Phantoms and Monsters

Poltergeist: The Tedworth Drummer
Terry Gilliam Reflects on Heath Ledger, Bad Luck
MUFON: Who Are They...Really?
London Jogger Encounters Beast of Sydenham

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 01:24 PM PST

The following is an historical tale about a poltergeist that was stranger than most as the cause might not have been a spirit, or the unconsciousness mind of a adolescent child so common in poltergeist cases, but of someone who consciously caused it while alive.

It was supposed to have begun one day in 1661. A magistrate named John Mompession, who lived in the village of Tedworth in Wiltshire, visited a nearby village named Ludgershall. While there, he heard the sound of drumming outside on the street. He inquired as to what the drumming racket was and was told it was by a foreign man who was protesting about not being given public assistance. The magistrate was suspicious the foreigner was in England with forged papers, so he asked the local police to arrest him. His instincts turned out to correct and the foreigner was taken straight to court. He was found guilty and sentenced to be removed from England, but during the deportation, the prisoner (who was named Drury) escaped and vanished leaving his drum behind. The man was not particularly seen as a threat so it was soon forgotten and the magistrate start for his home in Tedworth. When he reached his house, he was told that there had been mayhem prior to his return.

Strange drumming sounds and rappings had been heard all over the house and the beds had been levitated into the air. This continued for months, getting so bad that the "creature", as it was described, started making barking sounds like a dog panting and also purring sounds like a cat. Soon the magistrate and children got used to the events, even playing games with it like tug of war with the bed sheets. For years, the activity continued.

One of the most extreme events was when a horse was found on it's back in the stable and its hoof rammed down its throat, killing the animal. Soon they called in the local priest, prompting the "creature" to act up in the presence of the priest, including burning the priest's bible. The drumming was louder than ever as the priest tried to exorcise the spirit. As a result, the "creature" had developed a voice and at one point a light started to float through the room to which the "creature" repeated more than a hundred times "Ahhhh… look priest, a witch! a witch!". The priest failed to remove the strange disturbances. When the magistrate's wife become pregnant, the magistrate asked the "creature" to please refrain from the racket while his wife was pregnant to avoid a miscarriage, to which it obliged. The activity ceased until a few months after the wife had given birth.

The magistrate gathered the facts of the incidents and concluded that it related to the man he had arrested a few years before. Soon word came that the drummer had again been arrested for stealing a pig, so the magistrate headed to where Drury was being held. The magistrate questioned Drury and asked him if it was he who had been disturbing his family. Drury simply smiled.

Eventually, Drury was forced out of England and returned to his native land. The disturbances at the magistrate's house ceased. A while later, Drury the drummer found his way back into England and the disturbances resumed. The magistrate asked the "creature", by way of raps, if Drury was responsible. The "creature's" raps confirmed this. It is not known how long the disturbances continued.

NOTE: To many people, this is a well-documented poltergeist attack, conforming to standard patterns of poltergeist behavior, namely, refusing to manifest when others are present. I have read and examined many phenomena cases over the years and will concede that most reports are either mistaken or seem to be outright hoaxes. But, IMO, the Tedworth account, though three centuries old, still retains credibility. Please note, Tedworth is in Wiltshire...a county that has witnessed an overwhelming amount of strange activity over the centuries as well as the current epicenter of crop circle manifestation in the UK...Lon

Sources:
themystica.com/
paranormaltavern.com/
unexplainedstuff.com/
en.scientificcommons.org/

Terry Gilliam Reflects on Heath Ledger, Bad Luck

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 12:08 PM PST

usaweekend - Terry Gilliam, a founding member of Monty Python's Flying Circus some 40 years ago, still is in awe of that comedy troupe's enduring popularity all over the world. "I guess it's a combination of being anti-authoritarian, incredibly silly and very intelligent," Gilliam says. But as memorable as he was on the BBC, he's been equally famous as the wildly imaginative filmmaker of Time Bandits, Brazil and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. His colorful visions are back on screen with The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (in theaters on Christmas Day), and they couldn't be more welcome since they bring us the last starring role of the late Heath Ledger.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a morality tale featuring Ledger in the role of a mysterious stranger, discovered hanging under a bridge by a passing theater company. His character is not really dead, but who exactly is he? When Ledger died nearly two years ago during filming, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell agreed to take over transforming versions of his character in order to help Gilliam finish the film. They donated their fees to Ledger's daughter, Matilda. The film also ends with this credit: "A Film from Heath Ledger and Friends." "We finished the film, and it is what it is because of friends of Heath coming to the rescue out of friendship and love," Gilliam says.

Gilliam has had catastrophes before during production. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote was shut down within the first week of filming in 2000 because lead actor Jean Rochefort became ill, and then a flash flood washed away the sets — all chronicled in the 2002 documentary Lost in La Mancha. (Gilliam hopes to get one more start at production again next spring with a new cast, although he says Depp won't return to his Quixote sidekick role because "he's got more swashing and buckling to do" in a new Pirates of the Caribbean flick.) With Imaginarium, producer William Vince died shortly after filming was completed, and Gilliam himself was struck by a car last fall and his back was broken. "The Grim Reaper got Heath and Vince but missed me," Gilliam says. "It was a close call. I'm back walking almost upright now."

Talking about his leading man Ledger, with whom he had worked previously on The Brothers Grimm in 2005, Gilliam says, "Heath was constantly trying to learn, trying to improve himself. He was limitless. It's a terrible loss. We'll never get to see what greatness was waiting there. Unlike all the others who died young, there wasn't a kind of neurosis or strangeness. Maybe the most memorable thing about Heath was that he seemed to be such an ancient soul. He seemed far older than his years. He was probably 243 years old when he died. I always thought he had aboriginal blood in him."

MUFON: Who Are They...Really?

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 11:07 AM PST

The following is from a new thread on ATS. It is presented here in light of complaints we have seen and heard from reporting witnesses recently:
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For a long time I had trusted MUFON and The UFO Stalker. I had used these websites as tools to see if any UFOs were located near my area.

On the night of Monday the 14th I had seen a UFO about 200 feet above.

I had reported this to MUFON. It was the first time I reported a sighting to them.

In order to report the UFO you must check a box stating the following:

WITNESS NOTICE AND ELECTION FOR RELEASE OF CONTACT INFORMATION
In the case of a report of aerial phenomenology, spacecraft, mobile objects, or events that could be considered anomalous or inexplicable (UFO sighting), you may be contacted by one of our representatives for additional details and information concerning your report as part of our investigation. Since our investigation may involve third parties, we need to know whether you would consent to the release of your contact information to third parties who are not connected or affiliated with MUFON. If you elect to make your contact information available to third parties, you may be contacted by third parties for additional details and information concerning your report. Your contact information includes your name, telephone number, and mailing address.

Some of the questions they ask include the number of witnesses, names, address, jobs etc.

Some info they also like to know is were the UFO was last seen and the direction it went to.

Anyway, an hour after submitting my report (mostly with fake info, though I'm sure they traced me through my IP,) I saw my file on the UFO stalker website. The next night I was hoping to see the UFO again, yet all I saw was about 6 black helicopter (traveling by 3s, twice that night,) with no lights on. They were traveling North (the same direction I said the UFO went.)

Today I check the UFO stalker and my file is gone. I go through the database and it's gone from there too.

Just a couple hours ago today (December 16th,) the sky was filled with black helicopter for an hour.

My theory is that MUFON is the men in black.

What first led me to believe that MUFON really was the MIB was a fake sounding report on MUFON with someone basically telling us through subliminal messages that MUFON is the MIB. Below is what the report stated. Notice all the capitalized letters spell 'MUFON IS MIB'

My Uncle and wiFe were watching tv when ONe of our freinds tells us he saw a ufo. we all step outsIde to See it. My heart was beating as I watched the disc flying everywere like crazy. But i reported it so maybe someone can understand what it ment.

After investigating further I found an article about MUFON hiding the truth:

Why is MUFON trying to hide the truth? Now Part of the lie?

In my opinion we shouldn't trust anyone.

In fact, don't take my word for this, do your own research on MUFON and tell me what you discover, but in my opinion, we should leave our UFO reports to our flash memory sticks and the ATS message boards.

So tell me, is MUFON deleting real UFO cases and keeping fake ones? What exactly is MUFON trying to accomplish?

Are they the MIB?

Also, keep in mind, MUFON is an agency run organization. What do we know about those organizations?
__________________________

NOTE: these statements on a conspiracy forum may seem far fetched but, honestly, it has been my experience that MUFON is not as cooperative and forthcoming as some may assume. I have conversed with several people who have submitted encounters with me who were previously blown off by MUFON. As well, there are supposed instances where a report to MUFON has resulted in a 'visit' by non-MUFON members. I'm not saying that MUFON is directly involved with the government or other official entities....but private information is being leaked somewhere to the dismay of witnesses. If you have had a similar situation, I'm sure the readers would be interested. As well, if anybody associated with MUFON would care to contact me, I'd be very interested in their thoughts...Lon

London Jogger Encounters Beast of Sydenham

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 09:50 AM PST

newsshopper - A jogger was forced to run for his life after encountering the infamous Beast of Sydenham.

Father-of-four Roger Fleming, 40, was on a late night run with his puppy King on December 9 near Sydenham Hill station when a giant cat chased them through Dulwich Wood.

Mr Fleming believes the creature, which he says looked like a brown cheetah, was the Beast of Sydenham, seen several times in the area over the years.

The building services manager first saw the beast at the bottom of a path in the wood.

He said: "It was at least five or six feet long.

"I thought to myself 'what the hell is this?' That's when the panic set in.

"It sat there, locked its eyes on to me, sat up and - boom - it started running towards us."

Mr Fleming grabbed hold of his Staffordshire bull terrier and ran through the wood.

He said: "I looked over my shoulder and could see it still running at me.

"I was just thinking 'please stop'. It was knackering and I was almost ready to give up.

"I was thinking 'this is it - I think I'm going to die'."

After realising the beast had given up the chase, Mr Fleming rushed home to Dulwich and read about other sightings on the News Shopper website.

He said: "When I got home I was almost in tears the adrenalin was pumping through me so fast.

"I swear an oath to God never to go to that same part at night again.

"There should be signs telling people to take some caution because they're walking around willy-nilly."

Neil Arnold, a researcher who runs Kent Big Cat Research, said the beast is believed to be a black leopard, the offspring of pets released into the wild.

He said: "He should have stood his ground, maintained eye contact and backed off slowly - but it's easy to say that.

"People don't need to panic because big cats won't harm them.

"I do this full-time to let people know that these animals aren't a threat."
_________________

THE BEAST OF SYDENHAM

South London is shaping up to be an extremely dangerous place to be - first there was the gunplay in Brixton, and now there are reports that a big cat has attacked a man in Sydenham.

The Beast is described as being the size of a labrador dog, so Londonist isn't ruling out the possibility of it being a labrador dog. And in true horror-film-cliche ironic-death fashion, it lunged at a man who was looking for his kitten.

"I am 6ft and weigh 15 stone and it was considerably stronger and bigger than me," the victim, Anthony Holder, told the BBC. "This thing was huge."

"Its teeth were out and I tried to defend myself and eventually I got the thing off my body."

Note the BBC's picture. I wonder how they got that? Our artist's reconstruction of the scene, above right, is about as likely.

This will be big news for Big Cat Monitors, the organisation devoted to cataloguing UK big cat sightings. Their site offers the following advice for people confronted by an outsize moggie, which Londonist readers who live in Sydenham are advised to heed:

"Never approach a big cat, especially one that is feeding or with cubs. Most big cats will try to avoid confrontation. Always give them a way to escape. Don't run. Stay calm. Hold your ground, or back away slowly. Face the cat and stand upright, but don't look at it straight in the eyes. It may take this as a challenge. Do all you can to appear larger."

Do all you can to appear larger? If there was ever a better excuse to hit the pie shop, and hard, I've never heard it. Fortunately: "Generally, big cats are calm, quiet, and elusive. The chance of being attacked by a big cat is quite low compared to many other natural hazards."

We will keep you posted on developments, or if the Yeti is spotted in Crystal Palace, or maybe the Loch Ness Monster in Brockwell Lido.

In the mean time, who's up for a safari?

Sources:
londonist.com/
www.guardian.co.uk/

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