Vampires

Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person. The term vampire was not popularized until the early 18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into Western Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such as the Balkans and Eastern Europe, although local variants were also known by different names, such as vampir (вампир) in Serbia and Bulgaria, vrykolakas in Greece and strigoi in Romania. This increased level of vampire superstition in Europe led to mass hysteria and in some cases resulted in corpses actually being staked and people being accused of vampirism. Since this period the Western world has been fascinated, enthralled & undeniably in awe of the concept of the "Vampire".
The charismatic and sophisticated vampire of modern fiction was born in 1819 with the publication of The Vampyre by John Polidori. The story was highly successful and arguably the most influential vampire work of the early 19th century. However, it is Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula that is remembered as the quintessential vampire novel and which provided the basis of modern vampire fiction. Dracula drew on earlier mythologies of werewolves and similar imaginary demons and "was to voice the anxieties of an age", and the "fears of late Victorian patriarchy"
The vampire remains deeply rooted in our psychic appealing yet terrifying.! Vampires are currently topping the best-selling lists and raking in millions at the box office.
We've selected books and videos that explore our enduring fascination and traces the origins of our favourite bogeyman, charting the transformation of the vampire from monster to heartthrob. From Brams Stoker's "Dracular" to Charlene Harris's "Sookie Stackhouse" novels we hope your literary journey will be interesting, entertaining and perhaps "enlightening"?
Visit the store to purchase books, DVDs etc.

Black Eyed Beings

It is some time ago now that I had the unnerving experience of standing eye to eye with such a person
I recall leaving a shop on a bright summers day without a care in the world!
This "person" bumped" into me and at the moment I looked up to apologise for the collision I was drawn more by disgust that anything to their eyes which appeared a mass of solid BLACK
The shock was so great that it took a while for me to regain my composure but even then I found it difficult to walk on and go about my business as I felt as though I had been scarred and sullied in a profound way!
Stupid, paranoid or over imaginative?
Some time later I chanced upon an article about the "Invasion of the Black-Eyed People,
Encounters with strange beings said to be "inhuman""

By Stephen Wagner, About.com
CREEPY, UNNERVING, threatening, sinister... even inhuman. These are words that people have used to describe children, adolescents and adults they have encountered who share an odd trait in common: unnaturally black eyes. Black-eyed people. Black-eyed kids. Who are they?

Granted, many people have dark eyes. Although black is not a natural eye coloration, there are many people with very dark brown or dark blue eyes that, under the right lighting conditions, can look black or nearly black. But in some cases, the black-eyed people are seen in excellent lighting conditions – bright daylight, for example. Also, some of these reports say that these are not just incidents of dark irises; their entire eye appears black, with little or no white showing. ..........................

I have yet to make my mind up about my experience but having considered the possibility of black contact lenses, goth fashion, context and perspective I keep coming back to the way the encounter made me feel. My hair stood up on the back of my neck and to me that can only mean one thing. TROUBLE!

Anyone had a similar experience? If you have then share here - be really interested to know!

Vampires, Let the Right One In

Hi

Thought I'd share this vampire film with you just because I thought it was GREAT!
This vampiric love story is full of blood-curdling shocks - but it will also make you swoon with sadness and sigh with happiness.

Tell me what you think of it!!

Full Moon

Everything from increases in violent crime and psychotic behaviour to stock market fluctuations has been blamed on the effects of the fully illuminated moon. In 19th-century England, lawyers used the "guilty by reason of the full moon" defense to claim that their "lunatic" clients could not be held accountable for acting under the moon's influence.
In his 1978 best seller, How the Moon Affects You, psychiatrist Arnold Lieber argued rather unscientifically that the moon has an effect on the human body (which is 65 percent water) that is similar to its pull on the ocean's tides.

Despite these many assertions, scientists who have investigated the matter have come up empty-handed. University of Sydney researchers found no link to the moon's cycle in two separate studies, one of violent or aggressive behaviour, the other of dog bites that required human hospitalisation.

And in an analysis that ought to put to rest any lingering doubts, Ivan Kelly, a psychologist at the University of Saskatchewan, found in a review of over 100 studies of lunar cycles and behavior -- including emergency room admissions and suicide attempts -- nothing to suggest that humans are affected by Earth's satellite.

So why do 81 percent of mental health professionals, according to a University of New Orleans study, believe that lunar cycles affect human behaviour? Part of the reason is historical: The illuminated moon played a more prominent role for our ancestors as both a calendar and a night-light. Before electric lighting became ubiquitous, a bright moon was more likely to disrupt sleep, producing widespread grouchiness.
Folklore has long associated the lunar cycle with strange happenings such as the nocturnal antics of men who have turned into werewolves. But a correlation has now been identified with a worsening in human behaviour when there is a full moon and also on pay days. Inspector Andy Parr, of Sussex Police, made the connection while analysing crime statistics for the Brighton and Hove area’s “night-time economy”. …... Nine years ago a three-month psychological study of 1,200 inmates at Armley jail in Leeds showed a rise in violent incident in the days either side of a full moon. Inspector Parr hopes his findings could lead to further university research which would be of use to police forces.

I knew the Moon was FULL Thursday last August 6th without referring to any one or anything. HOW?
I could not sleep at all -just had to get up and walk about outside for hours

Does that make me a lunatic?
Anyone else experience anything similar?
Further interesting reading....................

UFOs Visit Wales

Hi

Whitley Strieber's , author known for his horror genre novels, "The Wolfen" and "The Hunger" has written an interesting article on UFOs recently:
Today I saw in Unknowncountry's Out There section a witness report that suggests that on July 10, the military shot at UFOs that appeared over Fort Lewis, Washington.
That the US military has done so in the past is now a matter of public record, since the British Ministry of Defence released records indicating that the US Air Force attempted to shoot down a UFO over Surrey in May of 1956. The pilot involved, Dr. Milton Torres, now lives in Florida and has confirmed that he did indeed receive such an order, in fact, before he even took off, so eager was the Air Force to carry out this extraordinary act on behalf of the human species, but without our knowledge.
For those interested read on..................

I was particularly interest in this phrase: "We have reached a point of no return. Our species is going to experience the total collapse of its planetary environment." Why? because I had just finished reading another article in our local paper about UFO reports here in Wales

Powys X-files revealed

The on - line article describes the most recent sightings etc. It does not however, include all the newspaper article and the paragraph that struck me most was "another witness form North Wales, claims he has been in contact with beings not of this world. The message from these beings, "mankind must STOP its relentless pursuit of material gain and its favourite past time of tribal warfare and work for the unification of all nations, work in harmony with the planet and its life forms"

Whether these reports are accurate is up to the individual reader's perspective
What is REAL is the concept that we humans are moving head - long into total DEVASTATION
So when you're next travelling to the out of town "shopping centres" that have infested our western society take time out to peer upward towards the heavens. You never know you may see a UFO!!

What do you think. Are we living in a time of "hell on earth" ?

The Culture Show: Guillermo del Toro Interview

Watch the interview
Guillermo del Toro, creator of many horror genre films gave an interesting interview on "The Culture Show" It's worth watching if you are interested in the "mind" that is driven to create fictional horror tales.
He speaks of an encounter with a ghostly relative at an early age and that led me to wonder whether this experience, that is by no means unique to him, acts as a catalyst that shapes and controls the future life -path for those who have been touched by a similar experience
Obviously one can attribute many factors to the development of an adult. Their nurture, nature and their personal experiences. Genetic make-up is today, more than ever, offered as a major controlling element in our personality design. I wonder whether there is a gene, as yet not discovered, that allows us to see "ghosts" or elements that others don't see?

The same show highlights Punchdrunk Theatre Company "It felt like a Kiss" Set in Manchester this is being hailed as one of the most exciting and terrifying art experiences of the 21st century - a walk through house of horrors completely based on audience participation......the individuals approach and reaction to fear. The film critic, Mark Kermode, visits the experience and states that he's always been interested in the horror genre. Join us Mark and really "test" your inner fears!

Although I have no opinion on the show's content I found the "hype" concerning this show which runs for a couple of weeks, wickedly amusing. Haunting Breaks have been offering this experience for some years now. Perhaps this is the case of art imitating life?


Films worth watching: The Devil's Backbone, Pan's Labyrinth, The Orphanage
Films to look our for: The Hobbit

Independent Interview
Del Toro joins vampire invasion of the bookshops

Dracula, Vampires and all that

Hi there
For those who listened to "Now that's Wierd" radio Friday January 18th I thought I'd jot down some more information to support the discussion
For those who didn't read on - you may find this subject matter interesting?
Haunting Breaks are designing a short break for groups to visit Transylvania, visit the birth place of "Vlad the Impaler" and one of his temporary residences as Prince Vlad Tepes, Bran Castle
This 2 night break will be "topped off" with a full after dinner paranormal investigation in the hotel where the guests will stay!
Whilst researching the details of this package I had the opportunity to watch a video called "Searching for God"
What's this got to do with the Dracula trip you may ask!!
Well the answer is that both of these issues started me analysing our approach as human beings to myths, legends, belief systems etc.
Don't get me wrong - you may like to join the trip, as many guests do, purely for the break, without even thinking about whether Bram Stoker based his novel Dracula on Prince Vlad Tepes, or if vampires really did or do exist? That fine by me and anyone else connected to Haunting Breaks !
I just felt compelled to write about my thoughts because of researching the details and watching the God video - or maybe that's just an excuse for a verbal rant!

Has anyone read "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins?
If you haven't you may find this link to a review of the book by Robert Stewart interesting

As an individual of average intelligence I find all information regarding our "Human" approach to belief systems including religion, myths and legends, interesting. I can understand the two main approaches, i.e. the scientific approach and the approach from the believer's standpoint
I can understand that the "Enlightenment" period "allegedly" delivered us all from the "dark ages" offering a sound scientific explanation for all those "mysteries" and unknown facts but I still do not agree totally with the scientific argument concerning the paranormal realm
The video I watched clearly mapped out what we scientifically know today regarding the time - lines concerned with the life of Jesus
It succinctly explained that Jesus was dead for some 40 - 50 years before the first gospels were written making the evidence involved somewhat suspect, particularly when discussing "The true sayings of Jesus" - 1 to the scientists me thinks!!
It also stated that 90 % of the top ranking American scientists today do NOT believe in God inferring I believe, that with intelligence comes the ability to completely deny faith. - OUCH! that hurt!!
If that is true then what about all those scientists who do have faith in God?
Max Planck, Albert Einstein etc. etc. Didn't they contribute to science as we know it today, despite their belief in a higher being? Of course they did!!
As we are all presumably aware, nothing in this life is clear cut. There are more factors involved than simply two approaches to any subject matter, particularly regarding the question of the existence of the paranormal
There is a clear need for both scientists and believers to give a little. To stop thinking inside the box, to stop believing that their doctrine is the true doctrine!
My belief is that there will come a time when science will "meld" with the "believer" in terms of approach and understanding. That time will truly usher in the "enlightenment" of human kind
Further reading for those interested: The Universe and multiple reality, Professor M. R Franks
Publications: Dr. Susan Blackmore
Imitation and the definition of a MEME: Dr. Susan Blackmore