The Agents of F.L.A.S.K.

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

I've got nothing actually constructive to add other than An American Werewolf in London is the best werewolf movie of all time. That said, I will now make a very swift exit out of here before the Lon Chaney Jr fans chase me down! lol

Jenny Augutter never a Page 3 girl but she's my favorite trollop lass. Quite a consummate professional.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Guess where this photo was taken.



Arabia? Egypt? Sudan? Nope.

The Australian Outback.
”By 2010 up to 1 million feral camels roamed the Australian Outback, scientists estimated.”

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/resear...s-remain-a-major-threat-to-australian-outback

The government did attempt to cull the heard, bringing the population down significantly, but “the population can double in eight to ten years.”

This surprising (to me) story underlines how vast the Outback is. What else is hidden out there?

Oh, yes. Megalania.

Probably my favorite cryptid. Why couldn’t a 30 foot long lizard still be hiding in the outback? They only (supposedly) died out a measly 40,000 years ago. Aborigines have legends about them.

http://tylerscryptozoo.blogspot.com/2017/10/surviving-megalania-monster-lizards-in.html

http://www.unexplainedmonsters.com/devil_dragon/sightings-ofthe-devildragon.html

(Oddly enough, this whole adventure began when I was trying to run down a rumor that feral camels had recently been spotted in Arizona. Am drawing a blank, so far.)

 

[Tiki Tom]

Found it.



https://tucson.com/news/local/2-cam...cle_eecdf14a-2eed-11e9-9f06-bfd3f4ed8fa4.html

Unfortunately, the story that I heard was exaggerated. Judging by the article, these camels were NOT feral descendants of camels that the army introduced into the area in the 1850s. Too bad. Still, the rumors of wild camels in Arizona persist.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Those Texas feral pigs I would like to take a whack at.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Those Texas feral pigs I would like to take a whack at.

Texas is the place to do it. If you are feeling a little bored, or if you feel that you missed out because you never took part in an Apocalypse Now style helicopter assault, here is the company for you. For a mere $5,500 you can hunt wild boar from a helicopter with a machine gun! And all the ammunition that you can burn through is thrown in for FREE. Read the letter from a satisfied customer at the bottom of their homepage. Yeehaw! You gotta love the name of the outfit “Helibacon.”

https://www.helibacon.com/texas-helicopter-hog-hunting/

Maybe I’m old fashioned, but does this really qualify as “hunting”?

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Did a turn in the Parachute Regiment, familiar with bullpup and what but my wild boar rifle would rather
be a Winchester .30-.30 lever action Texan, strictly standard local brand. And on horseback or small tracker
before foot patrol for the actual hunt commence. I've this fancy for some years. The wild pig problem over there
is of keen interest here with various clubs. The helicopter assaults aren't hunting but ferret destroy military style
sponsored eradication, not my cuppa. Understand the feral issue just not keen on it.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Guess where this photo was taken.

View attachment 472079

Arabia? Egypt? Sudan? Nope.

The Australian Outback.
”By 2010 up to 1 million feral camels roamed the Australian Outback, scientists estimated.”

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/resear...s-remain-a-major-threat-to-australian-outback

The government did attempt to cull the heard, bringing the population down significantly, but “the population can double in eight to ten years.”

This surprising (to me) story underlines how vast the Outback is. What else is hidden out there?

Oh, yes. Megalania.

Probably my favorite cryptid. Why couldn’t a 30 foot long lizard still be hiding in the outback? They only (supposedly) died out a measly 40,000 years ago. Aborigines have legends about them.

http://tylerscryptozoo.blogspot.com/2017/10/surviving-megalania-monster-lizards-in.html

http://www.unexplainedmonsters.com/devil_dragon/sightings-ofthe-devildragon.html

(Oddly enough, this whole adventure began when I was trying to run down a rumor that feral camels had recently been spotted in Arizona. Am drawing a blank, so far.)

Camels were brought here along with Afghan camel drivers to help open up the desert areas of the outback a century and half ago. When cars started to get popular, some geniuses started releasing the camels into the wild and now they've joined the ridiculously long list of feral species in this country.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Another desert southwest (USA) mystery. Or is it a mystery?

The story says that, in the 1870s, when a girls school in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was building a chapel, the builder died before completing the job. Left undone was the construction of a staircase to the choir loft. Problem: the space was too small for a normal staircase. Local carpenters threw up their hands. So —as nuns do— the nuns started to pray to Joseph, patron saint of carpenters. As they finished there was a knock on the door. It was an old man with a donkey looking for carpenter work. After a few months he had constructed an inexplicable masterpiece: a helix staircase making two complete turns as it went up. It was made with no metal nails and had no central supporting pole to support the weight. It was noted that the staircase had 33 steps; one for each year of Jesus’ life. The mysterious builder left without accepting payment. The nuns went to the local lumber yard to find the man, but they claimed no knowledge and had not provided the wood. (In fact, modern scientific testing can only say that the wood is not native to New Mexico.)

To this day (see article) master staircase builders from around the world come to examine the work, proclaiming it “miraculous” especially considering when it was built.

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/n...cle_ef483b1f-6cc2-5cd9-93e8-9e7c1d3d56f7.html



Although local lore says that Joseph himself built the stairs, an alternative theory is that a Frenchman who had emigrated to New Mexico was responsible… it’s documented that he had worked on the school (but not the chapel). In any case, he would have had to have been a true master artisan and secretive about it too. They say the mathematical calculations required for such a job are astounding. To single handedly complete such a job using only simple tools is hard to fathom. So, the Frenchman theory seems to have holes in it too.

In this day and age, we tend to not believe in miracles, so… I guess the Frenchman is the best answer we have. Or?

Merry Christmas!

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Tik, I've heard tale of this rail. Much but quite interesting carpentry. Well done.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Another desert southwest (USA) mystery. Or is it a mystery?

The story says that, in the 1870s, when a girls school in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was building a chapel, the builder died before completing the job. Left undone was the construction of a staircase to the choir loft. Problem: the space was too small for a normal staircase. Local carpenters threw up their hands. So —as nuns do— the nuns started to pray to Joseph, patron saint of carpenters. As they finished there was a knock on the door. It was an old man with a donkey looking for carpenter work. After a few months he had constructed an inexplicable masterpiece: a helix staircase making two complete turns as it went up. It was made with no metal nails and had no central supporting pole to support the weight. It was noted that the staircase had 33 steps; one for each year of Jesus’ life. The mysterious builder left without accepting payment. The nuns went to the local lumber yard to find the man, but they claimed no knowledge and had not provided the wood. (In fact, modern scientific testing can only say that the wood is not native to New Mexico.)

To this day (see article) master staircase builders from around the world come to examine the work, proclaiming it “miraculous” especially considering when it was built.

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/n...cle_ef483b1f-6cc2-5cd9-93e8-9e7c1d3d56f7.html

View attachment 473635

Although local lore says that Joseph himself built the stairs, an alternative theory is that a Frenchman who had emigrated to New Mexico was responsible… it’s documented that he had worked on the school (but not the chapel). In any case, he would have had to have been a true master artisan and secretive about it too. They say the mathematical calculations required for such a job are astounding. To single handedly complete such a job using only simple tools is hard to fathom. So, the Frenchman theory seems to have holes in it too.

In this day and age, we tend to not believe in miracles, so… I guess the Frenchman is the best answer we have. Or?

Merry Christmas!

A French version of the mystery differs a little but doesn't really solve the enigma & spoil the fun so I'll recount it.
The Chapel, originally called; Notre-Dame-de-Lumière, was built under the orders of the then bishop of Santa Fe, Mgr Jean-Baptiste Lamy, under the responsabilty of the sisters of Lorette, who were sent from Kentucky to Santa Fe to open a girl's school.
After the construction of the chapel, the problem of access to the choir loft was made obvious & was probably due to a fault in the architect's plans. Unfortunately, the architect had since died & the builders didn't know to resolve the problem since there wasn't enough space to build a conventional staircase. They advised the sisters to pull down the choir loft.
The sisters prayed instead to St. Joseph, the patron saint of artisans, to ask for a solution. After the end of the 9 days praying ( the customary period in the catholic church when asking for a favor) a man arrived at the door of the chapel & said he could build the staircase but only on one condition; That he be left alone & no one to disturb him.
So with just a few rudimentary tools, he shut himself away for 3 months & then disappeared without trace. The sisters of Lorette offered a reward to anyone who could identify the mysterious carpenter but no one came forward & so the construction was attributed to St. Joseph himself.

---------------------------

The banisters were added & the staircase was attached to the nearest pillar a few years later in 1887.

Another enigma is the wood used. It is apparently spruce but no one has identified the sub species nor explained how it arrived in at the chapel.
Only problem, this is the second half of the 19th century, hardly the dark ages, so there is probably a far more down to Earth explanation but that the myth was far more interesting to pass down through the generations.

 

[Woodtroll]

A French version of the mystery differs a little but doesn't really solve the enigma & spoil the fun so I'll recount it.
The Chapel, originally called; Notre-Dame-de-Lumière, was built under the orders of the then bishop of Santa Fe, Mgr Jean-Baptiste Lamy, under the responsabilty of the sisters of Lorette, who were sent from Kentucky to Santa Fe to open a girl's school.
After the construction of the chapel, the problem of access to the choir loft was made obvious & was probably due to a fault in the architect's plans. Unfortunately, the architect had since died & the builders didn't know to resolve the problem since there wasn't enough space to build a conventional staircase. They advised the sisters to pull down the choir loft.
The sisters prayed instead to St. Joseph, the patron saint of artisans, to ask for a solution. After the end of the 9 days praying ( the customary period in the catholic church when asking for a favor) a man arrived at the door of the chapel & said he could build the staircase but only on one condition; That he be left alone & no one to disturb him.
So with just a few rudimentary tools, he shut himself away for 3 months & then disappeared without trace. The sisters of Lorette offered a reward to anyone who could identify the mysterious carpenter but no one came forward & so the construction was attributed to St. Joseph himself.

---------------------------

The banisters were added & the staircase was attached to the nearest pillar a few years later in 1887.

Another enigma is the wood used. It is apparently spruce but no one has identified the sub species nor explained how it arrived in at the chapel.
Only problem, this is the second half of the 19th century, hardly the dark ages, so there is probably a far more down to Earth explanation but that the myth was far more interesting to pass down through the generations.

That’s also an interesting version. If that staircase was originally built and initially used without banisters, it would have been a worrisome climb and a scary descent! Either way it’s an amazing piece of craftsmanship.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Holy smokes. Just imagine how ethereal that thing would have looked in its original state, without railings/handrails. Too bad there are no early photos.

 

[Tiki Tom]

A ghost story. With a fairly clear picture. Smoke or apparition? You decide.
I appreciate that the story gives us the whole “who, what, when, and where” and that the “who” is not a self-proclaimed ghost hunter who regularly shares strange things. The couple who snapped the pic seem to be boringly normal. (Although she did grow up in a house said to be haunted.)
Its a great moving photo, but I’m afraid no solid conclusions can be drawn from it. Ghosts, fog, and Britain? Always a good combination.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/dog-walker-spots-demon-ghost-28767518

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

That cat or dog needs a good strong leash. Birds here are 'ghosted' when the lad turns coward for their date.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Yikes! Fact or fiction: there is a gigantic bomb sunk in the River Thames that —if it went off— would create the largest non-nuclear explosion ever and destroy thousands of homes. It is indeed a fact. There is even a no-fly zone above the unexploded bomb and the bomb is monitored 24/7. What is the exact nature of this bomb? It’s a sunken WWII Liberty Ship containing 1,400 TONS of explosives. The ship is the SS Richard Montgomery and it is very much considered to be a real and active danger. As the crow flies, the wreck is only about 38 miles from London. Can be seen from the beaches at Southend.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/uk-world-news/sunken-ship-river-thames-1400-25110256

Holy depth charge, Batman! I can well understand why the gov would prefer to keep it low profile until they can clean it up (apparently not happening soon.)

 

[Tiki Tom]

New Years.

in the days following Christmas, we have been treated to an almost nightly barrage caused by people testing the fireworks they plan to launch on New Year’s Eve. All is quiet, then suddenly: boom, boom, boom! It drives the neighborhood dogs nuts. A local editorial said it triggers vets with PTSD. Old guys like me just don’t like being woken up by the racket.

Googling the topic, I came across this intriguing mystery: A town that is experiencing a flash and a boom every evening at precisely 6:15. Origins of the boom remains unknown.

https://news.yahoo.com/mystery-menace-tiptons-nightly-boom-045900209.html

Apparently even the Department of Homeland Security weighed in (if not the same phenomena, it’s in the same neck of the woods.)

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/mysterious-lights-loud-explosion-remains-mystery-kokomo-indiana/

Normally, I’m inclined to write off unexplained booms as coming from military aircraft. But this seems to be a little different. Does anyone know how long “the Tipton boom” continued? Was it ever solved? Maybe it’s still continuing?

Something to think about as we listen to end-of-year fireworks.

 

[Tiki Tom]

The first weird story of 2023.
would Anyone be interested in becoming a “psychonaut”? And what the hell is DMT anyways?
In short DMT is a naturally occurring psychedelic substance that has been used in mystical ceremonies for centuries. Think shamans, South America, etc. Some of the weirder claims:
It takes you to a different plane of consciousness where you can meet other beings. The same beings are sometimes met by different people on different trips (supposedly). The experience is described as “more real than real.” But, up until now, DMT trips have been very brief.

Now there is a plan afoot in Colorado to make the trips last several hours under controlled research protocols, with plans to map the alternate landscape and document the experiences. One question: can two people (each tripping on DMT in separate rooms) actually meet each other in the altered DMT consciousness world? I am not making this up.

“Psychonauts” are being recruited and trained for these research expeditions….

https://newrepublic.com/article/169525/psychonauts-training-psychedelics-dmt-extended-state

So many questions! I have never been interested in psychedelics. But reading scientific (and metaphysical) articles on the unexplained nature of consciousness, I noted that references to DMT are not uncommon. The above article was sufficiently unusual to make me finally investigate further.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/306889

So… just another excuse to get high? The complete experience is imaginary? Who/what are these recurring “elves” that people keep claiming to meet? Legitimate research into consciousness? Or hedonistic hippy revival?

One final note. I met a pharma type at a Christmas party who assured me that big pharma is investing a lot in psychedelic research and this is not going away soon.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Another mystery in the dry hills of Utah. (Remember the Utah monolith?) This time, unidentified radio antennas are popping up all over. I confess that I don’t even understand how the most popular theory works.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/epz...ring-in-utahs-hills-and-officials-are-stumped

 

[Tiki Tom]

Sea monster alert in-shore off of North Carolina. Not a manatee. Not the habitat of an alligator. The sea has many mysteries.

https://abc11.com/nc-coast-atlantic...ait-and-tackle-facebook-outer-banks/12664002/

 

[Zombie_61]

Sea monster alert in-shore off of North Carolina. Not a manatee. Not the habitat of an alligator. The sea has many mysteries.

https://abc11.com/nc-coast-atlantic...ait-and-tackle-facebook-outer-banks/12664002/

My money's on a Humpback whale, just below the surface.