THE MAN WITH THE RAKE -SHORY STORY BY MARK ANTONY RAINES -GHOSTMAN

Mar job since he went through the big Gothic iron gates was to rake the thin glass like sand into circle of lines with his rake  .Mar thought this job was beneath him  and wished for more.One day a slim dark figure approached him ,the figure was in a business pin stripped suit and a garish red tie carrying a very battered old suit,came towards mar and began to start up a conservation-he said -would mar like to work for his company with perk of a pretty pa ,smart office.Mar replied -why me i just a man with a rake,the dark man said he could spot  potential in him,mar looked up to the sky began to form a couple of lines on his forehead as in deep thought,he said sure.The dark man produce a contact for him to sign with one clause in very small unable to read writing,mar red and queried the small print by informed just a small detail about staying loyal to the firm.Contract signed suddenly a massive thunder bolt and heavy smoke and mar felt really hot,he looked around and to see  fellow souls around him looking at him with red eyes and looking gaunt and he saw the sign on the door welcome to hell.You see you should always keep your slice of haven as you never know when the devil will take away.

HEN HARRIERS GO MISSING

HEN HARRIERS -2 young female hens have vanished ,are tagged.SKY and HOPE left nest sites in LANCASHIRE a few weeks ago.

The First Great Escape-http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-first-great-escape/episodes/the-first-great-escape

The Great Escape is one of the most famous events of the Second World War, but few people know that a similar event preceded it in 1918. The First Great Escape took place in 1917, from Holzminden prisoner-of-war camp in Hanover, Germany. Camp Commandant Karl Niemeyer, a man who had an appalling reputation for mistreatment, boasted from the outset that escape from Holzminden was impossible. He greatly underestimated the ingenuity of the British Officers.

Within a month of the camp's establishment, 17 Officers escaped, although they were swiftly recaptured. Many other escape attempts failed, with the Officers being returned to confinement. It was against this backdrop that a small group of British Officers devised a plan to break out by digging a tunnel. This is the story of the incredible escape of 29 British Officers in July 1918, having spent 10 months constructing the tunnel right under the noses of their German guards.WATCH -http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-first-great-escape/episodes/the-first-great-escape

MANX SHEARWATER

This bird is beginning to flourish now that the rat population on ST AGNES and GUGH in ISLES OF SCILLY.For decades the eggs of the MANX SHEARWATER  were being eaten by the rats ,now 10 chicks have been recorded by RSPCA.

BREEZE -THE HEDGEHOG

This hedgehog was rescued when animal lovers  spent 6 hours dismantling a garden wall to free it.This was done by NORTHUMBRIA HEDGEHOG RESCUE TRUST ,also used food  to coax out,now recovering at trusts HQ.

GRANNY GETS POTTY

A BBC garden radio show -THE POTTING SHED -RADIO DEVON got a shock when saw a grans email photo of 5 foot  bush.The brush turned out to be a CANNABIS plant suspected to have come from bird seed.The radio show forwarded to local police how said no arrest was required as long as plant destroyed and their could check attic as part of procedure
.

WAYS TO STOP A SPIDER-GOOD LUCK

If wish to try to spider proof your house you can try the following -no guarantee on results dear reader-1. Keep all windows and doors shut.2.Keep outdoor lights off.3.Be mean on green-remove shrubs and other plants close to house.4.Keep a tidy house .5. Vacuum up food crumbs.Be kind to our spider friends don't kill them just pick up gently and place outside,use old glass and bit of card if squeamish.

KEVA EAT A BURGER TOY AND LIVES

KEVA-a BOSC MONITOR LIZARD-was given emergency surgery after swallowing a mcdonalds happy toy.After a one and half hour operation all is well,the toy could have killed Keva due to being toxic.

POSSIBLE SAD END FOR BIRD

MONATAGU HARRIER Mo-one of Britains rarest birds of prey may have been shot.This is believed due to satellite  tracking tag suddenly gave out.

Badger cull , stop now

 10°C 8°CSeptember 23rd 2014Place an advertBuy a photoLocal ProjectsLike usFollow usLogin RegisterSiteDirectoryNewsSportWhat's OnJobsPropertyCarsDirectoryOffersNoticesBuy&SellDatingGamingALLFarming Business Politics Education Environment Crime Health Opinion Letters

Cull questioned after claims a shot badger died a slow death

By Western Morning News  |  Posted: September 22, 2014 Comments (19)Further doubt was cast on the humaneness of the badger cull after a wildlife charity claimed to have found an animal which did not die immediately.Secret World Wildlife Rescue, in Somerset, has examined so-called badger 41 after it was brought to them from the nearby cull zone last week.The charity said X-rays and a post mortem revealed that the animal, which was found at 2.30am by protesters near Sampford Brett on September 15, was thought to have been shot by contractors in the area.“From initial veterinary examination including x-rays it was evident that the badger had an obvious rifle shot wound to its abdomen that had forced

Raccoon dog goes on the run from zoo in badger cull zone

WMN letters: Anti-badger-cull lobby have a right to protest

WMN letters: Badger culls are a waste of money

Dominic Dyer: Pride and persecution must give way to proof

The rise of bovine TB through the decades

“The shot had clearly not been on target and would, in the opinion of our consultant veterinary surgeon, Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux MRCVS, have been unlikely to result in the badger’s immediate death.”This, they say, is contrary to recommendations from the independent expert panel, that marksmen target the middle of the chest target area.Also, it is claimed there was no evidence of a second follow up shot or of evidence that the cull contractors had observed the badger after shooting it for signs of life, both requirements under the Defra culling licences.It said a detailed post mortem will be carried out and that the findings will be made available.Somerset Badger Patrol said they were “deeply shocked but not surprised”.“We had no confidence in the Government’s assurance that the shooters would be better trained this year,” the group added in a statement.“Right from the beginning, independent experts warned that trying to shoot badgers at night was very risky. However, the NFU and Defra have pushed ahead. Now the evidence is stacking up that badgers continue to be killed inhumanely.”The National Farmers Union (NFU) said "humaneness monitors" were going out with contractors.An NFU spokesman said: “We have seen no evidence that a badger has been found."If one has been found there is no evidence to suggest it is associated with the cull."All badgers shot as part of the cull have been collected and accounted for.”1 576Share208Tweet 834ShareReport this article

Get Involved! Upload your pics and stories here.

Top Online Trick Allows To Shop The New iPad For Under …Swoggi

28 Celebs Who Have Severe IllnessesPressroomVIP

The 3 Worst Things that Age You Faster (AVOID)MAX Workouts

Actor Admits Nervous Breakdown Kept Him From 'Fifty Shades'AOL Onby TaboolaSponsored Links

MORE NEWS

Devon renewable energy company is shortlisted for two national...

Farmers welcome Natural England's decision to permit continued...

Why life in captivity is the last hope of saving tigers

Plymouth University to help set up farm shops in Africa thanks to...

Employer Forum Annual Conference proves complete success with...

1 Share576 Tweet208 Share834Report this articlePreviousNext

READ MORE FROM WESTERN MORNING NEWS

Most RecentMost CommentedMost Read

Council steps in to save crumbling listed building in heart of...

Dairy farmers hanging on to quota 'just in case' of a change of...

Robot milkers make a big difference for Cornish farmers Peter and...

by TaboolaSponsored LinksFROM THE WEB

28 Celebs Who Have Severe IllnessesPressroomVIP

Top Online Trick Allows To Shop The New iPad For Under £30Swoggi

Read Books? Here's The Worst Kept Secret Among BookwormsBookBub

The surprisingly boring secret to a £1million pensionHargreaves Lansdown

20 Of Kate Middleton's Best High Street LooksStylist

Actor Admits Nervous Breakdown Kept Him From 'Fifty Shades'AOL OnDo you have something to say? Leave your comment here...(4000 characters remaining)

19 comments

NewestOldestBest Ratedlovelylizzy  |  September 23 2014, 4:32PMnfu (the spokepeople for glouscon) are denying it's anything to do with them, so who the bloody hell is running around with a gun illegally killing badgers?Rate  0Reportlovelylizzy  |  September 23 2014, 12:53PMmmjames as far as I am aware this badger was found after the dirty deed, so how can you blame the badger protectors if they were not there?Rate    2Reportmmjames  |  September 23 2014, 10:45AMProtesters need to accept responsibility for scaring badgers lined up in gun sights. Sights most likely to be correct when badger moved forward scared by noise and lights which ARA's think acceptable instead of leaving cullers to do their LEGAL job quietly and efficiently.Rate    -2ReportMacRimfire  |  September 23

RARE DOG STOLEN

A rare  racoon  dog  -southeast asia was stolen after a break in at watchet somerset from wildlife park.

SQUASHED FOX SAVED.

This is a picture of a fox trapped in a tiny space between a shop and a wall .Rescued after six hours  by a pole,rspca,fire crew .

THE BLUR -DAIRY PLEASE READ...........a short story by ghostman

DAY 5  It seems different now the plague is beginning to affect me .I have found the cure its so simple but easily missed  in our reliance on science,the answer is .... Day 1 The day began like ever otter day ,woken up by local radio  playing latest naff hit of the week .At work behind my prison cell of a cubical sitting tapping my computer ,boring accounts.Then suddenly people began to scream ,run,stand looking like rabbits in the headlights, a figure arose from their  cubical its face ,body were all blurred,it was walking at a snails pace towards me.Sorry to say i ran for my life.Day 2  With cars,buildings ,offices ,shops abandoned,ravaged and plundered for supplies like viking days of old.N o electric as due to plague spreading creating more blurred  creatures.I was holed up in a warehouse ,once full-of toys awaiting for a child to play with,now dunk and on my own.Day 3 I ran of food so moved on,whilst on the road i was a lonely old man wearing a white coat ,rimmed glasses and he had the air of a person who knew something.After being starved of human company for a while i tried to spark up a conversation with the white coat man. He was ranting -WHY DID YOU WHAT THE BLUR YOU FOOLS,I stood looking at the rimmed glasses and saw this eyes were small similar to when a illegal drug hs been taken.The white coat man then had a lucid moment in which he told how and why the blurs had come about .You see some rich would be star did not wish to be seen when out so he thought why not lookk like the blur you see on TV shows when no one   wishes to be seen also. The white coat man had managed this but it went wrong bit like a b movie plot in 50s .Day 4 I then made it my mission to save the human race,despite all its problems .Bu t  as   i looked down  my feet were beginning to blur.So  breaking  into a paper shop i found a pen and this dairy to write in ,which i hope any other survivors find.Day 5  Cure is so simple its ...........................................

NOT A GREAT NIGHT

Saturday night was in my youth worth watching the tv shows of the day .Now its gone downhill to the point only DR WHO is worth watching most of the time now i spend on laptop,blogging,researching,writing putting on videos.,

Independent Lens | THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL | PBS

http://cryptozoo-oscity.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/a-new-cryptozoology-talent.html-THANK YOU TO TABITCA COPE

http://cryptozoo-oscity.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/a-new-cryptozoology-talent.html

a new cryptozoology talent

This is a cartoon by a talented man called Ghostman Raines. You can find his blog here and can contact him if you would like a cartoon done for your blog or book/article :
http://strangeanimalsaghostman.blogspot.co.uk/

Marine Discovery Penzance-https://www.facebook.com/marinediscovery?fref=ts

If people want to get more involved with cetacean conservation/research then this course would be a good starting place. Once you've done it you also get free rides on ferries whilst watching out for whales and dolphins.

Do you want to make a difference to the conservation of marine wildllife, so why not take those first steps to enroll on an ID course. We have courses running up and down the country this Autumn - for further details why not check out the website for location and dates - www.marine-life.org.uk-

Albert Pier, Penzance Harbour

Penzance, Cornwall

07749 277110

Helène Molinie a free article

A great opportunity to you all You are in the search for financing, you dream of a better future, you want to have your own home, bought a car. One solution, please contact this email address: moliniesolde@Hotmail.com

You have the dream of creating your own business in order to be responsible in your life. You have many projects in your life but you still can't carry them out because of lack of funding and the Bank ask you face situations which you are unable to answer. Simply just contact me because he is always contacted because I am always available to help you. I am a particular financier who is willing to give you loans between individual ranging from $3.000 up to $800.000 with conditions very accurate. You can have short- and long-term loans and it is all people serious and able to refund me. The interest rate is only 2% per year. If you want to have a safe, fast and legal loan, contact this address: moliniesolde@Hotmail.com-https://www.facebook.com/molinie.blochette?fref=ufi

A modern fairy story by mark antony raines ghostman

A long time ago, to you kid's reading this before 1990 , they was a small village called wool , wool had a blacksmith, store, church and greeting hall lived our hero . The hero of this story is called ghost, an average person only famous for watching all elves presley films in one sitting, sad, ghost was 5ft 11 and if you blinked would not miss. Also in wool lived 2 villians, troll who only had power if you took notice of his posts online, the other was scarecrow a ogre who unlike most was thin, dark hair and always looked like an scarecrow in the field a farmer left behind. In scarecrows castle, a run down building was his wife en ,4ft 9 but if asked said was 5 1 , very important that .1 , en was regularly being bullied and lots of work to do and left alone alot due to her ogre husband huge hungry for human consumption. Wel back to ghost , he put a post in a cycle boys are us, to which among the replys was en.G host and en began a relationship ie talked, swa each other and give  looks of feeling great in each others company. Scarecrow saw on one of trolls post comments about this and put en in a cell then sent a message to ghost  come and take me on if yor hard enough. Ghost was like most a coward at heart but loved en so he went to see the wizard and his wife wise owl and thier valet g.I n the wizard s house he was given the following advice, wizard, bear like man with wild hair and even wilder beard , said hay man just talk it out dude, no said ghost, wise owl ssid take out his kneecaps, no too violent said ghost  finally valet g said runaway await for orge to depart from the world then happy ending, ghost said yes best idea.S o this is what ghost and en did, years later scarecrow died you see when en was with him he always said that he was dying and now true.I s there a moral to this tale  only if you wait long term you get what you wish for.

Beloved children's show, the Clangers is being resurrected, with a new series in production for CBeebies in 2015.

Beloved children's show, the Clangers is being resurrected, with a new series in production for CBeebies in 2015.

Debuting in 1969, the show told the tale of a race of knitted aliens eking out a threadbare existence on a cold blue planet, not far from Earth.

The pink, mouse-like creatures lived in craters covered by dustbin lids - whose noisy "clang" gave the show its name.

Co-creator Peter Firmin said the new series would involve "great storytelling with lots of heart".

The puppet-maker, whose other credits include Ivor The Engine and Bagpuss, promised the new series would be markedly different from the crude, jerky animation of the original.

"When you watch the original Clangers you have to make allowances for the limitations of the animation techniques when it was made," he said in a statement.

"It was magical for its time, but this is a new Clangers for a new age!"

Moon landing

Firmin dreamt up the Clangers with puppeteer and writer Oliver Postgate, who also narrated the series.

It was first shown on BBC1 in November 1969, just four months after Nasa's moon landing, and one episode even showed the Clangers making inventive use of a flag left behind by some astronauts.

The series will also feature memorable characters such as the Soup Dragon and the Iron Chicken

The characters even appeared in Doctor Who - watched by the Doctor's arch-nemesis The Master in the 1972 story, The Sea Devils.

Although the creatures communicated in a spooky, swooping whistle, Postgate later revealed that their "dialogue" was written out in full, in English, and often included swear words.

On receiving the scripts, the BBC objected, telling him, "Darling, you can't say that on children's television," he told Clive Banks' science fiction website.

"I said, 'It's not going to be said, it's going to be whistled,' but [the BBC] just said, 'But people will know!'"

Eventually, Postgate won - and the Clangers apparently swear like troopers, for those who can translate.

Postgate's son Daniel is writing the scripts for the show's 21st Century incarnation, which he described as a "labour of love".

"I've always loved Clangers," he said. "I was about five years old when it was made - just the right age.

"The new Clangers is not something we've rushed into. It has been carefully considered."

CBeebies controller Kay Benbow added: "Nostalgia is a funny thing, and we always think very carefully about remakes or re-imaginings of classic children's programmes.

"The Clangers is a programme that has an enduring magic. The new proposition has been built firmly upon the joyful foundations of the original, and will be produced by a team of exceptional talent which includes the extraordinary Peter Firmin."

The £5m production is already under way, and is being co-produced by US pre-school TV channel Sprout, which will broadcast the programme in North America.

BLUE DINO HELPS FACEBOOK.

A  new way to use a dinosaur via Facebook.Blue Dino is a guide to help to show users to adjust privacy settings.It is in 3 parts check up and is to show you how to control who sees information  on profile ,Facebook has made changes to setings  limit to what is shared by default.

Does d .n a test prove ARRON KOSMINSKI was jack the ripper

Does d .n a test prove ARRON KOSMINSKI is Jack the Ripper? This conclusion was due to d.n.a tests on a blood stained shoul belonging to one of the victims -CATHERINE EDWARDS.This was then compared with living descendant  then a semen DNA test was done the same way to a living descendant of accused ,kosminski was 23 at the time and died aged 30 in leavesden mental hospital and has been a long time suspect in the mystery of jack the ripper.

WHY FREE

Dear reader or social media folk you may have noticed i am offering to do a free cartoon or interview,article for others on my blog.Why in this day and age were money is king ,it part inspired by 2 people -jon downes  and dean travchav phillips .Jon as  through his weekly free e -magazine -gonzo weekly and dean through his talk about stonehenge  and wally hope.Mine is more personal ,years ago when feeling stressed whist walking home from work i felt like throwing my wages in river torridge ,did not of course.My other is i live on benefits and never have a lot of money but all i need is electric,food, a pace to live and my loved ones.So dear whoever reads my posts please support and if you wish to help please do -wishing you great karma mark antony raines-ghostman-find me on Google,facebook,flipbook,twitter,Google plus.

YET ANOTHER NEAR MISS

Asteroid 2014 rc -18m-60ft wide passed over New Zealand 18.18 GMT ,Sunday.This asteroid was 25,000 miles from earth closer than the moon.A  meterorite was found near NICARAGUAN   capital Managua  and could be part of 2014 rc

STEVE RIDER INTERVIEWED BY MARK ANTONY RAINES GHOSTMAN

I think you asked me these before....but, I can answer again.....Inspiration is a life long interest in all things Paranormal, fortean or Supernatural. My aims are to create a group that will investigate, research, aid witnesses and provide healing options. the group will also be open an forge ties with other groups local, national and international and it will not tie itself to just one specialized subject but, to evolve...for the future...keep walking forward with positive intent. always remain open minded to what is in front of us...https://www.facebook.com/groups/647981385282052/-ALSO A  MEMBER OF CFZ FAMILY

NOT MY DEBT,WOOF

You often hear of tales of mistaken identity.But this is odd a dog called freddie  recieved a edbt letter for £33.38p .Her owner -jo hart contacted transcom and after some debate the debt was no longer being dealt with.Freddie is a rehomed greyhound rescue centre dog and has been with her owner for a year.

Euphydryas aurinia-MARSH FRITILLARY IN DEVON

This rare butterfly has been seen at 7 new sites in Devon.Only previously recorded at 45 sites.The reason maybe due to meadow restoration but still stays threatened in Britain and Europe.

duncan-jones-marine-discovery-penzance-interviewd bymark antony riane -ghostman

https://soundcloud.com/ghostman-cole/duncan-jones-marine-discovery-penzance-a better version may be done through cfz onthe track with jon downes as i have original for him to edit.mark..ghostman

Ronan Coghlan interviewed by mark antony raines -ghostman

what inspired you to get into cfz subject?1) Reading Heuvelmans' <On the Track> at university                                           WHAT ARE YOUR AIMS?     I'm past an age where one has aims - I have but memories                                .what plans do you have for the future? Producing an earth-shattering bestseller.

ZEN FOUND IN THE GARDEN

Who said you cant find out new things about yourself as you get older.I was in need of something to do and a friend jon downes asked if i could use a lawnmower ,if you seen me i have a  crutch,move a bit,am paranoid  and ocd .Anyway as i go about using the mower ,cleaning up i gat a sense of inner peace or as some may say zen.I would go into the in and outs to debate but i dont know why and i going to leave it that way ,so dear reader i wish you all great karma,mark,ghostman.

Monkey leaders and followers have 'specialised brains'

Monkeys at the top and bottom of the social pecking order have physically different brains, research has found.

A particular network of brain areas was bigger in dominant animals, while other regions were bigger in subordinates.
The study suggests that primate brains, including ours, can be specialised for life at either end of the hierarchy.
The differences might reflect inherited tendencies toward leading or following, or the brain adapting to an animal's role in life - or a little of both.
Neuroscientists made the discovery, which appears in the journal Plos Biology, by comparing brain scans from 25 macaque monkeys that were already "on file" as part of ongoing research at the University of Oxford.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Dominance might depend not only on aggression and physical strength, but also on forming bonds and making coalitions - and being quite smart about placing your loyalties”

Dr MaryAnn Noonan University of Oxford

"We were also looking at learning and memory and decision-making, and the changes that are going on in your brain when you're doing those things," explained Dr MaryAnn Noonan, the study's first author.

The decision to look at the animals' social status produced an unexpectedly clear result, Dr Noonan said.
"It was surprising. All our monkeys were of different ages and different genders - but with fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) you can control for all of that. And we were consistently seeing these same networks coming out."
The monkeys live in groups of up to five, so the team identified their social status by watching their behaviour, then compared it to different aspects of the brain data.
In monkeys at the top of their social group, three particular bits of the brain tended to be larger (specifically the amygdala, the hypothalamus and the raphe nucleus). In subordinate monkeys, the tendency read more

Cockatoos teach tool-making tricks

A team of researchers has discovered that the birds emulate tool-making tricks when they are demonstrated to them by another bird.
The results are published in the Royal Society journal Proceedings B.
The researchers are interested in what they call "technical intelligence", which is essentially animals' ability to use objects to solve problems.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

It confirms how innovative and how adaptable this species is to novel problems”

Dr Alice Auersperg University of Oxford

"Cockatoos are very interesting for this, because they're very playful with objects," explained lead researcher Dr Alice Auersperg, from the University of Oxford and the University of Vienna.

She and her colleagues had already noticed that one of birds in their research aviary, named Figaro, spontaneously used sticks to drag nuts under the bars.
Figaro also worked out how to make his "fishing sticks" by stripping long, thin pieces off a wooden block in his enclosure.
"So we had one innovator, and a very important aspect of innovation [is] how it can spread in a group," Dr Auersperg explained to BBC News.
To investigate this, the researchers set up an experiment where six birds were shown, by Figaro, how to strip a block and fish for a nut.
After watching the demonstration, most of the birds were able successfully to make their own strip of wood, and use it to retrieve a piece of food.
Fishing technique "This was the interesting thing," said Dr Auersperg "They were successful and interacting with the materials, but they weren't copying Figaro - they devised their own strategy of obtaining the reward."

They may be in a battle with the crow family for the title of most intelligent bird.

And Goffin cockatoos have now shown an impressive ability to learn from one another how to use and even how to make tools.
read more

California blue whales bounce back to near historic numbers

Researchers believe that California blue whales have recovered in numbers and the population has returned to sustainable levels.

Scientists say this is the only population of blue whales to have rebounded from the ravages of whaling.
The research team estimate that there are now 2,200 of these giant creatures on the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean.
But concerns remain about their vulnerability to being struck by ships.
At up to 33m in length and weighing in at up to 190 tonnes, blue whales are the largest animals on the planet.
The California variety is often seen feeding close to the coast of the state, but they are found all the way from the Gulf of Alaska down to Costa Rica.
Soviet secrecy Writing in the journal, Marine Mammal Science, researchers from the University of Washington say the California blue whales are now at 97% of their historical levels.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

The real key finding here is that they are close to recovery which is a bit of a surprise”

Dr Tevor Branch University of Washington

Working out that this species is now back at its traditional numbers required some dogged scientific sleuthing.read more

Joan Rivers: Life and work of comedian is remembered

Famous faces have paid tribute to comedian and TV host Joan Rivers, who has died in New York at the age of 81.

US talk show host David Letterman said that the acerbic wit was "a real pioneer for other women looking for careers in stand-up comedy".
Presenter Ellen DeGeneres echoed her significance, adding: "I'm very sad she's gone".
Prince Charles called Rivers "an extraordinary woman with an original and indefatigable spirit."
He added that she had "an unstoppable sense of humour and an enormous zest for life. She will be hugely missed and utterly irreplaceable."
Rivers was a guest at the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall's wedding in 2005, and also performed at a Prince's Trust benefit concert on his 60th birthday.
Comedian and actress Whoopi Goldberg tweeted: "My friend Joan Rivers has passed away. Once again to quote Billy Crystal... There are no words. Bon Voyage Joan."
Lena Dunham, writer and star of sitcom Girls, said: "Watching Joan Rivers do stand-up at age 81 was incredible: athletic, jaw-dropping, terrifying, essential. It never stopped. Neither will she.-"read more

Travel Rock in a hot place It's America's answer to Glastonbury

Desert rock ... Concert goers walk in front of the San Jacinto Mountains during the Coachella festival. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/ Reuters

Glastonbury festival-goers regard their annual thrash in the west country mud as a bonding experience; you don't really know someone until you've danced, eaten, slept and sampled hallucinogenic substances with them on the same patch of liquid field. Veterans of the Coachella festival in southern California would find it hard to empathise. Temperatures at the three-day bash regularly exceed 90F, and the only water to be had comes out of a bottle; baking in the afternoon sun is part of the desert rock experience.
Now in its eighth year, Coachella, run by Los Angeles-based promoter Goldenvoice, has put Indio, one of nine cities that make up the Coachella Valley, on the map for Generation Y.
This year, Bjork, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and a reunited Rage Against the Machine are headlining, with UK acts such as Amy Winehouse, the Arctic Monkeys, the Kooks, the Kaiser Chiefs and Lily Allen also on the bill.
Like Glastonbury, Coachella rose from humble beginnings. The first festival, in 1999, attracted just 25,000 people. This year, the organisers are expecting around 180,000.
After losing money during its first few years, it is now the Unites States' premier music festival; it has spawned several imitators, most notably Tennessee's Bonaroo festival, all hoping to emulate its winning formula.
But just as hardcore Glasto fans bemoan the commercialisation of their festival, so sun-freckled West Coast indie rockers complain about the death of the real Coachella. The Americans had a head start in that respect, however. Coachella takes place in a field, sure, but the Empire Polo Club, just south of Palm Springs, is a long way, in every sense, from Michael Eavis's dairy farm in Somerset.
While just about everyone who wants to go to Coachella usually finds a way in, the crowd has become increasingly moneyed as ticket prices have risen ($249 for a three-day pass this year). The Hollywood set has certainly moved in - you're as likely to bump into Drew Barrymore or Cameron Diaz as the long-lost girlfriend you last saw at the beer tent four years ago - and there is a much-buzzed about VIP area, where misting fans keep the well-connected cool. Last year, Coachella was even blessed by Madonna, who insisted on coming to the desert to play a set for the influential crowd of music writers and DJs in the dance tent.
The Coachella set is more likely to be found at a hotel, where they can keep their Grey Goose vodka on ice for the after-gig party, than slumming it on the hard, cold desert ground. (The festival MySpace page is currently advising: "If you plan on booking a hotel, do it now!") But it's not all glammed-up Hollywood chic. Indie rockers from Seattle to Chicago now make the annual pilgrimage to catch up on the latest bands (this year's up-and-coming groups include Sweden's Peter, Bjorn and John and Brazil's CSS).
The crowd is most certainly not to be confused with those at the annual desert freak-out Burning Man, in Nevada, although, Coachella trustafarians can be seen engaging in activities familiar to Burning Man aficionados (watching fire eaters, "tripping out" to the massive tesla coil that lights up the night sky every year).
Like any self-respecting oasis, the Empire Polo Field appears to drivers arriving from nearby cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix like an emerald sea surrounded by desert and mountains. The days are hot, but dusk brings a merciful breeze that blows through tall palm trees behind the main stage.
Surrounded by the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountain ranges, Coachella Valley is a breathtaking venue: stark white against the mountains, the festival's signature marquees reach for the desert sky. Last year, Iceland's Sigur Ros took to the main stage at sunset, crashing cymbals and reverb-ing guitars pinging off the mountains as a pink sky turned red and temperatures plummeted.
It might get chilly, but it's a hell of a spot for a campsite. The likes of Cameron and Drew prefer their stunning villas and hotels around Indio or Palm Springs (Frank Sinatra's former home is available to rent for around pounds 2,000 if you're feeling flush, see facing page), but for the full 'chella vibe, all you need is a tent and a cloudless,starry night sky. · Coachella takes place from April 27-29. This year's event is almost sold out, but Goldenvoice says it is hoping to make some tickets available at the gate. More information at coachella.com. Goldenvoice is also promoting the inaugural annual country music festival, Stagecoach, at the same site, May 5-6. Confirmed acts include Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney and Neko Case. Tickets available at stagecoachfestival.com/.

REPECT THE DEAD

Years ago i was on Employment Training for a extra ten pound a week.As part of the work i was given to do was to cut,tidy up graveyards around Devon.Out of this i learnt to respect the dead as many a time you would see people with flowers and digging implements doing their  loved ones graves,even talking to them.Also it showed how freckle life is as the vey old would be next to very new born babies.

An article by richard muirhead as requested by mark antony raines ghostman

Mark here it is.Richard         Flying Snake Magazine   A brief history   Richard Muirhead       In early 2011 , after about twelve months of hesitation, I took the plunge and decided to launch my own magazine, `Flying Snake`, sub-titled `a Journal of  `Cryptozoology,Folklore and Forteana`. I create the magazine on my pc in my office at home in Macclesfield,Cheshire,England and each issue takes about 4 months to create from the initial ideas in my mind as to what I`d like to put in the approximately 60 pages to its actual creation in hard copy format at the printer. It is immensely enjoyable and not quite as hard work as my long-term friend (since childhood in Hong Kong in the 1960s and `70s) Jon Downes of the Centre for Fortean Zoology warned me it would be ,which was the main reason it took me so long to start with issue 1 (published April 2011). Another problem I had was that I didn`t want to compete with Animals and Men, which thankfully hasn`t happened because Animals and Men and Flying Snake have somewhat different publication schedules and my emphasis is on what I call “archival” ( i.e. pre – 1950) cryptozoology whilst A & M is more about contemporary developments.   The main purpose, if there is one I`m concentrating on in particular, is to publish stories mainly connected to cryptozoology that have been neglected,are obscure,highly unusual but not necessarily paranormal. Much, (thankfully not all) cryptozoology still focuses on the well known and over-worked subjects of Alien Big Cats and the Loch Ness Monster and Sasquatch whilst neglecting the kind of obscurities the Victorians were fond of in their magazines such as Science Gossip and the like. In the age of easily (though sometimes expensive) online newspaper archives and Facebook there`s really no excuse for not finding such nuggets of gold as luminous centipedes, entombed bats, piebald moles and,dare I say it, flying snakes as well. I decided to call the magazine `Flying Snake` because for some reason this particular cryptid caught my imagination in the mid 1990s when I stumbled across (or did it stumble across me?) a reference to one  seen in Namibia in a book in a London bookshop in Charing Cross Road. Then later I thought that flying snakes encompass natural history, cryptozoology, folklore and the paranormal in one entity. By which I don`t mean the snakes that launch themselves off trees in parts of S.E.Asia but anomalous “snakes” that have turned up in various parts of the world that genuinely seem to be able to hover or glide or even fly.       I find the further back in time I look the more interesting the stories get. Perhaps this is because people are more cynical now and too easily suppress “travelers tails”. Or perhaps pre-20th century people had more enquiring minds and took more care to record stories of what now would be called cryptids through fear that no-one would pass through that particular valley/forest/settlement again? There is the other side of the coin though in that racism meant there were always people who would dismiss accounts of ethno-known animals out of hand. However for the sake of posterity I`m prepared to cast my nets very wide indeed as far as what I publish is concerned. I could be accused of too much credulity. Flying Snake is not peer reviewed (though it`s featured God (yes), Ken Livingstone ,one-time scourge of the Thatcher government and Sir David Attenborough ) so I`m relying on the honesty of eye witnesses or long deceased journalists, I`ve even been known to do my own research!   Up to issue 7 ( April 2014) I had covered subjects such as (in no particular date order) anomalous flying lizards in Australia, Steller`s Sea Cow, out of place Chinese coins, orange coloured badgers, alligator gar in China, dreams of World War 3, giant spiders in Colorado, pygmy horses in India,  wild cats in Dorset, an otter in Ireland , British ball lightning reports, etc,etc.     I write under either my own name or my alter-ego Dr Devo, named after the U.S. New Wave band of the 1980s. I am very fortunate to have two loyal sub-editors Carl Marshall and Mike Hardcastle and I`ve had contributions from the U.K , America Australia and Israel. If you interested in subscribing via Pay Pal please use this link:   http://homepage.ntlworld.com/richmuirhead/cryptozoology/  This link here shows the cover of Flying Snake 1 : http://www.flyingsnakepress.co.uk   Finally, whilst all issues 1 – 7 are available to purchase within about two weeks of me receiving your order, it should be noted that the front cover volume and issue numbering ran from Volume 1 issue 1 to Volume 2 issue 2, then Volume 2 issue 6, Volume 3 issue 7 In other words eaach Volume comprises 3 issues. Cover price was £ 3 up to and including Volume 1  issue 3 and £3.99 thereafter. Checks payable to Richard Muirhead not  Flying Snake. 112 High St, Macclesfield, SK11 7QQ. Thanks to Ghostman Raines for giving me this opportunity to write for him and thanks too to all my contributers.    

Please help a old ex essex ocd paranoid old fart

Check out @AntonyRaines's Tweet: https://twitter.com/AntonyRaines/status/507519585403568128

DEAN TRAVCHAV PHILLIPS INTERVIEWED BY MARK ANTONY RAINES -GHOSTMAN

https://soundcloud.com/ghostman-cole/dean-travchav-phillips-interviewed-by-mark-antony-raines-ghostmanFOR A GREAT INTERVIEW FOLLOW THIS LINK-https://soundcloud.com/ghostman-cole/dean-travchav-phillips-interviewed-by-mark-antony-raines-ghostman

Black cat paranormal interviewed by mark antony raines, ghostman

Hi there, here is the interview;

What inspired you?
Both Michelle and I have seen and had experiences with the spirit world since being children. We both look for a deeper meaning life and want to bring what we experienced and what we experience in the future to everyone so they can see, feel or affiliate with those same types of experiences in the future whilst making their own minds up about whether they believe there is an after life or not.

What are your aims?
We, like many groups want to get that one piece of evidence to show the world that there is an afterlife, and indeed the soul lives on after the body dies. Energy can change but it cannot disappear. Bridging the gaps between the two worlds would be amazing!

What plans do you have for the future?
At the moment we plan on carrying on what we are doing and how we are doing it. We are building a fantastic fan base on Twitter and Face Book but the support for our Youtube channel has wowed us! We are getting hundreds of views a day and some lovely comments from believers and sceptics alike. Out aim is not to drum 'you must be a believer' into people but just to present the evidence how we find it and what we think to allow others to make up their own minds.

You can find Black Cats Paranormal on'
www.bcpi.co.uk
www.youtube.com/BCatsParanormal
www.twitter.com/BCatsParanormal
www.facebook.com/BCatsParanormal