Beware the Expat!

First off, whether you are in Thailand or in any other Asian nation, beware of other expats…

“The biggest "rip offs" I've seen and encountered have been perpetrated by expats on other expats.

My best friend here is a 76-year-old Thai man and his family who have always shown me more generosity and kindness than I could ever possibly repay. 

On the dark side, one so-called expat "friend" actually had someone email me his fake obituary to avoid repaying loans I had made to him. I kid you not!”

-Stickman 

I can certainly vouch for that. Ouch! In fact, I no longer meet other expats for a coffee or informal talk. It’s simply not worth my time of day. Most are pathetic. I am so sorry to say that, but gosh darn it, it is true. What I mean is that quality of what one would expect tends to be rather low.

Shenzhen, China via GIPHY

For instance, I just received a friend request on one of the expat forums. This guy is going to visit China for a week and wants to sit down with me and talk about tax and investment strategies with me over coffee. LOL. I wasn’t interested. In fact, I am never interested in giving my money to a stranger that I don’t know. (It’s pretty darn silly don’t you think? Giving money to someone you don’t know.) Anyways, I told him I didn’t have any money.

Which is true. I have arranged things such that I live a very clean and simple life. I have few needs, and eat and live simply. It really cuts my stress down. So I told him the truth. I have no money.

None.

He responded “how can that be, how are you going to help the poor people?”.

Ugh! Since WHEN was my role helping poor people? Who assigned me that role? What gave him this idea that I had money in the first place? Because I am in China? Is that why? What planet is he on? He wants me to trust him, a total stranger, with my money.

He expects me to let him fly in, give him money, and let him fly away with it…

There are all kinds of expats in China. Not just China, but all throughout Asia as well. Everyone comes for their own reasons and purposes. While I am sure that many come only to face the harsh slap of reality, some do make it and thrive.

Yet, you know, I have met more than my fair share of young bright-eyed teachers, interns, and students on travel for the “experience”. Interspersed with this group are the grubby tattooed covered “carnies” who now go by the moniker of “backpacker”. Give me a break . They are just nomadic beggars without a home.

The older expats, for the most part are better.

They are typically trying to make a new life abroad, whether it is part of a retirement concept, or just out of raw need.  You know, I hate to say this, but they also tend to be a little desperate. It’s tough starting out on scratch in your 50’s or later. This is especially true as many are no longer hireable, regardless what the discrimination laws say. Many have lost everything as part of a divorce, or a business venture that went South. It is kind of sad.

The problem is that within this mix of desperate “good guys” are a significant number of experienced fraudsters . These are older men who have successfully defrauded others in the United States have moved on to “greener pastures” to ply their trade. With Asia being one of the preferred destinations.

I have fallen prey to “business partners” who would “work with me” on various “projects” to make money. These projects were all genuinely workable, it’s just that my “partners” had other reasons for the project. They didn’t REALLY want to set up a company. They wanted such things as a title and a business card to impress others. Some wanted a nice office building to impress others of their ability. Some wanted an endless supply of free samples of product so that they could network and market “the product”. No one wanted to put their own time, money or names up-front on the legal documentation. Lessons learned.

I’ve had more than my fair share of bad experiences, thank you.

Which is why this post is being written.

Beware the Expat

This post rambles on and on, but you know, the point needs to be made. You need to be careful. Expats tend to be a lonely bunch. As such, they are prone to fraud. They have a need for friendship and companionship; a need to belong. Yet many can never belong to their new adopted country. They are forever outsiders. Thus the need for expat friends.

There is a tendency to open up and bare ones soul to a fellow expat. Don’t. It’s not a wise thing to do.

Nevertheless, I will tell the reader this, I have NEVER told ANYONE (With the obvious exception of my wife, who really doesn’t care about my membership in MAJestic.) about my history or background. The Chinese only care about what you can offer them.

When they ask about who I am and what I do, I always down play it Chinese style. When asked, I respond…

“I work as a businessman. I am an engineer by trade, and I usually spend most of my time in factories. I am as exciting as a potato. OK. 
Enough about me, what about you…”

If you say, you are rich, and have a big house, nice car, etc… what is the benefit? Well, [1] If they believe you, then they will try to take from you. This is true for both expats, as well as locals. Alternatively, [2] if they do not believe you, then they think you are a loser and a braggart.

So, no matter what you do – you lose. There is no benefit in disclosure. None.

None.

Which brings me back to the point that expats are vulnerable. They are forever outsiders. While they might have a girlfriend, or wife (with an extended family), they will always be an outsider. No matter how well the wife can speak English, watch American television shows, or enjoy a fine pizza, she will not be able to understand what it was like in America in the 1970’s. She just cannot.

Aside from the fact that she wasn’t alive then, the cultural difference is far too great. For instance, here in China, the day to day life is really different than what I ever experienced in the states.

Park in Shenzhen.
Here is a park in Louhu which is downtown Shenzhen, China. It is the home of the Chinese stock exchange (the “staircase” shaped building in the center), with the green (twin tower) DeWan building to the left, and my old place of employment to the center right. I guess you could call it a Chinese version of New York’s Central Park. It’s very nice.

Thus, expats tend to be a needy group. As such they tend to want to reach out to others. They can use all kinds of hooks or methods. One of the most common is to be a braggart. You claim some kind of “advantage” that makes you somewhat “more special” and thus “interesting”. But what are these things that make you interesting?

  • A personal friend of ex-President Bill Clinton, perhaps?
  • The gardener for Bill Gates, maybe?
  • Maybe you shared a jail cell with a noted celebrity like Johnny Depp?
  • Maybe you owned a Lamborghini or a nice porsche 911 (a common brag, don’t you know…)
  • Maybe you had a house on the beach and hired girls to service you?
  • Maybe you invented the Internet?

No one really is interested in hearing about how you grew tomatoes, built a deck for your pool, or bought a riding lawnmower.  It’s seemingly too mundane. Though, truth be told, I actually would be.

There are expats for one reason or the other say that they were a member in the CIA or some other secret American organization. There are all kinds of organizations in the United States government. Claiming to be CIA in a foreign land might end up getting you killed, such is their reputation. Why not the DHS, ICE, FBI, DOJ, IRS, FCC, FDA, or HUD?

Of course, they might have been. However, it is really rather doubtful. Once in federal service, always in federal service. Maybe you retired, but would you really go overseas after such a cushy three figure income on “Uncle Sam’s” payroll? Who really knows?

Or for the matter, who the heck really cares?

If you tell them that they are (were) part of a secret government program or agency, they will think that you are friggin’ nuts.

Probably, more than likely, think that you have low self-esteem for one reason or another, and need to create some kind of fiction to inflate your importance on the world scene. You are not going to [1] make any friends, [2] get any girls, or [3] make any money saying these things whether they are fiction or not. It is always best to keep quiet. Say nothing. Let people come to their own conclusions about you based about who you are at that very moment in time.

We all want to be remembered.

Walking street bar in Pattaya, Thailand.
Walking Street Pattaya Thailand. It is a wonderful place to have a good time. I fully recommend it. However, caution is always warranted.

I personally believe that it is a human need. Some people feel that the only way that they can be remembered is if they do something horrific, or if they kill themselves in a spectacular manner (death by chainsaw, how is this even possible?) In a way, I suppose, it’s true. However, it really isn’t necessary. Not really.

People will remember you for your kindness, your good deeds, and the impression you make on them. They will remember how YOU made THEM feel.

An Example

No matter where you live, you need to be good. You need to treat yourself well, dress well, eat well, and be generally good with everyone you meet.

I am not at all kidding. Be clean and well groomed. Be kind and reasonably generous. Be helpful. Talk about interesting things (It does not need to include the United States government either. Talk about food. It’s always a favorite subject.) Be wholly attentive of the people whom are surrounding you. You are never the center of the world. You are only a participant in the reality that was constructed for you.

So when you go overseas, and the world seems different. With different rules, laws and social norms. Be yourself. Be open and adapt. It can be painful, but if you are kind and decent, you will be ok.

Crossing the street in Thailand via GIPHY

People try to reinvent themselves in Asia, often making all sorts of mistakes. Usually the mistakes can turn south, or even become lethal. Here is an interesting article on this subject. It can be found HERE . Excerpts follow;

“The warm weather, low cost of living and ready availability of comely women are not the only reasons some head for South-East Asia. The region attracts misfits from developed countries who can start again. 

It can be a fresh start, a chance to bury your background and reinvent yourself. With more than a few expats in Thailand, things just don’t add up and I often find myself thinking, who do you think you are?

The biggest story of the year in Bangkok expat society broke a couple of weeks ago when three foreigners – initially thought to be two Americans and a Brit, but later shown to be all Americans – were arrested in a building in the Onut area after tip-offs that counterfeit passports were being produced. 

Police officers executing a search warrant probably expected to find material used for making dodgy documents. Instead, they discovered the dismembered body of a Caucasian in a freezer.”

It turns out that this blogger actually sent and received emails from two of these individuals. This is more to the point because he is a rather well-known blogger in the expat community rather than for any kind of particular friendship with them.

You can make all sorts of “friends” on the Internet. Yet, would you really want to spend time with them in person? Who knows? The Internet can be very deceptive and as such, it can lure people into a false sense of security where all kinds of frauds can be committed.

“Of the three arrested Americans, Jim Eger had sent me numerous lengthy emails several years ago. They didn’t strike me as suspicious at the time, but rereading them now with the benefit of hindsight and what has been reported about the case, they piqued my curiosity. 

And then there was the guy who was said to have been hastily cremated whose name I recognized immediately. He’d sent a lot of emails to me over the years and shared much about his complicated private life.”

Need I say more? You never know what you are dealing with, when you are an expat in a foreign land. No matter how much they smile, and how drunk they are, everyone carries a past. Some of the pasts are just mildly curious (like mine), while others are quite dark and dangerous.

While I would really like to talk about my tomato plants, my love for Lorraine swiss cheese, and how to find the best salted butter in China, other people might want to chat about “bitcoin” or running a business to get “filthy China rich”. Ugh! The world is filled with all sorts of people, and many Americans are still fixated in the obtainment of physical items at the expense of interpersonal relationships. It’s sad, you know. Really, really sad.

Anyways, he goes on about these “internet friends” who wrote emails to him…

“Rereading our initial email exchange, it strikes me that he was trying to create a favorable impression of himself as something of an old Asia hand. He was not shy to name-drop a well-known, long-term, respected foreign restaurateur who some rumors say is former CIA – and someone who Jim would obviously knew I was familiar with…

Another part of the email that didn’t ring any alarms bells at the time – but does today – was talk of his involvement with renewable energy. As every savvy Bangkok expat knows, renewable energy is the #1 industry the boiler room boys – past and present – love to say they’re involved with.

 Green, renewable and anything good for the environment, it immediately makes people think positive things, puts them at ease and helps to get them to lower their guard. Someone working with something good for the environment could not be up to no good, right? That’s not to say that Jim had connections to Bangkok’s notorious financial scammers – on the contrary, there is absolutely nothing to suggest he was. 

Like I say, in Bangkok expat society, when anyone talks about “renewable” or “green” energy, be careful!”

Warning signs all.

  • Ex-CIA.
  • Involved in “renewable energy”.
  • Wants to be your friend.
  • Maybe start to tell your personal and intimate details to help lower your guard…

Uh oh!

“Some things just didn’t sound right in his emails and his willingness to tell me rather too much about himself makes me wonder what he may have been up to…

Yikes!

The emails were very well written, clearly the words of someone well-educated who had his shit together, not another lost expat or hapless newbie sharing the same old bargirl done me wrong story. At the same time…

…the words read a little like they were rehearsed.”

About the Expat Experience

We all leave the United States for our own reasons. Sometimes it’s because of a divorce and a chance to start over. Sometimes it is for work. Sometimes it is for adventure, and sometimes it is for fun. Or, in my case, it was directed towards China out of necessity. Everyone has their own reasons.

Never assume that others are like you just because they “mirror” your understandings or experiences.

There is a need that we expats have. We need to spend some time with others who shared our same experiences. It is nice to talk and have a beer with someone who knows what it is like to get a “Sonic Burger”, or who knows what it is like to pay the toll on “the Pike”. It is refreshing to chill with a guy who is (in a way) like you.

But, you’ve got to be wary.

Thailand night street.
Cities in Asia have a lot of color and distractions. The sights, smells and distractions are all very alluring. However, an expat need always be careful and cautious.

I’ve seen manipulators and tricksters “mirror” other expats. They look, act and say what the other person wants to see. When you are sitting away from them, and watch the interplay of discourse you can most certainly see it in action. It is amazing and disturbing at the same time.

Both participants are unaware of what is transpiring. They both mirror each other, and the result is a mutual “love fest”. There is nothing wrong with that, mind you. What is wrong is when one person decides to manipulate their relationship to profit from it.

Indeed, there are many, many scams out there. Many people prey and play on expats.

There are also a myriad of scams too numerous to mention here. But one example, another American expat of retirement age was in a steady relationship with a Thai. Every weekend they’d go to her family for lunch. The whole family would be there including the woman’s nephew and her brother. 

After four years the expat was tipped off: the brother was the woman’s husband and the nephew their son. The whole family had been in on it and had been milking him for money the whole time.

Among the long-term circles in the expat ghettoes peppered around the region there are liars, misfits, mercenaries, opportunists, English teachers and missionaries. 

Some are here out of genuine love of the place. They’ve come here for everything that’s different, for what you don’t or can’t get at home. Many, after a few years, wouldn’t want to return home. They’ve been bitten by the bug and would find adjusting to life back home just too difficult.

-PlanetAsia

 

It’s a Dangerous world – Some Expats go Feral

It’s true. You try to go native, and get tangled up with the locals and their lifestyle.  When you go to a new and different area, the differences can be alluring. However, they can be dangerous as well. You do have to be careful, least you fall into a trap, or a pit that you cannot climb out of.

Man dead in Thailand.
Unless you are careful, you could get sick and die. Death is a natural part of life, but unless we are trying to kill ourselves, I would think that it would be best if we just take life slowly and easily.

There are many misunderstandings. Most Americans are unaccustomed to the open and (often) free sex in Asia, and often misunderstand their role in the food chain. They think that Hollywood portrayals are accurate. As a result, you end up with “feral expats”.

Some describe a hierarchy of expats living in Southeast Asia. 

At the top there are the expat long-timers been there for years. In places like Cambodia this would be those who came with the UN right after the civil war years and never left, or left and then came back, having been “bitten by the bug”. 

Next came the professional expats living on Western salaries. 

Then in descending order come the TEFLers, those teaching English as a foreign language. 

Then there are the “Voluntourists” working for the myriad of NGOs and community groups. 

Following these are the Backpackers. 

Lastly, came the Sexpats followed by the Deadpats. These last two are a poor reflection on Westerners and probably confirms for many locals the negative image of foreigners.

-PlanetAsia

Unless you are smart, and have your wits about you, it is easy to get sucked into a situation that you might have trouble untangling out of. Many cannot.

Suicides are common. This is especially true in South-East Asia. Usually these are expat males caught up in a financial wrangle with a local woman or her family. More than a few expats have been burned that way, some losing their life savings. Some wind up living on the streets in places like Pattaya. Others jump off of high rises, or drive headlong into a dump truck at high speed. In fact there are numerous websites devoted to this phenomenon.

But it is far more complicated than this. In places like Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, many expats adopt unhealthy lifestyles: too much alcohol, poor eating habits and a lack of exercise. If you want to have sex, you had best be up for the exercise. You need to start eating locally, and concentrate on more fresh fish, instead of those delicious (but greasy) cheeseburgers.

Chinese girls can be alluring. via GIPHY

It’s not just the drinking, but because medicines are not regulated as they are in the USA, they are very easy to obtain and abuse.

Pharmacies in Cambodia are usually clustered together. One starts up and others follow suit. Self-medication is the rule. There’s no such thing as a controlled substance, which leads to all sorts of shenanigans. Morphine and heroin are widely available and cheap. People with a predilection for substance abuse can wind up in all sorts of trouble. For weeks I had a morphine addict masquerading as an English teacher staying in my hotel.

So, the expat MUST be “on their toes”. They need to plan, be careful and be with the right friends. If they make a misstep they could lose everything including their very own life.

Expats are NOT Immune

It’s true, though many people think that somehow, as an American with an American Passport they can get special and favorable treatment. Not so, not at all.

The judiciary is rarely independent, and the police corrupt. Personally, I find there is a certain assumption amongst tourists and expats when travelling abroad, to many places, that they are somewhat immune with a foreign passport. The reality can be much different. As a foreigner you can be exceedingly vulnerable in many instances.

The expat needs to be aware of this. Once they move outside the United States they are ALWAYS a foreigner. It does not matter how modern the society is, such as China or Japan, or how backward it is.

The world is stratified. When you become an expat you voluntarily drop down a peg on the sociological structure in exchange for certain other benefits. These other benefits can be a lower standard of living, better environment, more interesting society, and nice climate.

Shanghai, China via GIPHY

Full Circle

Immediately off the plane in Asia you become immune to ads, because you won’t understand any of them! After around six months, the effects of long-time immersion in western propaganda will start to wear off. Ad jingles will stop playing in your head. Your favorite TV shows will lose importance. You will decide what to eat on your own.

The result is you stop feeling the urge to buy things just to get a dopamine rush as if you were a caged rat hitting a lever to get a cocaine pellet. You ease into a minimalist lifestyle where accumulating things no longer positively affects your mood. In fact, you start feeling guilty when you buy things, because now you understand that objects don’t bring lasting happiness.

-PlantAsia

And now here we are, back to “full circle”. Leaving the United States can be very dangerous. It is not the same as what the fear-mongering media would lead one to believe, but it is dangerous in other ways. Expats, especially the successful ones, have learned NOT to trust anyone. They have learned that that pretty girl that you are cavorting with, would leave you as soon as your money runs out, and that businessman welcoming you would shun you if he knew the full extent of your finances.

Be friendly, but wary.

For that is the true and real secret of survival outside of the United States.

Chinese rollercoasters are modern and awesome. via GIPHY

Takeaways

  • American Expats are a different kind of “creature” compared to a “normal” American.
  • When a person leaves the United States they can expect to change.
  • When an American expat meets fellow expats, he should be wary.
  • Life outside the United States is fraught with dangers.
  • Some expats, are not what they seem.
  • Different Asian countries are more dangerous than others.

FAQ

Q: What is an expat?
A: An expat is anyone who lives in another country other than their birth nation. In my case, I refer to it as an American who is living outside of the United States.

Q: Can expats be trusted?
A: Like anyone else, there are both good and bad people. Some can be trusted and some cannot. When it comes to expats, there tends to be a higher percentage of bad expats than one would normally encounter in a civilized civilian population in your home nation.

Q: Why are you an expat?
A: Everyone should grow as they age. If you are growing, then situations will present themselves which will assist you in your growth. Often this means that you need to move to another nation. This is what happened with me personally.

Q: How can another expat hurt you?
A: Like all bad people, they could steal your money, your wife, your job, your career and your house. They can manipulate you to do things so that they would benefit.  You really need to be careful when dealing with people who understand your weaknesses.

Other posts about China

Notes

  1. Created 12JUN18.
  2. SEO and release to the Internet 12JUN18.

 

 

 

The Mystery of the Bronze Bell encased within a Block of Coal

The world around us is fascinating and very interesting. Many times we have discovered things that expand our horizons and our way of thinking. Each and every time that we see something that is new, strange or unusual we should pay attention to it. That is how we grow.

Only fools try to fit everything into a narrow prepackaged reality that explains everything away in a nice neat wrapper.

When we encounter “impossible” realities, we actually really need to pay attention to what we discover. For the knowledge of what we find, and the resulting theories can greatly expand and increase our knowledge of the world around us. We need to take a good hard look at OOPARTS and study them in detail.

With this in mind, let’s take some time to investigate a seemingly impossible item; a brass hand-bell found within a lump of coal some 300 million years old. Let’s look at it in some detail so that we can try to figure out a little bit more about our life and the history that surrounds us…

Introduction

In 1944, world war II was not yet over. The Germans were taking a beating in Russia and the Japanese armies were still strong and fighting. Back home, people rationed their food, and saved up “for the war effort”. In a small town in West Virginia, a ten year old boy, named Newton Anderson dropped a lump of coal when he was getting it from his basement. (In those days, homes were heated by coal furnaces in the basements, and they were fed from a “coal chute” nearby.) The chunk of coal broke in half. To his surprise he found that it contained an object inside. The object was a diminutive sized hand-bell made out of bronze.

The mysterious bell with hand to show comparative sizes.
When the block of coal was cracked open, this bell fell out of it. Finding things in blocks of coal has a WELL KNOWN history in Western Virginia and Pennsylvania. I myself have even found things encased within blocks of coal, though they were mostly junk like pieces of rod, screws and nails. My old tipple supervisor had a collection of objects that resembled tiny oil lamps, metal “teakettle lids” and tiny cups.

Where Found

Minging community in West Virgina.
Here is a typical mining community in West Virginia. It should be well understood that working under the earth and mining coal is not something where casual contemporaneous junk can find their way into the ore that is mined.

The bituminous coal that was mined near his house in Upshur County West Virginia. The mine where it was obtained has been dated by geologists to be about 300 million years old.

Location of Upshur county in West Virginia.
The location of Upshur county in West Virginia. It is here, in the mountains of West Virginia that coal has been mined that possess “impossible” OOPART objects.

Age

"...300 million years ago and was a funky time that saw relatives of club mosses grow to the size of trees while insects also reached comparatively gigantic proportions due to the higher-than-modern oxygen concentration."

-Arstechnica

We are forced to date this object from the coal that it was reported to come from. There just simply isn’t any other way to date this object. We must rely on the reported statements from the discoverer of the hand-bell.

Coal is formed by the compression and decay of plant life. Under heat and pressure, due to the typical weight of tons of earth, plant residue squeezes together and forms coal. Obviously, the bell was buried inside a huge pile of organic plant life and over the millions of years found itself encased inside a block of coal.

Coal fields exist all through West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Coal fields of West Virgina.
The coal fields of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. It is a wide belt of land that contains coal of different sulfur content.

A study of the region clearly points to the coal being of “Pennsylvanian” geologic structure. This does not mean that the rock grew some legs and walked South from Pennsylvania. Rather it refers to the date when the primary geologic landforms were created.

Here is a map of the geology of West Virgina. Obviously, Upshur county is smack dab in the middle of Pennsylvanian geology.

Geology of West Virgina.
Here is a geologic map of West Virgina. Note that the vast bulk of the geology is described as “Pennsylvanian” in nature and origination.

Here is what Britannica has to say about this time period;

Pennsylvanian Subperiod, second major interval of the Carboniferous Period, lasting from 323.2 million to 298.9 million years ago. The Pennsylvanian is recognized as a time of significant advance and retreat by shallow seas. Many nonmarine areas near the Equator became coal swamps during the Pennsylvanian.

-Britannica.com

This was an interesting time for certain.

  • 323.2 to 298.9 million years ago.
  • The retreat of shallow seas enabled lush plant growth.
  • The geographic area was on the equator during this time.
  • Those areas above the water became the coal fields that we mine today.
  • This was a period of time long before dinosaurs, let alone humans.
  • There were some small lizards, but for the most part the dominant (land-based) lifeforms were insects.
The major forms of life at this time were the arthropods (insects). Due to the high levels of oxygen, arthropods were far larger than modern ones. Arthropleura, a giant millipede relative, was a common sight and the giant dragonfly Meganeura "flew the skies".

-Wikipedia

The Dominant Life

During this period of time, the world was warm, lush and semi-tropical. The plant life was simple, with ferns and other plants that looked like bamboo strands. The planet had a far higher percentage of oxygen in the air than what we have today. This larger quantity of oxygen permitted the creatures to grow to enormous size.

The reason all that oxygen was present, by the way, is the vast burial of organic material before it could be eaten by oxygen-respiring organisms. And while oxygen rose, atmospheric CO2 fell, eventually leading to glacial conditions. It was a massive carbon-cycle experiment that mirrored our current one but with carbon moving in the opposite direction, from the atmosphere into the ground, where it formed the coal we’re now burning into atmospheric CO2.

-Why was most of the Earth's coal made all at once?

Personally, I would be afraid to live in this kind of environment. Can you imagine the mosquitoes, or cockroaches? Heck, a dragonfly would be able to bite off a thumb-sized chunk of skin off your arm! Yikes!

Big horse fly.
The insects were huge during the Pennsylvanian era. They flew above and fed on other insects. M. permiana, would have deserved the name “dragon.” It was probably the largest insect that ever lived: its wingspan could exceed two feet (60cm), and its body grew to nearly 17 inches (40 cm). M. permiana’s immense size has led researchers to think that it may have fed on animals as large as frogs and squirrels in order to sustain itself. The seas were filled with all sorts or marine life, but the land life was limited to insects and very small reptiles.

All the insects grew to enormous size. In fact, some that we know of were larger than many mammals. As in all cases, there are probably instances where there were much, much larger insects that we are unaware of simply because it is difficult to reconstruct history from invertebrates. However, what we do know, is indeed quite frightening!

Large Pennsylvanian creature.
Some creatures grew to enormous sizes. Arthropleura lived from the Carboniferous to the early Permian period (throughout what is now North America and Scotland) around 300 million years ago. These insects fed on the other insects and plant life during the Pennsylvanian era. Scientists aren’t exactly sure of this creatures diet. But even the modern giant centipede, which only reaches about ten inches (25 cm) in length, can prey on birds, snakes, and bats. Imagine the kind of prey a eight-foot-long version could bring down. This is the era where the OOPART bronze bell was found in. How could large insects make such a casting? Impossible it seems; just impossible.

The World was Quite Different

This was a long time ago. The earth was covered with water, and the planet was blessed with an enormous amount of oxygen and hot tropical temperatures.

Map of the Carboniferous era
Here is an estimation of how the earth was mapped out during the Pennsylvanian period. The overriding era was the Carboniferous period. It was from the coal and rocks that we have since hauled out from their imprisoned underground lairs that we have arrived at this strange OOPART object that resembles a bronze hand-bell.

The planet was mostly covered by large shallow oceans. The temperature was hot, moist and tropical (in the area where the bell was discovered). This was a period where there were all kinds of interesting sea life, but most land based life were yet to evolve. There were plants, and there were insects. There were some small reptiles, and snails. However, mammals were nonexistent.

It was a time that looked quite different than today.

Ancient earth during the Pennsylvania period.
The world was covered in thick simple forests, and hot shallow seas and inlets. Insects were everywhere and they grew to enormous sizes.

So, what did the earth look like? Yes it was different, it was warmer and the plants were quite different. Well, for starters, it smelled different. The plants didn’t apparently get much of a chance to decay like they do today, so the huge forests tended to pile up into a landscape of mush. There wasn’t any kind of forest floor like we see today. Instead it would be a soft and very thick bed of debris that would pile on top of each other over years.

The forest floor more realistically resembled a thick brush pile of leaves and plants that more resembled bamboo and ferns more than anything else. Beneath this pile was a thick and black oozy moist pile of sludge that was nearly impossible to walk through. Above was a thick canopy of fern leaves that towered high up into the sky.

So the reader should understand that the wooded forests and green areas more likely resembled a bog more than anything else. Everything was thick, moist and dank. Here would be swampy lands on the floors of the huge forests that populated the landmasses.

bog and swamp
This is a photo of a Louisiana bog / swamp. While there are hard and soft woods in this picture, the fact is that a large portion of the lands that are now part of West Virgina and Pennsylvania looked much like this 300 million years ago when the area was on the equator. The only difference is that the trees were more like ferns and bamboo strands.

There would be sunrises, and sunsets, of course, but the appearance of them would vary by the different atmospheric composition. It might have been a little hazier on the horizon, but perhaps clearer when you looked upwards. It would have been a very, and I do mean, very different environment.

The layout of the earth.
The world would not only look and feel differently that what we know of, but it would have a totally different shape as well. The contents would have a far different shape and over all appearance. It would be completely different to us.

Thus the Mystery

How can a bell be manufactured, and used at a time when the dominant lifeform on Earth were insects?

Thus we have an OOPART. It is an object that cannot be explained using our current understanding of history, science or mankind.

We are then faced with confronting some uncomfortable possibilities, one or more of the following should be considered;

  • The way we date things is wrong.
  • Our understanding of history and evolution is wrong.
  • Our assumptions on mankind and technology are wrong.
  • The assumption that man is the only and first intelligent life on earth is wrong.
  • The idea that insects were the highest most advanced form of life during the Pennsylvanian era is wrong.

Perhaps there are other solutions. These other solutions make us question everything that we know, and think that we know.

  • Is time travel possible?
  • What about dimensional travel, and possible cross-dimensional migration?

Now, there are always theories that might mitigate some of these ugly confrontations somewhat. For instance, we might believe that extraterrestrials transported non-native intelligent life to populate the earth during the Pennsylvanian era. Or, perhaps, we have underestimated just how intelligent large sized insects could become.

Regardless as to what theories one presents, we must confront the fact that the world, as we expect it to be, is all together something else entirely.

Item Description

With that being stated, maybe the object itself might shed some light on the mystery.

The reader should notice the overall construction of this object. Note that the handle grip on the bell does not match that of a contemporaneous hand. Instead, it is much smaller.

If one were to assume that, the handle grip was to match that of the hand of the user, than that would support the contention of a diminutive sized humanoid. One that was probably not much larger than a meter tall. Thus, we make the first discovery.

The user(s) of the bell were of small size and had small sized hands.

Figurine on the bell handle - front view.
Figurine that is on the handle of the hand-bell. It is a casting of a crude carving with elements that have been sawed, hacked or filed in place.

The reader should also note the figure at the hilt of the bell. This figure is depicted having two arms clasped together, and two legs spread apart (on one knee like a protesting football player). Note that the figure has what appear to be wings. The figure is dressed in a robe like garment that flows all the way to the ankles and feet.

How can this be? As we know, at this time, the only creatures that had wings were insects. There were no birds yet. There were no feathers.

"The evolution of birds began in the Jurassic Period, with the earliest birds derived from a clade of theropoda dinosaurs named Paraves."

-Wikipedia

Since the Jurassic period didn’t get started until 200 million years ago, this strange figurine and bell was manufactured some 100 million years before the first appearance of birds with feathers. At this time, the ONLY creatures that had wings were insects. Thus, we make our second important discovery;

The figurine possibly depicts an intelligent insect. As there were no birds, no feathers, and no wings at the time the bell was manufactured.

Why would someone want to make a brass hand-bell with an insect figurine on the handle? Either the person who made the bell was an insect themselves, and thus created a likeness of their ilk, or they “worshipped” or “honored” a large insect-like creature. (Much the same way that the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Chinese would honor deities of other species.)

Casting Bronze

Let’s take a look at the bell from the point of view of someone manufacturing it.

Certainly, the bell shape is balanced. Obviously, the mold that the bell came from was derived from a (Lost Wax) investment casting technique that utilized a bell shape that was (possibly) formed on a pottery wheel. This is no mean feat, as it implies that not only was the bell cast, but also that it was cast from a mold that utilized pre-made components of a degree of complexity.

Now, we tend to use a Lost-wax casting to make bronze parts like this bell. There is no reason not to use this technique. Here, the process is such that the object (in this case a bell with a small statue at the handle grip) is cast out of wax. In industry, today, the modern process is called investment casting.

It is a truly ancient practice. Today, the process varies from foundry to foundry, but the steps which are usually used in casting small bronze sculptures in a modern bronze foundry are generally standardized.

Typically a model of the object (the bell in this case) was made in clay. I strongly suspect that it was turned on a pottery wheel, and then other aspects of it were added, such as clay balls to form the handle, and a small clay figurine to adorn the end of the bell with.

This clay is permitted to dry and harden. Typically it could be left in the sun, or placed within a kiln to make the object hard and solid.

Then, a mold is created.

Lost Wax casting process
Lost Wax casting process © 2013, McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

The mold is typically made by using a plaster that is wrapped around the hardened clay object. Once the plaster is permitted to dry, it is then carefully broken into halves, and the image of the cast bell (or object) is preserved intact. This plaster is now a “production mold” that can be used to create multiple objects. Of course, the material used to make this mold (such as plaster) can only be used a finite number of times.

Once a production mold is obtained, a wax is then cast from the mold.

For a hollow sculpture, a core is then cast into the void, and is retained in its proper location (after wax melting) by pins of the same metal used for casting.

One or more wax sprues are added to conduct the molten metal into the sculptures. These are nothing more than pathways for the liquid metal to pour into the mold with. These sprues typically directs the liquid metal from a pouring cup to the bottom of the cavity.

Typically, the mold is then filled from the bottom up in order to avoid splashing and turbulence. If you are not careful you will get imperfections that are the result of an uneven pour into the mold.

Lost Wax casting process.
The elements of the “Lost Wax” casting process. From left to right, an image is made out of clay and then the proper steps are followed to make it into the final cast part on the far right.

Additional sprues may be directed upward at intermediate positions, and various vents may also be added where gases could be trapped. (If you are not careful, it would look like tiny air ball or bubbles were in the casting.)

With this completed, the complete wax structure (and core, if previously added) is then invested in another kind of mold or shell, which is heated in a kiln until the wax runs out and all free moisture is removed. The investment is then soon filled with molten bronze. The removal of all wax and moisture prevents the liquid metal from being explosively ejected from the mold by steam and vapor.

Students of bronze casting will usually work in direct wax, where the model is made in wax, possibly formed over a core, or with a core cast in place, if the piece is to be hollow. If no mold is made and the casting process fails, the artwork will also be lost.

After the metal has cooled, the external ceramic/clay is chipped away, revealing an image of the wax form, including core pins, sprues, vents, and risers. All of these are removed with a saw and tool marks are polished away, and interior core material is removed to reduce the likelihood of interior corrosion. Incomplete voids created by gas pockets or investment inclusions are then corrected by welding and carving. Small defects where sprues and vents were attached are filed or ground down and polished.

In the case of the bell, it is obvious that this was done, as the cutting and filing marks are clearly visible on the “arms” of the figurine.

What this tells us is a interesting third point;

The bell was made by someone who had previously worked with bronze investment casting processes to some degree of proficiency.

Bell Clapper and Link

The bell clapper also indicates some rather interesting features as well. While the weighed ball is missing, the linkage is intact and indicates that a wire was NOT utilized to hold the ball in place. Instead, a specially designed link was used. That implies that wire, string or metal cords were not drawn and available at the time of manufacture. Instead, the link was formed by pouring the liquid metal into a long rectangular slot. Then allowed to cool, finally bent into the twisted shape shown.

Link inside the bronze OOPART bell.
The link that connects the clapper to the bell is quite interesting. It is a bent strip of bronze. This means that drawn wire was not available at the time of manufacture. This is quite telling.

The reader should note that the hook, which holds the link, is not in the center of the bell, but rather off to the side. The significance of this is unknown, but does seem to lend a degree of credence towards post molding assembly and the possibility of repair over long periods of utilization.

Considerations in Mold Fabrication

The reader should also take particular note to the overall construction of the figurine. While the bell, and handle were apparently molded from a clay mold, the figurine was not. It was apparently ground by file or abrasion into the shape that it was found in. No eyes were molded. No mouth was cast. Instead these facial features were filed off to the shape that it was found as.

Rear view of the figurine on the handle of the bronze bell.
This is the rear view of the figurine that is on the OOPART handle. Notice that the bird-like creature is kneeling on one foot, and it’s wings are extended.

Finally, while it is difficult to make out, the figurine wears a hat, or has it’s hair in a style at the top of it’s head. Further it’s face seems to possess facial features more resembling a beak or a pointy face rather than any kind of nose. These are curious features, and not without their own mysteries.

Material Composition

This strange and unique object stayed in the Anderson family for many years, until it was eventually purchased by another organization. The organization that purchased it was The Institute for Creation Research. They are an organization that searches for inquiry towards and support for creationism; the belief that humans are a product of the divine.

The Institute for Creation Research

Investigators for the organization had the bell submitted to the lab at the University of Oklahoma. There a nuclear activation analysis revealed that the bell contains an unusual mix of metals, different from any known modern alloy production (including copper, zinc, tin, arsenic, iodine, and selenium).

An unusual mixture tells us many things. Firstly, that this object was not made or cast from contemporaneous raw materials.

Secondly, that the object probably was cast from either a formula that had no known conventional human analog, or was cast by amateurs using whatever materials those they had on hand. (I tend to believe the second theory.) Given the construction, shape and appearance, it seems to be an early casting; one suggestive of a society in the early throes of metallurgy.

Manufacture

This object consists of three components. They are;

  • The bell
  • The link
  • The clapper

The bell was cast from a mold. The mold was made from a model that was turned on a lathe or formed on a pottery wheel. The details on the figurine on the handle was obtained by filing, clawing or other related abrasive activity.

The link was made out of a sheet of bronze. Long thin strips were cut out of the sheet. These strips were then bent into the necessary shape to form the link.

The clapper is missing. It is unknown what has happened to it.

Implications of Use & Purpose

Assuming that the dating methodology is correct, and that this object is exactly as it appears to be, what does that tell us? It tells us that intelligent, tool-forming humanoids, existed during the carboniferous period.

It tells us that they carved an image of what appears to be a winged bird with a beak onto a bell. Since we know that birds did not exist at the time of the manufacture of the bell, that the image is more likely that of a flying insect with a pointy shaped face.

Given the purpose and utility of a bell, one must assume that it is used to call, or signal for some purpose.

The construction techniques used implies an early metal working culture that was capable of pottery, molds, smelting, and blacksmithing. They possessed “bronze age” technology.

We believe that the creatures were of small stature, and given the time period, existing during the time of great lush forests and great diversification of life. (Compare the hand hilt on the bell. It is designed to fit a much smaller hand. Perhaps the hand of a person the size of a small juvenile female.)

One can easily imagine entire communities of individuals that (perhaps) farmed and were more agrarian in nature. There is really not much of need for hunter / gatherers to possess a bell make pottery, mine ores, smelt, or call groups of individuals together. Thus, one can imagine small communities connected by diminutive roads or trails in the dense lush forests. All of whom existed at this time in the area now known as West Virginia.

I posit that the remains of these communities; those which possessed metal fabrication technology, and whom farmed the land in the Carboniferous period now lie buried deep inside the earth. To discover them, one must dig down deep, deep inside the bowls of the earth.

Impossibilities

These points must be made clear to the reader. During the Carboniferous period were numerous humanoid communities. None of them were Homo Saipan. We did not evolve until 300 million years later (give or take 25,000 years). These communities evolved over time and thus the archeological records would transcribe various technological levels to the communities. We, for example, might discover primitive hand tools, pre-industrial metal fabrications, and industrial technology all within a one million year stratum. Indeed, that is identically what future archeologists would see of humankind. That is what we view today when we unearth the ruins and remains from the Carboniferous period.

The figurine on the bell compared to an insect.
Could the OOPART brass hand-bell actually represent a large human-sized insect? If the bell is not a hoax, and it actually did come from a block of coal, then this can be the only conclusion possible. Either that, of course, or we need to throw out all of what know about history and the sciences. If so, and it does actually represent a large insect or creature that wears clothes, then what is the actual significance? Other than to deify a creature?

Resembles the Mantidae

The image as depicted on the bell handle resembles an insect that we commonly refer to as Mantises. Contemporaneously, they are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They have triangular heads with bulging eyes supported on flexible necks. Their elongated bodies may or may not have wings, but all Mantodea have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey; their upright posture, while remaining stationary with forearms folded, has led to the common name praying mantis.

A triangular head is quite evident on the creature that is depicted on the bell handle.

Triangular head of a Mantis.
The mantis has a very well defined triangular shaped head with eyes at the far two corners of the triangle, with the mouth at the third corner.

Of course, the question must be asked why would anyone want to depict a small insect; a mantis like creature, wearing a robe, with wings outstretched, and hands in prayer. Unless that creature is man-sized, much larger than what we see around us today.

Mantis.
The most common structural feature of the Mantis is the triangular head. Perhaps that is why they are classified as they are. Perhaps.

Could, for what ever reason, the bell handle represent a large Mantid or insect resembling a Mantis? If so, why would it be depicted praying with clasped arms, spread out wings, on a knee, and wearing a robe? Could this bell represent a time substantially different from what we know of today; one where the insects are the dominant species?

Mantis 3
Another Mantis showing the very distinctive triangular head, hands that seem to be in prayer, and crouched as if on a knee. Curious, and worthy of consideration.

Could this be a Hoax?

Yes it could. That is always a possibility. If it is, then we must accept the idea that a ten year old boy constructed his bell himself, and for whatever reason chose not to announce to his parents that he made the bell himself. Instead he wanted to create a hoax.

DIY

Making your own parts is a fantastic DIY project. Nothing lasts like metal or stone does. Why not make a small statue for your friends? Heck, you can get a Barbie doll, or another doll-body and use that as your base object.

I would suggest an introductory kit for starters. Go to “Create a Cast” and make your own.

I like this kit because you design the sculpture at home, and mail it to them using the postage provided for in the kit. They then use their foundry to make your work of art. Pretty cool, huh?

Now, once you made one of two castings, and maybe you want to start doing the entire process yourself by investing in a furnace and the like, you can do so. But remember, you need to start somewhere. Here is a great starting point.

Takeaways

  • A brass hand-bell was found within a block of coal.
  • The only way that any item can be encased within coal is if it was placed there while the coal was still soft and wet organic material.
  • This dates the object to 300 million years ago.
  • Humans did not exist until around 25,000 years ago, and historic humans, not until 6,000 years ago.
  • Thus this item is an OOPART. It is an intelligently produced object that predates mankind.

FAQ

Q:  What is the OOPART bronze bell?
A: It is a hand-bell, made out of bronze, that was found within a block of coal in 1944. It is considered an OOPART because the manufacture of the bell predates mankind.

Q: What does the figurine tell us?
A: That the user of the bell placed some sort of significance on a winged (flying) creature that had a beak or triangular face, and possessed human-like attributes such as wearing clothing, kneeling, and clasping hands.

Q: Why is this important?
A: The acceptance of the age of this object strongly implies that a technological civilization existed on the earth 300 million years ago. This civilization might have had arms, legs, and other human attributes, but it was NOT human.

Q: If this bell was the product of an intelligent non-human race, 300 million years ago, then where are they now?
A: The human species has only been around for 25,000 years, and of that, only 6,000 years has been part of our recorded history. Proto-humans date back as far as 300,000 years. Thus we could argue that entire civilizations can come and go, replete with their proto-evolutionary forms at least three times (3x) every million years. If this is indeed the case, then we could theoretically have 300 x 3 = 900 separate intelligent non-human civilization develop independently on the earth long before we (as humans) ever gained sentience.

Q: Why are bells, especially hand-bells, made?
A: Typically, bells, especially hand-bells, are used to call and announce things. Secondary uses include religious gatherings and as musical instruments.

Q: Will we ever know the true story behind this OOPART object?
A: We probably will not ever know. However, that is just fine. Sometimes the purpose of an object is to create a mystery for us to follow and learn from. Personally, I would really welcome someone gifted with Psychometry to provide us some insight into this object.

MAJestic Related Posts – Training

These are posts and articles that revolve around how I was recruited for MAJestic and my training. Also discussed is the nature of secret programs. I really do not know why the organization was kept so secret. It really wasn’t because of any kind of military concern, and the technologies were way too involved for any kind of information transfer. The only conclusion that I can come to is that we were obligated to maintain secrecy at the behalf of our extraterrestrial benefactors.

How to tell...

How to tell -2

Top Secrets

Sales Pitch

Feducial Training

Implantation

Probe Calibration - 1

Probe Calibration - 2

Leaving the USA

MAJestic Related Posts – Our Universe

These particular posts are concerned about the universe that we are all part of. Being entangled as I was, and involved in the crazy things that I was, I was given some insight. This insight wasn’t anything super special. Rather it offered me perception along with advantage. Here, I try to impart some of that knowledge through discussion.

Enjoy.

Secrets of the universe
Alpha Centauri
Our Galaxy the Milky Way
Sirius solar system
Alpha Centauri
The fuselage embedded within the rocks of Victoria Falls.
The Hammer inside the rock.
The Hollow Moon
The Mystery of the Lapulapu Ridge.
The Mystery of the Baltic UFO.
Mystery of the bronze bell.
Mystery of the oil lamp found inside a block of coal.
Did extraterrestrials set up a colony in Pennsylvania?
The Oxia Palus Facility
Brown Dwarfs
Apollo Space Exploration
CARET
The Nature of the Universe
Type-1 Grey Extraterrestrial
The mysterious flying contraptions.

MAJestic Related Posts – World-Line Travel

These posts are related to “reality slides”. Other more common terms are “world-line travel”, or the MWI. What people fail to grasp is that when a person has the ability to slide into a different reality (pass into a different world-line), they are able to “touch” Heaven to some extent. Here are posts that  cover this topic.

Cat Heaven
MWI
Things I miss
How MWI allows world-line travel.
An Observed World-Line switch.
Vehicular world-line travel
Soul is not consciousness.

John Titor Related Posts

Another person, collectively known by the identity of “John Titor” claimed to utilize world-line (MWI egress) travel to collect artifacts from the past. He is an interesting subject to discuss. Here we have multiple posts in this regard.

They are;

Articles & Links

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  • You can find out more about the author HERE.
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