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Showing posts from September, 2010

GS Question of the Week

Why do you think dolls are common haunted objects?

The Ghost Detective Review

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Stay Thirsty Media, Inc, June 11, 2010 Kindle, approximately 340 pages Ordering Information: Amazon.com In the closing months of the 20th century, James McParland arrives in Boston to seek redemption. One hundred years earlier, he had joined The Pinkerton Agency and had quickly become its top detective—a man so feared by his opponents that they often committed suicide rather than fall into his hands. Although dead for more than eighty years, McParland’s reputation as “The Great Detective” preceded him as he reappears determined to earn eternal peace by helping the souls of those he tormented in life whose ghosts still walk among the living. Thomas Lowenstein took his passion for turning a wrong in to a right and translated it into his debut novel, The Ghost Detective . I see a lot of promise in this writer. The novel skips around between POVs and time periods, but not so much the reader gets confused or lost. The characters were drawn out. The premise is rather interestin

The Victoria Hotel

In 1887, John Mckleroy was a partner in the Anniston Land Company, Confederate Veteran, State School Superintendent and a candidate for governor twice. He chose the highest hill on Quintard Avenue to build his home. The Victoria was built in 1888. Mckleroy died in 1894 and his widow continued to occupy the home. That is until William, her son and mayor of Anniston, moved her out while she was on vacation in Florida. He died six months later. The McKleroy family occupied the home for 25 years. In 1920, William McKleroy’s widow sold the house at public auction to William Coleman Wilson. Wilson was president of the Emory Foundry Company. The business produced Anniston's most prominent product, cast-iron pipe. The Wilsons occupied the residence until 1949. Frank and Robbie Kirby became the third owners and last full-time residents. Mr. Kirby was the founder and president of Anniston Electric Company. Mrs. Kirby was a leading musician in the community and entertained guests in what

Rose Island

An 18.5-acre island in Narragansett Bay off Newport, Rhode Island, Rose Island allegedly received its name due to appearing like the shape of a rose at low tide. Fortifications were constructed during the American Revolution on island due to its strategic location at the entrance to Newport Harbor. British and colonial soldiers alike used the island to defend Newport. From 1798 to 1800, the U.S. government began constructing Fort Hamilton but never finished it. The U.S. Navy stored explosives during World Wars I and II as part of the Navy Torpedo Station on Rose Island. The government stopped using the land after World War II (except for the lighthouse) and declared it government surplus. Today, the only inhabitants of the Torpedo Station are three species of snakes, plus thousands of nesting birds that are protected by the State. The stone barracks from the fort still remain. Many of these buildings are in danger of collapsing and is considered unsafe for visitors to explore in o

GS Question of the Week

Why do you think gargoyles and grotesques are placed on Gothic cathedrals and buildings?

Angkor Wat Temple

From Angkor the Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. The temples of Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia were built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD, and represents one of humankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. More than 100 stone temples still stands today, and are the surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis. Angkor Wat was built by Suryavaram II, and honors the Hindu god Vishnu. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture. It is designed to represent Mount Meru , home of the devas in Hindu mythology. The temple is situated within a moat and an outer wall. 2.2 miles long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx (geometric pattern consisting of five coplanar

Colonial Inn

The history of the Colonial Inn extends three century. The original house was built in 1716 as a private residence for the Minot family in Concord, Massachusetts. Captain John Minot was a soldier and physician. It served an important purpose during the Revolutionary War. One of the inn's original buildings was used as a storehouse for arms and provisions in 1775. The British attempted to seize and destroy the town militia's supplies. However, the met the Minutemen on North Bridge on April 19th. This became the first battle in the Revolutionary War known as battle of Lexington and Concord. Owner Dr. Timothy Minot, also a physician tended to the wounded from the battle. In 1889, the Minot house along with two nineteenth-century buildings became an inn. Parts of the establishment were used as variety store and the town's center of commerce during the first half of the nineteenth century. It was also used as a residence. Henry David Thoreau and his family moved in to the in

GS Question of the Week

Ghost Hunters Trivia: Who was the tech specialist in Season 1?

Beast Legends

Take Josh Gates 5 or 6 minute case assessment, tack on a short film and you get Beast Legends. You would think a group of experts would use their time and knowledge to separate fact from fiction. However, in this little gem, they explore the legend. Put a more visual take on the legendary creatures and the stories behind them to give you an idea of what people oh so long ago may have seen and experience. They take all the evidence they collect from observing actual animals and conducting experiments and use them to digitally bring the legend alive in a 5-minute film. It doesn't matter the details of the legend were probably exaggerated by drunken sailors. It doesn't matter that giant, colossal squid octopi hybrids most likely don't exist and never did. We can spend an entire hour each week watching them put together horror shorts using legendary beasts. I'm still trying to figure out why I should care enough to waste an hour watching this every Thursday. If I want to se

Shippen Manor

Shippen Manor was built between 1760 to 1765 for Dr. William Shippen II and his brother Joseph Shippen II in Oxford, New Jersey. The Shippens family were a wealthy, prominent Philadelphia family. The Manor is Georgian style, constructed with two-foot thick stone walls, and three chimneys. The ground floor consisted of six rooms with two bed chambers and four garret rooms upstairs. Dr. Shippen was a self taught physician and a member of the Continental Congress who had the privilege of attending to Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, George Washington, and Generals Gage, Howe, and Lafayette. William’s son Joseph W. Shippen began managing the property in the early 1760s. He acquired the housekeeping services of Martha Axford. During her “housekeeping” time in the house, the two had seven children. However, no documentation has been found to provide proof of marriage between Joseph and Martha. He died in 1795 without a will. His father moved in the Manor to overseen furnace operations and

GS Question of the Week

In what year was the term "crop circle" inducted in to the Oxford Dictionary?

Bedtime Stories

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Bedtime Stories by: Chris Triplet ( Rose Dog Books ) contains four short stories of a supernatural nature. From ghosts to witches to demonic possession, the human spirit is challenged to overcome obstacles with faith and sacrifice. In “The Covered Bridge,” faith is pitted against an evil presence which must be exorcised by five brave souls. In “The Campfire,” two men come upon a site that defies the fabric of nature. In “The Witch,” a man is willing to sacrifice his soul to save his wife from a vengeful demon. In “The House of Echoes,” a woman and her three children stand together against the spirits that surround them. Based in Spain and Mexico, these accounts were handed down as ghost stories from mother to children to not only entertain but to share family history. To make it even more of a family affair, the author's sister Barbara Book provided the cover art. About the Author Chris Triplet was born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana. His father’s family emigrated from Ireland in

The Lyric Theater

Prior to the American Civil War, Tupelo, Mississippi was known as Gum Pond due to the numerous black gum trees in the area. It was later renamed in honor of the Battle of Tupelo. You may recognize the name thanks to a little singer named Elvis Presley who was born in East Tupelo in 1935. While several notable names can be linked to the city, there are just as many legends. Paranormal investigators believe much of the city is haunted. One particular location may have a 1930s tornado to thank for their alleged haunted status. Mr. R. F. Goodlett secured enough funds and The Comos was built in 1912. The Comos, as the Lyric Theater was originally named, was designed as a vaudeville theater and included space for several commercial offices. The Lyric remained a home for live productions until the 1930's, when it became a part of the M.A. Lightman Company (Malco) chain of movie houses, acquiring its now-familiar marquee and Art Deco appearance. A persistent rumor dictates Elvis’ firs