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POPSToday's Topic: What's Weird in the Wikis Another interesting Blog Site I found while perusing the Net.. The "Paul Is Dead" rumors go all the way back to the latter 60's and for a while was a huge phenomenon focusing around the "demise" of the left-handed Beetle. Some of the clues and hints that the Beetle's were supposedly sending in their album art and song lyrics are still quoted today...
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POPSThe SECRET Warehouse from Indiana Jones with contents I use a similar concept in a role playing game. This was a HUGE list and hard to pare down to 1000 characters and have to skip some hilarious items like: Two strange electronic devices, found with a set of identifcation for "Commander Pavel Chekov, Starfleet." A heave metal box, 75cm on a side, painted in military green. Each side has the words, "This side towards enemy" printed on it. (Nuclear claymore mine) The "magic gun" that fired the "magic bullet" that killed JFK A large stone tablet, reconstructed from pieces, with writing on it. It is Hebrew and has Commandments 11 through 17 Microscope slide labelled "Turin Shroud section No. 325", with piece of material reading "Made In Korea" in tiny letters Snake Plisken's death certificate A searchlight with the sillouette of a bat on it and Universal Solvent (we think) (bring your own container) (hurry) (never mind...) A great and funny list
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POPSSupercontinent Pangea Gets Climate Rethink From Discovery... Topic interested me as it has been some time since any rethinking of the Ancient Past stagnated after the Kahoutek Comet hit Earth and resulting global cooling killed off the dinosaurs. The Paleozoic Age is history's most diverse zoological period other than modern times. Learning more of this ancient past helps us understand the cycle of life and death that wipes out upwards of 92% of Earth species when the cycle occurs. The relative time-frame is every 50 million years o0r so.. The last one? The destruction caused by Kahoutek was roughly 65 million years ago. To Say the Least, We are Overdue...
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POPS Ghost towning steeped in mysteries of Old West
Other ghost towners described making a half-dozen trips before finding the town, but agreed the search is half the fun. Though their motto is to "take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints," there are gifts to be found -- literally and figuratively -- at ghost towns. David Pike, who grew up in southern New Mexico and now lives in Washington, D.C., has rated nearly 20 New Mexico ghost towns on his Web site. He says ghost towning has helped him understand how his environment affects him and taught him to live in the moment. "It's hard to ignore a metaphor when you're standing right in the middle of it," he said. "When you're standing in a building that was once something and now is slowly fading into not being anything anymore, that's a stark reminder about appreciating what you've got when you've got it." Don't Miss * New Mexico Ghost Towns * Clint Thomsen's site (click on Ghost Towns link) * Todd Underwood's ghost town site Pike said he
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POPSWriter's Digest 101 Best Sites Awards for 2008 There was NO way I was going to try and clip all of these sites but they are ALL worthwhile to any beginning writer or even a journeyman writer who has been out of the game for a while. I did not even go through the entire list but chose bits and pieces from the first half or so. Many say that there is no way that a writer can be discovered or get free advice. Here is some free advice. Enter Contests. Enter EVERY Contest you are eligible for. Wjen you look on the list and see the Horror Writer's Association link (Horror.org) I want you to know that this last Halloween, I found out just a half-hour before the deadline that a contest was running. I found an old story, dusted it off and entered it with 15 minutes to spare. I won. 1st Prize. My story was eventually printed in Rue Morgue magazine and now I am writing for a publisher under contract! Who'd a thunk it?
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POPSPenny Postcards Tired of E-Cards??? Want to try something different for once? I found this site looking for a card for a dear friend's birthday the other day. I had to come back today to share it with all of you. It is fresh and funny and anything over a hundred years old that they can get their paws on you can find. Tagged and categorized, I do not think you can go wrong... and what was naughty 100+ years ago would not raise an eyebrow today... Oh, and monkeys are VERY BIG here! Fair warning.
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POPSThe Seven Sweetest Fictional Theme Parks Pt 2 (#4 - #1) Ah, we saved the best for last.... Yes, if you have not guessed what number one is by now I have this to say: Did you see ANY movies in the early to mid 90s when this one started the new Dinosaur craze? We even had to endure Brendan Fraser as Encino Man due to this one! By now I am sure you know Michael Crichton's Magnum Opus is number one. and no, it is NOT Congo! Enjoy!
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POPSThe Seven Sweetest Fictional Theme Parks Pt 1 (#7 - #5) Cartmanland, Horrorland from Goosebumps, and the Granddaddy of all fictional theme parks: Westworld! Part 2 gets better with Wally World, Thrill World, Itchy and Scratchy Land, and I am not going to tell you what Number One is.... Not even a hint.... I personally love theme parks and have been to some of the best: Disneyland, Six Flags, Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, Raging Waters, California Adventure, Busch Gardens, Universal Studios California, Palisades Park, and Astroworld... and the biggest of them all - Las Vegas! But if you like sci-fi or adventure thrillers pick up Dream Park by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes (or the 4 or so sequels), Utopia by Lincoln Childs, or Futureworld by Phillip J. Farmer. You will love them!
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POPSZombies on the Loose! Sometimes you just have to grab a 30.06, a haversack of dry rations, and go hunting the undead. Mind you, I am not all that supportive of the idea as a Reaper may be confused with the Dietary Challenged Afterlife Figures so I will give you a quick lesson in the way to tell the Reaper from the Hungry Dead... 1) Reapers tend to wear Robes - Zombies do not. 2) Reapers are fastidious about their appearance - Zombies look like they wear their clothes in meat-packing plants, stockyards and the occasional Rob Zombie Movie. 3) Reapers carry Scythes and can sometimes be seen on Pale Horses - Zombies can't handle anything more complex than a club and will eat a horse! 4) Reapers travel alone - Zombies travel in Packs usually 5) Reapers collect souls - Zombies collect blood and cranial fluids, usually on their faces and chests. I hope this has helped.
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POPSEarth as Art Gallery I have only one thing to say about this site: AWESOME! Not in the surfer use either. Truly, an experience leaving you catching your breath.
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POPSOld Creepy Ads The Person at Weirdomatic.com really knows his thing.... and some people say I wrote the book on weird! A great posting by the fellow and one I am happy to share with all of you.
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POPSWeird Hotels The author of Weirdomatic.com may think they are weird but I LOVE THEM! OK, all but the Coffins in Japan. I read too many cyberpunk novels in the 80s! The Mayan Pyramid is only in the planning stages but it is due to open in 2010... My favorite without a doubt is the Beckham Canyon Cavern Hotel...
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POPSZorro - From Pulp Page to Stage Everything you ever wanted to know about The Fox (Spanish for Fox is Zorro) is all wrapped up here. A theme park in Italy, a Stage Production. 112 episodes of a newer series on Telemundo and, the publishing history as well as comics, movies, collectibles, video games and a great picture gallery.
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POPSTODAY IN ROTTEN HISTORY from Rotten.com NO ONE should see this as an endorsement of Rotten.com by me. This site is something that should be treated like a leper at an orgy. And on this site, that may not just be a metaphor! Some of the most terrible things are here and this is att best, the tamest portion. Seekers wishing to go further are warned....
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POPSHEADLINES FROM THE YEAR: 2029 OK, I figured an easy way to share a part of an email joke from a dear friend with everyone else. I posted it to one of my blog sites and THEN clipmarked it! I hope you all enjoy it and if you like it you may come back and visit my page ob Soundclick sometime...
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POPSFrank Buck - Bring 'em Back Alive Buck was a man of his era... Hard drinking, hard living, self-made entrepreneur and showman extraordinaire. Buck's fame led to an entire occupation by circus workers today - wild animal tamer. Never a man to turn down a "buck," Buck was a shameless self-promoter and claimed to have even tracked down a Yeti once.
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POPSBlackbeard (S9 Biography)
The Scourge of the Spanish Main and the last Great Pirate of the Age of Sail (Jean LaFitte was a smuggler) Blackbeard's life is shrouded in myth and legend and facts about him are verd hard to verify 300 years later. Edward Teach or possibly Thatch, was famous for several things that are documented and reek of the strange and as Kenneth Hite says, High Weirdness. He would drink a mixture of gunpowder and rum set aflame... Talk about a Belch you do not want to be around. He tied "slow matches" (used for lighting cannons) into his hair and beard so there would be a wreath of smoke around his head. He shot his best friend and first mate, Israel Hands in the knee, crippling him for life just a day before his death at Okecroake Island off NC. When Israel asked why, Teach said he was saving his life! (Knew about his own death? Planned it himself?) Weirdest Fact: Held Charleston, SC hostage for several weeks until his ransom was paid - a box of Native herbs and Tobacco... See what I
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POPS20 Great Mark Twain Quotes Pt 3 (15-20) Twain was once voted the Quintessential American Author. Others who have been listed at his level during our 19th century were: Nathaniel Hawthorne Edgar Allan Poe Stephen Crane Bret Harte Washington Irving and a young man who was inspired totally by him: Jack London. I would be remiss if I did not point out that one of his contemporaries (and just as much a curmudgeon) and he had an ongoing battle of words in their respective newspapers, Ambrose Bierce...
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POPSTop 10 Bizarre Coffins Yes I have been addicted to lists since I was given my first copy of the Book of Lists.... and last month, I bought the newest version of the Book of Lists which has not been written and published in 15 years... This one caught my Discerning Reaper Eye Socket!
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POPSAsimov's 30 Laws of Robotics Par 1 (#13-20) Yes I skipped #12. Why? Because I am not a robot and I did not find it very funny nor did #18 so it was skipped too... I REALLY AM TRYING TO CUT DOWN MULTIPLE CLIPS of one posting but it is hard.! Which brings me to: Revenant's Laws (Really Guidelines) to Quasi-Human Behavior 1. The Reaper with the Sickle gets to clip what HE likes, and for that matter in whatever order he likes... 2. He is entitled to change his mind at any time but now. OK now he can, See it is easy. 3. Humans need to lighten up and take things in stride, no one gets out of life alive so there! :P 4. Clips by me are sometimes too long, but never too short so you have that to be thankful for! 5. Donations are in the form of cashier's check made out to cash... Sorry, I get a little silly at times..
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POPSAsimov's 30 Laws of Robotics Par 1 (#4-11) If you know Asimov's first Three Laws of Robotics then you either are a scifi fan or a Will Smith Super-Fan (it was a better than average movie and for Will a better than average Will Smith movie which says a lot as I am NOT a Will Smith Super-Fan, He just makes smart movies.) But if you are in the dark about the first 3 laws of robotics here they are: 1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws. OK Now that we are all on the same web page, enjoy the wonderful witticisms...
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POPSCrosstime Traffic: Alternate history series by Harry Turtledove Pt. 2 of 2 As I said in the notes to Part 1 of this clip, Harry Turtledove is the Master of alternate history science fiction. Some of his other series such as: World War, The Great War, and Day of Infamy should be checked out as well as his anthologies and his first novel, Agent of Byzantium. I first read that is my Senior Year of High School and though I had a love for literature already, I knew my path was set in front of me... But I write horror right? Technically, yes and no... I write alternate history with a horror theme and trappings.. Maybe not a big distinction but it is one on my part. If you want your teenagers to do better in History pick up a few alternate history novels. A writer has to develop the divergence point from "actual" history and the ramifications and butterfly effect of those. In other words, he gives you real history and then takes it and warps it and gives you a new look at it..
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POPSKreepsville Industries' Monster Shindig Blog Some very nice sound files here to make your evening a little darker. Put the LP on the turntable (NOTE: Anyone born after 1983, that large disc in your hands with a tiny hole in the center is put on the round, spinning tray and the swing arm is placed easy on the groove in the record! I put that because I just had to explain to my niece what an LP was.) turn th lights down low, grab your ghoulfriend because with these graveyard goodies from the Bad Old Days will make you feel better about the fact you know what an 8-track is as well as what Hi-Fi stands for!
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POPSHorror.net Horror Search And Directory Categories Do you prefer searching the web or browsing through directories? I like a little of both and I tell you what burns my butt every time is when a link is broke and the damn engine or directory just lets it slide. i don't have time to check out every link but i will say this: You will not find a more complete Horror Directory than here or on it's sister site, Horror:Search and Destroy... As for the black cuts, well the letters were white on black background so I will copy and paste those cuts in here: Horror.net Horror Search And Directory Categories Horror is the feeling of revulsion that usually occurs after something frightening is seen, heard, or otherwise experienced. It is the feeling one gets after coming to an awful realization or experiencing a hideous revelation. Horror has also been defined as a combination of terror and revulsion. We are horror... we are horror.net.
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POPSYes it is True you Can Own Land on the Moon and Mars - RIGHT!
Today I found this interesting offer to buy an acre or so on the Moon or Mars. One acre on the Moon costs $29.95! Be One of the Ten largest property owners on the Moon and immediately you are set for the Colony to be sent when... we get around to it. I find the funniest thing is that this was posted in early 2005 and the server is still active I tried to get a pic of the moon phase with today's date and time and I got the Moon but not the date and time.. Even I have to admit it is an INTERESTING offer but if they are still up and running I suppose someone is getting there certified and sealed document of deed property on the Moon. Do you ever think those TEN Largest Landholders will ever set foot on the Moon? Well, no offense to you but was born at night, just not last NIGHT! This one made me laugh but feel a little sad at the same time as someone is being conned big time! Final Note: I did get all the info I wanted, I just ad to play with the color a bit is all. lol. Revenant
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POPSWhere Does He Get All These Wondeful Steampunk Toys?? I admit to being rather fond (actually, enamored) with the entire Steampunk Genre. I am a fan of many of the stylings that have come from one pop culture type to another... Junk stores are doing booming business these days as people hit them up for old brass fittings, watches, horns and other things to modify and adapt. We went through a similar phase with Star Wars and other Sci-Fi things in the 70a and they returned in the last decade. Super Heroes were big merchandise money makers during the WW II years, the mid 60s, and then again the late 80s with the birth of the Batman craze following the campy antics of the 60s and the dark, Gothic feel of the movie series. Super Heroes came back in a big way with X-Men. This is what I have always heard that popular culture repeats itself every generation or so... Hold on to those Slinkys, Hula Hoops, and Slip n' Slide: we may be in for a wild ride again!