Where is the photo?

Carlos Latuff. IN Opera Mundi, 05/02/2011

The monster of Billings Dam

The plate warns: Warning. Anaconda. Traffic Interrupted. Photo: Ernesto Rodrigues/AE

São Paulo state – In the metropolitan area of Grajau, Parque Residencial Lagos (Residential Park Lakes), on the banks of the Billings reservoir a snake more than 5 meters in length is scaring the 1,2 thousands of families living on site. The monster, an "Anaconda", better known in English as "Anaconda"(probably a Eunectes murinus) is considered one of the largest and most robust amid all snakes in the world.

For now, she only managed to attack animals from small to medium size, such as capybaras, chickens and ducks, but nothing prevents that she can to capture a human being, especially the smaller, such as children and adolescents.

President of the Association of Friends of the Park, Mrs. Vera Lucia baseline, 61 years (in 2011) account: This is a monster. It sticks his head out of the water and then, dives, lifting gigantic tail. Even a dog, she eaten. In the main pier of the park, a plate that was placed warns – Danger: Anaconda. Herself Basali identified the animal: I was born in Mato Grosso. This snake appears there only in the Amazon ... (but this is the anaconda pilgrim of Grajaú ...).

For unknown reasons, far from its original environment, the Anaconda found a home in Billings Dam and nobody knows how the animal got there. Amid the mystery surrounding the origin of the creature, have appeared different versions of its presence in the area.

The tongue of the people puts the blame on an unidentified Japanese. He would have taken the snake to Grajaú and began to create it. Finally, he decided to put it in the pond. The time of appearance of the snake in the water is also controversial: the majority says that it appeared about 20 days but Mrs. Janet Marques da Silva, 53, says: There is talk on this snake since 2003. Mrs. Silva believes that the snake has even some offspring: Ten, at least, the oldest to have about ten years now.

The young marketer Elanes Santos Moreira, 16, was almost a victim of the monster. Even alerted he gone to fish in the Dam. He reports: Suddenly, it appeared, put his head above water. I felt blood to fled of my face.

Mrs. Basali even tells that tried to photograph the creature but complains of fatigue, because of the vigil, day and night. Still not got the picture and describe: She's too ugly. His head has the size of a ball handball. Informed, the firemen were on standby to try to capture the animal. But the beast is unpredictable and only with a patient ambush, will can surprise the creature. Let us follow the case and await a flagrant photo of the monster of the Billings Reservoir.

SOURCE: SAMPAIO, Paulo. Grajaú tem também seu monstro do lago Ness.
IN Estadão/SP, published in 05/01/2011
[http://www.estadao.com.br/estadaodehoje/20110501/not_imp713261,0.php]

Sorcery and violation of grave

ANGOLA/África – In the hamlet of Kayenga, community of Kamoka, Ukuma city - this april (2011), there was a macabre case of violation of grave. The deceased, the corpse, that belongs to Angelina Ngalula, who died aged 32, was found outside the coffin beside the grave stripped of some internal organs: heart, liver, intestines. The crime came two days after the burial.

The complaint was made Tuesday - (april, 12) by the Soba of the village, Aurelio Viyé. He said that was unaware what were the real reasons for this gruesome act committed in his village by unidentified individuals. But he conjectures: Many say sorcery does not exist but, this that happened in the village of Kayenga means what?

The soba that is a traditional regional authority in Angola said he had never seen anything like it in all its long vida. He was shocked by the case and blamed the villagers by the crime, and repeated: This only can be linked to witchcraft.

SOURCE: Desconhecidos desenterram cadáver na aldeia de Kayenga.
IN Jornal de Angola, published in 04/14/2011
[http://jornaldeangola.sapo.ao/14/15/desconhecidos_desenterram_cadaver_na_aldeia_de_kayenga]

Termites, these damn termites

Photo: AP

TAIWAN – A forestry expert that is investigating what caused a train accident in Taiwan said termites, slowly, had been digging a hole in a centennial tree, causing her to fall and crush the train.

The disaster that happened on Wednesday (04/27/2011) caused five deaths near the tourist area of Alishan Mountain were Chinese tourists. Dozens of people were injured.

During the inspection conducted, the expert Wang Ya-nan said that the hole left by termites was hiding, and that the tree fell at a unhappy moment.

Authorities said the driver stopped the train's composition after the wagon be reached by the tree but the huge branches, by hitting other cars on the train, provoked the increase of the tragedy.

SOURCE: Cupins causam acidente ferroviário em Taiwan.
IN Último Segundo/IG, published in 04/29/2011
[http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/ciencia/meioambiente/cupins+causam+acidente+ferroviario+em+taiwan/n1300119918972.html]

Mayas - Stairs that tell Histories

MEXICO – In the archaeological site of El Palmar, southeast of Campeche, a staircase of hieroglyphs was discovered by researchers at the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) associated with the University of Arizona and to Mexican National Autonomous University (UNAM). Preliminary analyses have indicated that this pre-Hispanic city was in contact with the cities of Calakmul (Mexico) and Copan, Honduras. The finding has a thousand and three hundred years.

This is not the only staircase carved, decorated with hieroglyphics found in the lowland Maya. Twenty of this kind were cataloged. Evidence of the monument were first found in 2009 among others, which are called Grupo de Guzman. At the time, the evaluation of the stones "in situ" suggested the existence of a stairway.

The field season began in late 2010 and early 2011. According to archaeologists, Javier Lopez and Camacho Kenichiro Tsukamoto, the first four pieces examined, were in good condition, while two others were fragmented. It was necessary to do emergency procedures for conservation.

All blocks, drawings, and specific location of the find were photographed and examined with instruments like a topografic laser, before being transferred to archaeological camp with safety. The INAH's restorers: Yareli Jaida and Diana Leticia Jiménez Arano determined the level of conservation and are working in restoration of the blocks.

Hieróglifos

A preliminary translation of hieroglyphics, led by epigraphist Octavio Olguin Esparza (UNAM) provides important information for understanding the Maya Classic period (250-900 AD). The hieroglyphic stairway relates, among other historical events, the visits by foreign to El Palmar. The events are marked in a calendar. The date shown is "11 Ajaw Sak 18" or 13 September of 725 AD. The stone document also refers to the 'Lords of place' and the contacts they had with cities such as Copan and Calakmul, in the southern of the region that was occupied by ancient mayas.

During the excavations, was discovered a large room whose floor shows signs of having been burned, which indicates the possibility of perform of rituals. There were also fragments of pottery. A funerary instalation with offerings was also found. There were human bones and two objects of polychrome pottery. The anthropologist Jessica Cerezo-Roman, University of Arizona determined that the mortal remains belong to a mature man, as indicated the examination of the jaws and the inlays of jade on the front teeth.

SOURCE: Descubren escalinata con jeroglíficos mayas.
IN Artículo 7, published in 04/25/2011
[http://a7.com.mx/cultura/arqueologia/7105-descubren-escalinata-con-jeroglificos-mayas.html]

The Giant Scorpions

Paleontology – Analyses performed on the fossil of a giant scorpion 417 million years old, a species extinct (thank goodness!) revealed traces of a substance called chitin in the exoskeleton of the creature. This finding demonstrates something that until now was considered impossible: The age of the chitin found, is several hundred million years older than what was considered the maximum possible in terms of conservation of this material.

The discovery was made ​​by a team of scientists led by George Cody of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Analyses were conducted at the ALS (Advanced Light Source) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California

The work of these experts contradicts the classical idea that the organic material can not be mantained for so long because it would be decomposed by microorganisms. However, scientists have found a fibrous mesh of chitin in the fóssil. Chitin is a polysaccharide rich in nitrogen.

Some species of these huge animals had reached over two meters in length. Chitin was also found in younger fossils, like a scorpion 310 million of years and even others, with 25 million years. The size of the giants scorpions is a frightening demonstration that in the past, arachnids, insects, crustaceans and other creatures were much larger than today. It is known that Eurypterids are aquatic ancestors (and extinct) of land scorpions and possibly of all arachnids of today.

SORCE: Detectan vestigios de quitina en el fósil de un aterrador escorpión gigante.
IN NCYT, published in 04/11/2011
[http://noticiasdelaciencia.com/not/862/detectan_vestigios_de_quitina_en_el_fosil_de_un_aterrador_escorpion_gigante/]

Mutant tadpole

PARÁ state – In Uruará location, near the city of "Porto dos Milagres"a fisherman known as "Neuzito" captured in his fishing net a strange creature. Its head and tail seem like of a fish. Where there should be fins, there are the legs of a frog.

The fisherman, intrigued, said that never saw similar animal. It measures around 30 centimeters and called attention of the local dwellers that gathered to see it. His limbs doesn't has fingers. It doesn't has gills too. The photo of him was published at the Tapajós TV website and it hoped the help of readers to indentify the animal.

SOURCE: Pescador captura estranho animal em Uruará, no Pará.
IN O Globo, published in 04/27/2011
[http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/mat/2011/04/27/pescador-captura-estranho-animal-em-uruara-no-para-924330022.asp]

Rhinoceros: The stolen horns

PORTUGAL – At Coimbra town, on Tuesday – 19, two horns of rhinoceros of the eighteenth century were stolen from the Museum of Science, University of Coimbra. Authorities believe the theft was an act of a international gang which operates in the black market, where these horns can reach the price of 80 000 euros.

The robbery happened at the section of zoology at around 17.00 at a closed section of the gallery. Museum director commented: We believe that this is a work of an international gang because thefts similar to this have occurred in other museums. Theft of rhino horns are happening some years ago. They started in South Africa this year, the latest happened in the UK, (in February) in an antiques shop in Essex and in the Museum of Natural History at Rouen in March in France.

The destination of the goods is Asia, where these horns are used in the preparation of aphrodisiacs. But the director of the Museum warns: These horns are impregnated with toxic products used for its conservation. Are poisonous for human consumption.

SOURCE: GERALDES, Helena. Chifres de rinoceronte do século XVIII roubados da Universidade de Coimbra.
IN Público-Ecoesfera/Pt, published in 04/23/2011
[http://ecosfera.publico.clix.pt/noticia.aspx?id=1491053]

The bizarre baby of Dominican Republic

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – In the touristic town of La Romana, in the afternoon of a monday – april 14 (2011), in Hospital de Saúde Pública Francisco Gonzalvo (public Health Hospital), a woman from Haiti, identified like Tossent Luis, 20 years of age, gave birth to a bizarre baby.

The child had a human body but her face was like a frog face. The mother, when looked the litlle girl, was taken of terror and left the hospital, running. Nobody knows to where she gone.

The news spread. Many people moved by morbid curiosity gone to the hospital hoping to see the abnormality. Were not allowed to view the child. As is common in such cases, the child died after half an hour after birthing.

This case resembles another episode occurred at Nepal in 2006. The breakingnews said: Bizarre baby born. The text is reproduced below:

NEPAL

Bizarre baby born in Dolakha 
By Rajendra Manandhar

Charikot, Dolakha, March 29 - The birth of a bizarre-looking baby in Charikot, the headquarters of Dolakha district, on Wednesday, drew a huge number of onlookers to witness the astonishing sight.

The neck-less baby with its head almost totally sunk into the upper part of the body and with extraordinarily large eyeballs literally popping out of the eye-sockets, was born to Nir Bahadur Karki and Suntali Karki at the Gaurishnkar Hospital in Charikot.

The Karki couple is a permanent resident of Dolakha’s Bhirkot VDC. The bizarre baby, however, died after half an hour of its birth, Suntali, the mother, informed. It was taken to the hospital after its death.

The news about such a baby being brought to the hospital spread like wildfire and there were hundreds gathered at the hospital to have a look. The police had to be deployed to control the crowd.

“We wouldn’t have been able to save it, even if it had been brought here alive, said a nurse attending to the mother at the hospital. This is an extremely abnormal case.

The “baby” weighed 2kg at birth and was born after the normal nine-month gestation period. Suntali, already a mother of two normal daughters, was not suffering from any illness during the pregnancy.

Nir Bahadur, the father, says he does not feel any remorse for the newly-born baby’s death. “I am happy that nothing happened to my wife, he said.

SOURCE: VEGA A. Manuel. Nace niña con cara de rana en hospital de La Romana
IN El Nuevo Diario/Republica Dominicana, published in 04/14/2011
[http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=238025]

The past encaged on a crystalline stone

PERU – In Chiclayo (a town located at northwest of Peru, capital of Lambayeque region, one of the 25 political divisions of the country) scientists found several examples of small insects preserved in amber stones. Researchers believe that these tiny specimens lived around 20 millions of years ago. Were – therefore, contemporary of the dinosaurs and, they passed, at least, for a glaciation.

In the stones of amber insects like Psocoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera and spiders, as well as spores, pollen fossils, and even a drop of blood and hair of rodents, all of these fragments of the past remained preserved.

The discovery was made ​​on a beach in far north of Peru by paleontologists from the Paleontological Museum Meyer-Honningen. The team found more than a hundred stones, among the river sediments, but still could not identify the majority. Some of the insects are nor even known, like the , long-legged mosquito Zancudo or a wasp, that has the stinger in the front of its body. These are possibly species already extinct that indicate changes in the flora and fauna of the area.

However, the Peruvian museum has invited Austrian scientists to assist in the study of fossils and new expedition will be made in the Santiago River, for try to uncover new clues about the evolution of the Amazon.

SOURCE: Âmbar alberga fósseis de insectos extintos.
IN Ciência Hoje/Pt, published in 04/21/2011
[http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=48649&op=all]

UFO-Brazil – Sighting in Santa Catarina

SANTA CATARINA (state) – Sunday, march – 10 (2011) an UFO was filmed at 'Erechim' town, north of the state. The images were obtained by a professional filmaker, Osnei de Lima that relates: When I took knowledge about something of strange at the sky, I got my camera and filmed the object. It was moving in all directions.

Lima recorded the images during one minute and 28 seconds until the bright object followed eastward, then north and finaly, disappeared. The director says this is not your first time that he observes a foreign object near his home, in Poland Street (rua Polônia) , one of the highest regions of the city. "But it was the first time I captured images. The object had a rounded shape and its light was very bright.

The UFO appeared to be far, far away. Moreover, its movements were made with great speed. I know very well the trajectory of an aircraft and can assure you that was not an airplane, he said.

Director of 24 films - six long and 18 short films, winning several times - Osne Lima, 36, used a camera with high definition, full HD to capture the sequence. The Commander Kraemer of surveillance Airport of Erechim confirmed that on Sunday no aircraft took off down the runway or terminal.

FONTE: Depois de Xanxerê, Joaçaba e Piratuba, ovni é visto em Erechim.
IN Rádio Rural/sANTA cATARINA state, published in 04/14/2011
[http://www.radiorural.com.br/noticias.php?nId=leitura&idnot=11142]

Mystery of Teotihuacan

The underground work of the temple of Quetzalcoatl

TEOTIHUACÁN, México — In the archaeological site of Teotihuacan, 40 miles southwest of Mexico City, a team of archaeologists discovered a tunnel that may have much to reveal about one of the most important pre-Columbian civilizations.

The site was discovered by chance in 2003 when the heavy rains that fell in the region have revealed a small crater. But only in 2009, scientists began to excavate the place - with the support of the Institute of Anthropology and History Mexico (INAH).

The researchers believe that the tune could lead to a burial chamber of rulers of Teotihuacan, because none of them, no cemetery or graves have been found to date.

The archaeologist Sergio Gomes says: Teotihuacan means "place of the gods". It was a religious center built as a replica of the universe. The tunnel that we are looking can to be a sort of gateway to the underworld. We believe that this architecture can also to hide a replica of the underworld.

Historians estimate that the city flourished in the early Christian era. Teotihuacan was possibly the most important urban center in North America in his time of splendor. Your maximum population may have been 200 thousand inhabitants. Occupying an area of 25 sq. km, only 5% of the site was explored by scientists. Teoatihuacan was abandoned by the seventh century.

In August 2010, after digging about 12 feet, archaeologists have found what could be the entrance to a tunnel. The hypothesis was correct. The entrance had been blocked deliberately - with stones, and objects parts that may have belonged to a temple destroyed. Were already removed 300 tonnes of materials: small objects made ​​of jade, marine shells, bones.

A small camera-robot, first used in an archaeological research in Mexico, exploited the small entrance. A radar system allowed to evaluate the possible extension of the tunnel, about 120 meters. The hypothesis suggest that in the end of the corridor may exist at least three mortuary chambers containing the remains of some rulers of Teotihuacan.

The idea is based in the location of the site that seems seems extend itself along the underground area of the temple of the "Plumed Serpent" (Quetzalcóatl). The delicacy required for the operation involves a job that should last for years. But it is a start for unravel the great mystery that is the origin and abandonment of the powerful city of Teotihuacan.

SOURCE: NICHOLSON, Sophie. Unos arquéologos buscan en un túnel los secretos de Teotihuacán.
IN Google/AFP, published in 04/07/2011
[http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iwsL9Xn0J5XPAHRRThKkfkIq8NCg?docId=CNG.d9537645f26505042c24a73e3115be9f.2141]

Spiritist fever in brazilian movies

"As Mães de Chico Xavier" (The mothers of Chico Xavier), April 2011. More recent production of the Brazilian spiritist cinema.

In the brazilian cinema the rise of a new genre of films opens a space in the market and reveals the excelent acceptance and fascination of the the conception about life after death of kardecist spiritism in the imaginary of people.

The phenomenon isn't surprising considering that Brazil is the largest Spiritist kardecist nation of the world. There is in the country a vigourous spiritist literature. The 'beyond', according kardecist spiritism also appears on TV, in soap operas of great success. But, on movies, the popularity obtained by the spiritists produtions is a mark in the history of the brazilian cinema.

The thing began in 2008 when the film "Bezerra de Menezes - O Diário de um Espírito" (Diary of a spirit) debuted and even without any big advertising structure, attracted nearly 500,000 viewers in that year alone. The film, is a biographical account of the life Bezerra de Menezes, a physician and exponent of the spiritist movement Kardecist at Brazil.

From the exit of "Bezerra de Menezes" was born the film producer company Estação da Luz (Light Station). Since then, the company produced two more films: Chico Xavier (2010) and As mães de Chico Xavier (The mothers of Chico Xavier – 2011), both directed by Daniel Filho. But other producers were paying attention in the genre. Also in 2010, it launched the long "Nosso Lar" (Our Home).

Chico Xavier, a film about the life of the most famous brazilian spiritist medium.

With great stars of the national drama, the film budgeted at around 12 million of reais, Chico Xavier, another biography, takes to the big screen the life of Brazil's most famous medium. In the same year, 2010, "Nosso Lar" arrived the theaters. The most expensive film in Brazil's history, even now, costed 20 million of reais.

Our Home is based in one of the most renowned works of literature psychographed made in Brazil. The eponymous book (that was wrote - or psychographed by Chico Xavier), translated into several other languages, speaks of a place, the Beyond, passing from the shadows of hell of the sinners to the rescue of souls. Our Home is the name of an ethereal city, a kind of spiritual colony where the disembodied spirits are cured from the trauma of physical life.

In his debut, only in the first three days of exhibition, "Our Home" earned 5.7 million of reais and was seen by more than half a million people.

Nosso Lar, (Our Home), 2010. Another film-related to the medium Spiritist Chico Xavier (1910-2002) medium, author of numerous texts of literature psychographed produced in Brazil. The story is inspired in the eponymous book, a best seller of the kardecist spiritist brazilian literature.

"Our Home", produced by Iafa Britz, also has a cast of big names. Moreover, according to the book scene, it was necessary to hire international experts as the director of photography Ueli Steiger and special effects supervisor Lev Kobolov of the Canadian company Intelligent Creatures.

In this april month, 2011, debuted "The mothers of Chico Xavier" ("Estação da Luz" prodution), another story related to the life of the medium. In this april month, (2011) debuted "The mothers of Chico Xavier", another story related to the life of the medium. And it's not te finish. Two new debuts of the genre are coming. In the "midia" - they talk about a spiritist fever in produtions of brazilian movies.

Also in 2011, will be released "E a vida continua" (...and Life goes on) and "O filme dos espíritos" (The film of the spirits), the latter inspired by the famous "Book of Spirits" (Book of Spirits), by Alan Kardec, the precursor of western Spiritualism.

RELATED LINKS Chico Xavier movie website [http://www.chicoxavierthemovie.com/] (english) Nosso Lar movie website [http://www.nossolarofilme.com.br/ingles/] (english) As Mães de Chico Xavier movie website [http://www.asmaesdechicoxavier.com.br] (portuguese)

FONTES Cinema brasileiro aposta em "Chico Xavier". IN Diário do Vale, published in 04/02/2010 [http://diariodovale.uol.com.br/noticias/3,19212.html#axzz1IbfAwOrA] Nosso Lar é a terceira maior estreia da retomada. IN Ultimo Segundo, published in 07/09/2010 [http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/cultura/cinema/nosso+lar+e+a+terceira+maior+estreia+da+retomada/n1237771101373.html] Filmes aumentam movimento em centros espíritas. IN Midia News, published in 04/04/2011 [http://www.midianews.com.br/?pg=noticias&cat=16&idnot=46614]

Atafona: the city being swallowed by the sea

Photos: Isabela Kassow. See more photos here

RIO DE JANEIRO (state) – Atafona, district of town of 'São João da Barra', situated 314 km from state capital (Rio de Janeiro city) no needs tsunami or hurricane to be destroyed. There, nature is not abrupt. But it works slowly, almost lovingly, engulfing the place bit by bit, relentlessly.

The sea advance over the place is been monitored since the 1970s. Streets houses, hotels, entire blocks are gone. The Atlantic Avenue, a classic landscape of coastal cities, no longer exists. In a radius of five kilometers of coast, erosion has turned everything in ruins. The water takes the sand creating dunes that occupy the space stolen to men.

The advisor to the Planning and Environmental Management of the municipality of Sao Joao da Barra, Andre Pinto explains:

The first observations of erosion were made 40 years ago. The problem was intensified by the lack of pressure of the water volume of the Paraiba do Sul River, which crosses the town towards the sea. The strong dynamics of ocean currents, the geological formation and for being a point of tension of the winds from the northeast, beyond the construction irregular in the fringes of the river and the sea, all of this aspects contribute to make the ocurrence of this phenomenon so intense in Atafona.

The city of São João da Barra has 30 thousands inhabitans and a territory of 432 km². The main economic activity in the region has always been fishing. But 'tourism of the ruins' has grown from in recent years.

The oldest inhabitants say that, since the 70's, the sea surged over five streets, totaling about 500 homes. This is equivalent, by the calculations of the prefecture, 40 soccer fields. Long ago, the sea became prohibited for swimming due to the presence of rebar and constructions debris hidden under the muddy waters.

SOURCE: MORATELLI, Valmir. Atafona: a cidade que está sendo engolida pelo mar. IN último Segundo, published in april – 01/2011 [http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/brasil/rj/atafona+a+cidade+que+esta+sendo+engolida+pelo+mar/n1300019862044.html#11]

More fossils of prehistoric crocodiles found at Brazil

Cranium of "Decuriasuchus" found at hinterland of Rio Grande do Sul state, south of Brazil. The predator, who lived in the Triassic period, is older than dinosaurs known.

Rio Grande do Sul (state) – In the city of 'Dona Francisca' in a place called 'Quarta Colônia' (Fourth Colony), researchers of the Museu de Ciências Naturais da Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul (Museum of Natural Sciences of the Foundation Zoo-botanical of Rio Grande do Sul) e da USP (University of São Paulo) de Ribeirão Preto (city of São Paulo state) – they presented to the worldwide scientific community a fossil from 240 million years ago.

An article about the discovery was published this month (march) by the german scientific review Naturwissenschaften (Science and nature). The text is signed by the Paleontologists: Marco Aurélio Gallo de França (USP), Max Cardoso Langer (USP) e Jorge Ferigolo (of the Museum).

Nine of the ten fossils in the site were found together. Footprints of diferent sizes were found too. The researchers belive that they could made by a mothers and puppies. The animals are so much distant relatives of the actual crocodiles. Furthermore, the discovery is uncommon because the pieces were found almost entirely intacts.

The animals that are a new spécie that was identified like belonged to the Rauisuchia group and it was named Decuriasuchos quartacolonia. It was predator carnivore of the Triassic period. Its size was about 2.5 m and a half long and had serrated teeth.

SOURCES

Fundação apresenta fóssil de 240 milhões de anos encontrado no Estado IN Diário de Canoas/RS, published in 03/31/2011 [http://www.diariodecanoas.com.br/site/noticias/geral,canal-8,ed-60,ct-214,cd-312595.htm] Pesquisadores gaúchos e de Ribeirão identificam ‘avô’ do crocodilo. IN Jornal da Cidade/Ribeirão Preto/SP, published in 03/30/2011 [http://www.jornalacidade.com.br/editorias/cidades/2011/03/30/pesquisadores-gauchos-e-de-ribeirao-identificam-avo-do-crocodilo.html]

Prehistoric crocodile nests found in Sao Paulo

SÃO PAULO state/Br – On a farm situated at the locality in Jales, near the city of Sao Jose do Rio Preto (SP state), a crocodile fossils attracted the attention of the international scientific environment. Twelve nests of the beast were found with remnants eggs of these primitive reptile known as Baurusuchus pachecoi. The fossils date back 85 million years ago. Therefore belong to the Cretaceous, the last period before the extinction of dinosaurs.

In Brazil, the species was found for the first time in 1945 in Paulo Faria. This time, along with the nests were also rescued a skull of the arcane crocodile in perfect conditions of conservation. The descobeta was published in the journal Palaenontology. The paleontologist Carlos Eduardo Maia, who discovered the fossils says that he and his team had the honor of give the name to the new finding: Baurulithus fragilis.

SOURCE: Ovos fossilizados de crocodilo pré-histórico são encontrados em Jales, SP. IN O Globo, publicado em 03/29/2011 [http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/sp/mat/2011/03/29/ovos-fossilizados-de-crocodilo-pre-historico-sao-encontrados-em-jales-sp-924115211.asp]

Mayas: The Stele of number 6

Monument Maya similar to the Stele of number 6, in exibition in La Venta Park Museum

MEXICO – Recently was publicized the information the discovery in Tabasco (one of 31 Mexican states. Capital: Villahermosa) of a supposedly archeological new find belonging to Mayan culture: the Stele of number 6, a stone compostion that could contain prophetic signs about the end of the world.

The midia announced the fact, but in true, Estela No. 6 was found in 1958 in the hills Tortuguero, at Macuspana. Today, it is under the guardianship of the Museum of Anthropology and History Carlos Pellicer House. The piece was never shown to the public.

The stele, which is not a single object but a monument, it is the only document of the Mayan classic period that specifically refers to the date 13.0.0.0.0.0 Ajaw K'ank'kin 3, meaning the equivalent of 21 or 23 December 2012. Therefore, many consider that the stele No. 6 contains something like a prophecy about the end of the World.

However, according to the Maya's Collection director, that brings together ancient hieroglyphs and iconography (Ajimay-INAH), Carlos Pallana Gayol: What we know is that, according to the Mayans the Stella indicates the end of a period and not the end of the world or the advent of a disaster.

FONTE: GARCIA, Flor. Estela 6 marca el fin de un periodo.
IN Tabasco Hoy, published in 03/29/2011
[http://www.tabascohoy.com/noticia.php?id_nota=209840]

The Olmec Dragon

Icon. Drawing Olmec: dragon carved in stone found in Chalcatzingo (Photo: INAH)

MEXICO – In Vera Cruz, Guerrero and Morelos (states of Mexico), archaeologists of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) found representations of mythical beings who were believed, until then, were ignored by the ancient dwellers of the region: dragons.

Images carved in stone, clay sculptures and paintings dating between the years 1200 and 400 BC indicate the practice of a cult of worship to this fantastic animal: the dragon Olmec. There is no mistake. This is not the plumed serpent known and called Quetzalcoatl or Kukulkan. It is another more ancient creature.

The olmec dragon is depicted as a chimera, mixing physical features of snake, bird and jaguar. It also appears like an anthropomorphic being, a dragon-man.

The images have peculiar traits of the Olmec culture: the flame-shaped eyebrows and a cross, of the type called cross of St. Andrew, located between the eyes or on the back. The chief of excavations at Chalcatzingo, in Morelos, Carolina Meza Rodriguez adds: Another interesting aspect of Olmec dragon is that his mouth emits signs that seem like combinations of commas. It is not known whether the signals represent mere fumes or they are words, names, belonging to an unknown language or writing.

The olmec dragons are always related to the cave entrances. It is speculated that they are the symbol of power of an ancient lineage of leaders who ruled the Olmec people between the years 800 and 500 BC. In some cases, the iconographic elements associated with the dragon are found in different parts of a cave. Thereby, the entire chamber becomes a dragon. The Olmec people is the oldest sedentary culture today known at Mesoamerica

SOURCE: CRUZ, Antimio. Los Olmecas también imaginaron dragones.

IN El Universal/Mexico, published in 03/27/2011

[http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/cultura/65110.html]

Sacred caves of Yanomamis are found in brazilian Amazonian

Neblina peak, located on the north

of Amazonas state, in Serra do Imeri

(Imeri mountais) is the more high

point of Brazil with 2993,78 meters.

AMAZONAS/BR – An inedit expedition realized last year (2010) in the Parque Nacional do Pico da Neblina (National Park of Neblina Peak) identified five caves that are considered sacred by the indigenous of the yanomami ethnic group.

The caves are located at the high river Negro (rio Negro). So far, only the Yanomami knew their location. Now, the caves were indexed by governamental instances that organized the expedition: the Centro Nacional de Conservação e Pesquisas de Cavernas (Cecav) linked to the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio – Chico Mendes Institute of conservation and research of caves).

The exact localization and photos obtained of the caves will be not disclosed. This is a secret because these caves are not only geographical spaces. For the Yanomami indigenous the five caves are mystic, magical places with spiritual meanings.

Despite the caution, a little information could be revealed by the coordinator of the expedition, José Carlos Reino. The caves are small but sustain a rich ecosystem. Granite predominates in geological formations and the researchers explored an extension of 60 km.

But beyond topographical knowledge the project includes cultural anthropology that related to the caves. During the expedition were recorded the legends and myths of the five caves, traditions of the Yanomami indigenous people.

To reach the caves, the expedition had to negotiate with the Yanomami. The Indians themselves have led the team to the site but they do not agree to allow visits in that area of the the National Park. Before the group begin the expedition, the leader indigenous Joaquin Figueroa performed a ritual (damn, the caciques no more have names of caciques) for the spirits, that live in the caves, permit the presence of strangers there.

SOURCE: Expedição identifica cavernas sagradas dos índios yanomami no Pico da Neblina, no Amazonas.
IN A Crítica, published in 03/18/2011
[http://acritica.uol.com.br/amazonia/Amazonia-Amazonas-Manaus-Expedicao-identifica-Pico-Neblina-Amazonas_0_446355654.html]

El Salvador: Maya priests are praying for Obama

Photo: AP/Luis Romero

EL SALVADOR – At El Salvador a Council of mayan priests belive that the visit of the president Barak Obama is not a fortuity event. Obama arrives to the country on the epoch of an mystic anual ritual. Then, the priests will use the opportunity to ask their ancient ancestors enlightment for Obama in his decisions.

The coordinator of the Council of priests, Ernesto Campos, speaking to a small crowd, explained that the prayers are for that world leaders can take good decisions, especially Obama. The wish of the priests is that the inspiration of gods reach the mind and heart of the great leaders for they take wise decisions, with spiritual meaning (noetic perception), with respect and harmony sense with the whole mankind.

In the agenda for U.S. president on his visit to El Salvador is scheduled a visit to a Mayan ceremonial center called Pan-Tec, at San Andrés, 32 miles west of the capital (San Salvador), department (state) of La Liberdad.. The place is an archaeological site dated around 900 BC. There are located four pyramids and a museum.

For the priest, Mr. Campos, Obama's visit takes place at the spring equinox, ...when the energy of Sun that comes from the center of the galaxy goes down to mother earth... Campos says: This is a good sign, a president with such power of decision in the world be here, at these lands in this time. Obama, who arrives in El Salvador on Tuesday, April 22 (March 2011) the center on Wednesday, 23.

FONTE: MENDEZ, Diego. Sacerdotes mayas salvadoreños oran por Obama.
IN Yahoo Noticias/AP, published in 03/20/2011
[http://bit.ly/ghNEdH]

Cyclone at brazilian coast

Photo: Agencia Globo

Neighborhood of Leblon: furious sea.

RIO DE JANEIRO (state) – On tuesday, 03/15/2011, a cyclone formed at the southeast coast of Brazil produced waves that reached 3 meter of height and wind gusts of 120 km per hour. In the neighborhood of Leblon, in the south zone of the city (of Rio de Janeiro, capital of state Rio de Janeiro), the images are impressive. According to the National

Meteorological Institute (Inmet) sea should continue agitated even this Thursday (17/03/2011). This tornado was called Arani. This is the second time this year that a cyclone threaten the brazilian coast at the same region: Rio de Janeiro's state, southeast of the country. The first episode occurred in january. In the occasion the strong wind ripped off roofs of houses.

Phenomenons of these nature were rare at Brazil. Now, the weather patterns appear to be changing. Torrential rains ravage the country from north to south, causing a succession of tragedies. Floods and landslides that have provoked many deaths. Numerous families are homeless in places like the states of Santa Catarina and Paraná.

RELATED LINK: Tornado scares population of Rio de Janeiro

SOURCE: Ressaca em mar do Rio tem ondas de até 3 metros de altura
ING1,publishe in03/16/2011
[http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2011/03/ressaca-em-mar-do-rio-tem-ondas-de-ate-3-metros-de-altura.html]

The cow on the tree

RIO GRANDE DO SUL state – At the São Lourenço do Sul city, friday, March, 11 (2011) – the prefect, José Daniel Raupp Martins, declared municipal public calamity after a storm that caused a devastating flood. The force of waters dragged crops and herds. Eight people died and two thousand were made homeless. Among the animals that were lost, only the cow saved itself despite having been in an awkward position: on top of a tree much far from the farm that was her home.

SOURCE: Chuva arrasa cidade e deixa vaca em árvore.
IN Marco Eusebio Blog, published in 03/11/2011
[http://www.marcoeusebio.com.br/]

The Brazil's flying rivers

AMAZON – Flying rivers are invisible courses of water, chains of vapor that pass above us, without anyone realizing it. These celestial rivers are formed by the waters that evaporate of the Amazon basin. The amount of water in vapor state that runs by these flying rivers is of the same order of magnitude or more than flow of the Amazon River (200 thousand cubic meters per second).

SOURCE: Rios voadores: estudando a umidade do ar ao sabor do vento.
IN Correio do Estado published in 03/10/2011
[http://www.correiodoestado.com.br/noticias/rios-voadores-estudando-a-umidade-do-ar-ao-sabor-do-vento_102239/]

Peru - Fossil shrimp from the Cretaceous period was found there 3 thousands and 700 meters altitute

A fossil shrimp of Cretaceous, this, found in Lebanon, similar to discovered at Peru.

PERU - In the northeastern region of Peruvian Amazon, Maranhão river basin, scientists found fossilized remains of a shrimp that belongs to Cretaceous geological period. It means that the specimen lived there is 85 million of years. In the city of Chiclayo, the director of the Paleontological Museum Honning Meyer, the paleontologist Klaus Honning, commented: It is a remarkable find because the muscles of the fossil are still intact. It is a very rare specimen, measuring 12 cm and gifted with four paws.

In January this year (2011), the age of this fossil and others was confirmed by the Institute of Prehistory of Germany. The location of the find can appears strange for a marine animal: 3 thousands and 700 meters above sea level. But it is not a suprise for the scientists. In the same region were also found fossilized remains of a squid that belongs to the same period.

Honning explains that in the place, in ancient Ages, a kind of salt lagoon was formed in there. Thus, these animals have evolved in the conditions of an ecosystem more or least isolated. The study of the shrimp of Cretaceous shrimp helps to better understand the evolutionary process of species that inhabited the seas of a geography that no more exist.

SOURCE: Peru: Descoberto camarão fossilizado do Cretáceo a 3 mil e 700 metros de altitute.
IN Google Notícias/AFP - published in 02/09/2011.
[http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gE9lu6CM0b7ozDGnCRi-jOGVEI1g?docId=CNG.a41cc318d94314c7fd9a40c07dc147a8.6a1].

Advance of the sea swallows beaches in Ceará

WHERE: Brazil. Advance of the sea changes the Brazilian coast.

SOURCE: Youtube/TV Globo-Fantástico (audio in portuguese)

Ceará state, BRAZIL - On the coast of Ceará urban areas are disappearing, buildings, houses, streets are swallowed by the accelerated advance of the sea. At least one city has declared a state of emergency right now.

The power of destruction of the water is changing the landscape quickly. Residents are being displaced. In the city of Icapuí ten houses had to be demolished before they were felled by the sea.

Researchers reported that the advance reaches ten meters per year in some beaches cearences. The containment work that began to be made to try to stop the sea advance has been swallowed too, even before to be concluded. Scientists blame global warming for the phenomenon.

Other headlines shows that the phenomenon is occurring in others places of the country. Headlines like these:

Mar advances on homes in Florianopolis (Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil)
Mar advances in Cabo Frio (Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil)
Sea progresses and destroys wall of condo on Icaraí (Rio de Janeiro state, Sudeten region of Brazil)

SOURCE: CE: avanço acelerado do mar preocupa moradores e causa prejuízos.
IN Jornal Floripa published in 01/29/2011
[http://www.jornalfloripa.com.br/brasil/ver_info_jornalfloripa.asp?NewsID=10004].

Brazil - Thousands of dead fish in the Pantanal

WHERE: Mato Grosso do Sul state, Midwest region of Brazil. Photo: Rhobson T. Lima/O Pantaneiro

MATO GROSSO DO SUL/AMAZON Region – At Aquidauana, pantanal region of the Mato Grosso do Sul state, shoals of painteds, pacus, golden fishes, cacharas - and even stingrays, are floating dead in Rio Negro, one of the largest in the Amazon River basin.

The estimated Environmental Policy is of that several tons of fishes died, adding that the authorities and experts, they still do not have the scale of the ecological disaster.

Biologist of the State Institute of the Environment, Roberto Gill Machado, noted the phenomenon, considered of great proportion, after flying over the region of sub-basin of Rio Negro. 

At this place fishing is banned. The area is considered one of the nurseries of fish breeding of the Pantanal.

According to the technicians of the Institute the symptoms that occur in this case are the same symptoms of other instances of the genre. 

The fishes are dying putting their heads out of water trying to obtain air, due to lack of oxygen in the water. This deficiency is due to the large volume of ash produced by burned, which is carried by runoff along riverbeds of the wetland.

However, the idea of blaming the ashes of forest burn has no rationale. The residents of the region, they don't believe in this theory. 

More probaly the poisoning of water by gases would be generated by decomposing organic matter, a process that, in fact, removes oxygen from water. All very natural to some extent. 

What is not natural in the region is the volume of fish that died from deadly agent. It seems that something is rotten at the Gaia realm. Maybe, who knows... are us!

SOURCE: Milhares de peixes morrem no Pantanal.

IN Estadão/SP – published in 01/31/2011.

[http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/vidae,milhares-de-peixes-morrem-no-pantanal,673546,0.htm].

Law of Haiti admits and criminalizes the creation of zombies

HAITI - Haitians are 50% Catholic and 100% Voodoo priests - says a military member of Brazilian peace forces, that are working in the capital Port-au-Prince since 2004. The mysticism of the inhabitants of the western part of the island of Hispaniola, the Caribbean, is considered taboo by most of the western world and has little relationship with rag dolls targeted needles.

Haitian Voodoo has its root in Africa. The practices are widespread in the Caribbean nation, whose deep misery gives to gives the nation the worst Human Development Index (HDI) of the Americas.

Brazilian soldiers who are part of MINUSTAH (United Nations Mission for the Stabilization of Haiti), they remember of to have found in the street, at the beginning of the mission, pieces of human bodies, with chest cutted and eyes gouged out. Believe they were victims of voodoo priests, the "bokors", who practice black magic

The brazilian militaries still remember themselves having collected the testimony of an Italian priest who was kidnapped together a novice nun by practitioners of voodoo. The nun was raped repeatedly, including with sticks and wooden stacks, in a supposed religious ritual. The victims managed to escape when another bandits group attacked the firsts and was this episode that created the chance of escape

Apart from the rituals of death and purification, the voodoo includes the mystical transformation of humans into "zombies". This is one of the biggest fears for the secular society. The haitians believe that a zombie is created from the sorcery of the wizard, who would make himself a controler of his victim, able to manipulate the will the person's soul. For scholars of practice Vodouisants are, however, the alleged lethargy of zombies may be resulted from the application of tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin found in puffer fish species.

Article 246 of the Haitian Penal Code makes clear reference to the poisoning made with the aim to produce a "lethargic" state in a person, the main characteristic of those Haitian zombies. "Are classified as envevenamento all attacks on a person's life, the effect of substances that can lead to death sooner or later, independent of the epoch when that these substances had been applied or administered, and whatever the consequences of this procedure.

If most of the practitioners od the Haitian voodoo practiced mixed with other religions such as Catholicism, after 2010 earthquake, when at least 220 000 people lost their lives and, mainly, with the worsening of the cholera outbreak at the end of last year, sorcerers of voodoo passed to be hostilized by the population. At Port au Prince the reaction against voodoo practioners can be something violent.

In houses whose roofs have a sort of scarecrow with red rags, at least 40 priests were murdered, says Brazil's ambassador to Haiti, Igor Kipman. Part of the population attributed to them the responsibility for the deaths of more than 3300 people that were victims from cholera.

SOURCE: BORGES, Larissa. Na polêmica do vodu, lei haitiana proibiria criação de "zumbis".
IN Terra Notícias - published in 01/21/2011
[http://noticias.terra.com.br/mundo/noticias/0,,OI4903622-EI8140,00-Na+polemica+do+vodu+lei+haitiana+proibiria+criacao+de+zumbis.html]

Black Magic haunts small city in Portugal

WHERE: Salvaterra dos Magos is a village, small town of the district of Santarém. Foros de Salvaterra is a "freguesia" (something like a parish) of the town of Salvaterra of the Magi. Santarém is an administrative district (like a federation's state). There are 18 administrative districts in Portugal. The country's capital, Lisbon and the cities of Évora, Coimbra and Porto are considered judicial districts.

PORTUGAL – In the town of Salvaterra dos Magos, a village of Foros de Salvaterra, in the last nine months, the population has been haunted by black magic. First, objects of evil cults began to appear the doors's houses. They are macabre things like raw viscera of animals accompanied by lighted candles, incenses and cigarettes burned.

There are two weeks that the witchcrafts are appearing in the cemetery of the village, too. Everything indicates that certain rituals are made, realy, because the headstones and graves are being damaged. The losses reach three thousand euros, even now. The authors of vandalism and practitioners of black magic have left animal livers on graves. Closures of marble and other noble stones were broken. Books of mortuary registers and decorative vases were stolen.

The letters were written for the same hand.

But the horror of this witchcrafts don't stop only in the tradition of the cursed objects. The threats come, too, by telephone, SMS, or even handwritten notes. They are messages that talk about death. The letters are sent to different families. The houses are near one of others but the families don't have blood links. The case is being investigated by the Guarda Nacional Republicana, GNR.

SOURCE: Famílias de Foros de Salvaterra recebem estranhas ameaças satânicas.
IN O Ribatejo, PORTUGAL – published in 01/28/2011
[http://www.oribatejo.pt/2011/01/familias-de-foros-de-salvaterra-recebem-estranhas-ameacas-satanicas/].