ZOMBIES INVADE FORT MEYERS, FLORIDA

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Fort Meyers, Florida hoped to set a ghoulish world record for the Guinness World Book of Records, on October 15^th at ZOMBIECON 2011. The event calls for a gathering of the living dead to take over Downtown Ft. Meyers for an evening. Last year’s gathering was estimated to have been over 10,000 zombies, which unofficially beat the former record. This year, organizers of the event planned to make it “The Official Largest Gathering of Zombies”. According to Guinness, the World Record for the “Largest Gathering of Zombies” was set on October 30, 2010 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, with 4,093 participants.

In order to satisfy Guinness, organizers had to thoroughly document the attempt and adhere to a number of regulations. First, all zombies had to be registered by signing in and receiving a wristband with a unique number. Registration took place on Oct 15th from 5:00 PM until 8:45PM. At 9:00 PM sharp, all registered zombies were to report to “The Red Zone” on FIRST STREET (between Broadway & Jackson). The Goon Squad helped to facilitate the movement of all infected zombies into the designated “quarantined area”. All “survivors” (those not wearing zombie makeup) were asked to step off of the street and onto the sidewalk. During this time, survivors were able to seek refuge in the sanctuary of the Patio de Leon, or in any of the local bars and restaurants. Once all zombies were contained within The Red Zone, the official time keepers marked the start of the world record attempt with a loud signal. All zombies were required to stay within the designated area for the duration. Once 10 minutes had elapsed, a second signal proclaimed the end of the attempt. Zombies were then allowed to rejoin the living, and the party continued. All documentation

Toddler Killed by Python : Justice for Shaianna

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

A few months ago I wrote a story for Paranormal Pub called “The Pet Python”. http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/05/pet-python.html

Never in a million years would I have believed I’d see the same title as a news headline with an innocent, toddler for a victim!

Officials remove the 8 foot python that killed a two year old

Tragically, 2-year-old Shaianna Hare was strangled Wednesday by her family's 8-foot-long pet Burmese python. Shaianna was already dead when paramedics arrived at about 10 a.m. according to Lt. Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.

Charles Jason Darnell, 32, the snake's owner and boyfriend of the child’s mother, said he discovered the snake missing from its terrarium and ran to the toddler’s room, where he found the snake wrapped around her. Darnell said he stabbed the snake several times until he was able to pry the child away while someone else called 911.

"The baby's dead!" the sobbing caller from the house screamed to a 911 dispatcher in a recording. "Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby." "She got out of the cage last night and got into the baby's crib and strangled her to death," the caller said.

Authorities removed the snake from the home Wednesday afternoon. Once outside, the snake was placed in a bag and placed inside a dog crate. The snake was still alive.

"It's a tragedy," Sumter County Sheriff Lt. Bobby Caruthers said outside the home. Authorities said it's "a definite possibility" that the python may have been trying to ingest the girl. Blood was found on the mattress and teeth marks were found on her head.

Darnell did not have a permit for the snake, which would be a second-degree misdemeanor, according to Joy Hill, a spokeswoman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The snake was said to be malnourished, weighing only 13 and a half pounds, when a full grown python should weigh 140. Officials believe the snake had not been fed in over a month. 

The Humane Society of the United States said including Wednesday’s death, at least 12 people have been killed in the U.S. by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.

On Thursday, a Florida jury found Jaren Hare and Charles "Jason" Darnell guilty in the python strangling death of Hare's 2-year-old daughter, Shaianna. The couple was found guilty of all charges, including third-degree murder, manslaughter and child neglect. Hare and Darnell could be sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Pythons are not native to Florida, but some residents keep them as pets, especially Burmese pythons, which can grow to more than 15 feet and weigh more than 150 pounds.  When the snakes become too large, some owners release them into the Everglades and other wild areas, Florida officials say. One killed an alligator and then burst when it tried to eat it.

"It's becoming more and more of a problem, perhaps no fault of the animal, more a fault of the human," said Jorge Pino, a state wildlife commission spokesman. "People purchase these animals when they're small. When they grow, they either can't control them or release them."

The fast-growing population of snakes has been invading southern Florida's ecosystem since 1992, when scientists speculate a bevy of Burmese pythons was released into the wild after Hurricane Andrew shattered many pet shop terrariums. Scientists don't have an accurate estimate of how many pythons are in Florida, but estimates range from thousands to hundreds of thousands.



Shaianna



Caylee



So here’s what we want to know:

*Do you believe the jury was correct in throwing the book at these parents and finding them guilty of murder, manslaughter and child neglect?

*Do you think the perceived lack of justice in the Casey Anthony case had anything to do with this jury’s decision?

*If you disagree with this jury’s verdict, what would your verdict have been?

PILOT WHALE REPORT FROM KEY LARGO

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

The sun slipped silently into a golden horizon here at Key Largo leaving an ethereal glow on the water. The palm trees swayed gently in the tropical breeze and the air was filled with the scent of flowers. You would think such beautiful surroundings would bring peace and tranquility, but my heart is so heavy I couldn’t enjoy it.

Another pilot whale died today at the Marine Mammal Conservancy where professionals and volunteers alike have been working shifts around the clock to save these beached whales. This particular whale was in critical condition and despite all efforts, couldn’t recover.

Two pilot whales remain and every effort is being made to help them recover. The prognosis is good. One whale is swimming on her own. The teenage whale still needs to be supported and is receiving medical treatments for pneumonia through her blow hole, but is said to be progressing nicely.

My first shift begins at 7:30am tomorrow (Wednesday) and I’m looking forward to holding and wetting down the little pilot whale! Maybe tomorrow night I’ll feel that I can enjoy the tropical splendor around me!

Zoologist Patty Smukall and I join the rescue team tomorrow morining



PARANOMARL PUB - FARMER'S REVENGE - A GEORGIA TALE OF TERROR

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

A good friend of mine moved to Georgia when her husband was offered a huge promotion. She and her girls didn’t want to go, especially when they were going to have to live in a fairly isolated area in Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County. The day they moved in to their rambling ranch style home, an old man came up as they were unloading the car. They were pretty well off the road and wondered how the man had come since they saw no car or truck. “Just passin’ through.” He told them looping his thumbs through his overalls. “Thought you should know about this place.”  Their curiosity piqued, they invited him to sit on the garden bench and tell them his story.

My daughter and her husband were driving the road right out in front of your place. It was a cold, rainy night and the road was slick. They went into a spin wound up stuck in the muddy ditch. They both heard the stories about the madman that lived in this very house - killed his wife and her lover with an ax when he found them trying to run away together. Of course, that was years ago. My son in law told my daughter to stay in the car and lock the doors until he came back with the police. There was a wicked fog and they couldn’t see but a few inches in front of them. He got out and disappeared into the mist. A few minutes later, she heard a scream, a loud crack and then a gentle bump, bump as if something was blowing in the wind. She crouched down further in the seat, covered her head and prayed that her husband would return with the police.

It felt like hours, but after only a few more minutes the car lit up with a bright light and an official sounding voice called out “Step out of the car”. “Thank goodness”, she thought and stepped out into the bright light. It was then that she saw what was bumping against the car. There, hanging from a tree with his throat slit from side to side was her dead husband. She looked towards the light to see the policeman but realized, it wasn’t a policeman at all. A  man in overalls with a bloody hatchet in his hand was moving closer. “Thought you would leave me, did you? Well think again.” The last thing she saw was the glint of his headlights against the cold, bloody blade.

My friends packed up that day. They moved to a well populated community several miles away where they lived for three years.  As soon as the opportunity presented itself, they moved back to Palm Bay, Florida where I’m pleased to say they live happily to this day.

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

I peer out my front window through the whisper of frost as the first honey colored rays
of sun peek over the horizon. The lawn is a Florida winter carpet of brown scattered with
green, and squirrels dart happily in and out of the branches of the small red maple my
husband and I planted in the yard. I take a closer look at this little tree. The spot where
it sits was inhabited by several holly and water oaks before it. For some reason, none of
them survived. My husband fertilized, sprayed, watered and coaxed but each one became
a brittle brown twig after the first winter.

LADIES & GENTLEMEN...

START YOUR ENGINES!!!!

DAWN BOYLE

This week is the 53rd racing of the Daytona 500. The big race is on Sunday, February 20, 2011. It is a 200 lap, 500 mile race with a sold out crowd that is one of the highest rated sporting events that people tune in to see. It will be shown on Fox, with a 1:00PM start time.

Apparently there are a bunch of races that determine positioning. Martina McBride will sing the National Anthem and the United States Air Force Thunderbirds do a breathtaking air show to entertain the die hard fans of NASCAR. There is VIP seating and people pay top dollar to attend this legendary sporting event. This is considered the Superbowl of the racing circuit, with more then 40 of the best and brightest drivers jockeying to compete for the title.