The Annual Mooning of Amtrak

When is it? It occurs the second Saturday in July each year.
It happens all day from approximately 7 am until about 11 pm. For the approximate times of the trains, check out Amtrak's web site is: www.amtrak.com.

Who is in charge? No one. No one organizes or is responsible for this annual event. Everyone who attends helps make it a safe, fun & successful day.

What does the event cost? There is no admission charge


What about the police? Sheriff: As in past years, the area will be patrolled by the Orange County Sheriff for the City of Laguna Niguel. That said, there can be absolutely NO "controlled substances", carrying an alchoholic beverage outside, exposing certain prohibited body parts or hasseling with the sheriff deputies. The deputy people have been very considerate and liberal in the past. Please don't ruin it for the future.

Will there be newspapers & TV cameras? Every year you can count on reporters & photographers from the newspapers and Videographers for TV. They usually come around noon, stick around for an hour or so interviewing people, then leave so they can make their late aftrnoon deadline. How you interact with the press is up to you, but since you are in a public place they have the legal right to take your picture.

What if I want to see it from the train? On the train you'll only be able to photograph or video through the glass windows as the train rolls by. Some train engineers slow down for the event, others speed up (like Metrolink.) Some trains will have windows that open (which will eliminate glare on your photos) but most do not. Amtrak has nothing to do with this "show."

What happens after dark? After 8pm, Night Mooning starts. Bring a flash light with plenty of batteries, or better yet, bring a Coleman propane or gasoline fuel camping lantern. Some bring a wire coat hanger to make a hook to hang your lantern from the chain link fence. The area is dark at night as there aren't any street lights along the road here. Night Mooning is better because: it is less crowded, cooler temperature, and more authentic.

Must I "moon", or can I just watch? No, You can watch.

Does It get hot here in July? Yes, mid-day it is usually about 95°F (35°C) and humid.

Should I bring food & drink? If you wish. Mugs Away Saloon will be serving cold beverages. An outdoor vendor will be grilling hamburgers for sale and another selling souvenir event T-shirts.

Are pets O.K. to bring? Yes, you can bring your dog, cat, snake, parrot, or iguana. Don't forget water for them.

Can I decorate my butt? Yes, that's O.K.

What happens in the saloon? There are two successive bands inside the Mugs Away Saloon from Noon till closing, which is about midnight.

Can the physically handicapped get around this area? Yes, a wheel-chair should work just fine. There are no stairs to climb. Close-in car parking spots may be difficult to find.

Disclaimer: Attending this event may be hazardous due to the large concentration of silly people, cars, motorcycles, motorhomes, concrete vehicle wheel-stops, potholes in the parking-lots and pets. Everyone present is responsible for their own actions. If you trip on something, or hurt yourself, you alone are responsible. There is no one to sue. No one either promotes this nor charges admission. If you do come, act safely! If you're accident prone, go somewhere else where you'll be safer. Neither Mugs Away Saloon, The City of Laguna Niguel nor Amtrak are responsible for this event, nor for assuring your safety. The City & the railroad would rather you didn't bother coming to this event. No one is carrying public liability insurance for this. Besides, would any insurance underwriter insure an event called, "Mooning Amtrak"?

Many many thanks to: The City Council of Laguna Niguel, The Sheriff of Orange County, OCRRA (owners of the rail rightof- way), Metrolink Rail Agency and of course, our beloved AMTRAK, for their tolerance and contemporary open-mindedness.

HOW THE TRADITION STARTED

The best answer the story of the birth of the Mooning tradition, says 20 years ago (1979), at The Mugs Away Saloon, a K.T.Smith told his buddies he'd buy a drink for all who would run outside to the rail road tracks and "moon" the next train, which many did. Word spread, and the local newspaper, The Orange Country Register, ran a story about it. The story attracted more people to the bar, and the tradition began. In order to keep the mooning under control the Orange County Sheriff’s Department made a verbal agreement with the bar not to arrest anyone as long as it only happened one day each year and certain rules of decorum were maintained. The mooning tradition has prevailed, but there is no longer a volunteer to buy free drinks for thousands of "Mooners". Locals estimate that more than 8,000 people annually participate in the tradition. \

AND THE TRADITION CONTINUES!

It occurs the second Saturday in July each year and lasts for but a brief few seconds each hour. At any given time there are bout a hundred people gather along the chain link fence in the parking lot. When that crowd leaves it is replaced by a new group who can’t wait to bare their butts to the next set of passing trains. It is most crowded between 10am and 4pm.

The year we went, there was a definite carnival atmosphere among the crowds of people with cars, camper trucks, motor homes and motorcycles parked all along the street. Some people brought their pets along: I saw dogs, cats, a snake, a parrot, and even an iguana. There was even a guy in a wheelchair, who carefully stood up for a few seconds and dropped his pants as the train rolled by.

“The law enforcement deputies have been very considerate and liberal in the past,” said one non-organizer. “We warn people not to expose anything except their butts to the train. As long as we follow those guidelines, we never get hassled.” Those may be the unofficial rules, but at least once each hour you can count on a pair of female breasts being revealed as well.

For passengers on the train, this also seems to be an anticipated event. The Amtrak line parallels Interstate highway 5, and trains carry passengers between Los Angeles and San Diego. Unlike most Saturdays, the Amtrak cars are filled to near-capacity with passengers to see the "moon show." Most trains actually slow down to half speed as they approach “Ground Zero” so that people with cameras and camcorders can record the view through the large glass windows.

Inside Mugs Away is a wall of photos commemorating the rears of hundreds of people who have participated over the years. The bar also sells souvenir T-shirts and even a DVD movie. Adding to the festivities, a band named the “Moonies” (what else?) plays inside from noon until the last train passes around midnight. During the day the bar serves cold beverages and an outdoor vendor grills hamburgers.

After dark, “Night Mooning” has become popular also. Participants bring flashlights or Coleman propane or gasoline fuel camping lanterns and hang them on the chain link fence with wire coat hangers. Said one mooner, “I like night mooning better because it is less crowded, the air temperature is a little cooler.

Locals claimed that in 26 years they have never made an arrest or ticketed any of the participants, until 2008. That year, police broke up the event after someone complained about public nudity and drinking. Apparantly a very loud pair of drunken women started lifting their tops to the train, and there were a few people who decided to be total nude. No arrests were made, authorities said.

[If you have ever been to the event, this is nothing new. It happens every year and nobody cares. – Ed.]

In anticipation of the 2009 event, the Laguna Niguel City Council approved two new ordinances that will make it unlawful to consume alcoholic beverages in public and urinate in public. According to Laguna Niguel Mayor Robert Ming, “Thousands of rowdy partiers from out of town have forced us to take this action. This event happened for many years without problems, but it has now gotten out of control. We cannot allow a situation where public safety and our local businesses are threatened.”

If you don’t go, you can follow the fun on Twitter at: www.Twitter.com/LagunaNiguelCA. Also: http://www.moonamtrak.org
Source:http://www.socalnaturist.org/

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The world's scariest Hostel room in the Mont Blanc mountain range

The tube-shaped hostel, which can accommodate up to 12 climbers, is located in the Mont Blanc mountain range, in Italy.

And as well as bunk beds, a kitchen, and a living room, the hotel also boasts incredible views over the Fribouze Glacier.

The £200,000 structure is designed to save the lives of stranded climbers who are caught in blizzards and replaces a shabby wooden hut.

It opened this year after a build process which saw helicopters airlifting parts into place.

The hostel - commissioned by the Italian Alpine Club - sits close to the border for climbers who are crossing a popular route between the French side of the Alps and the Italian.

Reservations have to be made online and it is expected it will cost just £23 a night to stay there.

A spokesman for the designers said: “The refuge is a great achievement.

“The materials used are of a high standard and they are capable of handling the extreme temperatures.

“We wanted a modern futuristic look and that’s exactly how it’s turned out. The previous wooden hut just wasn’t up to scratch.

“There were some difficulties building the new refuge, given the altitude and the position in the midst of a glacier, but we got there in the end.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/

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Baptiste Giabiconi To Move To LA For Katy Perry

Singer Katy Perry has been on a whirlwind tour of Europe this month. According to new reports, the “Teenage Dream” songstress has been spending quality time with her rumored new boyfriend Baptiste Giabiconi, who is a very hot male model. The duo reportedly met during the Chanel runway show at Paris Fashion Week and were later spotted together again outside the Montana Club in the City of Lights. The pair was also spotted getting cozy during a private dinner aboard the EuroStar train from London to Paris on March 19, 2012. Giabiconi has apparently had his eyes on Katy Perry for the last 14 months. "I think she’s hot. If I could make her divorce her husband, I’d marry her," he said in an interview with Dansk magazine last year.

Singer Katy Perry was snapped with male model Baptiste Giabiconi and fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld at the Chanel Fall/Winter 2012 - 2013 fashion show held at the Grand Palais during Paris Fashion Week.

Katy Perry and her rumored new boyfriend were also spotted together on the front row at the Chanel show during Paris Fashion Week 2012.

A spokesman for Baptiste Giabiconi has revealed the French male model is keen to spend more time with the "Part of Me" singer and is looking to relocate to the States.

Baptiste Giabiconi poses shirtless for the cover of Glamaholic magazine

Top male model Baptiste Giabiconi and pop star Katy Perry arrive together in Paris from London via the Eurostar railway. Giabiconi is apparently the world's highest paid male model. He is currently the face of iconic fashion house Chanel. The French male model was once described as the boy version of Gisele Bundchen by German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Source: ezine9.com

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Top Ten Absurd Laws in the World

Ah yes, laws – the rules which govern all nations universally (exempting an interesting few). They protect ordinary citizens and provide consequences to those who break them, providing order so that the country may be stable and not anarchic. There are, however, an abundant amount of countries with laws that are just downright ridiculous, ranging from the United States to Swaziland. I present to you the top ten lists of absurdly ridiculous laws, in no precise order, from ten different countries.
10:China
One Child Policy

I am fairly certain that this will be the most well-known law on this list, for it has received much controversy. Put into effect in 1987, the law hoped to slow and even decrease China’s vast population of more than 1.3 billion. The law places a heavy tax on couples who choose to have more than one child. Debate rages on the ethnics of the law, supporters stating that China has taken a great step in targeting the overpopulation issue in, not only its own country, but in the world. Detractors, however, believe that restricting couples ability to raise a family of less than what they would like is morally wrong, and that abortion has increased because of parents wanting to have male offspring. Numerous groups have fought for its repeal, and only time will tell what the future brings.

9:Greece

Banning of Electronic Games

This law was first passed on September 3, 2002, and at first only illustrated the banning of video games in Internet Cafes as a way to combat illegal gambling, but as of December 8, 2003, it has been “revised” to include the banning of all electronic games. The reason was that lawmakers concluded that it would be too difficult to distinguish illicit gambling games from other harmless games, like online chess. I couldn’t imagine this law being implemented in my home of the United States, in which teenagers are infected with the “first-person shooter epidemic,” in which franchises like Halo and Call of Duty have sold millions of copies. However, other people have formed groups like the Mothers Against Video Game Addiction and Violence (MAVAV), which aim to have electronic games banned in countries, like the United States, believing that the increased violence in modern games increases instability and crime among young kids and adolescents.

8:France

No pig may be called Napoleon by its Owner

Yes, the great French general and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, responsible for conquering most of Europe during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815), before finally being bested at Waterloo by the Duke of Wellington. The French had the utmost respect for him, and it is thought that George Orwell’s famous short story, Animal Farm, in which the pig representing Stalin was named Napoleon, launched the laws publication. Even in France, the pig is often referred to as “Caesar” rather than “Napoleon” in the book, but this is more due to Napoleon being represented as Stalin rather than being represented as a pig. Today, however, many people consider the law a joke and hardly anyone respects it, let alone know it exists.

7:Germany

Pillows are Labeled as “Passive Weapons”

Hmmm, if attacked by a thug, would you rather be assaulted with a knife or a pillow? As for myself, I would choose a pillow, yet in Germany they seem to think otherwise, in which pillows are labeled “passive weapons.” Perhaps if filled with rocks or used for suffocation maybe? In the meantime, however, I prefer to choose a gun as self-defense rather than a fluffy sack.

6:Israel

Picking your nose is Prohibited on the Sabbath

Ah yes, the nation of Israel, formed shortly after WWII, in 1948, as a place where Jews could reside without being persecuted. The country is internationally famous as being tough and resilient, fighting near constant war with its neighbors for nearly its entire existence. It is centered around key issues such as the rights of the Palestinians, and is the source of much controversy. Well, back to the law, a rabbi is legally allowed to, and often does, prohibit church-goers from picking their noses during the Sabbath. This law exists, not so much because of it being disgusting (although that is obviously a contributing factor), but also in that it is believed that the potential bleeding caused by the loss of nasal hair may result in violation of the religious code of sanctity. Thus, the law is only directed to believers of the Jewish faith, exempting ordinary citizens.

5:Swaziland

Forbidding Girls to Wear Pants

Swaziland is listed as one of the world’s absolute poorest and most poverty stricken countries, in which the average lifespan is between 30-35 years old. The people are suppressed by corrupt governmental control and a tyrannical and power hungry “king” (dictator), the current one being King Mswati III, who has passed a number of bizarre laws in an attempt to reestablish “traditional values” (aka patriarchic society), in which girls are unequal and considered inferior to their male counterparts. Thus, women are forbidden to wear clothing resembling menswear, and if one is caught in public displaying pants, they are subject to having them forcibly ripped off of them by soldiers, and humiliated.

4:USA/California

Animals Publicly Mating

That’s right, animals are prohibited from publicly mating with each other within 1,500 feet of any tavern, school or church. I selected a strange law from California because it happens to be the state I live in. What I wonder is how this law is enforced, and why this would be a concern with our citizens or local school children. I have never yet had the sudden urge to view animals mating during church, and I have yet to see any kind of “guards” or “regulators” who would be responsible for keeping animal couples from engaging within 1,500 feet of a school. As a resident of California, I can say that this law is, overall, just ridiculous and ignored by the people.

3:Philippines

License Plates Law

This law is very interesting in that it is so absurdly specific. It states that Cars whose license plates end with a 1 or 2 are not allowed on the roads on Monday, 3 or 4 on Tuesday, 5 or 6 on Wednesday, 7 or 8 on Thursday, and 9 or 0 on Friday. I can’t possibly understand what would be the goal behind the makings of this law, and how it would be implemented and enforced. Its logic has to do with some kind of identification and status procedure, but the law is so subtle and irrelevant it was difficult to do in-depth research on.

2:Japan

Honor Law of Marriage

This law isn’t so much “absurdly ridiculous” in the sense of others on this list, but it is surely considered very strange by most readers (especially American) and truly depicts the intense respect and honor Japanese people give to their family. This law illustrates that an elder brother, by law and honor, can formally ask for his younger brother’s girlfriend’s hand in marriage, and both must agree to it. Surprisingly, there are many laws similar to this in other Asian countries and displays how the Asian people still have not let go of the thousand-year tradition of respecting your elders. We Americans still do as well, we’re just not as serious about it.

1:United Kingdom

Death In parliament

Great Britain is famous throughout Europe for its number of ridiculous laws and taxes, dating back hundreds of years. Over 2,000 laws have been repealed since its long history. Justice Secretary Jack Straw has been on a crusade to get rid of all of Britain’s most absurd laws, and one of his top priorities was this one, in which it was illegal to die in Parliament. This law, which as of now is no longer in affect (wonder why) was internationally criticized and laughed at for being pointless, as there could obviously be no punishment, and if a government official were to abruptly collapse from a heart attack far from the exit and need urgent help, the paramedics would first move him outside before operating on him? In case he died in the building? God Save the Queen, it is no longer in affect now.

+:Russia

Stalin Lives

 

Source: listserve.com

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The World's Most Extraordinary Coincidences

A baby saved by the same man at the same window, identical twins with identical destinies, the same sinking of Titanic and Titan, twins died at the same place after some hours and so on are some of the most extraordinary cases of coincidences around the world.


The first strange coincidence happened about 80 years ago in Detroit when Joseph Figlock was walking on a street and suddenly, a baby fell right in his arms, from a window high above his head. Luckily, the baby was unharmed but a year later; the selfsame baby fell from the selfsame window on the same man and survived again.

The baby was saved unharmed by Joseph Figlock in Detroit

One of the strangest coincidence stories ever: two identical twins were separated and adopted by two different families, but their destinies were similar to each other. They were both named James who had the same talents in childhood. What’s more, they two James married women named “Linda” and each of them had a son, named James Alan. After divorcing Linda, they also remarried to women named Betty.

Identical twins with identical destinies

In the 1920’s, three men appeared in a train together and their names had a strange link: One was called Bingham, the other had the name of Powell and the third name was the combination of the two others: Bingham-Powell

Morgan Robertson’s novel named “Futility” published in 1898 tells about a huge British passenger ship called “Titan” was unsinkable when Titan hit an iceberg and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean.

The same accident happened to the Titanic 14 years later

The book “The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym” of Edgar Allen Poe written in the 19th century was told to come to life. It is the story of the 4 people who found themselves on a boat in the middle of the ocean, after their ship had sunk. Because of starving to death, three of them decided to kill and eat the cabin boy, named Richard Parker.

Not long after, in 1884, four people survived the sinking of “Mignonette”. Not only that the exact succession of events took place but also the boy’s name was “Richard Parker”

In 2002, 17-year-old twin brothers died within hours of  each other after separate accidents on the same road, just 1.5 km from each spot in northern Finland

Source:http://society.ezine9.com/

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2011 Nobel Prize Winners

The 2011 Nobel Prize winners have been announced in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. Each recipient, or laureate, has a gold medal, a diploma, and a sum of money depending on the Nobel Foundation's income of the year.

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2011

The Nobel Prize winners in physics 2011 include Saul Perlmutter, who received a half of the prize, and Brian P. Schmidt and Adam G. Riess, who were awarded the other half, “for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae.”

From left to right, Adam Riess, Brian Schmidt and Saul Perlmutter

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2011

Dan Shechtman of Israel was honored the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2011 “for the discovery of quasicrystals.” He is the professor of Materials Science at Iowa State University.

Shechtman plays with his grandson during the press conference at the Technion Institute of Technology

Shechtman is seen during a news conference at the Haifa Technion in Israel

A silver/aluminium quasicrystal of the type discovered by Nobel prizewinner Daniel Shechtman

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2011

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2011 was divided into two parts, one half to Ralph M. Steinman, who died three days after the prize announcement, “for his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity,” and the other half jointly to Bruce A. Beutler and Jules A. Hoffmann “for their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity.”

From left to right: Bruce A. Beutler, Jules A. Hoffmann and Ralph M. Steinman

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2011

Nobel Prize in Literature 2011 was awarded to 80-year-old Swedish Tomas Tranströmer “because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality.” He received the £942,000 prize.

In his parallel careers as psychologist and poet, Tomas Tranströmer has worked with the disabled, convicts and drug addicts

Nobel Peace Prize 2011

The Women's Activists Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman were honored the Nobel Peace Prize 2011. “The award was a victory for Yemen's democracy activists and they would not give up until they had won full rights in a "democratic, modern Yemen,” Karman said.

From left to right: Tawakul Karman, Leymah Gbowee and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Yemeni Tawakul Karman is hugged by her husband in her tent at Tagheer square in Sanaa

Yemeni Tawakul Karman is hugged by her husband in her tent at Tagheer square in Sanaa

Source:http://society.ezine9.com/

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World’s Well-Preserved Corpses

Lifeless leaders and mummified men are still in good shapes. So, how were they preserved from decaying? Does the mummification continue to be somewhat of a mystery. Let’s explore the preservation of the world’s fascinating corpses.

Sister Marie Bernard died in 1879 at the age of 35. After 30 undisturbed in the tomb, her body was exhumed for examination three times. The body was in a state of perfect preservation.

St Bernadette - Nevers, France

Lenin - Moscow, Russia

In Moscow’s Red Square is Lenin’s Mausoleum. He was not taken off to a subtle grave after his death. The body was well-preserved by clever embalming and injections of mysterious 'balsam'.

Inside the mask of glorious gold lies Ancient Egypt’s most famous body. The inner coffin is very impressive, with 110kg of pure gold.

The examination of the Tollund Man disclosed that this adult male was well-preserved. He is believed to be the most well-preserved body from pre-historic times in the world.

His hands and arms were nearly skeletonized. However, the head was well-preserved. The hair was covered by crafted leather cap. The body’s hips were tied with a belt which was made of thin pieces of leather.

Juanita was discovered on the summit of Mount Amptato in 1995. The Ice Maiden was preserved by freezing temperatures and high altitude.

Up to 150 corpses were deposited in the Capuchin Monastery before the 18th century. The desiccated cadavers include abbots, 18th-century monks, and local notables.

It is ideal to preserve bodies in the well-aired catacomb.

The embalmed body of president Ho Chi Minh, much-loved leader of Vietnam, remains display in a grey-granite mausoleum.

SOURCE: http://society.ezine9.com/

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