Who's your Daddy ?

Gandhi-following, peace-loving, free-spirited vegetarian who was adopted at birth has discovered the worst possible thing a son could find out about his father – his dad is Charles Manson.

"It’s like finding out that Adolf Hitler is your father," said Matthew Roberts, a Los Angeles disc jockey.

A curious Roberts, 41, began investigating his poisoned family tree about 12 years ago, when he contacted a social services agency, which located his mother, Terry, in Wisconsin, according to the London Sun.

His reluctant natural mom fed him bits and pieces, like his first and middle name — Lawrence Alexander — withholding his infamous surname until she could summon the courage to tell him the truth.

But Roberts pressed her for more details until she finally revealed the shocking secret, that his dad was one of the most infamous serial killers the world has ever known.

"I didn’t want to believe it," Roberts said. "I was frightened and angry. I’m a peaceful person -- trapped in the face of a monster."

Terry told Roberts he was born after Manson raped her in a drug-fueled orgy in 1967. She gave the baby up for adoption.

Even she admits her long-lost son bears a striking resemblance to the mastermind whose family of commune followers committed nine gruesome murders in Los Angeles in 1969. Their victims included pregnant actress Sharon Tate, film director Roman Polanski’s wife.

Manson, 75, is an inmate at Corcoran State Prison in California.

After five years, Roberts’ eventually wrote to Manson, who replied with letters and postcards -- eerily signed with an ugly swastika -- the wartime Nazi symbol Manson has tattooed onto his menacing forehead.

Roberts said he has his own bouts with schizophrenia, but other than that, the apple fell far from the tree.

"My hero is Gandhi," Roberts said. "I’m an extremely non-violent, peaceful person and a vegetarian. I don’t even kill bugs. I’ve had long hair all my life. I could make it go away, but I can’t let the world and their fears change me."

Nashville for the 21st Century: 0.4% of Gun Deaths Linked to Concealed-Carry

Nashville for the 21st Century: 0.4% of Gun Deaths Linked to Concealed-Carry

The Art of Giving Up - DYSKE.COM

The Art of Giving Up - DYSKE.COM

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The most beautiful suicide

I remember seeing this Time cover years ago when I was a child. My dad had saved it for all those years. I remember the woman as looking so beautiful and peaceful. I often thought what could have led her to this. I have been told over the years that this photo did not exist and that I must have imagined it. I was happy to have found it just as I remembered. Though sad to know that such a young woman thought this was her only choice.

On May 1, 1947, Evelyn McHale leapt to her death from the observation deck of the Empire State Building. Photographer Robert Wiles took a photo of McHale a few minutes after her death. The photo ran a couple of weeks later in Life magazine accompanied by the following caption:

On May Day, just after leaving her fiancé, 23-year-old Evelyn McHale wrote a note. 'He is much better off without me ... I wouldn't make a good wife for anybody,' ... Then she crossed it out. She went to the observation platform of the Empire State Building. Through the mist she gazed at the street, 86 floors below. Then she jumped. In her desperate determination she leaped clear of the setbacks and hit a United Nations limousine parked at the curb. Across the street photography student Robert Wiles heard an explosive crash. Just four minutes after Evelyn McHale's death Wiles got this picture of death's violence and its composure.

From McHale's NY Times obituary, Empire State Ends Life of Girl, 20:

At 10:40 A. M., Patrolman John Morrissey of Traffic C, directing traffic at Thirty-fourth Street and Fifth Avenue, noticed a swirling white scarf floating down from the upper floors of the Empire State. A moment later he heard a crash that sounded like an explosion. He saw a crowd converge in Thirty-third Street.

Two hundred feet west of Fifth Avenue, Miss McHale's body landed atop the car. The impact stove in the metal roof and shattered the car's windows. The driver was in a near-by drug store, thereby escaping death or serious injury.

On the observation deck, Detective Frank Murray of the West Thirtieth Street station, found Miss McHale's gray cloth coat, her pocketbook with several dollars and the note, and a make-up kit filled with family pictures.

The serenity of McHale's body amidst the crumpled wreckage it caused is astounding. Years later, Andy Warhol appropriated Wiles' photography for a print called Suicide (Fallen Body), but I can't find a copy of it anywhere online.Anyone?

Update: A not-so-great representation of Warhol's version of this photographis available at Google Books. (thx, ruben)

Update: Here's a better photo of Warhol's print. (thx, lots of people)

Update: Here's the page as it appeared in Life Magazine.

By Jason Kottke • Jul 16, 2008 at 02:49 pm • Andy Warhol Empire State Building evelynmchale photography suicide

Worst Job Ever?

Animal Masturbator

Researchers who want animal sperm -to study fertility or for artificial insemination-have a suite of attractive options: They can ram an electric probe up an animal's rectum, shove an artificial
vagina onto the animal's penis, or simply do it the old-fashioned way-manual stimulation. The first option, electroejaculation, uses a priapic rectal probe to send electricity pulsing through the animal's nether regions. "All the normal excitatory signals that stimulate ejaculation, like touch, sight, soundand smell, can be replaced with the current from the probe," says Trish Berger, professor of animal science at the University of California, Davis. "It's fascinating. Of course, this is a woman talking." Electroejaculation generally requires anesthetizing the animal and is typically used on zoo dwellers. The other two methods-the artificial vagina, or AV, and the good old hand-require that animals be trained to the procedure. The AV-a large latex tube coated with warm lubricant -is used primarily to get sperm from dairy bulls (considered the most ornery and dangerous of bovines). The bull gets randy with a steer; when he mounts the steer with his forelegs, a brave technician, AV in hand, insinuates himself between the two aroused beastsand deftly redirects the bull's penis into the mock genitalia, which he must then hold tight while the bull orgasms. (Talk about bull riding!) Three additional technicians attempt to ensure this (fool)hardy soul's safety by anchoring themselves to restraining ropes attached to a ring in the bull's nose. Alas, this isn't always absolutely effective: Everyone who's wielded an AV has had at least one close call, and more than a few have been sent to the hospital. The much safer "digital pressure" is used mostly with pigs, who are trained from an early age to mount a small bench while the researcher reaches around with a gloved hand and provides appropriate pleasure-er, pressure. (Link)

Introducing My Boys.....

KAPUA
LOKI

These are my beautiful boys. 16 month old, Australian Shepherd, brothers. I adore them.

Kapua is the larger of the two. He is delicate in build and the "Lover". Loki is the smaller brother. He is stocky and has a wider head with shorter muzzle. He is affectionally referred to as our "ADHD" dog. He is very hyper with a short attention span. Both these boys are my pride and joy.

They are very smart, which has caused us to have to think differently. Loki has learned to open the guest bedroom door. Anyone staying overnight had better be ready for a late night visitor and a wet kiss. Loki also has learned that if he wants to sit where Kapua is, all he has to do is run outside , bark until Kapua comes out to see what's up, then run inside to take the coveted spot.

I think they need a job.

Wallpaper Find

This is an amazing wallpaper . Black a Grey flocked skulls.

19911 Barbara Hulanicki Skulls Black Motif Wallpaper : Graham & Brown

Wow, how long?

Ok, so it's been almost 5 months since I last wrote here. A lot has happened. The most important has been reconnecting with old friends and lost relatives. I couldn't be happier about that.

Also, my youngest Step son Kody has started spending more time with us.

One of the things this has helped us do, is re evaluate our living style. We have known for sometime that we were feeling unsettled. We have lived in our current home for 7 years. We have painted, repainted, changed furniture, and redecorated to many times to mention. We do not feel at home here.

Part of the reason maybe that this house was purchased with a completely different lifestyle in mind. We had two small children living with us. We thought we would need the extra bedrooms. We thought we would still be having the combined family's holiday celebrations here. We didn't think we would be able to travel.

Wouldn't you know, everything has changed.

One kid is 18 and doesn't spend any time here. The 14 year old only spends every other weekend. Our families are scattered and no longer get together here for the holidays. We have family and friends, all over the country, that we enjoying spending time with. We are able to do that now.

The house is too big for the two of us. Maybe not too big but more than we need. We spend every free weekend doing home repairs or yard work. Why? We are thinking this over. We are regrouping. Possibly getting ready for a hard reset. Could be an adventure. We'll see.