Road – News: December 1, 2006

Road – news    December 1, 2006

Crystal Conference Call On December 6, Ellie Crystal and I will have a conference event, titled “How Ancient Philosophies Help Define Our Current Lives”. Over recent months, I have been working together with a number of people who share my enthusiasm in trying to make past religions understandable and applicable to us and today’s society. Several decades ago, Carl Jung tried to do as much… and so have many others before and since, though often within the confines of secretive societies or small groups. But why not try to make it a global phenomenon? Or an internet phenomenon? November 13, 2006

Revealing Rosslyn Four years ago, in the pre The Da Vinci Code era, I wrote “The Stone Puzzle of Rosslyn Chapel”. The book was the first book in more than half a century to talk about Rosslyn in its own right. My hope was that it would become the first in a series of books that would talk about the chapel and its environment, and not about some theory, for which the authors then allegedly found “evidence” at Rosslyn.

Four years later, “The Stone Puzzle of Rosslyn Chapel” is in its fourth reprint and about to have its third edition. And, finally, after Mark Oxbrow and Ian Robertson’s “Rosslyn and the Grail” last year, there are a number of books that begin to tackle Rosslyn in its own right. This was in evidence at The Saunière Society Conference in Newbattle Abbey over the weekend. The second day could rightfully be called “Rosslyn Day”, as it had no less than four speakers on the subject. First, there was Judy Fisken, curator of Rosslyn Chapel from 1981 to 1996, who provided a visual virtual reality tour of the chapel. Speaking about her predecessor John Taylor, she underlined that no-one knows what Rosslyn truly means; John did not know after forty years, yet some authors think they have the answer in five minutes. This is exactly my feeling about the chapel: the chapel remains a puzzle, where only certain elements are becoming known and understood, but the overall picture is slow in revelation. Next, Brian Allan, who had just published “Rosslyn, Between two Worlds”, largely a rendering of psychic and other experiments held in the chapel over the previous decade. Next: Ashley Cowie, author of “The Rosslyn Matrix”, who has tackled some of the graffiti in the crypt and has tried to interpret them, apparently the first of several such efforts, the result of which we will no doubt see in the future. Ashley was obviously inspired by my book, as he has tried to build upon “The Rosslyn Meridian” material that went into it. Finally, there was a brief presentation by John Ritchie on his and Alan Buttler’s new book “Rosslyn Revealed: A Library in Stone”. John is a Rosslyn local and it has “only” taken him half a century to begin to write down his own and all collected knowledge about the chapel. John has a lot to say and this book should only be the beginning, but in this book, he has tackled some of the main pieces of the puzzle, including an innovative and academic explanation of the Apprentice Pillar, which is, in my opinion, the best explanation ever set forward about the symbolism of the chapel.

Many of these books largely remain “on sane ground” and I hope that this may continue for a long time, as it will help to create a valuable foundation for the future, in which the puzzle may finally be completed. November 10, 2006

Wag the dictator… In another “coincidence”, two days before elections in the US, former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was convicted for war crimes and sentenced to death. It is a remarkable coincidence, for the US elections were played as America deciding whether to stand by or drop Bush and his (mainly foreign) policies. The answer was a confirmation of public opinion: that Americans are not happy with their international image, the Republicans’ method of government and the state of the Iraq War – growing from 10 to 20% opposition in February 2003 to 60% in October 2006. Sceptical minds, following the Wag the Dog principle, could, of course, argue that the verdict in the Hussein trial arrived at just the right moment, whereby the Bush Administration might want to portray Saddam’s conviction as evidence that the Bush Administration had done properly in Iraq after all, that its regime change was a worthwhile cause, and that the country now has a democratic system condemning a criminal for his war crimes. If that were the case, it seems that this time, the spin doctors’ tactic failed to influence the outcome of the elections.

But government needs to have a contingency, and that was Donald Rumsfeld, a man who at one point in his career received rather “personal” remarks from Richard Nixon. His exit was prepared in advance, largely because the Administration finally realised that Rumsfeld’s shaping of the Iraq campaign has seriously damaged the Republicans’ chances to remain in the Oval Office in 2008. Still, a week before, Bush said that Donald Rumsfeld would stay on till 2008, even though it was afterwards clear that his replacement, materializing in the shape of Robert Gates, a man who has worked closely with James Baker, who performed a review of Iraq that will soon make recommendations, was actively searched for. Asked about that “white lie”, Bush commented: “The reason why is I didn’t want to inject a major decision about this war in the final days of a campaign. And so the only way to answer that question and to get you on to another question was to give you that answer.” Or: do not wag the Defense Secretary… before you really have to. As to Rumsfeld, he will probably go down as the man giving the most nonsensical statement of the two terms: “Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there also unknown unknowns – the ones we don’t know we don’t know.” November 6, 2006

Ten years on… It was in late October 1996 that André Douzet and I met for the first time, when I was holidaying in the Rennes-le-Château area with Clive Prince. Clive had, in the run-up to the publication of The Templar Revelation, some details to discuss with André. What began as a quick visit developed into a strong and enjoyable friendship – and co-operation, which celebrated its tenth anniversary last week.

Ten years ago, I also visited Carol, the enigmatic oeuvre of Louis de Coma, a priest who was at least as enigmatic as Rennes-le-Château’s Saunière, but who today is hardly known, even though in recent years two Italian researchers have tried to reignite some debate. Over the summer months, Odile Martinez and Nathalie Dal Zovo renewed contact with Valérie Jovy, owner of the few remaining buildings of Carol. Valérie told us last week that she too was celebrating moving in exactly ten years ago. Our meeting also allowed us to finally enter the almost otherwordly crypt that de Coma had built, as well as see other of the private aspects of Carol – a privacy which some French researchers recently apparently did not respect.

Our “anniversary day”, enjoyed in the company of Pierre Demoustiez and Nathalie, also included a visit to Montsaunès, the only surviving Templar church (with original and extremely enigmatic drawings) in France, including the usual behind the scenes privileges that André’s 45 years of research and co-operation with various researchers has resulted in. We decided to end the day with a quick stop at Puivert castle, one of my favourite Cathar castles, largely because of its slightly different nature than most and its inclusion in the film The Ninth Gate. The Long and Winding Road… October 27, 2006

When fiction… In V for Vendetta, Norsefire takes control of the nation after it has told people that they should be afraid, as it is clear to everyone that the country is under attack (from Muslims, it seems), but that it is all ok, for Norsefire will guarantee their safety. However, to guarantee this, the people need to let go of some democratic principles, for they restrict the government in maintaining the people’s welfare and rooting out the evil that is ready to attack.

While preparing the presentation of the article, a newsfeed from the White House came in, reading “President Bush Signs Military Commissions Act of 2006”. On October 17, Bush stated that it was a “rare occasion when a President can sign a bill he knows will save American lives”, adding that “The Military Commissions Act of 2006 is one of the most important pieces of legislation in the war on terror. This bill will allow the Central Intelligence Agency to continue its program for questioning key terrorist leaders and operatives like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man believed to be the mastermind of the September the 11th, 2001 attacks on our country. This program has been one of the most successful intelligence efforts in American history. It has helped prevent attacks on our country. And the bill I sign today will ensure that we can continue using this vital tool to protect the American people for years to come. The Military Commissions Act will also allow us to prosecute captured terrorists for war crimes through a full and fair trial.”

As always, the political spin of what a law pretends to be and what a law actually is, is sometimes… a bit different. Should this be read as B for Bullshit? In fact, this law has potentially completely reversed the statement “innocent until proven guilty” into “guilty by association” and even “guilty by suspicion”. Some even argue that it totally undermines the US Constitution! So, when Bush stated that “one of the terrorists believed to have planned the 9/11 attacks said he hoped the attacks would be the beginning of the end of America”, it seems that 9/11 may indeed have signalled – at least in theory – the end of the road for America as a “democratic state”, but it were not Muslim terrorists but a Born Again President who accomplished it.

The law specifically applies to “habeas corpus”, a concept formulated in England in 1679, guaranteeing that a defendant can be heard and can be defended. This law largely guarantees most of our modern systems of law. But since October 17, Bush has the power to arrest anyone, consider him or her as an “enemy combatant”, who can thus be locked away for an undetermined period of time, without being allowed to be heard, without the judge even knowing what the accusation is. How does the new law accomplish this? It allows courts to use hearsay as evidence, provided the judge is convinced that the witness is deemed to be reliable! The law also allows the High Chancellor – I mean: the President – to identify what type of treatment is to be given to prisoners, this at his own discretion.

Some Dutch political watchdogs have noted that hardly any American politician objected; there were no protest marches; the media largely did not report on it. Norsefire rules? When signing the Act, he dedicated it to the memories of the victims of 9/11… Twin Towers, Three Waters? October 16, 2006

The New Pyramid Age… will arrive in August 2007 Some of you will know that over the past few months, times were sometimes a bit hectic, with the writing of “The New Pyramid Age”. But the manuscript is in, the publication date (August 2007) is set… and the production process has begun. The book was commissioned on the back of the Bosnian Pyramid controversy that continues to simmer. As the title suggests, the book shows how since 1994, our understanding of pyramids has – or should have – dramatically changed, with new pyramids being discovered or confirmed, and the known pyramids having become the subject of radical reinterpretations: we live in a New Pyramid Age.

I am really – and truly – pleased with this work and so are others who have read the manuscript. This is what Andrew Collins, who soon will have The Cygnus Mystery out, had to say about it: “A fascinating romp through the history and discovery of the pyramid structure worldwide. From Bosnia across to China, Mexico, Peru, Greece, Italy and Egypt. We learn of their original purpose, not only to those who built them, but also to advocates of the new ‘pyramid age’. A brilliant read, and one with far reaching implications.” For those who cannot wait until August 2007, a corner of the revelation will be peeled off on April 15, 2007, in Dorchester. October 6, 2006

Bend it like Geller Jack Sarfatti has – and remains – “in the thick of it”. So it was a nexus in time that he and I would be in London at the same time, and that we both had meetings with Uri Geller planned. Uri then wondered why the two were not rolled into one and were there other people who might want to join? We asked and, yes; Gary Osborn wanted to come; James and Lucinda Stokes unfortunately couldn’t (though we met up later); Peter Lloyd and Mark Pilkington were late additions.

Gary decided to label the meeting “Star Trek” for a variety of reasons and we spent an enjoyable few hours with Uri at his home outside of London. A spoon had to be bent, but the most amazing aspect of this demonstration was that Uri bent it for “only” about 30 degrees, then handed it over to Gary, while the spoon continued to bend in Gary’s hand for a further 60 degrees.

One of my personal interests (as was outlined by Jung many decades ago) is that great magic (not in the “stage magician” sense of the word, but in the “magi” sense) involves an increase in synchronicities – coincidences that are stacked up in a short period of time. This often involves a download of information, into which the magi can tap – and which makes him “psychic” – and often everyone involved. Uri acted as a nexus in being able to create this, but equally to demonstrate how he is able to download that information, which was of course the very reason why Puharich and others were so interested in him… thirty years on, and little or nothing has changed.

Another coincidence this week was that I finally got around to reading Jeremy Naydler’s Temple of the Cosmos. In it, he uses his usual clarity to describe the systems of magic of ancient Egypt. “The Nine” originally started out as a series of magical experiments, involving Puharich in the States and a similar group in France (with both descendents of that family and the owner of the location where it occurred continuously threatening to sue me and anyone else who puts the two names in print, hence why you won’t read any details here). What was remarkable about Geller, Sarfatti and several others, is that they did not require magical rituals to contact this “force”. This “force” is somehow out there and the upload and download happened to these individuals without recourse to magical rituals. Naydler’s model of Ptah magicians involves these “nine principles” of God working as one, but, of course, Ptah was also known as a craftsman deity, specifically linked with metal (through Hephaistos). How apt to find that Geller has become famous for spoon – metal – bending! If anything, Geller is a living example of what ancient Egyptian Ptah – and other – magi were said to be able to perform. And like Geller, whether their feats are tricks or true magic, remains a controversy too… But it is clear that whether they are Egyptian pharaohs or 21st century presidents, magi are never far removed from the corridors of power.

The final coincidence involved Salvador Dali, a man who over the past two years has popped up in my life in so many forms and guises that I have stopped tracking the “coincidences”. Geller and Dali knew each other well for a number of years. It thus came as no surprise that there was another visual reminder of Dali’s shadow inside Uri’s house… Dali’s famous depiction of melted clocks, depicting that time was “tired”. It was therefore intriguing to listen to Sarfatti on the way back to central London that in recent years, some have finally cracked the physics that would create star gates and time travel. Perhaps time is indeed “tired” and is finally willing to give up its secrets? Time… will tell. September 30, 2006

Juvelius expedition in Nexus This has become a regular entry over the past few months… and once again this month. This time, my article on The Juvelius Expedition has appeared in Nexus (Issue 13.6 – October-November 2006) – and it even contributed to the cover art. Despite a version of that article on this site, the version in Nexus is slightly expanded – and will eventually replace the online version, as is customary by now. Again, the US edition will be November-December and foreign editions will follow shortly afterwards.

To provide you with an update on The Burrows Cave article: Wayne May, one of the key players in that saga, appreciated the article and he will run it in one of the future editions of The Ancient American. August 18, 2006

Burrows Cave in Nexus This has become a regular entry over the past few months… This time, my article on The Burrows Cave has appeared in Nexus (Issue 13.5 – August-September 2006). Despite a version of that article on this site, the version in Nexus is superior – and will eventually replace the online version, which itself is the second incarnation of an article that first appeared in 1997 – how time flies! Again, the US edition will be September-October and foreign editions will follow shortly afterwards. August 12, 2006

In the footsteps of Orpheus On August 10, 2006, I accomplished a personal ambition: after having visited several oracular sites, in various countries, I finally made it to Cuma and Baia, two of the most underappreciated oracular sites – from a tourist’s perspective. It meant that unlike places such as Delphi (and we won’t even speak about Athens’ Acropolis), where tourists behave like a wasps’ nest, you find yourself almost alone – in Baia, for a good half hour, I actually was alone!

Shortly, you will be able to read about Cuma on this site, but I want to single out Baia for the moment. The discovery of a man-made subterranean representation of the Underworld was made by Robert Paget and Keith Jones in 1962 and in recent years has been popularised largely due to the singular work and effort of Robert Temple. Though Robert and I have our differences (mainly about Sirius), I can only endorse him in his efforts to put Baia on the map.

Coming to Baia, I had no other ambition than seeing the site, “decode” where the entrance to the Antrum was, and respectfully leave. In my bag was Paget’s In The Footsteps of Orpheus, so he was with me in spirit. I have seen entrances to underground complexes, mainly those of Perillos and Notre-Dame-de-Marceille in Southern France, and know that a wall can hide a lot of things behind it… and in the case of Notre-Dame-de-Marceille, have seen the site when the wall or floor was not there. That statement is so true for Baia, where the “Great Antrum” is extremely well hidden beneath the impressive bathing complex that seems almost stapled on the hill’s side. No-one would ever think there is such an extensive complex underneath that hill. None of the boards on the site speak of the Antrum and it is clear that archaeologists are still treasuring its existence for a future time – though hopefully not generation! If it wasn’t for Paget and Temple’s books, no-one would know about it at present.

Those who are aware with lore of such underground sanctuaries, know that legends often speak as to how they are protected by flies and wasps. Two weeks ago, I successfully managed to escape being stung by the guardian wasps in a cave in Perillos which we and others have titled “cave of the flies and wasps”, for that typifies the site (as Andy Gough himself independently discovered a few days later). But in Baia, I had no such luck. Having confirmed the “general specific area” of where the entrance was, I held onto a railing with my right arm, and for the first time in my life, was stung by a wasp… It’s good to see that wasps still take their ancient role to heart! At the same time, I hope that Italian archaeologists will soon begin a detailed exploration and restoration of the site; though it will bring more tourists to the site and will destroy the peace and tranquillity of the sleepy slope, such wonders, so desperately hidden by Romans across the lengths of the Mediterranean Basin, are in my opinion in need of being rediscovered by the world at large. We live in times when history is constantly being rewritten for the worst, yet ancient authors are now time and again proven to be reliable… let us try to experience it… please. July 5, 2006

The Metal “Audio” Library In the wee hours of this morning, I was interviewed for “Nexus Radio” by Barry Eaton. You can listen to my interview, as well as Duncan Roads’, on the Nexus Radio website. And watch their magazine for another article in the August-September issue of Nexus Magazine. June 28, 2006

When in Arcadia… Some weeks ago, I visited the Greek Arcadia (it’s overrated in comparison to other parts of Greece) and now you can read a 17 questions’ interview of me on Andy Gough’s Arcadia… which is either permanently, or just for the occasion of the interview, located in central London. Andy Gough is one of the contributing authors of The Dan Brown Companion, by Simon Cox, which if you live in London was apparently difficult to get away from during May – I ran into the advert in York Station. Read the interview here. June 3, 2006

Forging the Metal Library Nexus has published, for the fifth time in a decade, one of my articles: “The Quest for the Metal Library”, about one of the most controversial topics of the past three decades: the existence of a metal library in Ecuador, which was used as the hammer to beat Erich von Däniken with in the early 1970s.

The Australian and UK edition of Nexus Magazine carrying the article has now gone on sale; in the US, it will appear in the July-August issue. Its appearance in the various foreign editions (Italy, France, Sweden, etc.) will occur in the near future. [update of June 27: Nexus have placed the article online here.]

An article on “tunnels in South America” went on this site and got syndicated in one American magazine. I thought that would be the end of that. Then, by an amazing coincidence, I learned I had known Stan Hall, one of the key individuals, for about seven years, without realising the man I knew was Stan Hall, let alone “the” Stan Hall. The life lesson to be learned here: “always ask whom you are speaking to!” The article published in Nexus is quite different from the one on this site… and with a much more spectacular ending! Meanwhile, Barry Eaton interviewed me live on Australian radio about the European pyramids article, which appeared in the previous issue of Nexus. This interview is now also uploaded to the “Radio Nexus” website. In my second appearance on Eye on the Future radio show in Vancouver on May 18, I was also asked to tackle the pyramids debate – and other items, as host H.H. Hehpsehboah A. is known for putting every topic in its larger framework. May 4, 2006

Out of (this) time Timetravel. For many, it is the stuff science fiction is made of; for Pascal Guillaume, it is an experiment – one of the few if not the only one that is currently being held. “The Chronodrome” is an invitation that will be sent out with the European satellite Keo, which will remain in Earth’s orbit for the next 50,000 years. It contains millions of messages for our descendants. One of these is an invitation that, should our descendants have conquered the time barrier, they are welcome to meet us between 15h00 and 16h00 on May 1, between 2000 and 2050 AD. Location: just below the Opoul plateau, near Perpignan, France.

In its seventh edition, no signals or apparitions have occurred – and 2006 was no exception. At first, the experiment may seem silly. Nevertheless, Chronodrome was launched with the support and involvement of many of ESA (European Space Agency) scientists. At best, it can provide us with a clear sign that our descendants do take up the invitation and arrive through the space-time barrier; or that our descendants have indeed not yet cracked that problem. For us, the experiment is a pioneering effort to bring the concept of timetravel in a scientific, testifiable setting. The 2006 edition had one of biggest crowds (read: approximately 100 people), showing that interest in such experiments is gradually increasing. We wish Pascal all the best and hope that his experiment will be the start of many similar experiments, which together will continue to stimulate discussion into the space-time barrier, one of the greatest – and last – frontiers that remain to be conquered… April 25, 2006

Evidence mounts for sun’s companion star Professor Richard Muller at UC Berkeley, Dr. Daniel Whitmire of the University of Louisiana, amongst several others, have long speculated on the possibility that our sun might have an as yet undiscovered companion. Most of the evidence has been statistical rather than physical. But the recent discovery of Sedna, a small planet like object first detected by Cal Tech astronomer Dr. Michael Brown, provides what could be indirect physical evidence of a solar companion. Matching the recent findings by Dr. Brown, showing that Sedna moves in a highly unusual elliptical orbit, Walter Cruttenden has determined that Sedna moves in resonance with previously published orbital data for a hypothetical companion star. In the May 2006 issue of Discover, Dr. Brown stated: “Sedna shouldn’t be there. There’s no way to put Sedna where it is. It never comes close enough to be affected by the sun, but it never goes far enough away from the sun to be affected by other stars… Sedna is stuck, frozen in place; there’s no way to move it, basically there’s no way to put it there – unless it formed there. But it’s in a very elliptical orbit like that. It simply can’t be there. There’s no possible way – except it is. So how, then?”

Walter Cruttenden agrees that Sedna’s highly elliptical orbit is very unusual, but noted that the orbit period of 12,000 years is in neat resonance with the expected orbit periodicity of a companion star as outlined in several prior papers. Consequently, Cruttenden believes that Sedna’s unusual orbit is something indicative of the current solar system configuration, not merely a historical record. “It is hard to imagine that Sedna would retain its highly elliptical orbit pattern since the beginning of the solar system billions of years ago. Because eccentricity would likely fade with time, it is logical to assume Sedna is telling us something about current, albeit unexpected solar system forces, most probably a companion star”.

Outside of a few popular articles, and Cruttenden’s book “Lost Star of Myth and Time”, which outlines historical references and the modern search for the elusive companion, the possibility of a binary partner star to our sun has been left to the halls of academia. But with Dr. Brown’s recent discoveries of Sedna and Xena, (now confirmed to be larger than Pluto), and timing observations like Cruttenden’s, the search for a companion star may be gaining momentum. April 21, 2006

First solid evidence of ancient Bosnian pyramid Much faster than expected, excavations at the Bosnian pyramid site are confirming that this is indeed a pyramid. When the new season of excavations was announced on April 13, there were several sceptical voices claiming this was just a publicity stunt – or worse. But on April 19, Osmanagich and his teams of qualified archaeologists have hit back – as it should be: with hard facts.

They unearthed the first solid evidence that an ancient pyramid lies hidden beneath a massive hill: a series of geometrically cut stone slabs that could form part of the structure’s sloping surface. “We can see the surface is perfectly flat. This is the crucial material proof that we are talking pyramids,” Osmanagich said. The huge stone blocks appear to be cut in cubes and polished.

Last week’s excavations began with a team of rescue workers from a nearby coal mine being sent into a tunnel believed to be part of an underground network connecting the three pyramid-shaped hills. They were followed by archaeologists, geologists and other experts who emerged from the tunnel later to declare that it was certainly man-made.

See our article in Nexus Magazine (and Frontier Magazine for Dutch readers) for a thorough overview of this pyramid – and another one, in Italy. This story is expected to run on… and on… and we’ll keep you informed, either with the latest news, or with reports from Sam himself – when he will intermittently leave the archaeological teams over the following months and has time to speak to us, rather than “just” make world headline news! April 10, 2006

When Saunière goes to Rosslyn Around the time Holy Blood, Holy Grail was launched, Henry Lincoln created the Saunière Society. Fifteen years later, the society was reinvigorated by the organisation of conferences, normally held in London and Edinburgh-ish – a route taken by Robert Langdon in the novel too. Since 1997-ish, the conferences have continued on what seems to be an ever more frequent basis. It was therefore good to meet up again in Newbattle Abbey, over the weekend of April 8-9, as other commitments prevented me from attending over the past two years.

On Friday afternoon, the English High Court ruled that Baigent & Leigh had lost their legal battle against RandomHouse, whom they sued for intellectual property breaches in Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. Officially, Lincoln was not part of the lawsuit because of health reasons. This should be deemed fortunate, for the two authors were told to pay 85% of Random House’s costs of almost £1.3m. Mr Justice Smith ordered them to make an interim payment of £350,000 by May 5 and refused the authors permission to appeal.

The case was the talk of the conference, with Picknett & Prince flying in late, informing the audience they had spent three full weeks in court 61, following the proceedings. They shared the judge’s position that this was not a “publicity campaign”, which is the conspiracy rumour that RandomHouse created the entire spectacle to raise controversy and publicity.

Picknett & Prince’s late arrival did mean that they missed Guy Patton’s speech on Saturday. Patton’s thesis is largely repeated in Picknett & Prince’s The Sion Revelation… this meant that both talks also resembled each other, with Clive Prince on Sunday largely repeating what Patton had already said on Saturday. Unfortunately, it also meant that Picknett & Prince missed a veritable bombshell that Patton dropped on the audience… which we will reserve for later – and elsewhere.

Andrew Sinclair was one of the first authors to promote Rosslyn Chapel. But in recent years, he has been surpassed by the young researching talents of Mark Oxbrow and Ian Robertson. Largely repeating their 2005 Fringe performance, they continue their efforts to strip the “mythical layers” of Rosslyn Chapel and return to the source. It is a policy that we can only subscribe to. With all the restoration work going on in the chapel, their quest is probably best described as fellow restorers. April 2, 2006

Bosnian Pyramids! Over the next few weeks/months, my article The European Pyramids, about pyramids in Italy and Bosnia, will appear in several publications: World Explorers’ Club, Frontier Magazine, as well as the various editions of Nexus Magazine. The Australian and UK edition of Nexus Magazine carrying the article has now gone on sale; in the US, it will appear in the May-June issue. Its appearance in the various foreign editions (Italy, France, Sweden, etc.) will no doubt take place in the near future. March 24, 2006

Entering the X-Zone In the early hours of March 22, 2006, Rob McConnell, host of the X Zone on Talkstar Radio, interviewed me on Rosslyn Chapel and my book, The Stone Puzzle of Rosslyn Chapel. The hour-long interview is available via their website, for a limited period. I particularly enjoyed the “We are going to the Chapel to Get Married” tune they played at the half-hour news interval. March 12, 2006

Easter Island: Later, and quicker New archaeological evidence, published in Science, suggests that Easter Island, mysterious home of titanic stone heads, was first settled around A.D. 1200, much later than previously thought. Once there, the colonizers quickly began erecting the famous statues. They also helped deplete the island’s natural resources at a much faster rate than previously thought, the study says. Terry Hunt, an anthropology professor at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu and the study’s lead author, says the new findings highlight the dangers of human-induced environmental change, especially to islands. Scientists have long believed the island was colonized around A.D. 400. More recently, researchers argued that settlement first took place around the year 800. The deforestation of Easter Island is believed to have begun around 1300, suggesting that there was a period of several centuries during which the islanders lived in harmony with the environment. The new study by Hunt and his colleague Carl Lipo, however, suggests that the Polynesians didn’t arrive until around 1200. The deforestation began soon thereafter, they say. The findings suggest the island did not enjoy the kind of Garden of Eden period for 400 to 800 years that researchers had previously imagined. “Radiocarbon dates … show that deforestation took place over 400 to 500 years,” starting around 1200, Hunt said. “This is consistent with our shorter chronology and the observations made by the Dutch in 1722.” January 23, 2006

Happy birthday… to Canopus ? We are celebrating two years of this site’s existence this week, which always makes for exciting times. All the more so because of the following news article, which Anne Strieber (wife of Whitley Strieber) was able to dig up: “The southern pole star, Canopus, is rarely visible in the northern hemisphere, but it can be seen tonight south of the approximate latitude of Los Angeles or Birmingham.” This occurred on January 21, the very day of the broadcast on Dreamland. Perhaps it wanted to hear what I had to say about it… The event was all the more remarkable, as the star was not visible the following day. January 16, 2006

Dreamland… I was recently interviewed by Whitley Strieber and William Henry, hosts of Dreamland radio. The interview is on the subject of The Canopus Revelation and lasts one hour (with a 30 minute special for the subscribers. The broadcast is scheduled for the weekend of January 21.