Paul was ultimately left unharmed by angry World Cup fans. The psychic octopus passed away due to natural causes in October of last year. He lived out his final days in his tank at the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen, Germany.

His aquarium first honored his passing by replacing him with a French-born replacement, Paul II, who has yet to be tested for psychic abilities. Now, they have announced the unveiling of Paul’s Corner, which will feature a statue 1.8m high of Paul sitting atop a soccer ball. In the middle will be a see-through window that will contain a golden urn containing Paul’s ashes,

The shrine will be unveiled later this week.

Whether it was just chance, or Paul was really an “oracle Octopus”, the prediction record of the eight-legged creature was more accurate than many two-legged self-proclaimed psychics.

Paul’s predictions were designed so that he was presented with two boxes containing food in the form of a mussel, each box marked on the outside with the flag of a national football team in an upcoming match. His choice of which mussel to eat first was taken as indicating his prediction of a win for the country whose flag was on that box. These predictions were correct in four of Germany’s six Euro 2008 matches, and in all seven of their matches in the 2010 World Cup. He also correctly selected a win for Spain against the Netherlands in the World Cup Final on 11 July by eating the mussel in the box with the Spanish flag on it. His “predictions” were 100% (8/8) correct for the 2010 World Cup and 86% (12/14) correct overall. – Wikipedia

Anyway, when I heard of his passing, my mind shifted to The Beatles. I don’t know why my mind works this way, but it does. I started hearing “Octopus’s Garden” from the Abbey Road album in my head. The song was conceived while Ringo Starr was presented squid instead of fish,while on Peter Sellers’ boat in 1968. Later that day, as a related bit of trivia, the captain of the boat told him that octopuses “travel along the sea bed picking up stones and shiny objects with which to build gardens”.

I would say that I’m glad that Ringo’s order was flubbed that day. Call it synchronicity, or fate, if you’d like.

So, from there, I made a connection to the “Paul is Dead” rumour that circulated after the release of Abbey Road. According to fans, there was a plethora of evidence to support the rumor that Paul McCartney was killed in a car accident. One could hear messages like “I buried Paul” if the album was played backwards. There was even evidence from the album cover itself that were said to support these claims.

According to fans, McCartney had secretly been replaced by a look-alike Paul. Paul the Octopus has already been replaced by a look-alike octopus, also named Paul, but it is not a secret. However, in a strange twist, according to a Chinese film maker, there are assertions that Paul the Octopus died back in July, but his death was kept secret. He was replaced by a body double for the last three months. Read about the new “Paul is Dead” conspiracy theory at The Daily Mail.

“Paul is Dead” and it feels a little like Déjà vu.

Whether Paul the Octopus chose a great day to die, or it was chosen for him, yesterday’s date was very significant in Beatles history.

These are some of the things that The Beatles were up to on October 26th throughout the years, according to The Beatles Place.

1960 – The Beatles perform at the Kaiserkeller Club, Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg, West Germany.

1961 – The Beatles perform a lunchtime show at the Cavern Club, Liverpool.

1962 – The Beatles perform a lunchtime show at the Cavern Club, Liverpool. That night they perform at Public Hall, Preston, Lancashire, 30 miles northwest of Liverpool. Also appearing at this “Rock & Beat Spectacular” are Mike Berry, The Outlaws, and The Syd Munson Orchestra.

1963 – The Beatles perform at the Kungliga Tennishallen, Stockholm, Sweden. They play for two “houses.” The Beatles are second on the bill to the audience’s favorite, Joey Dee & the Starlighters although George Harrison is almost dragged off of the stage by enthusiastic fans.

1964 – The Beatles in the recording studio, Studio Two, EMI’s Abbey Road Studios, London. More recording for the “Beatles For Sale” album. Another break from their British tour spent in the studio. More recording for the “Beatles For Sale” album: “Honey Don’t” (5 takes); “What You’re Doing” (7 takes). They also record “Another Beatles Christmas Record,” to be mailed in December as a flexi-disc to Beatles Fan Club members.

1965 – The Beatles receive their M.B.E. medals from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. The media give extensive coverage to the event, with The Beatles conducting a press conference at the Saville Theatre (where they will film the video clip for “Hello Goodbye” in late 1967). According to John Lennon, The Beatles smoked marijuana in one of the palace bathrooms to calm their nerves. None of the other Beatles has confirmed this.

Whether you loved Paul the Octopus or not, a creature is dead. Play Abbey Road, if you’ve got it. Or simply enjoy a good song from Abbey Road about an octopus, written as a result of a mixed-up lunch order.

I had been hoping to hear about Dr. Julie Beischel’s reaction to the film. Something better happened today and I got to read a detailed reaction.

Many reviewers will relay a synopsis of the film. They will bestow a final “good or bad” judgment on the film.

However, I wanted to know if the film presents an accurate portrayal of someone who is called psychic. Who would have a better idea than a scientist who actually studies this phenomena?

Dr. Beischel served as the William James Post-doctoral Fellow in Mediumship and Survival Research and Co-Director of the VERITAS Research Program at the University of Arizona, until the program closed in 2007. Soon after, Beischel and her husband, Mark Boccuzzi, founded the Windbridge Institute. Beischel, Boccuzzi and their team, as stated on their website, perform important research on phenomena including the continuation of consciousness after death and the experiences of and information reported by psychic mediums.

Click through at the end to read Beischel’s entire post.

A Scientist’s Spoiler-free Review of Hereafter

Sunday, October 24, 2010
Julie Beishcel, PhD
Director of Research, The Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential

I saw Hereafter yesterday after not having been in a movie theater (yay, Netflix!) since Christmas Day, 2007. It was worth the trip.

Hereafter considered life after death through perspectives that were normal, ordinary, and, thus, realistic. One of the people I was with said, “I thought [a certain part] would be more spectacular.” I, on the other hand, thought that the normalcy of the after-death portions of the story were what made it extraordinary. It didn’t treat mediumship, near-death experiences, or after death communication as anything out of the ordinary. The same cannot be said about how some of the characters viewed these phenomena, though.  READ THE REST AT JULIE BEISCHEL’S BLOG SITE

The pair met in 2005 at the Summer Study Program in Parapsychology, presented by the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) and the Rhine Research Center. They were paired together in a controlled experiment where Boccuzzi was assigned to send telepathic messages to Beischel. She picked up on those messages. They were married in 2008.

Due to their unusual meeting and their passion for the paranormal, they are often referred to as “soul mates”.

They both work in paranormal research, on both separate and common research projects. Boccuzzi’s research interests include survival of consciousness, intuition, applied psychokinesis, and distant mental interactions on living systems (DMILS). Dr. Beischel was the first recipient of the William James Post-doctoral Fellowship in Mediumship and Survival Research at the University of Arizona, where she served as Co-Director of the VERITAS Research Program.

When the VERITAS project closed in 2007, Boccuzzi and Beichel co-founded The Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential.

“The Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential is concerned with asking, “What can we do with the potential that exists within our bodies, minds, and spirits?” Can we heal each other? Ourselves? Can we affect events and physical reality with our thoughts? Can we know things before they happen? Are we connected to each other? To the planet? Can we communicate with our loved ones who have passed?”

The two will be separately featured on upcoming internet radio spots, with Beischel talking about mediums (today) and Boccuzzi will focus on ghosts (two weeks from today). Additionally, both will participate in a conference designed for the general public in Fort Myers, Florida.  If you can catch any or all, it will be well worth the time for paranormal investigators and enthusiasts alike.

Details below:

Julie Beischel, PhD, The Windbridge Institute

Dr. Julie Beischel

on Signs of Life Radio

Radio Show Topic – Mediums: “Many people do not realize the fact that well-credentialed scientists have been doing research with mediums for more than a century. After all, how does one study a medium in a laboratory? Dr. Julie Beischel, co-founder of The Windbridge Institute, will tell us the methods by which mediumship is investigated and what the results mean to the substantiation of an afterlife.”

When: 10/14.10 (Tonight), 4:00 pm PT/ 7:00 pm ET

Where: BBS Radio, Online

About Julie: Julie Beischel, PhD, Co-Founder and Director of Research at Windbridge, received her doctorate in Pharmacology and Toxicology with a minor in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Arizona in 2003. [Read more about Julie.]

Mark Boccuzzi, The Windbridge Institute

Mark Boccuzzi

on Signs of Life Radio

Radio Show Topic – Ghost Phenomena: “Mark Boccuzzi, co-founder of the Windbridge Institute, will discuss present day research of the paranormal. Also an expert in field investigations, Mark will take us through the process of identifying and recording ghost phenomena. He will also be talking about the mind’s affect on matter, a well as the power of intention.”

When: October 28, 2010,  4:00 pm PT/ 7:00 pm ET

Where: BBS Radio, Online

About Mark: Mark Boccuzzi, Co-Founder of Windbridge, holds a BS in computer science with a minor in broadcast communications. Mark spent six years in survival of consciousness research investigating spontaneous cases of apparitions and related haunting phenomena in the San Francisco Bay Area. [Read more about Mark.]

Upcoming Conference in Fort Meyers, FL:

Forever Family Foundation (FFF) Annual Conference

Is There An Afterlife?
An Exploration of The Unseen World
November 12-14, 2010
Fort Myers, Florida, USA
http://www.foreverfamilyfoundation.org

Windbridge researchers Julie Beischel and Mark Boccuzzi as well as Windbridge Certified Research mediums Joanne Gerber, Doreen Molloy, and Debra Martin will be participating in FFF’s fourth annual conference designed for the general public.

Other presenters include physicist Claude Swanson; Monroe Institute Director Paul Rademacher; and mediums Janet Mayer and Suzane Northrop.

Scientists and researchers will be joined by certified mediums who will give demonstrations of Spirit Communication and share their insights gleaned from another dimension. Attendees will have the opportunity to join in an interactive workshop that seeks to provide access to other realms of consciousness.

To register or for more information about conference schedules,presenters, pricing, hotel, etc., call (631)425-7707 (US) or click here.

The fair features respected psychics, healers and metaphysicians with a $5.00 admission to the fair. The low admission fee allows the fair organizers to off-set costs, in order to continue to bring the monthly event to Tucson. Psychic readings are offered at a separate cost, with prices set by individual readers. Credit cards ARE accepted.

Ghost Lecture

The fair also offers free lectures. A particularly interesting lecture is scheduled to take place at 2:00 pm on Sunday. The lecture, presented by Nancy Matz, is called “Are you living with a ghost?”. Matz will explain the differences between ghosts, spirits, poltergeists and elementals. The lecture will interest ghost enthusiasts, as well as those who are unsure if they are living with a ghost.

LIVE Radio Broadcast, The JOLT

A special treat at the fair will be a special remote radio broadcast by 1330 AM The JOLT, hosted by Tucson favorite Heather Woodward. Heather is the host of a weekly radio show called “The Psychic Connection” that explores psychic development, astrology, witchcraft and all things supernatural. Her radio show airs each Friday from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm (PST), which is also available as streaming live Internet radio, for listeners outside of Tucson.

Woodward is also a well-known clairvoyant, psychometrist, paranormal investigator, and author. Her book, “Ghosts of Central Arizona“, was released earlier this year. It is a book that not only details some of the most haunted locales of the region, but it also includes a couple of educational chapters for amateur ghost hunters.

Location

Four Points Sheraton University Plaza, 1900 East Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85719. The monthly event is held in the conference center behind the main hotel. There is plenty of free parking. Doors open at 10:00 am this Sunday, September 26, 2010.

Referring to this film starring Matt Damon, and directed by Clint Eastwood, film critic Roger Ebert wrote:

“Eastwood has made a film for sensitive, intelligent people who are naturally curious about what happens when the shutters close.” - Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert, in his blog from Toronto

Eastwood is no stranger to suspense thrillers. Play Misty for Me was his cinematic directorial debut in 1971. Like Fatal Attraction after it, this film made men leery of one-night stands with women for a while.

In Eastwood’s Hereafter, Matt Damon plays George, a blue-collar factory worker who can communicate with the hereafter – a gift he has trouble coping with. The “reluctant psychic” soon finds himself connected to a French television journalist named Marie (Cecile De France), who writes a book about her near death experience. Both become connected to Marcus, a young boy who has suffered the loss of his sibling Jason. The brothers are played by real-life twins, newcomers Frankie and George McLaren. The film’s synchronistic events lead to the convergences of these three characters from San Francisco, Paris and London, respectively. Crash meets The Sixth Sense comes to mind.

In fact, M. Night Shyamalan-favorite Bryce Dallas Howard (Lady in the Water, The Village) is also in the film’s supporting cast, as a supporter of the psychic abilities displayed by Damon’s character.

Unlike director Shyamalan’s interest in the paranormal, Eastwood stated recently that at the age of 80, he hasn’t given much thought to the afterlife, except that he doesn’t hope to cross over to the other side anytime soon.

It will be interesting to watch Eastwood’s interpretation of this script. Of which, scriptwriter Peter Morgan previously described to the Hollywood Reporter:

“It’s quite spiritual material, and quite romantic, too. It’s the sort of piece that’s not easy to describe and in the hands of different filmmakers could end up as wildly different films. Quite unlike some of my other material, which I think there were only certain ways that you could shoot it.”

Due to the mixed reviews, audiences may either love it or hate it, like last year’s Paranormal Activity, which I loved. I viewed Paranormal Activity with no expectations and with an open mind. What I found was that it was a fun flick with a terrible ending, but by no means was it a waste of my time.

Despite the mixed reviews from the Toronto premiere, I’ll approach Hereafter with no expectations and an open mind.

I posted the one reader submitted photo on my blog and dismissed it as a cloud.

Rarely will I post photographs into my articles. Photographs can be easily manipulated. I do sometimes post photos to showcase locations that I write about. Sometimes, I post them as examples rather than evidence.  On occasion, I will provide a link to readers to view a photo on another website.

To be fair, I am not a meteorologist, so my assessment of the object as a cloud or sun dog is only the evaluation of an amateur. Also, I am not a photographic expert, though I see what I see and form my own opinion as a result.

While mulling over the decision over whether to post reader submitted items, I had to ask myself if I actually know what a UFO from somewhere in outer space looks like. No, I don’t. I do know what Hollywood’s various representations of a UFO looks like. During a recent debate on the subject, I asserted that if extraterrestrials exist and if they are so technologically advanced to travel here, they could make their airship resemble an airplane to stay under the radar, so to speak. On the other hand, maybe they are really tiny and their craft is no bigger than a shoebox.

To be fair, most, if not all of us, really have no clue what a UFO from outer space might look like.

Last night, a reader in Malaysia contacted me and provided four items: a blog post, a Borneo Post article, a clearer photo of the Malaysia UFO and a zoomed in version of the object in question. Rather than incorporate those items into an article, I decided to publish reader submitted evidence in another location on my blog.

On the upper left side of your screen is a new section within Paranormal Old Pueblo: Reader Submissions. A link under this heading reads: “July 2010“.

I will do my best to keep this section updated for those who wish to submit photos or other evidence. I don’t guarantee that I will devote an article to the evidence submitted, however.

You can submit whatever you would like related to the paranormal: UFOs, Ghosts, Cryptozoology, Psychic Phenomena, Lost Treasure, etc.

To submit any evidence you would like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email me.

Have you ever foretold of an event before it happened? Have you spoken of a past event and suddenly realize that you had no possible way of knowing about it?

Perhaps you possess some level of ESP.

The Rhine Research Center defines ESP as:

Paranormal cognition; the acquisition of information about an external event, object, or influence (mental or physical; past, present, or future) in some way other than through any of the known sensory channels.

There is a simple test that you can do at home to test your ESP abilities. It is called the Zener Test, which utilizes a physical deck of cards (or online images of the cards) called Zener cards. Zener Cards were designed in the early 1930′s by Karl Zener tor use in ESP related experiments with parapsychologist J.B. Rhine.

Zener Card Images

In a typical experiment with physical Zener cards, a tester will hold up a card, but not allow the sitter (the person being tested) to see the image on that card. The sitter will proceed to guess the the image on the card out of five possible choices: circle, cross, waves, square or star. There are variations of this experiment, depending on the tester.

However, if you would like to conduct the experiment by yourself, in private, you can test yourself online.

Two websites that offer Zener tests are The Anima Project and Psychic Science. There are some differences between the two websites.

The Anima Project requires registration, but is otherwise free. The goal of the project is to analyze as many virtual sitters as possible “to provide a valid statistical analysis of precognition/clairvoyance.”

If total anonymity is more your speed, you can visit Psychic Science, also free. This website offers solo testing, but also uses Zener cards to test two subjects for telepathy. If you want to know if your spouse can really read your mind as well as you think, try this together some evening. It is a great date night activity.

Perhaps you desire portability of your Zener test. In this case, you can buy a Zener test kit from the Rhine Research Center for $25.00. Each kit includes a deck of Zener cards, a manual, and ESP record sheets.

First off, she told me that I am facing numerous changes in all areas of my life. Yes, we all are. She added though, I am a jumbled mess, I hate being told what to do, and I really need to quit thinking so much! Yeah, sums up what my friends and family say about me!

I was surprised by the reading, which I perceived as accurate. My over the phone reaction to her perception of me alternated between my mouth hanging open and shielding the phone to mask my uncontrollable giggling, due to her straightforward reading  – and the fact that precisely she nailed me. Perhaps I am simply an open book to all who become acquainted with me. The sex portion of the reading will remain forever only between Belinda and myself. I will share, though, that she was accurate.

She also told me about what has been happening in my life in recent months, what’s happening right now, and what she sees that will happen in the future. Yet, she did something else. She offered advice on how to deal with these events and situations, should I choose to take it. Some may argue that she is a good guesser. Maybe.

I received a reading a couple years ago from Tucson’s Catherine Yunt, mentor to Allison Dubois. Dubois, of course, is the real person on which the TV show “Medium” is based. Bentley’s reading of me mirrored Yunt’s. Yunt utilizes date of birth and and astrology in tandem with her intuitive readings. Bentley does not.

As a result of Yunt’s reading of me in 2008, I have begun to study astrology – particularly, predictive astrology. In reference to future events, what ultimately happens is up to me. How I choose to make decisions in my own life is still free will.

Whether Bentley is a mind reader or a great guesser, it was still a great experience, and conversing with her was a pleasure.

If you would like to consult with Belinda this Sunday at the Tucson Psychic Fair, see below for details. To schedule a private consultation or to learn more about Belinda, visit Belinda’s website.

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Tucson Psychic Fair

When:  Sunday, April, 25, 2010.  

Where:  Four Points Sheraton, 1900 Speedway Blvd

Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Cost: $5.00 at the door, if interested in a psychic reading.

NOTE: If interested in only attending one of the event’s lectures, rather than receiving a reading, there is no cost. The free lectures of the day include: “Are you living with a ghost?” presented by Nancy Matz at 2:00 pm.

Visit the Tucson Psychic Fair website for additional information

Belinda, you are a believer in sexual freedom. What are your thoughts in general about infidelity in marriage and relationships?

I have actually met people who enhanced their relationship by cheating surprisingly. It was like taking a vacation, but the aspect of that I don’t like is the lying and danger that comes with it. You need to respect all partners by using protection and then if something goes wrong you have to own up to it and be honest with your significant other. It seems like hard work to cheat!

In this century we have a new reality it is easier to walk into a bar and say “hey I just want to have sex,” or “I am looking for an open relationship.” Women will have no issues getting a taker. Men, I will be honest have a bit harder time, but it’s still not that hard. You may have to ask three women instead of one. The biggest issue comes when someone agrees with terms and then fall in love with the person not seeking a monogamous relationship and expect that person to change! It happens a lot. So, I get it. I get why some cheat and why some lie, but it never honors you or that person to do so when we have so many choices now day. I couldn’t imagine lying about cheating and hiding who I really am to stay with someone who doesn’t understand the real me! I feel like I am an adult, not a child that has to lie to my parents. Don’t these people that cheat ever feel it is beneath them to cheat and lie about it?

What are your thoughts behind the recent celebrity infidelities of Jesse James and Tiger Woods?

When I have looked at pictures of Sandra [Bullock] over the years over and over I would ask myself, “What is she doing…this is not going to turn out well.” I didn’t see any love there and was confused at why they were together. Her eyes look miserable. Maybe I was seeing the future, but she is most definitely better off single!

Tiger Woods and Elin, have a better chance at working it out because Tiger is embarrassed by the attention these women brought to his marriage. One day he knew he’d have to come clean, but not like this. I feel there really is change coming from him, but why should she have to chance it?

Jesse and Tiger did the things they felt were normal. They had sex. Are they bad for it, No, not at all. It’s the way they went about it, that intentionally hurts others, the mistresses and the wives. It takes two to tango, but I’d be more upset with the husbands – they took the vows not the mistresses. This is why I am not a big fan of marriage. We are animals with more intelligence then maybe a dog or cat, but we still do the same instinctual things, yet we take these unrealistic life long vows that try and separate man from animal.  Vows should be renewed yearly in all fairness.

A couple years ago, you notoriously gave Dave Navarro’s penis a thumbs up on his show, Spread TV. Tell me a little about that experience. Are there other celebrities who have gotten this thumbs up from you that you are able to share?

It was the size and how he handles it. I gave him a thumbs up because he knows how to work it and willing to learn. He is the only celeb to actually get my thumbs up so far.

Many people around the world are experiencing what is known as the 11:11 phenomenon. Paranormalist Uri Geller has formed some interesting opinions on this phenomenon.  What are your thoughts on the meaning behind 11:11?

I don’t feel there is anything behind it. I see the clock when it is 3:33 a lot. Sometimes it is 1:11. Many people have told me they have had the same experience. I believe that it is symbolism of what we have been taught. Jesus died at 33. So, for some it can be a spiritual number, but it can only be interpreted by the on looker at that time. For others it could be their time of birth, the time someone they loved had passed away, etc.

Some people believe that seeing 11:11 is an indicator that one will soon meet their twin soul or soulmate. Is there a such thing as a soulmate?

The proof is in the pudding. Did it work for those people who thought that? Did they find their soulmate? Most people didn’t. The theory is that people try to find hope in everything that is around them. It makes us strong and unique on this planet. If it makes you feel good and it is a positive feeling when you see any number go with it. The answer is within each and everyone of us.

There are a lot of theories about the date December 21, 2012. What do you think will happen on that date?

Nothing it’s happening now. The earth is shifting just like it did in the times of the dinosaurs. The earth has grown, shifted, cleaned itself, created death and made life. We are still a part of that cycle.

I have been predicting the earthquakes that keep happening this year. I felt they would happen in circles, though I have no idea what that means. The earth is shifting a bit and all of the faults are shifting with it. It reminds me of when a person is sleep and they have to move their arm or foot to get comfortable. The earth moves and settles. It’s been that way since the beginning.

Continue reading, Part 3: Celebrity Sex Psychic Belinda Bentley Reads Me

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