Phantoms and Monsters

Legendary Creatures and Shapeshifters
MUFON CMS: Aliens in the Mist?
Fortean / Oddball News - 7/3/2010
Jim Morrison Said to Haunt L.A. Restaurant Restroom

Posted: 03 Jul 2010 05:57 PM PDT

Shapeshifting, also known as transformation and transmogrification, is a change in the form or shape of a person or creature. Every culture in the world has a shapeshifter lore...legends of creatures who can transform themselves into animals or other men. Usually, the animal involved in the transformation is indigenous to or prevalent in the area from which the story derives. It is worthy to note that while the popular idea of a shapeshifter is of a human being who turns into something else, there are numerous myths about animals that can transform themselves as well.

Below, I have listed some of the world's best known shapeshifters and the culture and lore behind the legends.

LESHY

The Leshy is a male woodland spirit in Slavic mythology believed to protect wild animals and the forests. They usually appear as tall men, but have the ability to change size and shapeshift into any form, animal or plant. Leshies have beards made of living grass and vines, and are often depicted with a tail, hooves, and horns. The Leshy has pale white skin and dark green eyes. They are the lords of the forest and hold close bonds with gray wolves, bears, and all animal life. When a leshy is in human form it looks like a common peasant, although its eyes glow. The creatures can shrink themselves to the height of a blade of grass or grow to the size of the tallest trees. It is commonly understood that leshies will lead peasants astray, make people sick, and even tickle them to death. The creatures are terribly mischievous and have horrible cries. However, Leshies can also imitate human voices and often times lure lost wanderers to their caves. They aren't always evil, but enjoy misguiding humans and kidnapping young women.

Should one ever encounter a leshy, one must thwart him immediately by turning all one's clothes inside out and backwards, and placing one's shoes on the opposite feet. The sign of the cross often works also; but in the worst case, should the leshies torment you, set the forest ablaze behind you and don't look back; he will be so concerned with putting out the fire he will forget why his mischief fell upon your poor soul.

SELKIES

Selkies are creatures found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish mythology. They have the ability to transform themselves from seal to human form. Selkies are able to shapeshift by shedding their seal skin, a risky endeavor because they must reapply the same skin in order to return to seal form. Stories surrounding these creatures are usually romantic tragedies. They are allowed to make contact with humans for only a short amount of time before they must return to the sea. In many cases humans have unknowingly fallen in love with selkies. Other times, humans have hidden the skin of the selkie, thus preventing it from returning to seal form. Male selkies are very handsome in their human form, and have great seduction powers over women. If a man finds and steals a female selkie's skin then she will be under his control and is often times forced to become his wife. The creatures have been known to lure humans into the sea, by creating illusions and a false sense of reality.

One folklorist theory of the origin of the belief is that the selkies were actually fur-clad Finns, traveling by kayak. Another is that shipwrecked Spaniards washed ashore and their jet black hair resembled seals.

BERSERKERS

Berserkers were a group of Norse warriors. They are human, but in battle entered into a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, and transformed into wolves, bears, and wild bulls. This enabled the men to fight more effectively. Their name would give rise to the English word "berserk". Berserkers were said to wear the pelts of bears and wolves as they entered battle and could make the full transformation as they felt necessary. They are characterized as having bloodshot eyes, incredible strength, and endurance. Various Scandinavian kings used berserkers as part of their army or as hired men and royal bodyguards. Similar behavior is described in the Iliad, in which warriors are possessed by Gods and given the power to exhibit superhuman abilities.

In the movie 'The 13th Warrior' the Eaters of the Dead were a rogue group of berserkers who terrorized Nordic kingdoms.

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KITSUNE

In Japanese folklore the Kitsune is an intelligent and magical being. The creature's strength increases with age, wisdom, and life experience. Kitsune is a Japanese fox. They have the ability to assume human form and are great tricksters. The creatures are noted for having as many as nine tails. A kitsune may take human form when it reaches a certain age, usually 100 years. They prefer to assume the shape of a beautiful woman, young girl, or elderly man. The creatures have the ability to clone the appearance of an individual. Kitsune have a fear and hatred of dogs. They can willingly manifest themselves in people's dreams and create illusions so elaborate that they are perceived as reality. The kitsune can fly, become invisible, and often times generate fire or lightning. In some regions of the world the creatures can bend time, space, and drive people mad.

PUCA

The púca is a legendary creature of Celtic folklore, most notably in Ireland, the West of Scotland, and Wales. The púca is a mythological fairy and ultimate shapeshifter. The creatures are capable of assuming a variety of terrifying forms, including a horse, rabbit, goat, goblin, or dog. No matter what shape the púca takes, its fur is always dark. They are most commonly seen as a black horse with a flowing mane and luminescent orange eyes. Púcas have the power to use human speech and although they are known for giving good advice, they also enjoy confusing and terrifying humans. Púcas have a fondness for riddles and are sociable creatures. They love to gather and play pranks on unsuspecting people and children. In many regions of the world the púca is seen as a creature of the mountains and hills. They are incredibly respected and if treated nicely will help humans.

If a human is enticed onto a púca's back, it has been known to give them a wild ride, though unlike a kelpie, which will take its rider and dive into the nearest stream or lake to drown and devour him/her, the púca will do its rider no real harm. The púca has the power of human speech, and has been known to give advice and lead people away from harm.

WENDIGO

The Wendigo is a creature appearing in the mythology of the Algonquian people. Descriptions of the Wendigo vary across culture, but they are generally described as a large alien-like canine beast. They are malevolent and cannibalistic creatures. Wendigos are strongly associated with the winter, the north, and coldness. Human beings will transform into Wendigos if they perform cannibalism. The person will become possessed by the demonic spirit of the beast, usually in a dream. Once transformed, the individual will become violent and obsessed with eating
human flesh. These monsters are the embodiments of gluttony, greed, and excess. They are never satisfied with killing and consuming one person. Wendigos are constantly searching for new victims. They have been classified as giants and upon transformation the human will grow considerably in size. They populate rural and highly forested, mountainous regions. Recently the Wendigo has become a horror entity, much like the vampire, werewolf, or zombie.

All cultures in which the Wendigo myth appeared shared the belief that human beings could turn into Wendigos if they ever resorted to cannibalism or, alternately, become possessed by the demonic spirit of a Wendigo, often in a dream. The most frequent cause of transformation into a Wendigo was if a person had resorted to cannibalism, consuming the body of another human in order to keep from starving to death during a time of extreme hardship or famine. Among certain native tribes, cannibalism, even to save one's own life, was viewed as a serious taboo; the proper response to famine was suicide or resignation to death. On one level, the Wendigo myth thus worked as a deterrent and a warning against resorting to cannibalism; those who did would become Wendigo monsters themselves.

ENCANTADO

An encantado is a Brazilian legendary creature. They live in a deep underwater realm named the Encante. Encantados are most commonly viewed as a type of freshwater dolphin or sea snake that has the ability to shapeshift into human form. They are characterized by superior musical ability, seductiveness, and attraction to parties. The creature's transformation into human form seems to be rare, and usually occurs at night. While in human form the encantado will wear a hat to hide its protruding forehead. It does not disappear while shapeshifting and frequently displays magical abilities, such as the power to control storms and haunt humans. They use various mind control techniques and can inflict illness, insanity, and even death. The creatures are known for kidnapping humans. Many villagers will not go near the Amazon River at night because of this. Plenty of South Americans believe in the existence of the encantado and claim to have seen and interacted with the species.

The most common stories involve a type of freshwater dolphin which lives in the Amazon River called the Boto. It is larger and more primitive-looking than the other type of Amazon dolphin and said to have the ability to turn human. There was a recent claim that an encantado impregnated a Peruvian woman. The stories also involve snakes, whose kinds can vary from the common type to coral snakes.

ASWANG

An aswang is a mythical creature in Filipino folklore. The legend of the aswang is well known throughout the Philippines, except in the IIocos region. The creature is described as a combination of vampire and witch and is almost always female. The aswang is an eater of the dead and a cannibal. They are capable of transforming into either a huge black dog or a black boar. The creatures stalk and eat human beings at night. Garlic bulbs, holy water, and other objects are believed to repel aswang. Many stories revolve around these creatures eating children and unborn fetuses. In human form they appear normal, and are quiet, shy, and elusive. At night, they transform into the deadly beast. One key feature of the aswang is its bloodshot eyes. In the Middle Ages, the aswang was the most feared among the mythical creatures in the Philippines.

In the Southern part of the Philippines the Aswang are classified into five distinctive types. 1.The Blood Sucker(Vampire) 2. The Barangan (Vindictive Hexer...Voodoo and the like) 3. Mananangal (Self Segmenter) A creature who can fly through the night using only the upper torso with its entrails dangling below. 4. The Corpse Eater - This is the Aswang who will try and change out the real corpse with a fake corpse made from the trunk of a banana tree. 5. The False Beast - An aswang who has the ability to change from a human into a wild pig, or dog or whatever shape suits it.

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VAMPIRES

Vampires are legendary creatures said to feed on the blood of humans and animals. It is difficult to make a single, definitive description of the folkloric vampire, although they were usually reported as bloated in appearance, ruddy, purplish, or dark in color. They are shapeshifters and can take many forms, predominantly bats or humans. Vampires are typically described as the undead, although some cultures believe that they can be living. Beginning in the 19th century, modern fiction began to portray vampires as gaunt and pale. In the past, vampire superstition in Europe led to mass hysteria, which resulted in corpses being staked and people being accused of vampirism. Many violent killing sprees have been attributed to vampires. They are known to terrorize their previous neighborhoods and will seduce their victims, waiting for the right moment to attack the neck. The creatures will frequently visit their relatives, particularly their spouses. Vampires are masters of disguise and camouflage. The most recently recorded case of vampirism is that of nineteen-year-old Mercy Brown, who died in Exeter, Rhode Island in 1892.

The notion of vampirism has existed for millennia; cultures such as the Mesopotamians, Hebrews, Ancient Greeks, and Romans had tales of demons and spirits which are considered precursors to modern vampires. However, despite the occurrence of vampire-like creatures in these ancient civilizations, the folklore for the entity we know today as the vampire originates almost exclusively from early 18th century Southeastern Europe, when verbal traditions of many ethnic groups of the region were recorded and published. In most cases, vampires are remnants of evil beings, suicide victims, or witches, but they can also be created by a malevolent spirit possessing a corpse or by being bitten by a vampire. Belief in such legends became so pervasive that in some areas it caused mass hysteria and even public executions of people believed to be vampires.

The vampire, as well as the werewolf, have become a lasting part of modern culture through television, film and literature.

LYCANTHROPES

Lycanthropes or werewolves are mythological humans that have the ability to shapeshift into wolves or anthropomorphic wolf-like creatures. They can infect the human population with a bite and the creature's transformation is often associated with a full moon. The lycanthropes mythology originated in Europe, but many accounts are found all over the ancient world. Features of the werewolf include the meeting of both eyebrows at the bridge of the nose, curved fingernails, low set ears, and a swinging stride. They have super-human strength and senses, far beyond those of either wolves or men. The beasts are known to feed on the homeless and easy prey. A person can be identified as a werewolf by cutting into their flesh to reveal hair or by revealing special bristles under their tongue. In returning to the human form the creature becomes weak and debilitated. Up until the 20th century wolf attacks on humans were widely reported causes of mass death in Europe.

A distinction is often made between voluntary and involuntary werewolves. The former are generally thought to have made a pact, usually with the Devil, and morph into werewolves at night to indulge in nefarious acts. Involuntary werewolves, on the other hand, are werewolves by an accident of birth or health. In some cultures, individuals born during a new moon or suffering from epilepsy were considered likely to be werewolves.

Becoming a werewolf simply by being bitten by another werewolf as a form of contagion is common in modern horror fiction, but this kind of transmission is rare in legend, unlike the case in vampirism.

Legendary Creatures and Shapeshifters

MUFON CMS: Aliens in the Mist?

Posted: 03 Jul 2010 11:38 AM PDT

MUFON Case Management System Report - New Zealand: In the year 2007 I captured many images of some kind ( probably the aliens used the similar method to introduce themselves ). They are large images formed by the invisible fog (or mist); and of course, there are always some spheres or light beam near the project images. Most of the images are familiar by people: they are figures of Lizards, Reptiles, Dragons…etc. But some of them are difficult to understand, they are a kind of graphic shape( See the attached pictures). Until today I still don't know which alien done all those projection and what are the implications of those graphic images.

Each those images only exist for a couple of seconds then disappear or another shape appears. I believe the aliens are intend to use this kind of projection to communicate with us.

Click for video

NOTE: the submitter (Sam) has filed MUFON CMS reports quite frequently...his original report was #18817. Below, I have reposted some of the information he has previously offered. You can find his blog at Spacelife...Lon

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NOTE: I recently contacted Sam, a resident of New Zealand who has been experiencing strange encounters and documenting UFO activity since 2005. Below, I have posted (without revision) some of his commentary from his blog. He has given me permission to present it here...Lon

"Of my remarkable, colorful and odd looking UFO pictures, most are captured from invisible objects. It doesn't matter how bright or how big they are shown in the photos. Only 20 pictures were seen with my eye. Some objects were even 1 to 3 meters from where I stood. I just couldn't see their fingers or hear any noisy. Only once, two invisible objects landed on the top of my tent, and then I could see some silver mist, like Moon light, shower from the top. I tried to grab the blur fog with my hand, I got nothing. But one evening of October(?) 2005 I saw a spinning small bell shaped flying saucer come down from the cloud, and stayed 35 meters (?) above my kitchen's roof for a minute then slowly turned to another direction.

Also my encounter with various types and large number of space life is different than those described events of UFO history. Their size ranged from sand to egg to basketball, to as big as 60 meters wide. Their shapes were micro- organism, insects, reptiles, Phoenix, Dragon and Mothman…...etc. Humanoid fingers appeared from a Martian(?) captain, middle-age knight, grasshopper robot, upright big bird to bubble shaped evil heads…….etc. All those images are in my photos collection.

Luckily, all happenings run smoothly and peacefully, looks I haven't been abducted in these two years ( I can't remember about before ). My house and family life haven't been disturbed. Physically, only my body some time feel extremely cold. I know that is not coincident, someone or something is behind it. Why? Two different space-life come together to my place often, the small one stands or lies on the top the big one. But the big one wears a red collar on its neck, which is to keep the little one safe (holds them together? Or may be the little one can't fly?). My question is "who puts the collar on?"

His remarkable images are posted on YouTube

MUFON CMS: Aliens in the Mist?

Fortean / Oddball News - 7/3/2010

Posted: 03 Jul 2010 10:59 AM PDT

WELCOME TO JURASSIC PARK - SAN DIEGO

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, and San Diego Zoo have collaborated to create stem cells from the skin cells of a dead drill monkey, an endangered monkey native to Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Cameroon.

The scientists, speaking at the International Society for Stem Cell Research in San Francisco, hope that the "induced pluripotent stem" (iPS) cells thus created can then be biochemically persuaded into becoming sperm and egg cells. They can then be implanted into the womb of another monkey, and will hopefully form a viable foetus.

San Diego Zoo's Frozen Zoo project has taken samples from 8,400 individuals of more than 800 species. It is hoped that these samples can be used in IVF programmes to improve captive breeding projects.

Jeane Loring, one of the Scripps researchers, told New Scientist : "You could actually breed from animals that are dead."

The team used genetically engineered viruses fitted with specific human genes to reprogramme adult skin cells into becoming iPS cells. The process worked in drill monkeys, but failed in white rhinoceros cells, implying that it may be necessary to use species-specific versions of the cells in some cases.

There are also concerns that the reprogramming process can cause the iPS cells to become cancerous. However, other researchers have developed techniques for creating iPS cells without leaving the reprogrammed genes in the new cells.

While the process is being used on endangered species, it would be technically possible to use it for extinct animals, using surrogate mothers from other species.

Last year, for the first time, an extinct animal - the Pyrenean ibex - was cloned using skin samples and the eggs of a domestic goat, although the ibex died shortly after birth. Other researchers have been trying to recover intact DNA from frozen woolly mammoths, although this has not so far been successful.

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PLASTIC ARM ON HIGHWAY CAUSES CHAOS

A plastic arm brought "chaos" to the M62 after drivers mistakenly reported it, thinking it was a human limb.

Officers closed the westbound side and the slip road by junction 6 at Tarbock Island, Merseyside, while they hunted for the "severed arm".

They opened the road a few hours later, at 1630 BST, after receiving a call from two council workers who had spotted the forearm and removed it.

Police said it had caused "traffic chaos and a huge expense".

The two council workers then took the arm to a local police station.

Det Insp Tom Keaton said: "This was treated as a major investigation that tied up large amounts of resources and impacted on all areas of policing response in Knowsley.

"We don't know how this plastic arm came to be in the middle of the road, whether it was placed there deliberately or whether it had fallen out of the window of a passing vehicle.

"However, Merseyside Police put a lot of resources into this incident and not only has it caused expense both in terms of time and money it was also extremely upsetting for the drivers who saw the plastic arm in the road.

"We would like to thank the public for their patience and understanding while this enforced road closure was in place."

NOTE: reminds me of a prank a friend and I setup at a school function using a mannequin head, makeup and a butcher knife...very effective and quite comical, despite what the teachers and the cops thought. Lon

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SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE OF POLTERGEIST KNOCKING?

Has science finally established a paranormal effect?

Paranormal rappings associated with apparent poltergeist activity have been described for many hundreds of years. It is only now that an interesting pattern has been discovered within the fine detail of the paranormal rapping sounds. No explanation can be found for this pattern at present.

The current edition of the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR), a learned publication dating back to 1882, carries an article by scientist Dr Barrie Colvin B.Sc., Ph.D., showing instrumental evidence for an inexplicable and objective banging sound detected in recordings made during alleged poltergeist activity.

Whereas raps and knocking sounds produced by ordinary means exhibit a normal acoustic pattern, those recorded in alleged poltergeist cases show quite a different sound signature. Continue reading at Scientific evidence of poltergeist knocking?

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WOMAN KILLED AFTER PORTABLE TOILET CRASHES INTO HER CAR

wpbf - An Okeechobee woman was killed Wednesday after a portion of a portable toilet crashed through her car's windshield, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Dawn Johnston, 38, was driving south on State Road 15 shortly after 11 a.m. when two portable toilets fell from the trailer of a pickup truck traveling north.

According to the crash report, the portable toilets broke apart when they hit the road, and a portion of one of them crashed through Johnston's windshield, striking her. Johnston's car then veered off the road and crashed into a tree.

Johnston was taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

WPBF 25 News has learned Johnston was a mother of three who recently separated from her husband.

"She was going through some hard times, but she was getting her life back on track now," Johnston's mother, Colleen Heitmann, said.

Heitmann said she was at work when she received a telephone call informing her of what happened.

"I can't put that into words," Heitmann said. "I still feel like there's a hole in my heart that will never get filled back up. She was the light of my life. (She) was my life."

State troopers said the driver of the truck was taking the portable restrooms to a storage facility.

Heitmann said she isn't holding anyone responsible.

"It was a freak accident," Heitmann said. "Accidents happen."

A 27-year-old passenger in Johnston's car, Stephanie Wikes, was taken to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, where she was treated for a broken hip.

Fortean / Oddball News - 7/3/2010

Jim Morrison Said to Haunt L.A. Restaurant Restroom

Posted: 03 Jul 2010 09:56 AM PDT

aolnews - July 3 marks 39 years since Jim Morrison, the deep-voiced front man for the band The Doors, was found dead in an apartment bathtub in Paris, France.

But that doesn't mean "The Lizard King" isn't still making the rounds in one of his former West Hollywood haunts.

As devout fans gather at his Parisian grave this weekend, looking for signs of the brooding singer and poet's spirit, they might be better served if they visited a Mexican restaurant at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd.

"You feel it here almost every day, throughout the entire place, but especially near this spot," says Christina Arena, general manager of Mexico, a colorfully festive restaurant that's been open about a year.

And just what spot does Arena refer to?

The unisex restroom.

You see, the building Mexico occupies was formerly "The Doors Workshop," an office space/crash pad/recording studio used by the band in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

And the restroom? It was the actual vocal booth where Jim Morrison recorded the classic "L.A. Woman" in 1970.

Today, a framed plaque featuring the album cover, gold record and hand-scrawled lyrics hangs outside the famous john. Fans come from all over the world to pay homage to Morrison at this sacred site, and they may get more than they bargained for.

"His presence hangs very heavy here," Arena says. "It gets eerie sometimes."

"Jim Morrison is definitely still here," office manager Christine Chilcote agrees. "Funky things happen all the time we can't explain. Lights popping on and off at weird times. But when that bathroom door handle jiggles by itself, that's the weirdest sign. It's totally inexplicable."

Well-known chef and restaurateur Larry Nicola, who opened Mexico last year, has created an authentic, south-of-the-border atmosphere using bright fiesta colors and fun outdoor decorations that make it seem as if a giant pinata exploded nearby.

He's also a huge Doors fan, so he understands that some customers may initially arrive to feast on memories of Morrison before ordering up some of Mexico's mouth-watering Mexican specialties (or one of their famous margaritas, like a "Cadillac Eldorado With Pink Fins" or a "Screamer").

"One of my favorite bands," Nicola says. "We knew what had happened here before we came in, and it's important for us to preserve the memories. It's incredible to think about what took place here."

Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger was even in recently to reminisce about the hazy, crazy "L.A. Woman" days spent at this very site.

"His spirit is here for sure," Nicola said without a hint of doubt.

"The building moans and breathes and makes sounds I can't explain," Nicola says. "We had someone come in before we opened up, to do a 'spiritual cleaning' to try and put everything at peace, but in the end they told us, 'Sorry, whatever is here is not leaving.'

"So we said, 'Cool. It's Jim's place, too. We're fine with that.' I hear it from guests all the time, especially the serious Doors fans. They know he's still here."

Nicola's daughter, Michaela, also works in Mexico. While giving a recent tour of the restaurant to AOL News, she said she understood from day one that they have a special guest who never leaves.

"I felt it from the beginning, and even though it can get a little weird sometimes, we love it. It's a special, unique history this building holds, and we honor it."

Sitting upstairs in Mexico's cozy open-air lounge, she adds, "I think if he was still alive today in body, this would be the place that would serve Jim Morrison's favorite margaritas. But we have Jim Morrison in spirit, and so we just have to be happy with that."

Jim Morrison Said to Haunt L.A. Restaurant Restroom

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