How do we know it's there? You can't see a black hole. It reveals itself whenever an errant star or cloud of gas meanders too close. Matter falling into the hole is ripped apart and superheated, emitting bursts of high-energy radiation just before it disappears over the event horizon. Occasionally a burp of X-rays emanates from the Milky Way's core, and astronomers check off another meal.

Today these burps are seldom, but among astronomers it is widely thought that the Milky Way's "monster in the middle" used to be more active--frighteningly so. Paul Martini of Ohio State University (OSU) explains: "Billions of years ago, when our galaxy was young, there was more 'food' in the core—lots more gas and stars for the black hole to consume." He believes there could have been "a real feeding frenzy" lighting up the center of the Milky Way like a beacon visible half-way across the Universe.

Above: A Chandra X-ray image of one of the clusters of galaxies used in Martini's study. [More]

"The food, or fuel for a central black hole, is primarily thought to be interstellar gas," adds Martini. "It is likely that an occasional star is also swallowed, but most researchers agree that clouds of gas are the main fuel source."

Hence the big picture: When galaxies are young, a black hole forms at the core. Why? "Because that is the bottom of the galaxy's gravitational potential well," answers Martini. "Gas, stars, even smaller black holes will settle to the center of the galaxy over time." At first, gas is abundant, and the black hole feeds greedily, announcing itself to the cosmos via high-energy X-rays. As time passes, the core is depleted of gas and feeding subsides. By the time a galaxy is as old as the Milky Way (10+ billion years), the central black hole has grown to millions of solar masses, but only takes an occasional meal.

ON THE JULY 25, 2007 broadcast of Coast-to-Coast AM with George Noory, he was scheduled to conduct an on-air Ouija board experiment. The show had been hyped for many weeks, and in the space of those previous weeks he had been encouraged by a few to go ahead with the experiment and warned by many more to forego it.

When it came down to the night of the experiment, George backed out. The experiment was all set to go. Rosemary Ellen Guiley brought a vintage Ouija board, seeing the event as an opportunity to “advance people’s thinking about spirit communication.” Bruce Goldberg was also in favor of trying the experiment and even invoked “white light protection” to shield the experimenters from any harm from lower astral entities.

He, too, thought it would be educational for listeners as an example of psychic empowerment.

The dissenting voice came from Jordan Maxwell, and it was a strong one. He told George in no uncertain terms that such an experiment would be a mistake and that it was very dangerous and “extremely foolhardy”, warning there was a possibility of opening a portal that would allow dark entities to come through.

We don’t even know for sure what the experiment was going to be or how it was to be conducted. We don’t know who was going to touch their fingers to the planchette or who was going to ask the questions. We don’t know what the questions might have been. The only clues we have are in George’s revelation that he had had a near-death experience that left him obsessed with the afterlife. His intention with the experiment was to see if he could contact spirits, specifically that of his dead aunt, who could tell him the afterlife is real.

So why did George back out? Because, he told his audience, of strange things that have happened in the previous weeks:

• People getting into car crashes
• People getting trapped in the St. Louis Arch (where he lives)
• His daughter is pregnant and she miscarried during a previous pregnancy
• An earthquake in Indonesia
• A previous guest’s mother had died

Cat's "sixth sense" predicting death?
Predicting the death of a patient, even an elderly, demented one, is an inexact science, even for a doctor with decades of medical experience. But a cat in a Providence, R.I., nursing home, an animal shelter refugee named Oscar, seems to have a sixth sense about when residents in the home's advanced dementia unit are about to pass away. And his actions can sometimes help alert the staff to notify family members in time for them to get to the nursing home to tell their loved ones goodbye.

Scientists now know: We're not from here!
Imagine the shock of growing up in a loving family with people you call "Mum" and "Dad" and then, suddenly, learning that you are actually adopted! This same sense of shock came as scientists announced that the Sun, the Moon, our planet and its siblings, were not born into the familiar band of stars known as the Milky Way galaxy, but we actually belong to a strange formation with the unfamiliar name of the Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy!

'Psychic reading' part of investigation targeting murder suspect
Three months after a 40-year-old Toronto-area bookkeeper vanished, she purportedly told a psychic she wanted to warn her killer to move her body so he would not be arrested.

Princess claims clairvoyant powers, aims to share them
Norway's Princess Märtha Louise, daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, has emerged as a clairvoyant, and is launching an alternative school aimed at training students to contact angels. Officials at the Royal Palace won’t comment on the princess' latest business venture.

There's a new twist in the Da Vinci Code conspiracy theory hunt, at least as far as the media is concerned. Italian artist Slavisa Pesci is stirring up a new frenzy by questioning whether the geometry obsessed artist hid some heretical images in the Last supper, which are (of course) only visible when the image is mirrored on itself. Odd images include what appear to be a pair of Templar knights, and a female figure holding a baby. As hidden image theories go, this one is possibly worth a look.

If you're looking for some theorizing with a little more meat on it, you may want to check out Moonstonejonz' treatise on our favorite hermetic lady:The Mona Lisa, Freemasonry, and the Sigil of Saturn

Sleipnir

In the Asatru faith, July 26 is the the feast of Sleipnir, the legendary eight-legged horse belonging to Odin, the Father-God of the Norse pantheon. Sleipnir carries Odin between the world of the Gods and the world of matter. The eight legs symbolize the directions of the compass, and Sleipnir's ability to travel through land and air.

In the ancient Egyptian calendar, it also marks the reappearance of Sothis (Sirius), signalling the beginning of the annual Nile floods.

That's it for now. On the job front, I am happy to tell you that my boss came through big time. My job is on-call and is usually restricted to evenings and weekends. My partner quit at the beginning of July so I've been holding down the fort, so to speak, while my boss compiles resumes and arranges for interviews to fill the position. Right now, I am working every day but, as I said, my boss did come through with some additional monetary compensation for the weeks I should be off duty.

In late May, a couple of my tenants had taken in a little beagle puppy named Buster and I fell immediately in love...I'm not kidding. This little guy was so full of life and love it was impossible not to make a connection that was almost spiritual in nature. For varied reasons, they had to tearfully give him up but it was to a good home where he'll be well treated. I was quite sad but but happy at the same time. I had been given an opportunity to share the Light inside me with a small puppy and I am overjoyed at the opportunity. One door closes and another opens...A good friend of mine recently adopted two tiny female kittens and wouldn't you know, I fell in love again...lol. In fact, I have had the pleasure (that is dubious at times, as any cat owner will tell you) of their company for the last week and it has been incredibly refreshing. These little girlies are so full of love and curiosity and I feel exceptionally honoured to be accepted as part of their "family". When they crawl up on my lap, feeling safe and protected, I realize that love can come in so many forms.

That's it for now. Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for coming by.

See you in the ether !