MARS MESSINA PRESENTS: Recent Episodes
Mars Messina
Author and health care worker, Mars Messina, hosts a weekly fireside chat/talk show. Mars' books, RED MOON OVER GAETA and BABELSPEAK - A TRIO OF BEDTIME STORIES, are available on Amazon.com To contribute to this podcast, please donate via Venmo, @mdm773 Thank you.
Episode 146 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS holds 3 goals: a) to bid a gentle and peaceful farewell to recently deceased loved ones, b) for us survivors to learn to accept their new journeys in comparison with our own, ongoing mortal journeys, and c) to accept that death is not the opposite of life, but a natural and needful companion. We die little deaths every single day. We feel pain, but we can assuage ongoing suffering through acceptance and loving detachment.
We bid a fond farewell, especially, to Judy and Barb, who we lost this week. We also bid farewell to Johnny and to other wonderful men and women who've recently been born into eternity.
The topic of Episode 145 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is the human attribute, faith. James W. Fowler, a Pulitzer Prize winner, an American theologian and professor, described a set of seven sequential stages in the development of faith. We will take you through each of these stages. Note that these stages of faith encompass religious, alt-spiritual, and secular growth.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes this episode with the poem, "Faith", by Arthur Caswell Parker.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 1 44 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS carries over from last week's broadcast about the murders of 3 women at Illinois' Starved Rock State Park in 1960. A suspect confessed to the crime...but the story did not end there. We will fill out the story and bring us up to today, even as doubts abound and mysteries remain.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 143 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes a close look at the grisly 1960 murders of three women at Starved Rock State Park in northern Illinois, a nature lover's haven. We will follow attorneys and detectives through the investigation, and will meet the man who authorities say savagely attacked the three friends and left their dead bodies in a canyon. The case, as it turns out, does not end there. Part 2 will be broadcast next week.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 142 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we explore true leadership and self reliance. We talk about the habits we need to develop to live a self directed life. At the same time, this directive carries with it a caveat. We, as human beings, have a knack for destroying peace and cultivating jealousy, offense, and often violence against others. The Self Directed Life is so much more fulfilling, everlasting, and meaningful when it's lived in a selfless manner. When you achieve your life's goals and are an inspiration and a help to others, you are truly free.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with the poem, "Holy Thursday", from SONGS OF INNOCENCE, by William Blake.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 141 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS shares a quick 15 minute-or-less exercise plan that can be done at home, with or without weights and other equipment, AND a very quick high protein, nutrient dense recipe for a breakfast break to be consumed right after said workout. This episode is for anyone who has a hard time getting themselves to make healthy/healthier choices, as well as for those who are already health-and-fitness minded, but who often lack the time to get in a full workout or make their chosen meals, as they take time to prepare.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 140 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will discuss the cognitive distortion known as Catastrophizing. Do you more often than not worry about the worst case scenario or worst possible outcome to a problem, ignoring all the other ways the issue ca resolve? Do you try to control the "what-ifs" in life? Has anyone ever told you that you make mountains out of mole hills? Catastrophizing is a common form of Anxiety, and there are multiple ways of coping with it. One of those ways is EFT Tapping. We will talk about what it is, how it is accomplished and how it helps. We will also guide you through a tapping session.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with a quote from “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, by Henry David Thoreau.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 139 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS talks about the once meandering mud stream that became a crucial travel hub between Lake Michigan, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...as well as home to native plant life, businesses, sports and leisure, tourists, and a bustling, thriving global metropolis. We will talk about its growth from its ancient days serving indigenous peoples to its current state of the art reversed flow, its network of canals, and its enviable water treatment plants.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends this episode with a reading of Carl Sandburg's poem, "Chicago".
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 138 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS talks about Growth Mindset, Fixed Mindset and False Growth Mindset, as outlined by psychologist Carol Dweck of Stanford University. We will identify each of the three categories and give examples of each, as well as strategies to move ourselves to a Growth Mindset point of view and lifestyle. Growth Mindset is crucial to improved neuroplasticity in the brain, as is lifelong learning.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF wraps it up with the poem, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night", by Dylan Thomas.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 137 launches MARS MESSINA PRESENTS into the New Year with our predictions for 2024 - a year that will surely be encumbered by problems and will challenge us in myriad ways. Who will win the presidential election? Will we have all-out war in the middle east? What surprises will AI unleash on us? What movie will win Best Picture? Is there any really good news on the horizon? We make those predictions in this show, and time will tell if we have been accurate in our assessments.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with the poem, "Fallen Leaves", by Mary Cornelia Hartshorne.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 136 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS says goodbye to 2023 and rings in 2024 with a meditation that sets an intention for peace - a deep inner peace for the individual and a revival of a collective global peace. Put on some comfortable clothing, dim the lights and settle in for a moment to reclaim health and sanity for yourself and for your world - an everlasting moment that you can carry with you to heal yourself, your loved ones, and the world around you.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM MARS MESSINA PRESENTS!
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 135 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS posits that we can control maladaptive thinking with alternative thoughts that challenge our anxieties/limiting beliefs with critical thinking, which then engenders a more realistic, alternative way to think. In fact, this is the basis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Socratic Questioning. We will do a short, but effective, exercise toward the end of this presentation.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes with a reading of the poem, "Hope Is The Thing With Feathers", by Emily Dickinson.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.Episode 135 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS posits that we can control maladaptive thinking with alternative thoughts that challenge our anxieties with critical thinking, which then engenders a more realistic, alternative way to think. In fact, this is the basis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Socratic Questioning. We will do a short, but effective, exercise toward the end of this presentation.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes with a reading of the poem, "Hope Is The Thing With Feathers", by Emily Dickinson.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 134 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS went spelunking for some good news in the midst of the morass of bad news in which we are sinking....eureka, we found some good news! Mars plays your Good News news anchor and reports some....good news.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with the poem, "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening", by Robert Frost.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 133 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS discusses an unsolved murder in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago. We will learn of the gruesome slaying of a well liked and respected church choir director/city colleges professor, and its link to an alleged ring of clerical sex abusers known as The Boys Club.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with the poem, “The Priest’s Brother”, by Dora Sigerson Shorter.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 132 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS gathered intel from the Thanksgiving Feast field, and presents it to you as yummy Thanksgiving recipes, brought to us by individuals who swear by said recipes. We'll go over food safety, thawing and brining, various ways to cook turkey, something for the vegetarians and vegans, and some sides. We will also give you recipes to Guhlwein, both alcoholic and virgin.
We gathered so many recipes, we couldn't share them all in the amount of time we had. If you are looking for good turkey, stuffing, veggie, sides, dessert, beverage, AND LEFTOVERS!!!!! recipes, email us at thisismarsmessina@gmail.com, and we will send you what you want, if we have it.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving!
In Episode 131 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will recognize that there is no need for Americans to do away with their Thanksgiving celebrations in order to recognize the plight of the Native Americans. In fact, the concepts of gathering to harvest and to give thanks are inherently Native American. We are undertaking a mindful approach to the holiday season by recognizing the native tribal regions of our lands, as well as each region's sacred cuisine. By doing so, we will create a more meaningful and compassionate Thanksgiving holiday...and add some great recipes to our repertoire.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes our show with lyrics to an Osage Initiation song for women called, "Planting Initiation Song".
To correspond with Mars, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 130 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS addresses the doldrums that often accompany The Fall Season. We will become one with natural and accept these natural seasonal rhythms. To prepare, get yourself a little water and a little tea, have your journal at the ready, wear some loose, comfortable clothing and find a cozy spot. We will drift off into the autumn forest of your soul and shed that which hurts you and no longer serves you well.
I am tagging on gorgeous, relaxing music at the end of the meditation, just in case you want a few more minutes of your dreamscape or even to help you drift off.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 129 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes you on a breathless tour via broomstick to one of the most haunted areas in the US, the so-called Archer Avenue Triangle, a hallowed parcel of land to the southwest of Chicago. Appearing as something of a left scalene triangle on a map, southwest-northeast running Archer Avenue serves as its main road and a nexus of a variety of hauntings. We will weave through forests, visiting cemeteries, churches, lakes, and buildings and meet the ghosts that reside in these sacred grounds.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF serves up more tricks than treats with the poem, "A Child's Nightmare", by Robert Graves.
HAPPY SAMHAIN! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 128 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS armchair-quarterbacks as a psychologist diagnosing the one and only, Count Dracula. Before the vampire mesmerizes us to do its own bidding, we will attempt to analyze the mind of The Undead through the methods of Freud, Jung, and other modern psychotherapists.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes the coffin on this episode with an excerpt from the novel, DRACULA, by Bram Stoker.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 127 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS compels you to learn about the ancient rites of exorcism that have survived millennia and have been updated for more modern possessed folk and for those who wish to exorcise them. We will be swept away to ancient eastern cultures and learn of their shamans' various demon slaying ways, we will - of course - meet Jesus of Nazareth, and we will genuflect before the altars of the Roman Catholic Church and learn of their exorcistic rites.
No trip down memory lane for the modern exorcist would be complete without discussing the eponymous and infamous movie, so we will talk about the movie, THE EXORCIST, and about the fateful time I saw it for the first time.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF banishes any leftover evil spirits with the poem, "The Angel", by William Blake.
For correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 126 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes a cruise through The Sands and The Levee, the red light districts of Chicago during the turn of the 20th Century. Red Light Districts were neighborhoods that were dotted with houses of ill repute, dance halls, bars, and other seamier establishments. Those who lived in these neighborhoods, at the time, were often drunk, gambling, and selling their bodies. We will visit a few of the establishments, and meet a few folk who lived and worked in these areas.
We will quickly jump to modern times and see that Chicago's Red Light Districts are much more widespread and a little more reclusive, and given to violent pimps and human trafficking.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes this episode with the poem, "The Harlot", by Oscar Wilde.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 125 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will be talking about recent goings-on in humanity's relationship with all things outer space. First, we will address Mexico's congressional hearing concerning 2 corpses found that were alleged to be that of ancient alien ancestors. Then, we will discuss two of NASA's latest endeavors - their hologram project, which can send a "human entity" into space from earth, or from earth to space...and we will also talk about how and why NASA threw an asteroid from outer space into the Utah desert.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF lands us back on terra firma with an excerpt from the poem, "The Dream", by Lord Byron.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 124 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS ushers in the Spooky Season with a real life horror tale. We bring you back to late summer 2016, when people all around the nation and the world began seeing random killer clown appearances in incongruous settings. These sightings set off mass fear, vigilance, and even violence. We will talk about the psychological reasons why human beings are afraid of clowns, and will comment on society's reactionary ways.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with a very short creepy clown story that is perfect for around-the-bonfire storytelling.
We also welcome a new man into the Greater Messina Famiglia...Welcome, Baby Squish!
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 123 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS shares a timeline of events that begins with the reported genesis of the inferno that devastated Lahaina, on the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. We will mention, of course, the high winds and downed power lines that reportedly ignited the fire. We will also talk about factors that the neo-colonizers on the Hawaiian islands would rather us ignore - at least two centuries of power grabs, land grabs and water grabs that rob Native Hawaiians of Place - that which they've inherited from their ancestors and plan to pass on to their posterity - and of Life - the resources Mother Nature abundantly provides, when not promiscuously besmirched. This latest disaster shows how monied interests are killing off a land, a people and a culture.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends with the Hawaiian prayer, "Ho’oponopono (Prayer for Forgiveness, Healing and Making Things Right)".
To correspond with MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 122, MARS MESSINA PRESENTS shares a recent study out of USC's School of Gerontology that asserts that deep, controlled breathing reduces the proteins - Amyloid Beta 40 and 42 peptides - that are the "bad guys" and the catalysts that set off the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. The study states that deep, controlled breathing, done twice daily at 20 minutes each session, reduces these peptides in both young and old brains/bloodstreams. I will go into the nuances of this study, and I will also lead a 20 minute breathing exercise in lieu of BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 121 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS timelines the indictments made against the 45th President of The United States, Donald Trump. Four cases have been brought against him, with over 70 charges. We will timeline what happened when, and why. I am also predicting the outcome, whether he will be found guilty or not guilty. I am also predicting the winner of the 2024 presidential election.
This episode runs long, so there is no BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF this week.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 120 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will talk about Leslie Van Houten, the now elderly ex-con, formerly the acid drenched, brainwashed, violent killer of the infamous Manson Family cult. We will talk about her surprisingly and comparatively normal, loving background and why she chose to turn her back on it. We will discuss the draw to Charles Manson and his commune and what propelled them from being free-loving hippies to ghoulish killers.
We will address the processes of penitentiaries and parole, and Van Houten's journey through each.
Finally, we will talk about why the Manson Family murders, in particular, ripped such a big gash in the tenuous fabric of America's collective psyche.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends this episode with the lyrics from, "Jailhouse Blues", by Lightnin' Hopkins.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
The topic of Episode 119 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is the conflagration that - per the laws of physics and chemistry - was a FIRE-NADO, known as The Great Chicago Fire. The fire began on the evening of October 8 and ended around midnight, October 10, of 1871. We will address all of the contributing factors that resulted in the firestorm that devastated Chicago, and we will unveil the mystery behind Mrs. O'Leary and her cow (no, they didn't start the fire). It's important to know how and why that rumor began.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF will end the show with two readings - the first is the lyrics to the Chicago folk song, "Hot Time In the Old Town Tonight", and the second is a statement made to the press by Mrs. O'Leary's physician.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 118 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes us to a relaxing mindscape, where we walk along the beach. Letting our physical and psychic tension melt away, we breathe in the air and the mists of tranquility and relaxation. We learn how to incorporate this creation of stillness into our daily lives.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 117 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS asks the question: is it Consecrated Cash or Latter Day Lucre? In recent news, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (known colloquially as The Mormon Church or The LDS Church) has been accused of amassing more than $100 Billion in wealth and not using it for charity...or for anything, for that matter. Further, the Church was accused of evading taxes. We will talk about the investigation into this case and the investigation's results. We will also ask the question if churches should continue to receive tax exempt status, and why they presently do. We will also share what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does with its money and how it acquires it, and why there is a large reserve.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's broadcast with the poem, "Your Portrait", by Eliza R. Snow.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
In Episode 116 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will discuss how not only are the skills of critical thinking and faith complimentary rather than conflicting, we will talk about each vis-a-vis creationism and evolution. We posit that both of these skills can and ought to be present in the contemplation of each of these theories, and that these theories are NOT mutually exclusive. We will outline how clarity of mind, and not a spirit of contention, can help us accept both theories - through both critical thinking and faith.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with a reading of the hymn, "In Praise of Dancing", by critical thinker and theologian, St. Augustine of Hippo.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 115 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS celebrates summertime by examining the history of amusement parks, from the very earliest pleasure gardens and right up to the virtual reality rides that thrill us today. We will talk about the different categories of rides and the various themes one finds in an amusement park.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with a reading of the short poem, "Poems Written in the Pleasure Garden", by Thomas Hewitt.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
The idea for the topic of Episode 114 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS was a rather synchronous event; Mars chose this as a topic just before hearing the news of the missing submergible vehicle that reportedly imploded on its way down to the Titanic wreckage. Both are stories of how authorities cut corners on safety measures to save time and money...but ended up costing lives.
We will discuss, in detail, what contributed to the crash of this DC-10 jet at O'Hare International Airport in May of 1979. We will also spotlight the lives of a few of the 271 human beings who died when the jet they were in flipped on take off, plunged to the ground and exploded. Flight 191 is considered to be the worst airliner accident on U.S. soil, and a major reason why the DC-10 model has been mainly discontinued.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with a poem written by the daughter of two of the victims, in honor of her parents.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 113 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS reports the news that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is presently scoring higher in the polls than status quo candidates, President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump, who are pretty much in a dead heat for second place. While the election is about 17 months away, as of this writing, the poll shows a willingness of the average voter to consider a third option. Kennedy carries with him a powerful name and a staunch anti vax stance. Will one or the other place him in the Oval Office, or will one or the other lead to a character assassination and a moribund campaign? Even if he breaks through the rigors of the DNC and into the presidency, will he be another lame duck or a proletarian who will banish the authoritarian bent our government has adopted? We will talk about all of that on this show.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends with a reading of, "The New Colossus", by Emma Lazarus.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Who can be an expert at fianchetto, but has more stalemates than checkmates? Why, the chess player, of course. For Episode 112 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will talk about the origins of the board game, Chess, and how this activity is an art, a science, AND a sport. As is wont on MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will also discuss how playing chess is good for one's mental and emotional wellbeing, as well as possibly one's physical health.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends with an excerpt from (you guessed it) ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND/THROUGH THE LOOKINGGLASS, by Lewis Carroll.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 111 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is a True Crime episode devoted to the Leopold & Loeb homicide case. In an attempt to commit "the perfect crime", 19-year-olds Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb murdered Loeb's 14 year old cousin, Bobby Franks, in May of 1924. The case engendered worldwide fascination because of the viciousness of the crime, that the murderers were believed to be homosexual, and that the murderers and the victim were all Jewish.
The case was mainly fascinating in that defense attorney, Clarence Darrow, constructed a psychiatric case for his two clients, which was the first time in American history that a defense attorney used mental illness in an attempt to talk a court down from a death penalty sentence to life in prison. Darrow was successful in doing that. We will read an excerpt from his closing argument.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes this episode with a reading of the poem, "The Ideal", by Charles Baudelaire.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 110 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will explore the history of the ancient Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl. He is described both as a winged, plumed serpent and as a tall man with a white beard. Believed to be the Creator of the Universe, humankind, and the earth by the ancient Aztecs, they believed he would return to them. Tragically, as the Spanish conquistadors landed on their shores, the Aztecs thought that these bearded white sailors were gods rising from the waters. Instead, they discovered that these men were marauders and murderers. However, the Spaniards also carried with them crucifixes affixed with the image of a sacrificed Jesus Christ, and the Aztecs recognized this sacrificed god as their own Quetzalcoatl.
We will also talk about a more contemporary belief that Quetzalcoatl and Jesus Christ are the same god. While this cannot be proved or disproved, the comparison goes beyond modern appropriation; the Aztecs kept looking for god to return and recognized him on the Christian icon of the cross.
Before we even get to this topic, however, I will read a tweet from Justine Bateman, actress/director, on the current state and near future of Artificial Intelligence and the filmmaking process. She has startling news, news of which we should all be concerned.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes this episode with a reading of an ancient Aztec poem.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 109 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS focuses on the similarities between the Man Made Of Clay in the Jewish mystical tale of The Golem, The Creature from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's novel, FRANKENSTEIN, OR THE MODERN PROMETHEUS, and current AI technology. We will speak to the benefits, but mostly of the dangers, of humans playing God and giving life to that which is dead.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends this episode with an excerpt from, FRANKENSTEIN OR THE MODERN PROMETHEUS, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Evil Gargoyles...Subterranean Lizard People....Prophecies of The Apocalypse...Headquarters of The Illuminati...these are only a few of the conspiracy theories that surround the Denver International Airport (DIA), and we will be talking about them and a few others for Episode 108 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS.
We will end today's broadcast with a quote from Philip K. Dick.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 107 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS explores the Top 10 Most Depressing Jobs. We will talk about what makes them depressing...while realizing how much society needs these fields and these workers in order to function. Why is there even a such thing as the idea of a thankless job, with its comorbidity of feelings of worthlessness? We will also discuss different reasons why people might feel worthless, while realizing that we do not have to take things personally. In fact, this feeling state of being unworthy can propel us to grow.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's episode with the poem, "Invictus", by William Ernest Henley.
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 106 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS devotes itself to the oft-sought-after but not-oft-voted-for "Outsider Candidate". We seem to thumb our noses at the independent candidate or a third party, yet we distrust the Two Party System in our representative democracy...or is that, our democratic republic...or....is it an oligarchy?
We will revisit how often this nation chose an outsider for President, even if that outsider was actually part of the establishment - but successfully portrayed himself as an outlier. We will discuss modern presidents like Carter and Trump who, while running on the established party tickets, were actually quite independent and weakened their party's power, for good or for bad. We will talk about present day outsider candidates, like RFK, Jr. and Marianne Williamson, as well as the proposed third party called, The Unity Party, which seeks a ticket of two independent patriots - one from the center right and one from the center left.
Finally, we will make an argument in favor of independent outsiders making a run for the top offices of our splintered nation.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes this episode with an excerpt from the poem, "Let America Be America Again", by Langston Hughes
To send correspondence, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 105 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will discuss the emotion we call, Worry. We will draw attention to the distinction between healthy amounts of worry and incessant worry - or rumination - and an associated worry disorder known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Scientific research shows that most of the time, our worries never come to fruition and , when they do, we handle it much better than expected. We will learn how to cope with worry and turn it from the unhealthy type to the healthy type, which is vitally useful.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF features the short poem, "The Second Coming", by William Butler Yeats.
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Episode 104 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes a close look at OpenAI's newest, and 4th, version of its chatbot called, ChatGPT. ChatGPT-4 is a large multimodal model (accepting image and text inputs, emitting text outputs) that, while (generally) less capable than humans in many real-world scenarios, exhibits human-level performance on various professional and academic benchmarks.
ChatGPT has only been available to the public since November 2022. In March 2023, Version 4 hit the scene by ACCURATELY DIAGNOSING a rare disease in an infant. Although still rife with errors and misinformation, ChatGPT 4 does things exceedingly well, when it does it right - even surpassing the skills of many doctors. In related news, a programmer developed an AI chatbot based off of GPT technology and named it ChaosGPT. ChaosGPT has been programmed to identify human beings as the planet's most destructive force, to decide that human beings must be eradicated from the earth, and to execute this directive.
These chatbots are neither good or bad. They don't have a conscious. They do follow commands really, really well, within the parameters of the skills with which they have been programmed. While this technology cannot presently destroy humanity or perform a successful open heart surgery, the writing is on the wall. It is imperative that we enhance our critical thinking skills, revisit ethics over and over, and teach children to do the same. We must remember our humanity. The tech is here to stay. We need to be proactive and stay ahead of it, or it will mow us down. Not intentionally, but because of human neglect or malice.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's episode with an excerpt from the poem, "The Hollow Men", by T.S. Eliot.
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Episode 103 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS celebrates the convergence of the Islamic holiday of Ramadan, the Jewish Passover, and the Christian Lent/Holy Week/Easter. Every 33-ish years, these holidays all fall at the same time. We will discuss each holiday, individually, and regard them - collectively - as a powerful time for all people to come together and pray for peace. Together, we can bring peace into the world. The ancient texts erupt from the mouth of God, pleading and commanding that we do so.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF features the short poem, 'The Convert', by G.K. Chesterton
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Episode 102 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS requests that you find a comfortable place to lay down/sit, and wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. We are taking a time out from the stress of the world. Mars knows places, and is going to take you there...
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Episode 101 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes up where we left off last week, when we talked about how a STEM education was once made much more effective and successful combined with a Liberal Arts education, and can be, again. This week, we are creating a new school concept that would revolutionize society and get us back on a winning track that creates a much more curious, creative, compassionate and well-rounded society.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF serves this new school idea up with a twist: I will be reading a report from astrologer, Joel Andrew, concerning the momentous astrological event that has just occurred - Pluto has entered the sign of Aquarius. Joel explains what that means for us as individuals and as a collective. Of course, take this report any way you want to. At least be open minded and curious about it: the stars don't make things happen, but they can reflect what is already going on. I believe the changes this event offers lend themselves to this new way of schooling - which will consequently bring about hope for the populace.
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Episode 100 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes a close look at the history of our educational system. There was a short span of time when a student was fortunate enough to not only learn a trade or a profession, but had to take mandatory Liberal Arts classes. The first, of course, taught the student a specific career path and how to make money in it. The second taught the student how to think critically and inquisitively, with respect for differing opinions. Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, as well as the U.S.'s Founding Fathers, believed that Liberal Arts created a free society. Not only did the new, agile student make a living and contribute to society in that way, the student also knew how to communicate with and conduct themselves appropriately with others at parties, dinners, churches, and out and about town - thus making them fully functioning, free citizens who found fulfillment and happiness. The construct of a STEM education VERSUS a Liberal Arts education is reductive and dangerous. We all need both.
Next week, we will create our own school and come up with curriculum that serves both STEM and Liberal Arts, and is just plain ol' common sense.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with an excerpt from, THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING, by T. H. White.
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Episode 99 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS explores the body's largest organ, the skin - aka, the integument. We will study the different strata and structures of the skin, and discover that it is - all at once - a communications system, an architectural structure, a military defensive system, a Streets & Sanitation unit, and a fashionista. We will also address the most common types of skin cancer, how it's treated, and how to prevent against it.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends with the poem, "To Health", by John Clare.
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Episode 98 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS reports the latest news concerning the almost Made-For-TV circus side show that is Alex Murdaugh's murder trial and his subsequent conviction of the double homicides of his wife and son. We will also take a look at the prominent family, who dominated the legal landscape of South Carolina for generations and had a voracious appetite for getting what they wanted...and getting away with what they wanted. They seemed to have even left quite a body count in its wake, culminating in that of their own loved ones. We will also construct a timeline of events of the night of the murders, for which Alex Murdaugh had claimed innocence. He now faces two life sentences for the murders.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with an excerpt from A TALE OF TWO CITIES, by Charles Dickens.
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Episode 97 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is the first, and I hope not last, Book Review episode. This show's featured books are a mix of new, classic, fiction, non-fiction, novels, epic poems, and meditations. The FIVE books are: 1) THE PLAGUE, by Albert Camus, 2) THE CREATIVE ACT: A WAY OF BEING, by Rick Rubin, 3) JOHANNES CABAL THE NECROMANCER, by Jonathan L. Howard, 4) A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens, and 5) THE INFERNO from DIVINE COMEDY by Dante Alighieri and translated by poet laureate, Robert Pinsky.
Please read books. Actual books that you can hold and smell. Physical books create time and space, allowing the reader to engage more. It is truly a human act that elevates the soul and exercises the brain.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with the poem, "Sensation", by Arthur Rimbaud.
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Episode 96 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS studies a scientific theory that is both ancient and modern, the field of PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY. We will trace the subject back to its beginnings, engendered through the teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Researchers have picked up these ancient studies, once again, in the last couple of decades. We seem to be aware of the body-mind connection, but what is the mechanism that makes this possible? THE VAGUS NERVE. Not only can the vagus nerve tell us that we are well - which we've discussed in previous episodes - it can also tell us that we are sick. This will be thoroughly explained. We will go over ways of achieving higher vagal tone, in order to be at optimal health and wellness.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with a short, personal story on how I stopped myself from going into deep shock by activating my own vagus nerve.
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Episode 95 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes a close look at the First Amendment of the US Constitution. We will address what it actually says, what it means, what it protects and does not protect, and how we apply it into our daily lives in an effective way and in a way that elevates society. Plato said that the law is "the ally of the city". So, why do we use it like a sledgehammer?
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with the short poem, "Justice", by Langston Hughes.
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Episode 94 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS launches with a quick news item, before getting on with the subject of the episode. The news item is concerning the Chinese high altitude balloon that has flown into US airspace. Is it a wayward weather balloon, like the Chinese claim? Or, is it a surveillance balloon sent deliberately, as the US reports?
The main subject: how to create a "living" vision board that is actually useful in helping you clarify and attain your goals, dreams, and intentions.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's program with a reading of the poem, "Success
(from The Ladder of St. Augustine)", by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
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Episode 93 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS speaks on the mysterious, powerful and dangerous Chicago Outfit, a branch of the Mafia in the United States. At the height of its powers, the Outfit was involved in such things as racketeering, gambling, rum running, and other illegal and legal activities. They are also suspected of being behind an assassination attempt on Fidel Castro, and the realized assassination of President John F. Kennedy - not to mention helping him win the presidency, in the first place.
A premiere face among the Mob and a charismatic and effective crime boss during the Mafia's heyday in Chicago was Sam Giancana. We will talk a bit about him.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with a short poem called, "Ave Caesar", by Robinson Jeffers.
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Episode 92 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS wishes everyone a Gong Hei Fat Choy, as we help usher in The Year of The Water Rabbit. Not only will we talk about the Chinese calendar, zodiac, customs and celebrations, we will help you choose the right food on your Chinese take out menu to help bring good luck into your new year. We will also talk about what the Water Rabbit means in relation to good luck, fortune, health and wealth.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with two very short ancient Chinese poems.
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Episode 91 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS talks about the revolutionary app called, ChatGPT. ChatGPT is AI (Artificial Intelligence), specifically the type that is known as a chatbot. It is an operational Large Language Model that chats with the user on a human conversational level. It is most often compared/contrasted with a Google Search Engine. With the search engine, you input data, and more data is returned as an answer - a result of shuffling through files on the internet. ChatGPT DOES NOT work this way. Instead, it LEARNS HOW TO INTERPRET THE INTENT BEHIND HUMAN QUESTIONS IN ORDER TO GIVE CONVERSATIONAL AND PLEASING ANSWERS.
In addition to so many other tasks, ChatGPT can write letters, emails, poems, song lyrics, business plans, essays, and novels. It does so instantaneously and convincingly. Researchers are currently working on ways to combat plagiarism and to ensure that the tech won't answer dangerous questions.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF features a poem that I asked ChatGPT to write.
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Episode 90 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS updates its audience on this week's events concerning the Moscow, ID murder case of 4 University of Idaho students. Because the news surrounding the Probable Cause Affidavit (PCA) is so ubiquitous in the news right now, I will not rehash the details, as you are probably aware of them. Instead, I am presenting a timeline built from the PCA, other court documents, and other witnesses that make a rather damning case in front of a jury. Unless something out of the ordinary is conjured up, Bryan Kohberger does appear to be the murderer. His DNA, the tracking of his vehicle, the tracking of his phone and other behavior points to his guilt.
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Episode 89 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS highlights two diets - Veganism and Weganism, which is a Wild Game diet. Both diets consist of whole, organic foods. Both diets eschew processed food items. Both diets are ethical lifestyles. One diet is completely absent of animal meat and products, while the other's main feature is animal meat and products. We will talk about the health benefits of each, the potential risks of each, and how each argue that its diet and lifestyle are the healthiest, most ethical and most sustainable diets on the planet.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF features the poem, "The World Is Too Much With Us", by William Wordsworth
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MARS MESSINA PRESENTS wishes one and all a very Happy New Year with Episode 88. First up, we have bittersweet news - there has been an arrest made in the murders of 4 University of Idaho students in Moscow, ID. We will then proceed with a short and sweet New Year's Eve ritual - a short yoga session, a tea ceremony, and a burning ceremony. I invite you to gather the items you will need for the rituals in this recording, so that you can put it on pause and come right back with your items at the ready. Or, if you choose not to actually participate but want to listen and meditate on the rituals, that will be useful, as well.
We will end this last episode of 2022 with a reading of, "Ring Out, Wild Bells", by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Have a most abundant and graceful 2023.
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Episode 87 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS explains why the date of April 8 makes for a good Christmas story subject. We, here, at MARS MESSINA PRESENTS wish you and yours, one and all a very Merry Christmas!
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In Episode 86 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we learn that researchers have set the Doomsday Clock at 100 seconds to midnight in 2022 - the closest we have ever been to nuclear war. This is saying a lot, because October 27, 1962, is considered the most dangerous day humanity, as a whole, has ever experienced. We are going to talk about the Cuban Missile Crisis, a moment in time when the entire planet faced nuclear annihilation. Apparently, researchers and historians believe that today, with another showdown with Russia in the proxy war in Ukraine, we are just as close to all out nuclear war as we were in 1962. We will revisit the lessons learned in 1962, when rational heads on opposing sides chose life over death, but how one mistake could have made it all go another way. Shirking denial, we find ourselves right back at that point. How do we continue to choose life, when we consistently support death?
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes with the poem, "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death", by W.B. Yeats.
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Episode 85 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS asks, "What was in the water in Florence during the Renaissance?" At a time when humanity in all of Europe seemed to hit on all cylinders, Florence was the crowning jewel of this enlightened time, and engendered unparalleled genius. We will talk about the meaning of genius in terms of the Renaissance, and focus on - perhaps - the premiere genius of that place and time, Leonardo da Vinci. We will also discover that it is possible for each and every one of us to learn to think the way da Vinci thought, and create - together - a modern Renaissance.
Again, no BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF this week, because I ran short on time.
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Episode 84 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS first opens with the latest on the Delphi Murder Case. We move on to the main subject of Super Agers - people aged 80+ who have superior cognition and better memories than the average person in their 50s or 60s. If we are not yet 80+, we can train our brains, now, so that we may be Super Agers when we grow up.
There is no BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF this week, because Mars has a bit of laryngitis.
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Episode 83 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS speaks about the recent 11/13/22 murders of 4 University of Idaho students while they slept in their residence near campus in Moscow, Idaho. There has been a lot of speculation connected to this horrific crime, and very few facts released by law enforcement, which includes Moscow Police, Idaho State Police, and the FBI. We'll try to parse the case and set up a factual timeline. To date, the crime remains unsolved.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF features the poem, "A Prayer In Spring", by Robert Frost.
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Episode 82 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS revisits two controversial pranks that became legendary. Both occurred in Chicago: the Max Headroom Signal Hijacking (the cyberpunk takeover of two local TV stations, in the middle of broadcasting) and the promotional stunt at Comiskey Park, original home of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, known as Disco Demolition Night, in the middle of a doubleheader. On one hand, the stunts were serious enough to have potentially caused much more trouble than was originally intended. On the other hand, both pranks were meant to challenge a much larger authority and reclaim independence. In either case, they captured Chicago's imagination and there are people who claim to have been there to witness, or even participate, in what has now become the stuff of local legend.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF features an excerpt from, THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER, by Mark Twain.
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Episode 81 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS aims to teach its listeners how to recognize and thwart the attacks of a manipulator. You will learn emotional and mental techniques that will protect you against someone who might try to use you or control you. Related to this, we will also speak somewhat concerning physical self defense.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes today's episode with a reading from, NIGHT, by Elie Wiesel.
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Episode 80 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is a double feature. The subjects have nothing to do with each other.
The first story is the latest update on the Delphi Murder case. After 5 and a half years, an arrest has been made in connection to the murders of teenagers Abigail Williams and Liberty German, of Delphi, Indiana.
The next subject is Mars' report on a dating experiment to which I subjected myself. What if I went for four months and didn't turn down a date, no matter how unattracted - or even repulsed - by the person asking me out? We will report our scientific findings in this episode.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's show with the poem, "The Lost Garden", by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
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MARS MESSINA PRESENTS wishes one and all a Happy Halloween with Episode 79. Mars puts her own embellishments and colors and spins on this retelling of a favorite, old, classic, Chicago-style Urban Legend: The Eerie Tale of Resurrection Mary. Ghost story fans and Chicago history fans, alike, have heard the stories before: a young woman dressed in white walking up and down Archer Avenue. Cars swerve to avoid hitting her...and she disappears. In Mars' retelling, you will meet Mary's mother, Vivienne, who relates her own chilling side to the story.
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Happy Halloween. Be Careful.
Episode 78 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS procures the spirit of Voodou Queen, Madame Marie Laveau, to tell her story - of being a Creole woman and a Voodoo practitioner in a mixed race society. We explore a brief history of how the religion of Voodou arose in New Orleans. We learn that Laveau's story is interwoven with fact and fiction and has largely been colored by a white perspective. We attempt to get to her truth, as she truly experienced life...with a little spin and drawing Xs on the wall (not really).
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with a reading of the poem, "Marie Laveau", by Shel Silverstein.
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Episode 77 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features a real ghost story, as experienced by Mars' sister and the sister's friends when they were 11 years old. They somehow summoned spectral visitors from the Great Beyond and they were later to find out that the spirits were - or wanted the girls to think they were - martyred Christian saints, Perpetua and Felicity.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF continues with our October spooky storytelling with a reading of "The Masque of The Red Death", by Edgar Allan Poe.
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Episode 76 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS conjures up a "true story" from North London, circa late 1960s-early 1970s. Neighbors walking in and around the Highgate Cemetary claimed to have witnessed a tall, dark spectral being who disappeared into thin air, hypnotized people, crawled out of graves, and killed animals. Dubbed "The Highgate Vampire" by the press and two prominent occultists, the spectre created a sensation around London, resulting in a riot at the cemetary: self-proclaimed "vampire hunters" descended on the sacred ground with homemade stakes, crucifixes and shovels...only to be chased out by "something crawling in the dark".
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF puts a final bite into this episode with a reading of, "The Vampire", a poem by Conrad Aiken.
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Episode 75 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS ushers in the spooky month of October with a reading of the classic short horror story, THE MONKEY'S PAW, by W. W. Jacobs.
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Episode 74 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS has Professor Mars guiding The Inexperienced on their maiden voyage upon the seas of losing their virginity. We will discuss things like emotional intelligence, communication, and relaxing into your first experience. We will also be using anatomical names for sex organs, discussing positions and techniques, and funny bedroom mishaps, SO I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A CONTENT WARNING, NOW.
This program contains mature language and situations that is intended for people who are planning to have sex for the first time, as well as for listeners who want to hear about people who are planning to have sex for the first time. Listener discretion is advised.
The goal of this episode is designed to give the first timer enough knowledge and encouragement to feel relaxed and excited ahead of their first time in the sack.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes up this episode with a reading of SONNET 18, by William Shakespeare.
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Episode 73 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS briefly covers the EIGHT MAIN CAUSES OF WAR and gives a couple of examples of each cause. We further investigate why the United States of America (the self-proclaimed city on the hill and the shining light in the darkness and the free nation) continually chooses war even after a long and sobering history that teaches that war is nothing but hell - along with our genius advances in science, medicine, agriculture, and creating a proper society. Why haven't we been able to maintain a sustained peaceable spirit?
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with a reading of the poem, "Thoughts", by Myra Viola Wilds.
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For Episode 72 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will talk about the dying of the summer and the coming of the fall, and how our lifestyles and diets should reflect that change, so that we can be functionally healthier. Ayurveda is an ancient system of wellness that points us towards longevity. Just as we have unique, internal natures, the seasons also have unique natures. Autumn is a Vata season - Vata, meaning cool, airy, dry, and ungrounded. The foods we should eat during vata season should be warm, substantial, wet, and grounding. Our activities should be a little less active, as compared to summer, and a bit more reflective and a bit slower. We eat this way and do these things to bring balance into our lives. I will also provide a short quiz for you to take, so that you can figure out your own nature/energy, so have a pen and paper ready!
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes this episode with the poem, "September Midnight", by Sara Teasdale.
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Episode 71 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS addresses one feature of the fragmented US health care system. Concierge Medicine is a health care model enjoyed by the wealthiest Americans. If one can afford the big price tag, one can secure the services of a doctor who acts more like a financial asset manager, who expedites the health care process for the client and provides them top of the line medical care and in a timely manner. However, compared to the rest of the first-world nations, the United States still lags behind in quality health care, even for the wealthiest Americans. Compared to the health care provided to regular folks in many European countries, even wealthy Americans get sicker and die earlier - on average - as compared to these everyday, working class Europeans. We will talk about a few reasons for this disparity.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends this episode with a reading of the poem, "To Health", by John Clare.
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Episode 70 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS talks about a type of camping in which Mars was once hardly interested. "Glamping" was a barely passable concept. According to professional survivalists who run survivalist - or minimalist, or wilderness - camps, they've seen a 60% increase in enrollment this year over several previous years. Why? There are two major reasons: 1) the fear of climate change and 2) the fear of the end of the world. We will talk about the basics of both wilderness and urban survival methods, and we will list some schools where one might receive training. Two points Mars would like to make: 1) one should do one's best to not give into the fear behind these activities, but to approach it as an adventure and as a way to come to know Mother Nature - especially when children are involved, and 2) it is vitally important to build community and to practice plans with extended family and neighbors and friends.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF wraps things up with TWO! poems by Henry David Thoreau: EPITAPH ON THE WORLD, and I AM THE AUTUMNAL SUN.
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Episode 69 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS addresses the subject of Acupuncture, the traditional Chinese medical practice of penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles in order to bring dynamic balance to a person's energy flow, thereby restoring good health. Acupuncture is an effective technique and a tool in the arsenal of one's systemic health care. Instead of addressing one ailment, one organ, one body part, acupuncture addressed the entire system to ease the ailment and to restore whole-body equilibrium. We will revisit the Chinese medical theories of Yin/Yang and The Five Elements - elements of Qi (that lifeforce/energy flow that we seek to balance) - and how they are addressed using acupuncture.
(By the way, if one seeks to become a Licensed Acupuncturist, one is looking at four-to-seven years of Traditional Chinese Medical School. This is NOT something one can learn in a weekend, online course. It is intensive.)
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends this episode with "Returning To The Source", from Lao Tzu’s collection of poetry called, “POEMS OF FULFILLMENT”.
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For Episode 68 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, Mars takes the audience through a YOGA NIDRA session. Yoga Nidra is a Sanskrit term meaning "yogic sleep". It is a deep relaxation technique and a form of meditation. It is an ancient technique where the practitioner enters the deep states of conscious relaxation. It is a systematic practice of moving awareness from our external world to the inner world.
It brings us to a state of conscious sleep where our senses, intellect, and mind relax. We become free from the concepts of time, space and reason. When this happens, brain activity reduces and the body goes in the healing state. It has been claimed that one hour of Yoga Nidra can give the same benefit of a four-hour sleep. As the body enters a healing state, you can clear up metabolic wastes at a cellular level, refresh the mind and remove baggage from the subconscious.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends with a reading from a piece of prose that is attributed to many authors and has many titles. I won't list them all here, but the reading is a perfect nightcap to our Yoga Nidra session.
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Episode 67 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS picks up from where we left off from Episode 66, in which we talked about the origins of the political movement, QAnon, and its birthplace, the imageboard website, 4chan. In this episode, we further explore how anonymously posted stories, pranks, trolls, and bamboozles have been taken literally by internet users who stumble across these posts, who believe them to be real news leaks, and react to them in the real world. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends with a document supposedly written by Q, the original author of Q drops and the unwitting (perhaps) leader of the QAnon movement.
To leave comments and questions, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 66 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS answers the question - in a nutshell - "What is QAnon?" You've heard and read about this group in the news but may not know much about them, other than their activities during the January 6, 2021 breach of the US Capitol. I am going to talk about how QAnon started and how it has become what it is, today. One cannot discuss QAnon without talking about where it originated. There is a website called, 4chan. This is where QAnon came into existence and where it "lived" for awhile. How did virtual, ephemeral threads on a message/discussion board on the internet become a real-life, alt-right movement, whose actions have very real consequences? We will speak to that in Part I of this story. Part II will be in the airwaves next week.
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Episode 65 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS spotlights the farming practice known as Regenerative Agriculture, aka Regen Ag. Its main objective is to keep carbon sequestered in the soil through the most organic, natural and hands-off means necessary. In short, the practices that regen ag farmers employ are ancient, derived from the tens-of-thousands years long practices of indigenous peoples. The Anishinaabe people teach that we are currently living in a time known as The Seventh Fire, which is a hinge point in our history and the last fire before The Eighth and Eternal Fire. It asks us where we want to go - do we want to go the way of the cannibal that leaves our planet scorched, or do we want to go the way of the Elders, where the path is green? Whichever path we choose will affect everyone on earth, and this choice will be performed through agricultural and environmental practices - either regenerative or industrial.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with the poem, THE FARMER IS THE MAN, author unknown.
For correspondence, email us at thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 64 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS focuses on the disappearance of a 15 year old citizen of Vatican City, whose father was a Vatican official. Did the girl run away, or was she kidnapped? Circumstantial evidence points to a variety of potential kidnappers: a Turkish nationalist group, the Mafia, and even the Vatican, itself. The only thing that seems to be certain is that the Vatican has played its cards close to the chest since 1983, concerning the case. While there is no concrete evidence to suggest that Emanuela Orlandi is still alive, there is also no evidence that she is dead. The search continues...
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes Episode 64 with an excerpt from the poem, A PRAYER FOR MY DAUGHTER, by W.B. Yeats.
For questions and comments, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 63 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS begins with sage TRAVEL TIPS from a worker in the airline industry concerning flying during a time of lower pandemic restrictions, with the resultant full flights...but with half the flight staff and ground crews. If you are planning to fly anytime soon, please listen to this episode. We will also give further travel pointers to make your trip more successful.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes Episode 63 with a reading of TRAVEL, by Edna St. Vincent Millay.
To send questions or comments, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 62 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS we will explore perception, and how it pertains to a sense of failure and a sense of success. Some of us find ourselves repeating continuous loops of failure in our relationships, at work, or in other personal pursuits. We will learn more about the brain's dorsilateral prefrontal cortex and how it develops patterns that are based on past experiences and memory and how it is hardwired to expect certain outcomes. If we learn how to write a different script for our executive functioning, we can change those patterns with something more positive and life can get better - but it takes work. I will take you through the steps.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's episode with the lyrics to THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD by Burl Ives, based on the classic children's story, THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD.
To submit questions or comments, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 61 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we discover the origins of Rock & Roll music. They are not to be found in the 1950's rollicking, fun songs of Elvis, Pat Boone, Jerry Lee Lewis. The roots of the genre go deeper...further...darker...and were obscured by racism and marketing. You'll find rock's influences in the slippery notes of Jazz, the humidity of the backwoods, and the seeds of it all on the Southern Plantations, sung by enslaved Africans.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes today's episode with BOOGIE CHILLUN, by John Lee Hooker.
To send questions or comments, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 60 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS asks the question: how and why do the Japanese maintain their youthful appearance, trim figures, and healthy longevity? We did a bit of research at the Mars Messina Laboratories and came up with 20 pointers to help you, too, keep fit -n- fine now and into your old age. In lieu of BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF, we will close today's episode with a few quick and easy, healthy and tasty recipes.
To send questions, comments, or requests for recipes, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 59 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS talks about a curious murder case. Ari Squire set out to commit the "perfect crime" - a murder to cover up insurance fraud. The plan: find a look-alike, kill the man, and make the crime scene look like Ari, himself, died in an accident...then, run away and assume his victim's identity.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's episode with a reading from IN COLD BLOOD, by Truman Capote.
To send questions or comments, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 58 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS revisits the subject of Episode 4: Unidentified Flying Objects, aka UFOs or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, aka UAP. The first congressional hearing into UFO sightings in the US in over 50 years was held on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. The reason for this publicized meeting was for the military to inform the nation and the world that 400 UAP sightings were reported in this last year, alone. The sightings include 11 near misses with US aircraft, and UAP maneuverability that seem to defy the known laws of physics. What are these UAP? Highly advanced technology manufactured by a foreign government? Highly classified advanced technology manufactured by a US entity? By a corporation or an individual? Or is it alien technology? For our own security, we need to find out. To reach a new frontier hardly even imagined and to revolutionize the world, we must find out.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this week's episode with ASTRIDE THE COMET, by Gustave Flaubert.
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The narrative poem, THE DIVINE COMEDY, consists of three parts - Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio, and Paradiso. Dante Alighieri took 12 years, while under duress, to write this - one of the world's greatest masterpieces and arguably the greatest writ in Italian literature. Episode 57 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features a reading from Inferno, where Dante and Virgil visit the 2nd Circle of Hell (of which there are nine, total). Here is where they encounter the spirits of those who succumbed to the sin of Lust, while in mortality. Paolo and Francesca, lustful lovers, are caught in an eternal whirlwind, much as they were in life. Francesca tells Dante her story, when she is able to float near him.
To share comments or ask questions, email Mars Messina at thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 56 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS speaks to the curious architectural stylings, the fascinating history, and the darkly mysterious aura of the Chicago skyscraper known as The John Hancock Center. Not only will we talk about its unique-but- sensible structure and use, we will also explore its haunted status and why residents, workers, and investigators of the supernatural believe that the building holds powerful energy within its columns, tubes, and beams made of steel...and spirit.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with the poem, "Skyscraper", by Carl Sandburg
To submit comments, questions, etc, email: thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 55 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes up where Episode 49 left off. In that previous episode, we talked about the dreams people had in the months, weeks and days preceding their deaths. In today's episode, we discuss the lucid and vivid experiences many people have had in the minutes AFTER being declared dead, which they were able to share, because they came back into their bodies, having regained full consciousness. While their many stories can be labelled anecdotal, there is peer review research that conveys that what happened to them is real and is NOT the result of drug induced hallucinations or of other brain activity in the dying brain. Scientific research states that something different is occurring.
We end Episode 55 with BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF, where we examine the NDE experienced by novelist Ernest Hemingway in World War I.
Please direct comments, etc to thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 54 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS attempts to translate some slang terms and words used by Generation Z and Generation Alpha for the older ear. We provide our listeners with a glossary of various phraseology within certain contexts so that you, too, will be able to say less, before you go off and yeet...without looking sus.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes this episode with the poem, YOUTH, by Henry John Newbolt.
To submit questions/comments, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 53 is a holiday special for MARS MESSINA PRESENTS listeners. Wishing everyone a happy Ramadan, a happy Passover, and a happy Easter...and happy spring! We will first talk about the history of Passover and describe the Passover seder. Upon examining Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we discover its similarities to Passover and, for the believer in Jesus Christ, how the Passover becomes flesh. Finally, we will see how each of these holidays foreshadow a greater event - the Coming of The Messiah, or The Second Coming of Christ - that will herald a redemption from corruption and death. Mars pretty much thinks that not only did the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus all occur on Passover, but thinks that the Messiah will come/return on Passover, as well.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes our holiday special with the poem, RED MOON, by Diane C. Hundertmark.
Send comments, inquiries to thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Today is MARS MESSINA PRESENTS One Year Anniversary! We focus on a special topic for Episode 52 - Holocaust Survivors turned Activists. We begin with the proposed 1977 Nazi march through the streets of Skokie, Illinois - a bastion for Jews and, more specifically, Holocaust survivors. While the Nazis demanded first amendments rights, the residents of Skokie proclaimed these demonstrations and symbols, hate speech. This conflict resulted in the establishment of the world's third largest Holocaust Museum.
We take you through the Holocaust Museum and explain a few exhibits and relive Auschwitz through the virtual eyes of Holocaust Survivor and Museum President, Fritzie Fritzshall. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF rounds out this special episode with the poem, HOME, by Warsan Shire.
For comments, questions, etc email: thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 51 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS spotlights a few exercise gurus, as well as regular folk from more typical walks of life, on their journeys from dis-ease to optimal health and fitness. We will discover that optimal wellness is not an overnight miracle, but rather a lifestyle, a long process, replete with ebbs and flows. We will also discuss how even those with a sedentary lifestyle can achieve good health - the disabled, those who work desk jobs for hours on end, gamers who live in mom's basement, and soap opera fans hanging out on the couch can make certain choices that can help them be healthier versions of themselves.
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To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 50 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS revisits the topic of Episode 10 - The Delphi Murders. There seems to be a break in the case, and we will talk about it, in this episode. After 5 years of mystery, Indiana State Police seem to be on the brink of making an arrest in the case of two teenage girls who went missing while hiking on trails near their homes.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF wraps up this show with the poem, "Tyger, Tyger" from SONGS OF EXPERIENCE, by William Blake.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For questions, suggestions, etc, email thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
Episode 49 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS takes a look at the vision-like, realistic dreams that most people have in the months, weeks and days leading up to their deaths. Quantitative, scientific research studied many different patients over time - all who were lucid and not encumbered by delirium or under the influence of medication - and found that most of them experienced dreams while both asleep and awake. Most of these dreams featured loved ones already passed on, providing comfort and reassurance to these patients. Even the very few who didn't experience a pleasant dream were still able to achieve emotional or spiritual healing, as a direct result of the dreams they experienced. Researchers found that these people grew less afraid the closer they were to death.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's episode with AIN'T NO GRAVE, an old Gospel song by Claude Ely.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
The topic of Episode 48 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is on the emotion/vice of ENVY, and how envy spurs the behavior of bullying - either as playing the bully role, egging the bully on, or playing an apathetic, silent bystander. We focus on the root cause of feeling envy and what we can do to diffuse it, so that we don't fall into the bully role...but, also, that we are less likely to fall into the victim mode, as well.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with the poem, ON THE WESTERN FRONT, by Alfred Noyes.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. 10% of proceeds will go to the Ukraine National Bank to fund defense against Putin's war.
Episode 47 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS seeks to give you a break from the realities of grim news in the world and offers a bit of comic relief. For today's episode, we will talk about factoids connected with the enduring phenomena known as The Brady Bunch, a TV sitcom that ran in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and is seen in reruns, today. Specifically, we will be referencing the hilarious book, "Growing Up Brady: I Was A Teenage Greg", written by actor Barry Williams. Williams expertly takes us through the creation and production of a popular TV series, as well as through the budding relationships between fellow cast members. The libidinous moments are sure to provide lots of LOL. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's show with the lyrics to, "Clowns Never Laughed Before", a song written by Greg Brady, as portrayed by Barry Williams.
Any donations received this week will go directly to the war effort of innocent Ukrainians. Thank you.
For Episode 46 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will explore the timeless and timely Ancient Roman Empire and examine the similarities, differences, and parallels between this empire and present day United States of America. It's imperative that we learn lessons from the past, in order to secure a bright future. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes today's program with a few dire warnings from various writers.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. 10% of proceeds with go to the Bank of Ukraine, to support war victims. Thank you.
Episode 45 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS focuses on the biblical character, Salome, the young princess who danced before King Herod Antipas in exchange for the head of John The Baptist. Salome and her story have become a popular subject for the arts, ranging from paintings to plays to operas. Salome is portrayed as young, provocative, lusting for blood and sex and power. She drives men wild and, therefore, must be punished and shunned. However, a more careful reading of original scripture and other ancient writings suggest that she was not more than 11 or 12 years of age, whose playful dancing fell under the dangerous gaze of her lecherous uncle/stepfather and who was used as a pawn in a power play by her own mother. The child is exploited by her family, and becomes a scapegoat for an adult's shame.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes this episode with a poem called, SALOME, by Carol Ann Duffy.
To support this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 44 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS speaks to the vibrations that enter into our ears and create an electrochemical phenomena that we perceive as music. I will talk about the various biochemical and neuronal mechanisms that are affected and activated when we immerse ourselves in music, and how music is more than entertainment - but an efficacious means of mood enhancement and healing. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's program with the poem, MY MOTHER'S MUSIC, by Emilie Buchwald.
To support this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 43 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is sure to strike terror in your hearts. We are talking about math, specifically Common Core Math. Common Core Math is something of a godsend to today's student, while it looks crazy and pointless to adults. Basically, this new way of doing math breaks the problem down to simple components that make problem solving easier for children. It was developed in answer to the problem that the United States faces: that the US is lower in mathematic comprehension than other developed countries. Make sure you have paper and pencil handy, because I will lead you through a few Common Core Math problems!
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes today's episode with the poem, ARITHMETIC, by Carl Sandburg.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 42 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we examine the life of Albino Luciani, aka Pope John Paul I (not to be confused with the more famous John Paul II). This man was considered by some to be quiet, meek, and baffled by the enormity of his calling, while others said that he was just as shrewd and decisive, as he was gentle and congenial. He was the pope for only 33 days when, at the age of 65 and in seemingly good health, he suddenly died. The pope was found sitting up in his bed, clutching papers, wearing eyeglasses and a smile on his face. The Vatican declared cause of death as a heart attack, but an autopsy had not been performed. Suspicion shrouded the death scene, as the Vatican refused to release details that trickled out in other ways. Did the pope, indeed, die as a result of a misdiagnosed illness? Was his death a result of neglect by his handlers? Or did he, indeed, fall victim to assassination, as many have claimed and set out to prove?
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF closes today's show with a small reading from ILLUSTRISSIMI, a book of letters written by the man, himself - Albino Luciani, Pope John Paul I
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 41 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS compares and contrasts two theories that define disease and its causes. The first is the Germ Theory, as authored by Louis Pasteur and the second is the Terrain Theory, as outlined by Antoine Bechamp. The former points to external microorganisms that invade the body as the genesis of disease, while the latter states that it is strictly one's internal health state (terrain) that creates disease. We will also discuss the controversy created as these theories clash in the wake of the SARS CoV 2 pandemic. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF wraps things up with an excerpt from the novel, THE PLAGUE, by Albert Camus.
To Donate To This Podcast - Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
To celebrate Episode 40 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we fly to the moon and back with the Apollo 11 Moon Mission. We will explore - in as much detail as we possibly can within the confines of a podcast hosted by someone who is not an aerospace engineer - the myriad steps and nuances and attention to detail it took to send a crewed spacecraft to the moon and return it safely back to earth. We will address the laws of physics that allowed for this mission, and others like it, to happen. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF splashes down with excerpts from the famous JFK Moon Speech.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 39 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS spotlights the elusive serial killer, The Axeman of New Orleans. His reign of terror lasted a year - from 1918 to 1919 - in a New Orleans that was going through a transformation from violent/decadent/sleazy to genteel/proper/strict. Then, when all seemed under control, a shadow emerged with ax in hand and slashed a deep gash into that thin facade and exposed the primal fear of its citizens. Who was The Axeman? A member of The Black Hand? A Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde split personality? Several non-connected killers? A woman? A feral demon from the hottest hell? BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's episode with a reading of Kurt Weill's MACK THE KNIFE, with updated lyrics, as sung by Marianne Faithfull.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 38 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS kicks off a new year and a new season by addressing health and wellness. Health is the form and Wellness is the function of a fulfilling lifestyle. We will set realistic goals by addressing the 6 Dimensions of Wellness: emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. We will end with BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF, with a reading of the poem, "A Morning Wish", by W.R. Hunt.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you and have an abundantly good 2022.
Episode 37 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS delivers Christmas cheer in the form of the reading of a short story! A CHILD'S STORY, by Charles Dickens, is not particularly a Christmas story. Rather, it captures the spirit of Christmas, serving as a parable for The Journey of Life - an adventure wrought with bittersweet experiences and relationships all the way through. As you capture a moment of reflection and contemplation in the midst of hubbub, laughter and tears, you may recognize yourself in this story and - hopefully - know that you are more precious than the fanciest and most extravagant gifts under a tree. Merry Christmas, everyone. See you next week for a new year and a new season.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you - and thanks for listening.
Episode 36 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, as a lead-in to Christmas, takes a critical look at the identity and mission of Jesus of Nazareth. During his lifetime, some saw Jesus as a pious Jew and a respected rabbi. Others saw him as a dangerous, seditious, and blasphemous radical. He saw himself as The Son of Man. We will explore all three labels to come up with a composite of this enigmatic, glorious, and meek individual. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes today's episode with a reading of A CRADLE SONG, by William Blake.
To donate to this podcast: Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 35 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS contemplates the unique struggles and opportunities facing the rising generations. It was once the American Dream to grow up, buy one's own house, get married and raise a family in that house. Then, when the children turn 18, they strike out on their own and repeat the chase. Today's youth are finding the American Dream increasingly unattainable. What can we do, as a society, to build a better future? With the formidable problems facing us, individuals probably cannot do much. Instead, we - as a collective and as a cohesive community - should focus on building our youth to not only face, but thrive in, an uncertain future. I will discuss one way in which this can be managed. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF concludes with a small philosophical exercise.
To donate to this podcast: Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 34 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS poses the question, "How did dogs become man's best friend?" and tries to answer this question. How did the dog evolve from the wild wolf, one of Homo Sapiens' most dreaded competitors in nature, into our lovable and loyal mate? Some theories are discussed here, as well as how some specific breeds evolved. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF wraps things up with a poem by Rudyard Kipling, called, THE POWER OF THE DOG.
To donate to this podcast: Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 33 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS examines the 35th President of The United States' complicated relationship with the ever-increasing-in-power-and-secrecy intelligence service, The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). We posit that it is plausible that the CIA may have ordered - or allowed, at least - the assassination of John F. Kennedy. We also explore the possible reason why Lee Harvey Oswald, the president's alleged assassin, went to Mexico City and spoke with a known KGB assassin. The CIA knew this trip and transaction transpired, but did nothing about it. The CIA knew that Oswald was a Marxist sympathizer, that he planned an assassination of an Army major, and that he had defected to Russia before and was planning to, again. Yet, he was allowed to be in Dallas on November 22, 1963, when Kennedy's motorcade was scheduled to ride past the building in which Oswald was employed. Why? Was Oswald a double agent hired by the CIA, or did they just turn away and let Oswald do what he meant to do? BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF opens today's episode with a reading of excerpts of the play, JULIUS CAESAR, by William Shakespeare.
To donate to this podcast: Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 32 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS revisits November 10, 1975, when the freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in icy and stormy Lake Superior, at the Canadian/American border. Discussed are the history of the massive ship and how it got tossed about like a cork on the rough seas, amidst hurricane force winds, all of which resulted in the largest shipwreck in Great Lakes history. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF features the poem, "Shipwreck", by Emily Dickinson.
To support this podcast: Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 31 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS records a brief history of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials during the Puritanical era in Massachusetts. As we cover this dark moment in American history, we ask our audience to reflect on how superstition, jealousy, fear, and lying can all have an adverse effect on everyone in a given community or a larger society as a whole, if these weaknesses are not bridled and tempered with higher thinking, calmness, and mindfulness. Additionally, we must curiously observe why societies continue to be threatened by feminine power and the subsequent clamping down on female independence and their economic and intellectual parity with men.
Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf rounds out today's episode with an excerpt from the play, THE CRUCIBLE, by Arthur Miller.
To donate to this podcast - Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
For Episode 30 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we gather around a virtual Halloween bonfire for a reading of the narrative poem, THE RAVEN, tell ghost stories, and proclaim a warning against behavior that can potentially get you accused of being a witch and hung on the gallows. Happy Halloween. Try to stay safe.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 29 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features another edition of Pleasant Screams - shows DEADicated to the eerie month of October. Today, we are talking about Witches - specifically, about an encounter that I once had with a coven of witches. I will talk about my experience with a certain high priestess and the temporary working relationship I had with her. We will end with a reading of "Song of the Witches" from MACBETH, Act IV, Scene I, by William Shakespeare.
To donate to this podcast, please send donations through my Venmo account: @mdm773. Thank you.
Episode 28 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features another edition of Pleasant Screams, shows DEADicated to the spooky month of October. We are handing out tricks and treats this week, by introducing our listeners to the YouTube podcast, A TALE AT MIDNIGHT. The narrator for A TALE AT MIDNIGHT is Alicia, The Dweller In The Clock. She is a disembodied voice that is sentenced to tell tales of the mysterious, the weird, and the macabre to the strokes of midnight. Alicia works with two other artists - Dan Precision, sound engineer/editor/musician...and Eugene Jaworski, an oil painter and sketch artist, specializing in fantasy art. This power trio combine their gifts to surround and entwine their audience, carefully dragging them into another dimension. We ask Alicia about the details of her podcasting and storytelling, and we go together with her into the dark and ask her what she fears the most. She tricks and treats us right back, by reading a couple of excerpts from some of her favored writings.
(Sprinkled throughout the interview, you may hear what sounds like technical glitches. This is just Alicia's state as a disembodied voice, phasing in and out of this mortal realm. To help me upgrade my equipment to support the sonic tonalities of the Great Ones of The Afterlife, support MARS MESSINA PRESENTS through my Venmo account: @mdm773)
Check out A TALE AT MIDNIGHT on YouTube...
Follow A Tale At Midnight at https://www.instagram.com/ataleatmidnight/ and https://www.facebook.com/ATaleAtMidnight
Support A Tale At Midnight at https://www.patreon.com/ataleatmidnight
email A Tale At Midnight at ataleatmidnight@gmail.com
Original art and logo by Eugene Jaworski
https://eugenejaworski.wixsite.com/gallery
https://www.facebook.com/TheArtofEugeneJaworski
https://www.patreon.com/Jaworski
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Music, soundscapes and post production by
Dan Precision at Bombshelter Recording Studio
http://bombshelterchicago.com
https://danprecision.bandcamp.com/music
For further information, contact Mars Messina at thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
Episode 27 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features the second edition of Pleasant Screams, episodes dedicated to the spooky month of October. Today's episode is called, MOMENTO MORI. We will talk about the funereal traditions of the Irish Wake, as well as the Italian celebratory Day of The Dead, aka All Soul's Day. We are addressing these topics in memorial of Mars' mother, Peggy, and her grandmother, Julia, who both passed away on October 9. We will close with BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF with the readings of two excerpts from the novel,... WUTHERING HEIGHTS, by Emily Bronte...which happens to be a favorite of Peggy's. Rest In Heavenly Peace, Mom & Grandma.
To support this podcast, please send donations to my Venmo account @mdm773. 10% of donations continue to go to Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Louisiana. Thank you.
Episode 26 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is the first of five special episodes for the month of October, which I call, Pleasant Screams. Episode 26 is Pleasant Screams: HAUNTED HOUSES. We will explore a few of many haunted houses that dot the United States, and will end with BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF featuring a reading of the entirety of the short story, THE TELL TALE HEART, by Edgar Allan Poe.
To donate to this podcast, please do so through my Venmo account, @mdm773. Thank you.
To email me, send your message to thisismarsmessina@gmail.com
I am also on Facebook and Instagram.
Episode 25 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS explores the brutal murder of British student Meredith Kercher. Called "Mez" by family and friends, the sweet young woman realized a dream by studying abroad in Italy and immersing herself into its vibrant culture and language. She died only a few months after arriving in Perugia. Three people were convicted of her murder: Rudy Guede (whose DNA was all over the crime scene, as well as inside of Mez's body), Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian national and IT student who happened to be dating the third suspect, American student, Amanda Knox, who became the obsession of the prosecution team, and whose image was sensationalized in the global media.
Knox and Sollecito's convictions were overturned, as none of their DNA was at the crime scene. However, the Italian Supreme Court states that Guede did not act alone. Many believe that Knox and Sollecito know more about the crime, and that they're evading telling the real truth. Knox and Sollecito have moved on with their lives, Guede has been released on a reduced sentence...and the Kercher family still struggles.
BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF ends with a tribute to Mez.
Venmo @mdm773
For Episode 24 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will fill our mouths with the Miracle Of Birth as we bite into The Authentic Napoletana Pizza! We will explore the origins of the art, science, and culture of pizza making, and we will discover what makes an authentic pizza in these modern times. Napoletana Pizza is actually protected by UNESCO and one must become a certified pizzaolo in order to make these authentic Italian creations. We will go through the ingredients, recipes, and processes. We'll end with BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF with little tales from the experiences of actual pizza delivery guys.
To donate to this podcast, Venmo to @mdm773. 10% of donations are going to Second Harvest Food Bank to help Southern Louisiana recover from Hurricane Ida.
Episode 23 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is called, God as The Manifestations of The Laws of Science. Mars continues on meditations on the nature of God; is that nature in direct conflict to the laws of science? Do they co-exist, in some form? Are God and Science one and the same? Creationism is discussed alongside such laws of science as the Big Bang Theory, Evolution/Natural Selection, and the Theory of Relativity. Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf closes out today's edition with a reading of an excerpt from The Beatitudes, found in the New Testament.
To contribute to this podcast, please send a donation via Venmo, @mdm773. 10% of donations will go to Second Harvest Food Bank in Southern Louisiana, to help in the effort to recover from the Hurricane Ida disaster. Thank you.
Episode 22 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is dedicated to the largest fresh water system in the world, THE GREAT LAKES. Learn some fun facts & figures about these sea-like bodies of water, that harbor their own deep and dark secrets, unknowable to even those who love them and live amongst their shores, all while using them for entertainment and as a trashcan. We will end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading of an excerpt from the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow epic poem, THE SONG OF HIAWATHA.
If you'd like to donate to this podcast, Mars' Venmo account is @mdm773. 10% of all donations will go to the Second Harvest Foodbank, the largest charitable anti-hunger network in Southern Louisiana, in the wake of Hurricane Ida. My sincerest and most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this storm and other environmental catastrophes pummeling our nation.
The subject of Episode 21 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is Universal Basic Income, or UBI, for short. I will talk about this implement in the so-called War On Poverty, its modern day roots in the Johnson and Nixon administrations, some history behind it, and its pros and cons. This episode is slightly longer than most, because there's so much to examine and it's a timely topic. I end with a few answers submitted when I posed the question: What Is The Greatest Pleasure You Have Ever Felt?
Episode 20 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS explores the world of Artificial Intelligence, or AI. We attempt to keep the science separate from science fiction as we talk about what is soon on horizon for the human workforce/consumer, as AI emerges from the realm of imagination into reality. We'll also discuss how important ethics and ancient wisdom are in correlation to futuristic technology. We end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with an excerpt from THE DEFENDERS, a sci-fi short story by Philip K. Dick.
Episode 19 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is Part II to last week's episode, but also works as a stand-alone. Last week, we discussed the psychology of Batman. This week, we explore him as a sort of Jungian archetype. He represents both the Hero and the Shadow. We'll discuss the Hero's Journey and Shadow Work/Facing the Dark Side of the Collective Unconscious. We end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading from HEART OF DARKNESS, by Joseph Conrad.
For today's episode, we will move with stealth and style through the mind of a very human superhero, The Caped Crusader, The Dark Knight...The Batman. We will revisit a brief history behind the comic book character and his popularity. We will then tap into the psyche of Bruce Wayne/Batman and discover his motives. Along the way, we may discover something of ourselves. Batman - purely human - is our hero and our mirror.
Episode 17 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS focuses on Silas Jayne, a wily and criminal-minded owner of horse stables and a ruthless horse trader. Well connected with the mob and the police, Jayne apparently got away with murder, many times - including the slaying of his own brother, and that of missing candy heiress, Helen Brach. We will end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading from THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, by Washington Irving.
Episode 16 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features Mars as a news reporter, reporting on news items that did not make Page One...or Page Forty Six, for that matter. MESSINA ON DA SCENE reports newsworthy news that is a bit off the beaten path. We end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading of the W.B. Yeats poem, THE SECOND COMING.
Episode 15 provides medical and psychological evidence that fun is a vital part of an adult's health. It is not a luxury, nor should one suffer a guilt trip for having fun. It is part of life and a factor in aging gracefully. I will give suggestions on how an adult can recapture that childlike experience of having fun and I will talk about the following activities: Parkour, Swimming/Aqua Aerobics, Dungeons & Dragons, and Geocaching...all of which can be done at any age, and at any level of fitness or intelligence.
Today, we explore the Superstition Mountain range, located east of Phoenix, Arizona. This terrain serves as a beautiful landscape within the Valley of The Sun, and is a favored place for hikers, campers, and other adventurers. It is also home to supernatural phenomena and unexplained death. The Superstitions are sacred land to the Native Americans, particularly to the Apache Tribe. I will be talking about some of the folklore and mystery that surrounds these mountains, my own superlative experience hiking the Superstitions, and Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf features an old Indian tale called, THE WATER JAR BOY.
Today's topic is on God, specifically, God The Mother & The Divine Feminine and - even more specifically - the role she played/plays in the Ancient Hebrew culture/religion and how she even appears in monotheistic, patriarchal Christianity (and I'm talking about The Eternal, Ancient Heavenly Mother, rather than Mary of Nazareth, who wasn't called "Mother of God" until 3rd Century, CE). Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf features an excerpt from the poem, "The Naked Goddess".
Episode 12 is the flagship episode for ghostly storytelling - based in Chicago, but also elsewhere. As Chicago is said to be the MOST haunted city in the US, we will start with this city....We will address the possible reasons why Chicago is so haunted...we will explain hauntings/being haunted by a psychological point of view...we will profile two of Chicago's most notorious haunts - The Red Lion Pub and The Benton House...we will end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf, with a reading of the poem, ANNABEL LEE, by Edgar Allan Poe.
This episode attempts at an objective investigation into LGBTQIA+ as an aspect of human life in nature and in societies, across continents and time. I will also revisit the history of the Gay Pride Parade, including its genesis.
On February 13, 2017, Abby Williams and Libby German - two teenage girls from Delphi, IN - disappeared from a hiking trail. The next day, their bodies were found in a nearby wooded area. The perpetrator of the double homicide remains at large. I will take you through the timeline of the case - from the girls being dropped off at the trails to current day, and I will talk a bit about the personalities of the girls. I will discuss aspects about the killer that law enforcement has shared with the public. We conclude with Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf, with a reading of Rudyard Kipling's, BIRDS OF PREY MARCH.
Today's subject is the ancient Greco-Roman city of Pompeii, and how it was both destroyed and preserved by the Plinian eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius, near Naples, Italy. I will talk about the ancient society and local customs, I will time travel with you to the day of the eruption and we will try to escape. We end with Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf, by reading an excerpt from my novel, RED MOON OVER GAETA, whose protagonist and her family are the posterity of these aforementioned ancient Romans. A wildly successful TV chef, Jain will teach you how to make artichoke arancini!
Why are teenagers risk-taking, thrill-seeking, back-talking, hormonal and randy? Science has the answer. I will talk about why the young are the way they are, and I will talk about how to retain youthful vitality at ANY age. The vehicles with which I will arrive at my scientific conclusions are western biomedicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf features a reading from the Tao Te Ching.
Today's topic is on the complex, mysterious manifestation of pleasurable, Central Nervous System-induced tickles and tingles known as ASMR - Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. ASMR is also known as brain-tingles, sparkles, and low euphoria. Discussed are triggers for an ASMR experience, and I will read sibilant poems that often spark ASMR feelings in those who experience ASMR. Whether you do or not, these triggers are usually relaxing for anyone, regardless.
Lifestyles of The Private Investigator: basic personality, skill set, job description...my own experiences as a Secret Agent named Agent 99 (true story)...Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf features an abbreviated excerpt from the book, SHERLOCK HOLMES THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES.
Today's topic on sleep outlines the Architecture of Sleep....gives pointers on Sleep Hygiene...and ends with a relaxing and rejuvenating GUIDED MEDITATION!
On today's episode, we explore the latest news in UFO sightings: official reports released by the Pentagon regarding UAP (unexplained aerial phenomena) picked up by radar and eye-witnessed by US military in 2004, 2015, and 2019....my own two UFO sightings...and we end with Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf.
This 35 minute meditation discusses a bit about some of the greatest social commentators known to society...I impart a bit of my own observation on my own society...we close with Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading of the William Blake poem, "The Chimney Sweeper", from the compilation, SONGS OF INNOCENCE.
This nearly 31 minute episode meditates on the April 21, 1967 tornadic outbreak that ravaged Oak Lawn, IL, known as "Black Friday"...I speak on my very first encounter with another tornado at age 7....I end with Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf, reading a bit from a short story in my compilation, BABELSPEAK - A TRIO OF BEDTIME STORIES FOR A DYING EMPIRE, available on Amazon.com
33 minutes devoted to a fantasy trip to Italy, a little bit about me - Mars Messina - and the purpose for this podcast...wrapping up with a Bedtime Story from the Acoustic Bookshelf