Wednesday, August 31, 2011

4 Minute writing-The Medium with the Baby Foot

I have been reading about Houdini and mediums and automatic writing. I wonder if they did it like the surrealists, did they really put a pencil to page and let it spill? Or did they know who their mark was, just write gibberish with no backbone, and threw in the name "George" because that was the name of the mark's grandfather? I would love to live in a time were you could go to a real honest Victorian seance. According to Houdini, Browning was at a seance where the "spirit of his first child who had died as a miscarriage appeared." Some white like form appeared but it turned out to only be the bottom of the medium's foot waving around in the dark room. And Browning said they had not had any child or miscarriage or anything of the sort.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills

I happened to catch Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills last night on HBO. It is positively spellbinding. One of  the best documentaries I've ever seen. It was released in 1996, and I just don't know how I missed it all this time. I do remember the murders...

The film documents the events from the arrests of Jessie Misskelley, Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin for the murders of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore and Stevie Branch. Their naked and hogtied bodies were discovered in a ditch in a wooded area of West Memphis, Arkansas, known as "Robin Hood Hills".
Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky interview numerous people connected with the case, including the parents of the victims, the parents of the accused, members of the West Memphis Police Department (WMPD) and all the protagonists involved in the trial. Berlinger and Sinofsky are not filmed themselves, and the dialogue is provided by the interviewee, rather than using a "Q & A" format.

The documentary is seamless and unrelenting. The small details are haunting: Damien Echols combing his hair in the court while looking at himself in a strange hand mirror, the blurry image of Echols over the shoulders of the parents of Christopher Byers as they are being interviewed, the close-up of Byers' snakeskin boots while singing a hymn, the footage of Echols and Baldwin being clamped into restraints then stragetically putting their clothes over the chains.

This film left me shaken, drained, and upset. But isn't that what great art is supposed to do?

Monday, August 29, 2011

Nasty Cold/Sinus Infection Experience-WATCH OUT


For the last few years, I have managed to get a sinus infection at the beginning of the fall. This year when I got the pressure at the base of my throat and the dizziness, I went to the doctor early and got an antibiotic. After taking the antibiotic for a day, my stomach got really upset. I finally went to the bathroom to puke and something new happened: I puked all this clear stuff. It turned out that the antibiotic made all the stuff from my sinuses drain into my stomach, so I puked up sinus drainage. I felt I needed to put this out there in case one of you has the same issue and thinks you are dying.

I have to thank the antibiotic gods because without them, they would have buried me long ago because of sinuses. Buried me head first. Or I would have killed myself. Shot myself in the head and instead of blood, all the clear sinus stuff would have sprayed the wall.

Good luck if you get THIS first cold of the season. Even after several days of heavenly intervention from the antibiotic gods, I still feel wrong.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Men found sleeping in caskets in Bristol


BRISTOL, Tenn., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Police in Tennessee said workers at a funeral home called 911 when they discovered two men sleeping in caskets in a storage area.
Investigators said the workers at Weaver's Funeral Home in Bristol discovered the men sleeping at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and the suspects fled through a window when they learned officers were on the way, the Bristol Herald Courier reported Wednesday.
Police said they arrested Barrett Lance Hartsock on charges of burglary and vandalism over $1,000. The second man, whose name is believed to be Lars, was last seen in the Cherry Street area, police said.
The funeral home said the men caused more than $9,000 in damage to the caskets.

from http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/08/24/Men-found-sleeping-in-caskets/UPI-25151314214404/

Monday, August 22, 2011

Fauquier County Unsolved Cold Case File-William Anthony Kagdis


On August 1st, 1982 at approximately 11:50 AM Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Johnson Motel located at 9533 James Madison Highway, Fauquier County, VA, on a report that a guest had been found deceased in his rented room.
Upon arrival at the Johnson Motel deputies were directed to room no.17 where they discovered the apparently dead body of a white male laying on one of the beds in the room. The victim was found lying face down in a large pool of blood. The room showed signs of a struggle having taken place.
The victim was identified as William Anthony Kagdis, an aeronautical engineer with NASA, who checked into the room at the Johnson Motel the evening before. An autopsy revealed Mr. Kagdis’ death was due to the numerous blunt force injuries he received to his head.
Mr. Kagdis had been traveling from his home in Baltimore, MD to Tennessee on business. He was known to be driving a white 1979 Volkswagen Rabbit station wagon with mirrors on the bumpers. The vehicle had a Maryland license plate number of EBX 304. The vehicle is believed to have been taken by the assailant after the attack and has never been recovered.
If you have any information about this murder, please contact the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office at 540-347-3300 (24 hours) or the Criminal Investigation Division at 540-347-6870.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Notes from Wellfleet, MA: Winslow's Tavern on a Rainy Day

The rain got heavier, steady, so we came to town to Winslow's Tavern. We sat upstairs in the bar area. It is so calming looking down on the wet empty patio under the maples. From up here, it feels like we are sitting in the trees. Below us the street cars roll slowly by desperate for a parking spot. Families scurry by quickly in shorts holding umbrellas close to the heads, yellow windbreakers with hoods pulled up tight.
But the miracle is the breeze. The "not too cold" air moves through half open windows in the top of the Tavern facing the street. The breeze sweeps through the trees and there is green giggling outside the windows. You couldn't see or hear this if you were standing even on the patio. You have to be up in the trees to feel it and see it.
The rain is falling so hard it slams the roof and the pavement below, but it doesn't come in the windows. Only the clean air that surrounds the rain eases into the bar.
I overheard a man at the bar say: "The brother I never talk about was a great chess player." This man and his companions are rain refugees like us. But instead of enjoying the wind, they play a LOUD game of trivia at the bar. I didn't hear the question, but the answer was James Joyce's Dubliners. Nobody got the answer, but when the answer was given, this annoying prick said,"Oh James Joyce." As though he knew the answer, it just had not be presented in the correct way. Then he proceeded to talk about Joyce like someone doing a dissertation. Rattling off facts about Joyce anyone would know if they took Basic World Lit. For 1ST Graders.
I'm starting to believe in "narrow intelligence." These are people who are completely stupid about most things, but are super intelligent in a couple of areas. Then I have met people who are intelligent about a broad spectrum of things, but they have narrow blind spots. Blind spots are not the same as stupidity. Intelligent people can have their blind spots pointed out to them and can try to correct them. Narrow intelligence people are generally not smart in social situations.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Get Tickets for The Land of Oz! October 1-2, Beech Mountain


Photo by Cindy Goff

Once upon a time, there was a theme park called "The Land of Oz." It closed 1980. But every October, the park is open to visitors, and THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE APPALACHIA!

Last year, my friend and I went on Sunday. We were lucky because we heard Saturday had sold out. Below you will find info for getting tickets early, directions, etc.

For more photos of the 2010 Land of Oz Celebration (a great creepy mist day on the mountain) go to: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1651956859933.2088419.1267362486&type=1

From: http://www.romanticasheville.com/land_of_oz.htm

October 1-2, 2011The "Wizard of Oz" park is near Grandfather Mountain.
Over the years, Autumn at Oz has grown from a small reunion of former employees to a celebration that draws folks from near and far for a nostalgic stroll along the yellow brick road that was the centerpiece of the popular theme park during the 1970s.
Autumn at Oz begins with a hayride or shuttle from the Town of Beech Mountain up to the enchanted forest. Once there, attendees are treated to live music, a tour of Dorothy's House, a mini Oz museum, dance troupes, souvenir vendors and face painting. A highlight for many is the panoramic view from the Judy Garland Memorial Overlook Gazebo, from which they follow, follow, follow the 44,000 yellow bricks that wind around the mountaintop.
Along the way, there are visits with the Tin Man, Dorothy, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Professor Marvel, Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, Glinda the Good Witch and the Wizard. The Wicked Witch of the West is also on hand with her Winkie guards and flying monkeys.
They encourage fans of all ages to come dressed as their favorite Oz character and enjoy a nostalgic stroll through this unique place in time!
The top of Beech Mountain, at 5,506 feet, is an ideal place to venture over the rainbow. Its rock outcroppings and gnarly, windswept trees inspired the creation of the Land of Oz theme park, which operated from 1970-1980.
Enjoy fall color as well! For more, see our NC Mountain Fall Foliage Forecast and Guide.
Autumn at Oz has three sessions daily. The sessions are at 10 AM-Noon, Noon-2 PM, and 2 PM-4 PM. Tickets are $16.50 in advance and $20 at the event, if not sold out.
Advance tickets are available online, and total ticket sales will be limited to 7,000.

Tips for Visiting Land of Oz

  • Follow the signs for parking as you approach Beech Mountain.
  • You may arrive any time during the time/session shown on your ticket. You don't have to arrive there at the beginning. Example: for the time session from 10-12, you may arrive any time between 10 a.m. and noon. It is much better to stagger arrival times.
  • Advance ticket holders should proceed to check-in tables at the appropriate time/session. The tables will be arranged alphabetically, by last name of the person who purchased the ticket(s).
  • The Oz property has uneven paths, ramps and stairs and therefore is not wheelchair or stroller friendly (late afternoon sessions work better for folks needing assistance and small strollers or backpacks work best for children). The weather on Beech can be cold and blustery, so please be prepared by dressing in layers and wearing comfy shoes. Bring a jacket and an umbrella, just in case.
  • When the shuttle/hayride drops your group off in "Kansas", one person from your group needs to "take a ticket" from the dispenser at the start of the path. This ticket corresponds to the time your group will be allowed to enter Dorothy's house. An electronic monitor will be placed near the food vendors and another will be in the yard at Dorothy's house. This ticket/system will allow your group to shop, picnic, visit the museum, etc. until your ticket and appropriate time is called.
  • Bring extra money as food treats and treasures are for sale. Face painters are among the best and there is additional charge for painting and props too.
  • As so many people want to take photos, be respectful of others. Please stand back, off the paths, and make room for others to pass on by. A full cast of characters will be near the end of the yellow brick road for family photos as well.
Driving DirectionsDue to the vast number of back roads, we do not recommend MapQuest, GPS etc. Use the Google Map for general driving directions from your location. It's a TWO HOUR DRIVE from Asheville - but a beautiful drive through the mountains! You will see signs as you enter the town of Beech Mountain (it's not very big!).
From the Greensboro/Winston-Salem Area
Take US 421 N to Boone. Turn left onto NC 105. Follow 105 for 15 miles and then turn right onto NC 184. Follow NC 184 to Banner Elk and then turn left onto NC 194/184. NC 184 will veer to the right and become South Beech Mountain Parkway. Follow NC 184/Beech Mountain Parkway into Town.
From the Charlotte Area
Take I-85 S towards Gastonia. Take Exit 17, and turn left onto US 321 N. Follow US 321 to Boone. In Boone, turn left onto NC 105. Follow 105 for 15 miles and then turn right onto NC 184. Follow NC 184 to Banner Elk and then turn left onto NC 194/184. NC 184 will veer to the right and become South Beech Mountain Parkway. Follow NC 184/Beech Mountain Parkway into Town.
History of Land of Oz Theme ParkOz was dreamed and designed by Jack Pentes, on behalf of Carolina Caribbean Corp., and headed by Grover Robbins, of Tweetsie RR. Both men were exceptional "visionaries". It was their plan to create something special for children - something that would be fun and financially compatible with the ski slopes of Beech - and, in turn, would bring parents, purchasers of resort property. Just as important, local talent and craftsmen were employed, bringing pride and opportunities to the area. It was a grand dream and was done in a grand fashion. OZ exceeded everyone's expectations of success.
Six months before its opening, however, Mr. Robbins contracted bone cancer and passed away. OZ was operational from 1970-80, but changing times, economics, liabilities, maintenance, and other interests of its owners, along with the lack of change at OZ, took their toll on the park. Ten years passed with the property reverting back to its original owners. Vandalism and nostalgia seekers destroyed much of the remains. Even today, people try to take a "piece" of OZ, to our despair.
In 1990, the 450 acre project known as Emerald Mountain development began. Since 1990, OZ has gone from being an "archeological dig" to an enchanting private garden, with Dorothy's farm restored, gazebos renovated, fountain, pond and waterfall made operational, and the yellow brick road unearthed and patched.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Notes on Great Pond, Wellfleet MASS, Cape Cod


Stairs leading down to Great Pond.

The first day it was raining and windy, but I entered all the same. I wanted to say hello. I wouldn't call Great Pond a friend because it is above attachments. I don't know if it has any concerns. After I got into its water, Great Pond was warmer than the air. I love the effect when the water is like a blanket. Great Pond doesn't care about me. But Great Pond would be just as content if I swam out to the middle, had a cramp, and drown.
This is the greatest secret of Great Pond: if you swim out to where you can't see the sand anymore, you will look down and see a light coming up from the bottom. It looks just like the light I always imagined you would see at the end of your death tunnel. The light you are supposed to go to. I never dreamed it would be underwater. I think this would be the perfect place to die.

Monday, August 15, 2011

The Fred Flintstone Theroy

Everything is spinning so fast under me. It's like I'm driving one of those Fred Flintstone cars and the earth is moving so fast right under your feet. I'm afraid to put my feet down on the ground because I'm sure I would break my ankles and never be able to walk.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Rhode Island Vampires

By Diane C. Hundertmark Beginning in 1799 and ending in 1892 you can find various accounts of six local vampires. Some of the records are very detailed and with some, there is only a simple short statement to be found. All these stories have one thing in common; the Rhode Island Vampires were all women in the first blush of youth. They are gruesome accounts of family tragedies and brutal mutilations in often failed attempts to stop and kill the vampires.
The first record is a short cryptic request made by a Mr. Stephen Staples to the Cumberland Town Council in 1796 to "try an experiment" in an attempt to save one daughter's life by digging up his other daughter who had recently died. There is no explanation of what the experiment was, but reading the other accounts of how vampires were dealt with we can assume it was similar.
The next vampire case was recorded in 1799. Sarah Tillinghast's fate was revealed in a prophetic dream her father Stuckely "Snuffy" Tillinghast had some months before tragedy struck the family. A dream in which half of his orchard died. The Tillinghast's were well to do farmers in Exeter, and Sarah was the first of the Tillinghast children to die. Soon others fell sick, and all complained that Sarah was returning at night to press on their chests. By one account, six of the 14 Tillinghast children died and a seventh was taken ill before neighbors convinced Mr. Tillinghast to dig up those who had died. When they did so, Sarah was found to have fresh blood in her heart and veins. Unlike European tradition where the vampire was killed with a stake through the heart, in New England the solution was to burn the vampire's heart. When the gruesome task was done the bodies where reburied, but still some accounts state the seventh child died. Other records show only four of the 14 children died, and some researchers speculate the others were added in legends to match the dream.

Bela Lugosi 
The reports of vampires moved to Foster in 1827 when the body of the 19-year-old daughter of Captain Levi Young was exhumed after others in the family became ill. The remains of Nancy Young where burned and the fumes inhaled by the family members as a cure and protection, still four more of the family's eight children died. Peacedale was the next town to be struck. Believing his recently deceased daughter Ruth Ellen to be a vampire, William G. Rose had her body exhumed and her heart cut out and burned in 1874. Onward the vampires and the gruesome solutions marched to West Greenwich. There in RI Historical Cemetery No. 2 you can find the grave of Nelly L. Vaughn who died at the age of 19 in 1889. Legends hold that nothing will grow on her grave and it is cursed. Finally, we come to perhaps RI's most famous vampire, Mercy Brown. Accounts in the Providence Journal at the time documented her story. In the midst of a bitter cold winter in 1892, Mercy died at 19 years of age, following her mother and sister to the grave both of whom had died of a mysterious disease in 1883. Unable to dig through the frozen ground, Mercy was placed in a crypt. Soon people reported seeing her walking about town. When her brother Edwin became ill soon after Mercy's death, Mr. George Brown obtained permission to exhume all three of the women. On March 18, 1892 family and friends gathered at the Cemetery behind the Exeter Chestnut Hill Baptist Church to complete their grisly task. To their horror, of the three women, Mercy was found to look alive and she seemed to have moved in the coffin. Fearing she was indeed a vampire, family members cut out her heart and were horrified to find it full of fresh blood. Here too the solution was to burn her heart on a nearby stone. They then mixed the ashes with some of Edwin's medicine and had him drink it, in the hopes of curing him. Alas it failed; Edwin died two months later. You can visit Mercy Brown's grave at RI Historical Cemetery No 22 in Exeter, RI on Route 102.
Clippings from the Providence Journal about Mercy Brown were discovered among the papers of Bram Stoker after his death, leading many to speculate that he based many items in his novel "Dracula" on the RI vampire stories. He was not the only writer to find ideas in these stories. Even Rhode Island's favorite son of the weird and macabre, H.P. Lovecraft got into the spirit. In his short story "The Shunned House" published in October 1924 he retold the stories of Mercy Brown and Sarah Tillinghest with his own special flair.
So now, you have two gravesites to visit, and now you can read "Dracula" and "The Shunned House" knowing the inspiration came from our own Rhode Island towns and byways. Perhaps standing on the hilltop in Rhode Island Historical Cemetery No 22 on Route 102 in Exeter with the gloomy woods around you looking down at Mercy Brown's grave you'll find the perfect Halloween mood. Of course, all the Rhode Island vampires were dispatched hundreds of years ago, and there is nothing in the graves but dust. Not much to frighten you.
However, there still is that epithet on Nelly Vaughn's gravestone. It is there for all to see in Historical Cemetery No. 2 in West Greenwich. Strange and disturbing words -- "I am waiting and watching for you."

Thursday, August 4, 2011

You Say You Want A Revoultion...Well


This is an excerpt from Wikipedia about the French Revolution. Does anything sound familiar?????!!!!!

...Economic factors included hunger and malnutrition in the most destitute segments of the population, due to rising bread prices (from a normal 8 sous for a four-pound loaf to 12 sous by the end of 1789),  after several years of poor grain harvests. Bad harvests (caused in part by extreme weather from El Niño along with volcanic activity at Laki and GrĂ­msvötn), rising food prices, and an inadequate transportation system that hindered the shipment of bulk foods from rural areas to large population centers contributed greatly to the destabilization of French society in the years leading up to the Revolution.
Another cause was the state's effective bankruptcy due to the enormous cost of previous wars, particularly the financial strain caused by French participation in the American Revolutionary War. The national debt amounted to some 1,000–2,000 million livres. The social burdens caused by war included the huge war debt, made worse by the loss of France's colonial possessions in North America and the growing commercial dominance of Great Britain. France's inefficient and antiquated financial system was unable to manage the national debt, something which was both partially caused and exacerbated by the burden of an inadequate system of taxation. To obtain new money to head off default on the government's loans, the king called an Assembly of Notables in 1787.
Meanwhile, the royal court at Versailles was seen as being isolated from, and indifferent to, the hardships of the lower classes. While in theory King Louis XVI was an absolute monarch, in practice he was often indecisive and known to back down when faced with strong opposition. While he did reduce government expenditures, opponents in the parlements successfully thwarted his attempts at enacting much needed reforms. Those who were opposed to Louis' policies further undermined royal authority by distributing pamphlets (often reporting false or exaggerated information) that criticized the government and its officials, stirring up public opinion against the monarchy.
Many other factors involved resentments and aspirations given focus by the rise of Enlightenment ideals. These included resentment of royal absolutism; resentment by peasants, laborers and the bourgeoisie toward the traditional seigneurial privileges possessed by the nobility; resentment of the Church's influence over public policy and institutions; aspirations for freedom of religion; resentment of aristocratic bishops by the poorer rural clergy; aspirations for social, political and economic equality, and (especially as the Revolution progressed) republicanism; hatred of Queen Marie-Antoinette, who was falsely accused of being a spendthrift and an Austrian spy; and anger toward the King for firing finance minister Jacques Necker, among others, who were popularly seen as representatives of the people.

Louis XVI ascended to the throne amidst a financial crisis; the state was nearing bankruptcy and outlays outpaced income. This was because of France’s financial obligations stemming from involvement in the Seven Years War and its participation in the American Revolutionary War. In May 1776, finance minister Turgot was dismissed, after he failed to enact reforms. The next year, Jacques Necker, a foreigner, was appointed Comptroller-General of Finance. He could not be made an official minister because he was a Protestant. Necker realized that the country's extremely regressive tax system subjected the lower classes to a heavy burden, while numerous exemptions existed for the nobility and clergy. He argued that the country could not be taxed higher; that tax exemptions for the nobility and clergy must be reduced; and proposed that borrowing more money would solve the country's fiscal shortages. Necker published a report to support this claim that underestimated the deficit by roughly 36 million livres, and proposed restricting the power of the parlements. This was not received well by the King's ministers and Necker, hoping to bolster his position, argued to be made a minister. The King refused, Necker was fired, and Charles Alexandre de Calonne was appointed to the Comptrollership.Calonne initially spent liberally, but he quickly realized the critical financial situation and proposed a new tax code. The proposal included a consistent land tax, which would include taxation of the nobility and clergy. Faced with opposition from the parlements, Calonne organised the summoning of the Assembly of Notables. But the Assembly failed to endorse Calonne's proposals and instead weakened his position through its criticism. In response, the King announced the calling of the Estates-General for May 1789, the first time the body had been summoned since 1614. This was a signal that the Bourbon monarchy was in a weakened state and subject to the demands of its people.

For more go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

3 Minute Writing: Why All The Magazine Covers in Horse Country Look The Same and How We Are All Peasants

A fox, a courthouse, a racehorse, and a country lane with a bright red barn at the end of it. Every cover of every magazine looks like that here in the heart of horse country in Northern Virginia. Why don't they try something different to sell businesses. Like, why don't they have a naked man washing a horse. Everybody would pick that up by the corners. I would certainly look to see who had the balls to advertise in such a thing.
We are going to have to be a whole lot more creative if we are going to survive, that means all of us. I saw Al Sharpton on MSNBC talking about "his people." That is wrong thinking. We are ALL peasants in the eyes of the owners of this country. And we are ALL at the mercy of the owners of this country. At least for right now. People have to realize we are ALL in trouble, not black, not Hispanics, not crackers, all of us. We have to pull together and get our power back. Well, maybe we never really had it. Come to think of it, there have always been poor people and there have always been rich people in charge of everything. But the owners of the United States might want to remember that if you take away so much from people, that they don't have anything to lose. They may want to read a book about the French Revolution.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Butterfly Gym Equipment Maker-3 Minute Writing To Clear My Head

Melt off the globe like a careless seamstress. Slide off the world like a butterfly gym equipment maker. Walk out of the scene like an actor who will never audition for a roller coaster. Just remember the pig will float if it has to. Remember the colors of each country are chosen for reasons that have nothing to do with nature or animal reason. You may be assigned cowardly yellow or snot green even if you didn't offend a soul waiting in the welfare line. Slime dolls are all the rage and it takes so long to make one with the proper creepy amount of algae. There are not enough crouton recipes in the magazines that count. There is more to life than dancing and nutritional value. Keep counting stars in your shit, even if the stars turn out to be corn, they can still tell the future of American warfare.

Monday, August 1, 2011

PHOBIAS

Here is a great list of phobias from Wikipedia:

 Non-psychological conditions

  • Aquaphobia – fear of water
  • Photophobia – hypersensitivity to light causing aversion to light
  • Phonophobia – hypersensitivity to sound causing aversion to sounds.
  • Osmophobia – hypersensitivity to smells causing aversion to odors.

 Biology, chemistry

Biologists use a number of -phobia/-phobic terms to describe predispositions by plants and animals against certain conditions. For antonyms, see here.

 Prejudices and discrimination

The suffix -phobia is used to coin terms that denote a particular anti-ethnic or anti-demographic sentiment, such as Americanophobia, Europhobia, Francophobia, Hispanophobia, and Indophobia. Often a synonym with the prefix "anti-" already exists (e.g., Polonophobia vs. anti-Polonism). Anti-religious sentiments are expressed in terms such as Christianophobia and Islamophobia. Sometimes the terms themselves could even be considered racist, such as with "Negrophobia."
Other prejudices include:

 Jocular and fictional phobias

news|url=http://sports.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20060610/news_1mi10jenkins.html%7Ctitle=I hate to burst Poway Unified's balloon|date=2006-06-10|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune}}</ref>
  • Anatidaephobia - the fictional fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you. From Gary Larson's The Far Side.
  • Anoraknophobia – a portmanteau of "anorak" and "arachnophobia". Used in the Wallace and Gromit comic book Anoraknophobia. Also the title of an album by Marillion.
  • Arachibutyrophobia – fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. The word is used by Charles M. Schulz in a 1982 installment of his "Peanuts" comic strip[5] and by Peter O'Donnell in his 1985 Modesty Blaise adventure novel Dead Man's Handle.[6]
  • Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia – fear of long words.[7] Hippopoto- "big" due to its allusion to the Greek-derived word hippopotamus (though this is derived as hippo- "horse" compounded with potam-os "river", so originally meaning "river horse"; according to the Oxford English, "hippopotamine" has been construed as large since 1847, so this coinage is reasonable); -monstr- is from Latin words meaning "monstrous", -o- is a noun-compounding vowel; -sesquipedali- comes from "sesquipedalian" meaning a long word (literally "a foot and a half long" in Latin), -o- is a noun-compounding vowel, and -phobia means "fear". Note: This was mentioned on the first episode of Brainiac Series Five as one of Tickle's Teasers.
  • Keanuphobia - fear of Keanu Reeves, portrayed in the Dean Koontz book, False Memory, where a woman has an irrational fear of Keanu Reeves and has to see her psychiatrist, Mark Ahriman, each week. He calls her the "Keanuphobe" in his head. She eventually ends up killing her psychiatrist because she believes that he is one of the Machine agents trying to control her.
  • Luposlipaphobia - fear of being pursued by timber wolves around a kitchen table while wearing socks on a newly waxed floor, also from Gary Larson's The Far Side.
  • Nihilophobia - fear of nothingness (comes from the combination of the Latin word nihil which means nothing, none, and the suffix -phobia), as described by the Doctor in the Star Trek: Voyager episode Night. Voyager's morale officer and chef Neelix suffers from this condition, having panic attacks while the ship was traversing a dark expanse of space known as the Void. It is also the title of a 2008 album by Neuronium. Also, the animated version of George of the Jungle (2007 TV series) is seen suffering in one episode of the cartoon, where they are telling scary stories.
  • Venustraphobia – fear of beautiful women, according to a 1998 humorous article published by BBC News.[1] The word is a portmanteau of "Venus trap" and "phobia". Venustraphobia is the title of a 2006 album by Casbah Club.
  • Monkeyphobia - fear of monkeys, as named by Lord Monkey Fist in the animated series Kim Possible. Due to spending a summer in a cabin with a crazy chimp mascot, Ron Stoppable has a fear of monkeys, which he gets over several times, usually during battles with Monkey Fist, who is essentially Ron's arch-nemesis.

 Miscellaneous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyrophobia