This week Conspiracy Journal brings you such brain-bleeding stories as:

- IN HIS IMAGE DEPARTMENT -

Pentagon Looks to Breed Immortal 'Synthetic Organisms'

- THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT CLOWNS DEPARTMENT -

Strange Sightings of "Phantom Clowns"
By Loren Coleman

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When Andrew Collins, his wife Sue Collins, and Nigel Skinner-Simpson entered the lost cave system under Giza in March 2008, they knew that what they had found was extremely important. The caves had been briefly described nearly 200 years earlier in an obscure personal journal, but the journal was hidden away in the British Museum. During those 200 years Giza was extensively explored and the many finds dutily cataloged, but no one rediscovered the caves. Myths of a labyrinth of caves under Giza, concealing a hidden repository of lost knowledge, persisted, but that's all they were—myths. According to the official catalogs of archaeological locations at Giza, no natural cave system exists. That is, it didn't exist until 2008 when the hidden entrance to unrecorded caves was found deep inside an obscure tomb, known as “NC2,” on the north face of the Giza plateau by Collins who was spurred on by the clues in the forgotten journal.

It's likely that the Collins' team thought that their discovery would be appreciated by Egyptian authorities, but one thing they probably never expected was an official denial that the dark, dangerous place that they bravely explored didn't even exist. The official denial of the caves' existence, by Dr. Zahi Hawass, has created an even more intriguing story.

Collins detailed the discovery of the caves in his book, Beneath The Pyramids, which was released in October 2009. However, prior to the book's release a flurry of activity on the internet happened revealing the discovery. Numerous articles and press releases—along with film and stories by MSNBC, Discovery, and other news sources came out that revealed the existence of the previously-unknown caves and their extent. Collins had actually handed Dr Hawass a private report in April 2009 fully informing him about the caves, but Hawass appears to have dismissed the report. Even more oddly, in October 2008, Hawass was shown photos of the cave system in his office in Cairo. In that meeting, Hawass related that the system was "unknown" to him.

Not long ago Hawass officially responded to the cave controversy by first relating that the NC2 tomb, which Collins called the "Tomb of the Birds," due to its ancient usage as a bird necropolis, was well-known and had been fully explored. Hawass speculated that Collins and his team had become "confused" and mistook the tomb as a cave system. But the description of the tomb given by Hawass clearly showed that it was Hawass who was confused. It was obvious at that time Hawass was completely unaware that a cave system extended for some considerable distance from the back of the actual tomb. Hawass then issued another statement revealing that he had an archaeological team now "clearing the catacombs" and that he would issue a formal report in the future. Oddly, on his internet site Hawass dismissed internet reports by stating, "I hope people who wish to learn more about the Giza tombs will consult academic sources, for example books published by scholars such as myself and not rely on unsupported Internet accounts." Indeed—use an internet release to belittle internet reports.

Hawass's recent description of pop-singer Beyonce as "stupid" shows that he can become deeply offended by what he sees as intrusions into Egyptology by outsiders and people who don't appreciate the depth of Egyptology. What also seems likely is that Hawass sees himself as the sole guardian of Giza and it creates a deep resentment when something new is found that comes as a surprise. (It is true in some ways that he is the guardian and that fact needs to be recognized.)

When Collins first approached him about the caves' existence, Hawass responded by consulting the known archaeological reports and quickly concluded that all Collins did was enter the actual tomb NC2. The reason is that the tomb itself is a little over 100-feet long with various rooms and compartments. Hawass concluded that the description of the caves extending for hundreds of yards was wrong and again that Collins was confused. That accounts for Hawass's initial statements that a cave system didn't exist. But as the furor over the caves increased with the publication of Collins' book, a team was dispatched to the tomb by Hawass. Much to their amazement, the unrecorded cave system did, in fact, exist. It had been missed by everyone. But while Hawass is capable of calling someone "stupid," he seems incapable of admitting that he was wrong. For a professional and academic, that looks pretty stupid.

One of the things that Andrew Collins was concerned about, and a concern that he directly related to Dr. Hawass several times, was that as long as the tomb was open and accessible, others would secretly enter and then the possible archaeological finds that might be made could be compromised. Hawass responded by keeping the tomb open, but oddly he dispatched a professional team, described by him in an email as a group of "archaeologists, geologists, engineers, and architects" to completely excavate the entire site. The clearing and excavation of the system quietly began in August 2009 after Hawass was told that the caves did, in fact, exist. The extent and discoveries made by this team is becoming increasingly clear, and what they may find might prove even more embarrassing to Hawass.

Obviously following the description and photos of the cave system entrance in Collins' book, another British citizen (Richard Gabriel) recently gained entrance into the caves and managed to take dozens of photos. Collins has written an article about the newly released photos which make it clear that Collins was correct and Hawass was wrong. From the photos it is apparent that Gabriel entered the system recently and at a time when workers were not present.

The photos show that the tomb that provides access to the caves has been now cleared of debris and dust. In addition, excavation tools and equipment are shown lying in several areas of the tomb. Two previously unrecorded descending stairways have been revealed inside the tomb’s anteroom and newly-cleared sub-floor chambers are also visible. Precisely how Hawass will describe the clearing of the caves he had earlier stated don't exist is unclear, but it's unlikely he'll ever admit that he was wrong.

One group that seems to understand the situation is the Egyptologist's Electronic Forum (EEF), a subscription-only group comprised of some of the world's top Egyptologists. But even members of that group have been sometimes confused by wrongly suggesting that the caves Collins discovered might have been something previously explored by Dr Mark Lehner, an Egyptologist, director of Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA), who for 25 years has explored and recorded the hundreds of monuments and tombs at Giza. On the EEF, as well as on other key Egyptological forums, there have been discussions of the controversy with the consensus being that the Giza caves do seem to be unrecorded, and are thus worthy of further investigation.

Oddly, a few of the newly-released photos give credence to a local folk legend telling how the caves are guarded by a giant snake. A natural rock face in a chamber deep inside the system has a protrusion that looks like a massive snake head. And a recently released satellite-based ground penetrating radar image examined by Collins indicates that the cave system he has found might well follow the course of localized geological faulting that extends all the way to the Second Pyramid. Collins points out that it is this pyramid, and not the more obvious Great Pyramid, that was said to be the location of the lost cave-tomb of Hermes, a legendary wisdom bringer and founder of Egyptian civilization. Collins most recent musings on the situation are here.

Overall this is an intriguing story that becomes more and more interesting as the caves appear to become a free-for-all that is being entered by more and more people. Hawass has only increased the intrigue and mystery by denying that the very thing he's investigating even exists! It is quite likely that whatever is eventually reported to be found in the caves by Hawass will be important to Giza and Egyptology, but it's also likely that Hawass will take credit for it by relating that he knew about it all along. Nevertheless, Egyptology should accord some respect and recognition to Collins as the individual who made it all come about. Sadly, that's unlikely.

Source: Mysterious-America
http://www.mysterious-america.net/egypt210.html

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In the early morning hours of Sunday, February 7, 2010, a tractor driver who had worked the Caesar parade route in Metairie was heading home to his apartment in the Lake Terrace section of New Orleans when he decided to take a detour through City Park.

While driving down Harrison Avenue, approximately half way between the renovated New Orleans Police Department Mounted Unit horse stables and Scout Island, in the vicinity of the infamous Mona Lisa Drive, the man was startled to see a dark form lurch out of the shadows and approach the road.

The witness slowed his vehicle for a better look.  The dark form ran along the treeline for several minutes, moving in and out of the misty and shadows under the oaks.  The driver now came to a complete stop and observed what he described as a “troll” or a “gill man” dart across the Harrison Avenue turnaround, making its way toward Scout Island and the overgrowth of the abandoned City Park East Golf Course.

According to the witness, the creature had dark or black skin covered in masses of “skin or fins” that looked like algae growing all over its body.  It seemed to have gills or matted hair that looked like gills on its face and head; two yellow eyes leered out from under a prominent forehead.  Apparently aware of the man’s presence, once it had crossed the road, it stopped and looked back at the man who said it then opened its mouth in a growl, revealing a set of massive fangs and a lolling tongue that looked, according to the man, “too big for its mouth.”  It lifted up a clawed hand as if to wave the man off, the driver clearly observed long claws at the fingertips in the ambient light, and then it turned, lurching off into the shadows of Scout Island.

The witness did not report his strange experience to the police because he assumed they would not believe him and since the “gill man,” “troll,” or whatever it was had not hurt him, he didn’t feel it was necessary to bring unwelcome scrutiny upon himself.  When he joined a group of fellow tractor drivers for parade routes early the next morning, he told a friend what had happened.  His friend put him in touch with Haunted America Tours.

Here at Haunted America Tours the staff has long been aware of legends regarding ghosts and creatures lurking in the placed environment of the New Orleans City Park.  The “urban legend” surrounding the Park’s Mona Lisa Drive is one example.

According to some reports there is an older legend, popular among the Allipoosa Indians who lived along nearby Bayou St. John in the colonial days of New Orleans, concerning a foul, ghoul-like creature inhabiting the woody tracts and marshy areas along the bayou shore.  Descriptions of the creature by the Allipoosa, and accounts from slaves who worked on the Allard Plantation, which comprised all the acres that later became City Park, match the account provided by the tractor driver this past weekend.

Haunted America Tours spoke to a Mid-City resident who lives in the City Park Avenue area and who claims to be a descendent of the Allipoosa tribe, and he confirmed that recently there have been numerous strange occurrences in City Park.

The resident, who asked not to be identified, suggested that the recent sightings might be connected to the numerous film projects that have used City Park and its surrounding areas as locations and backdrops for shooting.  Some of these projects, he said, have supernatural or paranormal storylines, and it is his opinion that this activity has “stirred up” the spirits of the land – from the ghosts of Allard plantation slaves and long-dead Indians, to more modern phantoms.  City Park, he said, has many, many guardians.

A member of the Haunted America Tours staff discussed an interesting footnote to this story: On a recent visit to the Popp’s Fountain area in City Park, she noticed that some of the heavy iron bars in the security fence now surrounding the fountain had been bent and broken, as if by tremendous force.  The interesting thing, other than the fact that the black, wrought iron would be impossible to break without the aid of machinery or welding equipment, is that the breaks appeared to have occurred from the inside out.

Source: Haunted America Tours
http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/crypto/THETHINGINCITYPARK.php

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An Invercargill man has taken a photograph that could be proof of the afterlife, or it could be a cloud – who knows?

Andrew Watters travelled to St Bathans, near Alexandra, with his partner Kim Ward during the weekend in search of the spirits that reputedly haunt its buildings.

"I'd always been nagging my Kim to go and have a look at the Vulcan Hotel and its supposed ghost, hoping we would find something."

That search turned up short.

"I had a beer at the pub and got goosebumps but I think it was just the excitement."

The pair took plenty of photos and didn't think they had anything until a friend spotted a shape with an uncanny resemblance to a woman in the window at the post office, he said.

"It's freaked me out a bit. The shape is very close to a human figure."

The photograph did not make him any more or less sceptical about the existence of ghosts but it was bizarre, Mr Watters said.

Vulcan Hotel leasee Jude Cavanagh said it was the first she had heard of a ghost sighting at the post office.

"It's a very spirited town, so who knows?"

The post office, which was managed by the Department of Conservation since the 1950s, had been vacant for about a year, at least in the bodily sense, she said.

"It all adds to the legend of the place."

The department's Alexandra community relations programme manager Amanda Ware said she had no knowledge of any phantom presence at the post office.

The building, opened in 1909, was a category two historic place and had been vacant for about a year, she said.

The interior largely remained unchanged from its days as a working port office and the second floor, where the mysterious shape was seen, was the postmaster's living quarters, Ms Ware said.

"Maybe it was him coming back for a visit."

She would tread carefully the next time she stopped by, she said.

Source: Stuff
http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/3295546/Busting-out-the-ghost-theories