<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>symondrake.com &#187; Fascinating</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.symondrake.com/category/fascinating/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.symondrake.com</link>
	<description>Symon&#039;s blog (in case you hadn&#039;t figured that out already)</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:27:21 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Revenge of the Water Buffalo</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/revenge-of-the-water-buffalo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/revenge-of-the-water-buffalo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:06:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Animal Kingdom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fascinating]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=208</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nail biting drama doesn&#8217;t come any better than this folks. Lions ambush buffalo family&#8230;Lions catch baby buffalo&#8230;Lions begin to eat baby buffalo&#8230;Crocodiles steal baby buffalo from lions&#8230;Lions steal back baby buffalo from crocodiles&#8230;Baby buffalo&#8217;s extended family seek revenge on lions&#8230;Lions get pwned&#8230;Baby buffalo is rescued&#8230; Baby buffalo lives happily ever after. Don&#8217;t believe me?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SwNn4WgD_BI/AAAAAAAABTs/kreF27WYCC4/s1600/buffalo+versus+lions.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405278195585121298" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SwNn4WgD_BI/AAAAAAAABTs/kreF27WYCC4/s320/buffalo+versus+lions.jpg" /></a>
<div align="justify"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Nail biting</span> drama doesn&#8217;t come any better than this folks.</p>
<p>Lions ambush buffalo family&#8230;<br />Lions catch baby buffalo&#8230;<br />Lions begin to eat baby buffalo&#8230;<br />Crocodiles steal baby buffalo from lions&#8230;<br />Lions steal back baby buffalo from crocodiles&#8230;<br />Baby buffalo&#8217;s extended family seek revenge on lions&#8230;<br />Lions get <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">pwned</span>&#8230;<br />Baby buffalo is rescued&#8230;</div>
<div align="justify">Baby buffalo lives happily ever after.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t believe me?<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LU8DDYz68kM&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LU8DDYz68kM&#038;color1=0xb1b1b1&#038;color2=0xcfcfcf&#038;feature=player_embedded&#038;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/revenge-of-the-water-buffalo/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Giant devil fish, rays and panic attacks</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/giant-devil-fish-rays-and-panic-attacks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/giant-devil-fish-rays-and-panic-attacks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Rays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reminscing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=205</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ever since I was a kid I have been fascinated by rays&#8230; PaislyeJade has been terrified by them. She remembers an obviously doctored photo in an old local surf shop of an areal view of a dingy dwarfed by the shadow of a giant manta swimming beneath it. The imagery that fuels nightmares. In our [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SvjbgcI7xLI/AAAAAAAABTE/2pfmmI6KIBc/s1600-h/giant+mantaray.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402309103386870962" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SvjbgcI7xLI/AAAAAAAABTE/2pfmmI6KIBc/s320/giant+mantaray.jpg" /></a>
<div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SvjbBCRfQVI/AAAAAAAABS8/0bGbhePYFRc/s1600-h/giant+manta.jpg"></a>Ever since I was a kid I have been fascinated by rays&#8230; PaislyeJade has been terrified by them.</p>
<p>She remembers an obviously doctored photo in an old local surf shop of an areal view of a dingy dwarfed by the shadow of a giant manta swimming beneath it. The imagery that fuels nightmares.</p>
<p>In our early years of marriage we had a couple of too-close-for-comfort encounters with rays.</p>
<p>We were having a leisurely snorkel one afternoon at a picture-perfect inlet and I came across one rather large ray basking beside a rocky outcrop. I pointed it out to PJ and couldn&#8217;t believe her courage as she she swam right up to it. It wasn&#8217;t until it started looking very threatening, did PJ then proceed to have a panic attack. Courage didn&#8217;t motivate her to get close up and personal with the ray that day&#8230; her mask was so fogged up that she couldn&#8217;t see it, until she was almost kissing it.</p>
<p>On another fateful Monday morning, we had only just started a classic surf session when I noticed that the sandy floor a couple of meters below us was quite literally covered with rays. What they were doing I cannot say&#8230; basking, spawning? But it was a little unnerving. Why oh why did I point them out to an oblivious PJ? Panic attack no.2.</p>
<p>Alright, so we all know that rays are harmless beautiful creatures. A reassuring fact sure enough, until its believability is shattered when Google reveals pieces of trivia like&#8230;</p>
<p>&#8220;Simon Pierce of Queensland University&#8217;s School of Biological Sciences said there were no accurate records of stingray deaths, but estimated there had been about 30 worldwide in recent years.&#8221;</p>
<p>And of course we can&#8217;t forget the late great Hunter of Crocodiles&#8230; by crikey.</p>
<p>Ever wanted to know how big these suckers get?</p>
<p>The Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research, Inc. website claims that the largest manta species &#8216;Manta Birostris&#8217; can have a wingspan of 9.1 meters.</p>
<p>Maybe the photo in the surf shop was real after all.</p></div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/giant-devil-fish-rays-and-panic-attacks/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Mair Park Bigfoot pays off</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/the-mair-park-bigfoot-pays-off/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/the-mair-park-bigfoot-pays-off/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Cryptozoology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Friends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Random]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[humour]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=198</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many moons ago while surfing Amazon&#8217;s Listmanias I came across an author by the name of Jeremy Robinson. To cut a long story short, he was running a viral video contest to promote his new book, Pulse. I bribed my good buddy Lesmondj into spending a Saturday afternoon in the bush and what eventuated was [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SsrmuAc-TfI/AAAAAAAABQY/GiAmJi2keRE/s1600-h/books.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389373582172114418" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SsrmuAc-TfI/AAAAAAAABQY/GiAmJi2keRE/s320/books.JPG" /></a> Many moons ago while surfing Amazon&#8217;s Listmanias I came across an author by the name of Jeremy Robinson. To cut a long story short, he was running a viral video contest to promote his new book, Pulse. I bribed my good buddy <a href="http://wassupwithlesmondj.blogspot.com/">Lesmondj</a> into spending a Saturday afternoon in the bush and what eventuated was two versions of the now infamous Bigfoot attack video (over 10,000 hits now on Metacafe and YouTube).</p>
<p>We won by a landslide, the closest (and only) opponent trailing by 9000ish hits (but who&#8217;s counting) and I was delighted to recieve the promised books last week.</p>
<p>A massive THANKYOU to Jeremy Robinson for the very generous prize (and for forking out mega moolah for the postage). Please check out his site <a href="http://www.jeremyrobinsononline.com/">here</a>.</p>
<p>And for all those dying to know how the movie magic was created, here is some Bigfoot Attack Footage trivia&#8230;</p>
<p>1. No, the Bigfoot wasn&#8217;t real. There was more than one concerned person thinking the footage was authentic. Lesmondj and I must have the mean acting skills (and girls dig guys who have skills&#8230;).</p>
<p>2. The entire attack scene was done on the first take&#8230; with an imagined Bigfoot, yes imagined, not real.</p>
<p>3. <a href="http://perplexual.blogspot.com/">Jon Dylan</a> used his computer hacking skills to overlay the Bigfoot sound effects (purchased from Itunes for $1.79).</p>
<p>4. Apparently, the Bigfoot growls sound identical to a real Bigfoot, as one reader commented (as she deals with them on a daily basis &#8211; seriously).</p>
<p>5. The Mair Park Ghost legend is mostly <a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2009/06/mair-park-ghost-footage.html">true</a>.</p>
<p>6. On the short version, Yes, the blood was real&#8230; from my nose. Don&#8217;t ask.</p>
<p>7. The rotting bone at the cave&#8217;s entrance (tedious version) was stolen from my dog.</p>
<p>8. Lesmondj spent the majority of the attack scene voluntarily lying in a puddle of water. The mark of a true friend.</p>
<p>9. There was no script.</p>
<p>View the short (and exhilirating) version below:</p>
<p><embed height="345" name="Metacafe_3033851" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="400" src="http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/3033851/footage_of_bigfoot_attack.swf" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3033851/footage_of_bigfoot_attack/">Footage of Bigfoot Attack?</a> &#8211; <a href="http://www.metacafe.com/">Click here for more blooper videos</a></span></p>
<p>View the long (but informative) version below:</p>
<p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PlvfHFO1zjQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PlvfHFO1zjQ&#038;hl=en&#038;fs=1&#038;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/the-mair-park-bigfoot-pays-off/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Narnia and Me</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/narnia-and-me/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/narnia-and-me/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:37:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Dogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home and Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[humour]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=190</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Our Whippet puppy, Narnia, is 7 months old. Although I love her to bits, sometimes I really do wonder if it&#8217;s worth it. Let me give you a run down on the finer points of life with a Whippet&#8230; 1. Narnia was created by God to bring embarrassment to an otherwise happy life. 2. Narnia [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SqYS1WpgB3I/AAAAAAAABNI/SDIrT-f8m6E/s1600-h/narnia+whippet+2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379007512762648434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SqYS1WpgB3I/AAAAAAAABNI/SDIrT-f8m6E/s320/narnia+whippet+2.jpg" /></a>
<div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SqYR9jbIsVI/AAAAAAAABNA/0ddRNSebca4/s1600-h/narnia+whippet.jpg"></a>
<div>Our Whippet puppy, Narnia, is 7 months old. Although I love her to bits, sometimes I really do wonder if it&#8217;s worth it. Let me give you a run down on the finer points of life with a Whippet&#8230;</p>
<p>1. Narnia was created by God to bring embarrassment to an otherwise happy life.</p>
<p>2. Narnia has almost an acre to herself but insists on visiting the neighbour&#8217;s properties and inviting herself into their houses.</p>
<p>3. Narnia get super-excited, jumpy and licky when she meets people who hate dogs.</p>
<p>4. Narnia can sit, lie down, speak, shake hands, and come on command&#8230; but only if she sees a treat in my hand, and then only when she feels like it.</p>
<p>5. Narnia is just now coming to terms with toilet training.</p>
<p>6. Narnia is in love with our cat Barney.</p>
<p>7. Narnia will jump on the sofa, stand an inch away from my ear, and bark until I play with her.</p>
<p>8. Narnia is a firm believer in the age-old addage, &#8220;If it can be chewed, it will be, or I will die trying.&#8221;</p>
<p>9. Narnia enjoys a bone in the sunshine, tied to the clothesline, until she gets bored and then she will bark continuously until she is brought inside.</p>
<p>10. Narnia&#8217;s shenanigans have prompted a visit from the SPCA, and a visit from a disgruntled neighbour.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t think there is another human being alive who relates to &#8216;Marley and Me&#8217; more than me.<br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GtAEAfLzMGE&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GtAEAfLzMGE&#038;hl=en&#038;fs=1&#038;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object></div>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/narnia-and-me/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>B1509: The Hand Of God</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/b1509-the-hand-of-god/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/b1509-the-hand-of-god/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:53:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Astronomy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fascinating]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=189</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The &#8216;Hand of God&#8217; taken by NASA&#8217;s Chandra X-ray Observatory Satellite. A 13 mile wide pulsar known as PSR B1509-58 (B1509) is responsible for this beautiful X-ray nebula that spans 150 light years. B1509 makes one full rotation every 1/7 of a second. Think about that for a second. An immensely heavy star neutron star, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SqSnUWEE5pI/AAAAAAAABM4/uSBbMpj4m5I/s1600-h/handofgod.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378607822949115538" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SqSnUWEE5pI/AAAAAAAABM4/uSBbMpj4m5I/s320/handofgod.jpg" /></a> The &#8216;Hand of God&#8217; taken by NASA&#8217;s Chandra X-ray Observatory Satellite. </div>
<p align="justify">A 13 mile wide pulsar known as PSR B1509-58 (B1509) is responsible for this beautiful X-ray nebula that spans 150 light years. </p>
<p align="justify">B1509 makes one full rotation every 1/7 of a second. Think about that for a second. An immensely heavy star neutron star, 15 miles wide, spinning 7 times a second. Crazy. It&#8217;s magnetic field is estimated to be 15 trillion times stronger than the Earth&#8217;s. Double Crazy.<br /><em><br />For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.</em> (Romans 1:20 NLT)</p>
<div align="justify"></div>
<div align="justify"><em>Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”</em> (Psalm 15:1 NLT)</p>
<p>Click <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/PSR_B1509-58_full.jpg">here</a> for a very large image of the Hand Of God.</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/b1509-the-hand-of-god/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Google is the Antichrist</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/google-is-the-antichrist/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/google-is-the-antichrist/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:17:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Conspiracies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fascinating]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=182</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Now that I have your attention&#8230; We have a sign on our church building that says &#8216;Jesus is the answer&#8217;, but I wonder if we unconsciously believe that &#8216;Google is the answer&#8217;? I must confess, that if I want to find out anything about anything&#8230; where do I go first? Google. In fact, anything I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SonUQF0S32I/AAAAAAAABK4/kKodiik6ATE/s1600-h/google.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 185px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371057403520540514" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SonUQF0S32I/AAAAAAAABK4/kKodiik6ATE/s320/google.jpg" /></a> Now that I have your attention&#8230;</p>
<p>We have a sign on our church building that says &#8216;Jesus is the answer&#8217;, but I wonder if we unconsciously believe that &#8216;Google is the answer&#8217;?</p>
<p>I must confess, that if I want to find out anything about anything&#8230; where do I go first?</p>
<p>Google.</p>
<p>In fact, anything I may want to do online, I can do through Google.</p>
<p>Email? Gmail.<br />Advertising? Adwords.<br />Make money? AdSense.<br />Start a blog? Blogger.<br />Shop? Froogle.</p>
<p>The examples are endless (click <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_products">here</a> to see the full list of Google products).</p>
<p>It cannot be denied that Google has successfully infiltrated every aspect of our lives, and it&#8217;s almost as if we have become dependant on Google as our IT surrogate mother and cannot live without her.</p>
<p>Should we be concerned at how globally intrusive Google is becoming? Let&#8217;s face it, if your local terrorist network is frequently using Google&#8217;s free satellite imaging app. to accurately identify targets, then yes, you should be concerned.</p>
<p>Does anyone else think that taking photos of every street in the western world is a little obsessive (and creepy)?</p>
<p>Is there some sort of whacked out conspiracy happening right under our noses? Could Google be the affront for world domination? If I was an evil &#8216;take over the world&#8217; kind of guy I would be taking Google very seriously. Check out the images below. </p></div>
<div align="justify"></div>
<p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 254px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 230px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371056519843778018" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SonTcp3VjeI/AAAAAAAABKw/TW08Klg0MOM/s320/one_dollar_triforce_thumb.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SonTcFY199I/AAAAAAAABKo/A6nOlRTCb2A/s1600-h/earthday_thumb.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 98px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371056510052202450" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SonTcFY199I/AAAAAAAABKo/A6nOlRTCb2A/s320/earthday_thumb.png" /></a>
<div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SonTbkLVtNI/AAAAAAAABKg/4O_lK5kZq58/s1600-h/tesla_triforce_thumb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 114px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371056501137192146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SonTbkLVtNI/AAAAAAAABKg/4O_lK5kZq58/s320/tesla_triforce_thumb.jpg" /></a>Indeed, the plot thickens.</p>
<p>(and just for the record&#8230; no, I don&#8217;t think Google is the Antichrist).</p></div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/google-is-the-antichrist/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mair Park Ghost Footage</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/mair-park-ghost-footage/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/mair-park-ghost-footage/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:52:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bizarre]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cryptozoology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ghosts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paranormal]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=178</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[About this time last year, I wrote of the time when my parents had a close encounter with the urban legend known as &#8216;The Mair Park Ghost. The original post created quite a stir, and you can read the subsequent shenanigans here: The Mair Park Ghost Haunted houses, ghosts and demons Ghost mystery solved&#8230; or [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347449655138396338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SjX1IRzPKLI/AAAAAAAABIM/arzahGCzoV4/s320/mairpark.jpg" border="0" />
<div align="justify">About this time last year, I wrote of the time when my parents had a close encounter with the urban legend known as &#8216;The Mair Park Ghost. The original post created quite a stir, and you can read the subsequent shenanigans here:</div>
<p>
<div align="justify"></div>
<div align="justify"><a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2008/06/mair-park-ghost.html">The Mair Park Ghost</a></div>
<div align="justify"><a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2008/07/haunted-houses-ghosts-demons.html">Haunted houses, ghosts and demons</a></div>
<div align="justify"><a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2008/07/ghost-mystery-solved-or-is-it.html">Ghost mystery solved&#8230; or is it?</a></div>
<div align="justify"><a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2008/07/symon-drake-ghostbuster.html">Symon Drake&#8230; Ghostbuster (heh)</a></div>
<div align="justify"><a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2008/07/revenge-of-mair-park-ghost.html">Revenge of the Mair Park Ghost</a></div>
<p>
<div align="justify"></div>
<div align="justify">On Saturday, my good buddy <a href="http://wassupwithlesmondj.blogspot.com/">Lesmond</a> and I decided to make a small video diary/doco about the ghost legend. What ensued was far from expected, or rehearsed. Disturbing footage follows.</div>
<div align="justify"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PlvfHFO1zjQ&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PlvfHFO1zjQ&#038;hl=en&#038;fs=1&#038;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/mair-park-ghost-footage/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Revenge of the Weta!</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/revenge-of-the-weta/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/revenge-of-the-weta/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:46:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life as I know it]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=177</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[New Zealand Giant Weta A year ago I confessed to blogosphere that I was scared of spiders. Over the space of three months, I willed myself to tolerate them, and now actually like them in a warped kind of way. You can read my journey from considering spiders eight legged freaks, to eight legged furry [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345970018599602146" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; cursor: hand; height: 240px; text-align: center;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SjCzaGKEh-I/AAAAAAAABH0/cmJu_ztyBZM/s320/giantweta.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><strong>New Zealand Giant <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Weta</span></strong></p>
<div>A year ago I confessed to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">blogosphere</span> that I was scared of spiders. Over the space of three months, I willed myself to tolerate them, and now actually like them in a warped kind of way. You can read my journey from considering spiders eight legged freaks, to eight legged furry friends <a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2008/07/im-scared-of-spiders.html">here</a>, <a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2008/09/incey-wincey-white-tail.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.symondrake.com/2008/09/i-actually-like-spiders.html">here</a>.</p>
<p>Confession time again&#8230; I&#8217;m not fond of W<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">etas</span> either.</p>
<p>When I was five, a lone W<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">eta</span> terrorized my primary school. I, being the bravest of them all, climbed up the tree where it was scaring us <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">witless</span> with its pure horror and crushed it with a rock. I faced my fears, saved the day, and then faced W<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">eta</span> pulp. Problem was I felt ashamed for what I&#8217;d done and my fear for W<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">etas</span> only grew.</p>
<p>Last night a discovered a W<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">eta</span> on my back doorstep (perhaps a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">descendant</span> of the one I murdered seeking <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">vengeance</span>?). As I am &#8216;not of those who shrink back&#8217; I picked it up, got <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Paisleyjade</span> to get photo proof and have now begun a new journey&#8230; overcoming my fear of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wetas</span>.</p>
</div>
<div><strong> </strong></div>
<div><strong>The plan:<br />
</strong><br />
1. Make a <a href="http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/conservation/native-animals/invertebrates/weta-motel-design/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Weta</span> Motel</a><br />
2. Pray hard that I don&#8217;t get bitten by Wetas<br />
3. Handle W<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">etas</span><br />
4. Kiss a W<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">eta</span><br />
5. Overcome fear of W<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">etas</span></p>
<p>Dad, will you join me?</p>
</div>
<p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345973588483467458" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; cursor: hand; height: 240px; text-align: center;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SjC2p5AtaMI/AAAAAAAABH8/OYp_HZS1mDo/s320/weta.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
</div>
<div><strong>My not-so-giant New Zealand Tree <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Weta</span></strong></div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/revenge-of-the-weta/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>&#8216;Dangerous breed&#8217; dog owners with children beware!</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/dangerous-breed-dog-owners-with-children-beware/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/dangerous-breed-dog-owners-with-children-beware/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:19:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Dogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[humour]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=175</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a &#8216;dangerous breed&#8217; category and you also have a small child please take this as a warning. Don&#8217;t leave your dog with the child unattended under any circumstances. Only a little moment was enough for the following to happen.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SimpZ5WmEII/AAAAAAAABGw/L_J2OuivSV8/s1600-h/angry+dog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343988695209218178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SimpZ5WmEII/AAAAAAAABGw/L_J2OuivSV8/s320/angry+dog.jpg" border="0" /></a>If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a &#8216;dangerous breed&#8217; category and you also have a small child please take this as a warning. Don&#8217;t leave your dog with the child unattended under any circumstances.</p>
<p>Only a little moment was enough for the following to happen. </p></div>
<p>
<div align="justify"></div>
<p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343989355761287282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/SimqAWGewHI/AAAAAAAABG4/W0j6Y923GYs/s320/drawing+on+dog.jpg" border="0" />
<div align="justify"> </div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/dangerous-breed-dog-owners-with-children-beware/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Water water everywhere&#8230; not</title>
		<link>http://www.symondrake.com/water-water-everywhere-not/</link>
		<comments>http://www.symondrake.com/water-water-everywhere-not/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2009 20:34:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Symon</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Astronomy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Earth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fascinating]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.symondrake.com/?p=171</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have always thought that our planet has a lot of water (understatement again). With over 70% of the Earth&#8217;s surface covered with water, in some parts over 10km deep, any educated person would naturally believe that there is more than enough H20 to go around. Well, actually&#8230; If every drop of water in the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/ShHMA57J2mI/AAAAAAAABF4/OzqYjZLPzLc/s1600-h/water+on+earth.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337271349331745378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HZViIQ8z5JA/ShHMA57J2mI/AAAAAAAABF4/OzqYjZLPzLc/s320/water+on+earth.jpg" border="0" /></a>
<div align="justify">I have always thought that our planet has a lot of water (understatement again). With over 70% of the Earth&#8217;s surface covered with water, in some parts over 10km deep, any educated person would naturally believe that there is more than enough H20 to go around.</div>
<p>
<div align="justify"></div>
<div align="justify">Well, actually&#8230;</div>
<p>
<div align="justify"></div>
<div align="justify">If every drop of water in the world (1.4087 billion cubic kilometres of it) including sea water, ice, lakes, rivers, ground water, clouds, etc. was collected in a single sphere, it would be just over 1400 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">kms</span> across &#8211; barely big enough to cover Eastern Europe.</div>
<p>
<div align="justify"></div>
<div align="justify">I still find it hard to believe, nevertheless, the math works out.  Click <a href="http://blog.phiffer.org/post/27344630/left-all-the-water-in-the-world-1-4087-billion">here</a> if you are skeptical. </div>
<p>
<div align="justify"></div>
<div align="justify"><a href="http://www.sciencephoto.com/images/imagePopUpDetails.html?pop=1&amp;id=690550330&amp;pviewid=&amp;country=&amp;search=&amp;matchtype=">Photo</a> credit: Adam <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Nieman</span> / Science Photo Library.</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.symondrake.com/water-water-everywhere-not/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

