AUDIO: SUSPENSE – “Russian New Year”

This thrilling tale recounts an attempt to assassinate the tzar.  An attempt which took place during …

“Russian New Year” originally aired on “Suspense” on January 13, 1957.

HAPPY! HAPPY!

And, for the chronologically-challenged, Happy New Year!

This begins our fifth year of operation.  Five years?!?  How time flies.  We’ve been thrilled how the blog continues to grow.  But we are not going to rest on our laurels.  We hope to make 2012 the most exciting year yet on  GR.  In addition to continuing to bring you our unique brand of news and commentary, we will also be launching a lot of original content on the blog this year.  This will be rolled out slowly over the next few months.  We think you’re really going to like what we have planned.

But the success of a blog isn’t just about what we do.  It’s also about you.  And though we’ve been overwhelmed by the success of GR.  We have had one major disappointment.  We don’t get as much commenting as we’d like.

So, in addition to all the traditional content, and the new content, we are going to offer regular posts seeking your opinions.  Posts designed to elicit your thoughts and views.  Because as much as we love our own ideas and attitudes.  We find yours much more exciting.

Here’s to an thrilling New Year!  And, as to you time travelers, well, you already know what a thrilling year it’s gonna be.  That’s why you’re here.

Mysterious Big Cat Sightings in Derbyshire!

The new year marks the return of one of our favorite cryptids … the mysterious black cats.  In the last week, there have been three sightings of the panther-like creatures in Derbershire, UK.

The most interesting sighting was by a Sheila Noble an 83 year-old pensioner.   She observed the creature in her backyard, and watched it jump an 18 foot fence.   She further went on to say:

It was about 18 inches from the floor to the top of its head and it had the biggest yellow eyes I have ever seen ….

Yellow eyes … spooky …

We have a lot of cats in this area but this was about four times bigger. It was eating the bird food I had left on the floor. We haven’t had many birds around lately and now I know why.

Ms. Noble also observed the creature the following day, stating:

I have seen pictures before of big cats and I thought it must definitely be one. It was lovely to look at with the most beautiful coat … I will be looking out for it now and I will be taking a photograph if I see it again.

In addition to Ms. Noble others who reported on big cats in the area were:  Kim Williams (50) who saw a big cat exiting a hedge and crossing a local street.  And an unnamed man who found a big cat print while walking his dog.

Source.

Update: Authorities Cling to Fireworks Explanation for Arkansas Bird Deaths

With the bird death totals in Beebe, Arkansas now topping 3,000, authorities are scrambling for an explanation.   The Arkanasas Fish and Game Commission seems to be circling the wagons around the “fireworks hypothesis”.  But evidence to support its veracity is sorely lacking,  other than vague reports of local residents “hearing fireworks” before the birds began to fall.

Karen Rowe, an ornithologist for the AFGC, suggested that the fireworks forced the birds to fly  “at rooftop level instead of treetop level” and that “Blackbirds have poor eyesight, [so] they  started colliding with things.”

This seems a pretty shaky hypothesis to explain the death of more than 3,000 birds.  Especially when the fireworks themselves haven’t been officially confirmed.

Equally odd is that fact that poison as a cause has been ruled out because “several cats and dogs that ate the dead birds suffered no ill effects”.  This is a highly unscientific assertion, since not all toxins that would effect birds would effect dogs and cats in the same way.

[Update:  Corey Havens, in the comment section below, confirms the existence of poisons that could kill birds; but leave dogs, cats, humans and other animals unaffected.   And that such toxins have been used in bird culling as recently as a year ago.  Thanks again for that info, Corey.]

Early reports that claimed the birds showed signs of “physical trauma” have been dropped from recent stories.

There is something odd about the way this phenomena is being investigated.

And this recent event adds to a number of similar incidents across the globe.  It is a phenomena that reputable scientists have described as “widespread” and for which they have no clear explanation.  But everything from mineral deficiencies to disease to freak weather conditions has been offered as a possible explanation.  Or, as in the latest story, fireworks.  But, in most instances, these events go by without any official committing to one explanation.

Source.  Source 2.

1,000 Dead Birds Fall from Sky in Arkansas; Similar Event in 2007

The Internet has been abuzz with the reports of more than one thousand dead birds falling from the sky in Arkansas, near the town of Beebe.  So far no explanation has been given for this phenomena.   Poisoning, however, has been ruled out.  And there is some suggestion that the event may have been caused by lightning, high altitude hail, or fireworks.

A similar event occurred in Esperance, Australia in January 6th 2007, causing the area to be declared a natural disaster zone.  As in the this instance, no explanation was ever given.  Though in this case authorities pointed to a “mysterious toxin”.  Although some researchers suggested the event may have been caused by bird flu.

Although initially it appears these events differ in specifics, a causal link could develop in the coming days.

Source.