For our last creature feature in this series, I wanted to talk about zombies. These undead creatures are just humans who have less cognitive function and usually hunger for brains. The word zombie comes from Haitian and voodoo origins and refers to a human corpse that has been reanimated. Usually, zombie stories are the result of a mysterious illness or virus that spreads like wildfire through bites or body fluid. This is the common theme in shows like the Walking Dead or movies like Resident Evil.
Are zombie’s real? Well, I don’t think so. I do believe people have been clinically dead for a period and have come back to life, but not without brain function. I will say that people usually aren’t considered clinically “dead” until their brain stops functioning. Different machines can keep the heart pumping, but you’re considered dead after the brain waves stop.
What’s more interesting is the CDC actually has a subpage for zombies and zombie preparedness. This is certainly just a joke, but it is pretty funny to see it on the Center for Disease Control website, especially if it ever actually comes to pass!
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As soon as I decided to do a creature feature series, I knew I wanted to try to cover mermaids, because they seem to be one mythical creature that people actually believe are real.
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
In this week’s installment of freaky Friday, creature feature, I want to talk about the Chupacabra. This creature originates from Mexico, the United States, and Puerto Rico, mainly. The name is Spanish and literally translates to Goatsucker. This creature is mythical in nature, but like any good mythical creatures, there have been sightings since around 1995 in Puerto Rico.
As for me, I’m not sure what I think about the existence of the Chupacabra. After all, it is hard to really understand or believe what you haven’t experienced yourself. I do know that several experts suspect that the dog-like creature many people report is probably a coyote or other dog-like animal suffering from mange. What do you think? Are these mysterious, blood-sucking creatures real, or just folklore?
I'm doing a weekly series on here for this month called Freaky Friday Creature Features where I'll share a bit about some creepy creatures, real or mythical. This post is about seven of the creepiest sea creatures I could find. All of these are real! 1: BLOB SCULPIN
2: FANGTOOTH3: VAMPIRE SQUID
4: ANGLER FISH
5: VIPERFISH6: RED-LIPPED BATFISH
7: FROGFISHCopyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
THE EXISTENCE OF ALIENS
THE EXISTENCE OF SOME "MYTHICAL" CREATURES
MATTRESS COMPANIES AND MONEY LAUNDERING
THERE IS A GROUP OF POWERFUL PEOPLE |
I think it is delusional to look past the possibility of a group of really powerful people who make decisions that impact us all in a very powerful way individually. Politicians, heirs to fortunes, and big-brained people in general could be making decisions we are not involved in. Some people think this is as far as worshiping evil beings and influencing things supernaturally. I won't go that far, but will say that money and power speaks louder than most people think it does. |
TIME TRAVEL
Time travel is a popular sci-fi concept, but what if it already exists? There have been photos and videos taken at different points which show people with objects that had yet been invented. There is little way to really explain that. It give me hope for the future, though, and the advance of technology! |
All opinions are my own and actual charges and accusations should be tried in a court of law.
1. AMERICAN MURDER: THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR
This documentary follows the case of Chris Watts, a man who killed his pregnant wife and two young daughters. It is believed that Watts did this in order to be with his girlfriend, Nikki, but he is now in prison for the rest of his life. I loved the way the makers of this documentary just let the evidence speak for itself. It contained no interviews as a normal documentary would. Instead, it just presented all of the evidence, such as text messages, videos taken by the victim, and police interrogations. |
2. ROLL RED ROLL
Thankfully, no one was killed in this case. However, the life a young woman was ruined after she was raped at a party. It really shines a light on the issue women still face in more southern communities. It shows that many small southern towns would rather protect their sports teams rather than protect their daughters from predators. Many of the people involved, including the victim, were underage. There was a ton of police interrogation footage and, interestingly enough, the case got a lot of attention thanks to a blogger in the area! |
3. ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT
I heard this story for the first time on Anthony Padilla's channel on YouTube. He has a series where he spends a day with ______. He spent a day with abduction survivors, and Jan Broberg was on this episode. Basically, this goes back to 1974 when a family friend who was a master manipulator convinced Jan's parents to allow him to take her on a trip alone. He drugged her and convinced her they had to have a child and were being held by aliens. This guy managed to have some sort of sexual interaction with both of Jan's parents. It is interesting to see how the story evolves. |
4. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MADELEINE MCCANN
This docuseries is so in depth that it makes you question every possibility of where Madeleine could be or if she is even alive. I really liked how they put together all of the pieces and explored all of the possibilities. This got brought back up in my mind because a YouTube family I watch is vlogging in the area where she was taken, and showed a part of the area on their vlog. Very well done! It is a story the world has and continues to talk about. |
5. AUDRIE AND DAISY
This documentary covers the death of Audrie, who killed herself following public shaming after a party. During the party, she was drawn on after passing out. They drew all over her body, including her private parts. The shame she experienced at school drove her to end her own life. It also covers Daisy, who was a part of the interview. She was a freshman cheerleader who went to go hang out with some older boys. She got drunk and forgot what happened the rest of the night but a friend, who had also been sexually assaulted that night, realized she was laying on a bed in the same room she was assaulted in. |
They added animation over the testimony of the underaged people or people who wanted their identity protected, which I've never seen before. Overall, a great expose of the two extreme outcomes of extreme situations.
MYTH: THE MEDIA IS NOT BIAS
The media is one of the most bias groups out there. When in journalism school, we are taught to report the facts, but in real world applications, your editor will want you to put a spin on something. There are a number of reasons for that, but it is typically because the editor or publisher is more left-leaning or more right-leaning. The media can report the facts however they want to. In fact, they can leave out important facts to intentionally mislead their readers. |
FACT: THE MEDIA IS TRYING TO MAKE MONEY
When technology use soared, the newspapers just weren't ready. The news had to become something that grabbed the attention of its viewers. I remember when "clickbait" used to be a popular thing on YouTube. Newspapers are the original clickbait. You would see a juicy headline and click it and be prompted to pay for the news service. Additionally, news sites have partnered with a ton of agencies to place adds on their sites, which collect revenue for them! They are a business, not always a reliable source. |
MYTH: THE MEDIA IS ALWAYS TAKEN TO COURT WHEN REPORTING MISINFORMATION
Media can freely post just about anything about celebrities and politicians without facing too much backlash. There are some exceptions, but not too many. Individuals can't always afford to take a media outlet to court, as court fees are super expensive. In some cases, like libel (false published information that hurts someone's reputation), damage is done and fees can be collected, but the media gets away with libel more than many think. A retraction is usually posted instead of any legal matters taken to court. |
FACT: THE MEDIA CAN CHOOSE WHAT IT COVERS
As a true crime enthusiast, and an ex-reporter myself, I can tell you that the media can help keep pressure on cops to investigate different disappearances and crimes. However, the media can choose to ignore these pleas from worried families and choose not to cover them. Additionally, the media can choose a one-sided approach that fits its narrative, or they can choose to avoid coverage of an event entirely. |
MYTH: COMPLAINING ABOUT NEWS COVERAGE WILL SOLVE THE ISSUES AT HAND
Complaining about the way media covered something will do nothing. They are not held accountable by anyone. In fact, the justice system always has to request that certain information isn't published so that investigations can be completed properly. Complaining about what the media has and has not done will not solve anything until we have a larger pool of true, fact-checked media sources that are not out to push their own agendas. Right now, I can find one article about how awful Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old who killed two people during a riot, is. On another site, I can see him being called a patriot. |
HOW TO SPOT GENUINE REPORTING
- Look out for editorial words, or words that offer an opinion, in articles that are supposed to be presenting the facts. This could include "mighty warrior" instead of "veteran." If these words are used, they should be used by someone being quoted, or by someone writing a review or editorial.
- Look for even reporting. If someone says something positive and you know there is a negative opinion, a good reporter would provide that information, too. This allows you as the reader to make your own decision based on the facts presented.
- Look for reputable sources. If you're reading a story about a crime, you should see an officer or sheriff quoted on the facts, not Joe from down the street who wasn't even there.
- Look for messy websites. Most reputable media sources will not be housed on a messy website with a ton of pop-ups, questionable ads, etc.
I wanted to know why this day in particular is so unlucky. So, it's time to search for the truth about Friday the 13th and its origins and history.
THE HISTORY OF 13 AS AN UNLUCKY NUMBER
According to The History Channel, the legend of 13 as an unlucky number dates back thousands of years. Of course, we couldn't know for sure if the number was designed to be unlucky, but The History Channel poses many reasons why the number is considered so. One is from the biblical days of Jesus. At the Last Super, there were 13 people in attendance. Many Christians believe that the number 12 is the number of divine rule. After all, there were 12 disciples, 12 tribes of Israel, and so on. Adding or taking away a number that has divine meaning linked to God is something that often becomes associated with bad luck or even the devil. Take, for instance, the number 7. Many Christians view this number as the number of completion and wholeness. It has a significance in nearly every religion. We all know that the number 6 repeated three times is often associated with the devil or devil worship. The same goes for this number! It has evil associations! |
WHY ARE ONLY FRIDAY THE 13THS BAD LUCK?
Again, this goes back to Biblical roots. The Last Supper was held on what we now call Maundy Thursday. The next day, when Jesus was believed to be crucified, was on Good Friday. Experts have also said that Friday would have been the day that Eve gave Adam the apple from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and is said to be the day that Cain killed Abel. |
UNLUCKY THINGS THAT HAPPENED ON FRIDAY THE 13TH
- The death of Tupac Shakur (Sept. 1996), which happened 23 years ago today.
- The bombing of the Buckingham Palace (Sept. 1940).
- The executions of the Nights Templar (Oct. 1307).
- The "Black Friday" fires which killed 36 people in Australia's Victoria province (Jan. 1939)
- Turning point in the Cold War (June 1952).
- Murder of Kitty Genovese, a bar manager who was stabbed with more than 38 people witnessing the attack, none of which reported her murder or tried to stop it (March 1964).
There are so many more that could be mentioned, but I'll leave it at that. Now it is up to what you believe. Do you think that Friday the 13th is a cursed day? Or, do you believe people just take advantage of the fear we've instilled in ourselves?
ABOUT THE CASE
Unbeknownst to the girls, a man was loitering outside of their home for an our and a half, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Around 10:30 p.m., he entered the home, found the girls, and abducted Polly at knife point. Before leaving, he tied up Kate and Gillian and told them to count to 1,000. |
After Kate and Gillian were sure he had left, they ran to the room where Polly Klaas’ mother was sleeping. The groggy mother called in the abduction to the police.
Not more than an hour later, a resident called Sonoma County sheriff’s office to report that there was a strange and suspicious man standing by a Ford Pinto which was lodged in a ditch. The deputies came by, searched his car, checked him for outstanding warrants, and let him go. On Oct. 19, Davis was stopped, arrested, and booked with drunk driving. No one connected that he was the one who abducted Polly. He was released that same day.
There wasn’t another break in the case until Nov. 28, almost two months after Polly went missing. The same woman who reported the suspicious man called up the police to report that pieces of white cloth were scattered on her land. The white cloth was accompanied by empty condom rappers, red panty hose, and a black sweatshirt. |
FBI agents, according to Alford, found a partial palm print from the bedroom. Alford said that pulling palm prints wasn’t as common at this point, but they were able to pick up the print using special lifting paper. Davis’ print matched the palm print, and he confessed to strangling Polly to death. He took investigators to her burial spot.
INTERESTING FACTS
- Winona Ryder, who is from Petaluma, California, offered a $200,000 reward if Polly was returned safely. After it was revealed that Polly died, Ryder dedicated her role in Little Women to Polly, as it was her favorite book. You probably know Ryder from popular movies like The Heathers or Beetlejuice.
- Davis is on death row at San Quentin State Prison. He’s been attacked by multiple prisoners and even attempted a drug overdose. Despite this, he still works with his attorneys to appeal the decisions made by the court systems.
- Klaas wasn’t his first abduction. He abducted a woman in 1976 and only served 5 years for his stunt. He had periods of delusion where he heard his dead girlfriend talking to him. This was all reported by his psychiatrist.
- Klaas’ father, Marc, established the KlaasKids Foundation, which works to prevent crimes against children, assist in finding missing children, and more.
- Although investigators found condoms at the scene where they found evidence that linked to Richard Allen Davis, he swears to this day that he never sexually assaulted her.
- Polly’s head was almost completely separated, showing the force Davis put on her.
- Polly’s community was small and generally had low crime rates. Because of this, the community really came together to try to find Polly when she went missing.
- Polly’s case led to the “three strikes” law, which gives a criminal a mandatory sentence of 25 to life if they commit three felonies, no matter how minor.
- I was born on this exact day on this exact year.
This is how Alford remembers April 3, 1996, the day he and his team finally caught Theodore John Kaczynski after more than 20 years of searching. Kaczynski was known by the general public as the Unabomber. I found out from Alford that Unabomber is actually short for university and airline bomber, pulling its name from two of Kaczynski’s favorite targets. |
ABOUT KACZYNSKI
The most disheartening thing that I learned from Alford about the Unabomber is that he was a very smart man, practically a genius. When Kaczynski was only 25, he became the youngest assistant professor of mathematics at UC Berkeley. He had so many promising things ahead of him, but Kaczynski decided to go for a change of pace and move to a remote area in Montana where he built his own cabin. The cabin, which was an integral part of the FBI investigation, had no utilities like running water or electricity. |
It was around this time, in 1975, that Kaczynski became to break in and vandalize local companies that harmed the environment that he became so accustomed to appreciating.
THE BOMBS
Another bomb was sent to the university and a graduate student opened it. He received minor cuts and burns, but did not have any serious injuries.
Kaczynski’s third bomb had the potential to kill a ton of people. He put a bomb in the cargo hold of a plane. The bomb was supposed to be triggered by a change in altitude, but it simply began to smoke. The pilots of the plane were able to land with only a few people suffering from minor smoke inhalation. |
In Kaczynski’s attempt to continue to hurt others, he messed up. A woman in Salt Lake City witnessed Kaczynski leaving the package. A sketch was made, which helped to identify him later. His last killing was during an attack in Sacramento in April of 1995 when a bomb killed timber industry lobbyist Gilbert Murray. He sent his manifesto, which was published in Sept. 1995, to members of the media. He promised not to bomb any more if they published his essay, “Industrial Society and Its Future.” His brother, David, was able to identify his brother through the writings. He told the FBI about his suspicions and shared letters he had gotten from Theodore throughout the years. They compared the typing and language and determined it was probably written by the same person. |
THE MOTIVATION
This was said to be his motivation. I found this interesting because, although Kaczynski’s bombs were rather archaic, they were somewhat advanced. It made me wonder why Kaczynski himself wasn’t having an internal crisis.
INTERESTING FACTS
- Kaczynski had an FBI fingerprint manual in his cabin. He was very paranoid about police and the FBI identifying him by his fingerprints. He actually treated stamps and other things he touched with salt water and different substances that would blur or remove his prints.
- He actually attached soles from a smaller shoe to the bottom of his shoes in an effort to evade police identification.
- Everyone in town loved Kaczynski’s carrots, but he didn’t have any water or anything to keep them up with. He actually used his own bodily waste to fertilize his carrots. Let’s hope those people in town washed their veggies before digging in!
- Members of the armed forces were called to check out the cabin for obvious bombs before FBI investigators went in. They found nothing. However, an investigator almost opened a box containing a bomb in a deeper investigation of the cabin. Luckily, he was stopped by another investigator. Kaczynski could have killed them all if they weren’t more careful.
- Kaczynski categorized things in his cabin by how suspicious they were. He also categorized them by how they could be disposed of.
- All of Kaczynski’s bombs had an FC on them, which stood for freedom club, of which he was the only member.
- Kaczynski’s cabin was taken to Newseum, a museum in Washington, D.C.
- According to Alford, Man of None one of the worse documentary programs about the Unabomber, because many things were wrong or left out entirely.
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