Friday night in the barrel(again)…finally…o god, the bureaucratic mazes of Gautemalan immigration have been successfully conquered and I have a stamp in my passport that reads ‘Residencia Permanente Como Pensionado’…ten months later, cha cha cha…RENAP even knelt/rolled over finally…a gift of a few ballpoint pens, a box of colored paperclips and they love me.

Is this bizarre or what? whilst doing yet another Mayan museum, this weird/oddity was observed: came with a decent collection that was donated in the ’70’s but outside of that, no details…and no history or any clues to the origin anyway(yes, I googled the shit out of crystal skulls)…unfortunately, on a different note, we ate at Taco Bell that morning(in the city)and the old slogan of ‘make a run for the border’ was with me for most of the week…and plans are being made to return to El Salvador after Thanksgiving, and wrap up those articles(and yes, another visit to Lips)..its research, damn it..

Rumors that the FMLN(Farabundo Marti yada yada)leftist guerrillas are regrouping have been noted..’love the jungle fatigues….last and probably least: the Mayans were major dopers…Smoking Frog, one of their earlier Lords….can you say Bufo Marinus? the narcotic frog? visualize enemas…there’s more, but of a kinder, more gentler visual…stay tuned for the full story on Datura, morning glory seeds, toxic water lilies, and psylicybin mushrooms: it explains a lot of things, Mayan-wise..

“No matter how hard you try, you just can’t beat a LEGO wookiee. Lucas Arts and TT Games’ have struck stud – that’s gold, in LEGO terms – with their lighthearted, blocky take on the Star Wars franchise. Though moving on to tackle Indiana Jones offered similar charm and adventure, the subject matter just doesn’t captivate players as readily. The original Indy flicks were pretty awesome, but we already got a rather mediocre PSP title that focused heavily on those quality films. Last year’s film revival of the series sparked a reason to make LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues – a game that still manages to be fun despite being based upon a movie that most fans think should have never been made.”

Check out the full review here at GamesRadar.

from May 25, 2008

Before I get into my eagerly-awaited review of the fourth Indiana Jones movie, let me have a few more minutes to talk about karma. I’ll also explain what happened to the rant that was supposed to appear here today.

As you know if you were silly enough to read my recent blogs, I had a run of bad automobile luck. I usually just chalk bad luck to chance or the luck of the draw, but not that week. While I may not be a true believer in karma (though I love it on My Name is Earl) it was in full effect last week. Because of the negative energy (or whatever) of a nasty blog allegedly about cars, I was plagued with car trouble. Thankfully, that’s all over now, I hope. (Fingers crossed!)

But karma works both ways. For example, I had planned and written (only in my head) a pretty nasty piece of work about, well, work. Had I posted it here it would have been one of the major league ones, full of F-bombs and general black-heartedness straight from my gut. However, I thought better of it, much better, as the log was guaranteed to piss off someone who may or may not deserve it, but either way was likely to read it. And though subtlety  is not my strong suit, pissing someone off that way isn’t my style either. I decided the right thing to do is to just not run it at all. Sorry. At any rate, I must have gained some positive karma points that paid off today, because when we got to the movie to see Indiana Jones the house was about 80% full, but in the top row, dead center, were three empty seats. Perfect! Karma rewarded me by saving the best seats for us. And who sat around us? On the right was a young quiet boy of about seven. On the left was an old quiet woman of about seventy-seven. In front of us was a family of very short Mexicans and in front of me specifically was a Mexican so short that I was sure the seat was empty until I saw the empty seat pass someone some popcorn.

And now, My Review of Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The film opens in New Mexico, 1957. How am I sure it was 1957? The soundtrack is blaring the music of Elvis Presley. Of course, that could date the film well in the 1970’s, also known as the Fat Elvis Era, but the graphic clearly reads “New Mexico, 1957″ so any chances I had of seeing Elvis wearing a caped jumpsuit were dashed lower than the hopes of Kim Karashian getting liposuction on her gigantic ass.

A military convey pulls into an army base in Roswell New Mexico, home of (as the sign says) Area 51. This, as all conspiracy nuts, UFO enthusiasts, loyal listeners of Art Bell, and me, know, is the top secret army base where the military hides all sorts of stuff they don’t want us to have, like the crashed Roswell saucer, portals to alien dimensions, Hilary Clinton’s clone, cheap oil, time travel machines, Hitler’s brain, and world peace.

Well, it turns out that the military guys are not technically our military guys, they are Russian military guys, led by Kate Blanchette in a Betty Page hairdo and a jumpsuit that managed to look sexy in a masculine kind of way. Oh, no no, I meant “look sexy despite being masculine.” DESPITE.

The Russians already have an artifact older and more powerful than any creaky old thing locked inside the warehouse, they have Indiana Jones locked in the trunk of their vintage Buick. After gently lifting him out and making sure his arthritis isn’t too bad, they set him inside the warehouse to find a crystal skull.

What’s a crystal skull? I’ll tell you, but I should also warm you that I am going to freely mix fact and fiction here and leave it to you to sort out. There are eight known crystal skulls out of what are believed to be thirteen scattered around the globe. All are alleged to have certain paranormal powers, like the ability to tell you where you left your car keys last night or if that hot chick in the bar was really into you or just playing you for drinks. You can see why the Russians would want a thing like that.

This is the same warehouse glimpsed at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and sure enough, in a madcap wacky romp through the place, Indy runs into both the Ark of the Covenant and George Lucas’ first draft script of Star Wars where Chewbacca wasn’t a Wookie but instead was played by Art Carney in a gorilla suit. Harrison Ford puts in a fine performance in a very physical role. In fact, he did all the stunts himself. Ford dislocated both hips and developed a goiter during the filming.

Escaping the Commies, Indy takes a break in a normal 1950’s American town. There are two cars in every garage, the mothers are baking pies, the fathers come home for lunch, and the black people are quietly segregated and kept in the background. However, after raiding the fridge, Indy realizes that something is wrong- no one has moved or said a word for a long time. Upon closer inspection, our eagle-eyed hero discovers that every single person in town is a cardboard cutout. Then the air raid siren begins to blare and a countdown begins. Now Indiana isn’t as swift as he used to be, and he’s cranky from not having his oatmeal this morning, but he puts the clues together. New Mexico + military base + phony town+ air raid sirens + countdown + big signs that say “atomic testing for God’s sake keep out” = deep shit. Implausibly, Indy hides in a refrigerator and is blasted clear of the area while the lead lining keeps him radiation free. I didn’t make that up.

So Indy is debriefed by the FBI. (And with J. Edgar Hoover in charge, I literally mean “de-briefed.”) Turns out he was also blacklisted and labeled a communist by the FBI for having the nerve to know somebody who once read a book that belonged to an alleged communist’s brother. We also find out that his dad died and he’s fired from the university.

About this time Indy was considering hanging himself by his bullwhip when he discovered that his boys could swim and that he’s a daddy. His son is a 1950’s stereotype greaser named Mutt. Yes, Mutt. I didn’t like it either.

Though it may be too late, I’d like to point out that this review may contain spoilers.

For the rest of the film, his old war friend changes sides the way Lindsay Lohan changes lesbian girlfriends, which is say all the time. His old love Marian (from the first film) turns up only to get captured. Who says there are no strong roles for women in Hollywood?  Indy gets the skull, loses the skull, runs through jungles, fights native guys in grass skirts, fights communists who are interchangeable with the Nazis of previous films, gets caught in quicksand, trembles at snakes, runs from ants, gets the girl, (who is the same age as he is, about 67, so she isn’t really a girl, is she?) and does more running than is healthy for a man of his advanced years.

I’d like to tell you about the ending, but I’m still having trouble processing it. Let me just give you the bullet points. The finale contains:

• 13 crystal skulls
• 13 complete crystal skeletons
• a UFO
• a portal into another dimension
• aliens “Saucer Men from Mars”
• telepathy
• greed and avarice
• lots of water
• a high degree of, as President Bush would say “ridiculous-nicity.”

I waited 19 years for this film. My students weren’t even born when the last one came out. So was it worth the wait. Yes. I loved this stupid film. Every stupid second of it. I want to see it again.

Anyone want to go with me?

Our resident comedian and assistant editor, Zoran Gvojic recently did a recut of the newest Indiana Jones movie, Crystal Skull. He says, “The piece came from a place of love.  I have such a love for the character of Indiana Jones.  I have played through countless terrible video games, and read awful comics just because Indy was in them”. Though the piece is a spoof, I have to say…he does have a point…pertaining to one scene in parrticular. I know it’s hard to pick out the one scene that doesn’t make any sense in that movie, but try… it’s the SUPER obvious one…

“I originally started this project to see if I could make a better version of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  I actually wanted to try and edit the entire feature film down to what I saw in my head.  Obviously that wouldn’t be a good web video so I opted to give indy a more honorable death, that the fans could respect more than the requisite film. I’m very proud of how everything turned out and want to thank Jeff Landsman for his suggestions and Erik, Steven, and Jordan for their help with skeleton.” -Zoran

Check out Zoran’s other videos at : http://www.youtube.com/lowcarbcomedy

Surely, you’ve noticed the groundswell of interest when it comes to the Ghostbusters.  First, the whole crew reunited for “Ghostbusters: The Video Game,” a sequel of sorts that touched upon the contents of the original 1984 comedy and its 1989 sequel; sensing the renewed interest, Sony Pictures Entertainment has hired writers for a script to a third GHOSTBUSTERS film, currently in development with the assistance of Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis.  On top of all that, the biggest toy company in the world, Mattel, is producing a line of toys based on this twenty-five year old property, which means there’s still plenty of interest to be had and money to be made. 

Obviously, then, we are all wise to heed the sage advice of the Dan Akroyd, who has brought us a fine – and delicious – example of the world of the supernatural: Crystal Head vodka, the only vodka currently available on the market encased in a glass skull.

This Canadian vodka is supposedly quadruple-distilled and triple-filtered through Herkimer diamond crystals; according to the makers of Crystal Head vodka, Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits, the vodka is created without the use of any additives, and might just have something to do with the series of thirteen crystal skulls unearthed across the planet.  They even claim Akroyd’s the perfect spokesman thanks to his “fascination with the invisible world.”

Witness Akroyd’s viral video discussing the finer points of the quasi-mystic vodka:

Have you found Crystal Head vodka in Oklahoma?  Let us know …

By Valley Reed

The Annual Conference for the International Association for the Study of Dreams was held last month in Chicago, Illinois.  I was there to participate in a panel on Listening to the Earth Dreaming chaired by Jean Campbell along with Wendy Panier, Jody Grudy & Teresa MacColl, a powerful group of women leaders and dreamers.  I also co-facilitated a workshop with Teresa MacColl on Dream Wayfinding.   I have been a presenter at several of these conferences over the years, including last year in Montreal, Canada where I chaired a panel on Dreaming Across Borders with Indigenous Peoples.  The presentation I gave last year is listed on my blog as “The Call of Quetzalcoatl and Dancing with the Moon” which has also been published in Dreamtime Magazine.  I flew to this years conference in Chicago directly after attending a week long Dream Teacher Training with Robert Moss in Connecticut at a beautiful seaside retreat. The circle of 18 women was a powerful, grounded group that attended the training and we have all become bonded on this journey we are embarking on together.

The Dream Wayfinding workshop seemed to pick up right where I left off from my experience in Teotihuacan, where I did ceremony with De Leon the keeper of the staff of Quetzalcoatl. It was in response to a prayer I had offered for my father two years ago, who was dying of cancer that I had the dream of an Aztec  Gatekeeper who told me he was directing my fathers death. This dream lead me to go the Teotihuacan to do ceremony in Teo at the temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Jaguar Palace.  I have been told by a Mayan friend that the name Teotihuacan means “Valley of the Reeds” and my given birth name is Valley Reed.

Teotihuacan The Temple of Quetzalcoatl

My father has since crossed over last fall, and during the past Summer Solstice of this year, which was also Fathers Day,  my oldest brother spread my fathers ashes over the Garden of the Gods in Colorado where my father grew up.  Teotihuacan is also known as “the place where men become Gods”,  so it seems fitting that my Father would finally come to rest in the Garden of the Gods.  I wrote about my experience as being a “Gatekeeper” in my previous blog entry and serving in the role of psycho pomp to help my father to cross over into the next stage of his journey.

Garden of the Gods

I found in the workshop on wayfinding we did in Chicago that the journey was continuing.  I dreamt the night before the workshop of a mysterious princess or priestess who had a star on her forehead and wore a beautiful transparent veil in shades of blue, which just barely covered her head.  In the dream, she handed me a Crystal Skull and also a small crystal spiral.  I was transfixed by the images in this dream the energy was so inviting and mysterious. The next day,  I set up the space for the workshop to create a sacred ceremonial space within which to work in the basement of an airport hotel.  I put out about 30 chairs and I thought I must be expecting a good crowd.  I imagined all the chairs being filled for the workshop.  I also decided to lure people into the space down in the basement by playing my bamboo Native American flute I had bought at the Mohawk reservation in Montreal last year. The first person to come into the circle through the East was Dr. Tricia Torres an Anthropologist from Guadalajara. We had the opportunity to visit briefly, as she entered the circle and put her offering on the altar my colleague Teresa had set up in the center.  Dr. Torres told me she was the Dance Elder for a dance circle of women in Mexico, and they did sacred precolumbian dance.  I asked her if she knew De Leon, the keeper of the staff of Quetzalcoatl in Teotihuacan, and told her I had danced with him and his wife as their guest in the annual Moon Dance Ceremony in Mexico City in 2007.  She affirmed to me she did know him, I then felt moved to ask her if she could tell me anything about the Crystal Skull. I shared with her that I had dreamt of a crystal skull the night before and it seemed to me to be from Mexico, or Central or South America.  She told me the crystal skull had to do with higher transformational energies.  I left it at that and thanked her, allowing her to take her place in the circle and continued to play the flute to help guide other dream wayfinders to our workshop. We managed to fill each of the seats we had set out for the workshop. It was a wonderful mix of bringing the ancient practice of wayfinding through the voices of the elders who Teresa MacColl had interviewed and recorded them about dream wayfinding. Teresa has her Masters throught the Indigenous Mind Studies Program at Naropa University now directed at Wisdom University by Dr. Apella Colorado.  It is important to follow the protocols of honor and respect toward elders and these ancient practices by honoring the ancestors.  Within the protected ceremonial space we had created together, I was able to lead the workshop on a shamanic dream journey with the help of the drum to dream our way forward.

In the circle, we called out the names of our ancestors and shared dreams and experiences on wayfinding.  I felt called to mention that each person in the circle had found thier way there that day, and that it was also an example of wayfinding.  I made the connection with Dr. Torres and that she knew the gatekeeper from my dream that lead me to Teotihuacan.  She told me on June 21st during the Summer Solstice her womens’ dance circle had performed a sacred dance to help heal relations between fathers and daughters, the same day my fathers ashes were spread over the Garden of the Gods. The name of the sacred dance these women performed is called the skull dance.

Keeper of the staff of Quetzalcoatl

Dr. Torres offered to teach the whole circle the skull dance to close the circle. We all did the dance together beautifully, picking up the steps as though we already knew the dance.  The dance was offered as a closing prayer to our wayfinding workshop and offered further closure for me on the journey of my father’s crossing over.  The workshop was so magical, and the weaving of the bigger story into the circle was overwhelming to me in the sense of how incredibly blessed I felt to be a part of this work and to be able to dance together into the realm of the ancestors.

The dance continues and the journey of wayfinding with plans to bring Dr. Torres,  director of  The Mexican Research Institute of Interdisciplinary Anthropological Studies to Dallas to begin a sacred womens’ dance circle.  I will also to travel to Mexico to dance with my sisters there.  To find out more about workshops and classes scheduled on dream wayfinding visit www.chrysalishealingarts.org

Recently a friend sent me a photo of a crystal skull. It was beautiful beyond words and inspired me to use it in meditation. Here’s how I do it:

 I imagine my skull is crystal and my spine as well. As I bring light into my body through the top of my head, it hits the crystal skull, travels down my crystal spine and stops at its base. The light then radiates through my being, moving without effort into the world. This puts me in a clear, reception place for writing, the events of the day, speaking what I want to attract and elevating my consciousness. 

Give it a try; I think you’ll be pleased. 

The Muse lives just out of sight. I write for her, not knowing which ‘her’ I mean. The Greeks say there are nine sisters, all daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who exist to see beauty created in the world. If I sit down day after day and do my work a mysterious process is set in motion which enlists their help and reinforces purpose.

 Another reality does exist, just out of view, where genius sleeps and treasures wait to be downloaded by dedication and effort. The work we do each day makes our presence known in that unseen place. It allows the muse to become acquainted with our spirit and ultimately to relinquish her gifts. Ask any artist or healer. The real ones, the good ones are humble, because they understand that the information comes through them, and is not born of them. So, don’t be afraid to start your day or any creative project with a request. Fire up your crystal skull, radiate light and make yourself found.

A thoughtful and comprehensive look at the fascinating subject of crystal skulls. This book should appeal to people who have a metaphysical and/or scientific interest in these mineral carvings. The authors have worked long and hard to bring their love and understanding of both ancient and contemporary crystal skulls to the attention of the general public. Whether you are an enthusiastic novice, or an avid collector of these powerful esoteric tools, you should enjoy this enlightening read.

Download

Joshua Shapiro – Journeys of the Crystal Skull Explorers.pdf.html

A 12,000 year old quartz crystal skull, which is believed to be an artifact from the Lost Continent of Atlantis, can heal the terminally ill.

So claimed Anna Mitchell-Hedges to Weekly World News, before her passing in 2007.

Many are familiar with crystal skulls from the most recent Indiana Jones films, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But few know they are based on a real artifact!

“This is truly a remarkable relic from a very ancient time in the world’s history,” said 81 year old Anna Mitchell-Hedges in 1993.

“It has absolutely incredible properties – properties for which, seemingly, there is no scientific explanation.

“In the more than half-century it’s been in my possession, time and time again I have watched in awe as the energy that apparently radiates from the skull has healed individuals who say they are terminally ill or permanently disabled.

“Among those who just want to touch the skull and meditate, some say they can feel its power surging right through their bodies – and they even catch glimpses of the future.”

The life-size skull, carved from quartz crystal, was discovered by Anna in 1921 while she and her adventurer father, F.A. Mitchell-Hedges, were excavating the ruins of the 1,500-year-old Mayan center of Lubaantun in Central America.

“I’ll never forget that magical moment when I first saw this awe-inspiring antique shimmering in the moonlight,” Anna said.

“I found it under a Mayan alter that had been covered by a collapsed wall. I was particularly struck by the fact that the lower jaw is movable. My father believed the Mayans may have used it as an oracle.”

However, he was also convinced that the Mayan hands had not fashioned the artifact, because such a detailed sculpture would require diamond tipped tools, since diamonds are the only material that can carve quartz crystal.

“And those kinds of tools just didn’t exist in that day and age,” Anna explained.

“Naturally, there are some skeptics who claim the skull is a fake,” she continued, “but scientists at the California labs of Hewlitt-Packard have estimated it’s about 12,000 years old.

“Now, the only advanced civilization we know of that may have existed that long ago is the fabled Lost Continent of Atlantis. This lost continent reportedly extended almost to the coast of Central America.”

After Ms. Mitchell-Hedges passed away in 2007, her friend Bill Homann inherited the skull. This past April,  the Smithsonian Institution examined it and also established it was made with tools the Mayans did not have. However, this led to their conclusion that it was made in late 1800s, rather than by a much earlier civilization.

There are additional theories about the skull, most prominently that they were either created by aliens or an ancient culture was shown how to create them by aliens.

Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, a proponent of ancient alien contact, discusses his take on the crystal skulls:

Bill Homann remains convinced of its authenticity. He is committed to building a museum in honor of the Mitchell-Hedges in Sedona, Arizona.

They say some of the skulls aren’t the Mayan artifacts they’re claimed to be, but others aren’t so easily explained.

Belleville,Ontario,Canada – Combine Indiana Jones with The X-Files and you have Belleville’s Gray brothers. Adam, 36, and Andrew Gray, 33, are Belleville natives and filmmakers who have begun to specialize in television programs exploring the unexplained.

Their newest, Supernatural Investigators: Crystal Skulls, is set to air on VisionTV.

It’s one of four documentaries created by the Belleville brothers who last year had their television debut with The Nightmare, also on VisionTV. The hour-long program on the mysterious condition of sleep paralysis was picked up by VisionTV.

The four shows are among 17 to be aired on the channel’s new Supernatural Investigators program. Award-winning science-fiction author Robert J. Sawyer serves as host.

Building on The Nightmare’s success, the brothers pitched three new documentaries to the channel, all of which were approved. Crystal Skulls is the first to air.

“It was a pretty cool adventure,” said Adam Gray who, late last year, traveled with his brother-in-law, cameraman Rob Spence, to film in Mexico and Belize.

Life-size crystal skulls began appearing in Mayan archeological sites in Central America during the 1800s. Mayan legends say they were used by priests to heal, kill and communicate with the spirit world.

But some of the skulls are crafted so perfectly that experts say it would’ve take the Mayans centuries to make them.

The documentary features interviews with experts and tracks archeologist Joel Palka in his search to uncover the truth about the skulls.

One skull, discovered by Anna Mitchell-Hedges during an expedition with her father Mitchell Hedges, remains among the most mysterious of the 10 skulls found to date.

“I actually started off quite skeptical. I liked the story of Mitchell Hedges but thought it was probably a fake,” Adam said, but noted he was forced to reconsider based on information revealed during filming.

Crystal Skulls and the Grays’ other three programs for the series were created under a tight deadline of just a few months.

For the skull shoot, Drew remained in Belleville to continue editing shows while Adam and Spence headed south for a hectic 10-day shoot. “It was an insanely tense and fast-moving trip,” Adam said.

The trip from Mexico to Belize was a 16-hour drive “deeper and deeper into the jungle in a country that doesn’t seem to have any police force,” Adam said.

“I was a little frightened in Belize,” he said.

He recalled arriving at a hotel of sorts deep in the jungle and being chased by a Rottweiler dog. His guide wasn’t of any comfort.

“He said, ‘You know, they could kill us out here and no one would ever know,’” said Adam in a Latin-American accent, chuckling.

That night, he said, “There was about an eight-inch tarantula crawling along the floor beside my bed. Sleeping became very difficult after that.”

He joked that for future films, “We’re not going past Trenton from now on.”

Drew said editing the films was tough because of the deadline and the limit to how much footage could be used.

“You can’t go more than a minute and a half, two minutes with anything,” Drew said. “It doesn’t matter how much you spent to get the footage or how important you thought it was going to be.”

Advance research was key, but the final script can’t be written until the field interviews are complete, he said.

“You try to become an expert before you start shooting, but if you get too cocky you end up writing a bad essay trying to prove your own points,” said Drew.

The Grays’ program on remote viewing airs March 17 and is nearly complete. Editing is underway for White Mountain Abduction, an investigation into the classic alien encounter of Betty and Barney Hill. It airs April 7.

A retooled version of The Nightmare has been delivered to VisionTV and will be broadcast April 14.

Each has music by Belleville’s Sean Fritz, the Grays’ cousin.

The brothers said they’re now discussing unexplained topics for future films, and have created ParaDocs, a production company and joint venture with producer Paul Stephens.

Author: Luke Hendry

Source – http://www.intelligencer.ca/

MORE Strange, Paranormal & Mind Power related ->->

MAX, the Crystal Skull is coming to Los Angeles May 29th – 31st, 2009! Join Modern OM on Friday May 29th starting at 6:45pm – 9pm for a Healing Crystal Meditation with an authentic ancient artifact shrouded in mysticism and intrigue. Private & Group sessions being scheduled with MAX for Friday & Saturday. Modern Om is located on 13452 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292
(Just before Lincoln. Across from Cosco)

For those of you who are not in the know about crystal skulls, a crystal skull is a model of a human skull generally made out of quartz crystal, but not always, as in the case of Chinese jade skulls. Crystal skulls vary in size from a few inches to the size of a human head, or bigger. The age of a skull can be equated not so much to the year it was carved, or the place of origin, but to the age of the crystal from which it was created, some crystals being thousands of years old, while others are more contemporary. Crystal skulls are most often associated with ancient Mesoamerican cultures, especially the Maya which takes us to the Mayan Long Calendar and related prophecies.

So, you know, they are pretty cool and creepy and mystical. Check it out and open up your conciousness or whatev. It’s really quite the LA experience, I am sure.

Or you could just do the REALLY LA thing, and just look like you care about hardcore stuff like crystal skulls and all that jazz by wearing this rad jewelry http://www.stepheneinhorn.co.uk/product.asp?pc=J1%2D19GAR&p_subcategory=CH04 

Speaking of skulls, I just just picked up a cute new Alexander McQueen top. OK, so it’s Target McQ line, but still guys it’s pretty rock n’ roll. It’s stylin.

If you can’t find Alexander McQueen at Target, but want the look, you can splurge a bit for one of the gorgoues scarfs and look like a real rock star.

Or you can channel your wierdo and emo out to Morissey’s live cut of “Something Is Squeezing My Skull” and scoff at how lame skull fashions are. Yes, that’s the hipster thing to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK7Gz4THPbI

‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull‘, Berlomba Memburu Tengkorak Legenda

Pemain: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, John Hurt, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent

Resensi Film
Henry Walton Jones (Harrison Ford) atau lebih dikenal dengan Indiana Jones, terpaksa harus turun berlaga lagi setelah setelah 19 tahun menjalani hidup tenang sebagai profesor arkeologi.

Awalnya ketika Indiana Jones didatangi oleh Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) yang mengaku kenal dengan Profesor Oxley (John Hurt) teman lama Indy. Menurut Mutt, Profesor Oxley saat ini sedang berada di Peru bersama ibu Mutt, Mary (Karen Allen). Mereka pergi ke Peru untuk mencari Tengkorak Kristal yang legendaris itu. Terakhir, Mutt mendengar bahwa Mary dan Profesor Oxley hilang dan hanya meninggalkan surat beserta tulisan dari Profesor Oxley.
Read more »

MAX the Crystal Skull from Houston, Texas

My friend, JoAnn Parks of Houston, TX, is the caretaker of MAX the Crystal Skull. She’s visited my home with MAX and we’ve had many people come and sit with MAX and his energies. MAX is a true wonder of the world when it comes to ancient, dare I say even, off-world artifacts. MAX has been featured in a number of TV documentaries and in radio programs.

MAX came into the life of JoAnn and Carl Parks over 20 years ago when JoAnn, desperate to prolong the life of her dying daughter, was introduced to Norbu Chen, a Tibetan red-hat lama, who used MAX the Crystal Skull to heal her daughter. JoAnn’s daughter lived another 3 years as a result of Norbu’s work with MAX. Norbu gave MAX to JoAnn and told her that one day, she would know what to do with it. It sat in her closet for 7 years until through the result of a chance TV program, she connected with Nick Nocerino, the owner of another ancient crystal skull, Sha Na Ra.

Both MAX and Sha Na Ra are considered to be part of the legend-story of 13 crystal skulls, who were once together on earth acting as a library of vast knowledge. According to the legend-story, the skulls were dispersed when humans abused this knowledge, around the time of the fall of Atlantis or the Great Flood.  Since then, they’ve been hidden until such a time when humans were ready to treat the knowledge these skulls contain with much better care. Some believe, this time is now and thus, some of these skulls are coming out into the open, including via wide media exposure. George Lucas, among others, are big believers of the power of these skulls as evidenced by his movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls.

JoAnn, with her lovely sense of humor, also told me about actor Dan Akroyd and his fascination with crystal skulls to the point that he created a product around his obsession: Crystal Head Vodka. I aim to try it one of these days.

UPDATE: Well, wouldn’t you know it but the same day I post about crystal heads, so does Ellie Crystal!

by Joseph Robert Jochmans, Lit. D.

WALK INTO ANY modern museum, or open any history textbook, and the picture of the past presented is one in which humanity started from primitive beginnings, and steadily progressed upward in the development of culture and science. Most of the artifacts preserved in archaeological and geological records have been neatly arranged to fit this accepted linear view of our past.

Yet many other tantalizing bits and pieces unearthed offer a very different story of what really happened. Called out-of-place artifacts, or Ooparts, they don’t fit the established pattern of prehistory, pointing back instead to the existence of advanced civilizations before any of the known ancient cultures came into being.

Though such discoveries with their inherent sophistication are well-documented, most historians would like to sweep these disturbing anomalies under the proverbial rug. But the rug of true history is getting very lumpy, and hard to step across without tripping over such obvious contradictions to the conservative picture of antiquity.

What’s more, the mysterious artifacts confirm ancient legends and stories which describe human history not as linear, but cyclic. Forgotten ages and former worlds rose and fell in great cycles of life and death over millions of years, lost to our memory except in myths, and now, through a few amazing pieces left to us. Here are the top ten out-of-place artifacts and what they reveal to us about our missing legacy:

1. BAFFLING BATTERIES OF BABYLON

In 1938, Dr. Wilhelm Kong, an Austrian archaeologist rummaging through the basement of the museum made a find that was to drastically alter all concepts of ancient science. A 6-inch-high pot of bright yellow clay dating back two millennia contained a cylinder of sheet-copper 5 inches by 1.5 inches. The edge of the copper cylinder was soldered with a 60-40 lead-tin alloy comparable to today’s best solder. The bottom of the cylinder was capped with a crimped-in copper disk and sealed with bitumen or asphalt. Another insulating layer of asphalt sealed the top and also held in place an iron rod suspended into the center of the copper cylinder. The rod showed evidence of having been corroded with acid. With a background in mechanics, Dr. Konig recognized this configuration was not a chance arrangement, but that the clay pot was nothing less than an ancient electric battery.

The ancient battery in the Baghdad Museum as well as those others which were unearthed in Iraq all date from the Parthian Persian occupation between 248 B.C. and A.D. 226. However, Konig found copper vases plated with silver in the Baghdad Museum excavated from Sumerian remains in southern Iraq dating back to at least 2500 B.C. When the vases were lightly tapped a blue patina or film separated from the surfaces, characteristic of silver electroplated to copper. It would appear then that the Persians inherited their batteries from the earliest known civilization in the Middle East.

2. THE STRANGE ELECTRON TUBES FROM DENDERA

In different locations within the Late Ptolemaic Temple of Hathor at Dendera in Egypt are curious wall engravings which Egyptologists cannot explain in traditional religio-mythic terms, but about which electrical engineers are finding very modern interpretations.

In one chamber, No. 17, the topmost panel, depicts Egyptian priests operating what look like oblong tubes, performing various specific tasks. Each tube has a serpent extending its full length inside. Swedish engineer Henry Kjellson, in his book Forvunen Teknik (Disappeared Technology), noted that in the hieroglyphs these serpents are translated as seref, which means to glow, and believes it refers to some form of electrical current. In the scene, to the extreme right appears a box on top where sits an image of the Egyptian god Atum-Ra, which identifies the box as the energy source. Attached to the box is a braided cable which electromagnetics engineer Alfred D. Bielek identified as virtually an exact copy of engineering illustrations used today for representing a bundle of conducting electrical wires. The cable runs from the box the full length of the floor of the picture, and terminates at both the ends and at the bases of the tube objects. These objects each rest on a pillar called a djed, which Bielek identified as a high-voltage insulator.

The tube objects look very much like TV picture tubes, an impression which is not far from wrong, for electronics technicians have identified the objects as Crookes or electron tubes, the forerunner of the modern television tube.

Though the upper chamber scenes have been damaged by vandals from a later age, other pictures found inside the crypt below the Holy of Holies are almost perfectly preserved, and their portrayal deepens the mystery of the strange electron tubes even further. Here, not only are the tubes shown in full operation, but something else has been added which may suggest the ultimate purpose for the tubes themselves. In several instances, both men and women are shown sitting underneath the tubes, hands held out and cupped, which meant they were in a receptive mode. What kind of radiation treatment was being performed here?

3. THE ENIGMA OF THE ASHOKA PILLAR

A testimony to ancient metallurgical skills in Delhi, India is called the Ashoka Pillar. Standing over 23 feet, it averages 16 inches in diameter and weighs about 6 tons. The solid wrought-iron shaft is made up of expertly welded discs. An inscription on the base is an epitaph to King Chandra Gupta II, who died in A.D. 413.

Despite being well over a millennium and a half in age, the Pillar’s constitution is remarkably preserved. The smooth surface is like polished brass with only occasional instances of pock-marks and weathering. The mystery is that any equivalent mass of iron, subjected to the Indian monsoon rains, winds and temperatures for 1,600 years or more would have been reduced to rust long ago.

Production of the iron and the techniques of preservation are far beyond 5th century abilities. It is probably far older, maybe several thousand years. Who were the mysterious metallurgists who made this wonder, and what happened to their civilization?

4. AN OUT-OF-PLACE COMPUTER FROM ANTIKYTHERA

A few days before Easter Sunday in 1900, Greek sponge divers off the small island of Antikythera discovered the remains of an ancient ship filled with bronze and marble statues and assorted artifacts later dated between 85 and 50 B.C.

Among the finds was a small formless lump of corroded bronze and rotted wood. which was sent along with the other artifacts to the National Museum in Athens for further study. Soon, as the wood fragments dried and shrank from exposure to air, the lump split open revealing inside the outlines of a series of gear wheels like a modern clock.

In 1958 Dr. Derek J. de Solla Price successfully reconstructed the machine’s appearance and use. The gearing system calculated the annual movements of the sun and moon. The arrangement shows that the gears could be moved forward and backward with ease at any speed. The device was thus not a clock but more like a calculator that could show the positions of the heavens past, present and future.

It is highly possible that the device may have origins ages long before the Greeks, and in a land far removed, now unknown.

5. FLIGHT IN ANCIENT EGYPT

In 1898 a curious winged object was discovered in the tomb of Pa-di-Imen in north Saqqara, Egypt dated to about 200 B.C. Because the birth of modern aviation was still several years away, when the strange artifact was sent to the Cairo Museum, it was catalogued and then shelved among other miscellaneous items to gather dust.

Seventy years later, Dr. Kahlil Messiha, an Egyptologist and archaeologist, was examining a Museum display labeled bird figurines. While most of the display were indeed bird sculptures, the Saqqara artifact was certainly not. It possessed characteristics never found on birds, yet which are part of modern aircraft design. Dr. Messiha, a former model plane enthusiast, immediately recognized the aircraft features and persuaded the Egyptian Ministry of Culture to investigate.

Made of very light sycamore the craft weighs 0.5 oz. with straight and aerodynamically shaped wings, spanning about 7 inches. A separate slotted piece fits onto the tail precisely like the back tail wing on a modern plane.

A full-scale version could have flown carrying heavy loads, but at low speeds, between 45 and 65 miles per hour. What is not known, however, is what the power source was. The model makes a perfect glider as it is. Even though over 2,000 years old, it will soar a considerable distance with only a slight jerk of the hand. Fully restored balsa replicas travel even farther.

Messiha notes that the ancient Egyptians often built scale models of everything familiar in their daily lives and placed them in their tombs, temples, ships, chariots, servants, animals and so forth. Now that we have found a model plane, Messiha wonders if perhaps somewhere under the desert sands there may yet be unearthed the remains of life-sized gliders.

6. A JET FROM SOUTH AMERICA

In 1954 the government of Colombia sent part of its collection of ancient gold artifacts on a U. S. tour. Emmanuel Staubs, one of America’s leading jewelers, was commissioned to cast reproductions of six of the objects. Fifteen years later one was given to biologist-zoologist Ivan T. Sanderson for analysis. After a thorough examination and consulting a number of experts, Sanderson’s mind-boggling conclusion was that the object is a model of a high-speed aircraft at least a thousand years old.

Approximately 2 inches long the object was worn as a pendant on a neck chain. It was classified as Sinu, a pre-Inca culture from A.D. 500 to 800. Both Sanderson and Dr. Arthur Poyslee of the Aeronautical Institute of New York concluded it did not represent any known winged animal. In fact, the little artifact appears more mechanical than biological. For example, the front wings are delta-shaped and rigidly straight edged, very un-animal-like.

The rudder is perhaps the most un-animal but airplane-like item. It is right-triangle, flat-surfaced, and rigidly perpendicular to the wings. Only fish have upright tail fins, but none have exclusively an upright flange without a counter-balancing lower one. Adding to the mystery, an insignia appears on the left face of the rudder, precisely where ID marks appear on many airplanes today. The insignia is perhaps as out-of place as the gold model itself, for it has been identified as the Aramaic or early Hebrew letter beth or B. This may indicate that the original plane did not come from Colombia, but was the product of a very early people inhabiting the Middle East who knew the secret of flying.

7. CRYSTAL SKULL FROM ATLANTIS

Without doubt the most famous and enigmatic ancient crystal is the skull, discovered in 1927 by F.A. Mitchell-Hedges atop a ruined temple at the ancient Mayan city of Lubaantum, in British Honduras, now Belize.

The skull was made from a single block of clear quartz, 5 inches high, 7 inches long and 5 inches wide. It is about the size of a small human cranium, with near perfect detail. In 1970, art restorer Frank Dorland was given permission to submit the skull to tests at the Hewlitt-Packard Laboratories. Revealed were many anomalies.

The skull had been carved with total disregard to the natural crystal axis, a process unheard-of in modern crystallography. No metal tools were used. Dorland was unable to find any tell-tale scratch marks. Indeed, most metals would have been ineffectual. A modern penknife cannot mark it. From tiny patterns near the carved surfaces, Dorland determined it was first chiseled into rough form, probably using diamonds. The finer shaping, grinding and polishing, Dorland believes, was done with innumerable applications of water and silicon-crystal sand. If true, it would have taken 300 years of continuous labor. We must accept this almost unimaginable feat, or admit to the use of some form of lost technology.

Modern science is stumped to explain the skill and knowledge incorporated. As Garvin summarized: It is virtually impossible today, in the time when men have climbed mountains on the moon, to duplicate this achievement…It would not be a question of skill, patience and time. It would simply be impossible. As one crystallographer from Hewlitt-Packard said, The damned thing shouldn’t be.

8. WHO SHOT NEANDERTHAL MAN?

The Museum of Natural History in London displays an early Paleolithic skull, dated at 38,000 years old, and excavated in 1921 in modern Zambia. On the left side of the skull is a perfectly round hole nearly a third of an inch in diameter. Curiously, there are no radial split-lines around the hole or other marks that should have been left by a cold weapon, such as an arrow or spear. Opposite the hole, the cranium is shattered, and reconstruction of the fragments show the skull was blown from the inside out, as from a rifle shot. In fact, any slower a projectile would have produced neither the neat hole nor the shattering effect. Forensic experts who have examined the skull agree the cranial damage could not have been caused by anything but a high-speed projectile, purposely fired at the prehistoric victim, with intent to kill.

If such a weapon was indeed fired at the man, then one of two conclusions can be made: Either the specimen is not as old as it is claimed to be, and was shot by a European in recent centuries, or the remains are as old as claimed, and the marksman was ancient too. In view of the fact that the Paleolithic skull was excavated from a depth of 60 feet, mostly of lead rock, the second conclusion is more plausible. But who possessed gunpowder 38,000 years ago? Certainly not Stone Age man himself. Another race must have existed, one far more advanced and civilized, yet contemporary. The question is, where did that rifle-toting marksman call home?

9. THE INCREDIBLE STONE OF DR. CABRERA

A very unique time-capsule of images is housed in a warehouse in Ica, Peru. Here are some 20,000 stone boulders, tablets, and baseball-sized rocks, decorated with an astounding assortment of pictures, in many cases very much out of time and place. The owner is local physician, amateur archeologist and geologist Dr. Javier Cabrera Darquea.

Most material employed is a gray andesite, an extremely hard granitic semi-crystalline matrix, that is very difficult to carve. But as Dr. Cabrera observed, People have been finding these engraved stones in the region for years. They were first seen and recorded by Jesuit missionary Father Simon, who accompanied Pizarro in 1525. Samples were shipped to Spain in 1562.

The stone portraits show very sophisticated surgery skills and medical knowledge, in some cases as advanced, and even more advanced, than today. There are scenes of Caesarean sections, blood transfusions, the use of acupuncture needles as an anesthetic (which only gained use in the West since the late 1970s), delicate operations on the lungs and kidneys, and removal of cancerous tumors. There are likewise detailed images of open heart and open brain surgery, as well as 20 stones showing a step-by-step heart transplant procedure.

This is a disturbing revelation in itself, that someone in unknown antiquity achieved a level of sophistication rivaling our own. But there are other pictures even more out-of-place. As Dr. Cabrera noted, and as has been verified by other medical physicians, there are stone etchings which show a brain transplant. The prehistoric surgeons, it is evident, possessed knowledge several steps beyond modern-day surgery.

10. MANUFACTURED METALS MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD

For the past three decades miners at the Wonderstone Silver Mine near Ottosdal in the Western Transvaal, South Africa, have been extracting out of deep rock several strange metallic spheroids. So far at least 200 have been found. In 1979, several were closely examined by J.R. McIver, professor of geology at the University of Witwaterstand in Johannesburg, and geologist professor Andries Bisschoff of Potsshefstroom University.

The metallic spheroids look like flattened globes, averaging 1 to 4 inches in diameter, and their exteriors usually are colored steel blue with a reddish reflection, and embedded in the metal are tiny flecks of white fibers. They are made of a nickel-steel alloy which does not occur naturally, and is of a composition that rules them out, being of meteoric origin. Some have only a thin shell about a quarter of an inch thick, and when broken open are found filled with a strange spongy material that disintegrated into dust on contact with the air.

What makes all this very remarkable is that the spheroids were mined out of a layer of pyrophyllite rock, dated both geologically and by the various radio-isotope dating techniques as being at least 2.8 to 3 billion years old.

Adding mystery to mystery, Roelf Marx, curator of the South African Klerksdorp Museum, has discovered that the spheroid he has on exhibit slowly rotates on its axis by its own power, while locked in its display case and free of outside vibrations. There may thus be an energy extant within these spheroids still operating after three eons of time.

[Aurick's comment: I have a special interest in this last item, as I was born in Klerksdorp!]

We all know that the fourth movie Indiana Jones was a well… a failure. Old people love is just simply not appealing and Harrison Ford does not have charisma that he used to have anymore. But(and that’s a BIG but), there are a couple of reasons why I personally like the fouth Indiana Jones a lot. These are the reasons why.

#5 Shia LeBeouf; pretty much the only young character in the movie

I have always thought Shia was a good actor. Even though “Disturbia” was a very disappointing movie, he made the movie better. This young hip good looking actor adds a little bit more attitude to the Indiana Jones movie. Considering that more than half of the movie characters are old, I think it was a good choice for Spielberg to choose Shia to add some new flavors to the movie. The movie gives a little hints that Shia is going to be the new Indiana Jones here and there but we will see what is going to happen in his bright acting future. A little side notes;  it is said that he praticed a lot for the knife trick thing he does through out the whole movie. From that, we can obviously tell he worked hard on this movie and it shows.

#4 Harrison Ford is still alive AND doing movies??

Yes he is old and yes he does not move as fast as he used to. However, I did not think choosing old Harrison as an old Indiana was a bad idea. In fact, I thought it was rather clever. Unlike 007 series that change James Bond for every single movie(I am exaggerating, obviously), I think it is important to keep an old protagonist in the movie to show the audience that they have gotten older as we have. I simply cannot imagine an Indiana Jones movie without Harrison Ford.

#3 So… what are they looking for this time? Oh Crystal Skull. Yeah that makes total sense.

Indiana Jones series always have a strange historical artifact or a person that is just simply amusing. There was the Lost Ark, the Temple of Doom and the last but not least the Last Crusade. Sometimes there are kind of cheesy but that is what makes Indiana Jones movies well… Indiana Jones movies. It is not supposed to be realistic. It is always something that is just simply unbelievable and yet amusing enough to catch people’s attentions. The Crystal Skull was definitely a fitting artifact that deserves to be in Indiana Jones movies.

#2 Cheesy plots? Please… like it was not cheesy before.

Many people complained about how plot of the new Indiana Jones movie was cheesy and corky. Well, I cannot deny that but I have to ask; was there an Indiana Jones movie that was not cheesy and corky? All Indiana Jones lines are somewhat cheesy because Indi is a macho man with a whip. He is adventurous and even stupid. But words cannot describe how cool he is(even when he is old, he still uses his whip!).

#1 Pure fan service

The movie was pure fan service. There were so many refrences to the past movies that it was too obvious that the movie was made for the people who purely enjoyed the previous Indiana Jones movies. Reapperance of Marion Ravenwood, the classroom, the “top men” cargo, the Lost Ark that was shown for a brief moment, the hat, the whip, the snake, and, most of all, Indiana Jones himself. Steven Sielberg just needed an excuse to make a movie that build a bridge to the new Indiana Jones, which I hope it will be starring Shia. Fourth might not have been the best one but it was good enough to end Indiana Jones adventure and pass the torch to the new young adventurer.

Ok listen carefully, I shall say this only once.  Southend has a decent pinball machine again.

If you turn left at the Kursaal traffic lights, and park near the aquarium it’s the first arcade before the traffic lights as you walk into the town centre. Ok, so directions are not my strong point, but you can’t miss the place.

At the back is a Stern ‘Indiana Jones‘ not the Williams one that came out in 1993 but a newer one. The crystal skull is the only ramp and the 8 ball multiball is intense once you get it, but it is difficult to work out. The ramps strategy won’t work here and neither will just hitting the ark until a multiball happens.. this needs to be a co-ordinated thought out game

Having played many of these over the years, I doubt this will topple my favourite ‘White Waters’ but it is a very good play. The features are a bit blurry on the ‘dot matrix’ video thingy, but all the other action is there.

The machine also offers tournament play, have no idea what that is but it may be something I need to look into as my husband is not as good as likes to think he is. 

Anyone fancy game?

Sarah

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When we were attending the October 2008 NEXUS conference in Australia, we had the great privilege of spending half an hour in the presence of the very famous Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull.

While doing so, we were able to record a short impromptu interview with its current custodian, Bill Homann. We were able to film the skull at close range, and heard the fascinating stories of Dr. Ray Brown’s Crystal Orb – of which we were shown a photograph – and a little-known major artifact, the whereabouts of which is known by Bill Homann, called the Crystal Boy.

There are a number of known crystal skulls in existence, but of these the Mitchell-Hedges skull is unique in its extraordinary craftsmanship. It has been studied by both scientists and psychics with no conclusive proof as to how old it is or even how it could possibly have been crafted from a single large crystal. Many, including Bill Homann, believe it to be a relic from Atlantean times, and the story he tells of what occurred when it was reunited with the Crystal Orb (recovered from a cavity in an undersea pyramid in 1970) is highly intriguing.

Ah, Indiana Jones. One of my favorites from childhood and probably the reason that I love Harrison Ford so much. His smart ass attitude and the ability to escape the Nazis or whatever bad guy he’s facing. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve seen the Indiana Jones films and I have to say I don’t remember them being this far fetched. Let me explain…

Right near the start of the movie our hero is trapped in a model town built in the desert. After a few moments he realizes that it’s only purpose is for nuclear testing. How will our intrepid hero survive the atomic blast that is heading his way in less than 30 seconds? By hiding in a lead lined fridge and being blasted miles away. Now I know as well as anyone that you have to accept some strange things while enjoying a film, but this takes the cake. I’d always felt that Indiana Jones was pretty rooted in reality. Sure it’s a little far fetched but hiding in the fridge and surviving a nuclear blast! That’s too much. Until….

Indy’s adventure continues as he meets his son and reunites with his love Marion from the first film. On the hunt for the crystal skull takes him across the globe, typical Indy adventure. But all of a sudden even the slightest bit of reality is lost when we realize the crystal skull is actually an alien skull and when placed with the other alien skeletons in an ancient temple they unite, come alive and fly off into another dimension in their UFO which comes out of the ground from under the temple. What the hell?

Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it looks terrible. The plot is a little far fetched even for my liking but once again Harrison Ford delivers. His attitude carried me through the flick and made me forget about the outrageous things going on around him. But if there’s a movie god out there please, please, please no Shia LaBeouf in the next one. I mean there will be a next one right?

Under the marquee – Will