(www.energytribune.com)
   I finally watched "An Inconvenient Truth" the other night. Yes, I realize this movie came out over four years now... I have never been much of an Al Gore fan and I honestly am skeptical of Global Warming. Did the movie sway me? Perhaps. What the movie did show me was a man with a passion and what appeared to be credible data to back it up. And really, he didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, humans are wasteful and it hurts the planet. Whether Global Warming is real or not, we should still recycle and cut back on energy. We should still push for emission laws and pollution standards. We should still take care of our one home. No matter where you're from or what you believe in, one thing still remains the same, we have one planet. I understand that it can be difficult, and a lot of solutions cost money upfront (although save money in the long run). I myself am hardly perfect. And Al Gore "flies" all over the country to give speeches about not wasting. But we can push for improvement. Perhaps in the future a hybrid or electric car regulation could be passed for car companies, like that of the catalytic converter. This way people wouldn't be forced to immediately invest in something, but eventually anything out of standard would be weeded out. Or we could start with mileage code. Just an idea. Maybe all of the money from The Giving Pledge could go to turning the United States green, instead of random or useless causes. So whether Global Warming is just another apocalyptic hysteria or poetic justice, why not try to improve the quality of our planet? We could learn to coexist with our habitat instead of being a parasite.

   I would recommend watching "An Inconvenient Truth" if you get a chance.

www.climatecrisis.net

(image from cnho.wordpress.com)
  I watched the movie UFO-The Greatest Story Ever Denied by Jose Escamilla with my wife the other night. I found the movie entertaining and interesting with plausible evidence to the existence of Aliens on Earth. However, the thing that caught my eye immediately were these things called "Rods," "Air Rods," or "Roswell Rods." Scientists are unsure exactly what they are and one has never been caught. But along with other possible UFOs or creatures, they have been caught numerous times on video and in stills. Now the rod, as pictured above, appears to be a shaft with fin/wing type appendages coming off of it and it gyrates through the air at remarkable speeds. These objects are also somewhat transparent and cannot be seen by the naked eye. Skeptics have unsuccessfully attempted to debunk these creatures, like so many other "spottings."
  No one is quite sure what these objects are. Some believe that they're alien probes, others believe they're some sort of unexplainable electromagnetic malfunction with equipment (oddly enough paranormal teams are accustomed to electromagnetic disturbances during supposed hauntings). Jose Escamilla believes them to be living creatures that we have yet to identify, along with numerous moving circular or amoeba like creatures that have been caught on NASA footage. Little else is declared about these Rods and Escamilla doesn't like to speculate too much about what he really does not know. In the video the first one I saw had what looked like three sets of "wings" and it flew across the screen, spun and darted off into the distance. The first word that popped into my head was "Seraphim," which is a title for a certain rank of angel in different mythologies. The main account that I'm aware of, the Seraphim are believe to have six wings, two that cover their face, two that cover their feet, and two I guess for flying. So the Rod doesn't exactly look like that, but is it possible that ancient civilizations where aware of these creatures and made up a mystical story about them like they have so many other things?
   The movie itself is far from new, but it is enjoyable as I had earlier stated and I'd recommend you all to see it. The director, Jose Escamilla, made the movie for free in an attempt to inform the public. He is also working on his next movie specifically on these Rods called Roswell Rods. I can't wait! Escamilla is also taking donations for the movie at his site roswellrods.com to help cover the expenses of filming. If you're as intrigued by this as I am, please check out his site.

References: roswellrods.com, The Cryptid Zoo

  Recently I had the honor of meeting with author and paranormal investigator Todd Clements. He was a wonderful individual that I really enjoyed talking with and we traded books. His book goes with the tours he leads in Mackinac called Haunts of Mackinac. Since then I have read his book and found it incredibly fascinating. He covers numerous different legends and paranormal sightings all around Mackinac. When I was reading through them I couldn't believe not only how many stories he was able to report, but the details he was able to include were fantastic. My personal favorite tale was that of Private James Brown, a soldier who "accidentally" murdered his superior officer. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially if you're interested in the paranormal or local history (local for Michiganders, that is), and everyone should be aware of the mischievous dwarf fairies. The book is complete with an introductory description of the different types of phenomena as defined by Todd (and most other paranormalists). For those of you in book clubs, frequent readers, or those who need sometime to relax, I'd recommend picking up Todd Clements Haunts of Mackinac as your next book of choice and if you ever get up to Mackinac Island yourself, join him on one of his tours and experience the legends for yourself!

Check out his link at HauntsOfMackinac.com.

(IMDb.com)

   Last night I watched the movie Paranormal Activity written and directed by Oren Peli. The movie is a fictitious documentary of a haunted girl Katie and her idiotic boyfriend Micah. First, I'd like to mention that I don't understand why directors/writers feel that in order to make the documentary style film seem more realistic they have to have an annoying character (i.e. Matt Reeves 2008 film Cloverfield). Most films of this sort are overshadowed by this annoying individual, however, Paranormal Activity is defined by it. The film overall was well acted, the camera work fit the genre, and the VG (video graphics) were excellent. The film jumps right into the plot when Micah buys a dinosaur of a video camera to catch evidence of his girlfriend's supposed paranormal activity. Micah approaches the subject with an air of disbelief, intrigue, and blatant disrespect. Even though they are warned by a psychic/ghost hunter that it appeared to be more than a ghost and that they need to not encourage it and get it dealt with professionally (and Katie's pleas as well), Micah makes what appears to be all the wrong choices and decides that his research and experimentation will some how magically deal with the entity. The ending itself was a little far-fetched but still plausible (probably with much more and longer oppression). It's almost as if horror film directors come up with a good idea and don't know how to end it (i.e. Geoffrey Sax's 2005 film White Noise starring Michael Keaton). The film does attempt to share the possibilities of paranormal occurrences but unfortunately will be viewed as a work of fiction to the majority and not a warning. All of that said, this film is worth viewing.

   So what does this movie have to do with my column, The Sentient Sentinel? Well, as some of you are aware I am an Occult Specialist, so I have more than a passing interest on the subject. The problem that the main characters in this film are faced with is who to turn to? The ghost hunter explains that he is not equipped for such a case and recommends a demonologist that they end up not calling until it's too late. However, both of these men are doctors of some sort and therefore are believed to have knowledgeable opinions. However, what most people don't know is that an Exorcism can only be performed by an ordained priest with authority from the Vatican for that particular case, which means, hardly any real exorcisms have taken place. Especially with the skepticism in regards to religion and paranormal activity today, traditional exorcists look for any and all alternatives before requesting such a procedure. Also, thanks to the entertainment industry's recounting of these tales in books and movies, they can and have gone incredibly wrong.

   There are of course others who claim to do exorcisms, but you should be very wary. There's an entire movement of charismatics who perform deliverance on a daily basis. Deliverance is a not so fancy term for an exorcism. Sects of Christianity who are not apart of the Vatican and therefore could not obtain the rites of exorcism thought if they changed the name that it wouldn't count as an actual exorcism, therefore their need for permission was waved and yet they could still 'help' individuals in need. However, most people who perform deliverance believe that demons afflict everyone on a daily basis and "cast out" ridiculous amounts of evil entities from individuals.

   Of course, despite popular belief, Christianity is far from the only religion afflicted by evil spirits. I could write a book on all of the different evil entities, what religion they reside in, and how that particular religion deals with their own source of evil. However, since Witchmoot is a Pagan Blog Community, I will focus on Paganism. Yes, even the happy-go-lucky children of the Earth sometimes run into afflicting spirits. There are many different spells out there that claim to deal with troublesome entities. These spells may only be targeted at ghosts or may encompass or specifically be for a 'demonic' type. Whether a spell or exorcism is used, they're really the same means to an end. The individual's body is infected by a spirit (evil or good irrelevant) and the practitioner attempts to treat the infection.

   So who to turn to if you have trouble with paranormal phenomena? Well, there is surely a plethora of "Ghost Hunters" around your area that dedicate a certain amount of time (professional is a subjective term in paranormal regards) to researching these cases, but if they even offer a solution, it really is not their specialty. A parapsychologist and/or a demonologist are few and far between and really are the most controversial members of the paranormal industry. I have become aware of a couple of supposed Demonologists in Michigan, but I have not checked out their workshops since they charge $35-$40 per lecture, which I refuse to pay. Plus, every demonologist I am aware of are Christian. The head of any religious community may be willing to stop by and bless your person or residence, and often times they offer 'blessed' substances for personal 'blessings.' However, from my experience, religious figures are also unequipped to deal with such occurrences and often times will turn people away due to fear.

   So you have just been rejected by the only place you know to go, what now? Well, luckily, there are a few "Occult Specialists" out there that do 'specialize' in dealing with these sort of things. What makes one an Occult Specialist? Unfortunately there is no dictum for it. Through personal research and experience (and sometimes chance) people become Occult Specialists. Credentials are hard to come by so trusting a supposed Occult Specialist can be difficult, especially since true Occult Specialists tend to be frowned upon by the 'brighter' spiritualists (meant to include religious figures, despite their lack of spirituality at times) due to their darker nature and the subject of their work.

   There, unfortunately, is no listing for Occult Specialists and they can be rather hard to come by. Other than myself, the only people I am aware of that are capable of dealing with such cases are the Strigoi Vii, who have been known to set up websites that provide contact information. Once again, most people frown upon their community, so I present you with the same conflict as myself, how desperate are you? If you are truly afflicted, are you in enough torment to ask for help, even if it is from someone you may fear as much as the entity itself? For more knowledge on the Strigoi Vii, look into the work of Michelle Belanger.

   In summary, Paranormal Activity is worth seeing due to it's realistic portrayal that is often times exaggerated due to Hollywood's demand for cheap thrills and chills. Whether one has an active interest in the paranormal or a passing moment, this film offers entertainment to the full spectrum of adult viewers. And like other movies in it's genre, the fictitious documentary thoroughly draws the audience into the lives of the characters.

I spent last week in bed with the flu; an annoying situation made tolerable by my latest book club delivery. It was a hardcover 2fer, This Witch for Hire (Dead Witch Walking - The Good, the Bad, and the Undead) which is the first two books in the Hollows series by Kim Harrison.

These stories take place in modern day Ohio, in a parallel world where humans and supernatural people live side by side. There is some hostility between the various groups and, of course, there are various law enforcement agencies to deal with their interactions. Our main character, Rachel Morgan, is a Witch (not a human, a different species) and the product of one of these agencies, but she's gone and quit- sure she can do better as an independent bounty hunter/detective- and set up her own agency. And that, boys and girls, is where we our story begins.

While I was thoroughly entertained, I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes while reading these books. They contain all the things that annoy the hell out of me. Supernatural witches annoy me, but the author at least allows humans to be magic-users too, if sub par ones. Friendly vampires are a major turn off, but at least it's not easy for them. Lack of research is my biggest pet peeve, and the character spends half of the first book in the shape of a mink... which the author apparently believes is rodent considerably smaller than a six-inch pixie... a gnawing creature with big incisors... that eats carrots. Come on. Five minutes on Wikipedia could have remedied that. The most annoying thing is the main character. She likes to spend her time whining about her luck and about how she gets no respect while she runs around acting like a fool and treating others like garbage. She is particularly susceptible to vampire charm due to an unusual incident I won't spoil for you. This is an interesting character trait which would have a much bigger impact if she wasn't a total sex pot who seems to view every man she sees as a mindless walking dildo. Even the ones who want to kill her.

I don't like the main character. She's stupid, reckless, disrespectful and way too much of a hardass to feel any sympathy for. Her priorities are also totally twisted. She is so understanding when her friend tries to EAT her, and she finds out she's been lying to her for years, but she's dead set on bringing down the guy who is smuggling drugs that are outlawed because of reasons she herself thinks are stupid and funding (illegal) research that saves peoples' lives??? She causes ridiculous amounts of problems for the people around her and I don't understand why they like her. I wouldn't give her the time of day.

Most books I keep reading because I'm interested to find out what happened to the character. I make a personal connection. These books are like a train wreck. I can't turn away because I have to find out the details I have to know more. I want to know what happened and how it happened and if there are any body parts scattered about. It's morbid, I know, but I'm going to keep reading this series just because. At least when I have nothing better to read. Assuming I can get them cheap.

This isn't literature- it's total fluff. It's like the Harlequin novels I used to snitch from my mom's headboard, except not quite as smutty. (There is some gratuitous sex, just not as much.) It's not quality but it is entertainment. And bonus: it's got funny bits.

Enjoy!