Voodoo gonna get ya

“LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A wildfire in a forest north of Los Angeles that forced thousands of holiday campers to flee the fast-moving flames was ignited by candles used in an animal sacrifice ritual, fire officials said on Thursday.
U.S. Forest Service investigators initially believed that lightning started the 17,000-acre (6,880 hectare) Curve Fire, which started on Sunday in a bend of a highway that wends through the Angeles National Forest.
But after inspecting the point of origin, clues emerged that human activity was
involved, said Rich Phelps, a fire information officer.

"The Curve Fire investigation team has concluded candles associated with a
ritual involving the use of fire and animal sacrifices started the fire," Phelps said.

The Angeles National Forest, home to the San Gabriel Mountains, has long
been a popular site for practitioners of Santeria, a Westernized form of African
deity worship.

Santeria rituals commonly include the sacrifice of goats, chickens and other
small animals, and take place in a forest, which is considered a sacred place
akin to a house of worship, experts said.

Law enforcement officers routinely find tableaus of dead animals, votive candles
and shredded clothing in secluded spots throughout the Angeles National
Forest, said Deputy David Smail.

Deputies rarely see the rituals in progress but about once a month they find
leftovers that are not carried off by animals, Smail said.

"They go off into the woods and do their little thing," Smail said. "It's hard (to
catch them) because they sometimes have lookouts."”

“Sorry about the first post -- I don't know how it got sent before I cleaned up the copy.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A wildfire in a forest north of Los Angeles that forced thousands of holiday campers to flee the fast-moving flames was ignited by candles used in an animal sacrifice ritual, fire officials said on Thursday.
U.S. Forest Service investigators initially believed that lightning started the 17,000-acre (6,880 hectare) Curve Fire, which started on Sunday in a bend of a highway that wends through the Angeles National Forest.
But after inspecting the point of origin, clues emerged that human activity was involved, said Rich Phelps, a fire information officer.
"The Curve Fire investigation team has concluded candles associated with a ritual involving the use of fire and animal sacrifices started the fire," Phelps said.
The Angeles National Forest, home to the San Gabriel Mountains, has long been a popular site for practitioners of Santeria, a Westernized form of African deity worship. Santeria rituals commonly include the sacrifice of goats, chickens and other small animals, and take place in a forest, which is considered a sacred place akin to a house of worship, experts said.
Law enforcement officers routinely find tableaus of dead animals, votive candles and shredded clothing in secluded spots throughout the Angeles National Forest, said Deputy David Smail. Deputies rarely see the rituals in progress but about once a month they find leftovers that are not carried off by animals, Smail said. "They go off into the woods and do their little thing," Smail said. "It's hard (to catch them) because they sometimes have lookouts."”

“I have a cat (the neighbors) that I'd be willing to pass along to them. Come to think of it, there's a barking dog I'd throw into the equation as well.”

“How 'bout my wife's dog, too?! ('spose my wife would offer me up, also.)”

“We had that stuff going on in a city park here in Philadelphia when I was editor of the weekly that covered the area. My reporting on a host of issues including the sacrifices and stolen cars dumped and torched in the park got a park friends group started and brought a hasty end to all of it.

Bad memories of that time. They built little huts of grass and put the candles and sacrifices inside the huts. Never knew why the huts didn't burn down.

The first headless chicken I discovered was really puzzling. My first thought was that it was a cock fight loser, but there was no evidence anywhere in the park of cock fights. Eventually the Santeria thing came to light. Cops and wildlife officers are afraid of those people.”

“I thought Munga Akabariki was on the loose again. Jambo, rafiki!”

“There was a group that used to do animal scarifices down in the woods behind where I grew up. My brother wanted to do a story on them for the local paper until they told him they'd need a lock of his hair and a personal item before they'd let him observe. He backed out. Wuss.

Was I wrong to take a leak on their alter?”

“LOL @ Geezr!”

“Maybe 12-15 years ago there was supposed to be Satan worship going on in a "remote area" of Winneshiek County, where I live. Hmm, I guess I don't call a location 20 minutes from my home, 5 minutes off a highway and 2 minutes off a gravel road "remote." (Now if it were in the boonies NE of me on the Winneshiek/Allamakee County line, hmmmmmmm, yeah......MAYBE "REMOTE" THEN)

Some guy built a castle, partially, overlooking a marsh and then died. Kids put symbols on it and burned stuff. Burned it damn near down.

I went up the hill to it and walked the stone stairway edging the wall to the top of the turret. Tooo cool. Well it got burned down ..... and then some dr. boughtt he land and razed it for a house. (wonder if ghosts haunt there?)

So it was just KIDS there.

As far as voodoo, I went to a Christmas party at some grad student's house in Iowa City once. Voodoo statues EVERYWHERE! Very strange!!!”

“Dang, Geezr! Got me again!!

Incidentally, the quantity of cat poop in my back yard is way down....”

“So does this mean Phil's not going to change my picture back to normal??”

“Martyb, I just assumed THAT WAS NORMAL.”

“lord knows ima voodoo chile.......”