Alarming drought now causing the once mighty Mississippi to dry.. Fields of nightmares across the Midwest as crops dwindle and die..

Not so mighty: Mississippi at record lows, forces ligher barges..

Mississippi River dropping in Memphis..

Receding Mississippi exposing historic relics..

The Midwest is suffering its worst drought in 50 years.. Could this be the 'new' norm? Will the United States go from bread basket of the world to the dust bowl of the planet? Will the record warmth continue? More and more hot records relative to cold records have taken place for some time.. The past two years have seen many more hot records as opposed to cold records. These recent heat waves have made this drought much worse--after a winter of almost no snow in much of the United States. Global changes are in full effect. Big economic impacts will be coming this fall, expect that at a grocery store near you. The fires that we saw this year may be a new norm, too.. Earth changes will get worse and worse.. Greenland has lost 97% of its ice. Even the highest points in Greenland are melting. Major transformations of landscapes coming--coastal area flooding? worst case could be a massive sea rise?

But planes still fly and cars still drive. If manmade impacts are the reasons for warming, then humans seem not to care. If it's the earth itself, humans are in for a wild ride--one not seens for centuries..

The drought that is occurring has some ominous signs for our future.. In Illinois, people are beginning to become alarmed with just how dry and hot things have been.. The drought in the United States is also going to cause problems for China..

The drought and constant heat waves that have hit the United States this summer have been only intensifying and shows no signs of receding.. According to one report, the drought size has increased by the 'size of Texas'..

This summer's horrid weather will have one extremely negative ramification for this world.. for our wallets.. for us: Food prices will skyrocket until at least 2013..

Just a few..

A powerful set of storms rolled through my area today.. I just get this deep down feeling that weather is getting rougher and more intense. I also get the feeling that people lost their sense of dread about what the future may entail if climate change is truly happening. Here is a MSM article about the severe weather that rolled through Ohio and Pennsylvania ..

More from the strange department.. yesterday news was rampant of Greenland losing 97% of its ice in four days.. today there is news of an unexpected ozone destruction taking place over the United States..

Anyone getting alarmed yet? A sweeping 'Grand Canyon' as been discovered beneath Antarctic Ice.. It is tied to the loss of ice..

And then there is James Moore and Nibiru..


A solar system has been found that mirrors ours.. Maybe it is ours. Maybe it's a reflection of us at one time in the past? Or the future. Light years away ... it was us. Maybe you'll get there and dinosaurs will be dominant. Or perhaps you'll see Ben Franklin forcing his son to hold a kite during a lightning storm. Science will tell us that this is simply similar to ours, but I will speculate since I have the freedom to do so, and say: Maybe this is actually us looking at ourselves. If we did, though, would we even know what we are seeing?

A boy opened a hot dog stand for his disabled parents. The city shut it down..

Kristen Stewart cheated! Lady Gaga came to the rescue.. ! I yawned.

How not to host the games: Show the flag of a nation you are constantly threatening with nuclear annihilation

Olympics, 2012 style

It’s tough to put on a show in the modern age. Sure, the Olympians are trained and ready and they even have thousands of condoms at their disposal, but it takes a flag mishap to cause a major diplomatic fiasco before the games even begin (officially)

So here is how things went down. As a soccer match between North Korea and Columbia was set to begin, the South Korean flag was mistakenly displayed. 

The North walked off the field and wasn’t seen for an hour. When the game delay was over, they went on to win 2-0. 

The National Olympic Committee offered up an apology to the newly married Kim Jong Un. 

No word on whether he is on a honeymoon..

The USA beat France 4-2, no one walked off that field.

And Lil’ Kim Jong Un is not a bachelor anymore.

FOUR DAYS IN JULY

Images being revealed from space of Greenland in July have caused eyebrows to raise even among the most conservative of scientists: The massive ice sheet over the nation has melted over an unusually large area in dramatic ways. The image above shows Greenland on July 8, and on the right, it's the same nation four days later.  Melting is even taking place at the coldest and highest place in Greenland, Summit Station.

According to the BBC and other sources, the thawed ice area jumped from 40% to 97% in just four days in July. The BBC said that ice core records indicate this much melting at Summit Station has not occurred since the late 1800s.

The Washington POST reports that this is the biggest thaw of Greenland since 1973.

Over the past week, Greenland glaciers has been breaking off ..

There is something to consider. In the summer, Greenland's ice does melt. That is normal, and natural. What is abnormal this year, of course, is that instead of half of the ice melting away we are seeing 97% of it gone in just a few days in July. Some may say that there is 'normal' in weather, but there sure is an 'average.' And this is not average. And I dare say, this also is not normal.

The Bayou bubbles may be due to oil-- a study last month may have missed a gas well

Earth Informer has been paying close attention to news from Louisiana. For weeks now, residents in northern Assumption Parish have reported strange rumbles, homes shaking, and the bayou bubbling up. Officials from state and federal governments have been studying the reasons for the bubbles. Ruled out at first was a natural gas line. Now according to the ADVOCATE, a well may have been overlooked last month when the study was done on what was making the bubbling in the Bayou.

The ADVOCATE reports that a so called 'orphan' well is in a wooded swamp 1,000 feet from the main bubbling. Officials don't know who owns the well. No clue at this point as to the type of gas in the well. According to some further information in the ADVOCATE dispatch:

Air tests around the well show the gas has reached 35 percent of what is called the lower explosive limit, he said.

The lower explosive limit, called the LEL, is the point at which an ignition risk exists in the immediate area around the well.

There have been numerous rumors generated by the bubbling bayou. Theories ranging from natural gas all the way to earthquakes.. A report last week spoke about officials' contemplation that small earthquakes were to blame for some type of rupture of gas along with making homes move, as residents have been reporting since June.

As promised, Earth Informer will continue to watch this developing story.

I received this email about my stories on the Aurora massacre

I received an emailed this morning around 4am from "Steven" somewhere in the world.. A part of it said this:

Please stop giving this killer so much attention. The only people are deserving of it are the victims. I think the more attention holmes gets the more he gets off on it

I agree with the premise of the email. James Holmes is getting a lot of worldwide attention. This site has been reporting on him ... and now here is another post showcasing his name. I also, however, have named the murder victims and given some thoughts on their importance. I believe their stories matter more than this mental case killer who did the midnight massacre during the DARK KNIGHT RISES.

But media as it is.. we know who will get the lump sum of coverage.

In one sense it's fair. He did the killings and now the focus will be on him. The most recent event that was revealed was that he may have used $26,000 in federal college grant money to buy his arsenal. There is also some opposing information that he may have had two roommates. Those initial reports on the roommates seemingly have vanished from stories. We will see where the road takes us.

Christian Bale went to Aurora to visit with the victims. That was nice of him. But at the same time I think the demands that he go were a little ridiculous. He is an actor who plays a character who doesn't exist. BATMAN is fiction. Sure, I am a BATMAN fan and have been for almost my whole life. But I know also that BATMAN isn't the caped crusader. He is a fantasy dreamed up by Bob Kane and capitalized off of from decades of comics, TV shows, and movies.  No one demanded Michael Keaton go to Colorado. Hell, no one demanded Adam West go, either! The fact Bale went, as I said, is a kind gesture. The fact the President went is a great gesture. I'm awfully surprised Mitt Romney hasn't gone.

This post may be a little scattered. It's because 'Steven' from somewhere may not have read back a few days on this site to see that the victims had coverage here. I felt it was important, especially knowing that their names are going to be soon wiped from headlines .. like the sands of time. Replaced by stories of insanity and murder from Holmes.

Please keep reading, nonetheless, Steve. I hope you'll be happy with any of my future words on this and other topics.

Is Clintonville, WI, booming again?

In March and April of this year, EarthInformer and a vast number of other sources reported  on strange booming and explosion noises rattling homes and nerves in Clintonville, Wisconsin. The townspeople were so upset that numerous meetings were held to calm fears. the USGS blamed small earthquakes. Major national media gave the story lots of attention and press.

Seemingly, the noises fell from headlines and were not heard.
Until now perhaps.
According to Alex Jones' INFOWARS site, an eyewitness reports to that booms were once again heard last night for 30 minutes.

We will be watching this story as it develops. Or re-developments, depending on whether the eyewitness report is accurate.

If it is true, what could the noises be? Fracking? Earth groaning.. moaning. But why?

The lost generation: Poverty in the United States is now on track to be at the highest since the 1960s

In related news. The Federal Reserve has plans to keep pumping. And the economy has its own plans. Apparently earnings now show that whatever ‘recovery’ has been going on is sputtering and another recession (as if we have not been in a depression for years!) is about to take place.. Hold on to your hat, coat.. undergarment, whatever you can still afford in this messy new life.

The lost generation indeed. Millions will grow up in a class lower than the middle, as the middle keeps shrinking, the lowest keeps peaking, and the highest keeps shrieking. This is our new life America.. 

The Great Society is back.

Penn State hit with unprecedented penalties

Happy Valley couldn't be sadder today. Penn State University has been hit with unprecedented penalties by the NCAA.

The 'death penalty' was not imposed on the football program, but it may as well have been.

The NCAA ordered:

• No bowl games for four years
• Scholarships reduced from 25 to 15
• $60 million fine
• 14 seasons of football victories from Paterno taken away

The online world.. the cable television world. .the sports world.. the bars of America.. all will be talking about today's news concerning Penn State. Few will talk about the victims of sex scandals. 

We will.

Jerry Sandusky was accused, prosecuted, and convicted of systematically using a charity to get underprivileged kids into his sex ring. He showered with them, and brought them to his house to rape them. The underage boys were also not helped by the University and Joe Paterno after a cover up ensued because top officials wanted to protect the name and reputation of the school... and now, due to their actions for years, the reputation of Penn State and the football program lays in ruins. Yes, this is why these penalties were imposed. 

This is why.

Who's that Joker?

On Saturday, the New York DAILY NEWS reported that Colorado shooter James Holmes was screaming at guards, spitting, and calling himself the Joker.

Today a whole new 'Joker' was revealed at court, causing confusion over initial reports of his wild-attitude. Instead, today, the only wild thing about Holmes were his eyes. He appeared listless and even drugged at points, with his head slow motioning back and forth.

When Holmes appeared in in court today, he appeared with bizarre reddish red hair.  He spoke no words. He is set to be arraigned next week.

They were people. Faces in a crowd. And now they are victims to madness

James Holmes is now known by most of the world now as the shooter and monster of the Midnight Massacre in Aurora Colorado during the DARK KNIGHT RISES. But the victims, as usual, will be forgotten in the dust of the justice system and publications in a 24 hours news cycle. There are full names and reports of their deeds on an LA TIMES dispatch this morning.  Clearly, the other 58 who were victims but not deceased deserve space, too. I hope we see more profiles on them soon.

The dead:

Jessica N. Ghawi, 24 
Micayla C. Medek, 23 
John T. Larimer, 27 
Alex M. Sullivan, 27 
Alexander J. Boik, 18 
Gordon W. Cowden, 51 
Alexander C. Teves, 24
Matthew R. McQuinn, 27 
Jonathan T. Blunk, 26 
Jesse E. Childress, 29 
Rebecca Ann Wingo, 32 
Veronica Moser-Sullivan, 6

Some striking things about the list. Veronica Moser-Sullivan was in the audience with her mom for a ‘girls night out’ .. Her mother is one year older than the shooter, and now remains in critical condition with bullets in her abdomen.  

Alex Sullivan died protecting others in the theater—it was his birthday and they were at the film to celebrate. 

But maybe most chilling to me is the tale of Jessica Ghawi. She was the same age as James Holmes. And just a month ago in June, she walked out of a Toronto mall before a shooter came in and shot over a dozen people, leaving two dead. Ghawi had a person blog and she wrote these profound words:

“I was shown how fragile life was… I was reminded that we don’t know when or where our time on Earth will end.”

Let that sink in. 

Despite violence, the DARK KNIGHT rose this weekend at the box

While some may believe Warner Bros and Hollywood are callous for reporting box office numbers, it was bound to happen with this film. The DARK KNIGHT RISES was set to be one of this biggest films of the year. Violence occurred when it opened at a midnight massacre when James Holmes opened fire on the crowd in Colorado. But the show went on, opening in 4,000+ screens around the United States.

In the end, the final movie in the Christopher Nolan trilogy bagged a weekend sum of $161.1 million gross. Depending on final numbers by Monday, DARK KNIGHT RISES may be the biggest 2d North American opening of all time--it has also surpassed 2008's DARK KNIGHT, which  grossed a weekend opening total of $158 million.

Truly wonder how much the shooting in Colorado may have hurt or helped the numbers? Did people stay away from further screenings? Or instead thumb their noses at Holmes and go anyway, leaving the terror to the big screen and not to the audience? No way we'll ever know those answers.

Hell on earth as mile high dust storm sweeps Phoenix

Here's an amazing video of it happening in a time lapse ... Winds gusted, cars had to pull off highways, and thousands where left without power. Photos and videos showing the intensity of the storm are popping up all over the Internet.

PATERNO TOPPLED.. Next the NCAA will strike back.. Developing story from Unhappy Valley

The statue of former Penn State coach Joe Paterno that heroically stood outside of Beaver Stadium in State College PA is gone, and now being store in a secure undisclosed location.

Debate has raged since Paterno's name was revealed as one who former FBI director Louis Freeh named as  player in the Sandusky sex scandal. Paterno, Freeh reported, along with other top Penn State officials, helped cover up the crimes of Sandusky for fear that it would shame the great name of Penn State. A name not so great anymore.. a name shamed even more after the cover up. But in this situation, it's hard to say the cover up is worse than the sickening crime, perhaps better to say they are both equal in this situation.

The statue was torn down Sunday morning and the decision was made to the public at 7am. The decision comes as Penn State president Rodney Erickson says that Paterno's name will stay on the library..

Another report developing today: There are unprecedented penalties being planned for Penn State. That announcement will come Monday morning..

7 feet tall. 900 pounds of bronze. A statue that stood for years.. 

Pride of Penn State.

900 pounds of shame ... 7 feet tall all the way down to a caricature of itself. That is the new story of Happy Valley.

Chaos in Beijing as record flooding taking place

China, particularly Beijing, is being deluged by some of the heaviest rains in 60 years.. So far 10 are reported dead in the flooding.. there have been lightning strikes, manholes exploding, and vehicles being dramatically swept into rivers..

The rains have been fierce and the government was forced to roll out plans to help southern China.

The Chinese government also wrote on its website that more of these kinds of storms are coming through September --this time of years sees this sometimes in Asia and China.. But clearly these storms are deadlier than any in quite some time ..

Information now coming to light on James Holmes

The Joker got his ammo all legally. A semi automatic rifle was used.. And on these matters Tactical Gear released a statement ..
Chad Weinman, CEO of TacticalGear.com, said:

"Everyone at TacticalGear.com is shocked and appalled that the alleged shooter purchased tactical gear from us for use in this horrific attack. We process thousands of orders a day which include this type of equipment. We primarily serve members of the armed services and law enforcement professionals. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families."

Let the games begin? And let the insanity begin too

The Olympics are set to begin soon and with that heralded open also in attendance will be fears of volcanoes, earthquakes, and war between Iran and Israel

Mossad believes an hit squad may be planning a terror attack... London worried that Iran has missiles capable of reaching its city..

Tension build for '12's games..

The earth is changing

The mighty Mississippi is much less mighty this year.. The drought has caused the river to see near record lows.. Lots are watching the situation unfold. Few are positive about the ramifications..

The victims

The media will spend lots of time giving James Holmes attention in the coming months.. But it's time for the victims to be thought about. 12 dead. 58 more injured. People of all races and ages.. And yes, a 6-year-old is dead while her mother is injured in care of a hospital..
The UK DAILY MAIL has an in depth article devoted to the stories of many who died--which included people who died saving their loved ones, service members, children, and people celebrating birthdays..
This story can't get any more ghastly than it is.. I'm curious out there whether some people who were geared to go chose instead to stay away?
12 people who didn't are dead because of a lunatic.
As he sits in jail spitting at guards thinking he's in a movie, families in Colorado are faced with a grim reality: Unexpected funerals and a future of mourning..

President Barack Obama will be in Aurora, Colorado, on Sunday to visit with shooting victims and family members, the White House says.

The DARK KNIGHT speaks

This was supposed to be an epic weekend for Christian Bale. He is, after all, the BATMAN. But instead of celebrating boastful box office numbers, Bale is commenting publicly on the tragic shooting that least 12 dead and many more inured.. He said words cannot express what he is feeling.

We all join in that sentiment. Words a will never express any meaning or reason to what happened here..

Did the 'Joker' have a goon?

Some startling information being revealed from one eyewitness to the Aurora shooting during the DARK KNIGHT.. did someone leave the emergency door open?

The NY DAILY NEWS has an exclusive story running on 'Joker' John Holmes

The DAILY NEWS reports some disturbing details in an exclusive story running .. John (James) Holmes is not remorseful at all according to the report..
Even more he is spitting in guards and spitting at 'everything'.. And now he is locked up alone Saturday due to fears fears that the self-proclaimed Joker would become a target for other inmates, the paper reports.
Other prisoners want to kill him, the exclusive DAILY NEWS report states.. Money quote:

“All the inmates were talking about killing him,” Wayne Medley, 24, said as he left the facility. “Everyone was looking for an opportunity. It’s all they could talk about.”

The day after

The tragic situation that developed at the DARK KNIGHT midnight showing will only become more emotional for the families of 12 people who are dead.. According to police, the Colorado home of James Holmes has been disarmed. His profile has turned up on Adult Finder. And word is he couldn't find a job.. Mourning now continues in Aurora and the nation, which is thinking very deep thoughts about why this occurred..

Tragic BATMAN

It seems that the UK DAILY MAIL agrees with Earth Informer that the BATMAN franchise is plagued with very tragic events..

More info on how Holmes got his weapons

It was all legal..

CNN reports this:

[Updated 9:27 p.m. ET] Chad Weinman, CEO of TacticalGear.com of Chesterfield, Missouri, told CNN that he believed his firm sold items to shooting suspect James Holmes.

The company checked its records after employees heard about the shooting and found a receipt matching Holmes’ name and his Aurora, Colorado, address, Weinman said.

The receipt showed that Holmes bought an $106.99 Blackhawk urban assault vest, a $52.99 Blackhawk Omega Elite triple pistol magazine, a $52.99 Blackhawk Omega Elite M16 magazine pouch, and a $77.99 Blackhawk Be-Wharned silver knife.

With shipping costs, the total bill came to $306.99, according to a copy of the receipt provided to CNN.

Big solar flare occurs, Earth likely to dodge

Sunspot 1520 not done acting up.. A strong M class flare was unleashed but scientists say the Earth will not be impacted.. No reason to worry. This time.

A sensitive situation for Warner Bros

This was supposed to be a huge weekend for the DARK KNIGHT RISES. Instead it become a national crisis when John Holmes shot the theater in Aurora, CO. Now Warner Bros is faced with an interesting question about how to fully promote what was geared up to be the biggest movie of the year. Their immediate answer according to the always spot on Nikki Finke is that they may go all weekend without reporting or bragging about box numbers..

However non-chatty Warner is about to become, numbers will still be released to reporters ..

Question will be: how much will this effect overall numbers in the end? Does this mar the Christopher Nolan reinvented franchise?

A tragic film in a sense. Heath Ledger dead as DARK KNIGHT came popular.. DARK KNIGHT RISES released during a real midnight massacre.. Yes indeed, the BATMAN in somewhere in tears tonight..

Repercussions

Dark Knight weekend: Already major theaters banning masks in theaters in wake of John Holmes shooting.. Developing..

The debate about infants at a late night movie showing

A fierce debate is taking place after a three month old was shot at the Aurora movie theater during the DARK KNIGHT.. Parents speaking out, as our some experts telling those parents to 'back off'..

'The Joker' kills

John Holmes told police that he was 'the Joker' after he shot up the Aurora Colorado theater.. He also had his hair colored

This is accused mass murderer John Holmes

What made him do it?

What caused him to snap?

How long did he plan it?

Why.. All why..

Information being revealed about Dark Knight shooter John Holmes

He was a former medical student who dropped out last month..
His photo now making its way around the internet and TV stations..

Life imitating art? Did John Holmes read a 1980s BATMAN comic?

As the nation grapples with the Dark Knight midnight massacre shooting in Colorado, a Washington EXAMINER story points out that the situation that developed shortly after the film began in Aurora at 12:30 AM is very similar to a BATMAN comic from the 1980s..
The EXAMINER reports:

The Dark Knight Returns. In the comic, a crazed, gun-toting loner walks into a movie theater and begins shooting it up, killing three in the process. The passage concludes with the media blaming Batman for inspiring the shooting, though he is not involved in the incident at all

Another story from Nikki Finke's DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD points out that Warner Bros placed a trailer before DARK KNIGHT RISES of a gangster movie in which a movie theater was shot up.. The studio took this down now that Finke complained of the trailer..
There is no word on this time whether suspect James Holmes was even a BATMAN fan, but according to reports today his apartment is wired with booby traps and the search of his possessions could go on for days..


Still developing story.. stay tuned for more..

Latest Dark Knight shooting update

CNN reporting:

The suspect in the mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater early today has been identified as James Holmes of Aurora, two federal law enforcement sources said. He is 24 years old.

Authorities have revised the shooting death toll downward from 14 to 12. Also, the number of injured has been lowered from 50 to at least 38.

COLORADO DARK KNIGHT SHOOTER IDENTIFIED AS JAMES HOLMES

MORE: HERE

More information will be coming..
Reports indicate that Mr. Holmes' only run in with cops was a traffic ticket in '11..
Holmes' apartment being searched..
Various news sources are confirming that this is the name of the shooter.. Developing story

A photo means two very different things depending on the day you look at it.

Two tales on one picture. 

When I saw this AP photo yesterday, it gave me chills.

When I see it today, it makes me cry.

Children are growing up in a world that seems to be regressing into a sick cauldron of violence and horror. I have a son, too. I want my son to be excited by a hero named BATMAN.

Our society seems to be becoming a nightmare. God bless America indeed.

If there is a God, you really still think he blesses America…?

ACCORDING TO REPORTS

The shooter in Aurora did not make any concerted effort to actually escape after he was finished shooting. He apparently went to the theater with four weapons but carried three into the showing. He was wearing a bullet proof vest and a mask, set off tear gas, and began the carnage. But after it was over, he didn't run. Instead he was apprehended standing near his car..

AP: The youngest victim reported was a 6-year-old being treated at Children's Hospital Colorado, where a total of six victims were taken.

shortformblog:

The Denver Post reports that one of the injured victims was a three-month-old child. 9NEWS just confirmed the report.

This is disgusting in all forms to me.. a three month old child.. This is absolutely horrendous. 

RAW VIDEO OF THE SCENE AFTER THE DARK KNIGHT THEATER SHOOTING

shortformblog:

Here’s a clip of the aftermath of the attack on the movie theater near Denver — a lot of commotion, doesn’t appear to be a lot of violence exposed, but it’s nonetheless harrowing. Such a scary incident, we could not even imagine this happening. 

Chaos reigned after the shooting took place. People on television reports calling in to the morning shows describing more scenes of chaos.. one witness on the TODAY show said he was also shooting people trying to escape.. 

You're probably waking up to this horrific news about the DARK KNIGHT midnight massacre

There was a horrific shooting at a Colorado movie theater last night. 


A midnight massacre took place. At least 14 dead, 50 injured, more developing on that as medical professional teams release information to new stations. 


I just think about the people in this theater, and I cry.

Dads who took their sons because of how excited their sons were.

To go see a movie? No. To go see how disgusting our human race can so often be.

Yes there were threats to movie critics over the week and even the website rotten tomatoes had to take down its comments section. But this goes far beyond the reach of any fanboys online. This is disgusting, and frightening. 

ADULTS. CHILDREN. TEENAGERS. The ages of the victims seem to span generations.

Also, this was extremely close to Columbine.

MIDNIGHT MASSACRE: MAN DRESSED IN COSTUME OPENS FIRE DURING DARK KNIGHT SHOWING--AT LEAST 14 DEAD, 50 INJURED.. TRAGIC SITUATION DEVELOPING IN COLORADO

Fourteen people were killed and 50 injured when a gunman opened fire during an early Friday morning screening of the new Batman movie at an Aurora, Colorado, theater, Police Chief Dan Oates told reporters.


24-year-old man in custody..


The heavily armed suspect, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, was apprehended by police in a rear parking lot of the theater, Frank Fania, a police spokesman, told CNN


Aurora is a suburb less than 10 miles east of downtown Denver.


Obama put out statement that First Lady and he are shocked at the tragic situation in Colorado.. says the White House will support the people and families of the shooting..


President Obama notified of Colorado shooting by Homeland Security advisor Brennan - @NBCNews


 The youngest victim reported was a 6-year-old being treated at Children's Hospital Colorado, where a total of six victims were taken.

WEBSITE 'ROTTEN TOMATOES' SUSPENDS USER COMMENTS FOR 'DARK KNIGHT' FILM AFTER FANBOYS BEGIN OBSCENE WORD WAR

According to reports tonight, the popular movie website ROTTEN TOMATOES has suspended user comments for the DARK KNIGHT film after users began making threatening and profane comments towards reviewers who gave DARK KNIGHT a less than good review.. This may be the biggest movie opening of the year, maybe ever (? we will see?).. but the fact that the website has suspended users from making comments is a first.. Also, the site is considering a move to a Facebook commenting system, which might cut down on the glut of anonymous posts..

News of the world.. whether you want to read or not

THE EARTH IS CHANGING.. For several years scientists have been watching for a huge piece of ice to break off of Greenland. And now it has happened, as the crack became complete and the iceberg twice the size of Manhattan has broken off..

This could be the dramatic illustration of a warming Greenland ..

Strange situation developing in Brazil as hundreds of penguins have been found dead on beaches.. And now biologists are on the case..

There is a looming budget crisis.. and 2 million jobs could be lost within months..

Amazing video circulating around the world.. a 7-year-old girl escaped injury when she fell from a window in Brooklyn only to be caught by a neighbor..

Big drug bust in Ohio as student, age 17, is accused of a multimillion dollar drug ring.. he was netting $20,000 a month in sales..

Strange campaign: Is BANE in DARK KNIGHT a Democrat attempt to destroy Mitt Romney?

Entire states may be threatened by the now epic drought taking place across the United States.. record high food prices this fall will be next as corn crop gets decimated by continued heat..

The 2012 Dust Bowl: No End in Sight to Record Drought

A frightening situation is developing today as news emerges about a woman who bit into a needle in her sandwich on a Delta flight now being put on anti-HIV medication.. Four Delta flights are affected.. it is a possible ‘terrorist’ act.. the FBI is investigating the matter. The persons who bit into the needles were biting into turkey sandwiches. How safe from sabotage are airport food products? Apparently not safe enough.. 

I missed this story when it happened but just caught it now: Merck in June delayed a batch of MMR vaccine slated for release because it was released too early, before it was finished an internal approval process.. The company asked 39,000 vaccines to be returned..

UK reports shows that there has been a huge uptake in children receiving the MMR vaccine, 87.1%. But the number ‘falls short’ of the target of ‘95%’..

Chaos in Canada.. a food festival had to close after 17 people were hospitalized after lightning struck..

There were tornadoes in Poland of all places the other day, another heat wave building in the USA, corn crops being decimated.. truly we are living in the quickening, just hope not ‘an ending’

A fierce lightning storm turns night into day

We are just living on borrowed time.

I heard this description of life: It’s a bus ride that has no stops. You just keep going faster and faster … the only way out is a crash: Death.

I think that sums up the gravity of the situation we are all in.

Please don’t consider this a negative posting about life. Life is actually quite fun for me right now. I have a 17-month-old little man that is the joy of life.. My wife and I have been forever changed by his existence in our world. I have a wonderful family. Friends who I cherish. We have jobs. We have a roof over our heads.. we have food when we are hungry. And I have an iPhone, and all the other technology that comes with life these days, too.

In the past two weeks I have been to two funerals. I will keep the overly personal information out, and just say that one was for someone who was 95 and a World War II POW. Another was for an uncle who lived to the truly ripe old age of 94. Both were pushing 100 when they met their final resting place. They both had long lives and lots of memories.. they both had stories. We all have stories.

However, I have determined that we have become overly busy with our selfish pleasures of newsfeeds and campaign stats and sports stats and bla bla bla bla bla. Me included.

I have neglected so much in the online world. It has become a habit instead of a pleasure. It went from being a novelty to a way of life. We all have been touched by the net bug.

What is the purpose to all this? Why ask! you know there is no answer. Lots claim to know the truth. Many others ponder it forever. In the end we don’t have a clue.

What happens when we do die!? Again, here.. no word from anyone who did perish. We are left to wonder if near death experiences are really experiences of truth or just brain waves going awry. We are left to question tenets of religion.. question all things.

In the net age we have oodles of knowledge at our fingertips. All we have to do is Google or Bing it or MetaFilter it.. or whatever it. Tons of data if you printed it on paper. But in our paperless society paper doesn’t exist anymore… right? Even though a paper-stack of bills sits next to me that snail mail sent me that was licked by some underpaid secretary …something in the world.

Bits and bytes of data flying around the world at a record pace. And with all this knowledge you’d think by now someone would have found the meaning of life! The closest I know that found something was John Clease in MONTY PYTHON’S THE MEANING OF LIFE.

The information superhighway.. that is what it was once dubbed. Now it’s filled with potholes and dead sites. Where does it all go in the end, though? No where.. bits and bytes go bye bye for us. Our bodies were dust and to dust they return. Despite the big plans we have to strive for big goals, we are cut down by something..whether it’s fate, God, time.. science. Whatever you believe. 

So after this week, with two funerals and a wedding, one can only leave the day with a renewed perspective on this strange place called earth. A new lease on life!? Not a chance…

A constantly expiring lease? Now that is more like it..

The week ahead

Another heat wave building. I hope the corn crop can live..
Another week of wild weather expected.
Nothing seems 'normal' anymore.. except the abnormal.. accept it.
In the mean time, war strikes, pestilences reigns, and THE DARK KNIGHT will enter theaters this coming weekend.

Until then.. have FUN with SOME NIGHTS. A song to start your manic Monday morning...

A halo forms. A halo vanishes..

A tale of one painting. Joe Paterno had a halo after he died, but on July 14, 2012, artist Michael Pilato used his skills to remove that same halo..

Sure, the late Penn State coach is no saint. But now that the Freeh report is sinking in and new facts are being digested, it’s clear that he was no saint either. 

He was a man who wanted to try to cover up as much as he could to save the reputation of Penn State.. and sordid as it all seems, the children who were abused in this situation always were last on the list of people who were helped. It’s a disgusting and sick story .. one that I can’t really read about much or think about much because of how deplorable it was and is, but also because of how many generations of proud Penn State graduates are shamed for good by the scars of sexual abuse in locker rooms on the campus.

Oh, and yes, the school has decided to re-do those shower rooms.. take away the look … but not the memories. No way in hell will people forget what happened there. And with more and more information trickling out about how much higher ups knew of the situation, the story isn’t dead yet.

You don't often hear about a Polish tornado alley

But today a tragic situation unfolded ..

A freak wave of tornadoes slammed in part of Poland today.. houses are wrecked, people are shocked, and tonight at least one is dead in the nation.

This summer has already given Poland and other European nations hail, flash floods, and heavy winds. And now quite powerful tornadoes have struck..

This can happen in this nation and other UK countries, but it rarely does. And when it does it is seldom as powerful as the storms that hit Sunday..

Here is a video of some tornado events:

And here is more information about just how surprising and strong these tornadoes were..

Amazing time lapse video of the Northern Lights

Beauty in a 1 minute.. 

Here is a time lapse video of the Northern Lights in the early morning hours of 7/15/2012 taken just north of Dubuque, Iowa at the Balltown, Iowa scenic overlook.

And the scenes of a green and purple aura in the sky are absolutely amazing.

Not sure if my hometown saw northern lights.. sadly the sky was cloudy all night.

Sunspot 1520 and the X flare last week caused this spectacular show, and I am truly jealous of whoever got to see it..including the residents of Balltown, Iowa.

#northern lights #solar flare #balltown iowa

DANCING IN THE DARK, LITERALLY

The arts were cut off in London last night. Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney were wowing the crowd, jamming out the night.. and then they were CUT OFF by the organizers because LONDON HAS A CURFEW. 

Glory Days quickly ended. Dancing in the dark ensued.

And lots of people around the world suddenly took notice to a nanny state that tells concert when too much music is too much.

And yes, the angry musicians are lashing out.. Steven van Zandt said England is becoming a police state.

Next up: The Olympics! Hope the swim matches don't go too long...

Don't get yourself caught up in an Amityville situation

We all know the story of Amityville horror, whether by watching the movie or remake, reading the book, or listening to countless interviews with lawyers and the family supposedly haunted by the murders that took place within the home in New York. The house exists still and is back and forth on the real estate market.. Lots have debunked the story of the Lutz family. Others stand by the account and believe that DeFeo murders forever haunted the property..

The house was bought by a resident in 2010 for $950,000.. and then sold.. Those who attended the house showing in 2010 moving sale at 108 Ocean Ave. but the basement was not open for public consumption at the time. The owner in 2010 did not claim any haunting took place. As a matter of fact, no owners have since the Lutz family left in the 20th century..

But it brings up an interesting question, should you conclude that your own home is haunted by spirits or worse. What do you do to get rid of the house?

You can technically walk away from the mortgage. 

But if you're more inclined to care about credit and a future purchase, you'll want to sell the house on the market--and we know that demons and evilspiritdoers won't care about the asking price.  

A new show is being filmed to be on the SyFy that may help those in need of advice on how to ditch the witch. A Fort Wane, Indiana, real estate agent is going to try to help. His name is Scott FladHammer and he wrote a book "HOW TO SELL AN UGLY OR HAUNTED HOUSE."

We all know the housing market collapsed in 2008--and what is left of it appears to be collapsing even further. Maybe we finally have a blame.. now financial institutions' greed but instead witches and ghosts lurking in the walls of attics of homes. In which case, FladHammer will ride to the rescue.