Top 10 Bizarre Aspects of Catholicism

The Catholic Church claims that it is the oldest Christian Church in the world, dating back to Jesus himself. In the time that the Church has been on earth, many unusual traditions have arisen. While most of them seem perfectly normal to Catholics, to non-Catholics they often seem outright bizarre. This is a list of the ten most bizarre aspects of Catholicism. In no particular order:
1. Stigmata Wikipedia

Saint Pio of Peitrelcina
Stigmata is when a person has unexplained wounds on their body that coincide with the traditional wounds that Christ had. In some cases the wounds can appear in only one or two of the areas, but there have been instances of it occurring in all five places that Christ was wounded. The wounds can cause considerable pain which has been known to worsen on certain religious feast days. There have been occasional cases of falsified stigmata in the past and some people claim that even those which are not proven to be falsified are somehow part of a hoax.
The photograph above is of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Canonized in 2002) who is the most recent stigmatic in the Catholic Church. Saint Pio is the latest in a long line of famous stigmatics – the most famous of whom is probably St Francis of Assisi. Writing to his spiritual director, Saint Pio said:

Then last night something happened which I can neither explain nor understand. In the middle of the palms of my hands a red mark appeared, about the size of a penny, accompanied by acute pain in the middle of the red marks. The pain was more pronounced in the middle of the left hand, so much so that I can still feel it. Also under my feet I can feel some pain.

It is also alleged that Saint Pio was able to bi-locate (appear in two places at once) and to read the sins on a person’s soul.

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2. The Cilice Catholic Encylopedia

A cilice is an item worn on the body to inflict pain or discomfort for the sake of penance (remorse for your past actions). Originally a cilice was an undergarment made of rough hair (such as a hairshirt) or cloth. In recent times it has been seen as more discreet to wear a chain which has spikes on it. Contrary to popular belief, the cilice does not break the skin – it merely causes discomfort. It is usually worn around the thigh.
The Catholic Encylopedia of 1913 says:

“In modern times the use of the hairshirt [(cilice)] has been generally confined to the members of certain religious orders. At the present day only the Carthusians and Carmelites wear it by rule; with others it is merely a matter of custom or voluntary mortification.”

In recent years the cilice has gained a great deal of publicity due to the book The Da Vinci Code in which it is worn by the main antagonist of the story – though in the story it is exaggeratedly described as causing wounds. Wearing the cilice has always been an optional practice for Catholics. Some famous people in the past to have worn them are Saint Thomas More and Saint Patrick.
3. The Flagrum Catholic Encylopedia

The Flagrum is a type of scourge with small hard objects attached to the length of its cords. It is traditionally used to whip oneself (self-flagellation) and is most commonly found in conservative religious orders. The flagrum is held in one hand and thrown over the shoulder in order to cause the cords to strike the flesh. The purpose of self-flagellation is voluntary penance and mortification of the flesh (a safeguard against committing further sins).
The most famous Saint to use the flagrum is probably Saint John Vianney, who would give his parishoners very light penances in confession and then flog himself in privacy for their benefit (it is believed by Catholics that acts of penance can be offered for the sins of other living people or the souls of the dead). When Saint John Vianney died, the walls of his bedroom had spatterings of blood on them from his extreme use of the flagrum.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia:

“St. Peter Damian (died 1072) […] wrote a special treatise in praise of self-flagellation; though blamed by some contemporaries for excess of zeal, his example and the high esteem in which he was held did much to popularize the voluntary use of the scourge or “discipline” as a means of mortification and penance.”

Most Catholics who practice this form of discipline will not admit it publicly as it would be seen as a lack of humility that could lead to the sin of pride.
4. Confraternities of the Cord Catholic Encylopedia

The third, (and final) of the penance-related objects, the Confraternities of the Cord are groups who wear a knotted cord around their waist as a form of penance and in order to help prevent future sins. The cord can be worn loosely in remembrance of the Saint for whom the cord is named, or it can be worn tight enough to cause pain, as has been the case with numerous saints in history.
St Joseph, St Francis, St Thomas, and St Augustine, St Nicholas, and St Monica all have Confraternities of the Cord named after them. The Catholic Encylopedia says:

In the early Church virgins wore a cincture as a sign and emblem of purity, and hence it has always been considered a symbol of chastity as well as of mortification and humility. The wearing of a cord or cincture in honour of a saint is of very ancient origin, and we find the first mention of it in the life of St. Monica.

The various confraternities differ in the number of knots on the cord.

5. Relics Catholic Encylopedia

Relic of St Augustine
Relics are objects related to Saints. There are three categories of relics (from wikipedia):

1st Class

Items directly associated with the events of Christ’s life (manger, cross, etc.), or the physical remains of a saint (a bone, a hair, a limb, etc.). Traditionally, a martyr’s relics are often more prized than the relics of other saints. Also, some saints relics are known for their extraordinary incorruptibility and so would have high regard. It is important to note that parts of the saint that were significant to that saint’s life are more prized relics. For instance, King St. Stephen of Hungary’s right forearm is especially important because of his status as a ruler. A famous theologian’s head may be his most important relic.

2nd Class

An item that the saint wore (a sock, a shirt, a glove, etc.) Also included is an item that the saint owned or frequently used, for example, a crucifix, book etc. Again, an item more important in the saint’s life is thus a more important relic.

3rd Class

Anything which has touched a first or second class relic of a saint.
In order to prevent abuses, Catholic Church law (Canon Law) forbids the sale of Relics (Can. 1190 §1). Catholics venerate relics in the same way as they venerate images, statues, and saints. This is often confused for idol worship, but veneration is actually the act of giving respect, rather than the act of worshipping which is forbidden. By canon law there must be a relic in the altar stone of any altar in a Catholic Church upon which Mass is to be offered.

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6. Indulgences Catholic Encylopedia

Catholics believe that when a person sins, they have two punishments to suffer – eternal (Hell) and temporal (punishment by suffering on earth or in Purgatory). Indulgences are special actions that a person can perform in order to reduce or remove the temporal punishment they are owed. The idea behind it is that certain acts of holiness can take the place of punishment. Indulgences must be declared by the Pope.
There are two types of indulgence: Plenary (removes all temporal punishment) and partial (removes some punishment). A partial indulgence can be for a specific number of days or years. Some indulgences only apply to the souls in Purgatory but any personal indulgences can also be offered for those souls, rather than your own. An example of an indulence is: “An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is plenary each day from the 1st to the 8th of November; on other days of the year it is partial.” (from the Enchiridion of Indulgences).
During the middle ages, a number of Bishops and Priests, seeking to make money, told people that they could pay for indulgences. This abuse partly contributed to the sparking off of the protestant reformation. While the Catholic Church tried to suppress this behavior, it took a great deal of time for the traffic in indulgences to stop completely.
It is quite common for the Pope to announce new indulgences from time to time, to mark special occasions – such as the Jubilee in which Pope John Paul II granted a plenary indulgence.
7. The Real Presence Wikipedia

The Real Presence is the term used to describe the bread and wine in a Catholic Mass. Catholics believe that after the words of consecration have been spoken by the Priest, the bread (host) and wine change their substance to become the body and blood of Jesus. It is considered by Catholics, therefore, to be appropriate to worship and adore the changed objects. This is often seen as idol worship by non-Catholics as they do not believe the change of substance has occurred.
Because of this belief, Catholics have a special ceremony called Benediction, in which a consecrated host is placed in an ornate case called a monstrance and the people are blessed with it and kneel and pray before it. you can see an image of Pope Benedict XVI blessing people with a monstrance here.
An interesting side note is that it is believed that the modern term “hocus pocus” comes from an aberration of the words used by a priest at the moment of the consecration, in which he says: “Hoc est enim corpus Meum” meaning “for this is My body”.

8. Exorcism Catholic Encyclopedia
Exorcism is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed (taken control of). Solemn exorcisms, according to the Canon law of the church, can only be exercised by an ordained priest (or higher prelate), with the express permission of the local bishop, and only after a careful medical examination to exclude the possibility of mental illness. The Catholic Encyclopaedia says:

“Superstition ought not to be confounded with religion, however much their history may be interwoven, nor magic, however white it may be, with a legitimate religious rite”

During the ritual of exorcism, the priest commands the devils within the body of the afflicted to leave and uses a number of blessings with Holy Water and oils. To listen to two authentic recordings of exorcisms, visit the Top 10 Incredible Recordings. Of interesting note, the Catholic Church gave permission for a priest to appear in the film The Exorcist on the grounds that is was true to the methods used by the Church to determine whether an exorcism is warranted. A much more indepth article on exorcism including audio, videos, and images can be found here.
9. Papal Infallibility Catholic Encylopedia

Venerable Pope Pius XII
Roman Catholics believe that, under certain circumstances, the pope is infallible (that is, he can not make a mistake). The Catholic Church defines three conditions under which the Pope is infallible:

I. The Pope must be making a decree on matters of faith or morals
II. The declaration must be binding on the whole Church
III. The Pope must be speaking with the full authority of the Papacy, and not in a personal capacity.

This means that when the Pope is speaking on matters of science, he can make errors (as we have seen in the past with issues such as Heliocentricity). However, when he is teaching a matter of religion and the other two conditions above are met, Catholics consider that the decree is equal to the Word of God. It can not contradict any previous declarations and it must be believed by all Catholics. Catholics believe that if a person denies any of these solemn decrees, they are committing a mortal sin – the type of sin that sends a person to hell. Here is an example of an infallible decree from the Council of Trent (under Pope Pius V):

If anyone denies that in the sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist are contained truly, really and substantially the body and blood together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ, but says that He is in it only as in a sign, or figure or force, let him be anathema.

The last section of the final sentence “let him be anathema” is a standard phrase that normally appears at the end of an infallible statement. It means “let him be cursed”.
10. The Scapular Catholic Encyclopedia
The Scapular is a type of necklace worn by many Catholics. It is worn across the scapular bones (hence its name) and it consists of two pieces of wool connected by string. One piece of wool rests on the back while the other piece rests on the chest. When a Catholic wishes to wear the scapular, a Priest says a set of special prayers and blesses the scapular. This only occurs the first time a person wears one.
For wearing the scapular, Catholics believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, will ensure that they do not die a horrible death (for example by fire or drowning) and that they will have access to a priest for confession and the last rites before they die. As a condition for wearing the scapular and receiving these benefits, the Catholic must say certain prayers every day. The Catholic Encyclopedia says this:

According to a pious tradition the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Simon Stock at Cambridge, England, on Sunday, 16 July, 1251. In answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed order, she appeared to him with a scapular in her hand and said: “Take, beloved son this scapular of thy order as a badge of my confraternity and for thee and all Carmelites a special sign of grace; whoever dies in this garment, will not suffer everlasting fire. It is the sign of salvation, a safeguard in dangers, a pledge of peace and of the covenant”.

The brown scapular, known as the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the most commonly worn scapular, though others do exist. When the scapular is worn out it is either buried or burnt and a new one is worn in its place.

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Top 10 Flight Upgrade Tips

Traveling by air can be a very uncomfortable experience if you have to travel in economy class. Unfortunately, however, the difference in cost between economy and first class can be in the thousands of dollars. In order to have a more comfortable journey, you can try to get a free upgrade to first class. Quite often this does not happen, but sometimes it does; often enough to warrant trying out this list of ten tips for getting a free flight upgrade. If you have any tips or upgrade experiences of your own, be sure to tell us all via the comments.

10. Travel Alone While this is not always possible, your chances of getting an upgrade are much higher if you are traveling alone. If you are traveling as part of a group – even if it just a small family – the airline is not likely to upgrade you because it means upgrading everyone.

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9. Take Advantage of Special Events
If you have just recently been married, or are having a birthday or other celebration, be sure to tell the airline staff. They may be willing to upgrade you to make your event more special. Take a Wedding Certificate with you if needs be.

8. Book a Full Plane If you can, try to book yourself on to a flight that is going to have a very full economy section – this is much easier during holidays than other times of the year. You can figure out the numbers by going through a false booking on your airline’s website (make sure you don’t book by mistake!) The reason for this is that if the economy class is full, the airline is more likely to try to squeeze passengers in to first class rather than turn them away. In some cases, however, if they can’t upgrade, they might offer travel at a later date with an upgrade or an overnight stay in a nice hotel for free. The more flexible you are, the better.

7. Be Sneaky
When you are booking your flight through a travel agent, be extremely friendly to them. If they like you, they may be willing to mark you as a CIP (Commercially Important Passenger) or SFU (Suitable for Upgrade). The airline can ignore this information, but it is worth a try – the more effort you put in to getting your upgrade, the greater your chances.
6. Pick your Plane
If it is possible, you should try to pick a flight that will be using a plane with a large first class cabin. There are many sites on the internet that let you see the layout of different planes and the configurations that the various airlines use. Take advantage of these. Not only are these sites useful for finding a good “upgrade” plane, but you can also pick the best seats in economy in case you don’t get upgraded. I would strongly recommend using Seat Guru – I have used this site on virtually every flight I have taken since I discovered it – it is an excellent resource for travelers.

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5. Avoid Business Hours Try to fly outside of business hours as the first class cabin is likely to be full on these flights. Try flying at odd hours of the day and on the weekends.
4. Be Polite
Be very polite to all of the staff you are dealing with at the airline. Quite often the decision about upgrades is left to the check-in staff. If they don’t like you, you won’t get upgraded. Smile when talking to the staff but don’t be so overly friendly that you frighten the staff.

3. Dress the Part
Dress like you are a first class passenger. You don’t have to go overboard by wearing a suit and tie, but do not wear tattered jeans, dirty shoes, a tee-shirt with Che Guevara on the front, or any other obviously “non-first-class” clothing. Also, because of the unfortunate situation with terrorism at the moment, you should probably be clean shaven.
2. Join the Frequent Flier Program
By joining the frequent flier program of your airline, you are showing loyalty to the airline. In addition, you get the obvious benefits of being a member such as free flights if you earn enough points. If your airline have different levels of membership, buy the most expensive one you are able to afford – unfortunately money talks, but the extra cost of the program may be well worth the improved comfort on future flights.
1. Ask
A lot of people tell you not to do this, for a variety of reasons, but in my own experience, this can work. I have been given upgrades twice in the last year for asking if the airline needed volunteers. If you have followed all of the previous rules, you have a very good chance of getting the upgrade if there are seats available. Incidentally, ask very quietly – if other customers hear you get an upgrade they will ask as well – so the airline is less likely to give you one if you broadcast your request.

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Top 10 differences between Europe and America

Though only a stone’s-throw away across the grand Atlantic, Europeans and Americans are as different as night and day. And being anywhere from 5 to 7 hours difference in time, they literally are, too. Back in the days of old when that rag-tag batch of ticked-off Englishmen decided to brave the snarling sea and make new their lives in America, we’ve held similarities close to our hearts. However, times force great changes and leaps in advancement force gaps in our likenesses and make them far more diverse and different. Gone are the days when the ‘New’ Americans would take tea time, instead, we, as Americans, stumbled upon the idea of lunch… similar, but still, quite different. Well, you get the idea. Here are ten (of many, as we all know) ways we, as Americans, are different from our jovial brethren across the pond: the Europeans.
10. Government
Our Governments could not be any more unalike if we purposely attempted to create them so. And, as it turns out, we (the US) kind of did. Not happy with the persecution the European Government was dishing out to specific religious groups, the original Pilgrims who ended up on American shores would eventually go on to pass down ideas for a new government in their new land – despite the fact that they persecuted people in equally (if not worse) ways than the nations they left behind. Here are the governmental differences spelled out as clearly as possible:
Europe: The European Parliament (Europarl or EP) is the directly elected parliamentary body of the European Union (EU). Together with the Council of the European Union (the Council), it forms the bicameral legislative branch of the Union’s institutions and has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world. The Parliament and Council form the highest legislative body within the Union. However their powers as such are limited to the competencies conferred upon the European Community by member states. Hence the institution has little control over policy areas held by the states and within the other two of the three pillars of the European Union. The Parliament is composed of 785 MEPs (Member of the European Parliament) who serve the second largest democratic electorate in the world (after India) and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world (492 million).
America: The federal government of the United States is the United States governmental body that carries out the roles assigned to the federation of individual states established by the Constitution. The federal government has three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial. Through a system of separation of powers or “checks and balances,” each of these branches has some authority to act on its own, some authority to regulate the other two branches, and has some of its own authority, in turn, regulated by the other branches. In addition, the powers of the federal government as a whole are limited by the Constitution, which leaves a great deal of authority to the individual states. The federal government is based in the federal district of Washington, D.C. and is often referred to as “Washington”.

9. Television

While Americans enjoy a mind-numbingly huge array of television stations via satellite or cable, Europe (though able to acquire said choices) also has a slew of nationally funded channels that offer them different types of programming (and in the case of the BBC in Britain, free of advertising). Since about 2000, both continents offer roughly the same when it comes to cable, satellite, and the offers of broadband with phone service and TV. The BBC and ITV are due to launch Freesat, which, unlike Freesat from Sky, will be a free-to-air system similar to Freeview. Europe, of course, features comedies and dramas specifically catered to its core audience, such as Dr. Who and the original Office. We here in American television companies have been know to pilfer European (usually English) programming which then needs modification to make it more appealing to US viewers. In some cases these American spin offs have become more popular than the originals. Two in particular that spring to mind are The Office, and Three’s Company.

8. Meal Times and Etiquette
Europeans are more likely to be found eating as a family around the dinner table than many Americans who prefer the convenience of eating in front of the television. As a result, fast food chains are not as popular in placed like France and Italy as they are stateside. This, however, is not true of all nations in Europe, as the English (possibly through the influence of American television programming) are also beginning to lean toward the convenience of fast food (either ready made or ready-to-cook). Another striking difference is that in mainland Europe, supermarkets are far fewer in number than in America, as a large number of Europeans still buy their food daily from markets in their towns or city centers (again, this is probably no longer true of the United Kingdom). These markets are part of the appeal that Europe has for Americans traveling to Europe.
Trivia: In Europe, an entree is usually the first course of a meal (the same as an American appetizer). The main course is called “the main course”. American’s like to have a salad course, but this is almost never seen in Europe as salad (if it is being served) will usually be presented alongside the main course.
7. Shops

Shopping in the typical American city is a mater of walking around, going inside of whichever building one needs explore in order to locate goods and services, and purchasing. We have a plethora of the Big Box Stores like WAL-MART, Target, Meijer, and those similarly huge home-improvement shops like Lowe’s, Home Depot, and the like. We like what we need readily available at our finger tips and unfortunately this has contributed greatly to the end many of mom-and-pop stores. Grocery delivery is very common in England, while it is still only seen occasionally in the US. Europeans prefer the open-air shops with the amazing array of vastly different foods available in each specific location suited specifically to the item’s location. In Europe you will still see more high street shopping than malls, though this is beginning to change in some countries. The upside to this is that you get personal service, the downside is that if you get dreadful service, you have no one to complain to. It can take a lot more effort to find the items you need as you have to go to many shops instead of one.
6. Money

American currency is just about as basic as it comes: Bills for anything for a dollar and over (5,10,20,50 etc.), and coins for anything a quarter (25 cents) or less: dime (10), nickel (5), penny (1). For the most part and for the longest time our bills have been green with nothing more than age-old etched images of presidents and persons of historical significance, and some say hidden meanings dating back to the rise of the Free Masons and other government clubs. The member states of the European Union have adopted a universal currency called the Euro (with the exception of the British who are exempted from adopting the Euro). This can be incredibly convenient when on holiday, but the adoption of the Euro has caused some difficulties in nations where prices dramatically rose – such as Italy.

5. Language
America has one language for all – American English (though some might say that Spanish is creeping in) – Europe, on the other hand has more languages than nations. As a result, most Europeans will learn at least one other language in school (this is often compulsory in mainland Europe, but not the United Kingdom). English is spoken in most major cities and in the case of some people – like the Dutch, the English in Europe can be better than the English in England. Combined with the universal currency of Europe, this really does make holidaying easier.
4. Sports

To Americans, nothing kills a weekend more appropriately than sitting around with some good friends, nursing a few beers, and watching your favorite sports team beat the snot out of its opponent. We here in the U.S. have five major sports: Baseball, American Football, Basketball, Hockey, and Car Racing. Grabbing several bowls of artery-clogging goodies, staking out a spot in a favorite chair, and yelling at the television is what sports fans are all about. We love our sports so much we’ve delegated entire clothing lines to them. Now in Europe, the four main spectator sports are Football (soccer), Cricket, Rugby, and Tennis. And as we all know, your rabid attraction to your home teams rivals the beastly incorporation we have with our own. In fact, I have never seen anything even remotely close to the mass of infuriated spectators rising in unison to a bad call or a loss than European sports crowds. It’s just scary and has been known in the past to be deadly.
3. Cooking

American cooking, for all its variety and excitement, owes its very existence to everywhere else. Even our deep-seeded southern roots stemmed from French influence. If it can be successfully fried, we’ll happily do it. If it can be mass-produced and served with fried potatoes, we’ll joyfully do that, too. We love our steaks, our hamburgers, our hot dogs, our potato and tortilla chips, and our foods smothered in gravy. Europeans have a diverse cultural history in their food and this is still obvious in every nation. It would be wrong, however, to consider European food healthier overall – this is not necessarily the case and Europeans, knowing this, tend to eat smaller portions. Virtually every aspect of French cooking involves butter and cream. Of all the European nations, England is the one with the worst reputation for food – it is expensive and usually bad. This, however, is beginning to change as more English people take an interest in redefining old English favorites (such as steak-and-kidney pudding) for the new millennium.
2. Drinking

There is very little doubt that America’s favorite alcoholic beverage has got to be beer. We love to import, export, and support the local micro-brews of which there are literally thousands. In fact, I live smack in the middle of six, and the beers produced there are always readily available. We do have quite the active wine making community as well, generally on the west coast in California, though other states, such as Michigan where I live, produce wine as well. In my state, selling alcohol before 12 p.m. is not only taboo, but illegal. On Sundays you aren’t allowed to purchase after five p.m., and if it’s a holiday, none after 2 a.m the previous day or on the holiday at all. Now, in bars and pubs, you can purchase (as long as you are inside) until 2 a.m. Also, unless you want some serious trouble, you ought to be 21 to do so at all. Despite this high drinking-age, many kids start around 16 or 17. Europeans of course have beer, wine, and other alcohol, but most often just different variations on the common theme. In Europe the drinking age in each country varies too, but to be on the safe side, carry your ID if you drink or purchase alcoholic beverages. Some countries list two legal ages: one to buy beer and wine and another to buy stronger spirits such as vodka, while other countries allow younger people to drink while dining in the company of adults. It seems that the laws are similar as are the concerns for under-age drinking and especially drinking and driving. One major difference here, however, is that many European families give their children wine with dinner (often watered down) – there is much less a taboo associated with alcohol in Europe than America, which may be partly a side-effect of the prohibition movement.
1. Day to Day

While Americans and Europeans (excluding the British) drive on the same side of the road, there are still many different rules. The most obvious is the American rule allowing cars to turn on a red light. Most of the street signs use the same international symbols. In England, there are a variety of different crosswalks with different names: A puffin crossing has the lights on the same side as the pedestrian; a toucan crossing is a crossing for pedestrians and bicycles; a pegasus crossing allows horse-riders to cross as well. There are also tiger crossings (alternating yellow and black stripes) to allow cyclists to cross without dismounting, and of course, the zebra crossing. But wait – there’s more. There are also pelican crossings which are traffic light controlled.
Power sockets in the United Kingdom differ from the rest of Europe, and both are different from American (and Japanese) sockets. European plugs generally have two circular pins for inserting in to the socket (though there are variations in almost all of the nations in Europe), while British and Irish plugs have three thick rectangular pins. Also, European lights switch off in the opposite direction to American lights.

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Top 10 Fastest Roller Coasters

Everyone loves a thrill and one of the best ways to get this is on a roller coaster. Everyone has their own way of rating a roller coaster – number of inversions, longest drop, fastest, so rating them is a difficult task. That is the reason I have opted to go for speed as the measure of greatness. This is a list of the ten fastest roller coasters to date (September 2007).
10. Phantom’s Revenge – Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, USA

Top Speed: 82 mph / 131.9 km/h
In 2001, the Phantom’s Revenge was built to replace the Steel Phantom, which had consistently been ranked in the top five roller coasters in the world. It includes a 228 foot drop, subterranean tunnel, and reaches a maximum speed of 82 miles per hour. For the sake of tradition, some of the features of the Steel Phantom were retained, including the steel track. Replacing the loops and corkscrew, it now offers an array of hills and drops.

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9. Goliath – Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California, USA

Top Speed: 85 mph / 136.7 km/h
Not only is the Goliath the 9th fastest roller coaster, but it also has the third highest drop and is the seventh tallest (standing at over 20 stories high). It includes a 255 foot drop, at 85 miles per hour, leading to a tunnel full of smoke. It also includes camel-like humps and an amazing bunny hop in which riders float off their seats due the force. It is recognized as one of the most entertaining roller coasters in the world.
8. Titan – Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas, USA

Top Speed: 85 mph / 136.7 km/h
The Titan was built by the same Swiss designers that built the Goliath but includes extra twists. It has 5,280 feet of track, allowing for more drops, loops, and corkscrews. After dropping from the 255 foot hill, you are plunged in to a dark tunnel at the speed of 85 miles per hour. Titan includes a spiral that creates forces of up to 4.5gs.
7. Millennium Force – Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA

Top Speed: 93 mph / 149.7 km/h
Debuting in May, 2000, the Millennium Force is one of the highest roller coasters in the world. It boasts 10 world records. It rises to a height of 310 feet and travels through Cedar Point Park before crossing on to an island. During the trip you experience corkscrew turns in dark tunnels, 300 foot drops, and an 80 degree plummet down its highest point. The 2 minute 20 second ride covers 13 acres of track.
6. Steel Dragon 2000 – Nagashima Spa Land, Mie Prefecture, Japan

Top Speed: 95 mph / 152.9 km/h
Steel Dragon 2000 is the tallest coaster to utilize a traditional chain lift. Because of the length of the lift hill, two chains are used – one for the bottom half and one for the top half. A single chain would have been excessively long and heavy, at least twice the weight of one of the trains. As a result, two trains can safely occupy the lift simultaneously. It debuted only months after Millennium Force and surpassed the Cedar Point coaster as the world’s tallest complete-circuit coaster. It also set a record for longest track length – 8133 feet, 2 inches (2479 m).

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5. Superman: The Escape – Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California, USA

Top Speed: 100 mph / 161 km/h
Superman: The Escape, is probably the most hair-raising of the coasters listed here. Instead of looping and twisting, the Escape is a straight track that rises to 41 stories in a matter of seconds and then, after pausing, drops back down. The ride is L-shaped and accelerates to 100 miles per hour (the first roller-coaster to reach that speed) in 7 seconds. The drop involves 6.5 seconds of weightlessness and when you drop, you drop backwards.
4. Tower of Terror – Dreamworld, Coomera, Queensland, Australia

Top Speed: 100 mph / 161 km/h
Tower Of Terror is a steel reverse freefall coaster. The six ton passenger vehicle, is electro-magnetically powered, accelerating its passengers rapidly to 160.9 km/h (100 mph) in seven seconds. The track then turns skyward, with the passengers pulling 4.5 G’s. The car climbs to almost 38 stories high. Following the climb, there is a 6.5 second free-fall before the 90 degree turn is executed in reverse. The vehicle then hurtles into the station where it comes to a rapid stop.
3. Dodonpa – Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan

Top Speed: 106.9 mph / 172 km/h
Dodonpa opened in 2001 and is a steel sit-down roller coaster with a compressed air launch. It is 52 metres (170 feet) tall, and has a launch speed of 172 km/h (107 mph), which is reached in less than 2 seconds. The launch is followed by a huge, sweeping, overbanked curve, giving riders a chance to catch their breath back, before they hit the 170 foot top hat; an element with some extreme negative G forces. The name ‘Dodonpa’ comes from the musical sound which is played to customers waiting to board it.
2. Top Thrill Dragster – Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA

Top Speed: 120 mph / 193 km/h
Top Thrill Dragster was the first “Strata Coaster,” loosely defined as a complete circuit coaster that is 400 to 499 feet tall. It was the last one to use lapbars instead of over-the-shoulder restraints due to mechanical problems. Shortly after reaching its maximum velocity in less than four seconds, the train begins its ascent up a 90-degree incline that has a 90-degree counter-clockwise twist that takes the train straight over the top of the 420 foot hill, where riders will experience significant airtime (zero g-forces). On the way down the other side, there is a 270-degree clockwise twist that leads into the magnetic braking section that brings the train to a swift but comfortable stop.
1. Kingda Ka – Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA

Top Speed: 128 mph / 206 km/h
Kingda Ka is not just the fastest, but also the tallest roller coaster in the world. A hydraulic launch mechanism rockets the train from 0 to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, pulling about 1.67 g’s. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main tower, twisting 90 degrees to the right before reaching a height of 456 feet (139.5 m). The train then descends 418 feet (127 m) straight down through a 270-degree spiral. Finally, the train climbs the second, 129 foot hill, producing a moment of weightlessness before being smoothly brought to a stop by the magnetic brakes. Due to the high speed and open nature of the trains, this ride will not operate in even light rain, as rider contact with rain drops can cause discomfort.

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Top 8 Levels of Scientology

This is the list of the 8 levels of scientology that one can attain after becoming free of unwanted influences of life (a clear). There are only eight published levels though there are a further seven levels that may or may not exist. These levels (called Operating Thetan Levels) are a closely guarded secret of the Scientologists but they have appeared on the internet for a number of years. So, if you have the money (and the inclination) this is what Scientology has to offer you.

OT I [Transcript]
OT I comes after completing OT eligibility and OT preps (qv), this consists of walking about and counting people until one has a “win”, and similar god-like procedures. EP (End Phenomena) is to extrovert a being, and bring about an awareness of himself in relation to others and the physical universe. Also called OT (Operating Thetan) orientation. OT I has had various incarnations over the years
“This Solo-audited level is the first step a Clear takes toward full OT abilities, and that first step is a fresh causative OT viewpoint of the MEST universe and other beings.”

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OT II
OT II consists of hundreds of boring “implants” written in Hubbard’s hand like “to be or not to be”, followed by “spotting the light” that accompanied the “implants.” EP (End Phenomena; the final result of processing “therapy”) is rehabilitation of intention and ability to project intention. With an EP like that, it can’t fail! “A series of processes directed at whole track implant materials (GPMs) dealing with dichotomies and binary thinking. Available at Advanced Organizations and higher.” – Jonathon Barbera.
“By confronting hidden areas of one’s existence on the whole track, vast amounts of energy and attention are released. Those on this Solo-audited level experience a resurgence of self-determinism and native ability. OT II unlocks the aberrative factors on the whole track that have allowed the thetan to lose his innate freedom and ability and one achieves the ability to confront the whole track.”

OT III: The Wall of Fire [Partial Transcript]
OT III, also called “The Wall of Fire”. Deals with Incident 2, Xenu, the evil galactic overlord, and the H bombs on Hawaii 76 million years ago. Hubbard said that anyone who was exposed to this level casually would “freewheel” through it, become a chronic insomniac, then get sick and die. “Locating and auditing of body thetans on Incident I (first incident in MEST universe) and Incident II (incident which caused the degradation of these beings into body thetans and clusters as caused by Xenu approximately seventy-five million years ago). Emphasis on this level is ridding the pre-OT of body thetans which are conscious enough to respond to the auditing. Available at Advanced Organizations and higher. Partially replaced by New OT V.” – Jonathon Barbera
“This Solo-audited level goes through what is called the “Wall of Fire” that surrounds a previously impenetrable whole track mystery. What prevents a being from being himself? This level answers that question. Once complete, a being is free of the whole track overwhelm that has trapped him. Here he confronts and eradicates the fourth dynamic engram that has plagued this universe for millennia.”
The Clear learns about the catastrophic event that placed body thetans on Earth and deprived them of their operating abilities. The Clear is trained to audit the thetans inhabiting his or her own body regarding this incident.
OT IV: OT Drug Rundown
OT IV; the Operating Thetan drug rundown. New OT IV gets rid of the effects of taking drugs in past lifetimes for a few thousand dollars. You should really see this land in FLA; it is near Clearwater… “Mocking-up and unmocking implants from Clearing Course in order to prevent future implanting plus the handling and rehabilitation of past auditing. Product was supposed to be an OT Exterior. Replaced by New OT IV: handles the effects of drugs, medicine, and alcohol by addressing BTs stuck to/in drugs, medicine, and alcohol incidents. Audited by Class VIII auditors at Advanced Organizations and higher.” – Jonathon Barbera.
“This level handles the hidden problems and stops in a being’s universe caused by the effects of drugs and poisons on the whole track. This is the final polish that rids one of any last vestige of the effects of drugs on the spirit. Ministered at Advanced Organizations or Flag. Approximately 12 1/2 to 25 hours.”
The Clear audits his or her body thetans for drug-related problems.

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OT V: New Era Dianetics for OTs
OT V; getting rid of the Body Thetans! EP (End Phenomena) is cause over life. Should be cause over your debt; you’ll need it. New OT 5 starts what is call New Era Dianetics for Operating Thetans, NED for OTs or NOTS, reputed to be for removing BTs (Body Thetans; evil spirit infestations) that didn’t respond on OT3. Physical universe familiarization, for only a few ‘thou, was a part of old OT V. “A series of drills directed at the Pre-OT’s handling of, and relationship to, MEST. Drills were to be done exterior. Replaced by New OT V: A series of steps directed at clearing the Pre-OTs body of body thetans with some attention on body thetans which are causing particular conditions (including health conditions, rock slams caused by the evil intentions of body thetans, PTSness caused by suppressive body thetans, etc.) Audited by Class IX auditors at Advanced Organizations and higher. 55 HCOBs.” – Jonathon Barbera.
“The Second Wall of Fire consists of 26 separate rundowns and has been described as dealing with “living lightning, the very stuff of life itself.” This level addresses the last aspects of one’s case that can prevent him from achieving total freedom on all dynamics. An audited level ministered at Advanced Organizations or Flag. Approximately 50 hours.”
The Clear learns that thetans inhabit everything in the MEST universe. Through auditing, the Clear contacts and identifies as many thetans as possible for further action.
OT VI: Hubbard Solo New Era Dianetics for OTs (Solo NOTs) Auditing Course
OT 6 teaches the Pre-OT, to do NOTs, New Era Dianetics for Operating Thetans, solo. OT VI is very expensive; it is easy to run up a $40,000 bill to get ready for the next step, OT VII. OT ability drills for a few ‘thou more constituted old OT VI. “Drills dealing with exteriorization, emotions, and sensations. The drills were supposed to be done exterior. Replaced by New OT VI: A course which trains the Pre-OT on how to solo audit Solo NOTs. Available at FSO (Flag). 14 HCOBs.” – Jonathon Barbera.
“The training one receives before starting to solo audit on New OT VII is so powerful that it actually constitutes an entire OT level. On Solo NOTs one is dealing with complexities intended to crush one’s true power and abilities as a thetan. Solo NOTs auditors acquire a wide range of auditing skills to handle the vast phenomena that can occur on OT VIII. Approximately 3-4 weeks with the new Solo Auditor Course done.”
The Clear receives further training to audit the body thetans identified during OT V.

OT VII: Hubbard Solo New Era Dianetics for OTs Auditing
On OT VII one does NOTS, New Era Dianetics for Operating Thetans, solo. New OT VII is cheaper than New OT V, as only the six month C/S’ing and the final certainly check are paid for and the main work is left to the mark himself. Old OT VII was projection of intention and polish up for a few more ‘thou…and you thought shouting was all you needed to project your intention. “A series of processes, drills, and training steps directed at intention. Replaced by New OT VII: the purpose of this level is the further ridding of body thetans. Done at FSO (Flag) and at home for two to three years. Product is an OT.” – Jonathon Barbera.
“On New OT VII one solo audits at home daily. This is a lengthy level, requiring a considerable amount of time to complete. It is the final pre-OT level, and culminates in attainment of the state of CAUSE OVER LIFE.”
The Clear audits all previously identified thetans until they “blow,” or detach from the Clear. As noted in the official description, the OT VII level can take many years to complete.
OT VIII: Truth Revealed
OT VIII is the top of the current Grade Chart – OT IX won’t be released until all the present Orgs are the size of the old Saint Hill Organization in East Grinstead, England, in the ’60s – not until hell freezes over, in other words. The Bridge, or Gradation Chart of Human Awareness and Abilities, tops out at OT 15, in some versions, although information is sketchy for the last few. OT 8 is a big expensive mystery, only delivered on the newspeak-named Scientology cruiseliner “Freewinds” out on the Caribbean. People who have completed this level have said that it is a review of all of the person’s auditing and a verification/ nullification of discoveries the person has made about himself, that it is Route 1 and 2 from the Creation of Human ability book, that it involves looking into your past auditing folders in order to spot any moments where you were being somebody else, e.g. past life identities, which you have discovered on Int Rundown or NED and any body thetans you have unleashed on OT III, OT IV, OT V, OT VI, OT VII and on Lists L10, L11 and L12, then a meter check to see if these identities are right or wrong items. At the end of this new process (New OT VIII), you will have recovered all of your own time track, supposedly. Two slightly different sets of the complete process have been posted to alt.religion.scientology, allegedly from people who have finished the level on the Freewinds. These procedures do indeed involved the 8th dynamic (god), as well as other steps, including material from A History of Man.
“This Solo-audited level addresses the primary cause of amnesia on the whole track and lets one see the truth of his own existence. This is the first actual OT level and brings about a resurgence of power and native abilities for the being himself. This may be done at the Flag Ship Service Organization only.” Graduation from this level requires a $100,000 payment.

Unreleased OTs
OT IX, (Orders of Magnitude). Prerequisites imply more implant material on this level. The word “orders” may merely suggest levels or may possibly indicate commands for the OT to perform as a Scientologist. – Jonathon Barbera.
OT X, (Character). Rumors have suggested that this level produces whole track recall. – Jonathon Barbera.
OT XI, (Operating). Probably further rehabilitation of the OT’s abilities. – Jonathon Barbera.
OT XII, (Future). Probably is directed at the OT’s handling or prediction of the future. – Jonathon Barbera.
OT XIII, Title not given. Probably incomplete or nonexistent. – Jonathon Barbera.
OT XIV, Title not given. Probably incomplete or nonexistent. – Jonathon Barbera.
OT XV, Title not given. Probably incomplete or nonexistent. If it did exist, this level’s product would be Total Freedom. – Jonathon Barbera. Note: it has been suggested that the old OT levels have been bumped up to fill these slots 9 to 15, so if and when these levels are released to the public (supposedly only after all current orgs are the size of the booming early Saint Hill), the current OT VIIIs may be in for a shock re-doing all their old levels over again, if they are old-timers.
This information has been sourced from Wikipedia and Xenu.net – thanks to all who contributed to those sites. At present transcripts are only available for the first two levels (due to Scientology lawsuits).
The Wikipedia items are mostly taken from: What is Scientology complied by the staff of Church of Scientology International. c1998 published Bridge Publications Inc. ISBN 1-57318-078-5 pg. 840-841

Due to the popularity of this article, we wrote
Top 10 Problems With Scientology
An exploration of the lies, crimes, and tricks of Scientology

 

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Top 10 Amazing Mosaic Artworks

Mosaic is the art of creating patterns and images from small pieces of a certain material, the usual being colored glass or stone. With the advent of technology, the art of mosaic making (which started in Mesopotamia) took a turn for the bizarre. Here are 10 fascinating mosaic artworks made with equally unusual materials.

10

Post-It-Notes

The pupils at Eisenhower Junior High School in Taylorsville, Utah, must have been proud of their alma mater, for the school claims to ‘have set more world records than any other school!’ They currently hold nine world records and their record-breaking attempts have appeared in Guiness World Records and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! One of the records the school broke is the World’s Largest Post-It Mosaic. On November 6, 2009, 151 pupils participated in constructing a 60-feet by 40-feet mosaic using 38,400 colorful Post-It notes. The resulting mosaic illustrated the theme ‘Go Green.’ The Post-It notes were later recycled.

9

Playing Cards

David Alvarez, an 20-year old art student from Leavenworth, Washington, proved that you didn’t need to be good at drawing to be an artist after unveiling his 25-feet high portrait of Jimi Hendrix made from more than 8,500 Bicycle playing cards (or 168 decks). Using a Photoshop program, he first divided a picture of Jimi Hendrix into parts and map out where the colored playing cards should go. Then, on a single day, Alvarez worked 21 hours painstakingly placing each card on its right position, on a Styrofoam core board, with double-sided tape, only resting for an hour and half before working again. A video documentation of the project, made by Eric Splittgerber, can be seen here.

8

Junk Mail

Americans get swamped every year by millions of tons of junk mail. Sandy Schimmel, an Arizona artist, decided to put them into good use and creates beautiful, vivid mosaic pictures out of her junk mail in a process known as ‘upcycling.’ Inspired by a mosaic that she saw while in Venice, Schimmel’s artwork are mostly portraits, including a piece featuring Madonna called All American Blonde and a recreation of the famous painting Birth of Venus. To see more of her artwork go here.

7

Gumballs

Franz Spohn, illustrator, sculptor and professor of art at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania, specializes in creating large mosaic murals depicting famous people like Barack Obama, Rosa Parks and Robert Ripley from hundreds of gumballs. To achieve this, Spohn fills plastic tubes with several gumballs, stacked according to color, and lines the tubes up to create his masterpieces.

6

Postage Stamps

Pete Mason from Staffordshire, England, claims to be the ‘Post Pop Art’ man. Combining Pop Art and graphic design, he creates portraits of famous icons like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Princess Diana out of recycled postage stamps. Typically, his larger works uses around 20,000 stamps. To make a portrait, Mason first draws the picture he will work on on a canvas. Then, he divides the picture in stamp-size squares. Then, the stamps, sorted out by color, design and postmark pattern, are applied to the surface.

5

Computer Parts

In an art exhibition in Beijing, China, in 2006, a group of computer engineers displayed a recreation of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa made out of computer parts. Made of various circuits and chip sockets, the work, entitled Technology Smiling, fascinated the visitors.

4

Apples

Since 1988, Emma Karp and her father Helge Lundstrom have been creating huge apple mosaics for the annual Kivik Apple Festival. The Swedish town has long been an important fruit supplier in Sweden, and the festival celebrates the end of the harvesting season in Sweden, which is around late September. The centerpiece of the festival is the apple mosaic, which can contain up to 75,000 apples in different varieties, which is equivalent to 8,820 pounds.

3

Fruit and Veggie Sticker Labels

Barry Snyder of Erie, Colorado, creates amazing mosaic artworks out of those annoying stickers you see in store-brought fruit and vegetables. His 4-sq-ft creations are typically made out of around 4,000 stickers and take him around six months to create. Many of the stickers he uses are sent to him by people from around the globe. His original works are so popular that they can sell for up to $10,000. If you want to donate stickers, or to view Snyder’s works, go here.

2

Bar Codes

Scott Blake specializes in creating portraits of famous icons out of bar codes. His bar code art was inspired by the Y2K computer bug, where he created his first bar code mosaic of Jesus Christ using Photoshop. Since then, he has created around thirty portraits of famous icons such as Andy Warhol and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Scoot also created several interactive pieces where scanning the bar codes on the mosaic flashes up images of the person pictured in the mosaic on a screen . This was done on Scott’s portrait of Bruce Lee and Elvis Presley. For more information, visit here.

1

Burnt Toast

Maurice Bennett of New Zealand, tops the list for his mosaic portraits of famous people made from thousands of toasted bread, burned in varying degrees to create different shades. His works have depicted such greats as Jonah Lomu, John Key (NZ Prime Minister) and Peter Jackson. His works are typically displayed on billboards, where his works are best viewed. To learn more about Bennett, go here.

Bonus

Children’s Hands

This is a bonus item as it is not strictly a mosaic in the sense that it is made with various objects – but it is close – for reasons that will become apparent: Marcus Harvey is best known for his tabloid-provoking 9 by 11 feet (2.7 by 3.4 m) portrayal of Moors murderer Myra Hindley, created from the handprints of children, and shown in the Sensation exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art in 1997. The painting had to be temporarily removed from display for repair after it was attacked in two separate incidents on the opening day, in which ink and eggs were thrown at it. One art critic said of the work: “[f]ar from cynically exploiting her notoriety, Harvey’s grave and monumental canvas succeeds in conveying the enormity of the crime she committed. Seen from afar, through several doorways, Hindley’s face looms at us like an apparition. By the time we get close enough to realize that it is spattered with children’s handprints, the sense of menace becomes overwhelming.”

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Top 15 Shipwreck Survival Tips

This is a list of the most important things to remember if you are shipwrecked. The list comes from Yan Martel’s prize-winning novel, Life of Pi.
1. Always read instructions carefully
2. Do not drink urine. Or sea water. Or bird blood
3. Do not eat jellyfish. Or fish that have spikes. Or fish that have parrot like beaks. Or that puff up like balloons.
4. Pressing the eyes of fish will paralyse them

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5. The body can be heroic in battle; if a castaway is injured, beware of well-meaning, but ill-founded, medical treatment. Ignorance is the worst doctor, while rest and sleep are the best nurses.
6. Put your feet up at least 5 minutes every hour
7. Unnecessary exertion should be avoided. But an idle mind tends to sing, so the mind should be kept occupied with whatever light distraction may suggest itself. Playing card games, twenty questions and I spy are excellent distractions.

8. Green water is shallower than blue water
9. Beware of far-off clouds that look like mountains. Look for green. Ultimately, a foot is the only good judge of land.
10. Do not go swimming. It wastes energy. Besides, a survival craft may drift faster than you can swim. Not to mention the danger of sea life. If you are hot, wet your clothes instead.

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11. Do not urinate in your clothes. The momentary warmth is not worth the nappy rash.
12. Shelter yourself. Exposure can kill faster than thirst or hunger.
13. As long as no excessive water is lost through perspiration, the body can survive up to 14 days without water. If you are thirsty, suck a button.
14. Turtles are an easy catch and make for excellent meals. Their blood is a good, nutritious, salt-free drink; their flesh is tasty and filling; their fat has many uses; and the castaway will find turtle eggs a real treat. Mind the beak and the claws.
15. Don’t let your morale flag. Be daunted but not defeated. Remember: the spirit, above all else, counts. If you have the will to live, you will. Good luck!