The Kents TPB (DC Comics) (about Clark Kent's adopted family ancestors)

As a Superman fan, and a fan of westerns, I had to pick up the Trade Paperback of "The Kents." It's about the history of Clark Kent's adopted father's family history going back to the 1850s, detailing how they got to Kansas. I read three chapters (of the 12) into it, but although I loved the story, the book was narrated by a "diary" and the "diary" sections were in 2 or 3 point typeface, making them almost impossible to read... so sadly, I had to give up and flip through the rest of it. Looks like a great story, but the editor should have been more mindful of the size of the type. (If you can read type that small, go for it!)  Today's blog is about the story: 

ABOUT THE STORY (In my words):  It explores how the Kent family, Clark Kent's adopted family, came from the east coast to Kansas in the 1850s, and how they were abolitionists who met with harsh and violent opposition for their views on equality.

  The book also has very brief cameo appearances from ScalpHunter and Jonah Hex. Wild Bill Hickok is featured in much of the story as he befriends the Elder Kent's son.

ABOUT THE BOOK:  This Superman - "The Kents" trade paperback is published by DC Comics. This collects comic book issues number 1 through 12, the whole series of the Kents that was printed in the late 1990s. The book features the work of renowned writer John Ostrander.

Mount Washington, NH: Home to 'the world's worst weather' with record wind speeds of 231 mph

Today's blog is a look at a regional feature- the highest mountain in the east, and a weather station sits at its peak. I've driven to the top of Mt. Washington and wouldn't recommend it for those of us scared of heights as it's a narrow, winding road that I thought was a 1 way (it wasn't). The second time, I took the better option to the peak: The Cog Railway. - I remember going in June when the temperature at the bottom was 75F, but the temperature at the peak was below freezing! * At the end is a link to a video from March 11, 2025 about an Avalanche that happened there and a skiier trying to get out of the way.

Here's the story about Mount Washington! 

(Photo: Mount Washington. Credit: WGME-TV) 

Mount Washington: Home to 'the world's worst weather' with record wind speeds of 231 mph

LIVESCIENCE By Sascha Pare March 13, 2025

Mount Washington is a prominent mountain in New Hampshire, known for its dramatic weather and conditions that are extremely dangerous for hikers and climbers.

QUICK FACTS 

Name: Mount Washington Location: New Hampshire Coordinates: 44.270631129317565, -71.30324713195401

Why it's incredible: The mountain has some of the wildest weather on Earth.

Mount Washington is the tallest peak in the Northeast. The mountain is famous for attracting extreme weather, with winds that exceed the force of a hurricane more than 100 days per year.

The mountain is home to "the world's worst weather" for three main reasons.

Firstly, at 6,288 feet (1,917 meters) tall, it is the highest mountain in New England. Winds pick up speed when they can blow unobstructed, and the mountain is directly exposed to winds from the west that travel for hundreds of miles without obstruction. The closest mountains of a similar height to Mount Washington along this westerly windpath are the Black Hills of South Dakota about 1,600 miles (2,500 kilometers) away, according to the Mount Washington Observatory.

(Peak of Mt. Washington. Credit: https://ilovenorthconway.com)

Not only do these winds hit Mount Washington at full speed but they are also siphoned toward the peak by the surrounding landscape. The mountains to the west of Mount Washington form a 75-mile-wide (120 km) funnel that channels westerly winds toward the mountain, accelerating already-fast winds until they reach breakneck speeds, according to the observatory.

Finally, Mount Washington sits on the confluence of three major storm tracks. Storms hit the summit every three days on average in the winter, bringing high winds and huge amounts of precipitation, according to the observatory. Record levels of precipitation for Mount Washington were measured in 1969, when 4.1 feet (1.3 m) of snow fell within 24 hours.

As a result of its unique position, Mount Washington is a contender for the world's fastest recorded wind speed. On "calm" summer days, instruments on Mount Washington's summit record wind speeds of 40 mph (65 km/h). But when storms roll in, these winds can whip up gusts exceeding 100 mph (160 km/h).

(Mount Washington Observatory . Credit: MWO)

On April 12, 1934, instruments at the summit measured a record wind speed of 231 mph (372 km/h), which is equivalent to wind speeds inside a level-5 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Such winds have the power to level well-constructed buildings, blow away structures with weak foundations and throw cars over large distances. The record still stands today as the second-fastest natural wind gust ever recorded, with the fastest occurring on Barrow Island in Australia on April 10, 1996 and reaching speeds of 253 mph (407 km/h).

Even wind speeds of 100 mph can rip huge chunks of ice off the mountain and the Mount Washington Observatory building at the summit, which poses a severe risk for hikers and climbers in the winter. The observatory has bulletproof windows to mitigate the risk of one of these chunks smashing into the building, according to its website.

As well as flying ice, people climbing Mount Washington in the winter are faced with the risk of avalanches, hypothermia and frostbite. Temperatures on the mountain average 27.1 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 2.7 degrees Celsius), which can create extreme wind chill conditions, according to New Hampshire State Parks.

Several rescue teams monitor Mount Washington, and volunteers regularly save the lives of hikers who get lost or caught out by changing weather conditions.

VIDEO OF THE MT WASHINGTON AVALANCHE March 11, 2025

A video of yesterday's avalanche in Tuckerman's Ravine captured by the webcam stationed at the summit of Wildcat Mountain. At the beginning of the video in the top left corner, the snowboarder can be seen beginning to drop into the bowl. After the camera zooms in, the snowboarder can be seen outrunning the avalanche. Luckily, no one involved was injured.

A big appreciation to Tuckerman Brewing Company and Gordini for making capturing moments like these via live webcam possible!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Ka2ec5DLw/ 

Discovery: 128 new moons discovered orbiting Saturn!

Today's blog is about an amazing discovery of 128 NEWLY discovered moons around Saturn!! Now, Saturn has the MOST moons of any planet in our solar system.

(An artist's illustration of Saturn and its rings. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

128 new moons discovered orbiting Saturn, nearly doubling the ringed planet's total 

 By Ben Turner Live Science, March 14, 2025  

Faint signatures detected by the Canada France Hawaii Telescope have revealed 128 new moons around Saturn, making it the indisputable frontrunner for having the most moons in our solar system.

Astronomers have discovered 128 never-before-seen moons orbiting Saturn — giving it almost twice as many moons as all the other planets in the solar system combined.

The findings have further bolstered Saturn's status as our solar system's "moon king." With an updated total of 274 known natural satellites orbiting the gas giant, it is leagues ahead of its main competitor Jupiter, which has just 95 confirmed moons.

This week, the International Astronomical Union officially recognized the team's discovery. The researchers published their findings March 10 in the journal arXiv, so they have not yet been peer-reviewed.

"Our carefully planned multi-year campaign has yielded a bonanza of new moons that tell us about the evolution of Saturn's irregular natural satellite population," study lead author Edward Ashton, an astronomer at Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Academia Sinica, Taiwan, said in a statement.

The newfound moons are situated within the Norse group of Saturn's moons — a group of moons that orbit in retrograde (travelling in the opposite direction to the planet’s rotation) along elliptical paths outside Saturn's rings. The 128 newly discovered objects are considered "irregular" moons, meaning they're only a mile or two in size and far from spherical.

Their diminutive sizes and location means these moons are likely fragments of larger moons that were smashed apart by a cataclysmic collision — probably with Saturn's other moons or a passing comet. This collision could have occurred as recently as 100 million years ago, the astronomers said in the study.

The discovery was made using the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), which combed the sky around Saturn between 2019 to 2021 and discovered an initial 62 additional moons in its orbit. The team also found faint signals of an even larger number of orbiting bodies but were unable to confirm them at the time.

"With the knowledge that these were probably moons, and that there were likely even more waiting to be discovered, we revisited the same sky fields for three consecutive months in 2023," Ashton said. "Sure enough, we found 128 new moons. Based on our projections, I don't think Jupiter will ever catch up."

Discovered after 20 Years: Dinosaur Fossil Outside a School!

Do you ever think about finding a fossil whenever you walk by a large rock or outcropping of rocks? There's a school in Australia that had a large boulder outside for 20 years that no one regarded until a paleontologist came to the school and found out it was filled with dinosaur fossils! Today's blog shares the story.

 

(Photo: Dinosaur footprints discovered on a boulder outside a school in Queensland, Australia. University of Queensland)

For 20 years, this school had no idea there was a dinosaur fossil right outside 

The boulder in an Australian school foyer was covered in what looked like chicken feet — if those chickens were big and had only three toes.

March 12, 2025, NBC NEWS, By Mithil Aggarwal

For 20 years, students and teachers at Biloela State High School in Australia studied and worked next to a beige boulder without realizing it was a window into a lost world.

In 2021, following media coverage of dinosaur remains in the area, someone thought to have an expert look at the big rock sitting in foyer of the school in Queensland, eastern Australia. The boulder was covered in what looked like chicken feet — if those chickens were big and had only three toes.

That's when paleontologist Anthony Romilio came to the high school to examine the boulder and its unusual markings.

“I thought, 'Yes, it’s a small boulder, so I can just lift it up.' But oh my goodness, it was so heavy so I had to rethink this,” Romilio told NBC News in a phone interview.

(Image: An artist's impression of a herd of Pisanosaurus, believed to have made the footprints.University of Queensland)

Dinosaur footprints discovered on a rock in Australia Dinosaur footprints discovered on a boulder outside a school in Queensland, Australia. University of Queensland “They did not know that this was an actual fossil itself,” said Romilio, a research associate at the University of Queensland’s Dinosaur Lab and co-author of research published online Monday in the Historical Biology journal

He went on to identify 66 fossilized footprints from 47 individual dinosaurs left during the early Jurassic period, nearly 200 million years ago.

“It’s a huge number of dinosaurs, and it’s the highest number found in a single slab in Australia,” he said.

The school's deputy principal, David Hall, told the The Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Romilio's discoveries had been a shock, but also "a bit exciting."

Dinosaur footprints discovered on a rock in Australia

Romilio spreads silicone on a cast made from one of the rock samples.University of Queensland "It sits in a very public area in our student foyer and our kids walk past it every day, and so do we," he said.

He added that the school had ended up with the boulder about 20 years ago when a geologist who was married to one of the school's teachers came across it in a nearby mine.

(Photo: Paleontologist Anthony Romilio inspects a boulder Tuesday in a carpark near the town of Biloela, in central Queensland.University of Queensland)

“That area was going to be blasted or disturbed with the mining activities, and he saved that specimen and donated it to the school,” Hall added, according to ABC.

After seeing the remarkable rock at the school, Romilio decided to dig into the matter further, and drove to a nearby coal mine in Callide. There, another open-air secret confronted him.

“As I am coming into the car park, there was this massive boulder with another massive dinosaur footprint that’s just staring at you,” he said.

Dinosaur footprints discovered on a rock in Australia

An artist's impression of a herd of Pisanosaurus, believed to have made the footprints.University of Queensland 

“And just my jaw dropped," he said, and remembers thinking: "This is incredible.”

The boulder at the mine contained two footprints, one that was obvious and another half broken and hidden with mud. Together with a third rock that is part of a private collection and encased in resin, researchers have been able to piece together an ancient history of the area.

These records are a critical window into the Jurassic period in Australia, when “the most common dinosaur fossils are footprints, by several orders of magnitude,” Romilio said.

For now, the school boulder remains where it is, and discussions are underway for it to be relocated to a more public venue.

“It’s a part of their community and really a part of their heritage,” Romilio said.

A fun long-over due trip back to my College Town!

 In 1997-1998, I attended Western Kentucky University for a degree in meteorology. Now, 27 years later, I happily connected with 4 old friends from that time and one recent one from my paranormal books. Of course, there was a little hotel issue, but i rectified it. That's what today's blog is about. 

(Photo: Rob flew into the Nashville airport and drove 90 minutes north to Bowling Green, KY)

WHY KENTUCKY? - WKU offered a 2 year degree program, with a deep concentration. Prior to that, I had degrees in radio and television, English and Business management. I had also taken all the prerequisite math courses at a community college, so I only needed the hard-core meteorology and physics courses. Within 1 1/2 years I graduated with distinction, but over that time I made some wonderful friends with whom I've always stayed in touch.

HOW DID I KEEP UP?  - One of the things I love to do is send postcards. I even make my own by cutting out boxes of food items, like my Pop Tarts, cereal, protein bars, and other things. It takes 2 minutes to write a post card and it lets friends know you're thinking of them. Of course, in the late 1990s, email started to come into its own, so that became a thing. Then facebook and all kinds of social media came along, making it easier to stay in touch. Everyone I befriended also got Holiday cards to let them know where I was and what was happening. 

No one that I attended school with lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky any more, but there were still friends I met in other ways. 

(Photo: Rob and Frank)

FRANK - We met when I attended church in Bowling Green. You know that sometimes you sit next to someone and start talking? That's what happened with us, and we became good friends. Frank  is an amazing man. He's worked for a city fitness center as a Fitness Wellness Supervisor, through the Parks and Recreation division. He's also a CPT, and EMT. He teaches fitness courses, too. I was so excited to see him after all this time! 

(Photo: Rob (L), John (C), Martha R)

JOHN AND MARTHA - When I was living in Bowling Green, I also met John in church. In fact, I did readings for him... he was a priest, but retired and went to work in another profession. He also later met and married Martha, and together they're a spiritual, progressive powerhouse. Both are warm and wonderful and I've even connected to their cat Faith who passed. 

(Photo: Kuntry Kitchen in Morgantown, Kentucky)

Since they live over 1 hour from where I was, we made plans to meet at a small restaurant in between, called Kountry Kitchen - a true Kentucky experience. John has been great at staying in touch by email over the last quarter century, and I appreciate that so much.  I couldn't hug them enough, and John very much remembered Frank from church.

(Photo: Rob and Chris outside Teresa's restaurant)

CHRIS B. - When I went to school in Bowling Green, I worked part time for a cable company in the production department, and worked with Chris. I remember Chris as a very tall, wiry guy with glasses and a wry smile, who was so incredibly talented as a TV producer and photographer. It was like 27 years had not gone by. We enjoyed breakfast in a local restaurant called Teresas. It had wooden beams in the ceiling and a tile floor. It had a true rural feel, and good food. 

(Photo: Rob and Chris at the Waffle House!) 

CHRIS & LESLIE - A couple of years ago I did a pet spirit reading for a dog named Winnie. His parents, Chris and Leslie had several questions about Winnie and were thankfully comforted by Winnie's messages. Chris continued to stay in touch and ask great paranormal questions. I really enjoy conversing by email and when I told him about my trip, he was excited to meet me, as I was to meet him. I didn't arrive to the city until 8pm, but we met at the Waffle House and had coffee and great conversation. You never know how you'll make friends that mean so much.

(Photo: My room at the quiet Hilton, which was awesome)

HOTEL STUFF - Before the trip I booked a room for a couple of nights at the Days inn by Windham, which unfortunately was right against Interstate 65, a highly traveled Truck route between Nashville and Louisville. I slept maybe 2 hours. It was brutal. I booked through Hotel.com, and they refused to refund anything as I cancelled the other 2 nights. The people managing the hotel were nice enough, but can't do anything for 3rd party bookings. 

LESSON - NEVER USE 3RD PARTY HOTEL BOOKINGS.

(Photo: It was springtime in bloom in Bowling Green, while southern Maine got snow, rain and sleet).

HOTEL SALVATION - Tom and our friend Jeff texted me and directed me to the Hilton 1 mile away from the interstate. I drove there, and booked a room. The woman at the desk, Debbie, was a kind, sweet, sympathetic southern woman, who obviously knew I hadn't slept by looking at me!  So she booked me on the newly updated 4th floor with no one else on the floor. I slept from 9:30pm to 7a.m. I haven't slept that long since I was 16. The Hilton was awesome, clean and quiet and I got to work out at the nice gym (they had a pool, too, which I didn't use).

BOTTOM LINE - I missed connecting with my friend Sheryl from the cable company, but there were only 2 days and a lot of driving. Overall, the trip proves that when you make good friends, they'll always be good friends.  

Idiot of the Week: Trump's Religious Advisor indicted for child sex crimes

This week's idiot is Donald Trump's Religious Advisor, Robert Morris, who on March 14, 2025 was indicted for child sex crimes that date all the way back to the 1980s! That sick SOB.  These so-called religious people accuse others to throw suspicion away from them,  and then commit child sex crimes themselves. This bastard supported Texas' "Bathroom Bill" to keep transgender people out of bathrooms "to prevent child sexual abuse" and HE, the straight, religious man was the abuser.   Here's the story about this week's idiot... (and it's a 2 for 1 idiot in the photo). 

 (Photo:   Donald Trump is greeted by Pastor Robert Morris Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images/Oklahoma.gov)  

Robert Morris, former Texas megachurch pastor and Trump adviser, indicted for child sex crimes

 Morris is a former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, and Gateway — one of the nation’s largest megachurches — has been particularly active in Dallas-area GOP politics.

By Robert Downen, March 12, 2025, The Texas Tribune

Robert Morris, the Dallas-area megachurch pastor who resigned last year amid sexual abuse allegations, has been indicted in Oklahoma for child sex crimes that date back to the 1980s.

Morris is a former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, and Gateway — one of the nation’s largest megachurches — has been particularly active in politics. In 2020, Trump held a “Roundtable on Transition to Greatness” there that was attended by then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr and other prominent Republicans.

Morris faces five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office said in a Wednesday evening press release.

The indictment comes less than a year after Morris resigned from Gateway Church in Southlake after an adult woman, Cindy Clemishire, said Morris repeatedly sexually assaulted her while she was a child in Oklahoma in the 1980s. Morris was at the time working as a traveling preacher.

In a Wednesday text message, Clemishire said through an attorney that she was grateful for the indictments.

“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” she said. “Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable. My family and I are deeply grateful to the authorities who have worked tirelessly to make this day possible and remain hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail.”

Clemishire’s disclosure came as the Dallas religious community was still reeling from a handful of recent sex abuse scandals. Since then, at least a dozen Dallas-area churches or pastors have been accused of committing or concealing sexual misconduct — allegations that have ensnared some of the area’s most prominent leaders and institutions.

Few, if any, were more high-profile than Morris, who steadily involved himself in state and national politics after founding Gateway in 2000. In 2017, Morris was tapped by Gov. Greg Abbott to help support the so-called “Bathroom Bill” that sought to ban transgender people from using their preferred bathroom — in part by arguing that it would allow children to be sexually abused.

During Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, Morris was among at least three other Dallas-area religious leaders who served on Trump’s evangelical advisory board. And in 2021, Morris was part of an effort to mobilize conservatives and evangelicals ahead of Trump’s 2024 presidential bid.

As Morris’ national political spotlight grew, so did his church’s local footprint. For years, Morris and Gateway would show slates of local school board candidates on the church’s massive screens in the lead up to elections — potentially in violation of federal rules that prohibit overt political activity by churches.

“Many of you see what Satan has been trying to do even in our school systems,” Morris told some of the church’s roughly 25,000 members in 2023, before showing a list of Republican candidates.

Those tactics have since been replicated at nearby congregations such as Mercy Culture Church. The Fort Worth church was founded with financial support from Gateway, and has become a staple of local Republican circles, often hosting local elected Republicans and the chair of the Texas GOP.

NEW! A Surprise Ghost Box Radio Appearance- Reading w/ Linus the cat

On Friday night, I made a Surprise Ghost Box Radio Appearance- Reading w/ Linus the cat

Last night, I had the pleasure of joining Greg Bakun, host of the Ghost Box Radio, to talk about a reading his spirit cat, Linus nudged me to do while I was on vacation last week. Greg read the reading and we talked about it. Greg was able to confirm many things Linus said. Hope you enjoy this as I did!  WATCH BELOW

WATCH HERE!

LINK TO WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/live/Ir8qy16-Klw?si=ONXTjp5z4xUdliLn

 OR  https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FWe7c5f79/

Heroes of the Week: pilot Terry Goades and Alaska Army National Guard Saved 3 People in Downed Plane

A pilot and his two young daughters have survived on the wing of a plane for about 12 hours after it crashed and was partially submerged in an icy Alaska lake. Hero pilot Terry Goades located them and the Alaska Army National Guard came by and rescued them! 

(This photo provided Monday, March 24, 2025 by Dale Eicher shows an airplane partially submerged into the ice of Tustumena Lake near Soldotna, Alaska, with the three survivors standing on the plane's wing. (Dale Eicher via AP)

Pilot and 2 young daughters survive the night on airplane wing after crashing into icy Alaska lake

By MARK THIESSEN, Associated Press, March 25, 2025

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A pilot and his two young daughters survived on the wing of a plane for about 12 hours after it crashed and was partially submerged in an icy Alaska lake, then were rescued after being spotted by a good Samaritan.

Terry Godes said he saw a Facebook post Sunday night calling for people to help search for the missing plane, which did not have a locator beacon. On Monday morning about a dozen pilots including Godes headed out to scour the rugged terrain. Godes headed toward Tustumena Lake near the toe of a glacier and spotted what he thought was wreckage.

“It kind of broke my heart to see that, but as I got closer down and lower, I could see that there’s three people on top of the wing,” he told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

After saying a prayer, he continued to approach and saw a miracle.

“They were alive and responsive and moving around,” Godes said, adding that they waved at him.

The missing Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser, piloted by a man with two juvenile immediate family members aboard, was on a sightseeing tour from Soldotna to Skilak Lake on the Kenai Peninsula. It was not immediately clear how old the juveniles were.

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFEfvMicvdc

In a social media post early Monday, John Morris implored people to help search for his son and granddaughters, saying they were late returning from a Sunday afternoon flight.

“There are friends ready to search at daylight. But this is my plea for any and all help to locate my family,” he wrote.

The three were rescued on the eastern edge of Tustumena Lake on Monday by the Alaska Army National Guard after Godes alerted other searching pilots that he had found it. Another pilot, Dale Eicher, heard Godes’ radio call and related it to troopers since he was closer to Skilak Lake and figured he had better cell reception. He was also able to provide the plane’s coordinates to authorities.

Great Cozy Mystery Series! "Murder is Binding" by Lorna Barrett

While book shopping on-line, I came across a cozy mystery from 2008 that sounded interesting, so I thought I would give this author (new to me) a shot. Lorna Barrett writes a series of cozy mysteries called "A Booktown Mystery," and I read the first in the series called "Murder is Binding." It was great!  In fact, I ordered several more in the series!

I loved the characters, especially Trish, the main character who opened a mystery book shop in a sleepy southern New Hampshire town that is being revitalized. There's an annoying big sister that moves back into Trish's life, 2 employees, Trish's cat "Miss Marple" (named for Miss Jane Marple in Agatha Christie's crime novels. Miss Marple lives in the village of St Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective.)

There's the developer, a guy running for selectman's office, a nasty sheriff, and many others. The book was a page-turner and took a fascinating turn. 5 of 5 stars! 

ABOUT THE BOOK: The streets of Stoneham, New Hampshire, are lined with bookstores...and paved with murder.

  When she moved to Stoneham, city slicker Tricia Miles met nothing but friendly faces. And when she opened her mystery bookstore, she met friendly competition. But when she finds Doris Gleason dead in her own cookbook store, killed by a carving knife, the atmosphere seems more cutthroat than cordial. Someone wanted to get their hands on the rare cookbook that Doris had recently purchased-and the locals think that someone is Tricia. To clear her name, Tricia will have to take a page out of one of her own mysteries-and hunt down someone who isn't killing by the book. 

Awesome Instrumental Album! Thought Bubble: Skinned Instrumentals by Douglas Chay

My friend Douglas Chay has been making music for decades. Doug and I have been friends for decades, too, so I've watched his talent grow. He's a very talented song writer and lyricist. I just enjoyed his new album, which is entirely instrumental and love it!! It's called, "Thought Bubble: Skinned Instrumentals by Douglas Chay."

(Image: Cover of "Thought Bubble: Skinned Instrumentals by Douglas Chay.") 

DOUG'S TAKE ON HIS ALBUM:  When I asked Doug about his new album he said: "I tried to have a wide variety of sounds with each song, so they would all sound different, but still hold together as an album. It's the first/only instrumental album I've made, and I wonder why it's taken me so long. I put a lot of detail in my arrangements and whenever I lay vocals on top, it obscures at least some of what I'm playing. So I'm really pleased that sounds aren't fighting in the way of each other. It took over a month to mix, as the multitracks are a mess, but I plugged away at it and am happy with the result."

MY ENJOYMENT:  Here's what I told my friend Doug after my first listen: I really enjoyed it. 

• I especially loved the "Cleaning," "Lottery," and "Salt" tunes. 
• "Thus Spake Shalimar" reminded me of something from the UK in the 80s-90s... Very catchy!! "Skinniest" had kind of western twang mix with a rock beat. 
• "Fucked up" had a Def Leppard feel to it- it was a good rockin' tune!! 
• "Bleeding" reminded me of the cool music of Gary Numan, like his "Cars" (Here in my car) song 
•  "Love Almanac" - I found this pretty relaxing to listen to, and noted the buildup in the middle, and then leveling after. Really enjoyable.

TO ENJOY THE ALBUM: The album, Thought Bubble: Skinned Instrumentals by Douglas Chay, has just been released on all the major streaming services, such as Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Amazon Music (these are the links to it on those platforms). 

DISCOVERY! 40 million-year-old 'nail tooth' shark found deep inside Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

If you've read this blog, you know I get excited about prehistoric fossils and discoveries of  never before seen species. Today's blog is about scientists that found ancient nail tooth shark fossils deep inside Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, revealing new information about a mysterious group of extinct predators. I lived near there in the 1990s, when I studied for my meteorology degree, and have been to Mammoth Cave- and it is "Mammoth." Today's blog provides a little about Mammoth Cave first, then gets to the discovery.

(Image: An illustration of McGinnis' nail tooth (Clavusodens mcginnisi) depicted hunting a crustation in a reef-like crinoidal forest during the Carboniferous period. McGinnis' nail tooth (Clavusodens mcginnisi) depicted hunting a crustation in a reef-like crinoidal forest during the Carboniferous period. (Image credit: NPS Illustration / Benji Paysnoe)

ABOUT MAMMOTH CAVE, KENTUCKY: Mammoth Cave National Park is a national park of the United States in south-central Kentucky. It encompasses portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system in the world.

340 million-year-old 'nail tooth' shark found deep inside Mammoth Cave in Kentucky 

By Patrick Pester, Live Science, March 11, 2025

Researchers collecting fossils deep inside Kentucky's Mammoth Cave have uncovered the remains of a never-before-seen species — an absolutely tiny ancient shark with nail-like teeth.

The newfound species is called Clavusodens mcginnisi, or McGinnis' nail tooth. The animal lived 340 million years ago and belonged to a group of sharks known as obruchevodid petalodonts, or "chipmunk sharks" because of their tiny size and unusual teeth.

These sharks grew to just 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 centimeters) long and fed on crustaceans, worms and other prey on the seafloor, according to a statement released by the National Park Service (NPS). It's thought their tiny size helped them avoid large predators while foraging.

Researchers unveiled McGinnis' nail tooth in a study published Jan. 24 in the Journal of Paleontology. The species name is named after David McGinnis, a retired National Park Service superintendent, and their teeth, which resemble old iron nails.

VIDEO OF MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK (Credit: U.S. National Park Service)

Mammoth cave A team of researchers plucked the fossils out of rocks inside Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system in the world. Mammoth Cave is a treasure trove for ancient fish fossils, with more than 70 different species identified within its walls, according to a 2024 study published in the journal Parks Stewardship Forum.

Underground rivers and streams forged the cave's passages, which are made up of rocks that have preserved marine sediment from the Carboniferous period (358.9 million to 298.9 million years ago). The cave has given researchers a unique window inside these rocks, and therefore the marine environments they preserve, according to the 2024 study.

Researchers have been documenting vertebrate fossils in Mammoth Cave since 2019. The work is challenging because of the cave's often cramped conditions and limited space to move equipment in and out.

(Photo: Entrance to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Credit: NPS)

"Many of these sites have low ceilings requiring crawling for long distances on hands and knees, and at times belly crawling," the researchers wrote in the new study. "The fish fossils are frequently encountered in the cave ceilings or walls."

The newly discovered fossils came out of the Ste. Genevieve rock formation and date back to 330.9 million to 323.2 million years ago. The fossils are the oldest obruchevodid petalodonts discovered so far, according to the study.

(Photo: Tour group inside entrance to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Credit: NPS)

Researchers suspect that these ancient sharks may have lived in reef-like systems filled with marine invertebrates called crinoids, or sea lilies, that attached themselves to the sea floor like plants. However, that assessment remains speculative until researchers carry out more studies on the ancient fish and their habitat, according to the study.

Discoveries like McGinnis' nail tooth enable researchers to learn more about long-extinct sharks and the ecosystems they inhabited.

"The fossil discoveries in Mammoth Cave continue to reveal a wealth of new information about ancient shark species," Barclay Trimble, the superintendent at Mammoth Cave National Park, said in the statement. "Researchers and volunteers collected samples from the main Mammoth Cave system and from smaller isolated caves throughout the park that have provided new data on previously known ancient sharks and revealed several species that are brand new to science."

(Photo: Inside Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Credit: VisittheUSA.com) 

In the News: Trump's tariffs fuel Canadian consumer shift away from US goods

If you don't know how tariffs work, or don't know the consequences of them, the latest news provides a good, hard example of that. Because of the bankruptcy felon king in the White House, not only are our allies alienated from us, but the trade with them has been severely damaged. Trump supporters need to read actual news like this to understand, but they likely don't have the reading level to process it (yes, I'm being blunt).  Read what's happened to our trade below. it's not good. 

Trump's tariffs fuel Canadian consumer shift away from US goods

By Siddharth Cavale, Nivedita Balu and Jessica DiNapoliMarch 31, 202512:50 PM EDT Reuters News

Canadian shoppers increasingly seek locally made products

Some US citrus and beverage exports to Canada face order cancellations

TORONTO/NEW YORK, March 31 (Reuters) - The "Buy Canadian" movement is sending new ripples of concern through the executive offices of U.S.-based, consumer companies that banked on selling their products on Canadian retail shelves. 

California-based diaper maker Parasol Co had been working since January with a distributor to expand the sale of its diapers and baby wipes to new retailers in Canada, including convenience stores, CEO Jessica Hung said. 

But, in early March the distributor, halted work on the deal, she said, because of growing anti-American sentiment in Canada.

"They were instructed by a retailer to pause any American, brand launch," Hung said, referring to the distributor. "They told us they would re-evaluate when market conditions allow."

"That's the kind of disruption we would never expect,” said Hung. "I never heard of this happening until now. It’s definitely quite a bit of headwinds."

A dramatic reshuffling of Canada's retail shelves illustrates the impact of patriotic consumerism in Canada, which imported nearly $350 billion of products from the United States in 2024, making it its largest trading partner.

Trump is the Source of the Canadian Anti-American Product Sentiment 

U.S. President Donald Trump's jabs to annex Canada, the imposition of a 25% levy on steel and aluminum from Canada and threats to tax all other imports from the country have prompted a rallying cry among many Canadian shoppers to eschew U.S.-made products.

Shopper Rebecca Asselin, a mom and health insurance professional from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, has been using social media to share her story about her search for Canadian products.

She told Reuters she recently switched to purchasing Royale diapers, made by Irving Personal Care of Moncton, New Brunswick, one of the only manufacturers of baby diapers and training pants in Canada. "I never really considered before where diapers were made, but apparently, Canadian-made diapers are kind of hard to come by. That's a big change for us."

Irving Personal Care said retailers from all over Canada have been reaching out to discuss increasing distribution. "As the only branded baby diaper made in Canada, our weekly shipments have quadrupled," Jason McAllister, Irving Personal Care's vice president of business operations, told Reuters.

DRINKS AND CITRUS EXPORTS 

The Buy Canadian movement is not just hampering one diaper business but also drinks and citrus fruit from the U.S., companies say. In early March, Jack Daniel's maker Brown Forman (BFb.N), called the removal of American bourbon and whiskey from Canadian liquor stores worse than Canada's retaliatory tariffs and a disproportionate response to Trump’s levies.

A source familiar with California's citrus fruit exports told Reuters in early March that Canadian retailers have cancelled their orders.

 

Demeter Fragrances, a small family-owned and operated business that manufactures perfumes in Pennsylvania, said it halted its plan to expand into Canada in 2025. "Canadian sentiment has turned away from American product," said Mark Crames, Demeter Fragrances' chief executive officer. "Consequently, it seems like a wasted effort and, we simply scrapped the initiative." 

Canadian Products Have Better Opportunity in Canada Now

Grime Eater Products Limited, a Canadian manufacturer of Response and Luster Sheen hand cleaning products, had been trying unsuccessfully for years to get Canadian Tire (CTCa.TO), to stock its products, according to Vice President Tracy Hayes. With the Buy Canadian movement spreading, she said, "The future looks promising." That's because she learned from a buyer at Canadian Tire, the operator of 504 stores in Canada, that it was considering reducing its offerings of her company's U.S. rival, Fast Orange, a hand cleaner brand manufactured by Permatex. 

Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in New York and Nivedita Balu in Toronto; additional reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis

Holy Torpedoes Batman! The original Batboat will soon be making waves, again

Remember the really cool Batboat from the Batman '66 TV show? If you think the "Glastron Crestflite 174 SuperSport" that Adam West's Batman and Burt Ward's Robin piloted in the 1966 Television Show (and movie) Batman was just a prop, think again. Read about how this classic film boat was rediscovered—and is being rebuilt!

Photo:  Batboat! Credit: Art/Fox Television

 The original Batboat will soon be making waves, again 

Chris Dixon, May 2024 Power and Motoyacht

Back in 1966, 20th Century Fox reached out to executives at Austin, Texas based Glastron Boats. ABC’s Batman had been a runaway hit and now a feature length movie was planned. Batman’s crown jewel was the fire-breathing Batmobile—built by the iconic George Barris. Batman’s producers hoped Glastron  President Bob Hammond and Designer Mel Whitley might design something as cool as the Batmobile.

With a Glastron Crestflite 174 SuperSport sterndrive, masking tape, cardboard and fiberglass, her build took a mere 31 days. She boasted Bat-Dar, Bat-Radio, Bat-Ray, Bat-Depth-Charges, Bat-Rocket-Propulsion and a Bat-Fin so heavy that her stern wake sank the boat. “So they added ballast, changed the prop, and then were like, ‘okay, she’s operational,’” chuckled her current owner.

The Batboat battled a Polaris sub bearing The Joker, Riddler, Penguin and Catwoman, but never became as popular as the Batmobile. “George Barris was a hell of a negotiator,” said the owner. “He was paid $9,000 for the Batmobile. Glastron was paid one dollar. They were not allowed to use the boat in advertising ... or even say they built it. They got screwed.”

VIDEO CLIP OF THE BATBOAT IN ACTION: https://youtu.be/plg2Xe1SATQ?si=3TBC1AVAeyCvwgh6

Thus, the only actual on-screen boat (two hulls were built, and the later hull #2 it seems, burned up) mostly deteriorated on the Glastron lot. 

Ultimately a Tyler, Texas dealer named Floyd Crawley was given the boat—but solely for use in Shriner parades. Crawley cut out part of the hull and installed a VW chassis and motor so he didn’t have to trailer it. 

Years before Crawley’s death in 2006, the Batboat disappeared into a trailer. But a patient and intrepid Tyler mechanical engineer and businessman knew her location. With patience and dogged determination, he convinced Crawley’s daughter-in-law to cut the lock so they could peer inside. “She goes, ‘I’m not gonna promise the boat’s in the trailer anymore,’” he recalled.

 But there she was. And today, that owner is about to undertake the mother of all Bat-Restorations, rebuilding every detail with the help of his son and one of the nation’s top restorers. They plan to strip everything and patch the “VW” hole in the hull with a swatch cut from a donor Crestliner.

Father and son hope to soon show a fully seaworthy Batboat at Comic-Con. They want the public to enjoy her. She’s absolutely not for sale. “My son wants to display the boat. I’m having a hard time finding anything he wants to do with dad. So, this is what I’m gonna do. I chased this boat for 40 years. This is the original. This is it.”

SIDE NOTE: The boat manufacturer also made other famous boats!  Glastron now only makes boats for boat clubs and no longer does public sales. The company has been making boats since 1956 and is known for its hull design innovations, including the Aqualift and "SSV" hull designs. Glastron boats have been featured in the 1960s Batman TV show and the James Bond movie Live and Let Die.

This article originally appeared in the May 2024 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.

Great time at my New Hampshire Ghosts of Ireland Lecture

On Wednesday, March 12th, I gave a 1 hour lecture at the Somerworth Historical Society in Somersworth, New Hampshire, about some highlights from my book, "Ghosts of Ireland on a Medium's Vacation." It turned out to be a great event but it took a LOT of coordination!  Today's blog is about how I came up with the idea, location, and all that went into advertising and doing it! PLUS, there's a chilling story an attendee shared in a Dublin jail!

HOW I ARRANGED IT- When you're an author, you have to look for opportunities to talk about your books. In February, 2025, Tom and I heard about a lecture at the Somersworth Historical Society and we tried to get in, but there were no seats left!  It was a lecture from a retired city police officer about an unsolved case.  That gave me the idea that since St. Patrick's Day is March 17th, that it would be appropriate to do my "Ghosts of Ireland" lecture the week before. 

(Image: The flyer that Arlene created for the Historical Society event. Credit: SHS) 

So, I put together a press kit that included a press release announcing the published book, a physical excerpt of the book containing several chapters, and a promotional post card I had made for my "Ghosts on Vacation" series. I walked into the Historical Society, introduced myself, pitched the idea, and it was later brought the attention of the board for a decision. They approved it, and March 12th was selected. It's all about being proactive.

(Photo: George (left), Rob (center), Arlene (right) of the Somersworth Historical Society. Credit: R.G.)

ADVERTISING THE  EVENT - Arlene and George, who manage the Somersworth Historical Society coordinated a flyer which was posted around the city. They took care of city postings, and I also shared it on Facebook events, Instagram, Linked in, Threads, BlueSky, and even Nextdoor.com. A local restaurant, supermarket, post office, Somerworth City Hall and library posted the flyer among other places.It was also advertised on the Historical Society facebook page and the Somersworth local cable channel. It's a lot of work to make people aware of an event!

(Photo: Attendees listening to Rob's lecture. Credit: T.W.) 

ABOUT THE LECTURE -  It was well-attended and people in the audience shared experiences and stories about their visits to Ireland. There was even a gentleman who grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and had visited a lot of the places I discussed. My lectures tend to run about 45 minutes, but I encourage audience participation and ask people to share their experiences. 

(Photo: Rob, Tom, Alex and Laureen. Credit: R.G.) 

FRIEND SUPPORT - It means so much whenever friends come out to support me.That evening, my friends Laureen and Alex joined Tom and I. It takes a lot of planning to do each event, and any support means a lot to me.  

A CHILLING STORY SHARED - The gentleman from Ireland told of his visit to Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) in Dublin. 

(Photo: Kilmainan Gaol. Credit: R.G.) 

He said that his small tour group were brought into a cell, and the door was closed behind them. He said the guide turned off the lights and the small group was in the dark for just 3 minutes. He said it was pitch black. He indicated feelings of dread that overcame him, and he became anxious.

  He said that although there was no one standing behind him (I assume his back was against a wall), he felt the touch of man's hand against his back... which was likely the ghost of the prisoner who died in the cell. 

   He said that people had asked for the lights to be turned back on, or the guide to open the door. It was that unnerving.

(Photo: Rob and Laureen at the lecture. Credit: R.G.) 

MY BOOK CHAPTER ON THE GAOL - In my book, I wrote about my experience with Kilmainan Gaol. I was outside of the Gaol (didn't get to go inside to tour it), and connected with the ghost of a male prisoner who died inside. In my book, I sketched what the man looked like and shared the story. 

A BIG THANKS - to Tom for coming to the lecture, helping set up, and pack up and tear down the banners, put the books away, pack up my computer, postcards and signs. It takes a lot of time to display things, and then pack them up again!

(Photo: Tom's reaction after packing up!)