St. John's Day: June 24th ~ Flying Saucers, Fires, Forteana, and Finding MacFarlane's Bear

June 24th is St. John’s Day. 


The modern era of "flying saucers" began with Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting on this date of unidentified flying objects seen flying at supersonic speeds between his plane and Mt. Rainier, Washington. Arnold reported the nine discs then flew off towards Mt. Adams, in the distance.

Some previous events on this day include:

Knights Templars displayed “Mysterious Head” at Poitiers (1308). Founding of the Order of the Garter (1348). A sudden outbreak of St. John's Dance (1374) caused people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations, and jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapsed from exhaustion. John Cabot discovered North America (1497). Lucrezia Borgia (1439) died. Samuel de Champlain discovered (1603) the mouth of the Saint John River, in New Brunswick, Canada. Galileo released (1633). “Woman of the Wilderness” utopian community arrived in America (1694). “Woman of the Wilderness” angelic visions (1701). Grand Lodge of Freemasons inaugurated (1717) in London. Napoleon's Grande Armée crossed (1812) the Neman River beginning the invasion of Russia. Ambrose Bierce born (1842). Red rain, Italy (1877). Ice fall, Ft. Lyon, Colorado (1877). Fall of jelly-like mass, Eton (1911). Fred Hoyle born (1915). 

Pieces of a meteor, estimated to have weighed 450 metric tons when it hit the Earth's atmosphere and exploded, landed (1938) near Chicora, Pennsylvania.

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Arthur Brown ("Fire," 1942 or 1944, both are reported) born. Jeff Beck (Yardbirds, 1944), Charlie Whitney (Family, 1944), and Chris Wood (Traffic, 1944) born. Colin Blunstone (The Zombies, 1945) born. Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac, 1947) born.

First day of flying saucer history, Mt. Rainier & Mt. Adams, Washington State - Kenneth Arnold sighting (1947). 


Filmstock fire killed seventeen people, Brussels (1947). Movie theaters evaluated during huge fire, Perth Amboy, New Jersey (1947). United Airlines plane struck by lightning over Cleveland. Ohio (1947). Invasion of grasshoppers battled with flame-throwers, Guatemala/El Salvador (1947). Woman attacked and killed by bees or wasps, Seattle (1947). 


More births of future musicians. Patrick Moraz (Yes, 1948) born. John Illsley (Dire Straits, 1949) born. Astro (UB40, 1957) born. Dennis Danell (Social Distortion, 1961) born. Curt Smith (Tears for Fears, 1961) born. Richard Z. Kruspe (Rammstein, 1967) born.


Bizarre aerial sightings near Daggett, California (1950) and on Iwo Jima (1953). The Angora Fire (2007) started near South Lake Tahoe, California, destroying over 200 structures in its first 48 hours.

The deaths of various UFO (aerial and related phenomena) researchers, writers, and fans (Frank Scully, June 24, 1964; Frank Edwards, near the coming midnight of the 24th, on June 23, 1967; Arthur Bryant, June 24, 1967; Richard Church, June 24, 1967; Willy Ley, June 24, 1969; Jackie Gleason, June 24, 1987). June 24, 2006 saw the death of renegade publisher Lyle Stuart who published anomalist writer Frank Edwards’ Fortean book, in 1959, Stranger than Science, a paperbook full of information on ufology and other unexplained accounts.

Mystery deaths are often associated with St. John's Day.


The day is named after John the Baptist, in celebration of his birth date. The feast day of his birth (June 24) became celebrated more solemnly than that marking his martyrdom by beheading (August 29). This is unusual but then "strange" and June 24th go hand and hand.

Let me share some other facts about June 24th.

Throughout Europe, and via the United Kingdom, St. John's Day's symbolism spread to the USA. In the UK, and especially, Scotland, bonfires are a key. Should we be surprised to find it so in North America too?

St. John’s Day (”Jaanipäev”) is a major traditional holiday in Estonia, celebrated by singing around bonfires, in Estonian communities in the United States and Canada as well as in Estonia itself. The glow-worm, because it usually starts appearing around St. John’s Day, is called Jaaniuss – "St. John’s Worm" – in Estonian.

In France, the Fête de la Saint-Jean (Feast of St John), traditionally celebrated with bonfires (le feu de la Saint-Jean) that are reminiscent of Midsummer's pagan rituals, is a catholic festivity in celebration of Saint John the Baptist. It takes place on June 24, on Midsummer day (St. John's day). In certain French towns, a tall bonfire is built by the inhabitants in order to be lit on St. John's Day. In medieval times, this festival was celebrated with cat-burning rituals.

Of course, there will be no cat burnings during most American or other worldwide celebrations. But a bonfire might be in order. Fire in the sky is a major underlying theme of this day.

Respect the wonder of the 24th of June.

The iPhone 4 was placed first for sale on June 24, 2010.

Some people even create special events to be specifically associated with the day...

Monroeville is located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Happy Birthday to Arthur Brown on June 24, 2012.

Now for the some cryptid events...

Photo archive: Strange Ark

Two Inuits killed a huge, yellow-furred bear at Rendezvous Lake, Barren Ground, Canada, on June 24, 1864. The bear was similar to Arctodus simus, which died out in the Pleistocene. Naturalist Robert MacFarlane acquired the bear’s skin and skull, and shipped the remains to the Smithsonian Institution, where they were placed in storage and soon forgotten. Eventually, Dr. Clinton Hart Merriam uncovered the remains, and in 1918, he described the specimen as a new species and genus, calling it the “patriarchal bear,” with the scientific name Vetularctos inopinatus. Today, it is often recognized as a new species, Ursus inopinatus. Later thoughts have called into question the uniqueness of this species. (For more, see Matt Bille's contribution.) 


On another June 24th, locals would have Bigfoot sightings, in Logan and Union counties, Ohio (1980). A Chupacabras was encountered outside a disco, at Maria Elena, Argentina (2000). Moose hunters saw a Bigfoot, near Fort Simpson, NWT, Canada (2002). A mysterious fire erupted in Mothman country, in a Gallipolis, Ohio resident’s car on a bridge from Ohio to Point Pleasant, West Virginia (2003). Massive unusual aerial phenomena (winged weirdies?) were viewed at Xalapa, Mexico (2005). “Aren’t You Chupacabra to See Me?” aired for the first time on Cartoon Network (2005). Nestle used Bigfoot-costumed marchers to launch Kit Kat Limited Edition – Cappuccino at the Giant Mahkota Parade, Malacca, and Jusco Tebrau City, Johor (2005).


What will happen in 2012?

Norway: 7.22.11 Breivik Attacks

More Updates: Copycat violence?
(1) Six killed, four wounded in Grand Prairie, Texas, roller rink shooting, July 23, 2011;

(2) Ten shot at La Raza car show, in Kent, 20 miles from Seattle, July 23, 2011.

(3) A total of seven people were injured also in the Seattle area, early Sunday, July 24, 2011, including two in critical condition, after a gunman opened fire at a casino. According to KIRO-TV, the shooting happened at about 1:30 a.m. local time Sunday at the Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, a city some 20 miles south of Seattle.

And now this strange new incident:
(4) New Norwegian Killing

by craig on July 25, 2011

Last night two masked men in military uniform shot dead a 27 year old man in his home in Sandnes, Norway. Nowhere in the mainstream media can I [craig] find anybody wondering whether this is related to the massacre in Norway the day before – even though both were killings with guns, (very rare in Norway), and either this guy really was assassinated by soldiers, or both were carried out in false uniform. Have I [craig] turned into a crazed conspiracy theorist, or is this lack of curiosity a little bit strange?

News Alert on Monday, July 25th: The total death toll in Friday's bomb blast and shootings in Norway has been revised downward from 93 to 76, police say.

Police now say eight people died in the bombing in Oslo, up one from the earlier death toll. Authorities revised downward the number of dead in the shooting on Utoya island from 86 to 68. Police say they are still searching the island for possible victims.

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Original posting (with updates in numbers) about the July 22, 2011, events:


Early on Friday, a person dressed as a policeman fired shots at Norway's Labour Party Youth Camp, injuring and killing several people, Norwegian state broadcaster NRK reported. There were about 700 people at the camp, NRK said. (Update: The death toll for the shootings at the camp plus the bombings was set at 93 and/or 94 on Monday before the revision downward.)

Word of the attack came after a giant explosion rocked government buildings in Oslo, Norway. NRK reported that people were confirmed dead. (The number of dead is seven for those killed in the Oslo blast.)

Several buildings were badly damaged, witnesses said, and the city was reeling. The cause of the blast remained unknown for some time, as no one claimed responsibility.

Anders Behring Breivik is the suspect, shown here wearing a Masonic apron and outfit. Is Breivik a Freemason? Indeed, it appears so. According to Norwegian newspapers, a Facebook page ascribed to Breivik showed him as a person interested in bodybuilding, conservative politics and freemasonry. Another new photograph and information has associated him with a Knights Templar group.

By late on Friday, Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old ethnic Norwegian man, tall and blonde, was in custody, officials said, after two attacks earlier in the day that killed scores of people -- attacks police said are linked. The first attack occurred when a massive bomb erupted in the heart of Oslo; the second occurred at the ruling Labour Party's youth camp on an island outside the capital.

At least seven people were killed in Oslo, and at first only 10 were reported killed on Utoya Island (this is now said to be around 91 dead), officials said. A Labour Party member said panic broke out at the camp, with people climbing trees and jumping in a lake to avoid the gunfire.

The acting national police chief said the gun used was an automatic weapon and that undetonated explosives were found on the island after the attack.

National police chief Sveinung Sponheim told NRK that the suspected gunman's Internet postings "suggest that he has some political traits directed toward the right, and anti-Muslim views, but whether that was a motivation for the actual act remains to be seen."

Andersen said the suspect posted on websites with Christian fundamentalist tendencies. He did not describe the websites in any more details.

A police official said the suspect appears to have acted alone in both attacks, and that "it seems like this is not linked to any international terrorist organizations at all." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because that information had not been officially released by Norway's police.

"It seems it's not Islamic-terror related," the official said. "This seems like a madman's work."

But was there a message in the madness? "He is clear on the point that he wants to explain himself," police official Roger Andresen told reporters Saturday.


It is to be noted that the terrorist attack in New York was on 9/11, the one in Madrid on 3/11, and the Mumbai events on 7/11.

I have written extensively in The Copycat Effect (NY: Simon and Schuster, 2004) of the symbolism of dates in these acts and other underlying "messages" found in such twilight language, of course. 


The incidents in Oslo, Norway, occurred on 7/22/11, or, in European style, on 22/7/11.  Twenty-two, of course, is 11 x 2.

SMiles Lewis passes along the following confirming quote made sometime after my book appeared, about the July 11, 2006, Mumbai attacks: "The date of the attack, the 11th, may be only a coincidence, but it won't be ignored as investigators try to figure out who was behind today's deadly commuter train attacks in India. The 11th has now been chosen as an attack date in New York, Madrid and Mumbai. 'There's a lot of symbolism involved when terrorists choose their targets and the dates of their attacks,' said Jack Cloonan, a former FBI agent on the bin Laden squad who now works as an ABC News consultant."

What might be the deeper significance of today's attacks?


See the developing comments section below, for links to the historical King David Hotel attack of July 22th, and for more on the Masonic background of the suspected shooter.


Also, as I wrote about before and during the Virginia Tech shooting, there appears to be an unconscious or conscious attempt on the part of shooters to be the one with the highest "body count." 


Is this incident now the largest single shooter attack with the greatest number of young people killed in a youth-oriented setting? Obviously, the number killed has been higher in bombings and in military or terrorist operations with teams of killers, but isn't this the highest number of youth killed by one person in a single event, sadly?

Part Two:  See here for news of the Mexican Knights Templar group connection.

Killers Pick Special Dates

The Canadian media continue their balanced and insightful approach to examining various factors in multiple homicidal-suicidal events.

School Shootings
Killers often pick special dates for their attack

They 'compete' for high body count, expert says
Apr 17, 2009 04:30 AM

by Trish Crawford, Toronto Star

This year, April 20 – Hitler's birthday – will mark the 10th anniversary of the Columbine school killings.

And, psychiatric social worker Loren Coleman is worried, because mass killers often choose special dates and anniversaries for their carnage. The killers at Columbine did, by picking the birthday of one of history's monsters.

The author of The Copycat Effect (Simon & Schuster) says the amount of attention this anniversary gets may determine whether any other disaffected males bent on vengeance pick April 20 for their act of destruction.

"Anniversaries can be dangerous," Coleman says. "These individuals compete with each other."

From the 14 deaths at Montreal's 1989 École Polytechnique to Columbine's 1999 death toll of 13 and Virginia Tech's all-time record of 32 deaths, the numbers of fatalities climb as shooters learn from each other, says Coleman, a former university professor and senior researcher at the Muskie School of Public Service in Maine.

Creating a high body count is the goal of these killers, he points out.

Chaining doors to prevent escape or rescue, carrying large amounts of back up ammunition and bringing ties and ropes to restrain victims are all refinements added over time as publicity over school killings reaches angry, disenfranchised males, Coleman says.

In the wake of the recent rampage in Winnenden, Germany, which saw a former student return to his school and kill 12 people there, Coleman called schools "a fish bowl setting with a vulnerable population."

Even people with no connection to a school, such as Pennsylvannia truck driver Charles Roberts, who killed five Amish school girls in October 2006, have picked a school as a site of easy victims. The week before, six female students had been taken hostage and one was killed in Colorado by a 54-year-old man who had chained the front doors shut. Roberts used that trick, too, Coleman says.

The killers are uniformly "homicidal, suicidal, sexually dysfunctional males" who feel powerless and blame others for their problems. Attacking school students – young girls are favoured targets – makes these people feel powerful and strong, Coleman says.

Eleven of the 12 school victims in the attack in Germany last month were females students and teachers.

Read more here.

Publicity may have contributed to the increase in school shootings in the past two decades.

Dec. 6, 1989 –14 women at Montreal's École Polytechnique killed with a semi-automatic rifle by Marc Lepine, 25.

March 13, 1996 – 16 children and their teacher killed by a 43-year-old avid gun collector in Dunblane, Scotland, after telephone lines cut.

April 20, 1999 –12 killed and 24 wounded at Columbine High School, in Colorado, on Hitler's birthday by two heavily armed, trenchcoated students, 17 and 18.

Sept. 1, 2004 – 333 hostages die in explosions after Chechen militants take over a school in Beslan, Russia.

Oct. 2, 2006 – 5 Amish girls killed and others injured in one-room Pennsylvania school by 32-year-old husband and father who kills self.

April 16, 2007 – 32 people killed in two separate attacks at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by gunman who sent photos to TV station.

Sept. 23, 2008 – 10 people die in Finland's second school shooting that year, as a masked student rampages following YouTube warning.

March 11, 2009 – 15 people are killed in a school shoot-up and car chase in Winnenden, Germany, by a 17-year-old former high school student.

Source: Toronto Star, Toronto Star Library.

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