still in the design phase, which will disassemble a concrete building, breaking up the concrete into cement, sand and aggregate. All this is done right on the construction site, and it leaves the rebar naked and ready for re-use (or recycling). Pretty nifty!

Shell Grotto — Made by Who?
There’s a grotto in Kent, England, that is decorated with millions of seashells, 4.6 million to be precise. It was discovered in 1835 by some explorers, and when I say “discovered”, I mean it. No one knows who created the grotto, why the decorated it that way, or really much of anything else. It’s pretty snazzy, though.

Billion-User MMO Using VR? Yes, please!
So VR reviving tech company Oculus was recently purchased by Facebook. What are they going to do with all that money and computing power? Build an MMO that a billion simultaneous users can play, and since it’s Oculus, it’s going to be in VR. Sound like a scifi book you’ve read?

Self-Healing Plastic
Yup, it’s another step towards androids dreaming of electric sheep. Scientists have developed a polymer that has cappilaries, much like our own tissue, so that healing plastic will flow into and fill cracks.

Robot Hand and Arm Prosthetic Approved for Use
Cyber-enthusiasts rejoice! The FDA has approved the prosthetic for general use, after it was developed by DARPA. It’s capable of doing very fine manipulation, such as picking up an egg or zipping up a jacket.

Solar Roads
Sounds like a scifi novel, does’t it? This little company has devised hexagonal tiles that could be used instead of pavement, and the suckers are solar panels, generating power. They also have heating elements, so they can keep roads clear of snow and ice. And they have lights, so they can be used to create lines of light on the road, instead of paint. Going “holy crap!” yet? How about the designers estimate that if all 31,000 square miles of currently paved road was instead paved with their tiles, it would produce three times the electricity the entire country uses.

Better, much better video:

Largest Dinosaur Ever
Imagine something as big as 14 elephants. Or larger than several buses. HUGE.

Hover Bikes!
For real, even. There’s a company taking pre-orders for them. Not quite the flying cars of the 1950’s future, but close. So close!

The Sand Chart
In case you need a reference showing the approximate size of all the different kinds of grains of sand, here you are.

Oldest Living Things on Earth
It’s a photo book, travelogue, and text book, all in one. Photographer Rachel Sussman explores organisms, such as trees, lichen, fungi, and others, that surpass 2,000 years old. In fact, one of the organisms, a tree-root structure in Idaho, is over 80,000 years old.

About John:
John’s a geek from way back. He’s been floating between various computer-related jobs for years, until he settled into doing tech support in higher ed. Now he rules the Macs on campus with an iron hand (really, it’s on his desk).

Geek Credentials:
RPG: Blue box D&D, lead minis, been to GenCon in Milwaukee.
Computer: TRS-80 Color Computer, Amiga 1000, UNIX system w/reel-to-reel backup tape
Card games: bought Magic cards at GenCon in 1993
Science: Met Phil Plait, got time on a mainframe for astronomy project in 1983
His Blog:http://www.glenandtyler.com/