Sinister Forces - A Grimoire of American Political Witchcraft -Book III - The Manson Secret

Sinister Forces - A Grimoire of American Political Witchcraft -Book III - The Manson Secret
By William J. Gallagher

In my first review of Peter Levendas Sinister Forces series, I imagined Mr. Levendas appearance to be something like that of Bela Lugosi, with a goatee. This of course led me to a search, and the only picture I could find of Mr. Levenda on the internet was from a gathering of authors and publishers in Coconut Grove Florida, and he DOES look something like Bela Lugosi, though larger, and with glasses; and He DOES have a goatee! Or he did, at least, in the picture I am referring to. It was as if I had intuited something about this author, and though I found this revelation somewhat odd, I did not give it too much energy.

Not then, at least.

It was also during that first book that I found myself occasionally thinking in some cases that certain informations within seemed somehow…incomplete…only to find the information which explained these situations in the next book of the series, haunting me if you will, with not precognition, but answers to precognition…many times these answers contained EXACT wording and phrases as I had noted them in passing, or mentioned them in terms during my writing about the book! I stopped this critiquing during book III, and just satisfied myself that all was being made known. Truthfully, I was somewhat relieved that there are only three books in this series, if for no other reason than I do not know how much of this I could stand! It was more than coincidence. Much more. If you get the books, you will certainly see for yourself, and I do recommend them highly, however disconcerting some of the content may be.

Hard core readers are usually a little jaded, at least, and always looking for new experiences among the symbols. George Carlin once described our type as being Symbol Minded, and I guess thats as good a description as any. I assure you that the Sinister Forces books, by Peter Levenda, will assist you in your quest toward new, unique symbology, and most likely well beyond any expectations you may have.

Yes, many odd experiences and coincidences occurred during my reading of these 3 books by Peter Levenda. The only thing that came close was over ten years ago, after reading a book by Philip K. Dick, called Valis, and though I was astounded at that time by coincidences piled one upon another, that was nothing compared to the seemingly prescient ultra-sensitivity these books by Levenda created within my psyche. Many is the time during the reading of the series that I found myself in deep contemplation for many minutes, putting pictures together, from my past, and, perhaps, my future as well. I was becoming immersed in a flow that I had hitherto ill-perceived, and it is an instructional ride, oh yeahhhhhhh.

This is not too surprising really, considering that coincidence and its related institutions play a large part, perhaps even a Super-Conscious part, in this three book series which shows, among many other things, and in many startling and evocative ways, that there really is no such thing as coincidence, just a very intricate but meaningful weave and weft APPEARING to us as coincidence, but which is actual reality, and it is ALIVE. Boo.

Within this living thing are we, the id entitys, individual identities, and though infantile and dangerous for the most part, we influence the whole, as any part of any thing does. A vast majority of the time our influence in the All is en passant, without will or meaning. Even within this higgledy-piggledy massively ignorant state of existence which we physical beings inhabit, there are some who have taken it upon themselves to learn their place within the body of reality, and to thereby influence it, in what can only be called a conscious manner, however malign or evil some of these people may be.

Think — Instruments Of Torture — think Idolatry of instruments of torture. Sometimes the greatest evil is that which occurs all unbeknownst, disguised as goodness and love, within and by large groups of well meaning, but very ignorant people. That is my opinion at least, and it is based on long term observation, for what its worth. While delving into the books dealing with sinister forces I was rather astounded at certain of the revelations concerning the outwardly holy, who were, via scrutiny, revealed to be demons par excellence, whose god, if they have one, is nothing more than conflict, torture, hate and human suffering. We all know these people. Many are in government today. Many preach their ideology weekly, on TV, or in churches around the world.

In Book III of Sinister Forces a good case is made for positive influences, good people, to learn and develop control of our psychic lives in order to actually combat, or perhaps balance out the powers who would use reality to further their personal agendas, which seem comprised of what can only be called bad things. We must learn, and try hard, to overcome the employers of Sinister forces, or we are doomed to the world as it is right now, and is that not a sorry state, after all?

I think we should all learn to pray, instead of what the evil ones teach and do, and that is prey.

Also in my review of book one, I felt that Mr. Levenda must be, by nature, a very serious type of person, and though I found this to be fairly true throughout my further readings of this authors work, I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Peter Levenda possesses a wry and well developed wit, which is all the more powerful because of the subject matter at hand, and because of the artful way in which he purveys it. More than a few times I found myself laughing hard about something anomalous; anomalous in the sense it was dealing with death and destruction, but was described in such a way that humor was the inevitable result. There is no escape from these lovely surprises dear reader, and because these humorous incidents are timed perfectly and seemingly innocent, they can only be called comic relief of the highest sort. Several examples come quickly to mind, and I will not delve too deeply into this aspect of Mr. Levendas art, though his reference to Richard Nixon as one of histories great dirty jokes was one certainly memorable humor within.

Mr. Levendas coverage and interpretation of Quantum States as applied to human consciousness, and the body of reality, within which are we, the parts, was very valuable to me, and I am sure most readers will find this distillation by the author extremely agreeable, as opposed to the actual physics, which are daunting to say the least.

Mr. Levenda is intrigued by the work of two well known quantum physicists: Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff, whose work — Orchestrated Reduction of Quantum Coherence in Brain Microtubules: a Model For Consciousness, has been hailed as a new way to describe how thinking and perception really work, especially in relation to our view of reality. As one might expect, the US military has had great interest in all this, and employed these two scientists as consultants and representatives during a series of meetings sponsored by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). It is part and parcel of the militaries continuing though covert interest in remote viewing, psychic spying, and other spooooky types of behavior. Below are a few excerpts of the Penrose/Hameroff work from book III of the Sinister Forces Series:

…Another feature of quantum systems is quantum inseparability, or non-locality, which implies that all quantum objects which have ever interacted are in some sense still connected! When two quantum systems have interacted, their wave functions become phase entangled, so that when one systems wave function is collapsed, the other systems wave function, no matter how far away, instantly collapses as well. This non-local connection (Phase Entanglement), is independent of distance and implies that the quantum entities, by sharing a wave function, are indivisible… (Ansibel-ed.)

And another tidbit from Book III of the Sinister Forces Series:

…The problem is the transition….why and how do microscopic superposed states become classical and definite in the macro-world? This problem is called quantum state reduction, or collapse of the wave function, and it may be the key to both consciousness and reality…The wave function collapse is non-reversible in time, and it is the successive collapse of wave functions at the micro-tubule level that gives rise, in effect, to the passage of time (its seeming unidirectional nature: past-present-future) and thus to consciousness itself. This seems to solve the conundrum posed by Penrose in 1994 that the laws of physics are the same whether time flows forward or backward, and that the sensation of time going in one direction only is therefore a function of consciousness, since there are no physical laws to account for it…

The application of Quantum Mechanics to human reality is even more confusing considering it takes other sciences such as neurobiology, along with QM, to fully explain things we take for granted, like seeing, perceiving, memory, thought. It must be stated that there is no theory of physics that describes reality as well as the Quantum explanations, and though they are inexplicable to many, the multiverse is real, and you are a part of them! So lets get busy!

Overall, these three books in the Sinister Forces series deal with the United States Governments never-ending and no-holds-barred quest for mind control of its citizens, along with nazi involvement in that quest, and others, such as the catholic church, black magicians everywhere, and the intelligence apparat, as general as that term is. One begins to see, beyond doubt, after reading these books, that history can many times be considered a painting, where some brush strokes are bold and colorful, while others are muted and slight, though all a part of the whole, which in itself is a creation more than anything else. A contrivance.

The work of Mr. Peter Levenda is extremely well researched, and cannot be slighted in any way. There is no way that even the most informed reader on these subjects can come away empty handed from this literal smorgasbord of facts about the US governments continuing and frenzied involvement in the occult, the ramifications of this involvement to the citizens of the USA alongwith the world at large, as well as overall reality and our places in it. Do yourself a service, if you are inquisitive in the least: Get the three books of the Sinister Forces series by Peter Levenda, and see for yourself just where you are right now.

Published By:
TrineDay
Post Office Box 577
Walterville OR 97489
1-800-556-2012
 

” title=”mailto:publisher@TrineDay.com

Bill Gallagher, Hachita NM

www.autodidactics.com
http://www.myspace.com/luxefaire

Horror Book Review - Dean Koontz “The Darkest Evening of the Year”

Horror Book Review - Dean Koontz “The Darkest Evening of the Year” - Love it Or Hate It!
By Carlene Rae Dater

I picked up this book at the library mainly because it’s the story of a woman who helps to rescue Golden Retrievers. I personally became involved with Labrador rescue recently when my husband and I adopted a three-year-old Lab, so of course I had to read the book.

The story held my interest, but was hard to read in part because, unfortunately, too many dogs are abused in puppy mills and Koontz goes into detail about them and how they operate, yuck. At one point, when he talked about putting a dog to sleep, I wept. I’ve had to do it too often and it was a reminder that dogs do not live nearly long enough. There was also a long thread about the abuse of a disabled Down syndrome child which was stomach turning - very tough to read. Well, Koontz IS a horror writer.

I enjoyed Darkest Evening for the most part. The story was told from various view points, by apparently unrelated people. It was interesting to see how Koontz wove all the disparate threads together towards the finish of the book. However, the ending didn’t work for me - or for many people who reviewed the book on amazon.com. It almost seemed like Koontz got to a certain point, looked at his watch and said, “Boogers, I’ve got to wrap this up!”, and he did.

There’s a big element of woo-woo in this book, so be prepared. Nickie, the Golden Retriever, who shows up in the beginning of the book may or may not hold the spirit of a previous dog or person. I think the dogs were more complete, interesting characters than the people who seem to me like caricatures. Once again, the woman were all gorgeous and the men handsome, the minor characters witty and rich. Give me a break.

In spite of the dark element of this novel, there are some very funny, laugh-out-loud lines in the book. The humor is a nice counter-balance to all the horror. I loved reading about the Golden’s even though I’m a Labrador Retriever lover. I’ve lived with dogs long enough to know that they each have their own unique personalities and funny little quirks.

A lot of Koontz books are very long - partly I think because he just LOVES to describe! He’s good at it but often it’s just too much - it makes my teeth hurt. This book had lots of lush description, and frequently I got lost in it all and had to go back to see what was happening to the people! Unlike some of his longer tomes this one is a more normal length at 354 pages. All in all I guess I’d have to say I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it but I finished the book and that’s something I don’t always do!

Carlene Rae Dater has been a writer of both fiction and non-fiction for over 25 years and has been published in a variety of genres. Writing, reading and talking about mysteries is her passion. Please visit and leave comments on her mystery blog at: http://www.themysterystartshere.com Please also visit her published books at: http://www.silveradopublishing.com

Submission Guidlines

text must be in this format:

TITLE

AUTHOR

CONTENT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (this is where your links or emails go and a short bio of you or something that would let us get to know you)

also, you can submit by joining the site and making a post, it works
like a regular blog and then I just have to approve it. If it isn’t porn
or spam, I will approve it.

Spamming is considered to be multiple posts regarding the one website in order to attract traffic there for a personal gain. If you are a band you may post your band sites as much as you wish. We will accept links to sites that fit our guidelines, but this must not be abused. Please do not spam our shoutbox or comments one post is enough. We are able to ban users that are spamming to much!

Warez, etc
Linking to malicious programs, pornography,etc. will not be tolerated at all, post them and be banned! 

Copyright
No images, avatars, signatures which are under copyright should be used unless you make quite clear who the copyright belongs to and that you are allowed to use the image for social purposes.

Adult Content
Images of nudity, real or not may be used, but only if they are portrayed in a non sexual way. Examples of images not allowed are those specifically of Male and Female genetalia, or two people engaging in any form of sexual activity. I alone have the final say on whether an image breaks these rules!

Aggressive Behavior
Aggressive behavior towards members or staff will not be tolerated. Where a member is found to be bullying or threatening another member they will have their account locked and/or banned. Telling someone off is not considered aggressive behavior if the fucker in question starts it. Don’t be a fucker, the Faery king doesn’t like it.

If you are looking to get your CD/DVD reviewed or added to the radio blog send us disks of MP3 or CD audio, AVI, MPG, DIVX for video. We can convert many formats so you don’t have to worry. You can send us pictures or anything you want. We love getting flyers because we make a lot of flyers.

Darkfaery Subculture Magazine

517 NW 95th ST

Oklahoma City, OK 73114

Otherwise, we encourage you to have fun here and treat us like a friend. We don’t like snobs, people who think they are better than everyone else, or people who whine a lot. We value strength and intelligence on all levels.

WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE TERMS POSER OR WANNABE, PLEASE DON’T COME HERE AND ACT LIKE YOU ARE THE COOLEST PERSON EVER, BECAUSE I AM SURE EVERYONE GOES THROUGH A POSER/WANNABE FAZE SOMETIME IN LIFE. GET OVER YOURSELF. If you didn’t want to be something, you couldn’t be. So you are a wannabe too!

Thank you,

Duvy

my e-mail

Comic Books Value

Comic Books Value
By Robert Grazian

You might be sitting on a treasure chest without even knowing it. Almost everybody read comic when they were young, so you probably did, too. Some people have the foresight to keep those comics, and they are reaping the benefits now, because comic books value is always unpredictable, and the lucky ones find that they have ones which have extremely desirable comic books value.

There are many factors that decide a comic book’s value. Let us take a look at a few.

1. Condition: The condition the comic book is in is important. This is classified under a lot of headings, from mint, which is the best condition the comic book can possibly be, to poor. Realistically, you can expect most comic books to be anywhere from good to fine, with fine being a grade higher than very good. However, keep in mind that even if the rest of the comic is in great condition, if the cover is missing, the book’s value will come down considerably.

a. Is the cover still on the comic book, first, and if it is, is it on good condition? This is the single most important factor as far as the comic’s condition is concerned.

b. Are there any creases? The less noticeable creases there are, the higher your comic book will be priced.

c. Is the spine in good condition? This is another important consideration. You will start wishing you had never folded it back when you were reading it!

d. Are the staples rusted or discoloured? This is another important factor that decides how your comic book will be priced.

e. Are there any stains? Any kind of stain will lower the price of your comic.

f. Is anything torn, especially the corners? Or are they bent? If they are, obviously the value will go down.

g. Comic books value also depend on whether there are any pages missing. In short, you cannot expect much if the books are almost falling apart.

2. Rarity: As common sense dictates, the rarer the comic is, the higher its value will be. However, here, again, you have to have the cover of the comic to get a good price for it.

3. Popularity: The popularity of the comic in general is a question here. A rare edition of a Batman comic, for example, will fetch a much better price than a comic that is not that popular. Here, again, though, the way you market your comic books can make a lot of difference. There are plenty of collectors who specifically want out of the way comics, so you have to find these buyers if you want a good price for these comics.

If after reading that list, you think you might have something, get a professional to set the comic books value, and you will be all set.

Robert Grazian is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about comic books value visit Comic Book Collectibles for current articles and discussions.

Darkfaery Subculture Magazine @ Soonercon

Darkfaery Subculture Magazine @ Soonercon
 
Hey, Everyone! Well, it’s spring/summer 2008 and you know that means! Events, contests, and shows! 
  This year Darkfaery Subculture/Darkspace is pleased to announce we will attending Soonercon ‘08 in a professional fashion. That’s right! After being in the hospital for most of last year I am back to work on hundreds of new projects and attending events is number one on my list. (Doing some of my own shows is second!)
If you are attending Soonercon, please come over to us and give a shout, it’s been a year or two since we were out with video and I have missed you guys. VNV Nation doesn’t really count since I was still sick and couldn’t socialize.
   We’ll be taking photos and video so you guys who are always asking when we’ll be updating our gallery with fan photos and event photos now is your chance to get in them. There will be lots of events to choose from at Soonercon so if you are trying to nail us down look for us in costume at Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Masquerade Ball, Sinnercon Dance, and probably most of the kinky events, like the kinky meet-and-greet, complete with a performance by Wicked Harem Belly Dance from Tulsa. Plans include a workshop series on the ethics and etiquette of convention (not conventional) sex, frank discussions of alternative life/lovestyles, and erotic art how-to’s. Z wanted me to remind you we can be found at the gaming tables too.
If you can’t attend, don’t worry, I’ll post info on how you can watch our videos on cable, MySpace, and YouTube. If you do come out, don’t be afraid of the camera, it won’t be afraid of you!
About DFSM/Darkspace
http://www.darkfaery-subculture.com/
http://www.dfsm.org/

About Soonercon
http://www.soonercon.info/

SoonerCon is a fan run multi-genre convention held annually in Oklahoma City.

If you’ve been around the Oklahoma City area for a while, the name may sound familiar. Here’s why. There used to be a club in Oklahoma City called STAR OKC. Like most fans, they wanted a convention. After putting on a few one-shot types in the late 1970s and early 1980s, these folks, mostly high-school age through just out of college youngsters, decided to get organized, work hard to raise some money, and try to get something started. SoonerCon 1 happened twenty one years ago, in June of 1986. The con was begun and ramrodded by the Chair of SoonerCon 1, Mike Hodge. What he and many other helpers achieved lasted through SoonerCon 13 in 1997. Lots of artist and writer guests, from Tim Powers and Gene Wolfe to Brad Foster and Robin Bailey, were welcomed to Oklahoma City. During those years SoonerCon had hundreds of staff and helpers, and up until the last few years SoonerCon was “owned” by STAR OKC.

With SoonerCon’s exclusive emphasis on traditional SF/fantasy books and art, making it a “lit con,” a move arose as well for a local charity “media con” emphasizing genre TV/film, comics, gaming and pop culture actors, designers, and other guests–especially from Star Trek. Thus was born ThunderCon, which debuted in June 2001, balancing SoonerCon’s November setting, and lasted through seven annual editions and often with staff and helpers working both. The new con operated with a non-profit board and involved all the local fan clubs interested, from Dr. Who, Babylon 5 and Trek’s Starfleet chapters to gaming, modelbuilding, real space and even Dark Shadows! With “BoomerCon” judged a little too cute for a sister event, this project was named in honor of both Oklahoma’s spring weather, its Indian heritage and the state’s heroic 45th Infantry Division, the Thunderbirds—and so ThunderCon was born, its logo even adapted from the 45th’s patch. ThunderCon was created and first run by another member of STAR OKC named Larry Nemecek, who with his wife Janet later moved to Hollywood to work on STAR TREK for Paramount. Yea, fanboys! A few other conventions have also taken place in the OKC area, but haven’t “taken root” for more than a year.

Participants in the 2008 SoonerCon Art Show Include:

Tom Kidd - http://spellcaster.com/tomkidd - SoonerCon 2008 Artist Guest of Honor!
David Lee Anderson - http://www.davidleeanderson.com
Peri Charlifu
Brad Foster - http://www.jabberwockygraphix.com
Ashen Gray - http://www.ashengray.com
Denise Hill
Rocky Kelley - http://www.rockykelley.com
Michael Sheyahshe - http://www.alternativemedia.biz
Terry Southard
Allison Stein - http://www.allisonstein.com
Bob Trobaugh
Evan Wardwell
Tim Chessmore
Cat Conrad - http://artistsinresidence.com/cat
Jan Sherrill Gephardt
W. J. Hodgson - http://www.wjhodgson.com
Dirk Hooper - http://www.dirkhooper.com
Kevin Hopkins
Marla Satterfield
Tony Trammell - http://www.dreamshipart.com
Alain Viesca - http://www.AlainVArts.com

Also Attending

Bill Allen
David Lee Anderson
Gary Babb
Julie Barrett
M. H. Bonham
Peter Bradley
James K. Burk
ShIrron Butterfly
Rachel Caine
Kimber Chessmore
Tim Chessmore
Deborah Chester
Casey Christofferson
R. Cat Conrad
Sherri Dean
Linda Donahue
Rhonda Eudaly
Randy Farran
Melanie Miller Fletcher
Brad Foster
Jan Sherrill Gephardt
Count Gregore
Bennie Grezlik
Beverly A. Hale
W.J. Hodgson
James Hollaman
Brian A. Hopkins
Kevin Hopkins
K. Hutson-Price
Gary Jonas
Rocky Kelley
Julie Kenner
Katherine Eliska Kimbriel
William Ledbetter
Julia Mandala
Mel Odom
Gloria Oliver
Cary Osborne
Jeff Provine
Oscar Ray
Marla Satterfield
Susan Satterfield
Michael Sheyahshe
Wm. Mark Simmons
Brad Sinor
Sue Sinor
Allison Stein
David Thayer aka Teddy Harvia
Tony Trammell
Steven Wedel
Martha Wells
Craig Wolf
Mario Wytch
Dr. Fear aka Brian Young
 

Science Fiction Books - Full Of Imagination And Gizmos!<

Science Fiction Books - Full Of Imagination And Gizmos!
By Scotie Keithlow

Out of all the genres of books that have been written, science fiction seems to be one that is a class apart. The feeling towards the genre is either one of fanatic following or extreme hatred. Those who have a natural penchant for unearthly objects and unsolved mysteries tend to get addicted at a relatively young age, which could be as young as 7 to 8 years. To appease the curiosity and desire to read more of such books, there are science fiction clubs that are formed where infatuated kids or teens exchange books and videos of their favorite science fiction books and movies.

One of the first science fiction books that one can remember today are “The Time Machine” and “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” by H. G. Wells. Today these favorites have been replaced with modern classical space operas like Robert A. Heinlein’s “Citizen of the Galaxy and Orson Scott Card’s “Ender’s Game.” This kind of science fiction has a certain epic scope to the story. They contain galaxies fighting each other for power, phenomenal depictions of aliens, a twisted concept of time and many more.

Other than the space opera’s there are also those that base the stories on speculative fiction. They review current society and try to excogitate what the society will be like a hundred years from now by crystal ball gazing.

Given the growing popularity of these books every year sees a slew of new series and collections. If you are mesmerized by the concept of science fiction but have never tried reading one, then start with a small book. Skim through it before purchasing to determine whether it has a writing style that you like. The ones that are easy to read will prove to be more interesting since you are not likely to get too caught up with jargon that is incomprehensible.

If science books interest you then fantasy may be another genre that you might want to try since both these genres have a similarity between them. If has been seen that if one genre invokes you, the other will too. One major difference is that fantasy books tend to be set in the medieval times and often deal with magicians and sorcerers while science books tend to more about technology, gizmos, aliens and are set in a futuristic time zone.

To find more information on the world of science fiction books visit http://advice-books.com

Fairy Tale Appeal

Fairy Tale Appeal
By Mary Jensen

As a child, I loved the Gem Classics Library of Fairy Tales. These were multiple books containing collections of the classic fairy tales - Emerald Fairy Tales, Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond, etc. I fell in love with fairy tales, and continue to enjoy them today. Why are so many people drawn to these stories, all around the world?

Fairy tales appeal to our very basic human needs. In Snow White we have a queen that epitomizes vanity and jealousy. Snow White is beauty. We can relate because even the best of us have felt these emotions, dealt with the insecurities of a world obsessed by beauty. These stories allow us to confront these fears and emotions. We see the dangers of being consumed with jealousy. The queen destroys herself in her efforts to destroy Snow White.

And the endings feel good, they leave us with a sense of rightness. We want to believe that good values will conquer over bad. At the same time, it appeals to our carnal nature. The villains don’t just disappear, or go to jail. The queen in Snow White is punished by wearing hot iron shoes. Versions of Rumpelstiltskin end in his stomping into the floor and tearing himself in two.

All around the world, people have been telling stories with the same themes. For example, almost every culture has a Cinderella story. What changed over time is the values and message of the tales. Victorian tales dealt with the wish fulfillment of good things come to those who wait, and had very passive heroines. Modern retellings generally have stronger, more active heroines, to reflect the independence of modern women.

Not only am I a fan of the traditional tales, I also seek out retellings. Robin McKinley and Donna Jo Napoli write wonderful young adult versions (though enjoyable for more than youth). For a fantasy targeted to adults, try Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters Trilogy. The first book, “Daughter of the Forest” is based on the tale of The Six Swans.

Since I can never get enough of fairy tales, I’ve even written a couple of my own, one based on Sleeping Beauty, and one on Snow White. If writing your own, you can change everything but the bare bones - the basic structure or theme. Change the motivations, the protagonist, the setting, whatever else you want. It will work as long as your characters are believable.

If you stray so far from the original fairy tale that it’s no longer recognizable, you may lose the ability to label it a fairy tale, but don’t let that stop you if you have a different story to tell. Does it matter the roots as long as it entertains?

Mary W. Jensen is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/
which is a site for Creative Writing She is an editor for the Writing.com Fantasy newsletter, and the cofounder of an offline writing group. Mary is working on a fantasy novel, Emergence of the Fey

Fear Of Death And Darkness Phobia

Fear Of Death And Darkness Phobia
By Steve Hill

Fear of the dark also known as Nyctophobia is common among young children who often fear that something catastrophic may happen to them in the night. In the darkness, we can’t see very well, and for a young child, particularly one with a healthy imagination, this can be very frightening. A pervading sense can build that something sinister is just out of sight and arm’s reach waiting for its moment to strike.

As a young child, I used to suffer from this phobia, as a result of which my mother used to leave the landing light on for me to provide a calming relief from the darkness. My parents also used to ask me questions to make me elaborate on my fears. By doing this, they showed concern and sympathy, while at the same time making it very clear that they were not afraid. In this way, parents can be of great use to their children.

The fear lessened as I grew older, then went away altogether. Most children as they grow up and the world around them becomes more logical and less fantastic, come to realise that they are quite safe in the darkness and their fears were irrational.

Some adults can suffer from this fear – particularly those who suffer from nightmares or have traumatic memories. Although gradual exposure to darkness can be helpful to nyctophobics, the management of nightmares and bad memories is liable to require specialist help.

Fear of death or Thantophobia is quite a natural phenomenon. None of us know what will happen to us after we die. But to be morbidly afraid of death is unhealthy and detrimental to our lives.

If one fears death excessively, it can prevent them from being able to enjoy life. Often associated with hypochondria, morbid death fear can cause unnecessary worry and anxiety and can prevent the sufferer from being able to live life to the full.

To a point the fear of death diminishes when we see it in its natural context – a dying person surrounded by loving friends and family. However most of our images of death in the modern world have been distorted by our culture’s preoccupation with unnatural violent death: daily news stories of shootings, abductions and suicide bombings. Brutally violent movies and computer games. Also scare mongering news stories regarding types of food once perceived to be healthy, but now putting you at death’s door.

All this negative focus leads to unhealthy consequences. An exaggerated fear of dying and phobias of growing old leads to a reluctance to make a will or make any plans for those we love whom we know will outlive us and a general ignorance of normal end of life options.

Steve Hill talks about fear of death and darkness phobia. Learn how to live without fear or anxiety. Read more informative fear, anxiety and phobia articles and information at: fears phobias information, phobias cure.
Steve also has a website at: stuttering information

The Gothic Romance

The Gothic Romance

Since the days of Count Dracula and Uldolpho, we have courted with the crimson lips, ghostly skin and dark velvets of the Gothic wardrobe. And in Autumn/Winter we’re set to have the most passionate romance yet with that tall dark stranger of fashion.

By Lauren Claire Mulvee.

Peep behind the red vale and you will see a room rippling in dark beauty. There will be widows, weeping in black wedding dresses and tulle veils. There will be sylph-like virgins, trembling in billowing night dresses. There will be sucubuses encased in emerald corsets, sipping blood from crystal flutes. The room will be strewn in spectral mists and rotting rose petals, lit gently by dripping candles. Welcome to the secret, bejewelled vault of fashion: backstage at the Autumn/Winter fashion shows, 2005, Paris.

Well that’s how I like to imagine the dressing rooms anyway. Unfortnately I wasn’t there. Obviously, my Victor and Rolf invitation- those decorated with looping italics and given to all the people that matter-got lost in the post. However I can still assure you that along the Parisian catwalks the ghost of gothic glamour is back, with crackled cameos, frayed ribbon bows and dark gems in tow.

Of course this is not the first time that the vogue pack have embraced what is, in sartorial terms, fashion’s creepy sister. Back in the 1980s, through the throngs of bat wing dresses and lillac leisure-wear, The New Romantics entwined romantic lace ( see Princess Diana’s wedding dress) lavish chiffons, cascading silks and runched fabrics into the mix. All were redolent of the chaste heroine’s attire. After Vivienne Westwood dressed Adam Ant in breaches, an army jacket and ruffled shirt, Soho’s New Romantic Clubs, St. Moritz and Blitz were heaving with handsome rakes, mis-matching Regency debonair with ragged pirate shirts and smudged make-up.

Only 4 years ago, with the help of Baz Lurman’s film, Moulin Rouge, gothic glamour, once more, glimered from clothes rails the country over. Make-up was gaudy ( daubed cheeks and rouged lips). And the staple evening garment- the silk bodice, dripping in loops of pearls, dark crystals in flower patterns and peacock feathers- was clearly unearthed from the the darkest and most gothic Burlesque shows of Victorian Soho.

Originally, however, the term Gothic had nothing to do with fashion. It was an architectural adjective, coined to describe a type of Renaissance Cathederal design ( think carved gargoyles, majestic dagger pinions and shadowy arch-ways). Its sense was firmly pejorative: critics viewed Gothic designs as the barbrous sacrilege of classical architecture. Likewise in the realm of fashion, the Gothic influence was thought to have a crude and deforming effect on the classical lines of the Victorian gown. In 1811, seamstresses incorporated Elizabethan sartorial details in their dresses, such as broader shoulder lines, polanaise bustles and curaisse bodices ( those that dip to the groin) This formed a style of dress that was looser and more comfortable, but at the same time oozed flamboyance and curved the body in a voluptuous, sensual way.

Clearly only very tenous connections can be made between this definition of Gothic and its current senses:firstly, post-rock, preoccupied with death and secondly, teenagers with a penchant for seething nu-metal. The black lipstick and pallid skin of today’s Goths certainly thread and make links with the contents of the Victorian gothic novel: corpses and coffins. However this season’s take on the Gothic has nothing to do wih Marilyn Manson and ghoulish face-paint. It eschews the obvious and gaudy, for the more elegant and haunting elements of gothic design, inspired by the novels of Shelly, Radcliff and Stoker. These elements can be spotted in a number of personalities, particularly musicians, already. Consider the dapper garments sported by Hot Hot Heat in their new video, Maximo Park’s singer, Paul Smith, The Dresden Dolls and Rufus Wainwright.

At this season’s shows Nicole Fahri, Lagerfield Gallery and Louis Vitton set the austere lines for Autumn, with black mourning gowns and starched ruffles. Burberry dealt with shoes, choosing to show round toe lace-ups in dusty reds, blues and purples. Very White Chapel whore. Victor and Rolf made their influences clear. In a decrepid Parisian theatre, models with crimson-stained lips sleep-walked, wearing pillow head-dresses. Presumably to enhance the succulence of their young necks. Comme des Garcons, Rochas and Chole’s models fluttered like nubile ghosts in etheral night dresses and floating veils. Jewel and exotic fruit hues, as well as peaches and dusky pinks formed a colour spectrum that will certainly help liven up grey autumn skin. The puffed sleeve shirts on show will also be very slimming and should go particularly well with denim mini-skirts and lace-up boots. However the high neck-lines that prevailed in all the collections may be a problem for those larger than a 34 A. Square necklines may be more flattering for the curvaceous figure. They go really well with 1950s prom-skirts too. For men everywhere, it was tuxedos, capes and Dorian Gray-style silk dressing gowns. Always accesorised with Byronic simmering, of course. Mix with Phillip Larkin glasses and jeans for a contemporary edge.

The Gothic style- from its roots in Renaissance architecture, through to Victorian couture and the New Romantics period-crossing- has always had a strange and dark majesty to it. However, as the designs on show in Paris prove, it also has an opulence and romance that glitters and thrills, timelessly, through the gloom.

Green Day: Punk Rock Masters Taming Mainstream Radio Their Way

Green Day: Punk Rock Masters Taming Mainstream Radio Their Way
by: Dakota Caudilla

Before they got together as Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool were merely three extraordinary hopefuls hoping and looking for their big break. The trio has no formal training and got their ‘practice’ from playing for free at punk clubs on Gilman Street in Berkeley, California. Out on the streets is where the 3 talented individuals got their big break – they turned from punk rock’s most unlikely success story to a remarkable band with a series of chart-topping hits. Together, they sold more than 10 million albums and won a Grammy Award in the process. It’s been a long journey for the trio who started out singing out in the streets.

Both Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt were born in Rodeo, California in 1972 and have been fabulous childhood friends since the age of 10. At the age of 14, they carefully put together their first band, Sweet Children.

They recorded their first EP as Green Day, 1,000 hours, in 2 days flat and in the meantime, Dirnt graduated and Armstrong dropped out of high school. A local indie label “Lookout!” released Green Day’s debut album – at this time, Green Day recorded the album with their first drummer, Al Sobrante. Al Sobrante soon quit the band. Dirnt and Armstrong found a friend in Tre Cool (Frank Edwin Wright III) who as been a drummer with “Lookout!” since the age of 12. Together, Armstrong, Dirnt and Cool released the group’s second album, Kerplunk.

Green Day didn’t burst into the entertainment scene without followers and fans. That’s because Green Day, before the release of their albums, EARNED their following by driving their renovated bookmobile from coast to coast, crashing in their friends’ places and organizing mini-concerts for their fans. When they reprised their debut, Dookie, Green Day already have a throng of fans and followers. To say the very least, Green Day made immaturity and malcontent cool all over again. Their songs on picking scabs, pyromania….won the hearts of followers and fans who can tune in to the content and felt the pain and stress in the songs. The re-release of ‘Dookie’ took the world by storm because they sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. alone and they won a Grammy in 1994 for “Best Alternative Music Performance”.

Green Day proves to critics that they are here to stay and refuse to be a one-hit (or even one-album wonders). With their next album, Insomniac, and in their latest album, Nimrod, they stayed steadfast to the punk philosophy. They maintain that being naughty is sometimes nice – even when you’re married and have kids.

What makes the songs from Green Day so wildly popular is the fact it’s easy for anyone to identify with the lyrics. They reintroduced anger and exuberance in a very offbeat and un-rhythmic sort of way. They have, what people will call, the finger-in-your-face attitudes. The sort of staying power Green Day has shown through their songs, it’s not hard to imagine why we say that Green Day won’t be making its way out of the scene any day soon – not today, not Green Day.

About The Author

By Dakota Caudilla. Journalist, and web site builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.all-green-day.info on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.