Phantoms and Monsters

Tarantula Owner Painfully Learns Pet's Natural Defense
India: Is Your Home Haunted?
Video: UFOs Over California? Strange Footage
Step Out of the Darkness Enter 2010

Tarantula Owner Painfully Learns Pet's Natural Defense

Posted: 04 Jan 2010 09:15 AM PST

Looking at the eye at high magnification, the doctors noticed the tiny spider hairs, which looked like white spots (arrows)

livescience - A creepy case of a man who got tarantula hairs stuck in his eye has doctors advising people to wear eye protection when handling the eight-legged pets.

In February 2009, a 29-year-old man visited the St. James's University Hospital in Leeds, England, after enduring three weeks of a red, watery and light-sensitive eye. A dose of antibiotics for what was presumed to be conjunctivitis didn't clear the symptoms.

Doctors at the hospital examined the eye under high-magnification lenses and spotted hair-like projections sticking into the cornea of the right eye.

"When we looked at this guy's cornea, the clear window covering the eye, we saw these little whitish spots and a little black hairy-like thing at the center of each," St. James's Zia Carrim told LiveScience. There were about a dozen hairs protruding from the cornea, a couple of which had gone all the way through the eye's thin covering.

The doctors let the patient know of the hairy findings.

Ah-ha — the patient immediately recalled an incident right before he started having eye troubles in which he was cleaning the glass tank of his pet, a Chilean Rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea). While focused on cleaning a stubborn stain, he sensed movement in the terrarium and so turned his head. That's when the tarantula flicked a "mist of hairs" that hit him in the eyes and face.

Perhaps his pet got scared. To ward off potential predators, this arachnid will rub its hind legs against the abdomen to dislodge hairs into the air. Called urticating hairs, the structures have multiple barbs that help them puncture through ocular and other tissues.

Once in the patient's cornea, the hairs caused an inflammatory reaction called ophthalmia nodosa — a broad diagnosis covering the response of the eye to insect or vegetable material.

The doctors said the hairs were too small to be removed even with tiny forceps. Instead, they treated the eye with topical steroids, which largely cleared up the symptoms. As of August, the patient reported mild discomfort and intermittent floaters, the researchers announced Dec. 31.

The hairs are still stuck in his cornea, and the doctors aren't sure whether they'll ever go away.

"This case highlights the importance of a collaborative approach between doctor and patient in providing good clinical care," Carrim and his colleagues wrote in this week's edition of the journal The Lancet. "The condition described is rare and the correct diagnosis was made only after we discussed the clinical findings with the patient."

The take-home message for owners of pet tarantulas, which the researchers say are becoming increasingly popular: "Avoid handling the tarantulas at close range. If they do handle them at close range, they should wear some type of eye protection," Carrim said.

And if a pet owner happens to get spider hairs in the eye, seek medical attention sooner rather than later, he added.

India: Is Your Home Haunted?

Posted: 04 Jan 2010 08:56 AM PST

bangaloremirror - Whether you are a believer or an atheist, it is a fact that energies — magnetic, thermal, gravitational, solar and other known and unknown energies — exist together. For no reason, children behave abnormally, adults become chaotic and aggressive and women fall sick. The malefic energies in the home and surroundings could have accumulated over a period of time because of improper home care, inappropriate ways of living in the home, absence of a healthy garden and waste objects getting dumped into corners. Often, faulty construction and faulty habitation contribute to the release of these malefic energies.

Malefic Energies
Proximity to cemeteries and graveyards can also see the gathering of malefic energies to your detriment, with people dying for no reason. Habitations near railway lines where deaths take place frequently can also see these malefic energies entering to cause disease and penury. Homes near maternity homes where constant births (and deaths) occur can release energies to the detriment of the habitants. Over a period of time, if there have been deaths taking place, the malefic energies are powerful enough to show in the form of incessant cawing of the crows and eagles hovering over your area. These energies in composite form can cause the home to be haunted, with the residents suddenly hearing whispers or seeing shadows across walls in the absence of any living people.

Haunted Home
A place becomes haunted when such energies compound over a period of time, often when a certain disorderliness sets into your life pattern. Such disarray sets in when you start living in Vastu inappropriate homes and make your pets jump all over you and the home. Each living being has an aura or astral body whose strength is weak and strong based on the evolution and way of living. With due reverence to pets, the energy field of a pet, with all its love for the human, is still in a weak state and can absorb the outside malefic energies significantly. When you allow it to live in your home as a family member, these absorbed energies can complement the other malefic energies that could have accumulated in your home over a period of time. You tend to get scared by disturbing dreams very often.

De-haunting your Home
Never select a site near cemeteries, graveyards, maternity homes or railway lines.
Never sleep with your heads to the north.
Never dump things into the corners of a room, a habitation, an area or a site and particularly not in the northeast and southwest.
Love your pets, but give them a clean habitable kennel outside your home either in the northwest sector or in the southeast sector of your garden.
Every six months, get your home cleaned by professionals and whitewash or colour wash your home once a year.
Have your bath at a scheduled time each day.
Do not walk in the home with the footwear that you have used outside.
Minimise watching and listening to video and audio that excites you.
Never make your son sleep in a northwest room or your daughter in a southeast room.
Never have your bathroom-toilet attached to the southwest or northeast of your room.
Never have a door in the middle of your home.
Activate water in the form of a fountain, aquarium or a running stream in the north of your living room/your home/site) more to the east and get the benign energies to protect you.
Landscape the southwest, south and west of your home and garden heavily with rocks and pebbles.

NOTE: I thought this was interesting. Believe me, I've read more unusual advice elsewhere...Lon

Video: UFOs Over California? Strange Footage

Posted: 04 Jan 2010 08:16 AM PST

Click for video
NOTE: No date provided though I assume it was recent. Undisclosed location in California. This video was posted only a few minutes before I noticed it. At first, I thought it was a flare (and that is still a possibility) dripping. When the camera is panned down where it seems the 'drippings' materialize into hoop-like structures that float off. As well, there is an object with a comet-like tail in the background. At one point, another object flashed across from right to left. You always have to consider CGI on these videos placed on YouTube. More information would have helped as well. What do you think?...Lon

Step Out of the Darkness Enter 2010

Posted: 04 Jan 2010 07:28 PM PST

Chris Holly's Paranormal World - I know that most topics considered Paranormal or not understood by today's science are immediately rejected by society. There is little or no debate. There is little or no consideration. There is only immediate rejection. That rejection is why we only hear a small percent of what goes on around us.

We continue to remain blind and ignorant to most topics in the world of the paranormal. It is without question a choice that people make to completely reject all things unknown. It is a brainwashed learned reaction to subjects that we have been trained like monkeys to ignore, reject or find humorous.

I find this trained behavior dangerous and sad .It is a long term learned reaction that we allow instead of demanding education , investigation and truth. I have to sit and wonder why people feel betrayed by politicians, or any popular brain fed situations going on in the world when we are dragged about by the nose so easily by most things we have little or no knowledge of? Whatever we are told we simply swallow.

It will be interesting to see how a society that is so easily manipulated will react as many subjects considered paranormal become known understood events . What will those who laugh and insult people who have seen a UFO or alien do if they see one of their own? What if UFO's and visitors are part of our near global future? What will they do with their ridicule and laughter then? I now understand what those who tried to teach society that the world was not flat went through!

As 2009 closes and 2010 enters our life I do see a change in the types of articles being reported on the Internet. Clearly those who have seen things in real time are coming forward with solid reports, photos and videos of things that are not easily explained away.

The days of silly people spinning ridiculous stories of little men living under their bed who take them on Disney like rides through the cosmos are less and those who have come face to face with the real unknown are increased. To this I am grateful and hopeful.

Due to the Internet, cell phone cameras and videos easily available to the public worldwide we are finding many credible reliable reports coming forth. As the people of the world find that they are experiencing the unknown personally they also are finding that they have been following and swallowing a brainwashed view. I have written before that the paranormal is hilarious until it happens to you!

As we march forward into the future I am finding the old methods of paranormal investigation are also coming under inspection and question.

I am noticing increased articles concerning the long standing yet small world of reporting sites available for those having encounters or sightings. It seems the public is aware that not enough is being done nor are there enough qualified hands to investigate and gather information properly in the area of the paranormal.

I am reading about those who were ignored when trying to report a sighting or confused when treated in a way that made them feel uncomfortable. This is a dangerous area for our advancement as we have limited options available to report events. If the few avenues we do have fail it could keep us forever in the dark ages concerning the paranormal.

I realize this is a problem as personally I have tried to report events that were ignored. I tried to join in abduction investigations and again I was completely ignored. A response like that can be devastating for those trying to do the right thing by reporting what they endured or encountered. I think it is a red flag our systems for whatever reasons are failing.

I understand that those trying to handle the reports may find they are now over whelmed and unable to handle the volume of reports coming in. I also realize many reports may lack a credible base. It is obvious our old systems of handling these things are antiquated and need to be over hauled, expanded and given a structure so all events can be reported, listed for research and given the respect and attention they have needed for a very long time.

It is long over due for the sake of mankind that the Dark Ages end concerning the subjects of the paranormal. We as a society need to fully understand we have been manipulated, trained and brainwashed to act like fools when anything unknown is talked about or reported. We need to stand up and demand more, to be treated like thinking beings and to stop being controlled instead of educated.

Do you really want to be the next to turn around one night in a dark parking lot or backyard and find yourself face to face with a craft, ray or being that is completely unknown to you? Do you want to be the next to endure who knows what to find yourself who knows where disoriented and possibly hurt only to be told you're a drunk, a nut or a liar?

If you are one of the people who ridicule loudly in obnoxious ignorance ' no no no' that never happened, to those who have endured a paranormal event, then you may be the next to face that same reaction when it is your turn to face the unknown.

Is that truly how you wish to figure out what is and what you're been told are two different things? Wouldn't educating yourself to ideas by way of those who have experience the unknown work out more to your advantage ? Consider these things if you find you are the one looking at a UFO right over your head!

This past holiday season I had two completely different experiences with two different groups of people. One saddened me and made me shake my head in disgust and despair. The other gave me a slight degree of hope we may be making our way out of the Dark towards the light of awareness.

During Christmas week I went to a few holiday parties. At two of the parties the subject of the paranormal came up. At one party a group of people were talking about an event that occurred where a psychic was involved. I knew of the case as it was without question the most documented case of ability by someone who could see the future I had ever seen.

The case was clearly one of a gifted psychic seeing an event before it happened but not soon enough to stop it. It was a terrible event where someone was murdered and the case was never solved.

The family involved was at this party and the case was being discussed . Sadly two idiots were also at the party. Loudly they both interrupted the conversation concerning this case to ridicule those talking about it that there are no such thing as psychics. Of course they did not have any basis of why they refused to consider psychic ability other then they fact they did not want to believe it.

To my horror the two idiots then went about accusing the murder victim of all kinds of immoral things, destroying the victims character and insulting the family involved. Again the idiots had not one thread of evidence of what they were saying but went about their assault loudly and proudly.

I wanted to take the idiots to task but knew it was not the time or place. I also waited to see how the family members of the murder victim and friends of the psychic involved were going to deal with the attack of the two idiots. I knew it was not my place to step over their wishes but was ready and willing to come to their aid if they were going to deal with the two idiots at hand.

The family sat silently and the party simply dried up and ended. It was a perfect example of what those who deal with the unknown are forced to go through when faced against fools who never had nor consider they ever will have a paranormal experience.

The two idiots at this party were examples of what goes on daily in society between those who have experienced unknown events and those who have not. The only excuse for the idiots of that night was obnoxious ignorance. The pain and sadness they caused to the family in this case was simply disturbing. I do hope I come face to face with the idiots of this encounter again one day on my turf and under my terms!

A few days after that encounter I went to another Holiday party. Once again the subject of the paranormal came into the conversation. A group of people at this party were talking about the sightings of UFO's seen over Connecticut and the Long Island sound over the past few years. The subject came about as we were standing in front of a large window in the home of the people hosting the party that over looked the Long Island Sound. Standing in front of this window over looking the water looking at the shore lights of Connecticut gave a better insight of what it was like for the people who encountered the sightings.

The people at this party knew I often wrote about UFO's and I had my own fair share of sightings during my lifetime. We discussed the different sightings, and the fact that it appears to be a simple fact that we are being visited. The people talking were not particularly interested in the paranormal but they were bright enough to have open minds about that which seems clearly to be taking place. One party-goer noted that is seems to be a bit ridiculous at this juncture with the amount of reports and photos around to think it is not happening. It seemed apparent to this group of people that the days of denial were soon going to be in the past. Talking with the people at this gathering gave me hope for society.

I can only hope that we as a society stop being pulled about by our noses concerning the subjects of the unknown. You can only live in the Dark Ages if you allow it. The fact that unknown crafts, odd chem-trails, strange beings, and odd weather activity exists all around you can only be laughed at or pushed aside for so long. Sooner or later the forest is going to be recognized as that group of trees right in front of our faces. We will one day come to understand the crafts zipping along over our heads are not all Chinese lanterns or space junk!

I especially hope if you come across rude ignorant fools like I did you will have the opportunity to stop them in their tracks. I know that the event of that party has me sworn not to sit in silence next time something like that happens in my presence.

It appears this may be a good year for us to start off on a new road as we march into the future. I think the lines have been drawn at long last between those who are tired of being laughed at for seeing things or encountering events others fear or reject.

So many people are now seeing crafts or encountering events or beings that are unknown that it is becoming difficult to be the one that joins the fools and their ignorance instead of questioning those with the knowledge we may need. The next time a good pal wants you to ridicule or humiliate someone who has had an incredible experience be smarter, be more evolved and refuse to be the trained monkey. Instead question the one who had the experience.

Unless you find your own road out of the darkness you will be the one sitting alone in it. The one fact that you can rely on is that the future unfolds exactly as it is suppose to around you. Staying in the darkness can not be part of that future.

I realize I can frighten or anger some people because I write about events that upset their small world or limited thinking on these subjects. I can only suggest that these people stay within the confines of that which they can handle and leave those like me alone so we can keep on walking ahead. I have no plans of living in the Dark Ages or missing that which will be the future.

I understand the unknown may be a bit uncomfortable. I also know that some things unknown may be dangerous or might hurt you, however your fear or refusal to educate yourself will not stop the future from unfolding . The more we all know the more we will be able to survive that which may come our way.

As we speed into the future we will learn that all of these things are simply part of our universe along with experiences of life we do not yet understand. Do not fear the unknown. Look to it with care and interest. The future will unfold exactly as it is suppose to. We cannot nor should we continue to walk along in darkness with blinders clued to our eyes and minds.

It is time to look to what is and stop fearing what will be. And so we walk into 2010.

Keep your eyes and minds open and ready as we step towards tomorrow and fear not our future but those who try to keep you from it.

Thanks to Chris Holly at Chris Holly's Paranormal World

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