Earthquakes and the Pope: Trickster Theater

The world shared a global shudder of anxiety at the news that North Korea's earthquake yesterday was no "earthquake" but an earthquake due to a "nuclear test."

Checking the U.S. government's earthquake site, which I do several times a day, I see that Tonopah Nevada and surrounding area has had four earthquakes today. The largest being 5.1. That seemed very odd to me, so I Googled Tonopah, Nevada, to find that the area is a test range:

Tonopah, Nevada carries a legacy of being the home to the nation’s development and testing of smart bombs extending back to World War II where it was noted for its bomber bases. Follow the links to learn more about Tonopah’s role in our nation’s wars.

Not a coincidence.

And to really go down the rabbit hole, while I don't seriously think there is a connection between the above and the Pope's resignation, that last news item is a biggie. The Trickster Theater has been very busy these past few days!

Russian, Once an "atheist" country...

Remember when, all you fellow baby boomers, during the cold war/ duck and cover/ 1950s pinko commie era, when we were warned about those godless, heathen, atheist Russian commies?

Russia, the big bad evil empire and the worst thing about Russia, the very worst, we were told, was its atheism.

Today's news has brought us two stories that contradict any atheistic beliefs. Three women: Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich,  sentenced to a two year prison sentence for offending the Church, and a 100 year ban on pro-gay parades, speech, etc.

Of course, Pussy Riot's protest on the church steps pissed off Putin and that's why they were sentenced. Church followers are just thrown into the mix for added support for the Putin cause. It isn't really about religion; it's about politics. It's about control.

The anti-gay edict: totalitarian governments, not promoting religion, well again, it's about control. I wonder if (while trying not to be cliche)  an already fringe group, often a majority of thinkers and creative individuals are considered a danger to the powers that be. No one wants that. Religion has nothing to do with it; it's about control. Maintaining power. Maintaining control.

Gaeilo, PIzza, and the Moon

Gordon Kaswell keeps a low profile in UFO World, which is too bad because he has a special knowledge and insight into the technological aspect of UFOs that is an area we can all benefit from becoming familiar with. Here's what Gordon commented on Facebook about Domino's Pizza in regards to a previous UFO Mary post: Some Catholics still insist Galileo was wrong.

 And speaking of things Catholic, for years I've found interesting/amusing the story of Domino's Pizza. (Say, what?) Really. The reason is that Domino's was started by a guy named Tom Monaghan, who is a devout Catholic. He and his brother bought a pizza parlor then called Dominick's. Monaghan bought out his brother's share, and changed the name to Domino's. The name change is intriguing because in Latin, "domino" means "lord"! Monaghan (who is quite wealthy) has been building a town in Florida named Ave Maria, and as a planned community, it's Monaghan's intention that only Catholics live there, and follow his rules (no porn, no abortions, etc.). Civil rights groups have been fighting this, but I haven't kept track of the story, and don't know the current status on the issue. Monaghan spends a lot of his money on Catholic charities, radio and TV broadcast media, etc.

Today I came across this article about plans Domino's has for opening pizza parlors on the moon. Specifically, the Japanese division of Domino's, as reported on by Discovery Magazine:

The Japanese arm of the company has announced today that it wants to build the first pizzeria on the lunar surface: Domino's Moon Branch.

"We started thinking about this project last year, although we have not yet determined when the restaurant might open," Tomohide Matsunaga, a spokesman for Domino's, told the UK's The Daily Telegraph.

Positively crazy and irresponsible of course; it's estimated the cost would be around $23 billion dollars. But, as Ian O'Neill, writer of the above mentioned article remarks, this is very likely just a publicity stunt by Domino's -- no such plans are being made. Which is a relief, of course. But pizza in space isn't new; as O'Neill points out, Pizza Hut delivered a pizza to the International Space Station in 2001.

piglipstick: Keeping The Sheep Squabbling About Religion

From Nolocontendere at piglipstick, this item with comments on objections by atheists concerning a cross at the September 11th Museum at ground zero: piglipstick: Keeping The Sheep Squabbling About Religion.

Not a Christian myself and anti-state/society installed appeasements to religions, I agree with the atheist's position -- almost. They are at least requesting that if the cross isn't removed, then have other religions represented. But I'm not an atheist either.

Nolocontendere makes good points. In speaking of religious symbols, be they cross or something else:

I so do despise all the false justifications to bring yet more division to the people with these cult symbols. Because that's all it is -symbolic red flags to yank emotional chains. This 'provide comfort' canard is the most sickening of all phrases. It's a denigrating, condescending insult that our overlords constantly use to insinuate that the empty crap they do is always of positive benefit to citizens, a la "Bush/Obama to visit flood ravaged county to provide comfort". It's a made up marketing phrase that pretends to read the minds of people to justify the power institutions have over them. "Pope provides comfort to millions on Easter Sunday".

On UFO Religions: Review of Nick Redfern's Final Events

I can't keep up with one of my favorite writers in the world of Forteana, Nick Redfern; he must be the most prolific writer in the area of UFO, Fortean, etc. research there is.  I haven't yet had the chance to read his recent work Final Events and the Secret Government Group on Demonic UFOs and the Afterlife (Anomalist Books, 2010) but cannot wait to do so. I've heard Nick discuss the book on various interviews; the book's subject matter is something I am very much interested in and it's at the top of my list of "next to read" material.

 Mike at UFO Religions did read the book, and wrote a review at his blog. Nick left a comment over there. So, enjoy!