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Open Submission Request for Modern FolktalesDo you have a story that you think qualifies as a modern folktale? If you do, ModernFolktales.com would like to read it. If we think it meets the folktale standard, we’ll publish it on our site! ModernFolktales.com is a new but very important project. We’re on a mission to identify modern folktales throughout the world and publish them under one roof on the Internet for everyone everywhere to read. Continue reading Submit Your Story Mongolia, China, 2003, Strange Pre-Earthquake OccurrencesA 2003 story in the China Daily relates some strange occurrences just prior to a large earthquake that hit Chifeng, a city in Mongolia. Villagers reported that they saw water spurt more than six feet into the air from a river bed that had been dry for many years. Cellphone signals were reportedly knocked out for up till 10 hours prior to the quake in an area about 90 miles from the epicenter. Experts speculated the cause may have been interference from “abnormal terrestrial magnetic waves.” Continue reading Earthquake Warning Signs SummaryA Google search using the words “earthquake trends”1 reveals that earthquakes have been on a lot of peoples’ minds. But it’s not just since Haiti. As one high profile earthquake gives way to another, the Internet clearly indicates that many people are starting to ask questions. It’s interesting to note the different interpretations of what is perceived by many to be an increase in either the frequency or strength of earthquakes in recent years. This post takes a look at some of the popular stories currently circulating about earthquakes. They constitute the common beliefs that many people share about earthquakes and how they relate to contemporary societies. As such, it is felt that these stories represent modern folktales about earthquakes.
Wild Animals in Kenya Threatened by Extinction as Severe Drought Causes Food ShortagesIn an article titled, “Kenyans eating wild animals as drought worsens,” The Nairobi Chronicle reported on its blog last September that the drought in Kenya was so bad that people were resorting to hunting bush meat in the national parks. This includes monkeys and baboons, which, until a short time ago, were considered taboo. The situation has gotten so bad that in some parts of the country, frightened monkeys that used to roam freely have taken refuge in the bush, far away from humans. In other parts of the country, gangs of half-crazed baboons have banded together thrashing everything in sight, pounding dogs into “mince meat”. Continue reading Kenyans Desperate to Survive Resort to Poaching Killer Earthquakes and Other Problems Beneath the SurfaceSilent and unexpected, without warning, they smite with irresistible force. All that dwells upon the surface is subject to the invisible fury of the earthquake. Shacks and mansions, buildings, bridges, and roadways; their permanence rendered illusory. Yet for all its titanic power, the earthquake, unlike other natural forces, does not kill man directly. It exerts itself on the very things that sustain our civilization, causing what normally provides shelter to cave in and crush us. Magnitude 6.0 Earthquakes and Above Since January 9, 2010The map and table below show earthquakes registering a magnitude of 6.0 or more around the world. This information will continue to be up-dated as future earthquakes are recorded. Click on the balloons for information about each earthquake displayed in the map. Whenever possible, links to stories and videos of interest will be provided. If you have one you’d like to share, please register and upload it. ModernFolktales.com Earthquake Tracker
Suicide BombersPresidents Obama, Bush, and other politicians routinely call them and their leaders evil. Others say they’re hapless dimwits lured into sacrificing themselves on the altar of jihad for the sake of remuneration or virgins in paradise. There are also theories that they’re trying to rid their countries of what they perceive as military occupations by foreign governments. Who are the suicide bombers and why do they want to kill us so bad they’re willing to blow themselves up? Why are there so many people volunteering to end their lives in such a gruesome way? Continue reading The Monster Dialectic The Droughts in Africa from 1900 to 2009Africa has been struggling with droughts for many years. Some countries there are facing enormous challenges. In a piece entitled, Kenyans eating wild animals as drought worsens, The Nairobi Chronicle, for example, reports that wild animals “face extinction by ending up on dinner tables as the worst drought in a generation takes its toll on a people impoverished by years of poor governance, corruption and political sterility.” Since 1950, Ethiopia, another drought-plagued country, has suffered more years with drought than without. How bad is the drought situation in Africa and will it get worse? This post will take a look at the drought-stricken African countries and regions going back to 1900 and attempt to determine whether this data suggests any trends. Natural Disasters. Are They Increasing?You don’t have to be a meteorologist, seismologist, or any other ologist to see that the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and extreme weather events seems to have significantly increased over the last few decades. Massive flooding from extreme precipitation; raging wildfires from prolonged droughts; monster hurricanes or super tsunamis or giant earthquakes all seem to have become much more common headlines over this time period. Continue reading Natural Disasters of the World The Clean and Dirty Reality of WaterIf any resource can be used as the quintessential symbol for the quality of life on this planet, it would probably have to be water. In this sense, water is a measure of purity. Clean water brings salubrious thoughts to mind: Images of healthy living and mountain streams appear. Cascading waterfalls or tanned couples immersed in the crystal clear infinitude of faraway ResortLand. The idea of water in and of itself is refreshing; it invigorates the mind. Like sunlight, it is elemental and strikes a primeval chord within us. In the 19th Century, Thoreau wrote a piece about the mysterious light that seems to be forever present in bodies of water—even small ones. Continue reading The People’s Water |
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