Hero of the Week: Maine man saved the lives of children during the Lewiston shooting

When people are facing life and death situations, they run, face them or help others. This week's hero is a 69 year old man who, despite being shot in the legs multiple times, helped save children in the Lewiston mass shooting in Maine. Here's his story.

Maine man saved the lives of children during the Lewiston shootings 

 Thomas Giberti was shot numerous times but is credited with saving the lives of several children at the bowling alley.

Nov 2, 2023 Jim Keithley, Reporter, WMTW, News Channel 8 

LEWISTON, Maine — Thomas Giberti, 69, of Auburn was shot seven times, with bullets hitting both his legs, when a gunman opened fire at Lewiston bowling alley last week. Three days after the shooting, Giberti was discharged from the hospital and was up and walking with a walker, his family said.

"The four shots actually to his left leg, the bullets remain inside of his leg because they're kind of impeded in the muscle area and stuff like that and it would do more damage to dig them out," said Will Bourgault, Giberti's nephew.

Bourgault said everyone who has heard his uncle's story, himself included, are amazed by his quick thinking and swift actions that likely saved the lives of eight or nine children.

Giberti, who used to be a manager at the bowling alley, was at the Just-In-Time Recreation Center that night. He had gone out back to grab a screwdriver to fix a piece of loose equipment when the gunman entered.

"As he was coming back out the door to go back into the bowling alley, he saw flashes of light he realized hearing the gunshots that somebody was shooting in there and people were running in all kinds of different directions and stuff," said Bourgault, relaying the story his uncle told.

"He looked over to where the kids were at – six lanes basically of youth bowlers there and they were just all kind of hunkered down trying to hide from the gunman. He was able to get their attention and called to them and the kids ran across the lanes and got to where he was at and as he got them out the back doors so they could get out into the back parking lot in the back, he got shot in the back of his left leg and that's what dropped him in the doorway," Bourgault said.

Giberti was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery and is now dealing with both physical and emotional pain, said his family. Two of his close friends, Bob and Lucy Violette, were both killed that night.

Bourgault is calling his uncle a hero.

"I said Tom – you're a hero to us – what you did was heroic. He said – no I just reacted. I said Tom, that's what heroes do; they just react. You know you could have run out the back door. You could have saved yourself without getting shot. You could have just taken off. You could have frozen back there, but you didn't; you went for it. You got the attention of those kids. Those kids were able to get out safely because of what you did," Bourgault said. 

 Girberti was absolutely against a GoFundMe, but Bourgault told him that people start GoFundMe pages for cats and if anybody deserves the help, it was him.

2 of my books: Back in the TOP 10 and Back in the TOP 100

 Wow! This week, 2 of my books are way up the Amazon book charts. Pets and the Afterlife 4: Spirit Cats is in the TOP 10 and Pets and the Afterlife 1: is back in the TOP 100! You can get them here (Under $10 paper, $3.99 Kindle): https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rob-Gutro/author/B003UNTASW

Good Reference book: Ghosts, Spirits, and Hauntings by Patricia Telesco

My local library was having a book sale recently, and I bought the 2002 book "Ghosts, Spirits and Hauntings" by Patricia Telesco.  The book had some good information and some things I hadn't heard of or necessarily agreed with 100%, but paranormal is open to interpretation. It also contained a glossary and an appendix of haunted places. There were also some things I had never heard before like a "fettered soul," which I didn't really understand, and references to fairies, which I've yet to encounter.  It was interesting to read someone else's take on paranormal things. 

I did, however, appreciate her take on the Ouija board that it's dangerous in the hands of people who don't know how to protect themselves. As a paranormal investigator, I've encountered a number of homes that used the Ouija board and dark entities came through, and made people in the home physically and even mentally ill.    

The author included stories of her experiences and some from others, to prove her points. The story-sharing was always good to read.  While it was nice to read, I'm not keeping it as a reference book. 

Newest Type of Cloud Classified! Asperitas Clouds

If you're into watching weather and clouds you may have wondered what those wavy looking clouds are called- well, now there's a relatively new classification (in 2015)from the World Meteorological Society (WMO). The clouds are called Asperitas clouds. Today's blog provides the definition from the WMO.

The newest cloud type, asperitas formations are rare and resemble rippling ocean waves in the sky.

UK Meteorological Office

Height of base: 4,000 - 10,000 ft Shape: Undulating waves Latin: aspero - make rough or uneven

What is asperitas cloud? Asperitas (formerly referred to as Undulatus Asperitas) is a distinctive, but relatively rare cloud formation that takes the appearance of rippling waves. These wave-like structures form on the underside of the cloud to makes it look like a rough sea surface when viewed from below.

How does asperitas form? The way in which asperitas clouds form is somewhat a mystery, yet there is much debate and confusion over how the wave-like clouds come into existence. It is hypothesised that their appearance is associated with the aftermath of convective thunderstorms, though they have also been sighted in relatively calm environments. One theory does suggest that they are formed when mammatus clouds descend into areas of the sky where wind direction changes with height causing the wave-like movement.

What is clear however is that atmospheric conditions must be unstable to form a wavy cloud base like that seen with asperitas.

What weather is associated with asperitas formations? Though the formation itself does not produce rainfall, asperitas have been linked to thunderstorms, occurring afterwards. Though the likely unstable atmospheric conditions required to form the wavy cloud base could also allow the growth of convective rain clouds, meaning that asperitas could be accompanied by other, precipitation-producing clouds.

The 'newest' cloud type The addition of this previously undocumented cloud formation to the World Meteorological Organisation's International Cloud Atlas was first proposed by the Cloud Appreciation Society in 2008. Between then and 2015 the case was supported by members of the public sending in images of the dramatic cloud formations.

At the WMO's 17th Congress in 2015, the classification was accepted, making asperitas the first new cloud type in over 50 years, since cirrus intortus in 1951.

What clouds are associated with asperitas? It is not yet defined what cloud type gives its home to asperitas, but the WMO began work on deciphering the cloud's mysteries in 2008. Full information will most likely be published in the next edition of the International Cloud Atlas.

In the timelapse video below, you can see the full effect of Asperitas and its wave-like appearance:

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/Jz7BgxrVmiQ?si=SRhkFv0SYjlVJgi7

What Powered the World in 2022?

 Here's a fascinating look at the use of energy sources that powered the world in 2022. It was surprising how little oil was involved! Here's the story from 

What Electricity Sources Power the World? 

 September 10, 2023 

By Chris Dickert /Graphics/Design:Sam Parker Visual Capitalist 

What Powered the World in 2022?

This was originally posted on Elements. Sign up to the free mailing list to get beautiful visualizations on real assets and resource megatrends each week.

In 2022, 29,165.2 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity was generated around the world, an increase of 2.3% from the previous year.

In this visualization, we look at data from the latest Statistical Review of World Energy, and ask what powered the world in 2022.

Coal is Still King

Coal still leads the charge when it comes to electricity, representing 35.4% of global power generation in 2022, followed by natural gas at 22.7%, and hydroelectric at 14.9%.

Power by fuel Source: Energy Institute

Over three-quarters of the world’s total coal-generated electricity is consumed in just three countries. China is the top user of coal, making up 53.3% of global coal demand, followed by India at 13.6%, and the U.S. at 8.9%.

Burning coal—for electricity, as well as metallurgy and cement production—is the world’s single largest source of CO2 emissions. Nevertheless, its use in electricity generation has actually grown 91.2% since 1997, the year when the first global climate agreement was signed in Kyoto, Japan.

Renewables on the Rise

However, even as non-renewables enjoy their time in the sun, their days could be numbered.

In 2022, renewables, such as wind, solar, and geothermal, represented 14.4% of total electricity generation with an extraordinary annual growth rate of 14.7%, driven by big gains in solar and wind. Non-renewables, by contrast, only managed an anemic 0.4%.

The authors of the Statistical Review do not include hydroelectric in their renewable calculations, even though many others, including the International Energy Agency, consider it a “well-established renewable power technology.”

With hydroelectric moved into the renewable column, together they accounted for over 29.3% of all electricity generated in 2022, with an annual growth rate of 7.4%.

France’s Nuclear Horrible Year

Another big mover in this year’s report was nuclear energy.

In addition to disruptions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, shutdowns in France’s nuclear fleet to address corrosion found in the safety injection systems of four reactors led to a 4% drop in global use, year-over-year.

The amount of electricity generated by nuclear energy in that country dropped 22% to 294.7 TWh in 2022. As a result, France went from being the world’s biggest exporter of electricity, to a net importer.

Powering the Future

Turning mechanical energy into electrical energy is a relatively straightforward process. Modern power plants are engineering marvels, to be sure, but they still work on the same principle as the very first generator invented by Michael Faraday in 1831.

But how you get the mechanical energy is where things get complicated: coal powered the first industrial revolution, but heated the planet in the process; wind is free and clean, but is unreliable; and nuclear fission reliably generates emission-free electricity, but also creates radioactive waste.

With temperature records being set around the world in the summer, resolving these tensions isn’t just academic and next year’s report could be a crucial test of the world’s commitment to a clean energy future.

The Oldest Town in Maine is 129 Years Older than America Itself

 If you love history and New England here's a great article about Maine's oldest town. So many things to explore here!

(Photo: Kittery harbor. Credit: Yankee Magazine)

The Oldest Town in Maine is 129 Years Older than America Itself

Written by Kristen Holder, July 12, 2023

Maine contains several towns that have existed since early colonialism. As a result, the oldest town in Maine is 129 years older than America itself! What town is it? We’ll go over the details now.

What is the Oldest Town in Maine?

The oldest town in Maine is Kittery. The area was settled by the English in 1623, and it officially was incorporated as a town in 1647. This means it’s 129 years older than America! Today, about 10 thousand people live in Kittery, Maine.

If a person uses the time of first settlement as their defining feature to determine which town in Maine is the oldest, then Kittery loses the race to the now-extinct Popham Colony which was created in 1607. However, Kittery is the first officially incorporated town. This means that it was the first area in the colony that had an independent governing body and its own set of rules.

PHOTO: Memorial of General William Whipple, a signer of United States Declaration of Independence, in town of Kittery, Maine ME, USA. ©Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock.com

Oldest Town: Where is Kittery, Maine?

Along Maine’s Atlantic Coast lies Kittery. It’s a part of York County, and it’s the southernmost town in Maine. It’s around 75 square miles in size, although over 57 of those square miles are under water. Kittery is the home of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard which drives the local economy.

Maine’s Oldest Town: The History of Kittery Kittery was first settled by the English in 1623 along the Piscataqua River. Around 1663, the town was the most populated area in the region. The earliest white settlers were timbermen, trappers, hunters, and seamen.

Before the arrival of Europeans, the local indigenous people called the region Amiciskeag. It’s an Algonquin word for “fishing point.”

By 1652, Kittery was a part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was much larger than the state of Massachusetts as it exists today, and it was the first chartered colony run by governors outside of England.

Maine became a state on March 15, 1820. This means that Kittery was already 173 years old by the time it officially became a US state. Maine is the twenty-third state admitted into the nation.

PHOTO: First Congregational Church of Kittery Point at 23 Pepperrell Road in fall in town of Kittery, Maine ME, USA. First Congregational Church of Kittery Point was established in 1714. ©Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock.com

Wildlife You’ll Find in Kittery

The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is a must-see spot if you’re seeking out wildlife near Kittery. The refuge is named after an environmentalist who was pivotal in establishing the modern preservationist movement echoing through today’s scientific community. Her name was Rachel Carson, and she died a couple of years before the refuge became a reality.

The Wildlife Refuge contains a variety of ecosystems including rocky coastlines, forested uplands, a barrier beach, dunes, marshes, subtidal and intertidal mudflats, and a tidal estuary. The refuge includes 50 miles of sea shore, and it straddles both Cumberland and York Counties.

Endangered species make their home in the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is a Near Threatened species that makes nests along the refuge’s coast. Saltmarsh sparrows (Ammodramus caudacutus) are a Vulnerable species with a notable presence as well.

New England cottontails (Sylvalagus transitionalis) also make their homes in the area. They’re a Vulnerable species of rabbits that have fractured habitats, with the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge being a sizeable sanctuary.

PHOTO: Four beautiful babies of piping plover (Charadrius melodus) are close together and surrounded by pebbles on a beach during sunset. The piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is a Near Threatened species that makes nests along the refuge’s coast. ©Jay Gao/Shutterstock.com

The Kittery Boundary Dispute: How the Modern Kittery Border Came to Be 

The former Town Manager of York in Maine found a boundary discrepancy with Kittery in 2020. Kittery is south of York along Maine’s coast, and this north-to-south boundary was up for debate.

In 1652, the Massachusetts Bay Colony decreed where the boundary between the two settlements was. However, extant maps from 1794 show that the towns thought the border existed in two different locations. Today, the area is wooded though the possibility for development is in the works.

The boundary issue between the two towns wasn’t a problem until a land developer purchased property that straddles the boundary. The border distinction is important because it is the basis for establishing municipal services in the area, and officials need to know what town they’re in so they can access the proper resources.

The issue was resolved on June 21, 2022, when a court sided with Kittery. This occurred because officials from York did not survey the area with Kittery officials to try and come to a border agreement before filing a complaint.

York is opposed to this decision because it believed a joint walk should be mandated by the court after a complaint is established. Because York’s case was dismissed without prejudice, they can refile their complaint in the future.

Kittery is opposed to a border change because it means some of its citizens will become York voters. It also means that a handful of residents with properties near the border will have to send their kids to different schools if a change in borders is made.

PHOTO: Sunset from the pier at Fort Foster - Kittery, Maine Catching a sunset on the pier at Fort Foster is certainly something you wouldn’t want to miss. ©Gregory Szymbor/Shutterstock.com

 

Driveway Paving Day (and a Nice backyard Fall Photo)

 When you buy a new house, sometimes you just get a gravel driveway, and if you live in New England, you may consider getting it paved because it makes it easier whenever there's a little snowfall in the winter. So, that's what we did. Today's blog is about the driveway and walkway paving adventure!

(Photo: The newly paved walkway and part of the driveway. Credit; R.G.)

The gravel driveway was nice, however, the snow shoveling thing was a big consideration. Also, Tyler, our 12-year-old black and tan Dachshund always hesitated to step on it from the garage. He didn't like the way it felt on his feet. Now that the driveway is paved, he happily walks out.  We also don't miss tracking in small pebbles into the garage from walking on the formerly unpaved driveway. 

(Photo 1: dumping the asphalt on top of the backyard walk, that goes to the garage doorway. Credit: R.G.) 

(Photo: The paving guys came at 4:30pm, 1 hour before sunset and worked quickly to press the gravel driveway down, and then dump asphalt. Credit; R.G.) 

(Photos below: The completed driveway out toward the street, and the beautiful colors in our forested backyard trees. Credit: R.G.) 

Idiot of the Week: Florida woman stole nearly $3 million from 87-year old man

This week's idiot is a greedy, conniving, elderly abuser who stole millions from a holocaust survivor, leaving him broke and sickly. She was caught and said, "I'm sorry." Sorry for being caught or feeling remorse? Here's the story.

(Photo: Peaches Stergo, left, leaves Manhattan federal court, Thursday, July 27, 2023, in New York after she was sentenced to more than four years in prison for cheating an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor of $2.8 million. Stergo met him on a dating website seven years ago. Prosecutors say the 36-year-old Champions Gate, Florida, resident used the money to live lavishly. (AP Photo/Larry Neumeister))

Florida woman who stole nearly $3 million from Holocaust survivor gets over 4 years in prison

BY LARRY NEUMEISTERUpdated 12:37 AM EDT, July 28, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — A Florida woman who drained an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor’s life savings by posing as a love interest and then lived lavishly off the $2.8 million she got was sentenced Thursday to over four years in prison.

Peaches Stergo, 36, of Champions Gate, Florida, was described by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos as “unspeakably cruel” and motivated by greed as he announced the sentence in Manhattan federal court.

Given a chance to speak, Stergo said: “I’m sorry.” She pleaded guilty in April to wire fraud, admitting that she drained the life savings of a man she met on a dating website seven years ago.

Stergo began asking the once successful businessman for money in May 2017, claiming she needed money to pay a lawyer who was refusing to release the payout from a bogus injury settlement, prosecutors said. He paid her $25,000. Over the next four years, she used lies to coax the man to write 62 checks totaling over $2.8 million until he was broke, they added.

She got him to send as much as $50,000 at a time as she told desperate lies and faked letters from a bank employee to back up her claims, prosecutors said.

They said Stergo traveled to New York to visit the victim in his Manhattan apartment, falsely claiming she was a Florida nanny and her name was “Alice” and failing to reveal that she was in a long-term relationship with another man and had two children.

As the victim lost his life savings and was forced to surrender his apartment, Stergo used his money to live a life of luxury, traveling on expensive trips to Europe and Las Vegas when she wasn’t living in her gated community or using her boat and numerous cars, including a Corvette and a Suburban, prosecutors said.

They said she spent nearly all of the man’s money, including thousands of dollars for expensive meals, gold coins and bars, jewelry, Rolex watches and designer clothing.

As part of her sentence, she faces a $2.8 restitution and forfeiture order.

“Peaches Stergo callously defrauded an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who was simply looking for companionship,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “But she did not get away with it. As today’s sentence demonstrates, perpetrators of romance scams will be held to account for their crimes.”

Prosecutors said Stergo had mocked her victim when she told her real lover in a message that the victim had said he “loved” her. They said she followed that message with “lol.” And they said that when he ran out of money, she convinced him to sell his inventory of diamonds and borrow from others.

Prosecutors did not identify the victim, but they said he suffers from cognitive decline, among other health issues, and is frail.

In a letter to the judge, the victim, who was 6 when he lost both of his parents in the Holocaust and who moved to the United States in his early 20s, wrote: “As a Holocaust survivor, I have endured unspeakable pain and loss in my life, but never did I imagine that I would be subjected to such a heartless betrayal in my old age.”

Stergo’s lawyer, Ann Marie Fitz, wrote in a sentencing submission that Stergo is a partner to her long-time boyfriend and mother to two teenage boys and that her boyfriend describes her as a great mother and a born-again Christian.

“She is not the cold-hearted person the government and media have made her out to be,” the lawyer wrote. “There was a genuine, caring relationship that Ms. Stergo had with the victim in this case — she spent holidays with him, she took care of him when he was ill and, as the victim’s cousin described, she was ‘doting’ on him.”

Heroes of the Week: 3 People Facing Maine Gunman

When you hear about an insane man with an assault rifle who set out to murder innocent people, it takes a lot of courage to try and stop him, run to warn others and the police and get others to safety. In today's blog, you'll read about three of those heroes from Lewiston, Maine. Sadly, two of them lost their lives to the madman. Today's blog is in their honor and was compiled from stories from Maine's WGME-TV.

(Caption: Joseph Walker was the manager at Schemengees Bar & Grille in Lewiston. (Leroy Walker)) Source 1: WGME, Channel 13 article

1) One hero is an Auburn city councilor's son, who was a manager at Schemengees Bar & Grille and tried to stop the gunman. Joseph Walker was the manager at Schemengees Bar & ; Grille in Lewiston. He lost his life, tragically. Police informed the family that Joseph Walker spent his last moments as a hero.

“Picked up a butcher knife and went after the gunman to try and stop him from killing other people,” Leroy Walker said. “And that’s when he shot my son to death. He tried to save some more lives, and he ended up losing his life.”

(Photo: Tricia Asselin, one of the 18 killed in the Lewiston mass shooting.) 

2) When the killer entered the bowling alley across town and the shooting started, Tricia Asselin, was there just bowling at the time. She was a part-time employee of the bowling alley and tried to get help. Her brother says she ran to the counter and called 911 when she was shot and killed. “She was the rock of the family,” her brother said.

(Photo: Samantha and Justin Juray. Justin got people out of the bowling alley quickly through emergency exits when the shooting erupted). 

3) One hero who survived got people out of the bowling alley to safety. First reports of the shooting at Just-in-Time Recreation came in around 6:56 p.m. on Wednesday. Justin and Samantha Juray bought the bowling alley two years ago. Justin was bowling Wednesday night when the gunman opened fire on his staff and customers, and he helped get people out of harm’s way through an emergency exit."I was bowling. And I turned around. I heard a loud pop. I turned around and saw just an assault rifle. And it was aimed at our counter. Went and found some emergency exits. The place was busy. I helped get people out of the building,” Justin said.

A Good Western Novel: "Wolf Moon" by Ed Gorman

Last month I blogged about reading a collection of short stories in a mystery collection with dog and cat themes. One of the authors was Ed Gorman (who passed), of whom I had not read of his works before. When I looked him up on the internet, he's written a lot of books in various genres, including western, political, mystery, thrillers and even comic books!  I decided to order a couple of his books, and one was a western called "Wolf Moon." Today's blog has my review and provides a summary of the book.

I really enjoyed the book and the character, is a very likeable 18-year-old, grown to a 30-year-old (over the length of this short book). As a teen he was involved in a bank robbery with his brothers, that was organized by the bank owner. He was sent to prison for a decade and the story picks up from there. I quickly grew to like the character... and I wish there would have been a sequel. I'll leave it there other than saying it was a great book.  

ABOUT THE BOOK: REVENGE WAS HIS ONLY REASON FOR LIVING-- EVEN IF IT MEANT DYING. It wasn't just the memories of his murdered brothers or the ten years in prison that reminded Chase how much he hated Reeves for double-crossing him after the bank robbery. Chase's face was carved with hideous scars from the bloody night when Reeves's killer wolf had attacked & left him for dead. Now he was out of jail & in the same town where Reeves was setting up his next bank heist. The lust for revenge was eating away at Chase's gut, & not even the love of a woman could stop him from the hell-bound path he must follow. For him, no price was too high--and the sacrifice would be savage...

Discovery! Maya civilization: Archaeologists find ancient city in jungle

 It's hard to imagine that in 2023, with planes and satellites that we haven't discovered every ancient city- but that's apparently true. Recently an ancient Mayan city was found in the jungles of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Here's the story from BBC News:

(Images taken with an airborne laser scanner reveal the outlines of buildings in Campeche IMAGE SOURCE,INAH/BBC News) 

Ancient Mayan City Discovered in Mexico 

By Vanessa BuschschlüterBBC News  June 21, 2023 

Archaeologists in Mexico have discovered the remains of an ancient Maya city deep in the jungle of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Experts found several pyramid-like structures measuring more than 15m (50ft) in height. Pottery unearthed at the site appears to indicate it was inhabited between 600 and 800 AD, a period known as Late Classic.

Archaeologists have named the site Ocomtún (Mayan for stone column).

The abundance of stone columns inspired the name researchers gave the city The Maya are considered to have been one of the great civilizations of the Western Hemisphere, renowned for their pyramid temples and great stone buildings in an area which is now southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize.

These latest remains were found in an ecological reserve in the state of Campeche, an area so dense with vegetation that it has been little explored.

Mexico's National Institute for Anthropology and History (INAH) said that its discovery was the result of field work aimed at documenting the archaeology of the Central Maya Lowlands, an area spanning 3,000 square kilometers of uninhabited jungle.

INAH said that airborne laser scanning carried out by the University of Houston had helped the research team spot "numerous concentrations of pre-Hispanic structures".

(Photo: Archaeologists located a number of buildings including this one with stone steps. Credit: Cultura INAH/BBC) 

Ivan Sprajc, who led the team, said they had been most surprised by the discovery of an elevated terrain surrounded by wetlands.

On that elevated terrain, they found several large buildings, including a number of pyramid-shaped ones measuring more than 15 meters. "The site would have served as an important regional centre," Mr Sprajc said in a statement released by INAH.

The cylindrical stone columns which prompted the researchers to name the site Ocomtún were probably entrances to rooms in the upper parts of the buildings, he added.

According to Mr Sprajc the site probably underwent considerable changes between 800 and 1000 AD before falling victim to the collapse of the Lowland Maya civilisation in the 10th Century.

From HistoryCom: How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth

I've always wondered why we carve faces in pumpkins, and I suspected it had to do with an Irish story, and it does. But I never heard the story until now, when History dot com shared it. So, today's blog is the great article about the Jack o'Lantern history. This was really fascinating. I also found a 20 minute video telling of the story, and included it in today's blog.

How Jack O’ Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth 

Before we carved pumpkins, the Irish chiseled creepy faces onto turnips. 

History Com, October 31, 2023

Pumpkins with ghoulish faces illuminated by candles are a sure sign of the Halloween season. The practice of carving ghoulish faces on vegetables may have roots in Ireland, where large turnips served as early canvasses. In fact, the name, jack-o'-lantern, comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, home of the pumpkin, and it became an integral part of Halloween festivities.

(Image: Stingy Jack. Credit: Legends of Literature)

The Legend of 'Stingy Jack'

People have been making jack-o’-lanterns at Halloween for centuries. One version of the practice may have originated from an Irish legend—which first appeared in print in the 19th century—about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form.

Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.

Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with it ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.”

That story likely drew on a parallel etymology of the term ‘jack-o-the-lantern’ as akin to ‘will-o-the-wisp,’ a mysterious light seen in wooded or swampy areas at night—sometimes with natural causes, other times as a result of mischievous children lighting lanterns.

Jack O’Lanterns Origin

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought their vegetable-carving traditions with them when they came to the United States, helping change American pumpkin-carving from a general autumn pasttime to one uniquely associated with Halloween.

VIDEO STORY : https://youtu.be/v69vZMbTEH8?si=iVmAO8MM1MLlSgJC