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What's Happening Over The Skies of New Jersey Part II

What's Happening Over The Skies of New Jersey Part IITHE CULLING 
 Strange things are happening in the skies over the Garden State New Jersey. What are they, Where are they coming from and What do they want?
 
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- People from all across the Delaware Valley and up into northern New Jersey have reported seeing clusters of drones in the sky over the past several weeks.
Numerous reports were sent to Action News about flying objects in Media and Broomall in Delaware County, as well as in Philadelphia's Mayfair section and in Cherry Hill, Camden County.
We've been asking local and federal officials if they can offer an explanation. Simply put, so far, the answer is no.
We spoke with Maureen Rush who is a 45-year law enforcement veteran and president of the Philadelphia Police Foundation. She says it's important to note that many of the sightings include commercial-grade drones, some as large as small airplanes, not the kinds used by hobbyists.
"My other concern is that there are multiple drone sightings. They're almost in a flock. If they were geese, they'd be in a flock, and that's what's really unnerving for people," she said.
Over in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy has publicly stated that this drone activity does not pose a public safety concern, but he has offered little else regarding an explanation.
And State Senator Doug Steinhardt says that's simply not good enough.
"I'd be happy with an explanation that we've looked at it, and we don't have information, or for law enforcement to say it's an ongoing something or other, you know, and that's as much as we can tell you, but we're not even getting that which is unfortunate," said Steinhardt.
And Steinhardt says he's not just speaking as a lawmaker, he's speaking as a witness.
"I walked out of my front porch last night and saw it would look like drone activity to me. I mean, I've seen airplanes cross the sky before and this wasn't that," he says.
Steinhardt has since sent letters to fellow lawmakers, including Governor Murphy, requesting they convene a bipartisan panel to discuss the situation.
The FBI is involved in the investigation.
 

What's Happening Over The Skies of New Jersey

UFO'S or DRONES?  Strange things are happening in the skies over the Garden State New Jersey. What are they, Where are they coming from and What do they want?
 
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- People from all across the Delaware Valley and up into northern New Jersey have reported seeing clusters of drones in the sky over the past several weeks.
Numerous reports were sent to Action News about flying objects in Media and Broomall in Delaware County, as well as in Philadelphia's Mayfair section and in Cherry Hill, Camden County.
We've been asking local and federal officials if they can offer an explanation. Simply put, so far, the answer is no.
We spoke with Maureen Rush who is a 45-year law enforcement veteran and president of the Philadelphia Police Foundation. She says it's important to note that many of the sightings include commercial-grade drones, some as large as small airplanes, not the kinds used by hobbyists.
"My other concern is that there are multiple drone sightings. They're almost in a flock. If they were geese, they'd be in a flock, and that's what's really unnerving for people," she said.
Over in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy has publicly stated that this drone activity does not pose a public safety concern, but he has offered little else regarding an explanation.
And State Senator Doug Steinhardt says that's simply not good enough.
"I'd be happy with an explanation that we've looked at it, and we don't have information, or for law enforcement to say it's an ongoing something or other, you know, and that's as much as we can tell you, but we're not even getting that which is unfortunate," said Steinhardt.
And Steinhardt says he's not just speaking as a lawmaker, he's speaking as a witness.
"I walked out of my front porch last night and saw it would look like drone activity to me. I mean, I've seen airplanes cross the sky before and this wasn't that," he says.
Steinhardt has since sent letters to fellow lawmakers, including Governor Murphy, requesting they convene a bipartisan panel to discuss the situation.
The FBI is involved in the investigation.

HEALTHCARE UNDER FIRE with Dr. Diana Lengel

After fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, here's what we know
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday morning outside of a hotel in New York City, police said. A manhunt is underway to find the gunman, who fled the scene on a bike into Central Park.
Here is what we know so far.
Shooting appeared to be targeted attack
Thompson, 50, suffered gunshot wounds to the back and to the leg at around 6:45 a.m. ET, while outside of the Hilton Midtown hotel in a busy section of Manhattan. Police said they believe this was not a random attack, and that Thompson was targeted. Authorities are searching for a motive.
"We are deeply saddened by this morning's events in the area and our thoughts are with all affected by the tragedy," a spokesperson for the hotel said in a statement.
Investigators have video of the shooting in which the gunman appeared to wait for Thompson for several minutes prior to firing, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a briefing. The gunman arrived at the shooting location on foot about five minutes before Thompson arrived.
The suspect approached Thompson from behind and fired the gun at least twice, striking him in the back and the right calf, according to the police commissioner. The shooter used a silencer, which is a device that acts like a muzzle to reduce the sound of a gunshot. Video shows the suspect fire the gun initially and step toward Thompson, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. The gun appeared to malfunction, but the shooter cleared the jam fairly quickly before firing again. The CEO was not robbed.
"I want to be clear. At this time, every indication is that this was a premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack," Tisch said. 
The commissioner said the gunman ignored multiple passersby while seemingly lying in wait for Thompson. Another person is also seen in security footage standing against the side of the building between the gunman and Thompson, but just outside of the line of fire. The gunman does not appear to move from his position facing Thompson as the person, apparently realizing there has been a shooting, looks up from their phone and hurries away. 
Police did not respond directly when asked whether Thompson had known enemies prior to his death or been blamed for a health insurance recipient's lack of coverage under UnitedHealthcare — since the latter issue led to protests in Minnesota, where the company is headquartered and where Thompson lived, over the summer. They said investigators were "looking at everything," including the executive's social media, and interviewing his colleagues and family members to work out what circumstances may have led to the incident. NYPD is also connecting with law enforcement in Minnesota.

A Look Ahead To Our New Conspiracy Show Format

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Film: "No Country For Old People" Director Susie Singer Carter

Director Susie Singer Carter
Susie is an award-winning writer, playwright, director, producer, and actress. She started her TV/Film career in 2006 writing, producing, and directing two children’s series for CBS Saturday morning, “Cake” and “Dance Revolution”. She moved into features writing “BRATZ” for Lionsgate and co-producing “Soul Surfer” for Sony. Her short film, “My Mom and The Girl” starring Valerie Harper in her final beautiful performance, won numerous awards including Best Direction, Best Short Film, Best Ensemble Cast, was officially selected at the “Emerging Filmmaker Showcase” at Cannes 2017 winning a spot in the PBS Fine Cuts series, and was Oscar’s qualified in 2018.During the pandemic, Susie launched two successful podcasts. Her talk show, "Love Conquers Alz", received Best Podcast 2020 by New Media Film Festival and is now in its third season. She recently completed the firs season of her scripted comedy/horror, "I Love Lucifer", nominated for 7 Audio Verse Awards.Most recently, Susie was commissioned to adapt the book PLAIN JANE, and is currently attached to direct the dramedy based on the debut novel of the same title by Barrie Levitt Knee. Susie is currently writing, producing, and directing a feature documentary, No Country For Old People, a critically needed documentary inspired by her Mother's last 6 months of life in a Long Term Care facility in 2022. Susie knows the power of storytelling and has attracted an impressive list of the most talented and staunch advocates to contribute to the film. She has also partnered with The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care who are fiscally sponsoring the film by providing a 501(c)(3) status.

"RETURN TO ALCATRAZ"©2024

A Return to Alcatraz  (ALCATRAZ: THE LAST ESCAPE)
Re-examining the most perplexing and intriguing of all prison escapes. John and Clarence Anglin along with fellow career criminal Frank Morris managed to do the impossible when they actually got off of the "impenetrable" Alcatraz Island. The rest, as they say is history. And so Folklore is born, but where does the folklore end and the truth begin. Tonight, brothers Dave and Ken Widner and co-author Mike Lynch join us, yet again to sort through what is the mystery of The Escape From Alcatraz.
ALCATRAZ: A SHORT HISTORY
Originally built as a naval defense fortification in the 1850s, the facility on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay housed military prisoners from 1861 to 1933, after which the U.S. Army transferred control to the Department of Justice. The new federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island opened in 1934 and was considered the toughest prison America could produce. A maximum-security, minimum-privilege facility for the most hardened and unrepentant criminals in the U.S. prison system, Alcatraz represented the government’s attempt to take a hard-line stance against the rampant crime of the 1920s and ‘30s. During its 29 years in operation (1934-63), the prison housed some of the country’s most notorious bad guys, including Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Alvin Karpis (designated the first “Public Enemy #1”) and “Birdman” Robert Stroud.
FRANK MORRIS & THE ANGLIN BROTHERS
Frank Morris arrived on Alcatraz Island in January 1960, as inmate #AZ-1441. Convicted of his first crime at the age of 13, Morris had spent much of his life behind bars, serving time for offenses ranging from narcotics possession to armed robbery. With a reported I.Q. of more than 130, Morris also had a history of trying to break out of prisons; it was this habit that eventually landed him at “The Rock,” as Alcatraz had been dubbed long before its days as a federal prison. 
(In the Hollywood version of events, 1979’s “Escape from Alcatraz,” Clint Eastwood would play Morris.)
Morris’ accomplices, John and Clarence Anglin, serving time at Alcatraz for bank robbery, were also veterans of the prison system. Convicted along with a third brother, Alfred, they had been incarcerated at a federal penitentiary in Atlanta when they first met Morris. After their own series of escape attempts, John and Clarence were both sent to Alcatraz by mid-1961. A fourth man, Allen West, who also participated in the escape plot, was serving his second term at the Rock. Left behind on the night of the escape, West later told the authorities much of what is now known about the complicated scheme, and even claimed to have been the mastermind himself.
By the time they made their escape attempt in June 1962, Morris and the Anglins had spent three months digging through the air vents in their cells with sharpened spoons purloined from the prison cafeteria. In addition, they fashioned lifelike dummy heads out of paper, soap and human hair from the prison barbershop, and stitched together a makeshift raft and life preservers from more than 50 raincoats donated by or stolen from their fellow inmates.
On the night of June 11, Morris decided the time had come to make their escape. When West was unable to get through the ventilator grill at the rear of his cell, Morris and the Anglins were forced to leave him behind, climbing some 30 feet up the prison plumbing system to the roof of the cellhouse. They crossed 100 feet of rooftop and made it down 50 feet of piping, hitting the ground near the exit to the inmates’ shower area. After that point, no one ever saw or heard from Morris or the Anglin brothers again.
According to West–who finally managed to escape his cell and make it to the rooftop, only to find that his fellow inmates had disappeared–the plan had been to use the makeshift raft to reach Angel Island. After some rest, the men would then reenter the bay on the opposite site of the island and swim through the so-called Raccoon Straits on their way to Marin County, where they would steal a car and burglarize a clothing store before going their separate ways. But no such crimes were reported anywhere in Marin County within 12 days of the escape–a fact the authorities would point to as support for their conclusion that the attempt had failed. In another significant lead, a Norwegian freighter reported seeing a body floating 20 miles northwest of Golden Gate Bridge on July 17, wearing what appeared to be denim trousers similar to those issued by the prison.
Though the FBI still maintains active arrest warrants for all three men, they are officially listed as missing and presumed drowned, victims of the frigid waters and swift currents of San Francisco Bay. But the inmates’ bodies were never found, and some people continue to believe that Morris and the Anglins may have survived. On March 21, 1963, less than a year after the escape attempt, the federal prison on Alcatraz Island closed. It had been the most expensive of all U.S. state or federal prisons to operate, primarily due to the cost of transporting fresh water to the island and evacuating waste. Now operated by the National Park Service, “The Rock” is now one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist attractions.
 

Are People Inherently Racist?

ARE WE BORN RACIST?
ARE WE INHERENTLY RACIST?
Is bigotry in our DNA, a remnant of our fear of “the other” way back when that was necessary? If so, why do some battle with their instincts while others embrace them?
Humans are the most cooperative species on the planet – all part of a huge interconnected ecosystem. We have built vast cities, connected by a global nervous system of roads, shipping lanes and optical fibers. We have sent thousands of satellites spinning around the planet. Even seemingly simple objects like a graphite pencil are the work of thousands of hands from around the world, as the wonderful essay I-Pencil, quoted above, by Leonard Read describes.
Yet we can also be surprisingly intolerant of each other. If we are completely honest, there is perhaps a little bit of xenophobia, racism, sexism and bigotry deep within all of us, if we would only allow it. Luckily, we can choose to control and suppress such tendencies for our own wellbeing and the good of society.
When the media, and especially people we trust, talk in such a way, it has a profound effect on our receiving minds. It can even shape our beliefs in what we might think are purely rational issues. For example, the belief in whether humans are causing climate change is strongly associated with US political party membership.
This is because we tend to adopt a common position on a topic to signal we are part of a group, just like football fans wear certain colors or have tattoos to show their tribal loyalty. Even strong individuals who stand up to oppressive regimes typically have shared ideals and norms with other members of a resistance movement.
This tribalism can all feel very visceral and natural because, well, in a way, it is. It fires up the primal parts of our brain designed for such responses. Yet, there are other natural attitudes, such as compassion and consideration for others, that can be suppressed in such circumstances. Imbalanced cultures produce imbalanced brains.
This combination of nature and nurture shaping our attitudes and behavior is apparent in many human characteristics, and unpicking some of these examples can help us see opportunities to steer the process.
Consider the tendency to become overweight in modern society. In premodern times, sugary and fatty foods were rare and valuable for humans. Now, they are everywhere. A biological trait – the craving for sugary or fatty foods – which was adaptive in premodern times, has become detrimental and maladaptive.
Surely our modern cultures can protect us from these innate drives when they are unhealthy for ourselves and society? After all, we effectively suppress violent behavior in society through the way we bring up children, policing and the prison system.
Instead of acknowledging and protecting us from the innate drive to binge on unhealthy food, however, our modern cultures (in many countries at least) actually exacerbate that particular problem. The result is 2 billion people – over a quarter of the world’s population – overweight or obese, while another 2 billion suffer some kind of micronutrient deficiency.
When we understand how our hardwired urges interact with an unhelpful cultural context, we can begin to design positive interventions. In the case of obesity, this might mean less junk food marketing and altering the composition of manufactured food. We can also change our own behavior, for example laying down new routines and healthier eating habits.
Climate change could boost bigotryBut what about bigotry and xenophobia? Can’t we simply design the right fixes for them? That may depend on how big the problems we face in future are. For example, growing ecological crises – climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss – may actually lead to more bigoted and xenophobic attitudes.
Rewiring the brainThankfully, we can use rational thinking to develop strategies to overcome these attitudes. We can reinforce positive values, building trust and compassion, reducing the distinction between our in-group and the “other”.
An important first step is appreciating our connectedness to other people. We all evolved from the same bacteria-like ancestor, and right now we share over 99% of our DNA with everyone else on the planet. Our minds are closely linked through social networks, and the things we create are often the inevitable next step in a series of interdependent innovations.
Innovation is part of a great, linked creative human endeavor with no respect for race or national boundaries. In the face of overwhelming evidence from multiple scientific disciplines (biology, psychology, neuroscience) you can even question whether we exist as discrete individuals, or whether this sense individuality is an illusion (as I argue in my book The Self Delusion).
We evolved to believe we are discrete individuals because it brought survival benefits (such as memory formation and an ability to track complex social interactions). But taken too far, self-centered individualism can prevent us from solving collective problems.
Beyond theory, practice is also necessary to literally rewire our brains – reinforcing the neural networks through which compassionate behavior arises. Outdoor community activities have been shown to increase our psychological connectedness to others. Similarly, meditation approaches alter neural networks in the brain and reduce our sense of isolated self-identity, instead promoting compassion towards others. Even computer games and books can be designed to increase empathy.
Finally, at the societal level, we need frank and open debate about environmental change and its current and future human impacts – crucially, how our attitudes and values can affect other lives and livelihoods. We need public dialogue around climate-driven human migration and how we respond to that as a society, allowing us to mitigate the knee-jerk reaction of devaluing others.
Let’s defuse this ticking ethical timebomb and shame those who stoke flames of bigotry beneath it. Instead, we can open ourselves up to a more expansive attitude of connectedness, empowering us to work together in cooperation with our fellow human kin.
It is possible to steer our cultures and rewire our brains so that xenophobia and bigotry all but disappear. Indeed, working collaboratively across borders to overcome the global challenges of the 21st century relies upon us doing just that.
------------------------------------------------------------It is not there are so many people that are racist it is the perception or what Racism has been Conditioned into our society actually IS. Asking someone “Where do you work?” When I was young was not an unnatural question it was a matter of Conversation….Now someone that is hyper PC sensitive could “SOMEHOW” interpret that as “Racist”. Or demonstrating Patriotism and not being very tolerant of those that disrespect those that serve and preserve “”AS RACIST”. I think these hyper sensitive PC guys with the orange feet and horn honk noses perhaps should be asking the people that are suppose to be offended “IS this Racist?” To YOU? Would Probably find out those people have zero tolerance for Disrespecting their flag and their brother, father, sister, cousin that IS Protecting and Preserving…The Left had better get their message straightened out or their not going to have any voice. The only reason their voice is heard now is because the MSM is owned by a handful of Corporations that want a ONE World Deal. They don’t want The USA to be Sovereign …they don’t want us to have borders… What the Left has done to the Minorities (they’re suppose to care so much about ha ha)…The MSM has done to the left liberal agenda…they’re being used just like the minorities have been used. Well the Minorities are waking up…My Black friends My Hispanic friends have BEEN Woke up…they’re successful in their business and want the Economy they’re now enjoying. They’re perception is exactly my perception I’m white, they’re black or brown but, we all have the same thoughts…Give us a Chance and we will succeed…They hated Obama with a Passion not because he was black or half white but, BECAUSE he killed their business…graveyard dead. Those ARE the FACTS accept them or get used…Go get a job, start a business or just find your happy place BUT if you cannot do any of those things NOW?? Find the nearest Volcano and sacrifice yourself to the Village idiots god. Because …you will never have this opportunity again. Reagan was the last and that was when I was in College…Quit whining and use this CHANCE. The End.
 

WHATS REALLY INSIDE FORT KNOX

WHATS REALLY INSIDE FORT KNOX
During the Cold War, the U.S. military stockpiled opium and morphine sulfate in case of a medical supply shortage or nuclear exchange. The government spent millions refining the opium into morphine in 1993, and it's still stored at Fort Knox. 
Historic artifacts
Fort Knox also stores historic artifacts, including the Holy Crown of Hungary, which was brought to Fort Knox for safekeeping during World War II. 
Is there Gold in Fort Knox? 
Fort Knox is a top-secret United States Army post that's surrounded by mystery and conspiracy theories. The facility is not open to visitors, and even U.S. Presidents don't get an invite.
The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky stores a large portion of the United States' gold reserves, as well as other precious items: 
Gold
Fort Knox holds about half of the Treasury's gold, which is roughly 147.3 million troy ounces (4,580 metric tons). The gold is kept in deep storage, which means it's in sealed vaults that are examined annually by the Treasury Department. 
Other precious items
Fort Knox also stores other valuables belonging to or in custody of the federal government. 
Morphine sulfate
 

A MESSAGE FROM THE MADDOG

 
An informal meeting of the minds with host and executive producer MadDog DiSipio

Conspiracy Week on WWF Radio Episode Two - The Alcatraz Conspiracy

Conspiracy Week on WWF Radio
Some of the more popular conspiracy theories floating about the world wide web and even some you may have never heard about. Join us all week long for our year end conspiracy week long extravaganza.
What Is a Conspiracy Theory
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy, when other explanations are more probable. The term generally has a negative connotation, implying that the appeal of a conspiracy theory is based in prejudice, emotional conviction, or insufficient evidence.
Conspiracy theory, an attempt to explain harmful or tragic events as the result of the actions of a small powerful group.
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy when other explanations are more probable.THE ALCATRAZ CONSPIRACY REVISITED
In June 1962, inmates Clarence Anglin, John Anglin, and Frank Morris escaped from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, California, United States.[2] Late on the night of June 11 or early morning of June 12, the three men tucked papier-mâché model heads resembling their own likenesses into their beds, broke out of the main prison building via ventilation ducts and an unguarded utility corridor, and departed the island aboard an improvised inflatable raft to an uncertain fate.[3] A fourth conspirator, Allen West, failed in his escape attempt and remained on the island.
Hundreds of leads were pursued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local law enforcement officials in the ensuing years, but no conclusive evidence has ever surfaced favoring the success or failure of the attempt.[4] Numerous theories of widely varying plausibility have been proposed by authorities, reporters, family members, and amateur enthusiasts.[5] In 1979 the FBI officially concluded, on the basis of circumstantial evidence and a preponderance of expert opinion, that the men drowned in the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay without reaching the mainland.[6][7] The U.S. Marshals Service case file remains open and active, and Morris and the Anglin brothers remain on its wanted list.[8]
New circumstantial and material evidence has continued to surface, stoking new debates on whether the inmates managed to survive.

Conspiracy Week on WWF Radio Episode One

Conspiracy Week on WWF Radio
Some of the more popular conspiracy theories floating about the world wide web and even some you may have never heard about. Join us all week long for our year end conspiracy week long extravaganza.
What Is a Conspiracy Theory
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy, when other explanations are more probable. The term generally has a negative connotation, implying that the appeal of a conspiracy theory is based in prejudice, emotional conviction, or insufficient evidence.
Conspiracy theory, an attempt to explain harmful or tragic events as the result of the actions of a small powerful group.
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy when other explanations are more probable.

THE FINAL WORD ON THE CHRIS BENOIT FAMILY TRAGEDY

THE FINAL WORD ON THE CHRIS BENOIT FAMILY TRAGEDYWITH NEVER BEFORE HEARD POLICE AUDIO
Over a three-day period between June 22 and 24, 2007, Chris Benoit, a 40-year-old Canadian professional wrestler employed by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), murdered his wife Nancy and their seven-year-old son, Daniel, before hanging himself at their residence in Fayetteville, Georgia, United States. Autopsy results showed that Benoit's wife was murdered first, having died of asphyxiation on the night of June 22.[1]
Daniel, who also died of asphyxia, was killed as he was lying sedated in his bed on the morning of June 23. On the evening of June 24, Benoit died by suicide in his weight room, when he used his lat pulldown machine to hang himself. He placed Bibles near the bodies of his wife and son.[2][3] Since the tragedy, numerous explanations for Benoit's actions have been proposed, including severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)[4] and steroid and alcohol abuse,[5] leading to a failing marriage and other personal problems.[6] This led to numerous media accounts, and a federal investigation into steroid abuse in professional wrestling
Murder of Nancy Benoi
On Friday, June 22, 2007, Chris Benoit killed his wife Nancy in the bonus room of their house in Fayetteville, Georgia, 22 miles south of Atlanta. According to the police report, Nancy's limbs were bound prior to her death, with her arms being restrained with coaxial cables, and her feet being duct-taped together. A balled-up combination of a tube sock and tape was also found in the kitchen trash and appeared to be soaked in dried blood, which led police to believe that it was being used as a makeshift gag prior to Nancy's death. Her body was found wrapped in a blanket alongside a Bible. Injuries indicated that Benoit had pressed a knee into her back while pulling on a cord around her neck, causing strangulation. Officials said that there were no signs of immediate struggle.[7]
Toxicologists found alcohol in Nancy's body, but were unable to determine whether it had been present before death or was a product of decomposition. Decomposition made it difficult to estimate pre-death levels of hydrocodone and alprazolam, which were found in "therapeutic levels" in her body. In any case, the medical examiner saw no evidence that Nancy was as sedated as her son had been when he was killed.[8]
Murder of Daniel Benoit
[edit]
Daniel Christopher Benoit (February 25, 2000 – June 23, 2007) was Chris' third child and second son. He had older paternal half-siblings, David (born 1993) and Megan (born 1997) via Chris's first wife, Martina, who were all living in Canada at the time the murder-suicide took place. He was Nancy's only child, as she had no children with her ex-husbands Jim Daus or Kevin Sullivan.[citation needed]
Daniel was suffocated and killed in his bedroom, and another Bible was left by his body.[9] He had internal injuries to the throat area, showing no bruises.[10] Daniel's exact time of death is unknown.[11] The reports determined Daniel was sedated with Xanax and likely unconscious when he was killed.[12][13] His body had just started to show signs of decomposition but was not as far along as his mother's body.[8]
It was later alleged that Daniel had the genetic disorder fragile X syndrome and that this was the cause of domestic problems in the Benoit family.[14] It was also suggested that track marks on Daniel's arms were the result of human growth hormone (HGH) injections because Benoit and his family considered him undersized due to his condition.[15] Benoit's coworker and close friend, wrestler Chris Jericho, stated that from his own research on the condition, the symptoms "fit Daniel to a tee, all across the board". Concerning those who had publicly stated that they had no knowledge of Daniel having the condition, Jericho said, "If Chris had decided that he wanted to keep it to himself, you wouldn't have been able to pry that out of him with anything."[16] Despite Jericho's initial statements regarding Daniel, he later stated in his 2011 book Undisputed, "It turned out that Daniel didn't have fragile X, but at the time it made sense because I was grasping at straws."[17]
District Attorney Scott Ballard later released a statement saying that a source with access to Daniel's medical files found no mention of any pre-existing mental or physical ailments. Likewise, Daniel's teachers reported that he was on par with other students and not about to be held back as previously thought.[18] In 2016, speaking publicly for the first time in a major public interview on a Talk is Jericho podcast, Nancy's sister, Sandra Toffoloni, unequivocally denied any claims that Daniel had ever had fragile X or any similar condition. She also stated that claims of needle track marks on Daniel's arms were "preposterous".[19]

PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN THE RETURN OF ALISTAIR CROSS & TAMARA THORNE

 
 
ALISTAIR CROSS
Alistair Cross’ debut novel, The Crimson Corset, a vampiric tale of terror and seduction, was an immediate bestseller earning praise from veteran vampire-lit author, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and New York Times bestseller, Jay Bonansinga, author of The Walking Dead series. In 2012, Alistair joined forces with international bestseller, Tamara Thorne, and as Thorne & Cross, they write – among other things – the successful Gothic series, The Ravencrest Saga. Their debut collaboration, The Cliffhouse Haunting, was a bestseller. They are currently at work on their next solo novels and a new collaborative project.
In 2014, Alistair and Tamara began the radio show, Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, which has featured such guests as Anne Rice of The Vampire Chronicles, Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and basis of the HBO series True Blood, Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter novels, Jay Bonansinga of The Walking Dead series, Laurell K. Hamilton of the Anita Blake novels, Peter Atkins, screenwriter of HELLRAISER 2, 3, and 4, worldwide bestseller V.C. Andrews, and New York Times best sellers Preston & Child, Christopher Rice, and Christopher Moore.TAMARA THORNE
 
Tamara Thorne's first novel was published in 1991. Since then she has written many more, including international bestsellers Haunted, Bad Things, Moonfall, and The Sorority. Tamara's interest in writing is lifelong, as is her fascination with the paranormal, occult, mythology and folklore. She's been an avid ghost story collector and writer all her life.
Tamara's novels range from straight-out ghost stories to tales of witchcraft, conspiracies, UFOs, elemental forces, and vampires. No matter what topic she chooses, chances are you'll find a ghost or two lurking in the background.
Today, she and her frequent collaborator, Alistair Cross, share their worlds and continue to write about ghosts and other mysterious forces. Whether collaborating or writing solo, there is no shortage of humor, sex, blood, and spookiness.
Tamara also conducts real-life investigations of anomalous phenomena and has seen a number of odd things over the last twenty years. As an open-minded skeptic, she's spoken to many paranormal groups and has appeared on the television show, Ghost Adventures. Most recently, she and Alistair Cross went on a five-day investigation to an allegedly haunted cabin in California's Gold Country - an adventure that inspired The Cliffhouse Haunting. She has also been featured on many radio programs and in various newspapers on the topics of haunted places and local lore. A journalist by training, she occasionally writes about ghosts and hauntings for a syndicate of southern California newspapers, but her first love is, and has always been, telling ghost stories to make people scream. . . and laugh.
Tamara and Alistair co-host Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! every Thursday night on Blog Talk Radio.
You can also visit Tamara on Twitter, Facebook, or at her blog.

WWTF RADIO/TV ELECTION NIGHT SPECIAL (NIGHT TWO) ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS LIVE!!!

WWTF RADIO/TV ELECTION NIGHT SPECIAL (NIGHT ONE)

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: AMERICAS HIDDEN AGENDA

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHTHiding in Plain Sight is a thought-provoking idea that delves into the rise of authoritarianism in the United States. We'll offer analysis of the current political climate and the erosion of democracy. Maybe we'll even find out why this is happening, and what is the end game. Join us every week for more shows that blow the mind.

Simulation Theory: Are We Living in a Simulation?

SIMULATION THEORY
Are we living in a "simulation? Well, if you believe Elon Musk (and there's n reason not to) the answer is a resounding, YES. Lets explore the pressing question of our time: Are We Real or Are We Memorex?
Meaning: Simulation Theory Definition & Meaning ...Simulation theory is a theoretical hypothesis that says what people perceive as reality is actually an advanced, hyper-realistic computer simulation, possibly overseen by a higher being. (God or Something/One Else?)
What Is "Simulation Theory"?
Simulation theory, also known as the simulation hypothesis, is the idea that our reality is a computer simulation created by a higher being. The theory suggests that everything we know and experience is artificial, and that we are constructs in a simulated world. The simulation hypothesis has roots in Western philosophy and has been debated in philosophical discourse. The idea has become well known in popular culture, and some tech leaders, including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Sam Altman, have expressed interest in it. However, there is no substantial evidence to support the theory, and many research papers refute it. The simulation hypothesis has been compared to the movie The Matrix, in which the character Neo learns that his entire life is part of a video game. The idea that the universe is the result of computation was first documented in Konrad Zuse's 1969 book Rechnender Raum (Calculating Space). In 2001, philosopher Nick Bostrom proposed the simulation argument, which suggests that if a civilization can create conscious simulations, most conscious entities would be in a simulation. 
 

The JFK Assassination Part Three of Three

The JFK Assassination The Final Part
November 22, 1963: Death of the PresidentShortly after noon on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas.By the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy and his political advisers were preparing for the next presidential campaign. Although he had not formally announced his candidacy, it was clear that President Kennedy was going to run and he seemed confident about his chances for re-election.
At the end of September, the president traveled west, speaking in nine different states in less than a week. The trip was meant to put a spotlight on natural resources and conservation efforts. But JFK also used it to sound out themes—such as education, national security, and world peace—for his run in 1964.
Campaigning in TexasA month later, the president addressed Democratic gatherings in Boston and Philadelphia. Then, on November 12, he held the first important political planning session for the upcoming election year. At the meeting, JFK stressed the importance of winning Florida and Texas and talked about his plans to visit both states in the next two weeks. 
Mrs. Kennedy would accompany him on the swing through Texas, which would be her first extended public appearance since the loss of their baby, Patrick, in August. On November 21, the president and first lady departed on Air Force One for the two-day, five-city tour of Texas.
President Kennedy was aware that a feud among party leaders in Texas could jeopardize his chances of carrying the state in 1964, and one of his aims for the trip was to bring Democrats together. He also knew that a relatively small but vocal group of extremists was contributing to the political tensions in Texas and would likely make its presence felt—particularly in Dallas, where US Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson had been physically attacked a month earlier after making a speech there. Nonetheless, JFK seemed to relish the prospect of leaving Washington, getting out among the people and into the political fray.
The first stop was San Antonio. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John B. Connally, and Senator Ralph W. Yarborough led the welcoming party. They accompanied the president to Brooks Air Force Base for the dedication of the Aerospace Medical Health Center. Continuing on to Houston, he addressed the League of United Latin American Citizens, and spoke at a testimonial dinner for Congressman Albert Thomas before ending the day in Fort Worth.
Morning in Fort WorthA light rain was falling on Friday morning, November 22, but a crowd of several thousand stood in the parking lot outside the Texas Hotel where the Kennedys had spent the night. A platform was set up and the president, wearing no protection against the weather, came out to make some brief remarks. "There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth," he began, "and I appreciate your being here this morning. Mrs. Kennedy is organizing herself. It takes longer, but, of course, she looks better than we do when she does it." He went on to talk about the nation's need for being "second to none" in defense and in space, for continued growth in the economy and "the willingness of citizens of the United States to assume the burdens of leadership."
The warmth of the audience response was palpable as the president reached out to shake hands amidst a sea of smiling faces.
Back inside the hotel the president spoke at a breakfast of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, focusing on military preparedness. "We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom," he said. "We will continue to do…our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead."
On to DallasThe presidential party left the hotel and went by motorcade to Carswell Air Force Base for the thirteen-minute flight to Dallas. Arriving at Love Field, President and Mrs. Kennedy disembarked and immediately walked toward a fence where a crowd of well-wishers had gathered, and they spent several minutes shaking hands.
The first lady received a bouquet of red roses, which she brought with her to the waiting limousine. Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie, were already seated in the open convertible as the Kennedys entered and sat behind them. Since it was no longer raining, the plastic bubble top had been left off. Vice President and Mrs. Johnson occupied another car in the motorcade.
The procession left the airport and traveled along a ten-mile route that wound through downtown Dallas on the way to the Trade Mart where the President was scheduled to speak at a luncheon.
The AssassinationCrowds of excited people lined the streets and waved to the Kennedys. The car turned off Main Street at Dealey Plaza around 12:30 p.m. As it was passing the Texas School Book Depository, gunfire suddenly reverberated in the plaza.
Bullets struck the president's neck and head and he slumped over toward Mrs. Kennedy. The governor was shot in his back. 
The car sped off to Parkland Memorial Hospital just a few minutes away. But little could be done for the President. A Catholic priest was summoned to administer the last rites, and at 1:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. Though seriously wounded, Governor Connally would recover.
The president's body was brought to Love Field and placed on Air Force One. Before the plane took off, a grim-faced Lyndon B. Johnson stood in the tight, crowded compartment and took the oath of office, administered by US District Court Judge Sarah Hughes. The brief ceremony took place at 2:38 p.m.
Less than an hour earlier, police had arrested Lee Harvey Oswald, a recently hired employee at the Texas School Book Depository. He was being held for the assassination of President Kennedy and the fatal shooting, shortly afterward, of Patrolman J. D. Tippit on a Dallas street.
On Sunday morning, November 24, Oswald was scheduled to be transferred from police headquarters to the county jail. Viewers across America watching the live television coverage suddenly saw a man aim a pistol and fire at point blank range. The assailant was identified as Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. Oswald died two hours later at Parkland Hospital.
The President's FuneralThat same day, President Kennedy's flag-draped casket was moved from the White House to the Capitol on a caisson drawn by six grey horses, accompanied by one riderless black horse. At Mrs. Kennedy's request, the cortege and other ceremonial details were modeled on the funeral of Abraham Lincoln. Crowds lined Pennsylvania Avenue and many wept openly as the caisson passed. During the 21 hours that the president's body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, about 250,000 people filed by to pay their respects.
On Monday, November 25, 1963 President Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was attended by heads of state and representatives from more than 100 countries, with untold millions more watching on television. Afterward, at the grave site, Mrs. Kennedy and her husband's brothers, Robert and Edward, lit an eternal flame.
Perhaps the most indelible images of the day were the salute to his father given by little John F. Kennedy Jr. (whose third birthday it was), daughter Caroline kneeling next to her mother at the president's bier, and the extraordinary grace and dignity shown by Jacqueline Kennedy.
As people throughout the nation and the world struggled to make sense of a senseless act and to articulate their feelings about President Kennedy's life and legacy, many recalled these words from his inaugural address:
All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days, nor in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this administration. Nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
Arlington National CemeteryTo learn more about President Kennedy's funeral and grave site, go to the Arlington National Cemetery website.
AftermathThe Warren CommissionOn November 29, 1963 President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy. It came to be known as the Warren Commission after its chairman, Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States. President Johnson directed the commission to evaluate matters relating to the assassination and the subsequent killing of the alleged assassin, and to report its findings and conclusions to him.
The House Select Committee on AssassinationsThe US House of Representatives established the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1976 to reopen the investigation of the assassination in light of allegations that previous inquiries had not received the full cooperation of federal agencies.
Note to the reader: Point 1B in the link below to the findings of the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations states that the committee had found "a high probability that two gunmen fired" at the president. This conclusion resulted from the last-minute “discovery” of a Dallas police radio transmission tape that allegedly provided evidence that four or more shots were fired in Dealey Plaza. After the report appeared in print, acoustic experts analyzed the tape and proved conclusively that it was completely worthless—thus negating the finding in Point 1B.
The committee, which also investigated the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., issued its report on March 29, 1979.
Assassination Records CollectionThrough the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, the US Congress ordered that all assassination-related material be housed together under supervision of the National Archives and Records Administration.
 

The JFK Assassination Part Two of Three

The JFK Assassination Part Two
November 22, 1963: Death of the PresidentShortly after noon on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas.By the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy and his political advisers were preparing for the next presidential campaign. Although he had not formally announced his candidacy, it was clear that President Kennedy was going to run and he seemed confident about his chances for re-election.
At the end of September, the president traveled west, speaking in nine different states in less than a week. The trip was meant to put a spotlight on natural resources and conservation efforts. But JFK also used it to sound out themes—such as education, national security, and world peace—for his run in 1964.
Campaigning in TexasA month later, the president addressed Democratic gatherings in Boston and Philadelphia. Then, on November 12, he held the first important political planning session for the upcoming election year. At the meeting, JFK stressed the importance of winning Florida and Texas and talked about his plans to visit both states in the next two weeks. 
Mrs. Kennedy would accompany him on the swing through Texas, which would be her first extended public appearance since the loss of their baby, Patrick, in August. On November 21, the president and first lady departed on Air Force One for the two-day, five-city tour of Texas.
President Kennedy was aware that a feud among party leaders in Texas could jeopardize his chances of carrying the state in 1964, and one of his aims for the trip was to bring Democrats together. He also knew that a relatively small but vocal group of extremists was contributing to the political tensions in Texas and would likely make its presence felt—particularly in Dallas, where US Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson had been physically attacked a month earlier after making a speech there. Nonetheless, JFK seemed to relish the prospect of leaving Washington, getting out among the people and into the political fray.
The first stop was San Antonio. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John B. Connally, and Senator Ralph W. Yarborough led the welcoming party. They accompanied the president to Brooks Air Force Base for the dedication of the Aerospace Medical Health Center. Continuing on to Houston, he addressed the League of United Latin American Citizens, and spoke at a testimonial dinner for Congressman Albert Thomas before ending the day in Fort Worth.
Morning in Fort WorthA light rain was falling on Friday morning, November 22, but a crowd of several thousand stood in the parking lot outside the Texas Hotel where the Kennedys had spent the night. A platform was set up and the president, wearing no protection against the weather, came out to make some brief remarks. "There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth," he began, "and I appreciate your being here this morning. Mrs. Kennedy is organizing herself. It takes longer, but, of course, she looks better than we do when she does it." He went on to talk about the nation's need for being "second to none" in defense and in space, for continued growth in the economy and "the willingness of citizens of the United States to assume the burdens of leadership."
The warmth of the audience response was palpable as the president reached out to shake hands amidst a sea of smiling faces.
Back inside the hotel the president spoke at a breakfast of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, focusing on military preparedness. "We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom," he said. "We will continue to do…our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead."
On to DallasThe presidential party left the hotel and went by motorcade to Carswell Air Force Base for the thirteen-minute flight to Dallas. Arriving at Love Field, President and Mrs. Kennedy disembarked and immediately walked toward a fence where a crowd of well-wishers had gathered, and they spent several minutes shaking hands.
The first lady received a bouquet of red roses, which she brought with her to the waiting limousine. Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie, were already seated in the open convertible as the Kennedys entered and sat behind them. Since it was no longer raining, the plastic bubble top had been left off. Vice President and Mrs. Johnson occupied another car in the motorcade.
The procession left the airport and traveled along a ten-mile route that wound through downtown Dallas on the way to the Trade Mart where the President was scheduled to speak at a luncheon.
The AssassinationCrowds of excited people lined the streets and waved to the Kennedys. The car turned off Main Street at Dealey Plaza around 12:30 p.m. As it was passing the Texas School Book Depository, gunfire suddenly reverberated in the plaza.
Bullets struck the president's neck and head and he slumped over toward Mrs. Kennedy. The governor was shot in his back. 
The car sped off to Parkland Memorial Hospital just a few minutes away. But little could be done for the President. A Catholic priest was summoned to administer the last rites, and at 1:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. Though seriously wounded, Governor Connally would recover.
The president's body was brought to Love Field and placed on Air Force One. Before the plane took off, a grim-faced Lyndon B. Johnson stood in the tight, crowded compartment and took the oath of office, administered by US District Court Judge Sarah Hughes. The brief ceremony took place at 2:38 p.m.
Less than an hour earlier, police had arrested Lee Harvey Oswald, a recently hired employee at the Texas School Book Depository. He was being held for the assassination of President Kennedy and the fatal shooting, shortly afterward, of Patrolman J. D. Tippit on a Dallas street.
On Sunday morning, November 24, Oswald was scheduled to be transferred from police headquarters to the county jail. Viewers across America watching the live television coverage suddenly saw a man aim a pistol and fire at point blank range. The assailant was identified as Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. Oswald died two hours later at Parkland Hospital.
The President's FuneralThat same day, President Kennedy's flag-draped casket was moved from the White House to the Capitol on a caisson drawn by six grey horses, accompanied by one riderless black horse. At Mrs. Kennedy's request, the cortege and other ceremonial details were modeled on the funeral of Abraham Lincoln. Crowds lined Pennsylvania Avenue and many wept openly as the caisson passed. During the 21 hours that the president's body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, about 250,000 people filed by to pay their respects.
On Monday, November 25, 1963 President Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was attended by heads of state and representatives from more than 100 countries, with untold millions more watching on television. Afterward, at the grave site, Mrs. Kennedy and her husband's brothers, Robert and Edward, lit an eternal flame.
Perhaps the most indelible images of the day were the salute to his father given by little John F. Kennedy Jr. (whose third birthday it was), daughter Caroline kneeling next to her mother at the president's bier, and the extraordinary grace and dignity shown by Jacqueline Kennedy.
As people throughout the nation and the world struggled to make sense of a senseless act and to articulate their feelings about President Kennedy's life and legacy, many recalled these words from his inaugural address:
All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days, nor in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this administration. Nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
Arlington National CemeteryTo learn more about President Kennedy's funeral and grave site, go to the Arlington National Cemetery website.
AftermathThe Warren CommissionOn November 29, 1963 President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy. It came to be known as the Warren Commission after its chairman, Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States. President Johnson directed the commission to evaluate matters relating to the assassination and the subsequent killing of the alleged assassin, and to report its findings and conclusions to him.
The House Select Committee on AssassinationsThe US House of Representatives established the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1976 to reopen the investigation of the assassination in light of allegations that previous inquiries had not received the full cooperation of federal agencies.
Note to the reader: Point 1B in the link below to the findings of the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations states that the committee had found "a high probability that two gunmen fired" at the president. This conclusion resulted from the last-minute “discovery” of a Dallas police radio transmission tape that allegedly provided evidence that four or more shots were fired in Dealey Plaza. After the report appeared in print, acoustic experts analyzed the tape and proved conclusively that it was completely worthless—thus negating the finding in Point 1B.
The committee, which also investigated the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., issued its report on March 29, 1979.
Assassination Records CollectionThrough the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, the US Congress ordered that all assassination-related material be housed together under supervision of the National Archives and Records Administration.
 

The JFK Assassination Part One of Three

 
The JFK Assassination Part One 
November 22, 1963: Death of the PresidentShortly after noon on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas.By the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy and his political advisers were preparing for the next presidential campaign. Although he had not formally announced his candidacy, it was clear that President Kennedy was going to run and he seemed confident about his chances for re-election.
At the end of September, the president traveled west, speaking in nine different states in less than a week. The trip was meant to put a spotlight on natural resources and conservation efforts. But JFK also used it to sound out themes—such as education, national security, and world peace—for his run in 1964.
Campaigning in TexasA month later, the president addressed Democratic gatherings in Boston and Philadelphia. Then, on November 12, he held the first important political planning session for the upcoming election year. At the meeting, JFK stressed the importance of winning Florida and Texas and talked about his plans to visit both states in the next two weeks. 
Mrs. Kennedy would accompany him on the swing through Texas, which would be her first extended public appearance since the loss of their baby, Patrick, in August. On November 21, the president and first lady departed on Air Force One for the two-day, five-city tour of Texas.
President Kennedy was aware that a feud among party leaders in Texas could jeopardize his chances of carrying the state in 1964, and one of his aims for the trip was to bring Democrats together. He also knew that a relatively small but vocal group of extremists was contributing to the political tensions in Texas and would likely make its presence felt—particularly in Dallas, where US Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson had been physically attacked a month earlier after making a speech there. Nonetheless, JFK seemed to relish the prospect of leaving Washington, getting out among the people and into the political fray.
The first stop was San Antonio. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John B. Connally, and Senator Ralph W. Yarborough led the welcoming party. They accompanied the president to Brooks Air Force Base for the dedication of the Aerospace Medical Health Center. Continuing on to Houston, he addressed the League of United Latin American Citizens, and spoke at a testimonial dinner for Congressman Albert Thomas before ending the day in Fort Worth.
Morning in Fort WorthA light rain was falling on Friday morning, November 22, but a crowd of several thousand stood in the parking lot outside the Texas Hotel where the Kennedys had spent the night. A platform was set up and the president, wearing no protection against the weather, came out to make some brief remarks. "There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth," he began, "and I appreciate your being here this morning. Mrs. Kennedy is organizing herself. It takes longer, but, of course, she looks better than we do when she does it." He went on to talk about the nation's need for being "second to none" in defense and in space, for continued growth in the economy and "the willingness of citizens of the United States to assume the burdens of leadership."
The warmth of the audience response was palpable as the president reached out to shake hands amidst a sea of smiling faces.
Back inside the hotel the president spoke at a breakfast of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, focusing on military preparedness. "We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom," he said. "We will continue to do…our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead."
On to DallasThe presidential party left the hotel and went by motorcade to Carswell Air Force Base for the thirteen-minute flight to Dallas. Arriving at Love Field, President and Mrs. Kennedy disembarked and immediately walked toward a fence where a crowd of well-wishers had gathered, and they spent several minutes shaking hands.
The first lady received a bouquet of red roses, which she brought with her to the waiting limousine. Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie, were already seated in the open convertible as the Kennedys entered and sat behind them. Since it was no longer raining, the plastic bubble top had been left off. Vice President and Mrs. Johnson occupied another car in the motorcade.
The procession left the airport and traveled along a ten-mile route that wound through downtown Dallas on the way to the Trade Mart where the President was scheduled to speak at a luncheon.
The AssassinationCrowds of excited people lined the streets and waved to the Kennedys. The car turned off Main Street at Dealey Plaza around 12:30 p.m. As it was passing the Texas School Book Depository, gunfire suddenly reverberated in the plaza.
Bullets struck the president's neck and head and he slumped over toward Mrs. Kennedy. The governor was shot in his back. 
The car sped off to Parkland Memorial Hospital just a few minutes away. But little could be done for the President. A Catholic priest was summoned to administer the last rites, and at 1:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. Though seriously wounded, Governor Connally would recover.
The president's body was brought to Love Field and placed on Air Force One. Before the plane took off, a grim-faced Lyndon B. Johnson stood in the tight, crowded compartment and took the oath of office, administered by US District Court Judge Sarah Hughes. The brief ceremony took place at 2:38 p.m.
Less than an hour earlier, police had arrested Lee Harvey Oswald, a recently hired employee at the Texas School Book Depository. He was being held for the assassination of President Kennedy and the fatal shooting, shortly afterward, of Patrolman J. D. Tippit on a Dallas street.
On Sunday morning, November 24, Oswald was scheduled to be transferred from police headquarters to the county jail. Viewers across America watching the live television coverage suddenly saw a man aim a pistol and fire at point blank range. The assailant was identified as Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. Oswald died two hours later at Parkland Hospital.
The President's FuneralThat same day, President Kennedy's flag-draped casket was moved from the White House to the Capitol on a caisson drawn by six grey horses, accompanied by one riderless black horse. At Mrs. Kennedy's request, the cortege and other ceremonial details were modeled on the funeral of Abraham Lincoln. Crowds lined Pennsylvania Avenue and many wept openly as the caisson passed. During the 21 hours that the president's body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, about 250,000 people filed by to pay their respects.
On Monday, November 25, 1963 President Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was attended by heads of state and representatives from more than 100 countries, with untold millions more watching on television. Afterward, at the grave site, Mrs. Kennedy and her husband's brothers, Robert and Edward, lit an eternal flame.
Perhaps the most indelible images of the day were the salute to his father given by little John F. Kennedy Jr. (whose third birthday it was), daughter Caroline kneeling next to her mother at the president's bier, and the extraordinary grace and dignity shown by Jacqueline Kennedy.
As people throughout the nation and the world struggled to make sense of a senseless act and to articulate their feelings about President Kennedy's life and legacy, many recalled these words from his inaugural address:
All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days, nor in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this administration. Nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
Arlington National CemeteryTo learn more about President Kennedy's funeral and grave site, go to the Arlington National Cemetery website.
AftermathThe Warren CommissionOn November 29, 1963 President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy. It came to be known as the Warren Commission after its chairman, Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States. President Johnson directed the commission to evaluate matters relating to the assassination and the subsequent killing of the alleged assassin, and to report its findings and conclusions to him.
The House Select Committee on AssassinationsThe US House of Representatives established the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1976 to reopen the investigation of the assassination in light of allegations that previous inquiries had not received the full cooperation of federal agencies.
Note to the reader: Point 1B in the link below to the findings of the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations states that the committee had found "a high probability that two gunmen fired" at the president. This conclusion resulted from the last-minute “discovery” of a Dallas police radio transmission tape that allegedly provided evidence that four or more shots were fired in Dealey Plaza. After the report appeared in print, acoustic experts analyzed the tape and proved conclusively that it was completely worthless—thus negating the finding in Point 1B.
The committee, which also investigated the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., issued its report on March 29, 1979.
Assassination Records CollectionThrough the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, the US Congress ordered that all assassination-related material be housed together under supervision of the National Archives and Records Administration.

Eastbound & Down: The Ultimate Smokey & The Bandit Tribute

The Return of Pastor Steve The Rowdy Rev

Pastor Steven Kwiatkowski: The Rowdy Rev
 
 

In The News Today & Breaking National Stories

BREAKING NEWS From The 4 Corners of the Globe
What's The Buzz Popcast delivers the latest breaking news from around the world and in your neighborhood. Join us every week for all the buzz on What's The Buzz Popcast.

The Triumphant Return of "Mr. Palm Springs, Geoffrey Mark

ENTERTAINER AUTHOR RENNESAUNCE MAN 
Critics have called Geoffrey Mark a walking encyclopedia of show business history. Born in Brooklyn, NY and raised all over the country, Mr. Mark has spent his entire life in one part of show business or another. He has been appeared off-Broadway and in summer stock, been a singer and stand-up comedian in New York nightclubs and cabarets as well as on cruise ships, the proud recipient of an Emmy Award and a Grammy Award nomination, hosted two radio series in Los Angeles, writes comedy for several stand-up comedians, writes and produces documentaries and reality shows for cable television, as well as hosted two radio series of his own as well as several special programs on radio and television. Mr. Mark is also in demand as a performer in nightclubs, on cruise ships and for corporate events.His books are the best selling The Lucy Book, and Ethel Merman: The Biggest Star on Broadway, as well as The Family Affair Cookbook. His newest book is Ella: A Biography of Legendary Ella Fitzgerald. Geoffrey is the producer of Nigel: Come Back to Me, a CD with a seventeen piece Big Band, and directed Spirit of the King, an Elvis show at the Spa Casino in Palm Springs.Mr. Mark lives in Rancho Mirage, CA. He is single and taking applications.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Geoffrey Mark

VETERAN TV & FILM ACTOR DEAN BUTLER

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE ACTOR DEAN BUTLER
Dean Butler was born on May 20, 1956 in Prince George, BC, Canada. He is a producer and actor best known to audiences for his portrayal of Almanzo Wilder from 1979 to 1983 on the iconic pioneer drama, Little House on the Prairie. He co-starred in the feature film, Desert Hearts, played Moondoggie in the syndicated The New Gidget, and Buffy's dad, Hank Summers, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. On Broadway Dean played Rapunzal's Prince in the original company of Into the Woods, toured internationally as Tony in West Side Story, and appeared with Carol Burnett in a regional production of Company.
Since 2011 Dean has been the Senior Producer of the Emmy nominated Feherty series on Golf Channel. He lives in Los Angeles and is married to actress, Katherine Cannon.

PISSED OFF PITBULL ... AMELIA'S ANNUAL BULLSHIT RANT

AMELIA "THE PITBULL" CHAPMAN DOING WHAT SHE DOES BEST: BITCHING!!!

Remember What GOOD TV Was Like?

Is television dying in the 2020s?
From the 1950s to just 2 or 3 years ago, television was a huge part of American pop culture, and we saw and evolution in the types of shows and the way television was distributed through the decades. I can’t be the only one that feels like tv is less relevant than ever.
The last time tv felt relevant to me was 2020-2021 for two reasons: the pandemic and the streaming wars. With everyone stuck inside their house, we had more time to get invested with shows that probably wouldn’t have caught on at other times, while simultaneously, every company was created their own shows for their newly launched streaming services. Ted Lasso, The Queen’s Gambit, Tiger King, Squid Game and "Bridgerton" all stick out to me as shows connected to this era.
But in the past two years, I have no idea whats been happening. Except for some late 2010s shows limping to their conclusion, I have heard buzz about maybe two shows in 2022 and 2023: The Boys and Yellowstone. Everything else notable has been a total flop like Lord Of The Rings or a critical darling that seemingly no one watches like Severance.
Instead, it seems like YouTube, TikTok, Video Games and Podcasts have taken televisions place. I used to love keeping up with the hot new shows, but in the last 2 years I’ve only watched the final season of "Better Call Saul" and sports. My parents used to tell me about the shows they watched, now they tell me about their favorite YouTube channels. Hell, I know people my age and younger that don't have any way to even watch tv, they just have YouTube and TikTok. And none of this is to mention the writers strike, which we will see the effects of in the next couple of years.
Am I projecting, or is this something that's really happening?
Edit: a lot of people talking about live tv/cable is dying because of streaming, that has been happening for a decade plus now. Hell, all but one of the shows i mentioned above is exclusive to a steaming service. I'm talking about television as a concept dying, including steaming. 
 
THE TOP 20 TV SHOWS OF ALL TIME
ALL IN THE FAMILYTHE JEFFERSONSGOOD TIMESHAPPY DAYSLAVERNE AND SHIRLEYTHE BOB NEWHART SHOWMASHCOLUMBOTHREE'S COMPANYLITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIETHE WALTONSTAXITHE CAROL BURNETT SHOWBARNEY MILLERCHARLIES ANGELSTHE ODD COUPLE THE ROCKFORD FILESHAWAII 5-0THE PARTRIDGE FAMILYTHE BRADY BUNCH

Why More People Live Off The Grid

People choose to live off the grid for a variety of reasons, including:Environmental impactLiving off the grid can reduce your carbon footprint and overall environmental impact.IndependenceLiving off the grid can give you a sense of independence and empowerment.Connection to natureLiving off the grid can help you reconnect with nature and feel more connected to the world around you.Cost of livingLiving off the grid can lower or eliminate utility bills, which can help reduce your cost of living.ControlLiving off the grid can give you more control over your life and how you live it.Understanding systemsLiving off the grid can help you understand how different systems work, such as how water gets to your taps and power gets to your outlets.Living off the grid means not being connected to utilities by wires, pipes, or cables. Instead, you rely on your own energy sources, which can often be renewable energy sources like the sun and wind. Some people who live off the grid also generate their own electricity, collect their own water, and grow their own food.While living off the grid can have many benefits, there are also practical, legal, and economic hurdles to overcome. Off-gridders are lobbying governments to make it easier to live off the grid.
 
As well as offering independence, a connection to nature, and a sense of community, off-grid life is a way of living much more sustainably. Some off-gridders generate their own electricity, collect their own water and grow their own food. Others live with some modern comforts but eschew others. 

Family Values: Are They Still a Thing?

Dr. Joshua Coleman says:
"Sometimes my work feels more like ministry than therapy. As a psychologist specializing in family estrangement, my days are spent sitting with parents who are struggling with profound feelings of grief and uncertainty. “If I get sick during the pandemic, will my son break his four years of silence and contact me? Or will I just die alone?” “How am I supposed to live with this kind of pain if I never see my daughter again?” “My grandchildren and I were so close and this estrangement has nothing to do with them. Do they think I abandoned them?”
Since I wrote my book When Parents Hurt, my practice has filled with mothers and fathers who want help healing the distance with their adult children and learning how to cope with the pain of losing them. I also treat adult children who are estranged from their parents. Some of those adult children want no contact because their parents behaved in ways that were clearly abusive or rejecting. To make matters worse for their children and themselves, some parents are unable to repair or empathize with the damage they caused or continue to inflict. However, my recent research—and my clinical work over the past four decades—has shown me that you can be a conscientious parent and your kid may still want nothing to do with you when they’re older." Join us as we discuss What Happened to Family Values. 
 

The Enduring Legacy of Composer Jerry Herman

Composer Jerry Herman
(Composer and lyricist; born July 10, 1931, in New York City)
It only takes a moment to realize that Broadway's Golden Age is alive and well and thriving as long as Jerry Herman's around. "When they passed out talent," the legendary Carol Channing has said, "Jerry stood in line twice." Almost single-handedly, the creator of Milk and Honey, Hello, Dolly!, Mame, La Cage aux Folles and so much more has revitalized and nourished the all-American tradition of great and unstoppable show tunes. His music and lyrics have kept audiences tapping their feet, humming along, and wiping their eyes with tears of joy for generations.
Even as often he's been underrated as being too easy to like in a world of dark and foreboding musicals, too entertaining, too tuneful and much too upbeat, the genius of Herman's deceptively simple songs cuts through any shortsighted criticism. "Jerry has succeeded so well in his mission that people don't give him credit," said Michael Feinstein, "because to be simple without being cliche is nearly impossible."
Herman's genius, in truth, is not so much simple as it is subtle. For all his cock-eyed optimism-and very much in the tradition of his forefathers Rodgers and Hammerstein-a Herman musical always carries a message of timeless values, of humanity's triumph over hatred and ignorance, of happiness over despair. 1983's La Cage aux Folles, a smash hit on Broadway and a Tony Award winner in all three of its Broadway productions-and counting-is not only a bona fide crowd-pleaser but also the most sweetly radical musical of its age.
Here on the Broadway stage, decades before the fight for marriage equality hit the headlines, was a pair of gay dads raising a family, and here was "...a man singing a love song to another man-I don't think that's ever been done in a Broadway musical before." Herman told The Washington Post that during previews in Boston "I didn't know whether or not they'd throw stones. The audience gave it an ovation." "By the time Georges and Albin-having weathered a son's passing ingratitude and a zealot's intolerance-walked hand in hand into the St. Tropez sunset, the audience was on its feet," The Washington Post reported. "What La Cage aux Folles celebrates, after all, is loyalty and love, respect for others and respect for self and, yes, even family. The good old values."
Gerald Herman was born in New York in 1931 and raised in Jersey City. His parents Harry and Ruth ran a children's summer camp in the Catskills, where young Jerry surprised everyone by teaching himself the piano. Once, he recalled years later, "my parents took me at a tender age to see Annie Get Your Gun, and I was absolutely dazzled. I have one of those retentive ears, and when I came home I sat down at the piano and played about five of the songs. My mother was amazed." Many more would be amazed. At 17, he was introduced to Frank Loesser, who encouraged him to continue composing once he heard some of Herman's songs.
He went to the University of Miami, joining its adventurous theater program and himself appearing in undergraduate shows including the musical Finian's Rainbow. His alma mater since then has honored this distinguished alumnus and today boasts the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre at the heart of its drama program. After graduation from Miami, Herman headed back to New York and put together a review of his songs so far: I Feel Wonderful opened at the Theatre de Lys in Greenwich Village October 18, 1954 and ran for 48 performances. He was just getting going. While playing piano in a New York jazz club called the Showplace, Herman brought together his friends Phyllis Newman and Charles Nelson Reilly for another review called Nightcap, which opened in 1958. This one ran for two years. In 1960 came Herman's Broadway debut, alongside material by Fred Ebb and Woody Allen, in the review From A to Z. That same year came Parade, also at the Showplace, starring Reilly and Dody Goodman. A hit, Parade moved to the Players' Theatre and it was during this run that a producer asked Herman if he would be interested in writing a musical about the founding of the state of Israel.
Milk and Honey, starring Molly Picon as the ultimate Hadassah lady, opened in 1961. It earned Herman his first Tony nomination for Best Musical of 1962. He had arrived. It was David Merrick who brought together Herman and the first of his vulnerable but ultimately invincible heroines, Dolly Levi. Hello, Dolly! starring Carol Channing opened in 1964, ran for 2,844 performances, became Broadway's longest-running musical and has been revived often since. It swept the Tony Awards, taking home a then unmatched 10 including Best Musical and becoming one of the happiest episodes in the history of the Broadway musical. Mame followed in 1966, starring Angela Lansbury and teaching the world that in the toughest times "We Need a Little Christmas." What has followed amounts to a life-affirming body of work rivaled by few: Dear World, the underappreciated Mack Mabel, The Grand Tour, Mrs. Santa Claus, Jerry's Girls, and of course La Cage aux Folles.
The theater world knew a good thing when it heard and saw it: Tonys, Drama Desk Awards, Theatre World Awards all followed, as did a 2009 Special Tony Award for Lifetime achievement, and a 2010 Drama Desk Special Award for "enchanting and dazzling audiences with his exuberant music and heartfelt lyrics for more than half a century." Right now in the 21st Century, we can be sure that someone, somewhere is singing a Jerry Herman song. That's one happy way we know the man's been right all along: the best of times is now.

We Love Conspiracies. Conspiracies We Love.

WE LOVE CONSPIRACIESCONSPIRACIES WE LOVE
Conspiracy theories have legitimized violence, impaired public health, and undermined democratic governance. Containing their harms begins with understanding the theorist, not the theory. CONSPIRACIES THAT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xMGlbFSWWc
 
 

Songstress Roslyn Kind (Barbra Streisand's Sister)

SINGER SONGWRITER ROSLYN KIND
 
Roslyn Kind is a dynamic, multi-talented entertainer who has forged a successful career in all facets of entertainment from critically acclaimed recordings to sold-out performances on Broadway and in top concert venues and nightclubs the world over. Ms. Kind recently performed with her sister, Barbra Streisand, during an 8 city US/Canadian tour and a 6 city International tour, which brought her to acclaimed venues including the Hollywood Bowl, The 02 Arena in London and Rogers Arena in Vancouver. In addition to performing historic duets with her sister, Ms. Kind shared the stage with her nephew Jason Gould and famed trumpeteer Chris Botti.
A vibrant musical artist, Ms. Kind is familiar to both national and international audiences for her headlining appearances at some of the most prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, The Greek Theater and London's Cafe Royal. The London Times noted "To say she is superb would be an understatement." In 2006 she made her long awaited and rapturously received Carnegie Hall debut with her frequent musical collaborator and friend, Michael Feinstein.
She began her performing career while still in her teens with the release of her first album, Give Me You . A whirlwind of performing activity followed including engagements at the nation's top nightclubs, acclaim from Time Magazine and three appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show leading up to her show-stopping New York debut at the Plaza Hotel's legendary Persian Room.
Her follow up singles and a second album, This is Roslyn Kind , showcased her growth as a recording artist comfortable in a wide range of musical genres. Ms. Kind's latest CD release, Come What May , which the New York Times described as "splendid and sizzling," further establishes her reputation as a virtuoso vocalist possessing impeccable phrasing, a richness and clarity of tone and an undeniable emotional connection to her always first-rate material.
Concurrent with her recording career, Ms. Kind is an accomplished theatrical performer. On Broadway, she starred in the crowd- pleasing musical revue 3 from Brooklyn . Additional theatrical credits include the Off-Broadway production of Show Me Where the Good Times Are, Leader of the Pack and Ferguson the Tailor . She also stopped the show in a critically lauded Los Angeles production of William Finn's Elegies ; The Hollywood Reporter noted, "Roslyn Kind sings like a dream."
Ms. Kind's extensive list of television credits include the film Switched at Birth , multiple episodes of NBC's Gimme a Break, Throb starring Jane Leeves and a humorously memorable turn as herself on CBS's The Nanny . This appearance also showcased her talent as a songwriter in a performance of her composition, Light of Love. She also performed the title song for the made-for-TV movie Not Just Another Affair, as well as the song Hold On for the award winning film Tru Loved . She was recently in the Hallmark movie Ladies of the House with Florence Henderson and Donna Mills. Ms. Kind has appeared on virtually every major talk/variety show including the Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood and Good Morning America . Among her international television credits are England's Pebble Mill Show, Canada's Musique Plus , and Unscripted Bio as well as For Me, Formidable , a Charles Aznavour special for European TV co-starring Dusty Springfield. In motion pictures, Ms. Kind has had starring roles in The Underachievers and I'm Going to Be Famous .
Ms. Kind also takes pride in her work for various animal welfare, Alzheimer's and AIDS related charitable organizations including HSUS, APLA and Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS for which she contributed a song selection to Cabaret Noel, a recent volume in their annual series of holiday CD releases.
One of the premiere interpreters of popular song, Roslyn Kind continues to succeed in every new facet of her performing career delighting audiences with her spellbinding talent. Roslyn's unique artistry is equally at home on stage, screen and disc.
 
 

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING'S STATE OF THE UNION

       THE STATE OF THE UNION OF PRO WRESTLINGA comprehensive and detailed look into the rough and tumble world of pro wrestling. This choreographed spectacle leaves the viewers and show goers often wondering "what did I just see?. Wonder no more. On this special episode of WRESTLING WITH THE FUTURE we will dissect the in's and out's of what's right and what's wrong with today's wrestling product with two of it's most influential insiders: Carmine DeSpirito and "The Good Doctor" Doc Diamond. Join The Maddog & The Pitbull as the turn the mat over to see what lies lie on the underbelly of "The Sport of Kings."

Country Music Hall of Famer, The Queen of Country Lacy J. Dalton

Country Music Hall of Famer Lacy J. Dalton 
The Queen of Country Music
LACY'S BIO
Lacy J. Dalton (born Jill Lynne Byrem on October 13, 1946 in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania), is an American country singer and songwriter with a career that has spanned many decades and touched the hearts of millions of music fans. In March 2017 Lacy J Dalton was inducted into the North American Country Music Association International Hall of Fame, and in 2022 she was awarded a Lifetime Career Achievement Award from the Josie Music Awards, the largest independent music awards show in the country.
She’s one of the most instantly recognizable voices in music – the woman People Magazine called “Country’s Bonnie Raitt.” From the first time Lacy J Dalton caught the public’s ear, that soulful delivery, full of texture and grit, has been a mainstay of Country Music. When you sit to listen to a Lacy J Dalton album, you find yourself pulled in by the very power and heart of this vocalist, because she’s not merely performing a ten-song set, she’s bringing each and every tune to life. It’s as if they were all written especially for her.
Prior to recording with Harbor Records in 1978 as Jill Croston, she like many before her, held many jobs to survive and support her family. As a truck stop waitress and singer, she would wait tables and then take the stage to sing a few songs. In June 1979, Lacy J Dalton was signed by Columbia Records and quickly rose to national prominence with Crazy Blue Eyes, which she wrote with her longest friend, Mary McFadden, and which raced to #7 on the Billboard Country Charts.  Her hard work and dedication paid off in 1979 when she was awarded the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist of the Year.
 
Lacy’s success was powered not just by the artist’s recordings, but by a stage show that truly electrified audiences. She quickly became one of the few women who could successfully open a show for the likes of Hank Williams, Jr., Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard or Charlie Daniels. Not only could she do it, but she left audiences across the country hollering for more. Her signature song 16th Avenue, became the Anthem for Nashville songwriters.  Her other hit records are legendary million-airplay cuts and include Crazy Blue Eyes, Takin’ It Easy, Everybody Makes Mistakes, Hillbilly Girl with the Blues, Hard Times, and the worldwide hit Black Coffee.
In addition to her Top New Female Vocalist award, she also brought home numerous Grammy nominations and 3 prestigious, back to back (1979, 1980, 1981) Bay Area Music Awards for Best Country-Folk Recordings. Lacy appeared on those shows with the likes of Neil Young, The Grateful Dead, Grace Slick and the Jefferson Airplane.
Lacy's collaboration with Willie Nelson on his platinum Half Nelson CD was a high spot for her. Lacy is the only woman featured on that recording (which included singing legends Ray Charles, Neil Diamond, Merle Haggard, Julio Iglesias, George Jones, Leon Russell, Carlos Santana, Mel Tillis, Hank Williams Sr., and Neil Young), and was awarded a Platinum Record for it. She also received a Gold Record from Hank Williams Jr. in 1985 for her support performances throughout his Five-0 Tour, where she opened for him at a time when it was unusual for a woman to do so. Her career includes accomplishments in music, film and radio.  In music, they range from her instantly recognizable charted hit songs to her notable duets recorded with George Jones, Willie Nelson, Bobby Bare, Glen Campbell, Eddie Rabbit, David Allen Coe and many others. Her film debut was in the motion picture Take This Job And Shove It, and her acting has also included live stage and theater performances. Until recently, Lacy J Dalton also hosted a weekly radio show called Mustang Matters.  Podcasts of past shows are available to listeners on the internet at www.americamatters.us
Following a successful career in country music, Lacy decided to draw on all her musical experiences including country, rock and folk, and cross over into the Americana genre.  This blend of musical styles allows her to express herself in a way that demonstrates all the facets of who she is as a singer/songwriter.  She became an independent artist and formed her own label called Song Dog Records.  Under this label, she has released three albums to date.  The first was Wild Horse Crossing in 1999, followed by the Last Wild Place Anthology which went #1 on the World Independent Chart, and a year later went #1 on the American Western Music Chart. Then Allison Eastwood, Clint Eastwood's daughter, used the hit song Slip Away from the Anthology CD on the sound track of her independent film, Don't Tell. In 2010 Lacy also released a tribute to Hank Williams Sr. entitled Here's To Hank.
Today, Lacy continues to record new music and perform live shows whenever possible.  She tours mainly west of the Mississippi and loves small boutique venues and old theaters with great sound quality and warm, receptive audiences she can really connect with.  She recently recorded some electrifying new music for an EP that was released in January 2019.  When hearing the signature song Scarecrow, her good friend Reverend Barbara Ann Fletcher remarked “that song makes you a whole new you, and it makes me a whole new me.”  And that’s exactly the response Lacy was hoping for.
In addition to her musical career, Lacy has been involved in various service projects through several charitable organizations – namely, the Let ‘em Run Foundation, William James Associates Arts in Corrections, and Rotary International. 
In 1999, Lacy co-founded the Let ‘em Run Foundation which received its 501(c)3 designation from the IRS in 2004.  The Let 'em Run Foundation is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing America's wild horses and burros who have no voice.  Let ‘em Run’s mission is to serve as an educational, fund-raising and public relations entity, through its own efforts and in assisting similar non-profit organizations, to promote the appropriate and compassionate management of the wild horse, estray horse, and mustang population of the U.S. and other species of endangered or mistreated animals. 
From 2015 through November 2018, Lacy and her partner, Dale Poune, worked with the William James Arts in Corrections program at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, California.  Their work there has been focused on teaching basic song writing skills and techniques, music theory and guitar playing to level 4 inmates.  Through their classes, a select group of inmates got the opportunity to learn the basic principles of guitar playing and song writing which they then used to develop songs and lyrics, both individually and as a group.  The class culminated with the inmates recording those musical compositions and giving a live performance to an audience of prison and non-prison personnel.  In addition, several inmates were able to go on to teach basic guitar to other inmates in the classic “each one teach one” teaching tradition.
Finally, Lacy is an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Reno, and a Paul Harris Fellow.  Lacy has written two songs for Rotary, which she then recorded on a CD to be used as a fundraising opportunity for the Reno club.  Lacy also performed at the Rotary International Convention in New Orleans in 2011, and has been a key note speaker and headline performer at several club meetings and district conferences.

MadDog & Pitbull Shootin The Shit

Saying Goodbye to Psycho Sid, & Sid Vicious ... (SID EUDY, PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER)

Saying Goodbye to Psycho Sid & Sid ViciousSid Eudy, the professional wrestler known variously as Sid Justice, Sid Vicious and Sycho Sid, who rose to fame in the 1990s, died on Monday. He was 63.
The cause was cancer, his son Gunnar Eudy wrote on Facebook. He did not say where his father died.
Eudy, who won multiple championships, was one of his generation’s “most imposing and terrifying competitors,” World Wrestling Entertainment said in a statement. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 317 pounds, he was one of the biggest of what are known in the industry as big men, who often play supporting roles because they don’t perform the high-flying moves that thrill fans.
Eudy was a very big man who became a star in his own right. He headlined Wrestlemania twice and became champion of both the World Wrestling Federation, as it was then known, and its 1990s rival, World Championship Wrestling, a rare trifecta.
He entered the world of pro wrestling in 1987 and two years later, calling himself Sid Vicious after the Sex Pistols’ notorious bassist, signed with W.C.W., which at the time was an upstart circuit.
In 2001, during a televised pay-per-view W.C.W. championship match, viewers watched Eudy injure his leg after he jumped off the rope and accidentally landed badly, snapping his left leg at an unnatural angle.
The injury effectively ended his career as a major pro wrestling star, as he himself acknowledged. “With my injury,” he said in a 2023 interview, “I feel I came up short with solidifying myself as one of the top 10, 15 money-drawers in the business.”
He considered retiring. But, after a long period of recuperation, Eudy — who had previously returned from injuries more than once — resumed wrestling in 2004, on smaller circuits. He returned to W.W.E. in the summer of 2012, as part of the observation of the 1,000th episode of the organization’s TV series “Raw.”READ A STATEMENT FROM THE WWE (FORMERLY WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION)
https://www.wwe.com/article/sid-eudy-passes-away
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Fascinating Life and Tragic Death of Kevin Sullivan

Kevin Sullivan
 
Kevin Sullivan, Pro Wrestling’s ‘Prince of Darkness,’ Dies at 75Modeling himself after the heavy metal bands of the 1970s and ’80s, he played the role of an occult-inspired villain and tangled with the likes of Hulk Hogan.
Kevin Sullivan, a professional wrestler who rose to fame as a twisted villain who locked heads with some of the biggest names in the business, including Hulk Hogan, died on Friday in Concord, Mass. He was 75.
His death was confirmed by his daughter Nicole Sullivan, who said he had complications stemming from a blood clot in his leg.
Known early in his career as “the Boston Battler,” Sullivan was inspired by heavy metal acts popular in the 1970s and ’80s like Black Sabbath and Judas Priest to become the “Prince of Darkness,” a demonic rival of some of the stars of that era, including Dusty Rhodes, the Road Warriors and Hogan.
Among the crews he led in the ring were the Army of Darkness; the Varsity Club, a group of college bullies in letterman jackets; and Dungeon of Doom. Also known as “the Taskmaster,” he painted black X’s and lightning bolts on his forehead, wore leather body armor and chains, and stuck out his tongue like Gene Simmons of Kiss.
“During their heyday, Sullivan’s cult came to the ring with either Jeff Beck’s ‘Gets Us All in the End’ or Deep Purple’s ‘Nobody’s Home’ blaring behind them and a series of black-cloaked and corpse-painted minions who usually brought with them boa constrictors of varying colors and sizes,” according to a 2015 editorial on the website Metal Injection. “Add in a half-naked Fallen Angel” — a role played in the 1980s by his wife, Nancy — “then you’ve got a good idea of just how much of a spectacle Sullivan’s Army of Darkness was.”
Kevin Francis Sullivan was born on Oct. 26, 1948, in Cambridge, Mass., to Charles and Mary Sullivan. His father was a police officer, and his mother was a teacher. He started wrestling at an early age, inspired by Killer Kowalski, one of professional wrestling’s biggest stars and most hated villains.
Over six decades in the ring, he wrestled across the United States and Canada.
“The money is better than in anything else I could do,” Sullivan told The New York Times in 1989. “I’ll tell you what I like the most about it. I get to live in a beach house in Daytona Beach, Florida, that’s completely paid for. Now, that’s nice.”
He developed his signature occult-inspired look at a time of so-called satanic panic about the influence of heavy metal music and role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons on young people.
 

Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Dan Luzadder

      About Dan LuzadderPulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dan Luzadder, nationally recognized for investigative journalism, has written for The New York Times, New York Daily News, and other major newspapers and magazines. Over a forty-year career, he distinguished himself through deep dives into human rights issues, international drug trafficking, corruption, organized crime, cold case murders, political crime, and the Columbine High School massacre. Luzadder shared a Pulitzer Prize for General Local Reporting in 1983. His contributions--columns written on deadline from the heart of a devastating flood--were collected in college journalism textbooks, including The Best of Pulitzer Prize Newswriting. He shared an American Bar Association award for public service for investigation into corruption in the federal bankruptcy courts, is a member of the Scripps Howard Journalism Hall of Fame, and holds numerous state and regional honors for writing and reporting. His investigation into police handling of the Columbine High School massacre was a Pulitzer nominee. Until recently, he was a paid independent Executive Editor of Freedom magazine, published by the Church of Scientology. He currently resides on the Oregon coast.

CERN: The Realization of the Biblical Anti-Christ

CERN: A SUMMARY IN BRIEF
CERN, or the European Council for Nuclear Research, is a laboratory that studies the fundamental structure of particles and the composition of the universe. Here are some highlights about CERN: 
 
 
Location: CERN is located on the border of France and Switzerland, near Geneva. 
 
 
History: CERN was founded in 1954. 
 
 
Research: CERN's main area of research is particle physics, but its research program also includes nuclear and high-energy physics, antimatter, and the effects of cosmic rays. 
 
 
Instruments: CERN uses particle accelerators and detectors to study subatomic particles. 
 
 
Achievements: CERN has made many significant breakthroughs, including the discovery of neutral currents in 1973 and the discovery of W and Z bosons in 1983. 
 
 
World Wide Web: CERN played a key role in the development of the World Wide Web, with the world's first browser, editor, and website going live at CERN in 1990. 
 
 
Collaboration: CERN is an example of international collaboration, with about 2,500 employees from around the world. 
 
 
Convention: CERN's convention states that the organization's results must be published or made generally available, and that it has no concern with military requirements. 
 
CERN's main function is to provide the particle accelerators and other infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research – consequently, numerous experiments have been constructed at CERN through international collaborations.WIKIPEDIA DESCRIBES CERN:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CERN#:~:text=CERN's%20main%20function%20is%20to,at%20CERN%20through%20international%20collaborations.
 

The Rise of the Portals: Questions of a Parallel Universe

THE RISE OF PORTALS & THE PARALELL UNIVERSE
Scientists Attempting to open Portal to a Parallel Universe
Could 2024 be the year humans open the first portal to a shadowy dimension which mirrors our own world?
Scientists in Oak Ridge National Laboratory in eastern Tennessee hope so, and have completed building equipment they are to test this summer which may allow us the first glimpse of a parallel universe which could be identical in many ways to our own, with mirror particles, mirror planets and possibly even mirror life.
That is according to Leah Broussard, the physicist behind the project, who described the attempt to reveal a hidden shadow world as “pretty wacky” in an interview with NBC last week.
The discovery of a concealed mirror world may sound like science fiction from the Stranger Things series, but it has been repeatedly suggested by physicists as a tempting means of explaining anomalous results. However, as yet, hard evidence such a realm exists has refused to manifest itself.
One set of anomalous results, and the ones which inspired the research, date back to the 1990s, when particle physicists were measuring the time it took for neutron particles to break down into protons once they were removed from an atom’s nucleus. 
Two separate experiments saw the neutrons broke down at differing rates, instead of decaying and becoming protons at exactly the same rate, as was expected.
 
In one, the free neutrons were captured by magnetic fields and herded into laboratory bottle traps, and in the other they were detected by the subsequent appearance of proton particles from a nuclear reactor stream.
Those particles fired out in the stream from the nuclear reactor lived on average for 14 minutes and 48 seconds – nine seconds longer than those from the bottle traps.
It may sound like a small difference, but it has troubled scientists.
But the existence of a mirror world offers a credible explanation: That there are two separate neutron lifetimes, and it could be that around 1 per cent of neutrons could be crossing the divide between our reality and the mirror world before crossing back and then emitting a detectable proton.
The new experiment will fire a beam of neutrons at an impenetrable wall. On the other side of the wall, a neutron detector will be set up, which normally would expect to detect nothing.

Former Teacher & Full Time Musician Doug Kaetz

MUSICIAN DOUG KAETZDoug Kaetz is a former Ski Instructor and Philadelphia school teacher who's passion for music lead to a full time career following his dream of making music. His story like many who succeed is full of travails, triumphs and some tragedy. Listen as this young man with a dream tell of what it takes to live the dream.

CATCH A RISING STAR: GUNNER POPE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

RISING STAR: ACTOR/MODELGUNNER POPEGunner Pope is a 21 year model. Breaking his way into acting. Gunner attended school in a little town called Independence, Ky. He attended school in his beginning years in Bellevue, Ky and then went to school in Ft. Thomas. Gunner spent most of his time in school involved in sports, doing everything from Wrestling to playing Football and Baseball.
He was a wrestler in the 7th grade all the way through high school. Gunner's willingness to learn helped him develop his confidence and break out of his shell while wrestling in school. Gunner's high school wrestling career also taught him how to become more disciplined, to always stay humble and to appreciate the rewards of hard work. Even though this young man did very well in the sports area of his High School years, he had strong aspirations of going into modeling and acting. He has had the support of his Mother and Father along with the support of his two siblings while starting on a new path into Acting.
He wanted to learn acting so badly that he asked his parents to gift him Headshots along with Acting classes. (Most kids want a car), but this young man kept it simple by asking for the tools he needed to help him advance himself into a new career. Gunner had the opportunity to join in on the (Bike Riders Movie) while it was filming in Cincinnati. Gunner is working toward the requirements to become a SAG-AFTRA registered member.
The young man is well on his way to learning that the world will now become his stage. The sky is the limit for Gunner and there is nowhere but up for him moving forward. Gunner would like to follow in his favorite Actors footsteps (Tom Holland) because he is completely confident and has always stayed humble.

TV & Film Producer/Director/Writer Marc Sotkin

TV & Film Producer/Director/WriterMarc Sotkin 
Marc Sotkin is an award winning writer, producer, and director who has influenced some of Americas most Iconic Television shows.  His Credits Include: Blansky's Beauties -You Wish-First Time Out-Platypus Man -The Sinbad Show -The Golden Palace-The Golden Girls-It's a Living-The Line-Laverne & Shirley-I'm a Big Girl Now-Working Stiffs-The Garry Shandling ShowIn 2015 He wrote the award winning short, THE DECISION and is the author of  several books, "With Time Off for Bad Behavior", "The Comatose Adventures Of Lenny Rose" and "Kinda Dirty Paris Confessions".Marc was also the host of his own podcast "Everything About it is Appealing"Marc is the recipient of the prestigious Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy/Variety Series or Special. He is always candid, always informative and is always welcome. Please Welcome Marc Sotkin.
 
 

IS ALL HISTORY A LIE?

IS HISTORY A LIE?
Finding truth in history is about understanding that this truth is not absolute. In this sense, truth is based on perspective. The perspective of the person who captured it and the person interpreting it. And the perspective of the translators and editors and primary sources. We don’t get to be invisible observers of moments in the past, and we don’t get to go into other minds. The best we can do is keep our eyes open and keep our biases in check. And what history can teach us is found not just in the moments it tries to describe, but also in what we choose to look at and how we choose to represent it.

2024 U.S. Presidential Election Special

2024 U.S. Presidential Election Special President Donald J. Trump (R) vs. Vice President Kamala Harris (D)
OH BOY, HERE WE GO AGAIN!!! LOL
 

Catchin' Up on The Sh*t with MadDog & Pitbull

Celebrity Correspondent & Author Will Keck (When You Step Upon a Star)

 
Celebrity Correspondent Will Keck
William KeckDuring my multi-decade career working in Hollywood as an entertainment reporter covering celebrities, I’ve written countless articles that I’m proud to claim as my own. Very personal profiles that received accolades not only from my editors, but also from the town’s top publicists and the stars themselves. But you won’t find any of those happily-ever-after stories in this book. Rather, within these pages are my missions that, for one reason or another, went horribly wrong.  Typically to blame was the cavalier bravado I displayed while investigating morally questionable leads, pursuing controversial angles or asking probing questions that I thought might be of interest to my readers, but were regarded as overly invasive or unnecessarily rude by my subjects.   
         Take for instance Bruce Willis, who threatened to burn down my house, many years after little Drew Barrymore left the message “I’m going to fucking kill you” on my home answering machine.  
         Ellen DeGeneres told me, “I don’t like you so much,” while The Nanny’s Fran Drescher gave me a rather aggressive verbal spanking.
         Beloved Mary Poppins icon Dick Van Dyke prodded his TV star buddy Andy Griffith to give me a good smack in the face, while Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy took me to task over a casual question I posed about his Spock ears. Another of my sci-fi idols—Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner—greeted me at her father’s funeral with a soul-crushing “Fuck you,” which was really nothing compared to being dragged away by security from John Candy’s private entombment.
         Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher put a period on our years-long friendship by telling me “you will (one day) look up at your reflection in your coffin and not like what you see.”  
         I accidentally terrified a pair of child stars on Halloween and sent an actress from Lost fleeing our interview in tears.  
         Gorgeous Dallas star Victoria Principal—a longtime object of my near stalker-like obsession—threatened me with legal action, which was preferable to being roughed up by a three-time Emmy-winning ’90s sitcom star outside his home.  
         Then there was the time I landed a spot on the Scientologists’ “suppressives” list after an innocent misunderstanding with the late, great Kirstie Alley. And in his autobiography So Far…, Alley’s Cheers co-star Kelsey Grammer called me out by name as “a despicable piece of flesh” whom he invited “to burn in Hell!!”  
         Oh man, I’m outta breath.
         While the words and actions of those peeved celebrities may have been justified at the time, please believe me when I tell you I’m really not as bad as all that makes me out to be. It’s true though. There’s no denying that over the years I’ve done many things of which I’m not proud. For me, the process of accountability and redemption that inspired me to write this book has been slow and continuous. As you’ll discover, my irreverent sense of humor and the questionable fact-finding tactics and sweet-talking skills I fostered at the National Enquirer followed me upon graduating to my role as a “legit” celebrity reporter for such respected publications as USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, People, Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide. Quitting tabloid journalism didn’t necessarily mean its mindset and methodology had quit me. What it did offer was extraordinary access to A-list talent I never in a million years expected I’d have an opportunity to interview. The very same publicists who would hang up the phone or threaten my life when I called as a representative of the Enquirer, were now contacting me to offer up their talent for intimate 1:1 interviews to be conducted in private dressing rooms, on the closed sets of major film and TV projects, backstage at concerts or even in the celebrities’ homes. 
         The pandemic provided me the time I needed to meticulously comb through the dusty reminders of my past, reflect on all I’d experienced, process what I’d learned and discover what I wanted to say about it all. Ultimately, I decided to confess everything—holding nothing back.  I’m owning up to my most grievous lapses in judgment, confessing my most mortifying blunders, revealing the embarrassing sex stuff and also taking the opportunity to share a few valuable insights I gained along the way.  
         While everything is naturally told from my perspective, I fully understand there are always at least two sides to any story. In some instances, a few of those mentioned in the book have chosen to contribute their side, or speak on behalf of a former co-star. A couple others, such as Victoria Principal and Batman star Burt Ward, requested minor changes be made that had no significant impact on the stories being told. But I assure you, there’s not a word in this book, to the best of my memory—well-supported by an extensive archive of article clippings, my original reporter notebooks, tape-recorded interviews and photographs—that isn’t the God’s honest truth. How I uncovered some of these tabloid truths, however, did at times require me to employ imaginative means, often by accessing my inner thespian or undercover spy.  
         This is the story of how I infiltrated the secret worlds of the rich and famous, while privately struggling to come to terms with secrets of my own. So—if you think you can handle it—pick up your CSI blacklights and join me as I pull back the soiled sheets and expose the bizarre, sometimes ugly and always entertaining life of a reformed and deeply repentant tabloid bad boy.
 
 

THE MYSTERY OF MICHELE LAMY & RICK OWENS

WHO (THE HELL) IS MICHELE LAMY?
Michèle Lamy, connector of people, ideas, influences, subcultures. Entrepreneur, visionary, style icon, band leader, curator, polymath octogenarian. All nubby silver rings, kohl-shadowed eyes, gold-plated teeth and Berber-esque tattoos. Born in Jura, France in 1944, Lamy has lived many lives, from cabaret dancer to defense lawyer, fashion designer, and in 1990s Los Angeles, restaurant and nightclub owner—the perfect milieu for her innate ability to throw a fantastic party. Lamy is perhaps best known as the business partner and muse of her husband Rick Owens—these days she’s focused on producing his line of furniture, imposing and minimalist, carved from huge slabs of rare veinless marble or assembled from plywood, bronze and moose antlers. Though “artist” is how many might describe her, she considers herself a storyteller.
With her incredibly receptive and fearless spirit, she is a conduit of art and nurturer of ideas (“Lamyland” is the catchall she uses for her eclectic output). Forward-looking with a can-do attitude, Lamy has always been plugged into the heart of culture and in kinship across generations and disciplines, working with artists such as A$AP Rocky, Christeene, Ghetto Gastro, Marina Abramović, Juergen Teller, Kim Kardashian, and Jordan Wolfson.
 
 

THE RETURN OF THE RAIN MAN

 
RETURN OF THE RAIN MAN
According to conspiracy theories, the Rain Man is a powerful demon who makes deals with those who aspire to make it big in the industry. With the noun "rain", it is defined as water falling as rain, rainwater, and anything watery. According to the theories, rain can also be defined as one who receives abundant blessings from above. This is actually a unisexual title that can be used for both genders. The word "umbrella" is also synonymous with the Rain Man. The word umbrella is derived from a Latin word meaning "shadow" or under the influence of "Umbra". It can also be used in reference to a paranormal entity such as a ghost. Many cite the usage of the word in H. P. Lovecraft's book Necronomicon in which an umbra is one of the globes of Yog-Sothoth. In the Necronomicon, it states that Yog-Sothoth could bestow great riches on whoever bestows onto him a woman.

ARE ANGELS REAL?

THE EXISTENCE OF CELESTIAL (HEAVENLY) BEINGS
DO ANGELS EXSIST?
Angels All OverLet’s start at the safest place to start — namely, with the Bible instead of our own speculations. And here are some of the things that the Bible says angels are doing. And the terms angel or angels occur in the Bible close to three hundred times, so this is not a marginal reality in Scripture. Here’s a sample:
Angels announced things about the birth of Jesus to Mary (Luke 1:26–38), Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:11–23), Joseph (Matthew 1:20–21), and the shepherds (Luke 2:8–14).They ministered to Jesus in the wilderness after his forty-day fast (Mark 1:13).They rolled the stone away from Jesus’s grave (Matthew 28:2).They opened prison doors for the apostles (Acts 5:19–20).They directed evangelists where to go, like Philip (Acts 8:26).They spoke to unbelievers like Cornelius about what they should do to find the gospel (Acts 10:3–8).They will come with Jesus, the Bible says, at his second coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7).That’s just a sampling of their activity in the Bible, particularly from the New Testament. And they are mentioned, by the way, in the Old Testament over a hundred times.
Four Ways Angels ServeBut let’s get more specific with four texts that give us glimpses of what angels do and why they exist.
1. Angels minister to the saints.Here’s the first one: One of the most basic texts there are about angels and Christians is Hebrews 1:13–14. Almost the whole first chapter of Hebrews is devoted to showing the superiority of Jesus over angels. The chapter ends like this: “Are they not all [that is, angels] ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). Several things are remarkable about that statement.
It says that angels exist for the sake of Christians: “those who are to inherit salvation.”It says that they are serving us as “ministering spirits.”And maybe most amazingly, it says that all of them — not just some, but all of them — “serve” Christians to help us make it home to “inherit [our] salvation.”So, all angels serve the good of all Christians all the time. They are agents, as it were, of Romans 8:28, making everything work together for good under God’s providence.
2. Angels execute God’s will.Here’s the second sweeping text about angels, Psalm 103:20–21:
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,     you mighty ones who do his word,     obeying the voice of his word!Bless the Lord, all his hosts,     his ministers, who do his will!
It says angels are “mighty ones.” They’re not baby-like, chubby cherubs with wings. They are colossal and tremendous in power. And then the psalmist calls them “armies.” The English word hosts translates a Hebrew word that means “armies” or “troops” or “military forces.”
But whether you call them angels or you call them hosts or armies, the emphasis in both cases in Psalm 103 falls on this: they do the will of God — “You mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!” “His hosts, his ministers, who do his will!” In other words, they are active; they are agents who do whatever God commands.
So, it seems to me that we can infer from this that God loves to create an abundance of doers of his will at multiple levels.
Inanimate objects do his will: he commands the sea, and it obeys him.Animals do his will: he commands a whale to swallow Jonah.Humans do his will.Angels do his will.“God created millions upon millions of angels as a fitting, regal, royal assembly for his magnificence.”And when God decided to create, he thought it wise to create hierarchies of beings, from the least significant inanimate stone, to the worm, to the whale, to the human, and then to multiple ranks of angels. Because some are called archangels (1 Thessalonians 4:16). So, God created not just angels but ranks of angels. And when they become demonic by rebellion, there are ranks of principalities and powers in the hordes of the devil.
3. Angels magnify the grandeur of God.Now here’s a third text that underlines God’s exuberance in creating angels. Daniel 7:10:
A stream of fire issued     and came out from before [the Lord];a thousand thousands served him,     and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;the court sat in judgment,     and the books were opened.
There’s a picture of God in heaven with one hundred million angels standing before him. Now that’s breathtaking. That’s the point. God created millions upon millions of angels as a fitting, regal, royal assembly for his magnificence. The vastness of such a crowd of colossal beings, all assembled before one great King, speaks in a unique way about the glory and the imperial majesty of the King of kings.
So, angels exist in their grandeur and in their obedience and in their vast numbers to call attention to the greatness of the God they serve.
4. Angels call attention to the worth of every believer.Now here’s one last text that’s perhaps the most unusual of all. Jesus says in Matthew 18:10, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
What in the world did Jesus mean by that? Well, the “little ones” refer to believers, Christians — childlike Christians, real Christians — who are easily despised and made fun of in this world. And I think what he is saying is this: every Christian — even the simplest, lowliest believer — has an entourage of titans, angels — colossal, glorious beings who stand in the most privileged position in the universe before the face of God — always ready to do God’s bidding at any time on behalf of those despised little Christians. So, be careful not to despise any simple, unimpressive follower of Jesus. Heavenly titans are in God’s service on their behalf in the very place of privilege before his face.
I wrote an article at Desiring God called “The Surprising Role of Guardian Angels,” where I give all the arguments for what I just said. If it sounds like a new and unusual take on that text or on guardian angels, I hope you’ll go to that article.
Let me just sum it up again like this: Jesus says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones [one of my believers]. For [because — here’s the reason you must not despise any Christian] I tell you that in heaven their angels [plural — this is not one angel for one person; there’s nothing in the text that would suggest that] always see the face of my Father.” Don’t despise this simple, unimpressive disciple of Jesus. Let his angelic entourage remind you whose son he is. Let this angelic entourage of titans remind you what Lord he has. Put your hand over your critical, despising mouth, and show great esteem for all ordinary, childlike disciples.
If the fact that God is their Father and Jesus is their Lord doesn’t keep you back from despising and mistreating the followers of Jesus, then let this terrifying advocacy and rank of their magnificent angels awaken you from your stupor. That’s the idea.
So, in heaven and on earth, angels in their magnificence serve to call attention to the grandeur of God and, surprisingly, serve to call attention to the lesser but breathtaking grandeur of the simplest believer. God intends for the role of angels to thrill us with his grace and power and wisdom in the way he created, the way he governs, and the way he is saving his people.
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There's no empirical evidence that angels exist outside of stories and legends, but many people believe they do. According to a 2018 Live Science article, nearly 70% of Americans believe angels are real, and a 2007 Baylor Religion Survey found that many people reported personal experiences with guardian angels. For example, 57% of Catholics and 81% of Black Protestants in the survey reported having such an experience. 
Alvernia UniversityAngels Around Us | Alvernia UniversityDec 15, 2015 — James F. Gontis, director of religious education for the Diocese of Harrisburg...Some say that while there's no scientific way to disprove the existence of angels, there's also no way to find empirical evidence that they do. Others believe that if you believe in God and that God is all-powerful, then you should also believe that God created angels. 
Despite centuries of theological speculation about angels — from their number to their duties to how many can dance on the head of a pin — no one knows if they exist outside of stories and legends. Many people believe they do. Plato and Aristotle, for example, were convinced that they exist.
 

Presidential Special: That's Bullshit with Rico & Stretch"

Presidential Special: That's Bullshit with Rico & Stretch"
Tonight Rico and Stretch gives their unadulterated unfiltered unbiased look at the 2024 presidential election.With uncertainty in the  future and a wildcard presidential race, this years election fares up to be one for the books!
Rico Style & Stretch Kwiatkowski, two veteran musicians and eentertainers who wear their hearts ontheir collective sleeves are always honest, sometime too honest and speak with a brutal truth rarely seen in the present day media. Give them a listen on this, promised to be, donnybrook of a podcast only on WWTF Radio as What's The Buzz Presents, "That's Bullshit with Rico & Stretch"

STEPHANIE DUDLEY RETURNS

Stephanie DudleyReturn guest Stephanie Dudley is back with updates from her last appearance on our show. Stephanie is an amputee with a gusto and zest for life that lets nothing stop her. When things get in her way, she runs them over. Watch this speed racer and MOVE! 

A Message on Bullying from Amelia "THE PITBULL" Chapman

WWTF Radio 88.7 BRS Anti-Bullying Campaign: #BE-A-BUDDY-NOT-A-BULLY
Amelia Chapman, in a rare and open format, shares her personal story and struggles growing up with bullying, not only from neighbors and schoolmates but from close closest to her; Family. Why do we bully? Who are the bullies? How do we collectively stop this from happening? Listen to Amelia's special report on this very topical subject crippling the social media world.
Join Our WWTF Radio 88.7 BRS Anti-Bullying Campaign: #beabuddynotabully 
OUR DEFINITION OF BULLYING
The Anti-Bullying Alliance and its members have an agreed shared definition of bullying based on research from across the world over the last 30 years.
The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online. It can happen to young or old without preference. 

Presidential Election Special: The Harris Factor

A Special Look at The United States Presidential Election of 2024
One major lesson from Vice President Kamala Harris’ sudden ascension to be the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is that running mates matter.
Backup quarterbacks need to be ready for big games, and vice presidents need to be ready for the Oval Office, as this election year has proven on both sides of the political aisle.
Former President Donald Trump was nearly killed by a would-be assassin before he officially selected Sen. JD Vance. Harris is set to be Democrats’ consensus nominee only because President Joe Biden stepped aside after questions were raised about his ability to do the job for four more years.
It’s a point not lost on some Republicans who are second-guessing Trump’s selection of Vance and Democrats who are anticipating Harris’ pick any day.
Of 49 US VPs, only 4 accomplished what Harris is attempting“Veepstakes,” as the informal selection process is frequently called, can feel irrelevant and overwrought as pundits pick apart the attributes and drawbacks of potential vice presidents. Trump compared the process to his old reality show, “The Apprentice,” in which he picked the best person to hire.
CNN’s Edward-Isaac Dovere reports the Harris campaign plans to hold up Trump’s pick of Vance as evidence that the former president is not good at hiring people and that Vance is unqualified to be president.
Harris’ selection of a running mate – the first major decision of her unexpected campaign – is expected before planned joint appearances next week and in time for Democrats to include the potential veep’s name when delegates officially select the Democratic ticket during the first week of August.
An awkward introduction to voters
Trump picked Vance on the first day of the Republican National Convention in July at the urging of one of his sons and to carry his MAGA movement into the future. Old-school Republicans were immediately alarmed because the pick also signaled a new direction for the GOP, at least rhetorically, on issues from organized labor to foreign policy.
The public’s introduction to Vance, the young senator from Ohio – he turns 40 in early August – who first became famous for writing a by-the-bootstraps memoir of his path to success, has been rocky.
Vance’s past comments about women could hurt Republicans’ chances with a key voting bloc. His past opposition to Trump, before a conversion to a MAGA true believer, makes Vance now seem like an opportunist.
 
Ancestry of Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris is of Jamaican descent on her paternal side and of Indian descent on her maternal side. According to the Los Angeles Times, "Gopalan (Kamala's mother) was a Tamil Brahmin, part of a "privileged elite" in Hinduism's ancient caste hierarchy."[42] Donald J. Harris wrote in an account of his family ancestry that the Harris name comes from his paternal grandfather Joseph Alexander Harris, a land owner and agricultural produce exporter, and that his paternal grandmother "Miss Chrishy" (née Christiana Brown) was a descendant of Hamilton Brown, a plantation and slave owner.[43] However, Snopes rated this claim as unproven pending further research. Snopes noted that Harris made errors in some of the vital dates he provided for births and deaths of his grandparent

Actress & Author Geri Jewell (The Facts of Life & Deadwood)

Actress & Author Geri Jewell Her Latest Book: "Geri's Jewels & Gems" is a collection of columns Jewell wrote for Ability Magazine over six years, along with photos she chose from her life. Jewell is best known for her role as Cousin Geri on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life, where she was the first person with a disability to have a regular role on a prime-time series. In Geri's Jewels & Gems, Jewell shares insights on life from her unique perspective, combining deep reflection with her signature humor. 
Books:
"Geri"''I'm Walking As Straight As I Can""Geri's Jewels & Gems"-----------------------------------------TV & Film Credits Include:
Carol of the BellsDeadwood: The MovieGleeMy Gimpy LifePie Head: A Kinda' True StoryChild of the '70s (w/ Bruce Vilanch)AlcatrazDeadwoodThe Night of the White PantsStrong MedicineThe Young and the RestlessThe New Lassie21 Jump StreetSesame StreetThe Facts of LifeTwo of a KindIreneMental Patient The Righteous Apples
 

MadDog & Pitbull's Annual "Rants & Raves" Rundown

RANTS & RAVES YUP. THAT'S WHAT IT IS!!!

Was Jesus (The Christ) a Real Person?

WAS JESUS A REAL HUMAN BEING?Contemporary scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed, and biblical scholars and classical historians view the theories of his nonexistence as effectively refuted.Yes, almost all scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus was a real person, and the idea that he was mythical is considered a fringe theory. The most significant evidence for Jesus' existence comes from historical references by Christian, Jewish, and Roman writers. These references leave little doubt that Jesus lived and died, though scholars disagree about his beliefs and teachings, and the accuracy of the Bible's accounts. The only two events that nearly all scholars agree on are that Jesus was baptized and crucified. 
 
 
While billions of people believe Jesus of Nazareth was one of the most important figures in world history, many others reject the idea that he even existed at all. A 2015 survey conducted by the Church of England, for instance, found that 22 percent of adults in England did not believe Jesus was a real person.
Among scholars of the New Testament of the Christian Bible, though, there is little disagreement that he actually lived. Lawrence Mykytiuk, an associate professor of library science at Purdue University and author of a 2015 Biblical Archaeology Review article on the extra-biblical evidence of Jesus, notes that there was no debate about the issue in ancient times either. “Jewish rabbis who did not like Jesus or his followers accused him of being a magician and leading people astray,” he says, “but they never said he didn’t exist.”
Archaeological evidence of Jesus does not exist.
There is no definitive physical or archaeological evidence of the existence of Jesus. “There’s nothing conclusive, nor would I expect there to be,” Mykytiuk says. “Peasants don’t normally leave an archaeological trail.”
“The reality is that we don’t have archaeological records for virtually anyone who lived in Jesus’s time and place,” says University of North Carolina religious studies professor Bart D. Ehrman, author of Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth. “The lack of evidence does not mean a person at the time didn’t exist. It means that she or he, like 99.99% of the rest of the world at the time, made no impact on the archaeological record.”

Does God Exist? Was Jesus a Real Person

IS THERE A ONE TRUE GOD
OVERVIEW:
There are many sources of information that people use to infer what might be true about God, including observation and revelation:ObservationSome say that general observations of the universe support the existence of God, such as the idea of a non-eternal universe as shown by the Big Bang theory. Other observations that might support God's existence include the Earth's weather patterns, which some say are finely tuned to support human life, and the way nature works to form life.RevelationSome say that God may have entered the universe and told us true things about himself, morality, and how to have a relationship with him. This includes the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. The Bible also includes passages that some say indicate that God has made evidence of his existence so obvious that there is no excuse for denying him. 
IS THERE PROOF OF GOD'S EXISTENCE?
The existence of God is a subject of debate in the philosophy of religion.[1] A wide variety of arguments for and against the existence of God can be categorized as logical, empirical, metaphysical, subjective or scientific. In philosophical terms, the question of the existence of God involves the disciplines of epistemology (the nature and scope of knowledge) and ontology (study of the nature of being or existence) and the theory of value (since some definitions of God include "perfection").
The Western tradition of philosophical discussion of the existence of God began with Plato and Aristotle, who made arguments for the existence of a being responsible for fashioning the universe, referred to as the demiurge or the unmoved mover, that today would be categorized as cosmological arguments. Other arguments for the existence of God have been proposed by St. Anselm, who formulated the first ontological argument; Thomas Aquinas, who presented his own version of the cosmological argument (the first way); René Descartes, who said that the existence of a benevolent God is logically necessary for the evidence of the senses to be meaningful. John Calvin argued for a sensus divinitatis, which gives each human a knowledge of God's existence. Islamic philosophers who developed arguments for the existence of God comprise Averroes, who made arguments influenced by Aristotle's concept of the unmoved mover; Al-Ghazali and Al-Kindi, who presented the Kalam cosmological argument; Avicenna, who presented the Proof of the Truthful; and Al-Farabi, who made Neoplatonic arguments.
In philosophy, and more specifically in the philosophy of religion, atheism refers to the proposition that God does not exist.[2] Some religions, such as Jainism, reject the possibility of a creator deity. Philosophers who have provided arguments against the existence of God include David Hume, Ludwig Feuerbach, and Bertrand Russell.
Theism, the proposition that God exists, is the dominant view among philosophers of religion.[3] In a 2020 PhilPapers survey, 69.50% of philosophers of religion stated that they accept or lean towards theism, while 19.86% stated they accept or lean towards atheism.[4] Prominent contemporary philosophers of religion who defended theism include Alvin Plantinga, Yujin Nagasawa, John Hick, Richard Swinburne, and William Lane Craig, while those who defended atheism include Graham Oppy, Paul Draper, Quentin Smith, J. L. Mackie, and J. L. Schellenberg.
Traditional religious definition of GodIn classical theism, God is characterized as the metaphysically ultimate being (the first, timeless, absolutely simple and sovereign being, who is devoid of any anthropomorphic qualities), in distinction to other conceptions such as theistic personalism, open theism, and process theism. Classical theists do not believe that God can be completely defined. They believe it would contradict the transcendent nature of God for mere humans to define him. Robert Barron explains by analogy that it seems impossible for a two-dimensional object to conceive of three-dimensional humans.[7]
In modern Western societies, the concepts of God typically entail a monotheistic, supreme, ultimate, and personal being, as found in the Christian, Islamic and Jewish traditions. In monotheistic religions outside the Abrahamic traditions, the existence of God is discussed in similar terms. In these traditions, God is also identified as the author (either directly or by inspiration) of certain texts, or that certain texts describe specific historical events caused by the God in question or communications from God (whether in direct speech or via dreams or omens). Some traditions also believe that God is the entity which is currently answering prayers for intervention or information or opinions.
Ibn Rushd, a 12th-century Islamic scholarMany Islamic scholars have used philosophical and rational arguments to prove the existence of God. For example, Ibn Rushd, a 12th-century Islamic scholar, philosopher, and physician, states there are only two arguments worthy of adherence, both of which are found in what he calls the "Precious Book" (The Qur'an). Rushd cites "providence" and "invention" in using the Qur'an's parables to claim the existence of God. Rushd argues that the Earth's weather patterns are conditioned to support human life; thus, if the planet is so finely-tuned to maintain life, then it suggests a fine tuner—God. The Sun and the Moon are not just random objects floating in the Milky Way, rather they serve us day and night, and the way nature works and how life is formed, humankind benefits from it. Rushd essentially comes to a conclusion that there has to be a higher being who has made everything perfectly to serve the needs of human beings.[8][9]
Moses ben Maimon, widely known as Maimonides, was a Jewish scholar who tried to logically prove the existence of God. Maimonides offered proofs for the existence of God, but he did not begin with defining God first, like many others do. Rather, he used the description of the earth and the universe to prove the existence of God. He talked about the Heavenly bodies and how they are committed to eternal motion. Maimonides argued that because every physical object is finite, it can only contain a finite amount of power. If everything in the universe, which includes all the planets and the stars, is finite, then there has to be an infinite power to push forth the motion of everything in the universe. Narrowing down to an infinite being, the only thing that can explain the motion is an infinite being (meaning God) which is neither a body nor a force in the body. Maimonides believed that this argument gives us a ground to believe that God is, not an idea of what God is. He believed that God cannot be understood or be compared.[10]
Non-personal definitions of GodIn pantheism, God and the universe are considered to be the same thing. In this view, the natural sciences are essentially studying the nature of God. This definition of God creates the philosophical problem that a universe with God and one without God are the same, other than the words used to describe it.
Deism and panentheism assert that there is a God distinct from, or which extends beyond (either in time or in space or in some other way) the universe. These positions deny that God intervenes in the operation of the universe, including communicating with humans personally. The notion that God never intervenes or communicates with the universe, or may have evolved into the universe (as in pandeism), makes it difficult, if not by definition impossible, to distinguish between a universe with God and one without.
The Ethics of Baruch Spinoza gave two demonstrations of the existence of God.[11] The God of Spinoza is uncaused by any external force and has no free will, it is not personal and not anthropomorphic.
Debate about how theism should be arguedIn Christian faith, theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas made a distinction between: (a) preambles of faith and (b) articles of faith.[12] The preambles include alleged truths contained in revelation which are nevertheless demonstrable by reason, e.g., the immortality of the soul, the existence of God. The articles of faith, on the other hand, contain truths that cannot be proven or reached by reason alone and presuppose the truths of the preambles, e.g., in Christianity, the Holy Trinity, is not demonstrable and presupposes the existence of God.
The argument that the existence of God can be known to all, even prior to exposure to any divine revelation, predates Christianity.[clarification needed] Paul the Apostle made this argument when he said that pagans were without excuse because "since the creation of the world God's invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made".[13] In this, Paul alludes to the proofs for a creator, later enunciated by Thomas Aquinas[14] and others, that had also been explored by the Greek philosophers.
Another apologetical school of thought, including Dutch and American Reformed thinkers (such as Abraham Kuyper, Benjamin Warfield, and Herman Dooyeweerd), emerged in the late 1920s. This school was instituted by Cornelius Van Til, and came to be popularly called presuppositional apologetics (though Van Til felt "transcendental" would be a more accurate title). The main distinction between this approach and the more classical evidentialist approach is that the presuppositionalist denies any common ground between the believer and the non-believer, except that which the non-believer denies, namely, the assumption of the truth of the theistic worldview. In other words, presuppositionalists do not believe that the existence of God can be proven by appeal to raw, uninterpreted, or "brute" facts, which have the same (theoretical) meaning to people with fundamentally different worldviews, because they deny that such a condition is even possible. They claim that the only possible proof for the existence of God is that the very same belief is the necessary condition to the intelligibility of all other human experience and action. They attempt to prove the existence of God by means of appeal to the transcendental necessity of the belief—indirectly (by appeal to the unavowed presuppositions of the non-believer's worldview) rather than directly (by appeal to some form of common factuality). In practice this school uses what have come to be known as transcendental arguments. These arguments claim to demonstrate that all human experience and action (even the condition of unbelief, itself) is a proof for the existence of God, because God's existence is the necessary condition of their intelligibility.
Protestant Christians note that the Christian faith teaches "salvation is by faith",[15] and that faith is reliance upon the faithfulness of God. The most extreme example of this position is called fideism, which holds that faith is simply the will to believe, and argues that if God's existence were rationally demonstrable, faith in its existence would become superfluous. Søren Kierkegaard argued that objective knowledge, such as 1+1=2, is unimportant to existence. If God could rationally be proven, his existence would be unimportant to humans.[citation needed] It is because God cannot rationally be proven that his existence is important to us. In The Justification of Knowledge, the Calvinist theologian Robert L. Reymond argues that believers should not attempt to prove the existence of God. Since he believes all such proofs are fundamentally unsound, believers should not place their confidence in them, much less resort to them in discussions with non-believers; rather, they should accept the content of revelation by faith. Reymond's position is similar to that of his mentor Gordon Clark, which holds that all worldviews are based on certain unprovable first premises (or, axioms), and therefore are ultimately unprovable. The Christian theist therefore must simply choose to start with Christianity rather than anything else, by a "leap of faith". This position is also sometimes called presuppositional apologetics, but should not be confused with the Van Tillian variety.
THE HISTORICAL JESUS
According to Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God as chronicled in the Bible's New Testament, and in most Christian denominations He is held to be God the Son, a prosopon (Person) of the Trinity of God.
Christians believe him to be the messiah, or a saviour (giving him the title Christ), who was prophesied in the Bible's Old Testament. Through Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection, Christians believe that God offers humans salvation and eternal life,[1] with Jesus's death atoning for all sin, thus making humanity right with God. The commonly held belief among Christians is the phrase, "Jesus died for your sins," and thus they accept that salvation is only possible through him.[2]
These teachings emphasize that as the Lamb of God, Jesus chose to suffer nailed to the cross at Calvary as a sign of his obedience to the will of God, as an "agent and servant of God".[3][4] Jesus's choice positions him as a man of obedience, in contrast to Adam's disobedience.[5] According to the New Testament, after God raised him from the dead,[6] Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father,[7] with his followers awaiting his return to Earth and God's subsequent Last Judgment.[8]
According to the gospel accounts, Jesus was born of a virgin, instructed other Jews how to follow God (sometimes using parables), performed miracles and gathered disciples. Christians generally believe that this narrative is historically true.
While there has been theological debate over the nature of Jesus, Trinitarian Christians believe that Jesus is the Logos, God incarnate (God in human form), God the Son, and "true God and true man"—fully divine and fully human. Jesus, having become fully human in all respects, suffered the pains and temptations of a mortal man, yet he did not sin.

WHO WROTE THE BIBLE?

Who REALLY Wrote The Bible?
 
WHO WROTE THE BIBLE?
Over centuries, billions of people have read the Bible. Scholars have spent their lives studying it, while rabbis, ministers and priests have focused on interpreting, teaching and preaching from its pages.
As the sacred text for two of the world’s leading religions, Judaism and Christianity, as well as other faiths, the Bible has also had an unmatched influence on literature—particularly in the Western world. It has been translated into nearly 700 languages, and while exact sales figures are hard to come by, it’s widely considered to be the world’s best-selling book.
But despite the Bible’s undeniable influence, mysteries continue to linger over its origins. Even after nearly 2,000 years of its existence, and centuries of investigation by biblical scholars, we still don’t know with certainty who wrote its various texts, when they were written or under what circumstances.
Old Testament: The Single Author Theory
The Old Testament, or Hebrew Bible, narrates the history of the people of Israel over about a millennium, beginning with God’s creation of the world and humankind, and contains the stories, laws and moral lessons that form the basis of religious life for both Jews and Christians.
For at least 1,000 years, both Jewish and Christian tradition held that a single author wrote the first five books of the Bible—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy—which together are known as the Torah (Hebrew for “instruction”) and the Pentateuch (Greek for “five scrolls”). That single author was believed to be Moses, the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt and guided them across the Red Sea toward the Promised Land.
Yet nearly from the beginning, readers of the Bible observed that there were things in the so-called Five Books of Moses that Moses himself could not possibly have witnessed: His own death, for example, occurs near the end of Deuteronomy. A volume of the Talmud, the collection of Jewish laws recorded between the 3rd and 5th centuries A.D., dealt with this inconsistency by explaining that Joshua (Moses’ successor as leader of the Israelites) likely wrote the verses about Moses’ death.
“That's one opinion among many,” says Joel Baden, a professor at Yale Divinity School and author of The Composition of the Pentateuch: Renewing the Documentary Hypothesis. “But they're already asking the question—was it possible or not possible for [Moses] to have written them?”
By the time the Enlightenment began in the 17th century, most religious scholars were more seriously questioning the idea of Moses’ authorship, as well as the idea that the Bible could possibly have been the work of any single author. Those first five books were filled with contradictory, repetitive material, and often seemed to tell different versions of the Israelites’ story even within a single section of text.
As Baden explains, the “classic example” of this confusion is the story of Noah and the flood (Genesis 6:9). “You read along and you say, I don’t know how many animals Noah took on the ark with him,” he says. “In this sentence it says two of every animal. In this sentence, he takes two of some animals and 14 of any animals.” Similarly, the text records the length of the flood as 40 days in one place, and 150 days in another.
The Old Testament: Various Schools of Authors
To explain the Bible’s contradictions, repetitions and general idiosyncrasies, most scholars today agree that the stories and laws it contains were communicated orally, through prose and poetry, over centuries. Starting around the 7th century B.C., different groups, or schools, of authors wrote them down at different times, before they were at some point (probably during the first century B.C.) combined into the single, multi-layered work we know today.
Of the three major blocks of source material that scholars agree comprise the Bible’s first five books, the first was believed to have been written by a group of priests, or priestly authors, whose work scholars designate as “P.” A second block of source material is known as “D”—for Deuteronomist, meaning the author(s) of the vast majority of the book of Deuteronomy. “The two of them are not really related to each other in any significant way,” Baden explains, “except that they're both giving laws and telling a story of Israel's early history.”
According to some scholars, including Baden, the third major block of source material in the Torah can be divided into two different, equally coherent schools, named for the word that each uses for God: Yahweh and Elohim. The stories using the name Elohim are classified as “E,” while the others are called “J” (for Jawhe, the German translation of Yahweh). Other scholars don't agree on two complete sources for the non-priestly material. Instead, says Baden, they see a much more gradual process, in which material from numerous smaller sources was layered together over a longer period of time.New Testament: Who Wrote the Gospels?
Just as the Old Testament chronicles the story of the Israelites in the millennium or so leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ, the New Testament records Jesus’s life, from his birth and teachings to his death and later resurrection, a narrative that forms the fundamental basis of Christianity. Beginning around A.D. 70, about four decades after Jesus’s crucifixion (according to the Bible), four anonymously written chronicles of his life emerged that would become central documents in the Christian faith. Named for Jesus’s most devoted earthly disciples, or apostles—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—the four canonical Gospels were traditionally thought to be eyewitness accounts of Jesus’s life, death and resurrection.
But for more than a century, scholars have generally agreed that the Gospels, like many of the books of the New Testament, were not actually written by the people to whom they are attributed. In fact, it seems clear that the stories that form the basis of Christianity were first communicated orally, and passed down from generation to generation, before they were collected and written down.
“Names are attached to the titles of the Gospels (‘the Gospel according to Matthew’),” writes Bible scholar Bart Ehrman in his book Jesus, Interrupted. “But these titles are later additions to the Gospels, provided by editors and scribes to inform readers who the editors thought were the authorities behind the different versions.”
Traditionally, 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament were attributed to Paul the Apostle, who famously converted to Christianity after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus and wrote a series of letters that helped spread the faith throughout the Mediterranean world. But scholars now agree on the authenticity of only seven of Paul’s epistles: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon. These are believed to have been written between A.D. 50-60, making them the earliest known evidence for Christianity. Authors of the later epistles may have been followers of Paul, who used his name to lend authenticity to the works.
By the 4th century A.D., Christianity had been established as the dominant religion in the Western world, and the New and Old Testaments as its most sacred texts. In the centuries to come, the Bible would only become more central to the lives and faiths of millions of people around the world, despite the mystery surrounding its origins and the ongoing, complex debate over its authorship. 
 

GEORGE SCHLATTER: "STILL LAUGHING: A LIFE IN COMEDY"

LEGENDARY TELEVISION PRODUCER GEORGE SCHLATTERCREATOR OF "ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN"Throughout his long and successful career as a producer, director and writer, George Schlatter has been responsible for hundreds of hours of television series and specials. He changed the face of television when he created and produced such breakthrough series as Laugh-In and Real People. Over the years, George has received numerous honors and awards including: 25 Emmy Award nominations, three Emmys, three Image Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Television Critics Awards, Directors Guild Award, Producers Guild “Man of The Year,” and many others. On its 25th Anniversary, the Television Academy honored him for his outstanding contribution to television. In 1989, he was awarded a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame.
Mr. Schlatter is a veteran of over 60 years in network television. He produced the first 5 years of the Grammy Awards plus series and specials starring Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Eddie Murphy, Cher, Elton John, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, Doris Day, Jonathan Winters, Richard Pryor, Shirley MacLaine, Bill Cosby, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Diana Ross, Lena Horne, Dinah Shore, Nat King Cole, Placido Domingo and scores of others.
In 1987, George Schlatter created and for 15 years produced the American Comedy Awards, an annual televised event designed to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of comedic actors and performers. George says, “Of all the work I’ve done, I am perhaps most proud of my involvement in the early careers of performers like Goldie Hawn, Lily Tomlin, Roseanne, Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, and others who have gone on to greater heights. Working with stars is rewarding, but helping to create stars is the most fulfilling of all accomplishments.”
In 1996, the Museum of Television & Radio did a special tribute to him for his contributions in the world of television.
In honor of Frank Sinatra’s milestone 80th birthday, George produced the Emmy-winning critically acclaimed special, Sinatra 80 Years: My Way.  Other credits include the Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration, which also won an Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special in 1990, the Muhammad Ali 50th & 60th Birthday Celebrations, Welcome Home America, the USO 50th Anniversary, The People’s Choice Awards, the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award Salutes to Dustin Hoffman and Harrison Ford, and both the 54th and 55th Presidential Inaugural Opening Ceremonies of George W. Bush.
In 2013, Pepperdine University presented Still Laugh-In, A Toast to George Schlatter acknowledging his innovative contributions to television over many decades and in December, 2014, George was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Pepperdine in recognition of his lifelong achievements.
Most recently he produced a comedy collection for Sirius Radio and Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate for Netflix.
Besides his work in television, George has been honored for his showmanship and involvement in many charitable causes including Finding a Cure… Nancy Reagan: A Love Story (for Juvenile Diabetes Research) and the Los Angeles Opera on Stage Gala starring Placido Domingo. Since 1990 he has produced every Carousel of Hope Ball for the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, which has built and benefits the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in Denver, Colorado.
To further his support of comedy and the people who perform it, George has become an active supporter and Board Member of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. He has donated much of his material to them and they have named their theater The George and Jolene Brand Schlatter Theater in his honor.
George’s book, Still Laughing: A Life in Comedy was released in July, 2023. In it he shares many of the hilarious adventures he had in his early years of television.
George is married to former actress Jolene Brand who was a regular on the Ernie Kovacs Show and they have two daughters. Maria is an Emmy award winning television producer and is now writing for the theater. Andrea Justine is a champion equestrian rider and trainer.

The Attempted Assassination of President Donald Trump Part III

The Attempted Murder of a PresidentOn July 13, 2024, Donald Trump, the former president of the United States and at that time the Republican Party's presumptive nominee in the 2024 presidential election, was shot and wounded while addressing a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania.[5] Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania,[6][7] fired eight rounds with an AR-15–style rifle from the roof of a nearby building outside the rally venue. He killed an audience member, critically injured two other audience members, and injured Trump in his upper right ear.[6] Crooks was then shot and killed by the United States Secret Service Counter Sniper Team.[8] The incident is being investigated as an attempted assassination and as a potential act of domestic terrorism.[9][10]
Footage of the incident showed Trump clasping his right ear before taking cover on the floor behind the podium, where he was surrounded by Secret Service personnel. After agents helped him to his feet, photographer Evan Vucci of the Associated Press captured images of a bloodied Trump pumping his fist in the air, with an American flag in the background, that went viral on social media and have been widely praised as iconic and historically important. Trump mouthed,[11][12] or shouted,[13] the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!" as he was escorted off-stage to his motorcade.[6][14] Taken to a nearby hospital, he was released a few hours later in stable condition. He made his first public appearance after the shooting two days later at the 2024 Republican National Convention.[15]
Following the shooting, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers expressed concerns about security arrangements at the event, including the failure to secure access to the roof from which Crooks had fired the shots. Public figures called for increased security for the major candidates in the election.[16] Crooks, who had borrowed the legally purchased rifle from his father, had no criminal record and his motive for the shooting is unknown. No ideology is indicated in his social media posts or other writings,[17] and authorities have stated that it is unknown whether the assassination attempt was related to his political views.[18] Experts considered the shooting a sign of political polarization in the United States, and political figures called for a reduction in tensions.[19][20] Soon after the shooting, misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories quickly spread on social media.[21]
Background
At the time of the incident, Donald Trump was the presumptive Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential election.[22] The shooting occurred two days before the July 15 start of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[23] This was the second attempt at violence toward Trump during one of his rallies; the first was in 2016, when a man attempted to grab a security officer's gun at a rally outside of Las Vegas.[24]
On July 3, 2024,[25] it was announced that Trump would hold a rally on July 13 at the Butler Farm Show Grounds in Connoquenessing Township and Meridian, near Butler, Pennsylvania.[26][27][28][29] On July 10, an advance team began setting up for the rally, including the installation of generators in a large open field.[30] The rally was part of the Trump campaign's attempts to garner votes in Pennsylvania, which polling indicates is a swing state;[31] the state has 19 votes in the Electoral College.[23] David McCormick, the Republican nominee in the state's concurrent U.S. Senate election, was invited to appear onstage during the rally to increase support for his campaign.[32] U.S. Representative Mike Kelly said he had contacted the Trump campaign to recommend holding the rally in an area that could handle a larger crowd than the Butler Farm Show Grounds, and that their response was, "We appreciate your input but we've already made up our minds".[23]
Attendees at Trump's rallies are screened for prohibited items, including weapons.[33] The Secret Service routinely screens and monitors nearby buildings and businesses, including structures outside security perimeters.[34] Four separate counter-sniper teams were assigned to the event, two from the Secret Service and two from local law enforcement.[35] The Pennsylvania State Police, which serves as the law enforcement agency for Connoquenessing Township, were also involved in security matters. Butler Township police were given traffic duties.[29] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had no information about any particular threats before the event.[36] The Secret Service had increased Trump's security detail in prior weeks due to intelligence indicating that Iran was plotting to assassinate Trump.[37][38]

THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF DONALD J. TRUMP

THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF DONALD J. TRUMP
When President Ronald Reagan was shot by an attention-seeking drifter in 1981, the country united behind its injured leader. The teary-eyed Democratic speaker of the House, Thomas P. O’Neill Jr., went to the hospital room of the Republican president, held his hands, kissed his head and got on his knees to pray for him.
But the assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump seems more likely to tear America further apart than to bring it together. Within minutes of the shooting, the air was filled with anger, bitterness, suspicion and recrimination. Fingers were pointed, conspiracy theories advanced and a country already bristling with animosity fractured even more.
The fact that the shooting in Butler, Pa., on Saturday night was two days before Republicans were set to gather in Milwaukee for their nominating convention invariably put the event in a partisan context. While Democrats bemoaned political violence, which they have long faulted Mr. Trump for encouraging, Republicans instantly blamed President Biden and his allies for the attack, which they argued stemmed from incendiary language labeling the former president a proto-fascist who would destroy democracy.
Mr. Trump’s eldest son, his campaign strategist and a running mate finalist all attacked the political left within hours of the shooting even before the gunman was identified or his motive determined. “Well of course they tried to keep him off the ballot, they tried to put him in jail and now you see this,” wrote Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to the former president.
But the Trump campaign seemed to think better of it, and the post was deleted. A memo sent out on Sunday by Mr. LaCivita and Susie Wiles, another senior adviser, instructed Trump team members not to comment on the shooting.
Either way, the episode could fuel Mr. Trump’s narrative about being the victim of persecution by Democrats. Impeached, indicted, sued and convicted, Mr. Trump even before Saturday had accused Democrats of seeking to have him shot by F.B.I. agents or even executed for crimes that do not carry the death penalty.
After being wounded at the rally, Mr. Trump, with blood staining his face, pumped his fist at the crowd and shouted, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
What exactly drove the gunman, who was quickly killed by Secret Service counter snipers, remained a matter of speculation. Identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pa., he was a registered Republican but had also given $15 to a progressive group on Mr. Biden’s Inauguration Day, more than three years ago. The authorities said they were still investigating his motive.
The shooting came at a time when the United States was already deeply polarized along ideological, cultural and partisan lines — split, it often seems, into two countries, even two realities. More than at any time in generations, Americans do not see themselves in a collective enterprise but perceive themselves on opposite sides of modern ramparts.
The divisions have grown so stark that a Marist poll in May found that 47 percent of Americans considered a second civil war likely or very likely in their lifetime, a notion that prompted Hollywood to release a movie imagining what that could look like.
The propulsive crescendo of disruptive events lately has led many to compare 2024 to 1968, a year of racial strife, riots in the cities and the assassinations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Protests over the Vietnam War helped prompt President Lyndon B. Johnson to drop out of his race for re-election that year.
Until now, there had been one important difference. “Of all the similarities between 1968 and 2024, the lack of political violence this year has been one of the key areas where the years diverge,” said Luke A. Nichter, a historian at Chapman University and the author of “The Year That Broke Politics,” a history of 1968. “That is no more.”
Michael Kazin, a historian at Georgetown University, said political violence had a long history in America. “As in 1968 — or 1919 or 1886 or 1861 — the violence that just occurred is rather inevitable in a society as bitterly divided as ours,” he said. “And of course there’s actually less violence in politics now than there was in those other years.”
Republicans turned the tables on Democrats this weekend, arguing that if Mr. Trump was responsible for provocative rhetoric, then Mr. Biden should be as well. Speaking with donors on Monday, the president said he wanted to stop talking about his poor debate performance and instead “put Trump in a bull’s-eye.” He described his strategy as “attack, attack, attack.”
“The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Senator J.D. Vance, Republican of Ohio and a front-runner to be named Mr. Trump’s running mate, wrote on social media two hours after the attack on Saturday. “That rhetoric directly led to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”

John Rich: Donald Trump, the Darkness of Eminem’s New Album, and the Song Inspired by God

One of the most downloaded songs in America is about the book of Revelation. John Rich says he channeled the entire thing from God.Watch more here: https://watchtcn.co/49CDF2tSubscribe to the new Tucker Carlson Network channel for more exclusive content: https://www.youtube.com/@TCNetwork/featured?sub_confirmation=1Follow Tucker on X: https://x.com/TuckerCarlsonText “TUCKER” to 44055 for exclusive updates.Paid partnerships with:Heritage Foundation: https://Heritage.org/TuckerPureTalk Wireless: Get 50% off your first month at https://PureTalk.com/TuckerThe Hallow prayer app. Get 3 months free at https://Hallow.com/Tucker#TuckerCarlson #JohnRich #Eminem #music #LilNasX #DonaldTrump #JoeBiden #reaction #react #Christianity #religion #debate #countrymusic #news #politics Chapters:00:00 Intro02:41 John Rich’s Song Inspired by God06:23 Eminem and the dark side of the mainstream music industry19:37 The Mark of the Beast23:42 The Attempt on Trump’s Life31:35 The Attacks on Christianity49:06 Reacting to the dismissal of Trump’s classified documents case1:15:55 John Rich’s Dad Preaching in Prisons

The Attempted Assassination of President Donald Trump Part I (of III)

When President Ronald Reagan was shot by an attention-seeking drifter in 1981, the country united behind its injured leader. The teary-eyed Democratic speaker of the House, Thomas P. O’Neill Jr., went to the hospital room of the Republican president, held his hands, kissed his head and got on his knees to pray for him.
But the assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump seems more likely to tear America further apart than to bring it together. Within minutes of the shooting, the air was filled with anger, bitterness, suspicion and recrimination. Fingers were pointed, conspiracy theories advanced and a country already bristling with animosity fractured even more.
The fact that the shooting in Butler, Pa., on Saturday night was two days before Republicans were set to gather in Milwaukee for their nominating convention invariably put the event in a partisan context. While Democrats bemoaned political violence, which they have long faulted Mr. Trump for encouraging, Republicans instantly blamed President Biden and his allies for the attack, which they argued stemmed from incendiary language labeling the former president a proto-fascist who would destroy democracy.
Mr. Trump’s eldest son, his campaign strategist and a running mate finalist all attacked the political left within hours of the shooting even before the gunman was identified or his motive determined. “Well of course they tried to keep him off the ballot, they tried to put him in jail and now you see this,” wrote Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to the former president.
But the Trump campaign seemed to think better of it, and the post was deleted. A memo sent out on Sunday by Mr. LaCivita and Susie Wiles, another senior adviser, instructed Trump team members not to comment on the shooting.
Either way, the episode could fuel Mr. Trump’s narrative about being the victim of persecution by Democrats. Impeached, indicted, sued and convicted, Mr. Trump even before Saturday had accused Democrats of seeking to have him shot by F.B.I. agents or even executed for crimes that do not carry the death penalty.
After being wounded at the rally, Mr. Trump, with blood staining his face, pumped his fist at the crowd and shouted, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
What exactly drove the gunman, who was quickly killed by Secret Service counter snipers, remained a matter of speculation. Identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pa., he was a registered Republican but had also given $15 to a progressive group on Mr. Biden’s Inauguration Day, more than three years ago. The authorities said they were still investigating his motive.
The shooting came at a time when the United States was already deeply polarized along ideological, cultural and partisan lines — split, it often seems, into two countries, even two realities. More than at any time in generations, Americans do not see themselves in a collective enterprise but perceive themselves on opposite sides of modern ramparts.
The divisions have grown so stark that a Marist poll in May found that 47 percent of Americans considered a second civil war likely or very likely in their lifetime, a notion that prompted Hollywood to release a movie imagining what that could look like.
The propulsive crescendo of disruptive events lately has led many to compare 2024 to 1968, a year of racial strife, riots in the cities and the assassinations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Protests over the Vietnam War helped prompt President Lyndon B. Johnson to drop out of his race for re-election that year.
Until now, there had been one important difference. “Of all the similarities between 1968 and 2024, the lack of political violence this year has been one of the key areas where the years diverge,” said Luke A. Nichter, a historian at Chapman University and the author of “The Year That Broke Politics,” a history of 1968. “That is no more.”
Michael Kazin, a historian at Georgetown University, said political violence had a long history in America. “As in 1968 — or 1919 or 1886 or 1861 — the violence that just occurred is rather inevitable in a society as bitterly divided as ours,” he said. “And of course there’s actually less violence in politics now than there was in those other years.”
Republicans turned the tables on Democrats this weekend, arguing that if Mr. Trump was responsible for provocative rhetoric, then Mr. Biden should be as well. Speaking with donors on Monday, the president said he wanted to stop talking about his poor debate performance and instead “put Trump in a bull’s-eye.” He described his strategy as “attack, attack, attack.”
“The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Senator J.D. Vance, Republican of Ohio and a front-runner to be named Mr. Trump’s running mate, wrote on social media two hours after the attack on Saturday. “That rhetoric directly led to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
 

"THATS'S BULLSHIT" with Rico & Stretch

THAT'S BULLSHIT!!!Ricky "RICO" Style and Joe "Stretch"Kwiatkowski, are 2 veteran musicians and entertainers whose collective careers span almost 70 years. This unique combination of world travelers and wearysome citizens has spawned the essential talk show, "THATS BULLSHIT" with Ricky & Stretch. Join them each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. as they unload on their favorite targets of vents and rants. AND DON'T GET IN THEIR WAY.

THE REAL JERRY LEWIS STORY" with Author Rick Saphire & TV Film Actor Eddie Deezen) PART TWO

THE REAL JERRY LEWIS STORY with Author Rick Saphire & Guest Co-Host TV & Film Actor Eddie Deezen(Grease, Polar Express, 1941, Midnight Madness)Book Excerpt
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis’ second daughter, born March 23, 1992, was a blessing that brought much joy to Jerry and his wife, and rightly so. Finally, having a daughter he could love and publically call his own was very important to the man who had been previously denied that privilege. Sadly, a legal question arose during the planning stages of the adoption, causing dissension which resulted in a bitter breakup between the comedian and a close lifelong friend, one who had been instrumental in Jerry Lewis’ entrance into show business and his rise to fame. Author Rick Saphire was well acquainted with both parties in this matter and was unwittingly thrust into the middle of the firestorm. The author will discuss his personal observations in the book.
 
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is not a biography of the famous American comedian but serves as an addendum to all that has been written about entertainer Jerry Lewis in the past. It offers corrections to the myriad of misinformation in past publications, media reports, and legal documents dating back to the day Jerry Lewis was born. The book exposes never-before-revealed details about Jerry Lewis' family, career, and life.
 
For clarity, Jerry Lewis is the alias, stage name, professional name, and theatrical name of entertainer Jerome Levitch. This book will explain, with the aid of court documentation, that Jerome Levitch’s name was never legally changed to Jerry Lewis, despite the fact that he signed that name on legal documents, including his draft card and his final will.
 
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is scheduled to be officially announced on March 16, 2024, with a release date shortly thereafter. the author is entertainer and celebrity representative Rick Saphire, who first met Lewis in 1953. As a young performer, Rick Saphire was often referred to in the media as "Jerry Lewis’ protégé." Saphire appeared on network TV with Jerry Lewis in the 1960s and was his theatrical representative in the 2000s. The author also had the unique advantage of being close to Jerry Lewis' family, friends, and business acquaintances. Rick Saphire’s uncle and mentor, Ernest D. Glucksman, was the executive TV producer and director for Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis during their peak period in movies, and on television. when Jerry Lewis went solo, Glucksman remained Lewis’ executive producer while serving as the star’s personal manager.
 
As a child, Rick Saphire was the proverbial “fly on the wall,” witnessing much of the private interactions behind the scenes between Martin & Lewis and with Jerry Lewis himself. Saphire has also represented Jerry and Patti Lewis’ oldest son, the rock ’n’ roll legend Gary Lewis of Gary Lewis & the Playboys. He has shared his insights with Rick Saphire in preparation for this book.
 
BREAKING NEWS: The Forward for The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is written by Gary Lewis, who, for the first time, has authorized a frank discussion of family matters, some of which are pretty revealing and surprising.
 
NOTICE: A special chapter in The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is dedicated to Rick Saphire’s attempts to reunite Suzan Minoret with her biological father, Jerry Lewis. Minoret, who called herself Suzan Lewis, contacted the author by phone while she was homeless and living in her car in the State of Florida. She described herself as disabled and desperate to be acknowledged by the man she knew as her birth father. The author’s disturbing story of Suzan “Lewis” Minoret is told in-depth for the first time in chilling detail. It is a book within a book with exclusive photographs.
 
From beginning to end, the story of Jerome Levitch is that of a lonely child from Newark, New Jersey, who spent much of his youth hiding from himself. It’s the sad account of a man who portrayed some of the most beloved screen characters of all time, yet he spent much of his life trying to convince his fans that he was much more intelligent and far more sophisticated than the clown they loved. Although temporarily satisfying, Jerry Lewis knew that laughter and applause were no substitute for the safe, warm, and loving childhood Jerome Levitch craved but never knew.
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story
eBOOK LAUNCH IS JULY 4, 2024 ON AMAZON
Pre-Order eBook Now. CLICK HERE
THE PHYSICAL BOOK DEBUTS LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2024
 
York Publications: Phone/Text: 856-424-1064
Email: Admin@YorkPublications.com
Mail: Post Office Box 2903, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

"THE REAL JERRY LEWIS STORY" with Author Rick Saphire & TV Film Actor Eddie Deezen) PART ONE

THE REAL JERRY LEWIS STORY with Author Rick Saphire & Guest Co-Host TV & Film Actor Eddie Deezen (Grease, Polar Express, 1941, Midnight Madness)Book Excerpt
BOMBSHELL: Jerry Lewis’ second daughter, born March 23, 1992, was a blessing that brought much joy to Jerry and his wife, and rightly so. Finally, having a daughter he could love and publically call his own was very important to the man who had been previously denied that privilege. Sadly, a legal question arose during the planning stages of the adoption, causing dissension which resulted in a bitter breakup between the comedian and a close lifelong friend, one who had been instrumental in Jerry Lewis’ entrance into show business and his rise to fame. Author Rick Saphire was well acquainted with both parties in this matter and was unwittingly thrust into the middle of the firestorm. The author will discuss his personal observations in the book.
 
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is not a biography of the famous American comedian but serves as an addendum to all that has been written about entertainer Jerry Lewis in the past. It offers corrections to the myriad of misinformation in past publications, media reports, and legal documents dating back to the day Jerry Lewis was born. The book exposes never-before-revealed details about Jerry Lewis' family, career, and life.
 
For clarity, Jerry Lewis is the alias, stage name, professional name, and theatrical name of entertainer Jerome Levitch. This book will explain, with the aid of court documentation, that Jerome Levitch’s name was never legally changed to Jerry Lewis, despite the fact that he signed that name on legal documents, including his draft card and his final will.
 
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is scheduled to be officially announced on March 16, 2024, with a release date shortly thereafter. the author is entertainer and celebrity representative Rick Saphire, who first met Lewis in 1953. As a young performer, Rick Saphire was often referred to in the media as "Jerry Lewis’ protégé." Saphire appeared on network TV with Jerry Lewis in the 1960s and was his theatrical representative in the 2000s. The author also had the unique advantage of being close to Jerry Lewis' family, friends, and business acquaintances. Rick Saphire’s uncle and mentor, Ernest D. Glucksman, was the executive TV producer and director for Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis during their peak period in movies, and on television. when Jerry Lewis went solo, Glucksman remained Lewis’ executive producer while serving as the star’s personal manager.
 
As a child, Rick Saphire was the proverbial “fly on the wall,” witnessing much of the private interactions behind the scenes between Martin & Lewis and with Jerry Lewis himself. Saphire has also represented Jerry and Patti Lewis’ oldest son, the rock ’n’ roll legend Gary Lewis of Gary Lewis & the Playboys. He has shared his insights with Rick Saphire in preparation for this book.
 
BREAKING NEWS: The Forward for The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is written by Gary Lewis, who, for the first time, has authorized a frank discussion of family matters, some of which are pretty revealing and surprising.
 
NOTICE: A special chapter in The REAL Jerry Lewis Story is dedicated to Rick Saphire’s attempts to reunite Suzan Minoret with her biological father, Jerry Lewis. Minoret, who called herself Suzan Lewis, contacted the author by phone while she was homeless and living in her car in the State of Florida. She described herself as disabled and desperate to be acknowledged by the man she knew as her birth father. The author’s disturbing story of Suzan “Lewis” Minoret is told in-depth for the first time in chilling detail. It is a book within a book with exclusive photographs.
 
From beginning to end, the story of Jerome Levitch is that of a lonely child from Newark, New Jersey, who spent much of his youth hiding from himself. It’s the sad account of a man who portrayed some of the most beloved screen characters of all time, yet he spent much of his life trying to convince his fans that he was much more intelligent and far more sophisticated than the clown they loved. Although temporarily satisfying, Jerry Lewis knew that laughter and applause were no substitute for the safe, warm, and loving childhood Jerome Levitch craved but never knew.
The REAL Jerry Lewis Story
eBOOK LAUNCH IS JULY 4, 2024 ON AMAZON
Pre-Order eBook Now. CLICK HERE
THE PHYSICAL BOOK DEBUTS LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2024
 
York Publications: Phone/Text: 856-424-1064
Email: Admin@YorkPublications.com
Mail: Post Office Box 2903, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

Thats Bullshit!!! with Ricky & Stretch

THAT'S BULLSHIT!!!Ricky "RICO" Style and "Stretch" (Joe Kwiatkowski, are 2 veteran musicians and entertainers whose collective careers span almost 70 years. This unique combination of worls traveler and wearysome citizen has spawned the essential talk show, "THATS BULLSHIT" with Ricky & Stretch. Join them each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. as the unload on their favorite targets of vent and rant. AND DON'T GET IN THEIR WAY.

IS TIME TRAVEL POSSIBLE?

THE INEXPLICABLE TRUTHS OF TIME TRAVEL
In the movies, time travelers typically step inside a machine and—poof—disappear. They then reappear instantaneously among cowboys, knights or dinosaurs. What these films show is basically time teleportation.
Scientists don’t think this conception is likely in the real world, but they also don’t relegate time travel to the crackpot realm. In fact, the laws of physics might allow chronological hopping, but the devil is in the details.
Time traveling to the near future is easy: you’re doing it right now at a rate of one second per second, and physicists say that rate can change. According to Einstein’s special theory of relativity, time’s flow depends on how fast you’re moving. The quicker you travel, the slower seconds pass. And according to Einstein’s general theory of relativity, gravity also affects clocks: the more forceful the gravity nearby, the slower time goes.
“Near massive bodies—near the surface of neutron stars or even at the surface of the Earth, although it’s a tiny effect—time runs slower than it does far away,” says Dave Goldberg, a cosmologist at Drexel University.
If a person were to hang out near the edge of a black hole, where gravity is prodigious, Goldberg says, only a few hours might pass for them while 1,000 years went by for someone on Earth. If the person who was near the black hole returned to this planet, they would have effectively traveled to the future. “That is a real effect,” he says. “That is completely uncontroversial.”
Going backward in time gets thorny, though (thornier than getting ripped to shreds inside a black hole). Scientists have come up with a few ways it might be possible, and they have been aware of time travel paradoxes in general relativity for decades. Fabio Costa, a physicist at the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics, notes that an early solution with time travel began with a scenario written in the 1920s. That idea involved massive long cylinder that spun fast in the manner of straw rolled between your palms and that twisted spacetime along with it. The understanding that this object could act as a time machine allowing one to travel to the past only happened in the 1970s, a few decades after scientists had discovered a phenomenon called “closed timelike curves.”
“A closed timelike curve describes the trajectory of a hypothetical observer that, while always traveling forward in time from their own perspective, at some point finds themselves at the same place and time where they started, creating a loop,” Costa says. “This is possible in a region of spacetime that, warped by gravity, loops into itself.”
“Einstein read [about closed timelike curves] and was very disturbed by this idea,” he adds. The phenomenon nevertheless spurred later research.
Science began to take time travel seriously in the 1980s. In 1990, for instance, Russian physicist Igor Novikov and American physicist Kip Thorne collaborated on a research paper about closed time-like curves. “They started to study not only how one could try to build a time machine but also how it would work,” Costa says.
Just as importantly, though, they investigated the problems with time travel. What if, for instance, you tossed a billiard ball into a time machine, and it traveled to the past and then collided with its past self in a way that meant its present self could never enter the time machine? “That looks like a paradox,” Costa says.
Since the 1990s, he says, there’s been on-and-off interest in the topic yet no big breakthrough. The field isn’t very active today, in part because every proposed model of a time machine has problems. “It has some attractive features, possibly some potential, but then when one starts to sort of unravel the details, there ends up being some kind of a roadblock,” says Gaurav Khanna of the University of Rhode Island.
For instance, most time travel models require negative mass—and hence negative energy because, as Albert Einstein revealed when he discovered E = mc2, mass and energy are one and the same. In theory, at least, just as an electric charge can be positive or negative, so can mass—though no one’s ever found an example of negative mass. Why does time travel depend on such exotic matter? In many cases, it is needed to hold open a wormhole—a tunnel in spacetime predicted by general relativity that connects one point in the cosmos to another.

Social Media: Vessels of Misinformation

Disinformation Specialists at Their Very Best
Social Media:  Vessels of MisinformationSocial Media — A Vessel of Untruths
The entire globe is facing information wars of an unprecedented nature. Social media is the transporter of misinformation and disinformation. Big Tech has been under fire for not implementing enough measures to uphold the democratic process and increase transparency. These platforms are the primary sources of (fake)news across the globe, and even with efficient fact-checkers, they cannot filter out the untruths, which travel further and faster than facts.
Summary of PerilsHuman beings are inherently complacent and callous about affairs that do not personally disrupt their lives. With over 2.77 million users, social media is one such universal disrupter. Digital platforms are the most convenient mode of communication to keep in touch with loved ones, entertainment news, and engaging with like-minded people and brands. However, with the advent of social media, society has been introduced to numerous afflictions like cyberbullying, teen depression, hate speech, false information surrounding democratic processes, the coordination of terrorist groups, and many more. There have been documented lynchings and deaths in many parts of India due to false news spread via social media. These attacks have been aimed at religious minorities in an effort to establish an authoritarian Hindu Nationalist government in India. In a more recent news discovery, these same Hindu Nationalists have been found to be spreading their right-wing agenda through the Indian American diaspora to influence the 2020 US Presidential election. The 2016 US Presidential election has already been tainted due to propaganda spread by external parties on social media. Our sovereignty seems to have been compromised and the 2020 US Presidential election has been described as a billion-dollar disinformation war.
The Coronavirus pandemic suffered at the hand of misinformation spread via social media as well. Our leaders failed us, media outlets failed us, and misinformation on social media platforms became the nail in the coffin. Some examples of misinformation were bogus treatments and cures, conspiracy theories about the origins of the virus, and inaccurate information on testing facilities.
What Next?Sinan Aral, author of “The Hype Machine: How Social Media Disrupts Our Elections, Our Economy, and Our Health — and How We Must Adapt.” aptly draws attention to move past the discussion of whether “Social Media is Good or Bad”. He encourages us to deliberate over how we must adapt and consciously nudge ourselves to be more reflective, leading with values that make us a flourishing society. The ad-based revenue model to capture audience attention, which is a precursor to persuasion, must be re-engineered. It is the 21st century and social media platforms are still allowing heinous and vile content to be published under the garb of “freedom of speech”. The people must take action and ensure these gigantic corporations running information across platforms are regulated and that they align themselves with principles and ethics that hold people accountable for malicious and irresponsible acts. Corporate corruption must cease to exist in the government. Integrity is an unknown characteristic in many global leaders today, who are willing to lie, cheat, and deceive to benefit their agenda and themselves. Therefore, people must gain awareness, protect themselves and their loved ones from these vicious establishments.
Preserve our EmpathyThe air of racial tension around the world is burdensome. Empathy heals divides. Empathy’s most avid promoters have strongly felt its absence. The current global climate rewards the pursuit of self-serving goals. That is exactly what the big technology companies, pharmaceuticals, and corporations are doing. The world needs more than just lip-service from these organizations. I urge all of us to be more cognizant of the struggles of people different from us and hold institutions accountable for unjust activities. Parents, educators, teachers must instill future generations with a strong sense of empathy. With the current trend, we are not far from a catastrophic crisis that transcends borders and races. Digital applications do make our life more colorful, but we must be very cautious about the hype surrounding social media platforms.

Vicious Vents & Bullshit Meeting

THE ANATOMY OF A BULLSHIT MEETINGThere are good meetings, there are bad meetings and then there are bullshit meetings.
Good meetings tend to happen when the person who organizes the meeting has a specific request with a specific deadline. Someone is asking for help.
Telling traits of a good meeting is clear objectives, open lines of question, honest debate about underlying assumptions, opposing (and evidenced) points of view, moments of (thinking) silence, collectively-made decisions ending with the exacting delegation of concrete tasks. Including the possibility of a collective decision to abandon the work with no further tasks. Good meetings are invaluable.
Bad meetings actually have many of the same traits as good meetings, but lack the clear decisions and follow-up tasks. Someone is still asking for help. Honest debate happens but do not progress the work very far. Smart things are said but without committed next steps. Bad meetings are frustrating, but often still have value because they stem from good faith effort.
Bullshit meetings are when everyone shows up already confused.
They show up for the sake of showing up.
Someone isn't asking for help.
 

Paul Reubens | The Man Behind the Bowtie | A Docu-Mini

Written, Presented & Compiled by Joe Ramonihttps://twitter.com/joeramonihttps://facebook.com/hatsoffjoePlease consider supporting me on Patreon:https://patreon.com/hatsoffentertainmentChapters:00:00:00 - Intro00:02:28 - Character Creation & Early Success00:07:16 - The Pee-wee Herman Show (1981)00:10:12 - Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)00:14:38 - Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986)00:18:14 - Big Top Pee-wee (1988)00:21:05 - Retirement of Pee-wee00:24:38 - Comeback

The Immanent Dangers of Hyper-Realistic Face Masks

Unmasking of America
6/1/2024 
Some hyper-realistic face masks are more believable than human faces. Some silicone masks are now so realistic that they can easily be mistaken for real faces. Hyper-realistic masks may allow the key characteristics of a persons’ appearance to be incorrectly identified according to Dr Jet G. Sanders.
In this study, led by Jet G. Sanders while at University of York  and published in Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, one-in-five people incorrectly guessed which was a real face and which was a hyper-realistic face mask when asked to compare two photographs side-by-side.
 Being able to do so makes police investigations and identifications much harder. According to Dr Sanders: “Failure to detect synthetic faces may have important implications for security and crime prevention as hyper-realistic masks may allow the key characteristics of a persons' appearance to be incorrectly identified. The study
Hyper-realistic face masks are made from a flexible silicone material and are designed to imitate real human features all the way down to a tiny freckle and fine wrinkles.
In this study by the Universities of York and Kyoto, researchers asked participants to look at pairs of photographs; one of a normal face and one of a person wearing a hyper-realistic face mask. Participants were asked to indicate which of the two they thought to be the mask, with easily-detectable low-realism masks used as controls.  
Surprisingly, participants got it wrong in one in five cases.
In studies such as these, limiting viewing duration is standard practice when a task may otherwise be too simple. To assess whether this may have been a limiting factor, the authors repeated the experiment with a new cohort and no time limit. For high-realism masks, responses were slower and one in five participants incorrectly judged the real face to be the mask.
Data were collected from participants from both the UK and Japan to establish any differences according to race. When asked to choose between photographs depicting faces of a different race to the trial participant, response times were approximately 400 times slower and selections were 5% less accurate.    
According to the researchers, this error rate likely underestimates the extent to which people may struggle to discern the difference when tested outside a lab setting, in everyday situations.
Author Dr Rob Jenkins said:
"We made it clear to viewers that their task was to identify the mask in each pair of images. Example masks were shown before the test began. In a real-life situation, the error rate would likely be much higher than in our study as hyper-realistic masks are extremely rare and many people may not know they exist." Use in criminal cases
Hyper-realistic face masks have most notably been used in criminal cases, with some criminals able to pass as a different age, gender or race. Being able to do so makes police invesitgations and identifications much harder.
According to Dr Sanders:
“Failure to detect synthetic faces may have important implications for security and crime prevention as hyper-realistic masks may allow the key characteristics of a persons’ appearance to be incorrectly identified.
“These masks currently cost around $100 to $500  each and we expect them to become more widely used as advances in manufacturing make them more affordable.”
The authors suggest that further research should assess difficulties in identification between real faces and partial masks used to distort particular features and whether this may also be influenced by race.  
The research is published in the open access journal Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications.

THE DEEPFAKE DILEMMA: THE IMMINENT DANGERS OF A.I.

Deep Fake Meaning
deep·​fake ˈdēp-ˌfāk. plural deepfakes. : an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said.------------------------------------------------------------
Deepfakes were originally defined as synthetic media that have been digitally manipulated to replace one person's likeness convincingly with that of another. The term was coined in 2017 by a Reddit user, and has later been expanded to cover any videos, pictures, or audio made with artificial intelligence to appear real, for example realistic-looking images of people who do not exist. 
While the act of creating fake content is not new, deepfakes leverage tools and techniques from machine learning and artificial intelligence, including facial recognition algorithms and artificial neural networks such as variational autoencoders (VAEs) and generative adversarial networks (GANs). In turn the field of image forensics develops techniques to detect manipulated images. Deepfakes have garnered widespread attention for their potential use in creating child sexual abuse material, celebrity pornographic videos, revenge porn, fake news, hoaxes, bullying, and financial fraud.
The spreading of disinformation and hate speech through deepfakes has the potential to undermine the key core functions and norms of democratic systems by interfering with people's ability to participate in decisions that affect them, determine collective agendas and express political will through informed decision-making. Both the information technology industry and government have responded with recommendations to detect and limit their use
From traditional entertainment to gaming, deepfake technology has evolved to be increasingly convincing and available to the public, allowing the disruption of the entertainment and media industries
 
Doppelganger Meaning
Someone who looks eerily like you, but isn't a twin, is a doppelganger. Originally, this was a type of ghost. The word doppelganger is German and literally means double walker — as in a ghost or shadow of yourself.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO GEORGE REEVES?

WHO REALLY KILLED SUPERMANTHE STRANGE SAGA AND MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF ACTOR GEORGE REEVES
When famous celebrities die suddenly, it is natural for human curiosity to wonder what truly happened. In 1959, George Reeves, who became a star as the original Clark Kent/Superman on television, passed away. It was said that he died by suicide but many people still believe that he was murdered. Although the entire story remains a mystery, let’s go over the facts that we do know about his strange death.
Just a year after the television series Adventures of Superman ended, Phyllis Coates (who played Lois Lane in the series) received a very strange call. It was from a woman named Toni Mannix (whom Reeves had been having an affair with as she was the wife of MGM general manager Eddie Mannix) and she said, “The boy is dead. He’s been murdered.” Turns out, she was referring to Reeves, who had been found dead in his bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. There was a party going on at the time, and some say that he committed suicide because of depression and his inability to find another gig after playing Superman.
After his death was ruled a suicide, his mother could not accept it and asked for the case to be reinvestigated as a homicide. They found no additional evidence that would support his death being a murder and she withdrew her request. Even so, some still believe that he was murdered.
Some people believe that it could have been Eddie Mannix who had him killed as he was rumored to have connections with the Mob. However, he was also having affairs and by the time Reeves died, he had been dating another woman named Leonore Lemmon, who was there that night. She reportedly began telling party guests that her lover was going to shoot himself and when they heard a gunshot, she said, “I told you, he’s shot himself.” She later said she was “only kidding.”
Film Career
Reeves's film career began in 1939 when he was cast as Stuart Tarleton (incorrectly listed in the film's credits as Brent Tarleton), one of Scarlett O'Hara's suitors in Gone with the Wind.  
It was a minor role, but he and Fred Crane were in the film's opening scene. (Reeves and Crane both dyed their hair red to portray the Tarleton twins.) After Gone with the Wind was filmed, Reeves returned to the Pasadena Playhouse and was given the lead role in the play Pancho. 
This part directly led to his being contracted to Warner Brothers. Warner had him change his professional name to George Reeves. His Gone with the Wind screen credit reflects the change. 
Between the start of production on Gone With the Wind and its release 12 months later, several films on his Warner contract were made and released, making Gone With the Wind his first film role, but his fifth film release.

JUNIORS FARM 50 YEARS LATER WITH DAN EALEY

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In 1974, a bold Beatles fan talked his way into meeting Paul McCartney on a Tennessee farm. He ended up spending several weeks hanging out with the former Beatle's band and occasionally meeting McCartney as they rehearsed new music.
Tonight, Dan Ealey will get to see McCartney once again, this time as a guest of the band when the former Beatle plays Thompson-Boling Arena.
To Ealey, McCartney is like Beethoven. In music, both have the same stature, he said.
"When I met Paul (in 1974) I said to my friends, Who can you meet in your life that will be remembered a thousand years from now?" Ealey told WBIR on Tuesday.
"I'm certain that Paul will be one of them."
Credit: Dan Ealey
Dan Ealey will be holding this poster tonight when he sees Paul McCartney play at Thompson-Boling Arena. That's a photo of him with Paul at the farm in 1974.
Ealey, 67, a musician and private detective in Cookeville, is a music super-fan, especially when it comes to McCartney and the Beatles.
He's collected thousands of albums and singles; he's got a couple of Hofner basses signed by McCartney, and he has gathered other noteworthy items including a tea set once owned by Brian Epstein, the late Beatles manager.
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He also has a story that few others can tell -- about going to the Wilson County, Tenn., farm of songwriter Curly Putman in June 1974, spending days hanging out with Wings musicians Denny Laine and Geoff Britton and actually giving McCartney a bass as a spur-of-the-moment gift.
Ealey was 19 in June 1974. He'd fallen in love with the Beatles 10 years before as a result of their historic TV appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Credit: Dan Ealey
Dan Ealey is looking forward to seeing Paul McCartney on Tuesday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
He'd spotted an item in The Tennessean newspaper reporting that McCartney might be coming to the state in '74. The Liverpool native and the Beatles had split four years before. He was enjoying worldwide success with his recent album, "Band on the Run". Many more hits were to come.
Ealey heard McCartney and his wife, Linda, might have taken up residence at a secluded home in Wilson County west of Nashville. He had a few clues as to where the musician might be, so he set out in his Ford Torino station wagon on the hunt.
He spotted a man in overalls along a rural roadside near Lebanon, Tenn. Ealey thought the man likely wouldn't have a clue, but it was at least worth asking him.
Did the man know anything about a former Beatle being in the area? Ealey inquired.
You mean those guys from England? the man replied.
Credit: Dan Ealey
McCartney on Junior's Farm in 1974.
And just like that, Ealey's adventure began. The young man found the place, which turned out to be Putman's gated spread of about 133 acres, including a main house, guest house and pond. Putman would later recall that he and his family ended up taking a trip to Hawaii, thanks to his famous guests.
McCartney ended up memorializing the farm in his single that year called "Junior's Farm". He's expected to perform the song tonight with his band as part of his Knoxville set.
While at the farm that June, Ealey met and befriended Laine, a guitarist and veteran of the Moody Blues, and Britton, the drummer. He got to see McCartney. He was suddenly in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Ealey made a point from then on of going out to the Putman farm every day. Sometimes he manned the gate; sometimes he just hung out, chatting and socializing with McCartney's team.
Credit: Dan Ealey
Ealey's personalized license plate.
He still has about two hours of recordings he made while the band rehearsed Wings numbers. That happened because he decided to take his tape recorder out one day to the farm.
He often brought gifts, like the time he presented McCartney with an embroidered shirt he found in Cookeville and the time he abruptly turned over his Rickenbacker bass as a present for McCartney.
Ealey said one day he brought the new bass over to the farm to show it off. Laine saw it, played it and declared McCartney would likely love it.
"Well, then, give it to him!" Ealey blurted.
McCartney kept it a couple of weeks but ultimately returned it, gratified but telling the young man he really should have it for himself. 
Credit: Live Nation
The advertisement for McCartney's show May 31 in Knoxville.
"You know, it would be silly for me to keep this bass," he recalled McCartney telling him.
McCartney did, however, keep and wear the colorful, embroidered shirt. A thrilled Ealey spotted him wearing it one day while using binoculars on the property.
Ealey said McCartney also made a point of making him feel welcome. While celebrating his 32nd birthday on the farm -- June 18, 1974 -- McCartney introduced Ealey to music legend Roy Orbison, who'd been invited to the party.
Another time, Ealey brought his friend Billy Dyer to the farm on the off chance they might get to see McCartney. Sure enough, the musician drove up and when he spotted Ealey, he remarked, "How ya' doing, Dan?
An astonished Dyer whispered to Ealey, "Paul McCartney knows your name!"
Credit: WBIR
Ealey shows off his Rickenbacker bass.
After about six weeks at the farm, it was time for McCartney and the band to move on. They had music to record and plans to make.
He'd never dream of doing it today, but back in the 1970s Ealey decided to sell that Rickenbacker bass -- just because. When you're 19 you don't always think of life from a long-term perspective.
Of course, he soon regretted what he'd done. It took him years before he finally was able to get the bass back. He keeps it safe at home now -- one of his great treasures.
After McCartney announced this winter plans to play Knoxville, the Cookeville man hoped he could get McCartney to sign the old bass for him.
Credit: Dan Ealey
Dan Ealey and Denny Laine in 1974 on the farm.
That doesn't appear likely to happen now, but through connections he's made to people close to McCartney, he is getting two tickets to see McCartney at Thompson-Boling Arena.
He and Dyer plan to be there, hopefully, close enough that McCartney will spot them from the stage. Ealey has seen McCartney in concert before, but Tuesday night will be special.
He thinks he is the first person to hear the early version of Wings play live in America -- because of their rehearsals all those years ago down on Junior's Farm. He still counts himself as friends with Laine and Britton, trading occasional communications with them.
What if he could speak to McCartney today?
"People ask me, Do you think Paul still remembers you? Many people say I'm sure he still does because I was there all the time.
"You know, I gave him the bass, I gave him the shirt. I would just want to know how much he remembers about me being at the farm, if he remembers introducing me to Roy Orbison."
Maybe, just maybe, he'll get to have that conversation someday.

Celebrity Influencers

In marketing, celebrity endorsement is a very common phenomenon in the twenty-first century. Knoll and Matthes concluded that almost celebrities have appeared in every fifth advertisement. A study suggested that agencies have spent 10% of advertisement costs on promoting endorsements. In contrast, few multinational organizations have spent more than 25% of their promotion on endorsers. A celebrity is a personality who gains public appreciation and recognition from the name of the organization, whom they are endorsing for the purpose of promotion.
Celebrities enjoy fame and popularity, influencing the endorsed brand’s image. The celebrity portrays a clear image of an organization to consumers. Brand marketing by a celebrity or a famous personality develops attractive appeal, gains more attention, and high recall. Companies use celebrities to create a distinguished position in the market and to build a positive brand image, which shapes a positive consumer attitude and a unique brand personality/organization. Marketing managers and advertisers use endorsement strategies such as celebrity endorsement for their organizations because they understand that consumer attitude toward a celebrity also transfers to the organization. Therefore, marketers and advertisers hire an appropriate celebrity because the endorsement by consumers’ accepted celebrity enhances consumers’ positive attitude. Another study also concluded that the positive association of celebrity-brand partnership and brand evaluation played a role in designing advocacy and engagement.
NEW TERM: Influencer Marketing

DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS: INSIDE THE FOOD INDUSTRY

DISHIN THE DIRT ON THE FOOD INDUSTRY
Dirty Secrets of The Food Processing Industry
Source: www.westonaprice.org/modern-foods...
ADD TO MY ARTICLES 
We have always processed our food; this is an activity that is uniquely human. We chop, soak, cook and ferment our food - as well as grind and dry - these are all types of processing.Traditional processing has two functions: to make food more digestible and to preserve it for use during times when food isn’t readily available. Nutritious, long-lasing processed foods including pemmican, hard sausage and old-fashioned meat puddings and haggis, as well as grain products, dairy products, pickles—everything from wine and spirits to lacto-fermented condiments. Farmers and artisans—bread makers, cheese makers, distillers, millers and so forth—processed the raw ingredients into delicious foods that retained their nutritional content over many months or even years, and kept the profits on the farm and in the farming communities where they belonged.Unfortunately, in modern times, we have substituted local artisanal processing with factory and industrial processing, which actually diminishes the quality of the food, rather than making it more nutritious and digestible. Industrial processing depends upon sugar, white flour, processed and hydrogenated oils, synthetic food additives and vitamins, heat treatment and the extrusion of grains.
BREAKFAST CEREALS 
Let’s look at the processing involved in the typical American breakfast of cereal, skim milk and orange juice. Cold breakfast cereals are produced by a process called extrusion. Grains are mixed with water, processed into a slurry and placed in a machine called an extruder. The grains are forced out of a tiny hole at high temperature and pressure, which shapes them into little o’s or flakes or shreds. Individual grains passed through the extruder expand to produce puffed wheat, oats and rice. These products are then subjected to sprays that give a coating of oil and sugar to seal off the cereal from the ravages of milk and to give it crunch.In his book Fighting the Food Giants, biochemist Paul Stitt describes the extrusion process, which treats the grains with very high heat and pressure, and notes that the processing destroys much of their nutrients. It denatures the fatty acids; it even destroys the synthetic vitamins that are added at the end of the process. The amino acid lysine, a crucial nutrient, is especially damaged by the extrusion process.Even boxed cereals sold in health food stores are made using the extrusion process. They are made with the same kind of machines and mostly in the same factories. The only “advances” claimed in the extrusion process are those that will cut cost, regardless of how the process alters the nutrient content of the product.With so many millions of boxes of cereal sold each year, one would expect to see published studies showing the effects of these cereals on animals and humans. But breakfast cereals are a multi-billion dollar industry that has created huge fortunes for a few people. A box of cereal containing a penny's worth of grain sells for four or five dollars in the grocery store--there is probably no other product on earth with such a large profit margin. These profits have paid for lobbying efforts and journal sponsorships that have effectively kept any research about extruded grains out of the scientific literature and convinced government officials that there is no difference between a natural grain of wheat and a grain that has been altered by the extrusion process.
THE RAT EXPERIMENTS 
Unpublished research indicates that the extrusion process turns the proteins in grains into neurotoxins. Stitt describes an experiment, conducted in 1942 by a cereal company but locked away in the company's file cabinet, in which four sets of rats were given special diets. One group received plain whole wheat grains, water and synthetic vitamins and minerals. A second group received puffed wheat (an extruded cereal), water and the same nutrient solution. A third set was given water and white sugar. A fourth set was given nothing but water and synthetic nutrients. The rats that received the whole wheat lived over a year on this diet. The rats that got nothing but water and vitamins lived about two months. The animals on a white sugar and water diet lived about a month. The study showed that the rats given the vitamins, water and all the puffed wheat they wanted died within two weeks—even before the rats that got no food at all. These results suggest that there was something very toxic in the puffed wheat itself! Proteins are very similar to certain toxins in molecular structure, and the pressure of the puffing process may produce chemical changes that turn a nutritious grain into a poisonous substance.Another unpublished experiment was carried out in 1960. Researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor were given eighteen laboratory rats. These were divided into three groups: one group received cornflakes and water; a second group was given the cardboard box that the cornflakes came in and water; the control group received rat chow and water. The rats in the control group remained in good health throughout the experiment. The rats eating the box became lethargic and eventually died of malnutrition. The rats receiving the cornflakes and water died before the rats that were eating the box! (The first box rat died the day the last cornflake rat died.) Furthermore, before death, the cornflakes-eating rats developed aberrant behavior, threw fits, bit each other and finally went into convulsions. Autopsy revealed dysfunction of the pancreas, liver and kidneys and degeneration of the nerves of the spine, all signs of insulin shock. The startling conclusion of this study was that there was more nourishment in the box than in the cornflakes. This experiment was designed as a joke, but the results were far from funny.Most Americans eat boxed cereals today. Because these are fortified with synthetic nutrients, the USDA can claim that they are as healthy as the grains from which they are made. Many of these cereals contain at least 50 percent of calories as sugar. Those sold in health food stores may be made of whole grains and fewer sweeteners. However, these whole grain extruded cereals are probably more dangerous than their refined grain counterparts sold in the supermarkets, because they are higher in protein, and it is the proteins in these cereals that are rendered toxic by this type of processing.
 

More Conspiracies Abound

Conspiracies and Cover-Ups at Large
Many Conspiracy Theories Aren't Just Theories
You may have noticed that this website consciously avoids using the term "conspiracy theory." We do this not because we don't believe there are major conspiracies happening in the world. The official story of 9/11 is a conspiracy theory in that the government claims 19 hijackers conspired together to hijack four planes and create terror in the world.
The WantToKnow.info website purposely avoids using words like "conspiracy theory" because many people who are not aware of the many major cover-ups being hidden from the public shut down their rational mind as soon as they hear the word conspiracy.
The main purpose of the WantToKnow.info website is not to preach to the choir – those who already know about 9/11, mass media, mind control, UFOs, and other conspiracies – but rather to reach those who know little to nothing about all that is being hidden. We have found that the most successful way to reach those who don't know is to present them with reliable, verifiable information that does not overly tax their belief systems.
Psychologically, most people can't handle too much disturbing information at once. Thus, we initially present only a small chunk of the conspiracy which the uninitiated can digest without being overwhelmed. Yet for those who are ready, we also offer lots more resources to go deeper.
For those ready to dive into the deepest material from the vast collection of reliable conspiracy information presented here, we invite you to explore the powerful collection of essays available at this link. Though the sources used are not up to our normal high standards, these revealing essays present the big picture of what is happening on planet Earth in a deep, yet inspiring way.
You can also explore some of the excellent material we've put together on such important topics as remote viewing, HAARP, Nazi secrets, Freemasons, electronic harassment, chemtrails, cults and ritual abuse, ruling bloodlines, and the afterlife. To understand the really big picture, consider exploring a sequence of mind control documents which goes way deep at this link. And for by far the best single source revealing the deepest levels of deception, explore Lifting the Veil.
We have also compiled a free, powerful online course which connects the dots on the big picture of what's going on in 11 information-packed lessons. This Hidden Knowledge Course not only gives a comprehensive view of all conspiracy theories, it provides ideas on what we can do to turn it all around and make a difference in our world. Even if you are aware of the big picture, you are almost guaranteed both to find some pearls and to find more hope through this mind-expanding course. Then take a look at this link to explore other courses there which combine amazingly inspiring materials with the conspiracy material.
 
 

Wrestling Promotion Wars (WWE vs WCW) The Monday Night Wars)

PROMOTION WARSThe Monday Night War[1][2][3][4] or the Monday Night Wars, was an era of mainstream televised American professional wrestling, from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001, in which the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF; now WWE) Monday Night Raw (later Raw Is War) and World Championship Wrestling's (WCW) Monday Nitro were broadcast opposite each other in a battle for Nielsen ratings each week. It largely overlapped with the Attitude Era, a period in which the WWF used the term "WWF Attitude" to describe its programming from November 9, 1997 to May 6, 2002.
The rating war was part of a larger overall struggle between the WWF and WCW, originating in personal animosity between respective owners Vince McMahon and Ted Turner. The rivalry steadily escalated throughout the 1990s to include the use of cutthroat tactics and the defections of employees between the two promotions. Throughout the war, the WWF and WCW would both adopt different concepts and narrative techniques. Meanwhile, both companies would establish both formal and informal partnerships with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), with ECW performers either appearing on WWF and WCW shows while still under contract, or outright leaving ECW to work for one of the other two companies.
While WCW was the dominant promotion for much of the mid-1990s, a variety of factors coalesced to turn the tide in the WWF's favor at the end of the decade, including a radical rebranding of their formerly family-friendly product into highly sexualized and violent shows geared towards older teens and adults. WCW ultimately ran into financial difficulties as a result of the amount of money they had promised wrestlers during a hiring binge in the early and middle part of the decade, which had been aimed at acquiring large portions of the WWF's talent roster. Behind the scenes, executives who had longed to see WCW removed from the Turner organization were eventually able to see it come to fruition after Turner Broadcasting's merger with Time Warner and their merger with America Online (AOL). With Turner no longer in control, corporate executives of the combined AOL Time Warner sold WCW's assets. Despite efforts to salvage the company, it was ultimately sold to McMahon, ending the Monday Night War.
In retrospect, wrestling commentators have come to see the Monday Night War as a golden age of professional wrestling, along with the 1940s–1950s and 1980s booms, with the competition between the WWF and WCW bringing out their best quality product both in terms of creativity and the performances of their wrestlers.

The Mandela Effect & Glitches in the Matrix

Notable Examples of the Mandela Effect
The story of Nelson Mandela is not the only example of this type of false group memory. As the concept of the Mandela Effect grew along with Broome's website, other group false memories began to emerge.
Henry VIII Eating a Turkey Leg
 Henry VIII, sans turkey leg.
Wikimedia Commons
People had a memory that the above portrait of Henry VIII featured him eating or holding a turkey leg, though no such painting has ever existed. There have, however, been similar cartoons created. This may be related to the common knowledge of Henry VIII as a large man.
Luke, I Am Your Father
If you saw Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back, you probably remember Darth Vader uttering the famous line, "Luke, I am your father" in the pivotal scene near the end of the film.
You might be surprised to learn, then, that the line was actually, "No, I am your father." Most people have memories of the line being the former rather than the latter, and it is commonly quoted incorrectly.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
If you watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, you probably remember the line, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" As you can see from the above subtitled screenshot, the line actually began with the phrase "Magic mirror on the wall" instead. It probably doesn't help matters that Julia Roberts and Lily Collins starred in a 2012 live-action film based on Snow White called "Mirror Mirror"!
Oscar Meyer or Oscar Mayer?
There is some controversy over the spelling of the famous brand of hot dogs, Oscar Mayer weiners. Some people claim to remember the brand being spelled "Meyer" instead of "Mayer," which is the correct spelling.
To be fair, the brand pronunciation is a closer match for the "Meyer" spelling, while "Mayer" is often pronounced differently, as in the musician John Mayer's name.
Location of New Zealand
Google Maps
Where is New Zealand in relation to Australia? If you look at a map, you will see that it is southeast of the country. However, there is a community of people who claim to remember New Zealand being northeast instead of southeast.
Berenstein Bears
The famous children's book series the "Berenstain Bears" created by Stan and Jan Berenstain is not immune to the Mandela effect. Many people report remembering the name being the Berenstein Bears (spelled with an "e" instead of an "a").
This is similar to the Oscar Mayer issue and hints at perhaps an underlying cognitive reason for the Mandela Effect instead of parallel realities, as some people believe.

Government Cover Ups: Still a Thing?

Government Cover Ups & Conspiracy Theories Still a Thing?--------------------------------------------
9 Huge Government Conspiracies That Actually HappenedWe all know the conspiracy theories — the government's plan for 9/11, the second gunman who shot JFK, the evolution of the elite from a race of blood-drinking, shape-shifting lizards. 
But the people who spread these ideas usually can't prove them. 
As the years pass, however, secrets surface. Government documents become declassified. We now have evidence of certain elaborate government schemes right here in the US of A. 
The US Department of the Treasury poisoned alcohol during Prohibition — and people died. 
The 18th Amendment, which took effect in January 1920, banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol — but not consumption. Despite the government's efforts, alcoholism actually skyrocketed during the era.
To keep up with America's thirst, bootleggers not only created their own alcohol but also stole industrial versions, rendered undrinkable by the inclusion of certain chemicals (namely methyl alcohol). Liquor syndicates then employed chemists to "re-nature" the alcohol once again, making it safe for consumption, according to Deborah Blum, author of "The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York."
 The US Public Health Service lied about treating black men with syphilis for more than 40 years.
In 1932, the Public Health Service collaborated with the Tuskegee Institute to record the history of syphilis in the black male community, hoping to justify a treatment program. 
Called the Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male, the study initially included 600 black men — 399 with the disease and 201 without. While the men were told they would receive treatment, however, the researchers never provided adequate treatment for the disease. Even when penicillin became the preferred and available treatment for syphilis, researchers kept their subjects in the dark. 
Although originally planned to last only six months, the experiment continued for 40 years. Finally, in 1972, an Associated Press article prompted public outrage and a subsequent investigation. A government advisory panel deemed the study "ethically irresponsible" and research ended almost immediately.
As a result, the government settled a class-action lawsuit out of court in 1974 for $10 million and lifetime health benefits for all participants, the last of whom died in 2004.
Parts of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, which led to US intervention in Vietnam, never happened.
Talk of Tonkin's status as a "false flag" for US involvement in the Vietnam War has permeated public discourse almost since the time of the attacks, especially after the government admitted that the second incident may have involved false radar images. 
Talk of Tonkin's status as a "false flag" for US involvement in the Vietnam War has permeated public discourse almost since the time of the attacks, especially after the government admitted that the second incident may have involved false radar images.
But after resisting comment for decades, the National Security Agency finally declassified documents in 2005, admitting the incident on August 4 never happened at all.FOR THE REST OF THE LIST FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW
https://www.businessinsider.com/true-government-conspiracies-2013-12

Wednesday Rant ....... Please Folks, Find Amelia a Job!

Fabulous Fads: The Craziest Fads from The Last 100 Years

Fabulous Fads: The Craziest Fads from The Last 100 YearsFlappers
Flappers arose at a time when women had just gained the right to vote, and participated in workforce efforts to support World War I. These young women were symbols of independence and freedom, unbound by social constraints of former generations, dancing to jazz in prohibition-era speakeasies in signature “flapper” dresses. While older generations regarded flappers negatively, modern history has painted them in a different light, as symbols of feminist power and a changing vision of womens’ involvement in politics, sexuality, and society.
The Duncan Yo-Yo
Donald Duncan was an American entrepreneur who is sometimes credited with inventing the yo-yo. In actuality, the yo-yo is an ancient toy. It’s depicted on a Greek vase from the fifth century B.C., and was popular in 18th- and 19th-century France and England. The term probably derives from Tagalog, Ilocano, or some other language of the Philippines, and the yo-yo first became popular in the U.S. after a Filipino immigrant started manufacturing the toy in California in 1928. Duncan bought his company the following year and altered the string mechanism, and his Duncan Toys Company sold millions of examples.
Betty Boop
Betty Boop was an animated icon of flapper and jazz culture. She was the brainchild of creators Max and Dave Fleischer, who featured her in a cartoon short called “Dizzy Dishes” in 1930. With her trademark hoop earrings, short black dress, and dark curls, Betty Boop gained the love of audiences across the nation. Her style has evolved to reflect different beauty and style standards throughout the decades.
Dance marathons
The “hop until you drop” dance marathons of the Depression era – in which contestants paid an entry fee to dance non-stop, with the last-standing winners earning a cash prize – were more than just a source of entertainment. They also provided both participants and attendees with meals and shelter for the duration of the marathon, at a time when food and money were scarce. Many danced untill they literally died. They were soon outlawed as cruel and unusual punishment.
Slinky
In 1943, inspired by a spring that appeared to “walk” when it was knocked off a shelf, naval mechanical engineer Richard T. James began developing the now-classic toy known as the Slinky. He began manufacturing it in 1944, but had trouble selling it until he arranged a demonstration in the toy department of Gimbels in Philadelphia. It impressed onlookers, and sold hundreds of units the same day. The Slinky went on to become one of the most recognizable toys in the country, with more than 300 million sold in its first 60 years.
Davy Crockett
A five-episode 1954 miniseries on Walt Disney’s “Disneyland” and a film based on the series the following year propelled Davy Crockett to icon status in American culture. The real Davy Crockett was a frontiersman and politician who died while fighting at the Alamo in 1836, but his fictional incarnation became a folk hero to children across the country, who donned Crockett-inspired coonskin caps while imagining life on the frontier.The Coonskin Cap can still be purchased on Amazon.
Hula Hoop
Hoops twirled around the waist have existed for at least 2500 years. The California-based toy company Wham-O – also known for the Frisbee – started making what a friend of the firms’ owners dubbed the Hula Hoop, in 1958 and it was an instant success. Originally marketed as a new fitness tool to tone the midsection, it sold an estimated 25 million units in its first four months.
TV Exercise Shows
Jack LaLanne made his name as a fitness icon, He was TV first exercise guru. Others followed like Charles Atlas (worlds strongest man) and Abbye ‘Pudgy’ Stockton, the worlds strongest woman. Jack La Lannes inspiration has spawned a permanent fixture on TV, the fitness show.
The Twist
The Mashed Potato, the Swim, and the Funky Chicken were all inspired by the 1960s dance craze called “The Twist.” The accompanying song was written and originally recorded by R&B pioneer Hank Ballard in 1958, but the version performed by Chubby Checker two years later became a smash hit and launched the dance craze. To do the Twist, dancers swiveled their hips with their front toe in place, and their arms out.
Sauna suit
Sauna suits are one of many fitness items that promise to slim down users without workouts or diets. They simply make the wearer hot and sweaty and do not effectively help with weight loss, as any pounds lost through dehydration will come back once the user hydrates.
Vibrating belts
In advertisements, the makers of vibrating belts promised their devices would jiggle a person’s belly, legs, or rear end and vibrate the fat away. The machines were popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but sales flopped when scientists found out that they did not actually help with weight loss or shrink down any parts of a person’s body.
Space Food Sticks
Pillsbury designed these snacks for astronauts specifically, but they were released to the public before they made it into space. These slender, chocolate-covered cookie sticks were marketed as providing the body the perfect balance of the three macronutrients – carbohydrates, fat, and protein – and came in a variety of flavors including mint and orange. This fad plummeted by the 1970s because of fading interest in the space program, and disappeared entirely in the 1980s. They were brought back in 2006 by a different snack company, but are now gone again.
Leg Beauty Kit
The Leg Beauty Kit was one of the earliest examples of a widely popular fitness product using rubber resistance bands. The kit was marketed to women as an inexpensive way to slim and tone their legs.
Jelly shoes
Before there were Crocs, there were Jelly shoes. The colorful footwear, crafted from PVC plastic, emerged in Europe decades before coming to the U.S. The shoes were introduced to the American market as a high fashion item in the 1980s, and gained traction across the country among adults and children alike.
Rubik’s Cube
Originally called the “Magic Cube” by its creator, Hungarian architect Ernő Rubik, the Rubik’s Cube was a puzzler’s delight. The Cube required players to align the cube such that each face had nine squares of the same color. The game was a massive success, quickly earning a place as one of the most popular puzzles in history.
The Macarena
In 1996, the Macarena was the dance everyone had memorized. “The Macarena” was performed by Spanish flamenco-pop duo Los Del Río, and was named for the daughter of one of the group’s members (though Macarena is also one of the 11 city quarters in Seville, the duo’s hometown). The song topped American charts for 14 weeks, and was subsequently interpreted by numerous other performers in both English and Spanish.
The Electric Slide
Back in 1976, Neville “Bunny Wailer” Livingston wrote a catchy song called “Electric Boogie” for his childhood buddy, singer Marcia Griffiths. Then choreographer Silver created the electric slide, a 22-step dance to the song that incorporated grapevines and a series of forward and backward steps.
Fanny pack
2018 saw a resurgence of the Fanny Pack, but the ’80s and ’90s were the belt bag’s statement decades. The fanny pack was as much about fashion as it was about utility. The concept is prehistoric: a frozen body dating back 5,000 years was discovered wearing a waist bag not much different from a modern fanny pack.
Troll dolls
If you grew up during the 1990s, you, your siblings, or your friends probably owned a Troll doll. While Troll dolls, which originated in Denmark, first became popular in the 1960s, they made a comeback in the ’90s. Troll dolls came with multiple hair colors, and some had speciality “gem” bellies. Troll dolls haven’t lost their pizazz; two feature films about animated “Trolls,” based on the toys, were released in 2016 and 2020.
Cabbage Patch Dolls
1976As a 21 year old art student, Xavier Roberts rediscovers “needle molding” a German technique for fabric sculpture from the early 1800s. Combining his interest in sculpture with the quilting skills passed down from his mother, Xavier creates his first soft-sculptures.
1978Xavier wins a first place ribbon for sculpture at the Osceola Art Show. He begins delivering his hand made Little People Originals and exhibiting them at arts and crafts shows in the southeast. He finds that many parents are happy to pay the $40.00 “adoption fee” for one of his hand signed Little People Originals.
1981The growing success of Xavier’s hand made Little People Originals is documented by Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlanta Weekly, and many others. There are reports that earlier editions are re-adopting for as much as 100 times their initial adoption fee.
2000The Cabbage Patch Postage Stamp goes on sale in January of 2000. Cabbage Patch has netted more than 100 Billion dollars in revenue since it's inception. And it's still around.
Turbo Man Doll:How a fictional movie toy became a reality.
If you're a fan of the movie "Jingle All The Way" and you've always wanted your very own "Turbo Man" toy,  now you can. It's a little pricey, it can set you back up to $200 bucks, so if you really want it to be "Turbo Time" at your house, Funko Pop Toys can make that a reality. Available on Amazon.com
 

ACTOR KEVIN SORBO - TV's "HERCULES"

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kevin Sorbo
Sorbo in 2022
Born
Kevin David Sorbo
September 24, 1958 (age 65)Mound, Minnesota, U.S.
Alma mater
Minnesota State University Moorhead (BA)
Occupations
Actor
producer
director
Years active
1984–present
Spouse
Sam Jenkins
 
​
(m. 1998)​
Children
3, including Braeden Sorbo
Website
kevinsorbo.net
Kevin David Sorbo (born September 24, 1958) is an American actor and producer. He has had starring roles in two television series: as Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995–1999) and as Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda (2000–2005). In between his years playing Hercules, Sorbo played his first leading film role in the 1997 fantasy film Kull the Conqueror.
Sorbo is also known for acting in Christian films such as God's Not Dead (2014) and Let There Be Light (2017).
Early life and education[edit]
Sorbo was born in Mound, Minnesota, on September 24, 1958.[1] He is of Norwegian descent.[2] He was raised in a Lutheran family.[3] Sorbo attended Minnesota State University Moorhead, where he double majored in marketing and advertising.[4] To help pay for tuition, he began to work as a model for print and television advertising.[5]
Early work[edit]
In the mid-1980s, Sorbo traveled around Europe and Australia working in television commercials and also modeling for print advertisements. During this period, he made his acting debut in an episode of the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1986. He continued working in advertising and by the early 1990s, he had appeared in over 150 commercials. One of the popular commercials he appeared in was for Jim Beam bourbon whiskey, known for Sorbo's repeated catchphrase, "This ain't Jim Beam".[6]
He made guest appearances in television series such as 1st & Ten, Murder She Wrote, and The Commish. In 1992, he played his first leading role in an unsuccessful television pilot for a medical drama series titled Condition: Critical, which was not picked up, but aired as a television film on ABC. He was considered for and lost out to Dean Cain as Superman in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and was one of the possible contenders for the role of Fox Mulder in The X-Files, which went to David Duchovny.[7][8][9][10] In 1993, he made his film debut in Slaughter of the Innocents.[11]
Professional breakthrough with Hercules[edit]
In 1993, Sorbo received his breakthrough leading role as the ancient greek demigod Hercules in a series of five television films that aired as part of Universal Television's Action Pack.[12] The first film to premiere was Hercules and the Amazon Women, which aired in April 1994, the others following later in the year. The ratings success of the films paved the way for the commission of the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, which started airing in syndication from January 1995 and ran for six seasons. The series made Sorbo an international star and was one of the highest rated syndicated television shows at the time.[13][better source needed]
The success of the show spawned the popular spin-off series Xena: Warrior Princess starring Lucy Lawless, who was introduced in a three-episode arc in the first season of Hercules. This allowed several characters from both shows to make crossover appearances. In 1998, a spin-off direct-to-video, animated film titled Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus was released with both Sorbo and Lawless voicing the characters.[14]
Hercules was canceled midway through the filming of Season Six, of which only eight episodes were produced. The final episode aired in November 1999.[15] Although it was not revealed at the time, health issues reduced Sorbo's abilities to perform the physically demanding role during the later seasons.[16] Sorbo made his final appearance as Hercules on Xena, in the Season Five episode "God Fearing Child", which aired in February 2000.
In between his years playing Hercules, Sorbo played his first leading film role in the 1997 film Kull the Conqueror. In a mostly negative review, The New York Times writes, "Mr. Sorbo provides the requisite oiled torso, a hint of humor and the professionalism and good grace to act as if Kull the Conqueror mattered."[17]
Post-Hercules work[edit]
After Hercules ended, Sorbo played the starring role of Captain Dylan Hunt in the science-fiction drama series Andromeda from 2000 to 2005. In 2006, he played a recurring role on the final season of The O.C.
In 2007, he starred in two direct-to-video sequels to Walking Tall, Walking Tall: The Payback and Walking Tall: Lone Justice. In the Hallmark Channel film Avenging Angel, he co-starred with his real wife, Sam Jenkins.
In the 2008, he appeared in the spoof film titled Meet the Spartans, which was a box office success despite poor reviews.[18][19]
Sorbo in 2013In the first of what would be several voice acting jobs, Sorbo performed one of the main protagonists, Prometheus, in the video game The Conduit.[20] He also reprised the role of Hercules in the video game God of War III and worked together with his wife on the game Cloudberry Kingdom.[21]
In 2014, Sorbo co-starred in God's Not Dead, a Christian film in which he portrayed an atheist college professor who requires his students to disown their religions on the first day of his class.[22] Although heavily panned by critics, it was a commercial success and the first of a sequence of Christian films that Sorbo would produce or perform.[23][24][25]
Sorbo appeared in the 2015 romantic comedy Single in South Beach, starring Haley Webb. On Twitter, in 2019, she accused Sorbo of sexual advances and of sexually harassing her on the set. However, Webb did not elaborate on any of her accusations, and he did not respond to her tweet.[26][27]
In 2017, Sorbo directed and starred in the Christian drama film Let There Be Light, which featured conservative pundit Sean Hannity, who was also an executive producer. It was described by the New Yorker as "a cynical, xenophobic morality tale, as bitter as it is saccharine" that closes with "a dénouement of bald Islamophobia".[28][29] The Los Angeles Times, although critical, says that it provides "an involving bonanza" for its intended Christian audience. Sorbo is described as bringing "puckish charm and credible warmth to his role".[30]
In 2023, he is set to appear in the Ronald Reagan biopic opposite Dennis Quaid who plays the title role.[31]

ADDICTED TO SPORTS

WHY ARE WE ADDICTED TO SPORTS?A Personal Analytical Perspective 
Whether it is watching a new sport that I’ve never watched before or playing a sport that I have never played before, or both. I find that I cannot ever switch off from being interested in that sport in one way or another for the rest of my life. The question is then, do I have my own sports addiction?
Now I don’t mean that every time in my life since I was a little kid, I’ve come across a sport and then gone out and bought all the gear to play that sport. I mean that there is now always a vested interest in my life if that sport ever comes back into my life, because there is no way that I could keep up with all the sports I “follow” on a daily basis. I would never get out of bed in the morning otherwise, as I’d be catching up on Twitter with all the latest news from around the world.
Now, most people I know and I obviously mean my friends and of course people you have worked with like one sport or another, but every sport? Your work colleagues might not be your best friends, but in terms of years worked you do tend to spend more time with them throughout the year than say your mates and even to a point, your partner. In all the years I have worked I have always found it relatively easy to strike up a conversation, but normally that is because I always bring it around to sport. Whether it is rugby, cricket, American football, squash, Aussie rules, horse racing or both the winter and summer Olympics for example.
Basically, I have yet to find a sport that I can generally say I dislike and that I cannot find some sort of interest in but not everyone is the same as me. A lot of my friends cannot stand rugby or cricket and they are up there with some of my favourites sports. Of course these days it is even easier to watch sport when you have a favorite sportsperson or sports teams you can follow and watch at home. The ease of watching sport at home these days is of course so much easier with the choice of sports channels you can watch on your TV, phone, laptop or tablet.
The watching of sport can surely only be done if you generally enjoy it as well though and I do. I really do. It’s not a new thing either, I definitely know I’ve been like this for at least twenty-seven years and I’m now 42 years-old. The reason I chose to go back to the age of 15, was because that is when I know my parents got SKY TV in at our home. The pure joy of having three different sports channels with all sorts of sports on was brilliant, I think the channels were Eurosport, Sky Sports and Screensport and there was all sorts of stuff to watch.
Don’t get me wrong either, I don’t just sit and watch sport, I love playing it as well and will always give anything a go. I think the competitive edge and the importance of keeping fit is half the reason why I love sport so much. Of course there are many other reasons too that sport can help with, most of which are genuine life skills at the end of the day and most we can teach our kids about too.
From team work to hard work and managing pressure, whilst at the same time working on your own as well as being a leader. All of these things are so important. Plus sport can teach you to never give up after failure and that success is sometimes just around the corner. I believe I do have my own sports addiction, but it is a good addiction to have. However, that does not mean that if you do not like certain random sports there is anything wrong with that, but please do always try to give things a go first. Then if it’s not for you, leave it, unfortunately I cannot.
 

The Nickelodeon TV Sex Scandal

TV Producer Dan Schneider and Arianna Grande
The documentary Quiet on Set alleges that Nickelodeon has a history of sexual abuse by producer Dan Schneider, production assistant Jason  Handy and assistant director/writer Brian Peck.
The documentary also claims that Dan Schneider, the creator and producer of The Amanda Show, ran a hierarchical and demanding workplace, and that he facilitated Amanda Bynes's running away from home and attempted emancipation. 
 
The documentary includes interviews with Drake Bell, who came forward about the child sexual abuse he faced in the docuseries' first run, and with two former writers on The Amanda Show, Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen, who allege that there was an abusive environment in the writers' room. 
 
Peck, a dialogue coach on shows including The Amanda Show and All That, was convicted of sexually abusing a minor in 2004. The child's identity was kept private and records were sealed. 
 
Schneider denied the claims, arguing that network executives approved all stories, dialogue, costumes, and makeup, and that a standards and practices group read and approved every script. 
 
 
 

The Planning, Implementation and Execution of The Alcatraz Escape

ALCATRAZ: THE LAST ESCAPETonight: The Planning, Implementation and Execution of The Alcatraz EscapeIts a story of greed, sex, lust, gangsters, strippers and a group of prisoners who were tired of being prisoners. Escaping from THE ROCK as it was called was no small feat. But Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin were no ordinary prisoners. They were cunning, smart and determined to beat the Rock known as Alcatraz the Inescapable. And so they did and the rest as they say is History. Or is it? I've said on this show many times, real life is far stranger than anything any writer could ever make up. ALCATRAZ: THE LAST ESCAPE by Ken Widner and Mike Lynch tell the story you DIDN'T know about the men who made the history books.
Fred Brizzi - Michael Dyke, the last Deputy Marshal assigned to the case, said Brizzi was "a drug smuggler and a con man," and was suspicious of his account of the Anglin Bros. Brizzi's widow said that she never heard him mention seeing the Anglin brothers in Rio, and that he was “a con man” who was prone to making up stories.
MARIANNA REFORM SCHOOL
In recent years, searches using ground-penetrating radar have discovered dozens of unmarked graves on school grounds. By late 2014, researchers have recovered the remains of fifty-five African-American boys. For decades the school remained segregated; blacks were not buried with whites. Thirty-one other boys are buried in a small cemetery, the only marked graves on the property. Most suspect many more graves are waiting to be found on the campus.
“Baby, money isn’t always the solution. God is the answer you need.”
Letters to Mother from ClarenceChuck Landis Club Owner - Fred Brizzi meet Micky Cohen

Human Adult/Child Sex Trafficking

Top 15 States In The U.S. For Human TraffickingHuman trafficking is far from being a curable disease of human society, even in developed and first world countries. This is also the case with the US, of course. Human trafficking in the US involves both inflow of foreign people in the country and the local population. According to the statistics of the National Human Trafficking Hotline and Polaris BFree Textline, more than 49,000 trafficking cases were reported during the last decade in the US.
Of all types of human trafficking, sexual exploitation is number one also in the US. More precisely – out of more than 10,000 reported human trafficking cases in 2017, around 7,200 were for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
But today we are not focusing on the type of human trafficking, but on the general statistics countrywide. We have done the research for the last year on the same issue, where we included some of the worst stats for human trafficking in 2018, which you can check out in our article on 12 Top States for Human Trafficking in 2018. Getting into more detail, concerning the top cities for human trafficking in 2018, there was no any reliable information on a worldwide level, but we did research which concerns US cities, and you can read more about this in 16 Top US Cities for Human Trafficking in 2019. Concerning the previous years, on the matter of the top US cities for human trafficking in 2017, there is a nice visual representation made by Polaris, showing the map of the cities and areas with the highest density of human trafficking for this year.
As we can see, situations in the top 10 states for human trafficking in 2017, or already mentioned top states for human trafficking in 2018 do not differ dramatically, which also stands for this year’s situation. This fact shows that the local government does not take enough effort in preventing human trafficking cases and that this is a very hard thing to fight since human trafficking is a very developed industry. International Labour Organization estimates that human trafficking is a $150 billion industry, of which $99 billion belongs to sexual exploitation.
We used some statistics provided for the last year since there is still not enough relevant data for 2019. However, it seems that trends remain more or less the same concerning the issues of the top states for human trafficking. So, we used the statistic provided by the National Human Trafficking Hotline, where reported cases were counted. Unfortunately, the number of unreported ones is unknown, so the situation might look a bit different than what we currently know.
As the top 10 states for human trafficking have kept their positions over years, the same situation was to be expected for 2019 and on. But, let’s see if there have been any oscillations in the number of reported human trafficking cases recently between them, and which the new incomers are in the 15 top states for human trafficking in 2019:
15. Arizona - No. of reported cases: 96Arizona is fighting against human trafficking actively. In September 2018, 24 people were arrested for being involved in the serious crime of child sex trafficking.
14. Virginia - No. of reported cases: 98Being among the top states for human trafficking, Virginia takes this problem seriously – it is the 6th state in the country when it comes to solving human trafficking cases.
13. New Jersey - No. of reported cases: 98Even though New Jersey now takes the 13th place compared to the 12th place last year, the number of human trafficking victims has actually risen from 83 to 98 reported cases. This is because of the alarming fact that human trafficking is on the rise in the US as well as in the world.
12. Washington - No. of reported cases: 99Despite Washington being the first state to sign the law that criminalizes human trafficking, this state, unfortunately still has an alarming number of human trafficking cases.
11. North Carolina - No. of reported cases: 126Human trafficking in North Carolina falls from the 8th to 11th position from 2018 to 2019. That is a good thing, even though it is still among the states which have a very developed human trafficking industry.
10. Pennsylvania - No. of reported cases: 127Although the rate of human trafficking in Pennsylvania is slowly decreasing, it is still among the top 10 states for human trafficking in 2019.
9. Illinois - No. of reported cases: 135Illinois has risen one place higher comparing to 2018 when it was number ten, and still being among the top states for human trafficking in 2019.
8. Georgia - No. of reported cases: 157It seems that human trafficking in Georgia has decreased, from the 6th place in 2018, it takes the 8th now. We hope it will continue to follow this path.
7. Nevada - No. of reported cases: 169In Nevada, as in other states, sex trafficking is at the top. And it usually concerns girls younger than 18 years of age!
6. Michigan - No. of reported cases: 176Good news came from Michigan the last October when 120 children who were victims of human trafficking were rescued. But this also shows the alarming fact that children are most endangered when it comes to human trafficking in the US.
5. New York - No. of reported cases: 206It seems that the number of human trafficking (and especially sex trafficking) cases in New York is dramatically increasing. The number of 206 cases is more than double than during 2016, so we might expect that New York gets even a higher position if we are to conduct the research about the top states for human trafficking in 2019, again at the end of this year.
4. Ohio - No. of reported cases: 219In Ohio,  the most trafficking take place in hotels and motels, Commercial-Front Brothels and online ad. venues, and it is mostly concentrated in the central part of the state.
3. Florida - No. of reported cases: 367The government of Florida seems to be working hard on preventing human trafficking, even though the state is one among those that have the most human trafficking reported cases. Namely, during 2018, 277 people were arrested for sex trafficking during an undercover operation called “Operation No Trick, No Treats”.
2. Texas - No. of reported cases: 455Human trafficking is crawling into every sphere of society it seems. News from Texas reported that an eighth-grade teacher was arrested in an attempt to traffic a child to Morocco.
1. California - No. of reported cases: 760California seems to keep the first place in 15 top states for human trafficking in 2019 as well. Not only it precedes every other country but the number of reported cases is quite higher compared to the second top trafficking state, Texas, as we have seen. One of the main risk factors for human trafficking in California include migration and relocation, where Latinos and Asians are the main target groups.
The Connection Between Foster Care and Human Trafficking
The child welfare system is an important and necessary institution that protects children whose parents are unable to care for them. The overwhelming majority of children and youth in foster care placements and group homes are healthy and safe. However, it is undeniable that most children and youth who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation have been involved with the foster care system at one point in their lives.
Commercially Sexually Exploited Children by StateMinimally half of the commercially sexually exploited children on the streets today were at one time living in foster care or a group home run by the state. While most of reports place this number above 50 percent, the statistics widely vary. At the high end, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, the Honorable Joette Katz, stated in her testimony to the state that in Connecticut, 98 percent of children who are identified as survivors of sex trafficking had previous involvement with child welfare services, and many were legally in the care and custody of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families while they were being prostituted by traffickers. Another study found that at least 85 percent of all CSEC in New York State had a child welfare background. On the statistical low end is the state of California that reported 50 percent of children sold in California are foster care children. While the statistics may vary by report, state and city, the overwhelming evidence suggests that the foster care system is a breeding ground for CSEC.
Connection Between Foster Care Children and Commercially Sexually Exploited ChildrenThere are three childhood experiences that victims of CSE commonly share: prior sexual abuse by a family member or family friend; parental neglect or abandonment; or time spent as runaways or throwaways. Sexual abuse in particular is cited as a leading cause for entry into CSE, an estimated 65-95 percent of sex trafficking victims were sexually assaulted as children and 75 percent of all sex trafficking victims were at one point homeless.
Children and youth are put in foster care placements or group homes when their parents are absent or can no longer adequately take care of them, leaving them prone to feelings of abandonment. There are a variety of reasons why the child welfare system takes children into custody, but the most common are parental substance abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic violence or neglect. A childhood of abuse and neglect greatly increases the chances for children to be lured into commercial sexual exploitation. It is also what runaway, throwaway and foster care children have in common. When asked, “What is the typical victim [of CSE] you come across?” FBI Agent and leader of the Tampa Area Crimes Against Children task force Gregory Christopher said, “A lot of these kids are foster kids, runaway kids… I’d say about 70 percent or so are foster kids. We work closely with DCF (Department of Children and Families).” Children and youth in the foster care system and those that run away from child protective services are more likely to become victims of CSE. The themes of childhood trauma, abandonment, and disruption are central to the stories of adolescents trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation. Without families to work on their behalf, it’s much more difficult to rescue foster youths from sex trafficking and keep them out of the cycle.

The Criminal Legacy of Charles Manson

THE CHARLES MANSON EFFECT
Charles Manson was born Charles Wilson Milles Maddox on November 12, 1934, to Kathleen Maddox, a 16-year-old girl alcoholic prostitute.
In 1945 she married William Manson a low level petty theif and in short order the marriage ended. Little Charlie was placed in a boys reform school at the age of 12. Rejected in his attempts to return to his mother, Charles was soon living on the streets and getting by through petty crime.
Still just a teenager, in 1951, Manson began spending time in prison. Early on, before he discovered the benefits of being a “model” prisoner, he was considered dangerous. He would eventually spend half of the first 32 years of his life behind bars. When he wasn’t incarcerated, he also attended reform schools.
Manson was described by probation reports as suffering from a “marked degree of rejection, instability, and psychic trauma” and “constantly striving for status and securing some kind of love.” Other descriptions included “unpredictable” and “safe only under supervision.”
His various offenses included pimping and passing stolen checks, and in 1961, he was sent to McNeil Island prison in Washington State for 10 years. It was while he was incarcerated that Manson learned how to read music and play the guitar. He was released from prison on March 21, 1967, and moved to San Francisco.
The Manson Family Cult“The Family” was a group of around 100 followers of Manson who shared his passion for an unconventional lifestyle and habitual use of hallucinogenic drugs, such as LSD and magic mushrooms. The Manson Family eventually moved from San Francisco to a deserted ranch in the San Fernando Valley.
Manson’s followers also included a small, hard-core unit of impressionable young girls. They began to believe, without question, Manson’s claims that he was Jesus and his prophecies of a race war.
Charles Manson and "Helter Skelter"Manson was influenced not only by drugs, but also by art works and music of the time, most notably The Beatles song “Helter Skelter” from their 1968 White Album. Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders was later the title of a best-selling book about Manson and his crimes.
Paul McCartney has said that the playground slide in “Helter Skelter” was a metaphor for the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Manson, however, interpreted the song’s lyrics as incitation to begin a race war. He turned to the album and lyrics to justify his scheme and guide his followers to murder.
The Manson Family—including Manson and his young, loyal disciples—is thought to have carried out some 35 murders. Most of their cases were never tried, in part for lack of evidence. The perpetrators had also already been sentenced to life for brutally killing seven people—actor Sharon Tate and wealthy supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, among them—on back-to-back nights in August 1969.
On August 9, 1969, Manson gathered a group of followers to carry out his massacre among Hollywood’s elite and “beautiful people.” The first of Manson’s victims was murdered at the home director Roman Polanski had rented, located at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, an area just north of Beverly Hills. Polanski was away in London shooting a film, and four soon-to-be victims had just returned home from dinner when they were attacked.
Although Manson himself took no part in the actual killings, he directed four of his most obedient followers—Charles “Tex” Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian—to the address and directed them to kill everyone. According to one of the Family member’s statements, the Polanski household had been targeted because it represented the showbiz world that had rejected Manson.
Charles Manson died in prison on November 19, 2019One Week after his 83rd Birthday. November 12, 1934,
 

IS JEFFREY EPSTEIN ALIVE IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY?

JEFFREY EPSTEIN WIKI INFO
Jeffrey Edward Epstein (/ˈɛpstiːn/ EP-steen;[1] January 20, 1953 – August 10, 2019) was an American financier and sex offender.[2][3] Born and raised in New York City, Epstein began his professional life as a teacher at the Dalton School despite lacking a college degree. After his dismissal from the school in 1976, he entered the banking and finance sector, working at Bear Stearns in various roles before starting his own firm. Epstein cultivated an elite social circle and procured many women and children whom he and his associates sexually abused.[4][5][6]
In 2005, police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein after a parent reported that he had sexually abused her 14-year-old daughter. Federal officials identified 36 girls, some as young as 14 years old, whom Epstein had allegedly sexually abused.[7] Epstein pleaded guilty and was convicted in 2008 by a Florida state court of procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute.[8] He was convicted of only these two crimes as part of a controversial plea deal, and served almost 13 months in custody but with extensive work release.[9]
Epstein was arrested again on July 6, 2019, on federal charges for the sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York.[10][11] He died in his jail cell on August 10, 2019.[12] The medical examiner ruled that his death was a suicide by hanging.[13] Epstein's lawyers have disputed the ruling, and there has been significant public skepticism about the true cause of his death, resulting in numerous conspiracy theories.[14][15] Since Epstein's death precluded the possibility of pursuing criminal charges against him, a judge dismissed all criminal charges on August 29, 2019.[16][17] Epstein had a decades-long association with the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, leading to her 2021 conviction on U.S. federal charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy for helping him procure girls, including a 14-year-old, for child sexual abuse and prostitution.[18][19][20]

Escaping Alcatraz with Ken Widner & Mike Lynch

 
The Last Escape From AlcatrazIts a story of greed, sex, lust, gangsters, strippers and a group of prisoners who were tired of being prisoners. Escaping from THE ROCK as it was called was no small feat. But Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin were no ordinary prisoners. They were cunning, smart and determined to beat the Rock known as Alcatraz the Inescapable. And so they did and the rest as they say is History. Or is it? I've said on this show many times, real life is far stranger than anything any writer could ever make up. ALCATRAZ: THE LAST ESCAPE by Ken Widner and Mike Lynch tell the story you DIDN'T know about the men who made the history books.
Fred Brizzi - Michael Dyke, the last Deputy Marshal assigned to the case, said Brizzi was "a drug smuggler and a con man," and was suspicious of his account of the Anglin Bros. Brizzi's widow said that she never heard him mention seeing the Anglin brothers in Rio, and that he was “a con man” who was prone to making up stories.

Dennis Rader: The BTK Killer An Expose'

Who Is Dennis Rader?
Dennis Rader is an American serial killer who terrorized the Wichita, Kansas, area from 1974 to 1991 and became known as the BTK Killer. Living a double life as a devoted family and company man by day, Rader brutally murdered 10 people. His nickname represents his method of binding, torturing, and killing victims. He also taunted authorities through brazen correspondence with local news outlets. Rader’s alter ego resurfaced in 2004, and his penchant for leaving clues led to his arrest. He pleaded guilty to the murders the following year and is now serving 10 life sentences in prison.
First Victims
On January 15, 1974, Rader strangled four members of the Otero family—Joseph and Julie, along with two of their children Josephine and Joseph Jr.—to death in their Wichita home, before leaving with a watch and a radio. Strangulation and souvenir-taking would become part of Rader’s pattern of criminal behavior. He also left semen at the scene and later said that he derived sexual pleasure from killing. The Oteros’ 15-year-old son, Charlie, came home later that day and discovered the bodies.
Rader struck again a few months later. On April 4, he waited in the apartment of a young woman named Kathryn Bright, before stabbing and strangling her when she returned home. Rader also twice shot her brother, Kevin, though he survived. Kevin later described Rader as an “average-sized guy, bushy mustache, ‘psychotic’ eyes,” according to a TIME magazine article.
 
Return, Arrest, and Imprisonment
Over the next several years, BTK dropped off the map as Rader focused on work and family life. He had left ADT in the late 1980s and started working for the Wichita suburb of Park City as a compliance supervisor in 1991. In his new position, Rader was known to be a stickler for the rules. He measured the height of people’s lawns and chased stray animals while toting a tranquilizer gun. According to reports, Rader took pleasure in exerting his limited authority over his neighbors and other members of the community. He was also a Boy Scout troop leader and president of his church council.
With many news stories marking the 30th anniversary of the Otero murders, BTK resurfaced in 2004. Rader sent local media outlets and authorities several letters filled with items related to his crimes, including pictures, a word puzzle, and an outline for the “BTK Story.” He also left packages with clues, including a computer disk that ultimately led authorities to Rader’s church. Investigators also noticed his Jeep on security tapes of some of the package drop-off areas and cemented their case by obtaining a DNA sample from Rader’s daughter.
Getty Images
BTK Killer Dennis Rader in court in August 2005
Rader was arrested on February 25, 2005, and later charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder. His neighbors and fellow church members were stunned by the news, unable to believe that the man they knew was the serial killer that had haunted the area for so long.

A RANT OF THE RIDICULOUSNESS OF ORGANIZED RELIGION

I have concluded that organized religion is absolutely silly. How can I prevent myself from viewing the practitioners as equally silly?  SHORT ANSWER: You Can't. These people are like piria that devour the airwaves, so do yourselves a collective favor and DON'T WATCH THEM and stay away from their "Camp Meetings". You will only hurt yourself exponentially in the longterm.

The Vince McMahon Lawsuit: The LOVE Letters

HUGE WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW STAR RETURNING FROM INJURY SOON, PER REPORT
In a report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Dave Meltzer, it's mentioned that someone close to Vince McMahon says that while the former WWE boss is open to exploring other business ventures he doesn't plan on starting his own wrestling company. Rumors had surfaced that many within the wrestling business felt there was a good chance McMahon would start a new promotion, but it appears this latest report puts that chatter to rest.
McMahon's name has been scrubbed from WWE programming and products amid the Janel Grant lawsuit. WWE 2K24 developers reportedly had to scramble in order to get McMahon and Brock Lesnar removed from the game before release. While there wasn't enough time to have their assets completely removed, McMahon and Lesnar are not selectable characters in the game.
Lesnar allegedly requested explicit photos and video of Grant from McMahon. It's also alleged that Lesnar had set up a "play date" with Grant before inclement weather changed plans.
Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC, MMA, WWE, and AEW.
Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter and Facebook.
Attorney: John Laurinaitis is a victimDespite being named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit, an attorney for John Laurinaitis told VICE his client is a victim in the situation, and appeared to corroborate the claims made against McMahon.
“Mr. Laurinaitis denies the allegations in the misguided complaint and will be vigorously defending these charges in court, not the media," lawyer Edward Brennan told the outet. "Like the Plaintiff, Mr. Laurinaitis is a victim in this case, not a predator. The truth will come out.
"Read the allegations. Read the Federal Statute. Power, control, employment supervisory capacity, dictatorial sexual demands with repercussions if not met. Count how many times in the complaint Vince exerts control over both of them."

ALCATRAZ: THE LAST ESCAPE OF THE ANGLIN BROTHERS & FRANK MORRIS

THE LAST ESCAPE OF JOHN & CLARENCE, THE ANGLIN BROTHERS & FRANK MORRISIts a story of greed, sex, lust, gangsters, strippers and a group of prisoners who were tired of being prisoners. Escaping from THE ROCK as it was called was no small feat. But Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin were no ordinary prisoners. They were cunning, smart and determined to beat the Rock known as Alcatraz the Inescapable. And so they did and the rest as they say is History. Or is it? I've said on this show many times, real life is far stranger than anything any writer could ever make up. ALCATRAZ: THE LAST ESCAPE by Ken Widner and Mike Lynch tell the story you DIDN'T know about the men who made the history books.
Fred Brizzi - Michael Dyke, the last Deputy Marshal assigned to the case, said Brizzi was "a drug smuggler and a con man," and was suspicious of his account of the Anglin Bros. Brizzi's widow said that she never heard him mention seeing the Anglin brothers in Rio, and that he was “a con man” who was prone to making up stories.
MARIANNA REFORM SCHOOL
In recent years, searches using ground-penetrating radar have discovered dozens of unmarked graves on school grounds. By late 2014, researchers have recovered the remains of fifty-five African-American boys. For decades the school remained segregated; blacks were not buried with whites. Thirty-one other boys are buried in a small cemetery, the only marked graves on the property. Most suspect many more graves are waiting to be found on the campus.
“Baby, money isn’t always the solution. God is the answer you need.”
Letters to Mother from ClarenceChuck Landis Club Owner - Fred Brizzi meet Micky Cohen

Psychic - Medium Spiritual Healer Rita Gigante

RITA GIGANTE - HEALER PSYCHIC & MEDIUMDAUGHTER OF NEW YORK MAFIA BOSS VINCENT "THE CHIN" GIGANTE
RITA GIGANTE LIFE WITH THE "CHIN"
Rita is an acclaimed author, healer, and psychic, who connects with her “Spirit Crew” on a journey to the answers that you have been waiting for. This show is filled with love, laughter, and a provocative tell-all about how to live your life authentically and abundantly. Plus a cameo appearance, channeled by Rita, of Vincent and Olympia Gigante!
ABOUT THE "CHIN"
For nearly 30 years, reputed Genovese Family crime boss Vincent Gigante pretended to be mentally ill to avoid prison. And it almost worked.An old man wandering around in his pajamas, a bathrobe, and a ratty pair of house slippers muttering nonsense to nobody in particular is a fairly typical sight in New York City, but Vincent Gigante was anything but typical.
Partly because he wandered the streets of Greenwich Village in an elaborate performance of insanity, Mafia boss Vincent “The Chin” Gigante eluded prosecution for decades as a supposedly unstable and incompetent man.
From Wikipedia
Vincent Louis Gigante - March 29, 1928 – December 19, 2005), also known as "The Chin", was an American mobster who was boss of the Genovese crime family in New York City from 1981 to 2005. Gigante started out as a professional boxer who fought in 25 matches between 1944 and 1947. He then started working as a Mafia enforcer for what was then the Luciano crime family, forerunner of the Genovese family. Gigante was one of five brothers. Three of them, Mario, Pasquale, and Ralph, followed him into the Mafia. Only one brother, Louis, stayed out of the crime family, instead becoming a Catholic priest.[1] Gigante was the shooter in the failed assassination of longtime Luciano boss Frank Costello in 1957. In 1959, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for drug trafficking, and after sharing a prison cell with Costello's rival, Vito Genovese, Gigante became a caporegime overseeing his own crew of Genovese soldiers and associates based in Greenwich Village.
Gigante quickly rose to power during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1981 he became the family's boss, while Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno served as front boss during the first half of the 1980s. He also ordered the failed murder attempt of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti in 1986. With the arrest and conviction of Gotti and various Gambino family members in 1992, Gigante was recognized as the most powerful crime boss in the United States. For about 30 years, Gigante feigned insanity in an effort to throw law enforcement off his trail.
Dubbed "The Oddfather" and "The Enigma in the Bathrobe" by the media, Gigante often wandered the streets of Greenwich Village in his bathrobe and slippers, mumbling incoherently to himself. He was indicted on federal racketeering charges in 1990, but was determined to be mentally unfit to stand trial. In 1997, he was tried and convicted of racketeering and conspiracy, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Facing obstruction of justice charges in 2003, he pleaded guilty and admitted that his supposed insanity was an elaborate effort to avoid prosecution, as he was sentenced to an additional three years in prison. He died in the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners on December 19, 2005.

The Strange Tale of Peter Sutcliffe - The Yorkshire Ripper

The Yorkshire RipperSutcliffe’s plea of diminished responsibility, which could have resulted in a lighter sentence, wasn’t successful. On May 22, 1981, he was found guilty of 13 murders and seven counts of attempted murder. The judge sentenced him to 20 life terms and recommended a minimum sentence of 30 years. The death penalty wasn’t an option, having been abolished in 1965.
After he was captured and behind bars, Sutcliffe began using his mother’s maiden name and going by Peter William Coonan. In 1984, a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia saw Sutcliffe removed from prison and sent to Broadmoor Hospital, a secure psychiatric facility. While in custody Sutcliffe applied for the right to parole, but a 2010 ruling said that he would never be released from prison. He was declared mentally able to leave the secure hospital and sent to a maximum-security prison in 2016.
Sutcliffe experienced numerous assaults while in custody. In 1997, an inmate stabbed Sutcliffe’s eyes with a pen, and he subsequently lost vision in his left eye.
WifeSutcliffe met Sonia Szurma, whose parents were refugees from Poland and Ukraine, in 1966. The two married on August 10, 1974. They had no children.
Sonia offered her support during Sutcliffe’s 1981 trial and initially visited him while he was in custody. They divorced in 1994. Her visits reportedly stopped after she got married again in 1997.
Despite their divorce, Sutcliffe named Sonia as his next of kin. Sonia no longer lives in the house she and Sutcliffe moved into in 1977. Although she reportedly received permission to sell the home in December 2021, there is no public record of her actually doing so.
DeathSutcliffe died at age 74 on November 13, 2020, at the University Hospital of North Durham in England. The hospital was near the prison where he’d been serving his sentence.
At the end of October, Sutcliffe had been treated for a suspected heart attack at the hospital. Following his hospital stay, he reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 but refused treatment. His ex-wife Sonia is believed to have planned his funeral.
The Long Shadow and Other MediaIn December 2020, Netflix debuted a four-part docuseries simply titled The Ripper about Sutcliffe’s crime spree. It featured interviews with witnesses and investigators.
Sutcliffe’s crimes and capture are the subject of the seven-part ITV miniseries The Long Shadow, which debuted in September 2023. Writer George Kay based the dramatized series on the 2003 book Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper by Michael Bilton, as well as real case files, interview transcripts, and police reports.
Originally called The Yorkshire Ripper, the series underwent a name change because Kay felt the moniker was “disrespectful” to Sutcliffe’s victims and survivors who he felt were at the heart of the series. “The victims’ families certainly don’t want that name being applied to Peter Sutcliffe because it creates a dark brand around a man who doesn’t deserve that sort of attention,” he said.
 

Who Was John Wayne Gacy? The Killer Clown

Who Was John Wayne Gacy?John Wayne Gacy was a serial killer and rapist who murdered at least 33 teenage boys and young men in Cook County, Illinois, burying most under his house. Sometimes known as the “Killer Clown” for his habit of dressing in a clown costume and makeup, Gacy had an abusive childhood and struggled with his homosexuality. Gacy committed all the murders in his Norwood Park home, luring his victims there with the promise of construction work or some other ruse, then sexually assaulting and torturing them before killing them, usually by strangulation. Gacy was arrested in 1979, and the following year, he was convicted of 33 murders. Gacy was executed in 1994.In 1971, Gacy started a construction business called PDM Contractors, which grew rapidly and became financially successful. Also that year, Gacy also became engaged to Carole Hoff, who he briefly dated in high school. The two were married in 1972. Most of his employees at PDM Contractors were high school students and young men, who he would proposition for sex, sometimes under the threat of violence. Nevertheless, Gacy kept up a public front as a community man, hosting summer parties that were popular and well-attended, according to Buried Dreams.
John Wayne Gacy’s Victims
Gacy committed his first known murder in January 1972, after luring the 16-year-old Timothy McCoy to his house for sex. The next morning, Gacy saw McCoy standing in the bedroom doorway with a knife and rushed to attack him, wrestling the knife away and stabbing McCoy to death. Afterward, Gacy belatedly realized that McCoy hadn’t been attacking or threatening Gacy but rather was holding the knife because he had just made them breakfast. Nevertheless, Gacy discovered he received sexual gratification from killing McCoy, and later said, “That’s when I realized that death was the ultimate thrill,” according to Buried Dreams.

The Zodiac Revisited & Reopened

Who Is the Zodiac Killer?
The self-proclaimed Zodiac Killer is directly linked to at least five murders in Northern California in 1968 and 1969, with two other victims surviving despite serious injuries. However, he might have been responsible for more killings. He taunted police and made threats through letters sent to area newspapers from 1969 to 1974, before abruptly ceasing communication. Through that correspondence, he claimed to have killed as many as 37 people. Despite intensive investigations—and multiple theories pertaining to the killer’s identity—no one was ever caught for the crimes, and the case remains open. The mystery surrounding the murders has been the subject of numerous books and movies, including director David Fincher’s acclaimed 2007 movie Zodiac.
Zodiac Killer Letters, Symbol, and Cipher
On August 1, 1969, the San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Chronicle, and Vallejo Times-Herald each received an identical handwritten letter in an envelope without a return address. Beginning, “Dear Editor: I am the killer of the 2 teenagers last Christmas at Lake Herman,” the letters contained details from the Zodiac Killer’s murders that only the perpetrator could have known. The killer went on to threaten further attacks if the letters weren’t printed on the front page of the papers.