'Regulatory incoherence doesn’t stand in the way'

'Less work than any year in modern history except for the three around Covid'

Here is a death mystery that was forwarded to me. What is your take on this? Is there a supernatural aspect to this mystery? Tell me what you think.I received the following account:“When I was a teenager one of my best friends' girlfriends called my parent's home looking for her boyfriend‚ my best friend. She reached my younger brother. When I got home from work my brother gave me the sketchy details of her call. She claimed at the time of the call‚ two policemen paid her a visit. My brother and a group of concerned friends were going over to her house to talk in person. I opted out‚ being tired from working a double shift. They left‚ and I hit the sack.As I started to drift off I heard my side door slam open followed by the sound of someone falling/frantically shuffling down my basement stairs. That's where my room was‚ my room was the first door right across from the basement stairs‚ right as you entered the side door of my parent's house.I didn't get out of bed but I called out to whomever was out there. I figured it was my brother coming back‚ maybe he forgot something and he was running back into his room to get it. (which was the second door to my room). Whoever it was never came into my room. They ran right past and went into his bedroom. It was so clear. I even heard panting. Then I thought maybe it was my best friend‚ he would do that whenever he got into trouble or whatever. He wouldn't go home. He would always come straight to my parent's house. After getting no reply‚ I got up‚ looked around‚ shut the side door‚ went back downstairs‚ and looked around in my brother's room. I didn't see anyone.About 20 to 30 minutes after that‚ my brother called me very upset. But by then I already knew‚ my friend was dead. In fact‚ I told my brother before he could finish his sentence. They found him in his girlfriend's car with a bullet hole in the center of his head and one through the palm of his hand‚ as though he tried to block the bullet. His murder has never been solved.The strange part‚ the next morning the police claimed they hadn't been to the home of the deceased's fiance. They contacted the immediate family late that night. Going by the police report and what his older brother told us in a very accusing manner (forgive my digression but remember that scene in the movie 'Fire in the Sky‚' where Travis's older brother questioned Michael about Travis's whereabouts? It was eerily similar to that‚ just take it up a few notches). The times didn't match up whatsoever. At the time my brother received the call from her‚ taking in the eyewitness (he hit a fire hydrant on the witness's front lawn but he never saw anyone around the car/scene) account‚ his murder hadn't taken place.” PNOTE: Very odd account. My take is that the police had gone to the fiance's (girlfriend's) house looking for her boyfriend. She called around asking for him. The brother went to her place to talk to her while the witness stayed home and went to bed. The witness was awoken by the sound of somebody entering the house and going to his brother's room. He assumed it was the friend and got up to check‚ but nobody was there. Approximately 30 minutes later he got a call notifying him that the friend had been killed. The police claim they never went to the fiance's home before or after.The bottom line is that somebody came to the house asking for the boyfriend (possibly the killers) pretending to be cops or something more bizarre occurred‚ and the witness overheard his deceased friend. Is this an overlapping timeline story with a bit of an entity account included? Do you have an interpretation? LonCops' True Stories Of The Paranormal: Ghost‚ UFOs‚ And Other ShiversThe Rise and Fall of the Nephilim: The Untold Story of Fallen Angels‚ Giants on the Earth‚ and Their Extraterrestrial OriginsMysterious North America: Mysteries‚ Legends‚ and Unexplained Phenomena across the United States‚ Mexico‚ and CanadaAngels: Who They Are‚ What They Do‚ and Why It MattersDMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical ExperiencesHealing with the Angels: How the Angels Can Assist You in Every Area of Your LifeALIEN DISCLOSURE: EXPERIENCERS EXPOSE REALITY - AudiobookRegister a SNAP EBT CardTHE MEME HUMANOIDS: MODERN MYTHS OR REAL MONSTERS - AudiobookTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTHAVE A COMMENT? GO TO OUR SUBREDDIT AND POST YOUR THOUGHTSFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Post Updates on TELEGRAMSubscribe and join the Chat GroupAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'JOIN US ON TikTok-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----ALIEN HEALERS: SINGULAR‚ OTHERWORLDLY MEDICINE - LIVE Chat - Q &; A - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)Welcome to Phantoms &; Monsters 'Personal Reports' - cryptid &; unexplained accounts directly from the archives of Phantoms &; Monsters‚ and the Phantoms &; Monster Fortean Research team. Narrated by Lon Strickler. Join us in the chat‚ discuss‚ and ask me questions about the accounts.Featured in this edition:Over time‚ there have been numerous accounts of extraterrestrials or alien beings assisting and healing afflicted humans. Many of these accounts are hard to fathom‚ but there are a few that make one wonder about the authenticity of the claim. I suppose it may be a matter of 'faith.' Religious people would believe that a divine spirit interceded and performed a miracle. Folks who reject traditional organized religion‚ including many who refer to themselves as spiritual‚ would state that divine healing is extraterrestrial intervention. I realize that the examples I'm about to detail are just a small sample of the claims available‚ though I have had direct contact with each of these experiencers.So‚ relax‚ listen‚ and contemplate the accounts. I will present the reports in detail and‚ afterward‚ I will attempt to answer your questions from the chat room.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Team Riker: Division A-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSEnormous 'sunspot archipelago' 15 times wider than Earth could soon bombard us with solar flaresExperts Forecast What Life Will Be Like in 2100BIGFOOT: REMARKABLE ENCOUNTERS &; STRANGE EVENTS! - LIVE Chat - Q &; A - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHARESpooky Cases of Haunted and Cursed FurnitureCould we find alien 'dinosaurs' on distant extrasolar worlds?PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!**********Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2023 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment has succeeded in sending and receiving communications via laserbeam‚ and is now set to transform how spaceships communicate with each other and with Earth in the spacefaring future. The test data was beamed about 40 times farther than the Moon is from Earth‚ from the recently-launched Psyche spacecraft […] The post NASA Sends Data Over 10 Million Miles for the First Time Using a Laser appeared first on Good News Network.

I’ve officially become An Audiobook Person. It wasn’t a sudden conversion—I’ve been listening to podcasts for years‚ but there was a time I couldn’t imagine listening to fiction in the same way. Then I started adding non-fiction audiobooks into the mix in my library queue‚ and I loved it. It was a whole new world; then at some point‚ I finally tried listening to a few fiction audiobooks‚ and… it took some getting used to‚ honestly. I bounced off of a few attempts‚ and at first I didn’t like surrendering so much control to the narrator‚ letting their phrasing and their interpretations of the characters’ voices influence my impressions. It felt a bit like getting the story secondhand‚ filtered through someone else’s mind‚ like the mental equivalent of reading somebody’s aggressively highlighted copy with notes scribbled in the margins. But I did like being able to catch up on reading while I was packed into an overcrowded‚ standing-only subway car‚ or making dinner‚ or going for long walks. The more I listened‚ the more I got used to it—but also‚ I learned what works for me and some things that don’t (more on that in a bit)‚ and I started to appreciate what a talented narrator can bring to the experience. I think I started really listening to fiction in earnest in 2015 or so‚ and now I have favorite series and favorite audiobook narrators‚ people whose names I’m always happy to see when I’m searching for something to read/listen to. I know from reading far too many comments on this topic over the years that some points that should probable be addressed upfront. So‚ first: Everyone is different. Everyone’s brain works differently. I’ve always had very good recall when it comes to remembering conversations and stories—anything that takes the shape of a narrative‚ really (if you ask me to remember numbers of any sort‚ forget about it. I can give you song lyrics or Mystery Science Theater quotes all day long‚ but ask me to come up with a credit card number without digging for my wallet and I’ll just throw a smoke bomb and run away to avoid the awkward silence). The point is‚ I’ve seen people absolutely insist that listening to a book is Not Reading‚ and while I recognize that there are differences in the way I’m experiencing a story while out on a hike‚ say‚ rather than flipping through a book‚ it works for me. In fact‚ I often feel more immersed and focused on the world of a story when I’m doing mindless or repetitive tasks like knitting‚ washing dishes‚ or taking a long walk on a familiar path than when I’m forced to sit and focus on the pages in front of me. I’ve always been someone who works better if I can move around a bit—in meetings‚ I take notes or doodle while I listen. When I chat on the phone‚ I can’t stay still—I pace (I was the kid who always got yelled at for stretching the phone cord‚ back in the Dark Ages when we all had landlines and televisions weighed roughly as much as one Cocaine Bear. It was a magical time.). I have no problem paying attention‚ but especially now as an adult with a highly sedentary job‚ when I don’t have to sit still in my off hours‚ I generally prefer to be in motion‚ even if it’s just walking around the block or straightening up‚ watering plants‚ chasing the cat around—whatever needs doing. And hell‚ even when I’m feeling tired or lazy or the weather is overcast and gloomy‚ the draw of the story is the best enticement I know to get me out of the house…which was a huge help during the worst of the pandemic. I have a lot of hefty fantasy novels to thank for luring me out into the fresh air day after day‚ which was massively beneficial in terms of mood and mental health during what was not a great time for any of us. It just made everything less bleak. I know not everyone will experience audiobooks the way I do—even beyond issues of ability and deafness or hearing loss‚ you may not process or respond to the text in the same way that you would with the written word for any number of reasons. You might just not like it‚ period. You might prefer quiet time with a book‚ which is lovely‚ and you deserve it! Do whatever works for you‚ and enjoy! For me—I’ve fallen for audiobooks‚ and I don’t think I can ever look back. I read (with my eyeballs) all day‚ every day‚ mostly on computer screens—emails‚ news articles‚ research for essays I’m editing‚ drafts of new essays‚ more emails‚ amazing old articles from The Toast because sometimes I just need to take a break and have a cup of tea and read The Toast. But I don’t really remember the last time I read a paper book or an ebook (at least for pleasure reading only; not every book is easily available in audio form‚ so of course I read various formats for work-related research). I had my gorgeous hardback copy of The Mirror &; The Light all ready to go when it came out in 2020—I’d been waiting for the final volume of the trilogy along with all the other Hilary Mantel nerds‚ and was so excited to dive in. And then I just…didn’t. I kept “saving” it for a long weekend or holiday break‚ but it gathered dust until I finally downloaded the audiobook and ripped right through it. (The audiobook is read by the actor Ben Miles‚ who worked closely with Mantel on the stage adaptation of the first two books‚ in which he played Cromwell. I was lucky enough to see that version on Broadway‚ and Miles is absolutely stellar in the role‚ and as a narrator. Highly recommended‚ and he reads all three books‚ if you’re looking to start or reread the trilogy!) Which brings me to what works for me‚ along with a few pet peeves. Maybe it’s best to start with things that tend to bug me or take me out of a book. I’m not going to call out any individual titles or narrators here‚ of course‚ and will note that of course‚ this is all very subjective—your mileage may vary‚ and probably will. That said‚ I’m not a huge fan of audiobooks in which the voices of children and young people are performed at a much higher register than that of the other characters. This was a problem with one of the first novels I tried to listen to; the narrator would break into a shrill‚ breathy whine whenever the youngest character spoke‚ and it was… off-putting. Otherwise‚ the person narrating did a fine job‚ but that’s become something of a deal-breaker for me. If the adult narrator goes into a high-pitched squeak or starts channeling Ralph Wiggum every time a younger character speaks‚ I usually find something else to read. The same goes for accent work. As with any performance‚ a lot depends on context and the type of character involved‚ but sometimes narrators go a bit overboard‚ or just miss the mark completely. I remember an instance in which an otherwise decent narrator—who happened to be a middle-aged American man—attempted to capture the voice of a streetwise young woman from the UK and somehow ended up sounding like he was starring as the Dowager Countess in some sort of horrifically ill-conceived dinner theater production of Downton Abbey. It just didn’t work‚ and felt so disruptive—it was difficult to take those sections of the book seriously‚ as a result. Finally‚ there’s the issue of pronunciation‚ which is a tricky one. Especially when it comes to fiction‚ and particularly SF and fantasy‚ where authors invent so much in terms of language‚ vocabulary‚ and naming conventions. I’ll admit‚ sometimes I’m surprised when narrators say character’s names or place names differently from my own mental version‚ but I’m generally willing to roll with it when it comes to fiction. After all‚ presumably they have access to the source‚ or at least might have some guidelines from the author—at least you’d hope so? Honestly‚ there’s so much I don’t know about the process of recording audiobooks‚ and the decisions that go into the production. I understand the basics—this article on “How Audiobooks Get Made” provides a solid primer‚ if you’re interested!—but I imagine it varies quite a bit‚ depending on the publisher‚ producer‚ and the authors and narrators involved. I always wonder how involved authors get to be‚ and how closely they work with the narrators of their books—if you have firsthand knowledge or other insights into how the audiobook sausage gets made‚ please let us know in the comments. (Note: you do not need to use the phrase “audiobook sausage” in your response. In fact‚ you probably shouldn’t. We can all just pretend that phrase doesn’t exist.) In any case‚ in my years of reading audiobooks‚ the good experiences exponentially outweigh any complaints I might have here and there. I’m always looking for recommendations‚ so I figured it might help to talk about what I like and tend to look for when I go trawling for new books (which is pretty much whenever I have time to read purely for pleasure). In no particular order‚ here’s a random assemblage of some things that make my brain happy: I have a soft spot for memoirs by performers (and particularly comedians) read by the performers themselves—off the top of my head‚ I’ve really enjoyed books written and read by folks like Tina Fey‚ Amy Poehler‚ Quinta Brunson‚ Eric Idle‚ Eddie Izzard‚ Rachel Bloom‚ and the great Patti LuPone. How To Be Perfect‚ by Michael Schur‚ is also a wonderfully special book‚ an even better audiobook‚ and a must-read for fans of The Good Place. I love giant oral histories and journalistic deep dives into the entertainment industry like Live From New York by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales (narrated by Christina Delaine and Paul Woodson)‚ The Story of “In Living Color” and the Black Comedy Revolution by David Peisner (read by JD Jackson)‚ Alan Sepinwall’s The Revolution Was Televised (read by Joe Ochman)‚ and the amazing fever dream that is James B. Stewart’s DisneyWar (read by Patrick Lawlor). I will read/listen to literally anything by Mark Harris (Pictures at a Revolution‚ narrated by Lloyd James‚ is probably my current favorite). I also enjoy gossipy audiobooks about Broadway and musical theater like Michael Riedel’s Razzle Dazzle (I can barely type the title without breaking into involuntary jazz hands—it’s narrated by Peter Berkrot)‚ or more thorough examinations like Jack Viertel’s The Secret Life of the American Musical (which is not so gossipy‚ but brilliant‚ and read by David Pittu). When it comes to fiction…I mean‚ I don’t know where to start‚ since I read almost constantly both for pleasure and because it overlaps with my work (sometimes there’s no separating the two). Rather than play favorites‚ I’ll just note that I love a loooong series‚ since I can dive in at the start and know that I have hours and hours of story ahead of me. One of the first series I read entirely in audiobook form is Martha Wells’ Books of the Raksura (narrated by Christopher Kipiniak)‚ and I’ve been working my way through her back catalogue and her newer works ever since. It’s all great‚ but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention veteran narrator Kevin R. Free’s reading of the Murderbot books‚ which is one of my all-time favorite pairings of narrator and text. Michael Kramer and Kate Reading do an admirable job with the many shifting viewpoints of The Stormlight Archive‚ and catching up on the Penric and Desdemona series‚ as read by Grover Gardner‚ provided some much-needed comfort reading over the last couple years. I’ve been happily working though Ben Aaronovich’s Rivers of London books on Jo Walton’s recommendation‚ and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (who I greatly admire as an actor) has quickly become a new favorite narrator. Beyond longer series‚ I’ll just point out a few recent highlights‚ off the top of my head: As a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia‚ I have high praise for both Frankie Corzo’s narration of Mexican Gothic and Yetta Gottesman’s reading of Gods of Jade and Shadow. Another standout is actress/narrator Robin Miles‚ who I think I first encountered reading books by Roxane Gay but has also won awards for her work on N.K. Jemisin’s fiction‚ including the Broken Earth trilogy and The City We Became. I recently finished Naomi Novik’s Scholomance trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed Anisha Dadia’s fantastic performance throughout; same with Aliette de Bodard’s In the Vanishers’ Palace‚ read by Nancy Wu‚ and Alix E. Harrow’s A Spindle Splintered and A Mirror Mended‚ both narrated by Amy Landon. I could go on and on (and on!)‚ but I’m interested in hearing from you: what are your experiences with audiobooks? Do they work for you? If you’re a regular listener‚ I hope you’ll share some recommendations‚ whether non-fiction or fiction—your suggestions don’t need to be limited to the genres I’ve touched on above‚ which really just scratch the surface of what I get up to in my spare time. And please feel free to celebrate the work of any favorite narrators‚ as well! They deserve more recognition‚ and as always‚ I’m all ears… Originally published March 2023. Bridget McGovern is the Managing Editor of Tor.com‚ and spent last weekend indulging her three-year-old nephew’s newfound love of Frozen. It’s going to take a lot to get “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” out of her head‚ so please help if you can.

Things are changing in a galaxy far‚ far away. (Aren’t they always?) A new Vanity Fair article offers a belated look at the making of Ahsoka—while the show was airing‚ actors and writers couldn’t promote their work on account of the ongoing strikes. Now‚ though‚ they’re free to speak‚ and there’s more than just your usual (very enjoyable) background and character commentary. There’s a big piece of news for Lucasfilm: Dave Filoni has been named the company’s chief creative officer. The role means he’ll work with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and head of development Carrie Beck at a much earlier phase in the process for each new project. “When we’re planning the future of what we’re doing now‚ I’m involved at the inception phase‚” Filoni told Vanity Fair. It’s a wise choice. Marvel has Kevin Feige; now Lucasfilm has Dave Filoni (who also likes to wear hats). When you take into account the interconnectedness of the current Star Wars series‚ the handful of movies currently in development‚ and whatever’s coming next—someone ought to be keeping a steady hand on all those narrative threads. Vanity Fair’s Anthony Breznican writes‚ “He described his responsibilities as understanding the intent of the filmmakers and being a resource to them‚ based on his mentorship under Lucas himself‚ and his years spent steering The Clone Wars‚ Rebels‚ and Ahsoka.” The piece is pretty promising about the future of Star Wars: The films announced at this year’s Star Wars Celebration are all proceeding‚ including Filoni’s film (which is intended to tie up all the events and series in the post-Return of the Jedi era); James Mangold’s force historical epic; and the entirely unexpected continuation of Rey’s story from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. On the small screen‚ Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte and the ensemble Skeleton Crew are incoming. And maybe—hopefully—we’ll get a second season of Ahsoka. The story certainly suggested one‚ and star Rosario Dawson is optimistic: “I mean‚ they’ve not said anything officially‚ but I remember when we were at Star Wars Celebration in London and they were like‚ ‘We’re giving Dave a movie!’” Dawson says. And I was like‚ ‘I kind of feel like that means we’re probably going to get a second season.’ For a while now‚ and especially now with the strike and everything‚ no one can say anything. But he did say he was working on an outline. So‚ we’ll see.” Ahsoka—and all the other Star Wars series you ought to watch‚ like Rebels‚ the best Star War ever—is streaming on Disney Plus.

In Lethal Company‚ a Beehive can give you a lot of credits when you sell them‚ but the question is: is it worth it? In Lethal Company‚ your ultimate aim is to collect varied loot from around the moon and sell it to meet the profit quota by the end of the deadline day. Different items give you different amounts of credits when you sell them‚ but among all‚ a Beehive will sell at a high value. However‚ nothing in Lethal Company comes easy. In order to steal a Beehive‚ you will need to sacrifice the life of a crewmember from your ship. In this guide‚ we will tell you everything you need to know about stealing Beehives in Lethal Company. Should you steal a Beehive in Lethal Company? Screenshot: PC Invasion In the perilous realm of Lethal Company‚ messing with a beehive is a recklessly lethal endeavor. While there are a lot of ways to protect yourself from bees in the real world‚ there is no way to protect yourself from the merciless attack from these ...

Do you need to power up your farming materials? Well‚ there is a place in town that might just do the trick. Here is how to find Ling’s Lab in Coral Island. Coral Island: How to find Ling’s Lab Ling’s Lab is one of the many buildings you will be visiting during your adventures in Coral Island. Since there are many other places to visit around it‚ it may become a bit crowded whenever you try to find it. The Laboratory is located in Starlet Town which is pretty much the center of activities around Coral Island. Using your map‚ you can find it easily and also see whether it is open or not. Here are the opening hours for each day of the week: Monday: 8:00 – 17:00 Tuesday: 8:00 – 17:00 Wednesday: 8:00 – 17:00 Thursday: 8:00 – 17:00 Friday: 8:00 – 15:00 Saturday: Closed. Sunday: 8:00 – 17:00 Image: Stairway Games So‚ why would you want to visit Ling’s Laboratory in Coral I...

If you’re looking for a challenge today‚ why not try take down the demonic three-headed guardian of the gates of hell? The MegaAbomination‚ or Megabomb in MW3 Zombies‚ is a hell of a beast and one that takes some serious talent to find and beat. Finding the Megabomb in MW3 Zombies Are you really sure you want to find the Megabomb in MW3 Zombies? What’s wrong‚ are you having a bad day? Do you have some stress to get off your chest? If you’re really sure you want to get turned into a pink mist by a three-headed dog‚ then there are a few spots you can look to chase your dreams. PC Invasion Understandably‚ both the areas are in the red zone of the MW3 Zombies map. Thankfully‚ you don’t need to get too deep into it to find the Megabomb. The first area is in the bottom left of the zone‚ just over the highlighted bridge. The second zone is to the top right of the zone at the topmost bridge. You’ll know pretty sharpish which on...