When I was younger, particularly around the time of middle school, I remember sitting in English and Literature classes reading stories by famous American authors the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Hemingway, and several others. At the time, I used to question what we were reading, and why, as so much of the literature young students like myself seemed, at the time, to be too open ended or inconclusive. Granted, this was often the case because of the fact that the stories being read weren’t meant to be solely enjoyed as prose with beginning, middle and end; there were often deeper themes in the stories which, as an adult, are painfully obvious.
Nonetheless, as a youth with little understanding of things like the Cold War era, or of the horrors of a world at war with itself in the 1940s, these things weren’t quick to present themselves, and I often found myself critiquing writers based on my own misunderstanding. For instance, it wasn’t until years later that I realized that Rod Serling’s The Monsters are Due on Maple Street (the script of which we also read as an example of American literature) not only highlighted social issues such as the danger of prejudice and hysteria, but also played off the fears of Red Scare sentimentality.
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Tonight I’ll be appearing with my good friends Brad Steiger and Wm Michael Mott on The Jeff Rense Program. You can listen live by clicking on the link below:
The Jeff Rense Program
It should be quite the esoteric jam-session… don’t miss out!
Previously here at the Gralien Report, recent studies pertaining to the science behind Near Death Experiences (NDEs) were highlighted, as reported by National Geographic. In the commentary provided here, many theories were addressed–some which are not yet embraced by the scientific mainstream–regarding the scientific elements which may be directly linked to strange, esoteric and otherworldly experiences described by those who claim to have had NDEs. This, however, has inevitably caused a degree of dissent among those who emphatically maintain that they have had these experiences themselves, who feel the scientific portrayal tends to downplay the importance of their experiences.
Another expected element of this debate is that it has continued in other forums, as well. Most recently, the popular Skeptiko podcast interviewed Jeff Wise, author of Extreme Fear: The Science of Your Mind in Danger. Alex Tsakiris, at the Skeptiko website, says the interview addresses Wise’s involvement in scientific reporting that involves NDEs, and whether such investigation “is driven by a code… an invisible hand that drives them away from anything that might be labeled ’spiritual’, and simultaneously lowers their guard against weak research that confirms their pre-existing beliefs.”
You can listen to the entire interview by following this link:
Near Death Experience Research: Do Science Journalists Get It Wrong?
This Saturday, I’ll be appearing on The Bruce Collins Show, where Bruce will feature a recent interview we did that discusses my book Magic Mysticism and the Molecule. I have to say, this was one of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve done recently, and in spite of the wealth of information those of you may have who have already read or have followed information in other interviews about my book, there are a lot of obscure things Bruce took time to address, and there’s a little something for everybody in this edition of the show.
For those of you who would like to listen live, the show will air at 10am EST/ 7am PST, on WSMN 1590 AM out of Nashua, New Hampshire. Bruce also tells me the show can be listened to online at WSMN Radio’s website. However, for those of you who might like to get a sneak preview of our interview, the audio is already accessible via Bruce’s archive of the program. That said, you can listen to the interview any time by following this link: Listen Now!
