Just a Brief Note....

Hi folks...I'm going to be a post short today because of Spirit Rescue International business (two consultations and a remote viewing session). We got backed up the past few weeks and need to clear the queue. Thanks for reading! Lon

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Just the Facts?: 'Dog-Headed Pig Monster!' -- The Gods Are Calling -- Jesus' Real Tomb Found?

'Dog-Headed Pig Monster' Sightings Reported By Namibian Villagers

Some say it's a witch doctor, a warlock, or a work of black magic. Others say it's a hybrid animal somewhere between a dog and a pig. But whatever it is, residents in Namibia are saying the strange creature they've seen wreaking havoc on their villages is nothing they've ever encountered before, according to the website Life's Little Mysteries.

Villagers living near the Kalahari desert in northern Namibia have reported seeing an odd creature with a head like a dog and the shoulders of a pig, mostly white in color and with hairless spots on its back, according to the site.

They say the beast has been attacking dogs, goats and other domestic animals seemingly out of nowhere, as the region's arid landscape is sparse in trees and shrubbery where animals might hide.

"This is an alien animal that the people have not seen before. We don't have a forest here, only bushes. So, this must be black magic at play," Andreas Mundjindi, a Namibian official, told the newspaper Informante.

One resident who spoke with Informante said villagers are taking precautions against the creature by staying in groups, and that many believe it's an intelligent being that came from the house of a grey-haired man.

"Everyone believes it is his beast and even he knows that we think so," the villager told Informante. "When it comes our side in the night, all the dogs are barking, but if it goes back west, then it’s all hush. People must be safe. We don’t want to be mauled by things we don’t know."

The sightings follow a number of reports out of Africa in recent years involving alleged sightings of strange creatures. In 2009, the Namibian newspaper New Era reported that a number of villagers had filed complaints with police stating that a mysterious tiger-like creature had been sucking blood of their livestock.

Police spokeswoman Christina Fonsech told the paper that police tried to track the creature's footprints, which were doglike, though bigger.

"We followed them but they walked until a spot where they just vanished," Fonesch told New Era. "It’s difficult to explain what happened to those footprints because they looked as if they climbed onto something but it was in an open space, so we don’t know what happened."

One elusive creature of legend from the Congo region, known as the "Mokele-mbembe," has intrigued myth hunters for years. Believed by some to be the surviving ancestor of a dinosaur, similar to the rumored Loch Ness Monster, the animal has been reported in sightings as far back as 1776, according to research by cryptozoologist William Gibbons.

Gibbons published a description of the creature, written by a German captain during a colonial expedition of the Congo in 1913:

The animal is said to be of a brownish gray color ... its size approximating that of an elephant. It is said to have a long and very flexible neck. Some spoke of a long muscular tail like that of an alligator. Canoes coming near it are said to be doomed; the animals are said to attack the vessels at once and to kill the crews but without eating the bodies. The creature is said to live in the caves that have been washed out by the river in the clay of its shores at sharp bends. It is said to climb the shore even in daytime in search of its food; its diet is said to be entirely vegetable. - THP

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Asteroid 2011 AG5 May Pose Threat to Earth in 2040

Scientists are keeping a close eye on a big asteroid that may pose an impact threat to Earth in a few decades.

The space rock, which is called 2011 AG5, is about 460 feet (140 meters) wide. It may come close enough to Earth in 2040 that some researchers are calling for a discussion about how to deflect it.

Talk about the asteroid was on the agenda during the 49th session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), held earlier this month in Vienna.

A UN Action Team on near-Earth objects (NEOs) noted the asteroid’s repeat approaches to Earth and the possibility — however remote — that 2011 AG5 might smack into our planet 28 years from now.

The object was discovered in January 2011 by Mount Lemmon Survey observers in Tucson, Ariz. While scientists have a good bead on the space rock's size, its mass and compositional makeup are unknown at present. Continue reading at Asteroid 2011 AG5 May Pose Threat to Earth in 2040

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'Divine Jehovah, raise up': Does discovery of this 1st Century coffin lid prove the resting place of Jesus is under Jerusalem tower block?

Archaeologists exploring a 1st century Christian burial chamber have discovered an ancient inscription on a coffin lid which they believe could prove the site is the final resting place of Jesus.

Using a remote-controlled camera connected to a robotic arm to probe below a tower block in Jerusalem, the archaeologists were staggered to discover a set of 1st century 'bone boxes'.

The lid on one of these limestone boxes, also known as ossuaries, carries an inscription in Greek which could be translated as 'Divine Jehovah, raise up, raise up'.

Another carries a drawing of a fish with a stick figure in its mouth which is believed to refer to the story of Jonah and the Whale - one of the very first biblical stories.

The find is 200ft away from an earlier discovery known as the Jesus Family Tomb, which caused a huge amount of controversy after it was uncovered in the 1980s.

Archaeologists then claimed it contained ossuaries inscribed with names associated with Jesus's family.

That discovery sprouted amazing theories including one that maintained Jesus had been buried there alongside Mary Magdalene who he had married and raised a family with.

However many leading theologians and archaeologists rubbished such claims as being completely unfounded.

The Jesus Family Tomb was only examined briefly before protests by Orthodox Jews, concerned about the disturbance of a grave site, ended the excavation.

It was then sealed up, and a tower block built over it.

However James Tabor, a scriptural scholar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and documentary filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici were determined to continue the research.

The pair obtained permission from the Israeli government in 2010 to use the robotic arm to drill holes allowing them to explore the surrounding area.

This led to the discovery of a separate chamber which they named the 'Patio Tomb', as it sits almost directly below the patio of the building.

It was inside the Patio Tomb that they found the inscriptions.

The pair claim the inscriptions discovered inside the patio tomb greatly increase the likelihood that the 'Jesus Family Tomb' is indeed, the resting place of Jesus.

They argue believe both tombs are part of the same complex which may have been the property of Joseph of Arimathea, who, according to the gospels, buried Jesus.

One of the limestone ossuaries carries a Greek inscription calling on God to 'rise up' or 'raise up' someone.

Another shows the image of a fish with a stick figure in its mouth which Tabor has suggested could represent the prophet Jonah.

Mr Tabor said: 'This inscription has something to do with resurrection of the dead, either of the deceased in the ossuary, or perhaps, given the Jonah image nearby, an expression of faith in Jesus' resurrection.

In the earliest gospel materials the 'sign of Jonah,' as mentioned by Jesus, has been interpreted as a symbol of his resurrection.

Jonah images in later 'early' Christian art, such as images found in the Roman catacombs, are the most common motif found on tombs as a symbol of Christian resurrection hope.

In contrast, the story of Jonah is not depicted in any first century Jewish art and iconographic images on ossuaries are extremely rare, given the prohibition within Judaism of making images of people or animals.

The tomb in question is dated prior to 70 CE, when ossuary use in Jerusalem ceased due to the Roman destruction of the city.

If the markings are Christian, the engravings represent the earliest archaeological record of Christians ever found.

So the engravings were most likely made by some of Jesus' earliest followers, within decades of his death, predating the writing of the gospels.

'If anyone had claimed to find either a statement about resurrection or a Jonah image in a Jewish tomb of this period I would have said impossible -- until now,' Tabor said. 'Our team was in a kind of ecstatic disbelief, but the evidence was clearly before our eyes, causing us to revise our prior assumptions.'

The publication of the academic article is concurrent with the publication of a book by Simon & Schuster entitled 'The Jesus Discovery: The New Archaeological Find That Reveals the Birth of Christianity.' A documentary on the discovery will be aired by the Discovery Channel in spring 2012.

The findings and their interpretation are likely to be controversial, since most scholars are skeptical of any Christian archaeological remains from so early a period.

Adding to the controversy is the tomb's close proximity to a second tomb, discovered in 1980. This tomb, dubbed by some 'The Jesus Family Tomb,' contained inscribed ossuaries that some scholars associate with Jesus and his family, including one that reads 'Jesus, son of Joseph.'

'Context is everything in archaeology,' Tabor pointed out. 'These two tombs, less than 200 feet apart, were part of an ancient estate, likely related to a rich family of the time.

'We chose to investigate this tomb because of its proximity to the so-called 'Jesus tomb,' not knowing if it would yield anything unusual.'

Among the approximately 2000 ossuaries that have been recovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority, only 650 have any inscriptions on them, and none have inscriptions comparable to the team's finds.

Less than a dozen ossuaries from the period have epitaphs but, according to Tabor, these inscribed messages usually have to do with warnings not to disturb the bones of the dead. In contrast, the four-line Greek inscription contains some kind of statement of resurrection faith.

Tabor noted that the epitaph's complete and final translation is uncertain. The first three lines are clear, but the last line, consisting of three Greek letters, is less sure, yielding several possible translations: 'O Divine Jehovah, raise up, raise up,' or 'The Divine Jehovah raises up to the Holy Place,' or 'The Divine Jehovah raises up from.'

'This inscription has something to do with resurrection of the dead, either of the deceased in the ossuary, or perhaps, given the Jonah image nearby, an expression of faith in Jesus' resurrection,' Tabor said.

The ossuary with the image that Tabor and his team understand to be representing Jonah also has other interesting engravings. These also may be connected to resurrection, Tabor notes. On one side is the tail of a fish disappearing off the edge of the box, as if it is diving into the water.

There are small fish images around its border on the front facing, and on the other side is the image of a cross-like gate or entrance—which Tabor interprets as the notion of entering the 'bars' of death, which are mentioned in the Jonah story in the Bible. - dailymail

The Empty Tomb: Jesus Beyond the Grave

Buried Hope or Risen Savior: The Search for the Jesus Tomb

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Medieval medallion found in baby shark in Malaysia

A baby shark being prepared for lunch gave a Malaysian family a big surprise - an ancient artifact believed to be dated long before the Portuguese conquest of Malacca. Housewife Suseela Menon, from Klebang, made the priceless discovery while filleting the fish for lunch.

It is believed to be a medallion worn by the Portuguese soldiers, presumably as a divine protection, during their conquests in this part of the world in the 16th century. One side of the medallion is a profile of a woman's head with a crown and encircled by a halo and an inscription that is unclear. The other side is a crucifix with an engraved inscription that reads ANTONII.

Checks with a local historian revealed the head engraving could be that of Queen Elizabeth, the consort of King Denis I of Portugal during his reign from 1271 to 1336. Suseela said she immediately cleaned the medallion and preserved it in a box. “I bought two sharks from the wet market and was taken aback upon discovering the object inside the stomach of one of the fishes,” said the 47-year-old mother-of-two.

Suseela had wanted to prepare shark curry for her husband. “Finally, my husband decided not to eat the fish as the object seems to be a religious item,” she said. The medallion is 7.4cm long, 6cm wide and weighs 10g. “My husband feels it is a blessing for the family to have the medallion coming to our home from beneath the sea. We will always cherish it,” said Suseela.

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The Gods are calling at El Castillo

When Hector Siliezar visited the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza with his wife and kids in 2009, he snapped three iPhone photos of El Castillo, a pyramid that once served as a sacred temple to the Mayan god Kukulkan. A thunderstorm was brewing near the temple, and Siliezar was trying to capture lightning crackling dramatically over the ruins.

In the first two images, dark clouds loom above the pyramid, but nothing is amiss. However, in the third photo, a powerful beam of light appears to shoot up from the pyramid toward the heavens, and a thunderbolt flashes in the background.

Siliezar, who recently shared his photographs with occult investigators, told Earthfiles.com that he and his family didn't see the light beam in person; it appeared only on camera. "It was amazing!" he said. He showed the iPhone photo to his fellow tourists. "No one, not even the tour guide, had ever seen anything like it before."

The photo has surfaced on several Mayan doomsday discussion forums. But was the light beam a sign from the gods — a warning about Dec. 21, 2012, the date that marks the end of the Mayan calendar cycle, and when some people fear the world will end? Or is it simply the result of an iPhone glitch?

According to Jonathon Hill, a research technician and mission planner at the Mars Space Flight Facility at Arizona State University, which operates many of the cameras used during NASA's Mars missions, it is almost definitely the latter. Hill works with images of the Martian surface taken by rovers and satellites, as well as data from Earth-orbiting NASA instruments, and is fully versed in the wide range of potential image artifacts and equipment errors.

He says the "light beam" in the Mayan temple photo is a classic case of such an artifact — a distortion in an image that arises from the way cameras bounce around incoming light.

It is no mere coincidence, Hill said, that "of the three images, the 'light beam' only occurs in the image with a lightning bolt in the background. The intensity of the lightning flash likely caused the camera's CCD sensor to behave in an unusual way, either causing an entire column of pixels to offset their values or causing an internal reflection [off the] camera lens that was recorded by the sensor." In either case, extra brightness would have been added to the pixels in that column in addition to the light hitting them directly from the scene.

Evidence in favor of this explanation is the fact that the beam, when isolated in Photoshop or other image analysis software, runs perfectly vertical in the image. "That's a little suspicious since it's very unlikely that the gentleman who took this picture would have his handheld iPhone camera positioned exactly parallel to the 'light beam' down to the pixel level," Hill told Life's Little Mysteries.

It's more likely that the "light beam" corresponds to a set of columns of pixels in the camera sensor that are electronically connected to each other, but not to other columns in the sensor, and that this set of connected pixels became oversaturated in the manner described above.

"That being said," Hill said, "it really is an awesome image!"

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Ghosts Stalk Japan's Tsunami Devastation

A year after whole neighbourhoods full of people were killed by the Japanese tsunami, rumours of ghosts swirl in Ishinomaki as the city struggles to come to terms with the awful tragedy.

One reconstruction project appears stalled because of fears the undead spirits of those who perished last March will bring bad luck.

“I heard people working to repair the store became sick because of ghosts,” Satoshi Abe, 64, said, gesturing to a half-repaired supermarket.

“People died everywhere, here and there. The city is full of such stories,” he said.

In some parts of this once vibrant fishing port, signs of life are returning — houses are being rebuilt, businesses are re-opening and children are back at school.

But with around a fifth of the 19,000 who died across the northeast having lost their lives in this small city alone, few think it can ever be normal again.

Shinichi Sasaki said the memory of March 11, 2011 never leaves and it is this persistent memory that creates the “ghosts”.

“That day keeps coming back to your mind,” he said.

“If you know someone who was killed, and the death was so sudden, you may feel that person is still there. I don’t believe in ghosts but I can understand why the town is rife with rumours.”

One taxi driver, who did not want to give his name, told AFP of his unwillingness to stop in parts of the city that were all but wiped out by the enormous waves of last March, because he worries that his customer will be a spirit.

A woman who lives in the city said she had heard stories of queues of people who can be seen rushing towards the hills as they try again and again to escape the waves, an endless replay of their last, fruitless minutes.

Counselors and academics say a widespread belief in ghosts is fairly normal in the aftermath of a large tragedy and forms a part of the healing process in a society.

Cultural anthropologist Takeo Funabiki said it was only “natural” that stories of the supernatural abounded in the wake of such an event.

“Human beings find it very difficult to accept death, whether they are inclined by nature to superstition or are very scientifically minded,” he told AFP.

“A sudden or abnormal death, anything other than someone dying in bed of old age, is particularly difficult for people to comprehend.

“When there are things that many people find difficult to accept, they can find expression in the form of rumours or rituals for the dead, amongst other things.

“The point is that it takes the shape of something that you can share with other people in your society,” he said.

For some of those who lost loved ones, the traditions that usually accompany death in Japan have served their purpose.

Shinto priests have been called upon to console the souls of the dead and ease their passage into the next world before they purify the places their bodies were found.

At the Buddhist festival of Obon in mid summer, offerings were made at altars as those left behind readied to welcome back the spirits of lost loved ones, who they believed would return to this world to visit for a few days.

But other people have struggled to make sense of their loss.

Koji Ikeda, a therapist and lecturer at the Academy of Counselors Japan, said “survivors have various complex emotions — fear, anxiety, sorrow or desire for the return of deceased people”.

“It is possible that a whole lot of emotions that people cannot fully cope with lead to ‘projections’ of spirits” he said.

“Pent-up emotions need to be expressed in order for people to be able to adapt to the new reality and move forward with their grief.”

While few in the city will talk openly of actually having seen a ghost, many are prepared to accept spirits could stalk the deserted streets.

Yuko Sugimoto says she is not particularly superstitious and has not seen any ghosts. But still she has no doubt they could be there among the shadows.

“Many people who were leading normal lives died suddenly,” she said. “I’m sure they must find that difficult to accept.

“It would be strange if you didn’t hear anything about any of them." - theborneopost

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Japan's post-disaster reconstruction efforts hindered – by ghosts

Numerous reports of ghost sightings have reportedly been made by residents in the city of Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture, home to nearly a fifth of all tsunami fatalities.

Reconstruction and repair have been put on hold in some instances due to workers' fears that the spirits of the dead who passed away a year ago will bring them bad luck if they continue, according to AFP.

Highlighting one half-repaired supermarket, local Satoshi Abe, 64, told the agency: "I heard people working to repair the store became sick because of ghosts. People died here everywhere, here and there. The city is full of such stories."

A taxi driver, who did not want to be named, added that he was unwilling to stop in certain parts of the city that were badly damaged in the tsunami for fear of picking up a customer who is a spirit of the dead.

Meanwhile, another local woman described hearing stories of people seeing queues of people rushing towards the hills, a replay of their final moment as they attempted to escape the tsunami, according to AFP.

As the first anniversary of the disaster approaches, Ishinomaki appears, on the surface at least, to be returning to a new level of normality, with the tsunami debris cleared away in most areas and a growing number of businesses reopening.

At the same time, the emotional impact of the massive losses of human life are clearly continuing to take their toll on residents: close to 4,000 Ishinomaki locals were killed in the tsunami out of a total death toll of 19,000 for the northeast region.

However, experts described the city's apparent widespread belief in ghosts as a "natural" side effect of a large-scale tragedy which wiped out vast swathes of the community and a potentially positive part of the healing process.

"Human beings find it very difficult to accept death, whether they are inclined by nature to superstition or are very scientifically minded," said Takeo Funabiki, a cultural anthropologist.

"A sudden or abnormal death, anything other than someone dying in bed of old age, is particularly difficult for people to comprehend.

"When there are things that many people find difficult to accept, they can find expression in the form of rumours or rituals for the dead, among other things. The point is that it takes the shape of something that you can share with other people in your society."

Koji Ikeda, a therapist and lecturer at the Academy of Counselors Japan, added: "It is possible that a whole lot of emotions that people cannot fully cope with lead to 'projections' of spirits" he said. "Pent-up emotions need to be expressed in order for people to be able to adapt to the new reality and move forward with their grief." - telegraph

NOTE: Ghosts and wandering spirits are all too common in areas of mass death. I still see reports of apparitions and spectres in Haiti and Chile. Old battlefields are notorious for phantoms and paranormal activity...many hold this tragic energy for centuries. I imagine that the city of Ishinomaki will retain residual reminders of that fateful day for a very long time...Lon

Tales of Old Japan: Folklore, Fairy Tales, Ghost Stories and Legends of the Samurai

A Gathering of Spirits: Japan's Ghost Story Tradition: From Folklore and Kabuki to Anime and Manga

Earthquake - Tsunami - Disaster in Japan 2011

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A Tale of the Clurichaun

I recently received an email inquiry from a reader:

Hi - since St. Patrick's Day is on the way, I was wondering if you had ever had or heard of a leprechaun or fairy experience in America? Thanks for your daily newsletter, Susan

Well, I have written about and reported a few fairy-like being encounters over the years...including a leprechaun or two. There are also legends of the 'Tommyknockers' in mining areas worked by Irish immigrants throughout North America. After I received the inquiry I looked back through my files, including a few journals I had kept from the 1970's. I did manage to find an odd anecdote that was told to me by a friend-of-a-friend in 1976 while in Philadelphia.

From what I gathered an ancestor by the name of Finn, who lived in colonel Philadelphia, had a bit of trouble keeping port wine on hand. It seemed that each morning he noticed that the level of a barrel he kept in the cellar got lower. In fact it had gotten to a point where he thought his wife was taking a dipper full each night while he slept...though he had never known her to have a taste for the stuff.

One day while working at the dock he asked his friend Donal what he thought about the situation. Donal looked back at Finn and laughed..."His Nibs is sampling your stock." Finn had no idea what Donal was referring to. "His Nibs...a clurichaun is stealing your spirits."

Honestly, when I heard the story I had no idea what a clurichaun was. Apparently, it is an Irish fairy which resembles the leprechaun. Some describe the clurichaun as a night 'form' of the leprechaun, who goes out to drink after finishing his daily chores. Clurichauns are said to favor drunkenness more than not. However, unlike their cousins, they are surly. If you treat them well they will protect your wine cellar, however, if mistreated, they will wreak havoc on a home and spoil the wine stock. Occasionally he can be heard singing Irish folk songs in the wine cellars. The clurichaun is great to have around the house because he also protects your home from vandals and thieves. They are also referred to as 'clobhairs' and 'His Nibs.'

According to Donal, if Finn wanted to see the clurichaun, leave a cup of wine on the night stand...it can't resist an offer of drink. Donal warned "don't scare it away. There will be dire consequences if you do."

That night, Finn left a full cup of wine on his night stand hoping to catch a glimpse of the imp. A little bit after midnight Finn heard the floor boards creaking. As he slowly opened his eyes, he gazed upon a small 3 ft. man wearing a red hat made of plant leaves and a red wool vest. It resembled a leprechauns in all it's physical characteristics. As he watched the clurichaun reach for the cup a horrific scream shot from behind him. His wife also caught glimpse of the small being and reacted instinctively. The clurichaun dropped the cup on the floor and dashed out of the room. Flinn thought "what now?"

Flinn tried to lure the clurichaun back and to its good graces with several offers of wine, but was never successful. It is said that Flinn could never keep fresh wine again...it always turned to vinegar as soon as it was brought into the house.

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Just the Facts?: Massachusetts UFO Probe -- Hitler's French Son -- Students Attempt to Poison Teacher

Probe started on Massachusetts UFO

Volunteer UFO investigators would like to learn more about a strange object they said a passing motorist reported and photographed at the Acton/Littleton line last July.

Steve Firmani, director of the New England Mutual UFO Network, confirmed the organization received a report and photograph depicting an object a motorist reported seeing over Route 2 near the Acton and Littleton town lines on July 31.

In the report, the unnamed motorist described seeing a “reflective, black tube-shaped object traveling in an easterly direction.” The driver, headed west on Route 2, stopped at the Newtown Road exit to take a picture.

The object is described as about 30 feet long and six feet in diameter and was perhaps 200 to 300 feet in the air when first spotted.

At this time, the motorist said the object was now about 1,000 to 1,500 feet high and still traveling east.

The photo attached to the report was taken with a 35-millimeter film camera, the report said.

The report describes the model of camera and speed and type of film used, as well as the zoom of the camera used to take the photo.

The Mutual UFO Network, commonly known as MUFON, is a multi-chapter organization of volunteers that fields reports of unidentified flying objects and other mysterious sightings.

Volunteer investigators interview those who report sightings and may call in expert help to examine evidence that is offered, such as photographs.

Firmani, of Leominster, said his MUFON chapter hopes to assign an investigator to the report soon.

Ruling out possibilities

Firmani said the majority of sightings received by his and other MUFON chapters turn out to be ordinary objects.

“Right now, you could say, this case is ‘up in the air, 'pending assigning an investigator and asking some questions,” Firmani said.

“The first thing we do is try and contact the witness and set up a phone interview.”

He said, “Eighty-five to 90 percent of UFO sightings can be explained as manmade or natural phenomena – such as stars, planets, even birds. We have had situations where a sunlight is reflecting off a bird.”

Firmani said satellites are another common source of so-called UFO sightings. In strictest terms, "UFO" simply means "unidentified flying object," with no implications as to its origin.

Firmani said in recent years, a commonly reported sighting is that of triangular lights; a tubular object such as the one described in the report is less common but not unheard of.

In UFO lore, one celebrated case describes a glittering, tubular-shaped object crashing into windmill in Aurora,Texas in 1897.

Firmani said regional differences in linguistics or descriptions can make it difficult to tell if viewers in different parts of New England or the country have seen the same or a similar object.

Acton police said no one called to report an object like the one the MUFON report describes.

As with most police departments, Acton police receives calls from time to time about unusual or erratic lights or objects, but generally receives these reports at night.

One such report concerned a gleaming light a caller saw early in the morning but that turned out to be light reflecting off a hot-air balloon.

In popular culture, the sightings of UFOs have been linked to a belief in extraterrestrial crafts or visitors.

Firmani said the investigators at MUFON strive to examine such reports objectively and without bias.

“Just because we can’t find an explanation for the sighting, it doesn’t mean it is some kind of alien space craft,” Firmani said. - wickedlocal

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United Arab Emirates laws you must know to stay out of trouble...and even jail

The UAE Ministry of Interior’s ‘999’ magazine recently published research that stated 72 per cent of expats in the UAE lack knowledge of local customs and traditions.

In addition, only one-third of the 2,000 respondents surveyed said they to set aside any time to find out more about local culture.

This kind of complacency, according to the article, results in “Many expats enduring court trials, facing social embarrassment and suffering a long list of inconveniences –simply due to not knowing the rules.”

Ignorance of the country’s moral boundaries is resulting in an increase in incidents of expats falling foul of the law.

Emirates 24|7 listed ten rules that have often cropped up in cases where expats have claimed ignorance of the law, but not escaped its effects.

No kissing, no touching

If you have been residing in the UAE for a while, you might already have figured it out. Holding hands may be OK, but kissing and petting is not. Expect a tap on your shoulder, or a correcting finger reminding you to abide by the local customs, deeming this behavior inappropriate.

No swearing/making indecent gestures

Not everybody will be offended by it to the same extent, but in the UAE it is forbidden. “No swearing and no indecent gesturing” is the warning in many tourist guidebooks as it has occurred in the past that unaware foreign visitors or residents have been fined or imprisoned for expressing themselves in a way that is not be appreciated in the UAE.

Giving the finger, pulling out your tongue and even a somewhat aggressive hand move are all considered indecent.

Moving your thumb up and down hoping to catch a hitch hike is not done and pointing at something or someone is considered impolite.

No taking pictures of others without permission

Again, it will most likely involve the innocent, unaware tourist who likes to capture images of everything looking just a little different than back home. Forget about it. Any person being captured on camera in any public space in the UAE can bring the photographer to court.

Especially women and families are sensitive towards the issue. Fines are the result.

Disrespecting any religion

Religious values are widely respected in the UAE. As such, committing blasphemy or sacrilege against any religion is considered deeply offensive.

Islam being the official religion of the UAE, some simple rules are followed in order to show respect and avoid misunderstandings, states the Code of Conduct.

It is important to be aware of these rules, as religious values may not be the same all over the world. When a newspaper contains the name of the Prophet (PBUH), do not use it as wrapping paper. When you hear the call for prayer, do not disrupt its sound in an obvious way. Do not forget that during Ramadan rules are different all together.

No sharing private space with opposite sex

Strictly speaking, sharing a private space with a member of the opposite sex when not related by family ties or marriage is forbidden. Private space would be a house, room, hotel room and even car.

However, certain behavior is tolerated. Hotel reservations are easily made for unmarried couples wanting to share a room and there are many cases of single men and women sharing a villa, apartment and even a room. Any punishment depends on the situation.

No indecent clothing

Another way the UAE decency law may affect the unsuspecting resident is by the guidelines it puts on clothing. Summer heat may tempt you to pull out the most exotic outfit you have to parade and mingle in the place where it’s all about the looks. Wrong again.

In public places, guidelines say shorts and skirts need to be of appropriate length not to indecently expose parts of the body, be transparent, or display obscene or offensive pictures and slogans. On beaches rules are more lenient; swimwear is accepted but should be appropriate. Top-less sunbathing or the wearing of a thong is not allowed.

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NC man loses $49k collection of poisonous snakes, reptiles

A North Carolina man is losing his exotic reptile collection worth $49,000 after police found dozens of venomous lizards and snakes in his home.

Fifty-one-year-old Walter Kidd of Hendersonville pleaded guilty Friday to 30 misdemeanor charges of possessing endangered animals and failing to properly label containers of poisonous snakes.

Police seized the reptiles in August after Kidd was bitten by an exotic venomous snake and rushed to a hospital. Officers said his mobile home was packed with snakes in plastic containers.

Kidd's attorney says the reptiles were not a danger because they were kept inside his home.

The creatures were taken to the state natural sciences museum in Raleigh. - abclocal

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Students Poison Teacher's Coffee, Cupcake In Fifth Grade Class

Teachers beware: The bad apples in your classrooms may be the ones left on educators' desks.

One instructor at Balderas Elementary in Fresno, Calif., learned this lesson first-hand as three fifth grade students were expelled Saturday for attempting to poison their teacher.

According to Fresno TV station CBS47, two boys and one girl attempted to feed their teacher rat poison in a cup of coffee and, later, in the frosting of a cupcake. The CBS affiliate reported that the plot was uncovered two months after an attempt when "a parent was bragging that her son saved the teacher's life by preventing her from drinking the poisoned coffee." The boy in question was allegedly the one who came up with the idea in the first place.

The incident occurred the week before the school's December vacation, after the young boy urged a female classmate to bring in some rat poison leftover from work being done at her home. KMJ News reported that the boy told her to "Bring some of that, we have rodents too."

Fresno Teacher's Association President Greg Gadams told KMJ News that "a systematic 'lack of action' on the part of Fresno Unified breeds these problems because they 'provide nothing for these students beyond disciplinary action.'"

The three students -- two age 10 and one age 11 -- have been transferred to the Phoenix Academy, which Raw Story reported regularly enrolls expelled students. According to the website, at least one teacher at their new school is openly concerned about the children.

"I believe the police should press criminal charges against these students," teacher David Cross told Raw Story. "They've openly admitted they've done it."

Gadams expressed similar sentiments, telling KMJ News that the students should be charged for their actions as the alleged poisoning attempt was clearly premeditated.

A sixth-grader at Balderas Elementary School told CBS47, "I heard that they reason why they did it was because they didn't like the teacher... Because [they're] strict." - THP

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Hitler had son with French teen

Jean-Marie Loret, who died in 1985 aged 67, never met his father, but went on to fight Nazi forces during the Second World War.

His extraordinary story has now been backed up by a range of compelling evidence, both in France and in Germany, which was published in Paris's Le Point magazine.

Hitler is said to have had an affair with Mr Loret's mother, Charlotte Lobjoie, 16, as he took a break from the trenches in June 1917.

Although he was fighting the French near Seboncourt, in the northern Picardy region, Hitler made his way to Fournes-in-Weppe, a small town west of Lille, for regular leave.

There he met Miss Lobjoie, who later told their son: "One day I was cutting hay with other women, when we saw a German soldier on the other side of the street.

"He had a sketch pad and seemed to be drawing. All the women found this interesting, and were curious to know what he was drawing.

"I was designated to approach him."

The pair started a brief relationship, which resulted in the birth of Jean-Marie, who was born in March 1918 after being conceived during a 'tipsy' evening in June 1917.

Miss Lobjoie later told Jean-Marie: "When your father was around, which was very rarely, he liked to take me for walks in the countryside.

"But these walks usually ended badly. In fact, your father, inspired by nature, launched into speeches which I did not really understand.

"He did not speak French, but solely ranted in German, talking to an imaginary audience. Even if I spoke German I would not be able to follow him, as the histories of Prussia, Austria and Bavaria where not familiar to me at all, far from it.

"My reaction used to anger your father so much that I did not show any reaction."

Jean-Marie was, like thousands of other French children with German soldier fathers, badly treated by his peers at school.

He was referred to as 'the son of the Boche', and often had fights as he tried to defend his father, who had by now disappeared over the border back to Germany.

Miss Lobjoie, meanwhile, refused to discuss Jean-Marie's father, and ended up giving her only son away for adoption in the 1930s to a family called Loret.

His real father would not recognise Jean-Marie, but continued to stay in contact with Miss Lobjoie.

Incredibly, Mr Loret went on to fight the Germans in 1939, defending the Maginot Line before it was bypassed during the Nazi invasion which resulted in France being occupied from 1940 until 1944.

Mr Loret even joined the French Resistance, and was given the codename 'Clement'.

Just before her death in the early 1950s, Miss Lobjoie finally told Jean-Marie that his father was arguably the most infamous dictator in human history.

Mr Loret said: "In order not to get depressed, I worked non-stop, never took a holiday, and had no hobbies. For twenty years I didn't even go to the cinema."

Mr Loret began investigating his past in great detail, employing scientists to prove that he has the same blood type as Hitler, and that they even have similar handwriting.

Photographs of the two also reveal an astonishing resemblance.

Other elements which corroborate the story are official Wehrmacht, or German Army, papers which show that officers brought envelopes of cash to Miss Lobjoie during the Second World War.

When Miss Lobjoie died, Mr Loret also found paintings in her attic which were signed by Hitler, who was an accomplished artist.

In Germany, meanwhile, a picture of a woman painted by Hitler looked exactly like Miss Lobjoie.

Francois Gibault, Mr Loret's Paris lawyer, said: "He first came to see me in 1979, but was a bit lost and did not know whether he wanted to be publicly recognised as Hitler's son, or to erase all that completely.

"He had the feelings of many illegitimate children: the desire to find a past, however heavy, but also the fear of returning to the old routine.

"I talked with him a lot, playing the role of psychologist rather than lawyer."

Mr Gibault said that Mr Loret's own children might now be in a position to claim royalties from Mein Kampf ('My Struggle'), Hitler's famous book which has sold millions of copies around the world.

Mr Loret wrote a book called 'Your Father's Name Was Hitler' in 1981, and it is now set to be re-published with all the new evidence.

Hitler, who was born in an Austrian village, frequently spoke of his love for France, and especially for Paris.

In December 1940, he paid an emotional visit to the capital city, where he was pictured saluting Napoleon's tomb in front of his bemused generals.

More intriguingly still, Hitler transferred from Vienna part of the remains of Napoleon II, Napoleon Bonaparte's son with Marie Louise of Austria.

Hitler often enthused about the greatness of Napoleon, saying that he wanted to have as big an impact on history as the Frenchman.

Although he never officially had any sons or daughters of his own, Hitler often spoke of his love of children and animals.

He married his mistress, Eva Braun, as the Red Army shelled his bunker in Berlin, in 1945, and committed suicide shortly afterwards. - telegraph

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Flatworms could hold key to immortality

British researchers believe that the worms, which live in ponds and lakes, could live forever after examining their ability to repeatedly regenerate.

Experts from Nottingham University managed to create a colony of more than 20,000 flatworms from one original by chopping it into pieces and observing each section grow into a new complete worm.

They believe that it could help scientists develop new methods to allow humans to stay younger for longer.

"Our data satisfy one of the predictions about what it would take for an animal to be potentially immortal," Aziz Aboobaker, who led the research.

"The next goals for us are to understand the mechanisms in more detail and to understand more.

Flatworms, known as planarian worms, have long fascinated scientists because they have an extraordinary ability to regenerate.

A planarian worm split lengthways or crossways will regenerate into two separate living worms.

The researchers found that flatworms can continuously maintain the length of a crucial part of their DNA, known as telomeres, during regeneration.

Dr Aboobaker's team studied two types of planarian – those that reproduce sexually, like humans, and those that reproduce asexually by simply dividing in two.

Both types appear to regenerate indefinitely by growing new muscles, skin, guts and even entire brains again and again, but the asexual ones also renew their stocks of a key enzyme which may mean they can be immortal, the study said.

Scientists know that one of the key factors associated with ageing cells is telomere length.

Telomeres are sections of DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from damage and the loss of cell functions linked to ageing.

Shorter telomeres are thought to be an indicator of faster ageing. - telegraph

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Ricky D is on a stake out!

Ricky D is reporting (while camouflaged) that he received a report from police that a Bigfoot was spotted on a bridge nearby. Since Ricky D is undercover no location was disclosed. He says he will stay out all night and will shoot the Bigfoot...already has permission from the land owner. He is confident that the media will pick up on his quest very soon and report that 'Gonna Get Me A Bigfoot' is the best Bigfoot killers in the world!

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Follow-up: Florida Police Officer Describes 2nd UFO Encounter

This statement is a follow-up to a previous post - Florida Police Officer Describes UFO Encounter:

It was around 1977, I was a shift Sergeant for the Winter Garden, Florida Police Department, which is located on Highway 50, about 15 miles West of Orlando, back then it was a city of about 7,500 people. I was working the midnight shift from 1200 to 0800 hours, I don't recall the date or day. Our city was right next to a slightly smaller city Ocoee and our limits came together on the East side of Winter Garden. I was on Storey Road...I think that was how it was spelled.

That particular night I had a reserve officer riding with me. He was part Native American...a funny guy and good company to keep you awake all night. At the time I had an unmarked brown Pontiac 4dr police special. As I went East towards Ocoee, we both saw a very, very bright orange glowing light, by the Florida Turnpike near a 5 or 6 story hotel on the corner of Highway 50 and the Turnpike. We were far away and I assumed it was a fire. I had my dispatcher notify Ocoee Police of the fire, turned back around at the city limits and headed back West into Winter Garden.

About 10 minutes later the dispatcher came on the air and advised me it was not a fire. When I asked what it was, she hesitated, sputtered a little and said, "it's an UFO and Ocoee is 1025 with it...which is code for they are in contact with it. Well by the time I turned around and headed that way, of course it was gone. Here is what I was told my two very sober Ocoee Police Officers that night.

A Florida Highway Patrolman, Mike Smith, was patrolling the Turnpike when he saw this roundish looking saucer moving along the Turnpike about 100 feet in the air, going about 100 to 120 mph. Of course Mike started following it and at some point after he hit it with his spotlight, it slowed down to about 60-70. Now Mike, who was about 6'4" and 240, started playing with it, putting on his old bubble gum machine blue light. Well to his dismay the thing stops and hovers. He stops. The UFO now starts coming lower to about 50 feet and stops and flashes a series of lights...he said they were yellow, red, greenish blue. Now he gets a little scared and turns off the blue light on his car hood. The UFO starts to ascend. He turns it back on and the UFO comes even lower...maybe 30 or so feet. Very quickly he turned off the blue light, and as he told me later, he was scared and thought it was better not to provoke it. Well it went up the Turnpike with Mike in pursuit or just following really. That's when it stopped by the hotel and he called Ocoee PD for assistance. Both nighttime units responded and all three watched this craft hover. It had a bright orange glow and a low humming/vibrating noise. They could not see any inhabitants and it was about maybe 100 feet in the air. They all described it as round, metallic and saucer shaped, they could not make out any windows, and it had multicolored lights on the bottom, which would blink not in any specific order.

After about 8 to 10 minutes, it continued north on the Florida Turnpike. Of course Mike chased it again, it went up to about 140 MPH, then shot straight up and vanished in a second or two. I saw Mike a few days later and he gave me the details. When I asked what it was he only response was, nothing of this planet.

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Historical Religious Oddities and Adoration

The following brief narratives describe examples of unusual religious events, conjecture and reverence:

The Cadaver Synod: (also called the Cadaver Trial or, in Latin, the Synodus Horrenda) is the name commonly given to the posthumous ecclesiastical trial of Catholic Pope Formosus, held in the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome during January of 897.

The trial was conducted by Formosus's successor, Pope Stephen (VI) VII. The defendant Formosus, was an elderly pope who after a reign of five years had died April 4, 896 and been buried in St. Peter’s Basilica. Stephen accused Formosus of perjury and of having acceded to the papacy illegally.

The trial began when the disinterred corpse of Formosus was carried into the courtroom. On Stephen VII’s orders the putrescent corpse, which had been lying in its tomb for seven months, had been dressed in full pontifical vestments. The dead body was then propped up in a chair behind which stood a teenage deacon, quaking with fear, whose unenviable responsibility was to defend Formosus by speaking in his behalf.

At the end of the trial, Formosus was pronounced guilty and his papacy retroactively declared null. The Cadaver Synod is remembered as one of the most bizarre episodes in the history of the medieval papacy.

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The Nazi Christmas: Nazi ideologists claimed that the Christian elements of the holiday had been superimposed upon ancient Germanic traditions. They argued that Christmas Eve originally had nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ, but instead celebrated the winter solstice and the 'rebirth of the sun', that the swastika was an ancient symbol of the sun, and that Santa Claus was a Christian reinvention of the Germanic god Odin. Accordingly, holiday posters were made to depict Odin as the "Christmas or Solstice man", riding a white charger, sporting a thick grey beard and wearing a slouch hat, carrying a sack full of gifts. Other changes were made to the manger, which was replaced by a Christmas garden containing wooden toy deer and rabbits; Mary and Jesus were also depicted as a blonde mother and child.

The Christmas tree was also changed. The traditional names of the tree, Christbaum or Weihnachtsbaum, was renamed in the press as fir tree, light tree or Jul tree. The star on the top of the tree was sometimes replaced with a swastika, a Germanic "sun wheel" or a Sig rune. During the height of the movement, an attempt was made to remove the association of the coming of Jesus and replace it with the coming of Adolf Hitler, referred to as the "Savior Führer".

Christmas carols were also changed. The words to "Silent Night" were changed so it made no reference to God, Christ and religion. Words were also changed to the hymn "Unto Us a Time Has Come" so as to remove references to Jesus. The modified version of the hymn is still sung in modern-day Germany. Shop catalogs containing children's toys made available during the holiday season regularly featured toy tanks, fighter planes and machine guns. As a sign of appreciation, Heinrich Himmler frequently gave SS members a Julleuchter ("Yule lantern"), a kind of ornate Germanic candlestick, some of which were made at Dachau concentration camp. Housewives were prompted to bake biscuits in the shape of birds, wheels and swastikas for their children.

By 1944 the movement to remove Christian influences from Christmas lessened as the government concentrated more on the war effort.

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The Prince Philip Movement: a religious sect followed by the Yaohnanen tribe on the southern island of Tanna in Vanuatu.

The Yaohnanen believe that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the consort to Queen Elizabeth II, is a divine being; the pale-skinned son of a mountain spirit and brother of John Frum. According to ancient tales the son traveled over the seas to a distant land, married a powerful lady and would in time return. The villagers had observed the respect accorded to Queen Elizabeth II by colonial officials and came to the conclusion that her husband, Prince Philip, must be the son from their legends.

When the cult formed is unclear, but it is likely that it was sometime in the 1950s or 1960s. Their beliefs were strengthened by the royal couple's official visit to Vanuatu in 1974, when a few villagers had the opportunity to observe the Prince from afar. At the time the Prince was not aware of the cult, but the matter was eventually brought to his attention by John Champion, the British Resident Commissioner in Vanuatu between 1975 and 1978.

The Resident Commissioner suggested that the Prince send them a portrait of himself. A signed official photograph was duly dispatched. The villagers responded by sending a traditional nal-nal club. As requested the Prince in return sent them a photograph of himself posing with the weapon. Another photograph was sent in 2000. All three photographs were kept by Chief Jack Naiva. who died in 2009.

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State Religious Affairs Bureau Order No. 5: an order from the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the People's Republic of China's agency charged with keeping religion under state control. Order No. 5 states that a Reincarnation Application must be filed by all Buddhist temples in that country before they are allowed to recognize individuals as tulkus (reincarnated teachers).

Tibetan Buddhists believe lamas and other religious figures can consciously influence how they are reborn, and often are reborn many times so they can continue their religious pursuits. These tulkus are referred to in sources translated from Chinese as living Buddhas. In 2007, the Chinese government passed a decree, to take effect September 1, that each of these people who plan to be reborn must complete an application and submit it to several government agencies for approval.

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Tiberius Iulius Abdes Pantera: (c. 22 BC – AD 40) was a Roman soldier whose tombstone was found in Bingerbrück, Germany in 1859.

Historically, the name Pantera is not an unusual name and had been in use among Roman soldiers in the second century.

A historical connection from this soldier to Jesus of Nazareth has been hypothesized by James Tabor, based on the claim of the ancient Roman philosopher Celsus that Jesus's real father was a Roman soldier named Panthera. Tiberius Pantera could have been serving in the region at the time of Jesus's conception. The hypothesis is considered extremely unlikely by mainstream scholars, given that there is no evidence to support it.

In the 2nd century, Celsus, a pagan anti-Christian Greek philosopher wrote that Jesus's father was a Roman soldier named Panthera. The views of Celsus drew responses from Origen who considered it a fabricated story. Raymond E. Brown states that the story of Panthera is a fanciful explanation of the birth of Jesus which includes very little historical evidence.

Celsus' wide ranging criticism of Christianity included the assertions that Christians had forsaken the laws of their fathers, that their minds had been held captive by Jesus and that the teachings of Jesus included nothing new and were simply a repetition of the sayings of the Greek philosophers. Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan state that given the antagonism of Celsus towards Christianity, his suggestion of the Roman parentage of Jesus might derive from the memory of Roman military operations suppressing a revolt at Sepphoris near Nazareth around the time of Jesus' birth. The "common legionary name" Panthera could have arisen from a satirical connection between "Panther" and the Greek word "Parthenos" meaning virgin.

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Gang Bing: a Chinese general and eunuch who served under Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty.

General Gang Bing is most notable for his act of self-castration as a display of loyalty to his emperor. He served under Emperor Yongle, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty who ruled over China from 1402 to 1424. Historical accounts describe the brave and loyal General Gang Bing as Yongle’s favorite general. Because of this Yongle placed Gang Bing in charge of the palace in Beijing while he left for a hunting expedition.

At this point political intrigue within the walls of the Forbidden City forced Gang Bing to make a drastic choice. The Emperor possessed a large harem of concubines; sexual contact with a concubine by anyone other than the emperor was a severe offense. Fearing that rivals within the palace may accuse him of sexual improprieties with one of the seventy three imperial concubines, Gang Bing decided to execute a plan of terrible self-infliction the night before the emperor left for his trip: he severed his own penis and testicles with a knife. The general then placed his severed organs into a bag under the saddle of the emperor’s horse.

As predicted, when Yongle returned from his hunt one of the emperor’s ministers reported that Gang Bing had had inappropriate relations within the royal harem. When accused of misconduct Gang Bing instructed that the emperor's saddle be retrieved and requested that the emperor reach inside the bag under the saddle. Inside the emperor found Gang Bing’s shriveled, blackened genitalia. Deeply impressed, Yongle elevated Gang Bing to the rank of chief eunuch, a politically powerful position within the palace; gave him numerous gifts; and proclaimed him holy.

After Gang Bing’s death around 1410 Yongle had his general and chief eunuch deified as Patron Saint of Eunuchs. In addition, the emperor assigned a plot of land on the outskirts of Beijing as a cemetery for eunuchs and built an ancestral hall in Gang Bing’s honor. In 1530 the ancestral hall was expanded and renamed The Ancestral Hall of the Exalted Brave and Loyal (Huguo Baozhong Si), but the temple was popularly known as the "Eunuch’s Temple." In the early 20th century the hall was still in use by eunuchs and the temple grounds contained courts and halls. In 1950, after the Communist take over of China, the Eunuch's Temple was renamed Beijing Municipal Cemetery for Revolutionaries and in 1970 was again renamed Babaoshan National Cemetery for Revolutionaries, the name it bears today.

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