The history of New Year’s Eve in Times Square

The New Year’s Eve event began in 1904. That was the year the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue was renamed Times Square, after The New York Times built a new headquarters there. It had previously been called Long Acre Square.

To celebrate the official opening of the One Times Square building, newspaper owner Adolph Ochs decided to throw a big New Year’s Eve party.

For the first three years, Ochs shot fireworks off the top of the building to signal the new year. But in 1907, the city banned fireworks.

That’s when the ball drop came in. Inspiration was drawn from the “time balls” first used in the early the 1800s to help ship captains tell time and precisely set their navigation tools while out at sea.

The New Year’s Eve ball has been dropped every year since 1907 — with the exception of 1942 and 1943, because of World War II’s “dimout” restrictions. Crowds instead held a moment of silence to honor the new year.

The first ball weighed 700 pounds and featured 100 light bulbs. The current one, which is permanently housed on top of the One Times Square building, weighs 17 times as much and features roughly 32,000 LEDs.

The building that started Times Square’s New Year’s Eve celebration now stands mostly empty — except for a Walgreens.

2016′s end for Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest just got stuck in the elevator while going up to the Times Square ball in New York City ahead of hosting “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on Saturday night. The 42-year-old took to his social media accounts to share a couple videos while stuck in the elevator, noting he was missing his appearance on Good Morning America because of the incident.

Seacrest out.

2016 out.

GREAT READ! Tips from Spain’s centenarians on how to live to 100

GREAT READ! Tips from Spain’s centenarians on how to live to 100:

I JUST LOVE THIS ARTICLE!

Most of the men and women Comas interviewed showed a zest for life and an interest in pastimes from amateur dramatics to playing the piano. Many also continued to carry out daily duties from farm work to caring for a disabled child.

Pedro Rodriguez, 106, plays the piano every day in the living room of his flat in Asturias, northern Spain, where he lives with his wife who is nearly 20 years younger than him. Their daughters visit them often.

“The nuns taught me how to play the piano as a child,” he said after giving a rendition of a Spanish waltz.

The majority of these elderly people were surrounded by family or had loved ones calling in on them daily showing how Spain continues to be a closely-knit society, where family ties are paramount.

It showcases that maybe things we value in the Western world aren’t really of much value at all.

When considering your New Years resolutions, give consideration to the story linked here.. think it through. Picture yourself at 100 and wonder, what would matter to you most then? ….social media following? Vacant friendships..? Or maybe a zest for something that actually is important in life.. 

Maybe playing the piano in your living room every day when you’re 106 is really what matters the most of all..

US electric company finds alleged Russian malware on computer

US electric company finds alleged Russian malware on computer:

(CNN)A Vermont electric company said Friday it had found on a company laptop the same kind of malicious software that US authorities believe was used by Russian hackers in an attempt to influence November’s election.

Burlington Electric said it found the code after utility companies nationwide were sent an alert by the Department of Homeland Security.

The music of a dying year..The Groove Armada.. and the hands of...

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBivByC25iQ?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=400&h=300]

The music of a dying year..

The Groove Armada.. and the hands of time.
Goodbye 16.. 17 is here. 
Be kind. Don’t rewind.

A theory: Rhonda Rousey will be retired into obscurity by Amanda...

A theory: Rhonda Rousey will be retired into obscurity by Amanda Nunes on big return..

She did lose. But retired into obscurity? Time will tell if that occurs.

This was also the fighter, don’t forget, who President-Elect Trump gleefully expressed joy about when she lost the last time..

From the Pottsville REPUBLICAN HERALD.. Marrones has been a...

From the Pottsville REPUBLICAN HERALD.. Marrones has been a staple in my local coal region for decades.. Very important events have occurred there for families for years.. It has been the place for half price pasta on Mondays and endless memories for those who were there at any point.

It has been an important place. A well-known place..

.. It is now closing after 83 years in existence..

The best time of the end of the year begins!!The Twilight Zone...

The best time of the end of the year begins!!

The Twilight Zone marathon will be serving up frights continuously from Dec. 31-Jan. 2…. SYFY channel in case you’re interested.

And yes, I know about ‘on demand’ and Netflix and boxed sets on BluRay. But there is just something special about watching something on TV, knowing others across the nation are watching the same exact thing as you at the same exact time.. something very communal about it..

And I just love the fact it’s the Twilight Zone..

Find your favorite episode in the list .. and enjoy..

Strange things Pennsylvania drops on New Years

Mushroom in Kennett Square
The “Mushroom Capital of the World” celebrates by dropping a 700 pound stainless steel mushroom. The event will have food and entertainment as well.
Button in Carlisle
A 50 pound aluminum-framed button, accented with LED lights will dropped at midnight. Visitors and residents are encouraged to design the button, and over 140 children entered the contest last year.
The First Night Carlisle celebration starts at 5 p.m. and includes musical performances, art exhibits and fireworks.

Wrench in Mechanicsburg
The tradition honors the borough’s founders who were mechanics who repaired and crafted wagons in the early 19th century.
The celebration starts at 9 p.m.
Hershey’s Kiss in Hershey
The “Sweetest Place on Earth” celebrates by dropping a Hershey’s Kiss at midnight.
The event starts at 9 p.m. and ends with fireworks.
Strawberry in Harrisburg
A giant, lit strawberry descends in the state Capital.
There is live entertainment, dancing, children’s events and fireworks during the event.

Red Rose in Lancaster
A symbol of the War of the Roses between Lancaster and York, the celebration takes place at Binns Park.
There are performances throughout the evening and fireworks to cap the night.

White Rose in York
The rose will descend in Continental Square. There is also a children’s celebration from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Bologna in Lebanon
A 16-foot Lebanon Bologna descends from the sky at midnight.
Marshmallow Peep in Bethlehem
A giant lit replica of the Marshallow Peep will drop at midnight. There will also be art and music in the evening.
Sled in Duncannon
A ten foot sled, modeled after the Lightning Guider sled manufactured at the Standard Sled Facorty from 1904 to 1990, is dropped.
The celebration starts at 10 p.m. and is concluded with a fireworks display.

Yuengling Beer Bottle in Pottsville
The home of the oldest brewery in American raises a Yuengling beer bottle to the top of a flagpole for their celebration.

Beaver in Beavertown
A life-size Bucky the beaver is hoisted to the top of a 75-foot ladder and slowly lowered to the ground.

Kettle in McClure
A cast iron kettle will be lowered at midnight in honor of the McClure Bean Soup Festival. There will also be food, dancing and kids activities.
Pickle in Dillsburg
A pickle will descend into a barrel and then fireworks will end the celebration.

Breeches in Lower Allen Township
Lower Allen Township will be “lowering the breeches” at midnight.
The celebration begins at 8 p.m. with food and music. There will also be a smaller pair of breeches for children to lower.

Anchor in Shippensburg
“Drop the Anchor” is held at the center of town. The celebration will start at 8 p.m. with carriage rides, entertainment and party favors.

Rockville Bridge in Marysville
A replica of the Rockville Bridge made by Cub Scout Pack 56 will be dropped.
Huckleberry in New Bloomfield
A huckleberry will be dropped from the Courthouse clock tower at midnight.
The celebration starts at 10 p.m. with food and entertainment.

Hard Hat in Newport
The hat, which is about three feet by six feet, is dropped from the top of Turnbaugh’s Place.
Pac-Man in Hanover
The TimeLine Arcade lowers an eight-foot, lit Pac-Man at the top of the building.
The celebration begins at 6 p.m.

Raising of the Cigar in Red Lion
A lion holding a cigar is raised in the town square, honoring the once booming cigar industry of the town.

Recycled Ball in Pittsburgh
The city of Pittsburgh drops a 1,000 pound, illuminated orb made of recycled materials at midnight. The ball symbolizes Pittsburgh’s efforts to be a “green” city, according to the Pa Department of Community and Economic Development.
The celebration starts at 6 p.m., with a parade at 8 p.m., performances throughout the evening and a fireworks show to cap the night.

Coal in Shamokin
A Styrofoam lump of coal will be dropped at midnight.
Lightbulb in Sunbury
From the top of the Edison Hotel a lit outline of a light-bulb is dropped at midnight. The hotel was wired by Thomas Edison in 1883 to demonstrate his invention.
Shoe in Akron
A large shoe is dropped at midnight.
Haydn’s Jug in East Petersburg
The celebration starts at 10 p.m.

After 34 years on the news station, WNEP, Tom Clark is leaving...

After 34 years on the news station, WNEP, Tom Clark is leaving ..

That means, minus a year of my life, I have relied in some part on Tom Clark to tell me if I would be missing school, or work, for about my entire life..

He has had some famous bombs.. like the mis-guided Blizzard of 93 and 96 prediction.. he has also been somewhat lampooned in local media for a few decades.

But he has been there.. strange hats and coats.. and giant umbrellas..

And just about anyone in Northeastern Pennsylvania who longed for days off of school during the winter time knew the exact time during each news hour that Tom Clark would do the weather.

Hope his retirement treats him well.

Debbie Reynolds' son says his mother and sister, actress Carrie Fisher, will have a joint funeral and will be buried together.

…and that brief sad headline is another reason 2016 may as well just end quickly..

A lot of people think 2016 was a real life horror movie,and that...

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z04M6NhkIKk?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=400&h=225]

A lot of people think 2016 was a real life horror movie,

and that is why this parody trailer called 2016 THE MOVIE is so intuitive.. Genius! Funny..

Good show.

Bye 16.

From WNEP-TV - In the final week of 2016, Newswatch 16 gathered for your enjoyment.

From WNEP-TV - In the final week of 2016, Newswatch 16 gathered for your enjoyment.:

From the local-sphere..

In the final week of 2016, Newswatch 16 gathered some of the best Talkback calls of the year.
Here is the final part of our Talkback Look Back.

I think my favorite comment on the Facebook post linked: 

Can I buy a box set of talkback 16 CDs to listen to on the road?

I would do the same thing, my friends.. the same thing.

Northeast PA at its……finest…?

Movies aren't dead after all! The actors are! Actors seek posthumous protections after big-screen resurrections

Movies aren't dead after all! The actors are! Actors seek posthumous protections after big-screen resurrections:

From Reuters:

Filmmakers are tapping advances in digital technology to resurrect characters after a performer dies, most notably in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” The film, in theaters now, features the return of Grand Moff Tarkin, originally played by a long-dead actor.

The trend has sent Hollywood actors in the here-and-now scrambling to exert control over how their characters and images are portrayed in the hereafter.

“Celebrities are increasingly involved in making plans to protect their intellectual property rights,” said Mark Roesler, an attorney and chairman of CMG Worldwide, an agency representing celebrity estates. “They understand that their legacy will continue beyond their lifetime.”

This is going to be the newest trend in movies.. Expect old stars to come back. Be kind.. rewind.. go back.. the past is coming to the future.

I will say this: Grand Moff Tarkin, live in living color on the big screen, was as creepy as could be. The digital enhancement was evident.. But somehow it was flawless. The final scene with Carrie Fisher–may God rest her beautiful soul–was equally clumsy as much as it was breathtaking to see.. 

We are in the beginning of a new age of digital amazement.. The most amazing part may be the fact that stars we loved during their prime will be suddenly in their prime again.

But … is it creepy/ Is it weird? 

I sort of think so.
However, it’s all eventual. 
In a few movies and TV shows it will be as normal as a robot taking your manufacturing job.

Welcome to the future.
Sit back and grab the popcorn. 

RIP

RIP

Debbie Reynolds, star and Carrie Fisher’s mother, joins...

Debbie Reynolds, star and Carrie Fisher’s mother, joins her in heaven.. dead after a stroke..

Sources say she wanted to join her daughter..

And she did tonight…

2016 continues to cut people down..

From Elite Strategies: Crafting an SEO Friendly 404 Page

From Elite Strategies:  Crafting an SEO Friendly 404 Page:

I always think humor goes a far way .. unless you’re a page that needs to maintain a serious tone. I liked this post, however.. People completely dismiss the importance of a 404 page..

This is an abandoned funeral time in the rural south taken by...

This is an abandoned funeral time in the rural south taken by photographer extraordinaire Seph Lawless..

Give his social media accounts a look-see.. amazing work is offered up regularly..

Over two dozen earthquakes hit near Lake Tahoe within four hours

Over two dozen earthquakes hit near Lake Tahoe within four hours:

Over two dozen quakes have been reported to hit the California-Nevada frontier Wednesday morning, with tremors being felt as far as Sacramento, San Francisco, and Las Vegas.

On Tuesday afternoon, Trump Tower in New York City was evacuated after a suspicious, unattended package was discovered in the lobby. However, once police arrived on the scene, it was determined the bag, described as a yellow backpack, was filled with children's toys.

On Tuesday afternoon, Trump Tower in New York City was evacuated after a suspicious, unattended package was discovered in the lobby. However, once police arrived on the scene, it was determined the bag, described as a yellow backpack, was filled with children's toys.

My predictions for 2017!

Let my prognostication be recorded for the year. Wish me luck. And the world.

 x x x 

I went back to my predictions for both 2015 and 2016..

From the 15 set, something interesting was written

The campaign for the White House 2016 will become very annoying. Straw polls, debates.. early PR disasters. Jeb Bush . Hillary Clinton .. we will be dreading 2016. Maybe though a dark horse will emerge and, even more importantly, perhaps third party candidates will start becoming more acceptable to Americans

And from the 2016 set:

Donald Trump will be the nominee for Republicans. He will choose Marco Rubio. Hillary will be for the Dems.. her choice as a running mate: Charlie Crist

I was right about 15.. a dark horse emerged. And I was right that Trump would be the nominee……but the VP choices were WAY off..  After all, Trump had bigger hands than little Marco and Crist ..well…would have been a better choice for Hill than Kaine.

How else did I do with my 2016 predictions?
Some below with commentary after.

1. Donald Trump will be the nominee for Republicans. He will choose Marco Rubio. Hillary will be for the Dems.. her choice as a running mate: Charlie Crist. Already addressed that one.


2. Terrorism will be the top story by the end of 2016. As will the fear it generates. It is. The latest truck attack in Germany solidified that.. The listing of churches that could be attacked in Christmas in America equally spread fear.


3. There will be a medical development with cancer that will give hope to millions who are afflicted. While not receiving much reporting, this is interesting..


4. There will be a bigger emphasis on open-source artificial intelligence. It will be ‘power to the people,’ with the dawn of the drones. Get ready. They are coming.  Nothing at all incorrect about this prediction. 


5. GMO-free food will gain in popularity. But there will be increasingly and creative ways to mask GMO from consumers. It’s the year you’ll be deceived even more by fancy packages. Be smart and buy after research.  Very very true.. This is happening more and more by the year. I think it will continue as well–for the better of all society. At least those who research ..


6. There will be less tech addiction in 2016. People have had enough. Phone free Sundays may turn into phone free weeks. People may give up on Facebook, except for the emergency chats.. I think I was overall wrong on this. But I think by the end of the year I ended up being slightly right. After all, we get TIRED and SICK of constant election news. It turned us from being on Facebook.. we took some time off. 


7. Health–real health–will be en vogue in 2016. Not fad diets or fraud get thin quick schemes. But real long term health. This is the beginning of a new age of fitting in jeans and having a healthy heart. ….not ready to claim victory on this, Though we are finding better sources of food we are certainly not showing a loss of weight. The jury is still out on this.


8. The Olympics will not be without incident. Massive rains–flooding rains actually–may hit just in time in Brazil.  Not sure how I got this one on the head, but my long term weather guidance in December 2015 just must have been accurate. The RIO Olympics were soggy.


9. The economy that will matter in 2016: India. China will matter a lot less. …I guess this was mostly wrong?


10. It will be hot. All year.. some of the hottest weather on the planet earth in centuries is on the way.  YES! It was .. bigly. Expect more in 2017.

And now with all of that behind us, let’s focus on the year to come.

My top ten predictions for 2017..

1. Donald Trump is going to have a much more difficult time than expected. At least initially.  He will be besieged by protests and also by people within his own party. By the middle of the year, he will realize that by going directly to people above party leaders can motivate the electorate to accept some if his policies. I expect rallies by the end of the year to be a normal course of White House business.


2. The stock market will hit 20,000 and stay within that range. By August we will be speculating when the market will hit 25,000.


3. Vladimir Putin will either visit the United States or Donald Trump will visit Russia. Either way a more united front will emerge.


4. The weather in 2017 will be hot. As hot as 2016.. there may be slick spots of winter that emerge from time to time sporadically throughout the world, but the majority of the months to come will feature hotter than normal temperatures.


5. The British Royal family will have to decide how to move forward after a tragic scenario.. there may be a new queen before 2018.


6. Stephen Colbert may be facing cancellation in 2017. There is going to be a dramatic realignment of late night TV. People are tired of an obsessive amount of politics during the daytime hours. The nighttime should be sacred for comedy. People may turn on political version of such by rebelling against the Colbert program on CBS.


7. BREXIT. Trump. I think France and Germany will have upheaval in 2017. The world is shaking like a post-earthquake atmosphere from the changes in 2016. Transitions something are sloppy. And we have somehow transitioned into something very different than we were in 16..


8. Major hacking will reveal something in 2017. Either from Wikileaks, or a source not yet to be named. Secrets will become revealed in 2017 to make us question what type of reality we live in.


9. Though everyone seems to predict it, Donald Trump will be aggressive in NOT declaring war or bombing other nations. (This is a prediction, but also a prayer)


10. Virtual reality! All the rage in 2016! …..but just wait. I predict the opposite for 2017.

Carrie Fisher dead in LA

Carrie Fisher dead in LA

RELAX.IT’S OVER.

RELAX.

IT’S OVER.

Another RIP HITS… George Michael dead .. MORE.

Another RIP HITS… George Michael dead ..

MORE.

We believe

We believe

Carrie Fisher heart attack drama

DEVELOPING STORY..

Actress Carrie Fisher suffered a medical emergency aboard a flight Friday afternoon and her condition remains unclear.

Her brother, Todd Fisher, told the AP that she was “out of emergency” and stabilized at a Los Angeles hospital Friday afternoon. He said he could not discuss any other details about what happened.

But both the

 LA Times 

and TMZ say Fisher is still in critical condition. A local ABC affiliate 

reports

 she is still “on a ventilator.”..

X X X

DRAMATIC AUDIO HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM THE PLANE..

Actress Anna Akana was on board the flight when Fisher went into medical distress and she described the upsetting scene in a series of tweets.

She said Fisher stopped breathing and was helped by a doctor and nurse who happened to be on board.

A United Airlines spokesperson said: “Medical personnel met United flight 935 from London to Los Angeles upon arrival today after the crew reported that a passenger was unresponsive.

"Our thoughts are with our customer at this time and any requests for additional information should be directed to local authorities.”

Akana, 27, wrote: “Don’t know how else to process this but Carrie Fisher stopped breathing on the flight home. Hope she’s gonna be OK.

"So many thanks to the United flight crew who jumped into action, and the awesome doctor and nurse passengers who helped.”

Akana wrote that Fisher wasn’t breathing “for 10 minutes or so” and CPR was administered until the plane landed.

X X X

The DRUDGE REPORT tonight is showcasing an image of Fisher from the newest ROGUE ONE film–the CGI version that appears at the end of the film..

DEVELOPING..

Zsa Zsa Gabor dead at 99

A woman famous for being famous.. She has now left this earthly domain at 99..!

A really rough year for celebrity deaths continues .. the steady drumbeat doesn’t appear ready to end despite the end of the year coming ..

Found some early artwork.. circa 1996ish.

Found some early artwork.. circa 1996ish.

The wild West

This year started strange. Was weird in the middle.. and ending in the same style as it began.
Nothing predictable happened. No ordinary events … all big magnitude, big “yuge” style happenings littered the months of 2016.

And it ends as odd as it began.
With Kanye West to Trump Tower!

Let me first say, all politics aside, Donald Trump is a media genius. There are countless media organizations focused like a laser beam on the Trump tower elevators… Cameras pointed to catch every guest of honor or deplorable. Trump is eating up the attention.. Yesterday, big news took place in Aleppo, Syria. But the media instead was more concerned with West’s brief meeting with the President-Elect and post even briefer media presser..

Later on Twitter, West posted a #2024 and mentioned that he spoke to Trump about important issues, such as violence in Chicago.

And the media was shocked. Stunned faces as West appeared..and the Twitterverse went mad, angry people saying hateful things is a normal course of business on the social network.. but Trump’s daily actions ignite more passion than anything of recent memory.

If this 2016 cycle is any predictor of next year, 2017 is going to be as wild by the day as the latter half of our current calendar was..

The Trump show is a skilled media performance. It is not a circus, as some have deemed. Instead it is an intelligent and formalized media sucker punch each and every day. And they fall for it.

Every news network has tuned into Trump TV. His face is everywhere.. his actions are noted … at some point I expect his bowel movements to be live-streamed and for his colon to have a Twitter following.

Yes indeed. This year as shaped us up for a much different 2017 than many expected.

And some Kanye West sprinkled on top for good measure as this year slips and slides into oblivion just as quickly as it began…

Yet another tragic celebrity death.. 2016 has been...

Yet another tragic celebrity death.. 2016 has been unkind..

Alan Thicke shockingly passed away on Dec. 13 after suffering a heart attack while playing hockey with his 19-year-old son Carter. He was 69 years old and still working as an actor.

Don’t know if this is real or not but I love it!

Don’t know if this is real or not but I love it!

An angel gets its wings. Chewy to the top of the tree for...

An angel gets its wings. Chewy to the top of the tree for Christmas 16!

I see turtles. All the time. #tmnt

I see turtles. All the time. #tmnt

Trump to Tap Fast-Food Executive Andy Puzder for Labor Secretary - NBC News

Trump to Tap Fast-Food Executive Andy Puzder for Labor Secretary - NBC News:

He has flirted with the idea of replacing some fast-food employees with robots to combat rising minimum wages.

In March, he told Business Insider: “They’re always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there’s never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case.”

He has also fiercely defended controversial ads for Carl’s Jr. that have featured women in bikinis eating burgers in a suggestive manner.

“I like our ads. I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it’s very American,” Puzder told Entrepreneur last year. “I used to hear, brands take on the personality of the CEO. And I rarely thought that was true, but I think this one, in this case, it kind of did take on my personality.”

Donald Trump will remain EP on 'Celebrity Apprentice'

Donald Trump will remain EP on 'Celebrity Apprentice':

Donald Trump will remain as an executive producer on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” even while serving as president of the United States.
That agreement, first reported by Variety and confirmed by sources at NBC and the Trump campaign, means the president will have an interest in a show aired by a media company that also reports on his presidency – a major conflict of interest for the network.

Okay.. well…alright then..

John Glenn dead at 95

John Glenn dead at 95

They picked the Donald

They picked the Donald

CUE THE SONG! I'mmmmm dreaminnnggg of a...

CUE THE SONG!
I'mmmmm dreaminnnggg of a white…Christmas.

But with days go before this scenario plays out, models will be all over the board.

Stay tuned.

Four New Names Officially Added to the Periodic Table of Elements

Four New Names Officially Added to the Periodic Table of Elements :

A few more to memorize.

Why 2016 was one of the greatest years for horror movies ever -- the link goes to the BUSINESS INSIDER. My thougts below..

Why 2016 was one of the greatest years for horror movies ever -- the link goes to the BUSINESS INSIDER. My thougts below..:

THE WITCH.
THE CONJURING 2
DON’T BREATH…
So many others.. (And I would even couple some movies from 2015 into this category because they were ahead of their time, films like BABADOOK and IT FOLLOWS) ..

This was the year for horror. So many people analyzing such things are attempting to figure out why.. I can tell you why. There has been a generational shift.. and with it, a newfound burst of creativity and not movies that rely on just the typical and stale forms of scaring people. We had movies this year that dug deep–emotional films with a gritty sense of reality.. and a self-awareness that it was all, thankfully, just fiction.
Maybe.
You hope.

That is why horror works WHEN it works. When horror does what it is supposed to do, you are scared and have a reason to be scared… you are trapped in the emotional roller coaster along with the main character.. and in the end, the release from the films comes with the self-realizaiton your mind has that you WERE NOT the one in danger. Someone else was. Your brain that release the energy and calm down by closing credits.

There were lots of those very films this year.. and it was a scary year.
Don’t think for a second that the reality around you does not play in.. This election was divisive and unkind, sometimes crude, rude, and even scary. Pop culture can be scary. Reality can be scary. That is why horror, again WHEN it works, works well. Because in the end horror is fiction .. horror is just a few hours on a big screen in front of us .. for even the gory films, horror is an escape from the true gore of life. The reality of reality is that it’s plain out dangerous and scary. Your brain often is looking, constantly, for ways to keep your body to surive. At least you know by the end of a film that you did survive.

And quite frankly, this year, movies were better than other years. It all just worked well, it flowed perfectly.. the box office release schedule also seemed to favor horror. The summer–for some weird reason–always works better for horror than the autumn. Especially August and early September. No different this year.

But this year we were delivered classic films instead of rubbish that would have been better going ‘straight to video.’

So thanks, Hollywood, for a change. It was a fun scary year. Here’s hoping that it was not fluke, and that it continues in 17.

Hold on to 16 as long as you can. Changes come around real soon make us demons and men.

Rise of the robot music industry

Rise of the robot music industry:

Robots everywhere..
This article is a little freaky to me.. someone who enjoys music created by someone with a heart, a soul.. a brain.

But now I am equally curious.. have I enjoyed music, possibly, that has been created by robots!?

Trump’s Phone Call With Taiwan President Sparks China Complaint

Trump’s Phone Call With Taiwan President Sparks China Complaint :

You just get the feeling.. we are in for a wild few years ..

Joe McNight killed in road rage incident outside of New...

Joe McNight killed in road rage incident outside of New Orleans..

Donald Trump celebrating the Carrier decision to retreat on...

Donald Trump celebrating the Carrier decision to retreat on sending over 1000 jobs to Mexico … Now the president-elect is issuing a threat to anyone else who is thinking about leaving..

Christmas. Begins. Tonight. Charlie Brown on ABC at...

Christmas. Begins. Tonight.

Charlie Brown on ABC at 8pm..

Brown is a hero for our time..

This is a picture of a Bible passage found in the rubble of the...

This is a picture of a Bible passage found in the rubble of the Gatlinburg fires by a Dollywood employee..

The fires are terrible. I recently spoke to someone who was in Gatlinburg and reported how horrid the situation on the ground has become..

Dollywood is in the crosshairs.. the intense raging fires have damaged beautiful areas of Earth.

But this Bible passage, one about fires damaging , is both poignant and chilling… humbling and heartwarming…

Erdogan: Turkish forces are in Syria to end Assad's rule

Erdogan: Turkish forces are in Syria to end Assad's rule :

The story highlight..

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the Turkish Army entered Syria to end the rule of President Bashar Assad, whom he accused of terrorism and causing the deaths of thousands.
“We entered [Syria] to end the rule of the tyrant al-Assad who terrorizes with state terror. [We didn’t enter] for any other reason,” the Turkish president said at the first Inter-Parliamentary Jerusalem Platform Symposium in Istanbul, as quoted by Hurriyet daily.

I am somewhat surprised that the world media, you know, that reliable ‘mainstream’ crowd that says everything online is fake, isn’t paying attention to the words of the Turkish president. This situation is heating up.. this is getting close to .. well .. warfare..

Don’t forget.Turkey is in NATO. And so are many other nations.. there is a pact within NATO that if one nation is attacked or at war, all of NATO could theoretically be involved. And …. Russia is also in Syria.. and Russia has been pushing against NATO expansion in eastern Europe. And Turkey is pushing into Syria, which is allied to Russia.. and Donald Trump will become president in 50 days..

And….see the pattern?
This is heading in the wrong direction for those who want world peace in our time.
This is heading to .. a war?
I do not want to predict it and if I did say World War III was about to occur I would want to be dead wrong in my tracks.

But … we need to start listening to the words of the Erdogan….who says he is entering the conflict to remove Bashir.

This is not going to be pretty.

'Madam President' Newsweek Copies for Sale Online — But Buyer Beware

'Madam President' Newsweek Copies for Sale Online — But Buyer Beware :

…this article says that only 17 issues were sold before the recall. That is true. But guess what, at my local Wamart, I bought 14 AFTER the recall.

This is false reporting from NEWSWEEK – there were stores that forgot to take it off the racks. I made sure I purchased every one I saw.

And yes, I will admit, I placed a few on eBay as well..

17 is a really really misleading number. I thought NBC and NEWSWEEK were NOT the fake news…?

UFO 'sightings' across Turkey spark #UFOAttack frenzy

UFO 'sightings' across Turkey spark #UFOAttack frenzy :

…this story has been developing for several days. Clyde Lewis even did a show on the topic last night.. there seems to be additional evidence that the trending UFO over Turkey hashtag on Twitter was removed for some strange reason…

There are also claims from some UFO ‘experts,’ whoever they are, that the UFO flap is a purposely hoax. ..

Nothing to see here..

But the story has gone viral.. the images look somewhat like the late 90s’ Phoenix lights incident..

And with all of the OTHER news coming from Turkey lately, this just adds to the bizarre mix of other-worldly and paranormal with warfare..

A letter to the editor that appeared in the Pennsylvania Reading...

A letter to the editor that appeared in the Pennsylvania Reading EAGLE..

HUFFPOST HILL - What It's Like To Be 16 And Retweeted By The President-Elect

HUFFPOST HILL - What It's Like To Be 16 And Retweeted By The President-Elect :

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE 16 AND RETWEETED BY THE PRESIDENT-ELECT (A READOUT OF THE TIME WE DMed WITH A TEENAGER) - Monday evening, as President-elect Trump was tirading against CNN, 16-year-old California high school student Seth Morton tweeted at the network’s Jeff Zeleny, “Pathetic - you have no sufficient evidence that Donald Trump did not suffer from voter fraud, shame! @realDonaldTrump.” As sometimes happens when a teenager demands someone on Twitter prove a negative, the President-elect retweeted it. Morton tells us that it was an “incredible experience” and that when he arrived at school the next day, he was swarmed by classmates. “Before I could say anything, my classmates, along with students that I didn’t know, all congratulated me.” His teachers were somewhat skeptical, many of whom “didn’t believe my classmates until surprisingly discovering it on the internet.” Them and us both, Seth! 

Changing landscape of journalism continues .. the new media .....

Changing landscape of journalism continues .. the new media .. the old. Print.

More print died November 30.. the final print edition of the PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW was published..

Man 'cured' of prostate cancer after doctors shock tumour to death with testosterone

Man 'cured' of prostate cancer after doctors shock tumour to death with testosterone :

The result has been described as ‘unexpected’ and 'exciting’ because most prostate cancer therapies work by depriving tumours of testosterone, because cancer uses it as a fuel.

Other seriously ill men taking part in the same trial showed responses that astounded scientists, with tumours shrinking and the progress of their disease halted.  

Major cold weather is building in Alaska and Canada .. it looks...

Major cold weather is building in Alaska and Canada .. it looks like NOAA suspects a very cold time coming … including temps as much as 36 degrees below normal for widespread areas..

2016: The year comedy flopped at the box office

2016: The year comedy flopped at the box office

True or false: Sinbad played a genie in the movie Kazam...

True or false: Sinbad played a genie in the movie Kazam #timeslip

Roadside America is a quaint little place in eastern...

Roadside America is a quaint little place in eastern Pennsylvania that plays God Bless America every 20 minutes.. their roof is leaking and need some help on a Go Fund Me page

Screen shot from RT reporting that ISIS claimed responsibility...

Screen shot from RT reporting that ISIS claimed responsibility for the Ohio State stabbing

Championship-bound Brazilian soccer team nearly wiped out as charter plane crashes in Colombia!

Championship-bound Brazilian soccer team nearly wiped out as charter plane crashes in Colombia!:

A charter plane carrying 81 people, including players from a rising Brazilian soccer team headed for a championship match, crashed en route to Medellín’s airport in Colombia Monday night, according to authorities. At least five passengers survived and the rest were killed, Colombia’s aviation authority confirmed Tuesday morning. It was uncertain whether that was a final count, however, as the figures had fluctuated during the night.

General José Acevedo, commander of Medellín police, told a Colombian radio station that 75 people had been killed at the site of the crash and six others had been injured and rescued from the scene. One of the rescued passengers died on the way to the hospital, Acevedo said. A local television station, Telemedellín, reported that a sixth survivor was rescued from the crash at about 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.

A horrific and developing story..

A reminder, if you needed one, that game and fortune never matters and sooner or later God’s gonna cut you down..

Ohio State: Suspect struck pedestrians with car, then stabbed victims

Ohio State: Suspect struck pedestrians with car, then stabbed victims:

Nine people were injured when a man ran into pedestrians with his car on the Ohio State University campus, then exited the vehicle with a butcher knife and started cutting victims.

Less than a minute after the attack, an OSU police officer shot and killed the suspect. Despite rumors of a second suspect, police and campus officials say there was one person involved in the attack.

The attack happened outside of Watts Hall at W. 19th St. west of College Road. Earlier in the morning, the building had been evacuated because of a report of a gas leak. It’s unclear if that was related to the attack or if that’s why people were outside at the time of the attack.

OSU President Michael Drake, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, Columbus police Chief Kim Jacobs, the medical director from Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center and the OSU police Chief Craig Stone spoke this afternoon outside the OSU hospital. Officials said nine people were taken to area hospitals.

Wexner Medical Center treated five patients: two were stabbed, two were hit by the car and one who hid after the attack and just arrived. The last victim’s injuries were being assessed.

Two victims with lacerations were taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center. Two victims who were struck by the car were taken to OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital.

The attack happened at 9:52 a.m. An “active shooter” alert was sent at 9:55 to the campus community urging people to hid in place.

At 11:30 a.m., the university said the scene is secure and that all classes are canceled on campus. The shelter-in-place order was lifted at 11:14 a.m., but more than a dozen buildings remain closed.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Jefferson Township, who had spoken to OSU president Michael Drake, reported that a car drove into a crowd and most of those affected appeared to have stab wounds.

“The university appear to be secure now, the students appear to be safe,” said. “What we don’t know is what was the motive,” she said.

Columbus Police, Ohio State police and deputies with the Franklin County sheriff’s deputies rushed to the scene. Students took to social media to find information, and posted video and pictures to Twitter of the scene.

Police were searching the area, and there was intense police and SWAT activity at a garage at W. Lane Avenue and Tuttle Park Place on campus, just east of St. John Arena. Officers with long guns and two armored vehicles were seen there before the threat was lifted.

Ohio State University: Suspect killed, 8 people hospitalized after campus attack

Ohio State University: Suspect killed, 8 people hospitalized after campus attack :

A knife-wielding man “started chasing people around,” a student says
“Run Hide Fight,” OSU’s emergency management department tweets

Updated ..

A developing story.. Ohio State U reports active shooter on...

A developing story.. Ohio State U reports active shooter on campus ..

Run hide fight order given to student..

Police on the scene ..

Monday morning post Thanksgiving news dump

MONDAY NOVEMBER 28 2016 ‘CYBER MONDAY’

Trump has important decisions to make. After his Twitter rant.

“Constitutional crisis” predicted for President-Elect Trump .. Before he takes office..

Conservative blog American Thinker offers up an amazing possibility for the election of 2016 (which does not seem to be over yet): State recounts don’t get done on time, the election then goes to Congress to decide all over again!

Nakedness quickly becoming the apt way to protest the Trump presidency.. 

Luke Skywalker attacks! Mark Hammil says Trump cabinet is a 'who’s who of really despicable people’

7-year-old Tweets (his Twitter run by his mother) showcases the horror of Aleppo and lives of children during wartime.. 

Thanksgiving weekend in Chicago dust clearing: 8 dead and 58 injured.. the city’s homicide rate at a 10 year high.. this is a crisis of horrid proportions that few in the major media ever even talk about .. That many deaths and injuries, you would think if not for the racism among media elite, would be top story status..

Man in Pennsylvania charged with homicide after shooting teenage firefighter before town’s “Light Up Night" 

Chaos continues in Australia as more 'thunderstorm asthma’ cases hit people..

NATIONAL GEOGRPAHIC (not a conspiracy site) says our first alien encounter could happen soon!

Justin Bieber, the 'reformed teenage delinquent,’ has a set back with punch .. and then there is this: Justin Bieber’s EX got away with showing nipples on Instagram!

’What Culture’ website says CABIN IN THE WOODS is the best horror of the decade so far.. // beats out BABADOOK and IT FOLLOWS, along with CONJURING..

ROGUE ONE pre-sales may have crashed online ticket servers..

ROGUE ONE will NOT feature famous opening crawl..

Claim: Leaked 'dialogue’ from Luke Skywalker to Rey from STAR WARS 8..

MOANA called the 'perfect’ Disney movie after 80 years of experiments..

Speaking of MOANA, it was a holiday hit: Box offices for the Disney film was $81.1 mil while ALLIED and BAD SANTA 2 struggled in the family friendly atmosphere.. MORE..  Moana topped the extended holiday box office with the second largest five-day Thanksgiving opening of all-time and the third largest three-day Thanksgiving opening of all-time, leading a top twelve that grossed a combined $173 million. Moana was, however, the only real success story..

Scientists claim: West Antarctic ice shelf is breaking up from the inside out..  // It’s generally accepted that it’s no longer a question of whether the West Antarctic Ice Sheet will melt, it’s a question of when,” said study leader Ian Howat, associate professor of earth sciences at Ohio State. “This kind of rifting behavior provides another mechanism for rapid retreat of these glaciers, adding to the probability that we may see significant collapse of West Antarctica in our lifetimes.”

But then there is this claim: Scientists 'shocked’ that Antarctic sea ice extent is similar to what it was 100 years ago..

Study claims that, yes, time travel IS POSSIBLE.. Dr Michael Hall and Professor Howard Wiseman from the Center say that parallel universes are not science fiction. They explain that if multiple, interacting universes exist, time travelers then could visit Earth… BUT… detractors abound: Other physics experts are divided on the theory.  Dr Lawrence Kraus from the Arizona State University is skeptical of the hypothesis. Huffington Post cites a Czech Republic physicist who says the theory is “a hopeless enterprise and a huge waste of time.”

All of the quakes and now this: Volcano erupts and fires three miles into the sky .. and triggers a quake in Mexico.. 

CLAIMS: Kanye West is paranoid and depressed as he remains hospitalized..  But did KIM abandon him?

An Olympic ice-dancing gold medalist and her on-ice partner have caused controversy by dressing up in concentration camp uniforms for a dance routine on a popular television show…

Cirque Du Soleil incident: Olympian gymnast plummets to the ground during trapeze show..

Samsung rumors: Will the company split in half? 

Celebrating the best female graffiti artists across the world .. a new film called GIRL POWER.. 

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS star says that social media is making girls sick! The comedian said trying to follow the example of women like Kim Kardashian on Twitter “can’t be good for you” because she looks like an “automaton”…

Four women, known as the ‘San Antonio Four’, spent 15 years behind bars, convicted for gang-raping two young girls in 1998. Now, Elizabeth Ramirez, Cassandra Rivera, Anna Vasquez and Kristie Mayhugh have been exonerated in a case that was steeped in homophobia and the Satanic Panic.

I think turning Krampus into the post-Thanksgiving film each...

I think turning Krampus into the post-Thanksgiving film each year is just what the season ordered..

The PERFECT start to the holiday season!

The Red Friday

In the heat of the moment, with major PR firms spreading news that Black Friday sales were breaking records and that profits would be had, I predicted that it would end up being less than stellar.. mediocre I thought!

And this comes today…

News now that the Thanksgiving and Black Friday store sales have yet again fallen. The online sales? up.. brick and mortar.. failure..

This has been the pattern for years.. My little experience allowed me to surprise this result.. my wife and son and I stopped by a Walmart Thanksgiving night after a family dinner. It was empty.. We had to go get, of all things, groceries on Friday.. and still nobody.. NADA.. Empty.

The facts speak for themselves..

Internet sales rose in the double digits on both days, surpassing $3 billion for the first time on Black Friday, according to data released on Saturday.

Data from analytics firm RetailNext showed net sales at brick-and-mortar stores fell 5.0 percent over the two days, while the number of transactions fell 7.9 percent.

You can now empirically determine your hottest photo

You can now empirically determine your hottest photo :

All courtesy of Tinder.. the website will now tell you the way to look your hottest..

I fondly recall the old days when HotOrNot.com was chosen by people. Now tech has taken over and you’ll trust that more than humanity itself..

Online dating…………..

Krampus run brings thousands to Austria

Krampus run brings thousands to Austria :

scarystoriestouploadinthedark:

Dateline Austria:

Thousands of people gathered in an Austrian town Saturday for a scary tradition.

Scores of people dressed as the evil companion of Santa Claus, known as Krampus, charged through the town’s streets after dark.

The event known as the “Krampus Run” is based in Germanic folklore.

Krampus punishes bad kids by beating them and putting them into a woven wicker basket on his back.

Over 120 Krampus impersonators charged through the town’s market square.

Some jumped the barricades to cane several of the six-thousand people in attendance.

Little bruises are an accepted side effect of the caning attacks.

But young children usually get away with getting their caps taken away.

Groups from all over Austria and some neighboring countries participated in the event.

This may be one of the highest things to do on my bucket list .. I would so LOVE to be at the Krampus run..

I have written about Krampus plenty of times on here, just search the archives for that information.. The idea of Krampus has been with me since my childhood thanks to Russian and eastern European nuns who taught me in grade school.

My son also knows of Krampus, but we have shielded him from the worst of it all..

Jolly ole Saint Nick needs a rival.
Each year, around this time, Krampus rears his head to be the rival who Santa deserves.

Krampus in Austria! I am jealous of anyone who went

THE INTERCEPT writes: Washington Post Disgracefully Promotes a McCarthyite Blacklist From a New, Hidden, and Very Shady Group

THE INTERCEPT writes: Washington Post Disgracefully Promotes a McCarthyite Blacklist From a New, Hidden, and Very Shady Group:

This whole ‘fake news’ scandal is starting to bug me.. People are still falling for 'fake news’ just as easily as they did a year ago. Nothing in that avenue has changed..

The concerning part is this newfound approach to dealing with media.. the INTERCEPT is one of my favorite sites, and they back up some of my fears: The shady “McCarthyism” approach to website shaming, by claiming that places like the Drudge Report are Russian-fake news sites.

I get it.. some are alt-right, wherever that term arose from this year I don’t quite yet know.. But there are also some very average ho-hum websites on there.. And suddenly, they are literally blacklisted

On the free web!
On the information superhighway..
On a place where I thought everyone had and SHOULD HAVE a voice!?

Yes indeed.. this crackdown on 'fake news’ is going well beyond click bait.

Both sides are trying to brandish the other as fake.
Information, in the mean time, is suffering.

The Drudge Report is as perfectly fine as the Raw Story or Buzzflash–I visit all three sites on a regular basis. And in no way do I want them 'banned.’

This rise of newfound 1984-style media shaming is going to become an Orweilian nightmare.

Welcome to the new America.

HILLARY CHALLENGES!

HILLARY CHALLENGES!