Episode 32 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS revisits November 10, 1975, when the freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in icy and stormy Lake Superior, at the Canadian/American border. Discussed are the history of the massive ship and how it got tossed about like a cork on the rough seas, amidst hurricane force winds, all of which resulted in the largest shipwreck in Great Lakes history. BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF features the poem, "Shipwreck", by Emily Dickinson. To support this podcast...
Nov 13, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Episode 31 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS records a brief history of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials during the Puritanical era in Massachusetts. As we cover this dark moment in American history, we ask our audience to reflect on how superstition, jealousy, fear, and lying can all have an adverse effect on everyone in a given community or a larger society as a whole, if these weaknesses are not bridled and tempered with higher thinking, calmness, and mindfulness. Additionally, we must curiously observe wh...
Nov 06, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 31
For Episode 30 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we gather around a virtual Halloween bonfire for a reading of the narrative poem, THE RAVEN, tell ghost stories, and proclaim a warning against behavior that can potentially get you accused of being a witch and hung on the gallows. Happy Halloween. Try to stay safe. To donate to this podcast, Venmo @mdm773. Thank you.
Oct 30, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Episode 29 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features another edition of Pleasant Screams - shows DEADicated to the eerie month of October. Today, we are talking about Witches - specifically, about an encounter that I once had with a coven of witches. I will talk about my experience with a certain high priestess and the temporary working relationship I had with her. We will end with a reading of "Song of the Witches" from MACBETH, Act IV, Scene I, by William Shakespeare. To donate to this podcast, please...
Oct 23, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Episode 28 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features another edition of Pleasant Screams, shows DEADicated to the spooky month of October. We are handing out tricks and treats this week, by introducing our listeners to the YouTube podcast, A TALE AT MIDNIGHT. The narrator for A TALE AT MIDNIGHT is Alicia, The Dweller In The Clock. She is a disembodied voice that is sentenced to tell tales of the mysterious, the weird, and the macabre to the strokes of midnight. Alicia works with two other artists - Dan ...
Oct 16, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Episode 27 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features the second edition of Pleasant Screams, episodes dedicated to the spooky month of October. Today's episode is called, MOMENTO MORI. We will talk about the funereal traditions of the Irish Wake, as well as the Italian celebratory Day of The Dead, aka All Soul's Day. We are addressing these topics in memorial of Mars' mother, Peggy, and her grandmother, Julia, who both passed away on October 9. We will close with BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSH...
Oct 09, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Episode 26 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is the first of five special episodes for the month of October, which I call, Pleasant Screams. Episode 26 is Pleasant Screams: HAUNTED HOUSES. We will explore a few of many haunted houses that dot the United States, and will end with BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE ACOUSTIC BOOKSHELF featuring a reading of the entirety of the short story, THE TELL TALE HEART, by Edgar Allan Poe. To donate to this podcast, please do so through my Venmo account, @mdm773. Thank you. To...
Oct 02, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Episode 25 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS explores the brutal murder of British student Meredith Kercher. Called "Mez" by family and friends, the sweet young woman realized a dream by studying abroad in Italy and immersing herself into its vibrant culture and language. She died only a few months after arriving in Perugia. Three people were convicted of her murder: Rudy Guede (whose DNA was all over the crime scene, as well as inside of Mez's body), Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian national and IT studen...
Sep 25, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 25
For Episode 24 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS, we will fill our mouths with the Miracle Of Birth as we bite into The Authentic Napoletana Pizza! We will explore the origins of the art, science, and culture of pizza making, and we will discover what makes an authentic pizza in these modern times. Napoletana Pizza is actually protected by UNESCO and one must become a certified pizzaolo in order to make these authentic Italian creations. We will go through the ingredients, recipes, and processes. We'll e...
Sep 18, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Episode 23 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is called, God as The Manifestations of The Laws of Science. Mars continues on meditations on the nature of God; is that nature in direct conflict to the laws of science? Do they co-exist, in some form? Are God and Science one and the same? Creationism is discussed alongside such laws of science as the Big Bang Theory, Evolution/Natural Selection, and the Theory of Relativity. Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf closes out today's edition with a readin...
Sep 11, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Episode 22 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is dedicated to the largest fresh water system in the world, THE GREAT LAKES. Learn some fun facts & figures about these sea-like bodies of water, that harbor their own deep and dark secrets, unknowable to even those who love them and live amongst their shores, all while using them for entertainment and as a trashcan. We will end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading of an excerpt from the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow epic poem, THE...
Sep 04, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 22
The subject of Episode 21 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is Universal Basic Income, or UBI, for short. I will talk about this implement in the so-called War On Poverty, its modern day roots in the Johnson and Nixon administrations, some history behind it, and its pros and cons. This episode is slightly longer than most, because there's so much to examine and it's a timely topic. I end with a few answers submitted when I posed the question: What Is The Greatest Pleasure You Have Ever Felt?
Aug 28, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Episode 20 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS explores the world of Artificial Intelligence, or AI. We attempt to keep the science separate from science fiction as we talk about what is soon on horizon for the human workforce/consumer, as AI emerges from the realm of imagination into reality. We'll also discuss how important ethics and ancient wisdom are in correlation to futuristic technology. We end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with an excerpt from THE DEFENDERS, a sci-fi short story...
Aug 21, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Episode 19 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS is Part II to last week's episode, but also works as a stand-alone. Last week, we discussed the psychology of Batman. This week, we explore him as a sort of Jungian archetype. He represents both the Hero and the Shadow. We'll discuss the Hero's Journey and Shadow Work/Facing the Dark Side of the Collective Unconscious. We end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading from HEART OF DARKNESS, by Joseph Conrad.
Aug 14, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 19
For today's episode, we will move with stealth and style through the mind of a very human superhero, The Caped Crusader, The Dark Knight...The Batman. We will revisit a brief history behind the comic book character and his popularity. We will then tap into the psyche of Bruce Wayne/Batman and discover his motives. Along the way, we may discover something of ourselves. Batman - purely human - is our hero and our mirror.
Aug 07, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Episode 17 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS focuses on Silas Jayne, a wily and criminal-minded owner of horse stables and a ruthless horse trader. Well connected with the mob and the police, Jayne apparently got away with murder, many times - including the slaying of his own brother, and that of missing candy heiress, Helen Brach. We will end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading from THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, by Washington Irving.
Jul 31, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Episode 16 of MARS MESSINA PRESENTS features Mars as a news reporter, reporting on news items that did not make Page One...or Page Forty Six, for that matter. MESSINA ON DA SCENE reports newsworthy news that is a bit off the beaten path. We end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading of the W.B. Yeats poem, THE SECOND COMING.
Jul 24, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Episode 15 provides medical and psychological evidence that fun is a vital part of an adult's health. It is not a luxury, nor should one suffer a guilt trip for having fun. It is part of life and a factor in aging gracefully. I will give suggestions on how an adult can recapture that childlike experience of having fun and I will talk about the following activities: Parkour, Swimming/Aqua Aerobics, Dungeons & Dragons, and Geocaching...all of which can be done at any age, and at any level of f...
Jul 17, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Today, we explore the Superstition Mountain range, located east of Phoenix, Arizona. This terrain serves as a beautiful landscape within the Valley of The Sun, and is a favored place for hikers, campers, and other adventurers. It is also home to supernatural phenomena and unexplained death. The Superstitions are sacred land to the Native Americans, particularly to the Apache Tribe. I will be talking about some of the folklore and mystery that surrounds these mountains, my own superlative experie...
Jul 10, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Today's topic is on God, specifically, God The Mother & The Divine Feminine and - even more specifically - the role she played/plays in the Ancient Hebrew culture/religion and how she even appears in monotheistic, patriarchal Christianity (and I'm talking about The Eternal, Ancient Heavenly Mother, rather than Mary of Nazareth, who wasn't called "Mother of God" until 3rd Century, CE). Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf features an excerpt from the poem, "The Naked Goddess".
Jul 03, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Episode 12 is the flagship episode for ghostly storytelling - based in Chicago, but also elsewhere. As Chicago is said to be the MOST haunted city in the US, we will start with this city....We will address the possible reasons why Chicago is so haunted...we will explain hauntings/being haunted by a psychological point of view...we will profile two of Chicago's most notorious haunts - The Red Lion Pub and The Benton House...we will end with Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf, with a read...
Jun 26, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 12
This episode attempts at an objective investigation into LGBTQIA+ as an aspect of human life in nature and in societies, across continents and time. I will also revisit the history of the Gay Pride Parade, including its genesis.
Jun 19, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 11
On February 13, 2017, Abby Williams and Libby German - two teenage girls from Delphi, IN - disappeared from a hiking trail. The next day, their bodies were found in a nearby wooded area. The perpetrator of the double homicide remains at large. I will take you through the timeline of the case - from the girls being dropped off at the trails to current day, and I will talk a bit about the personalities of the girls. I will discuss aspects about the killer that law enforcement has shared with the p...
Jun 12, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Today's subject is the ancient Greco-Roman city of Pompeii, and how it was both destroyed and preserved by the Plinian eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius, near Naples, Italy. I will talk about the ancient society and local customs, I will time travel with you to the day of the eruption and we will try to escape. We end with Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf, by reading an excerpt from my novel, RED MOON OVER GAETA, whose protagonist and her family are the posterity of these aforemention...
Jun 05, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Why are teenagers risk-taking, thrill-seeking, back-talking, hormonal and randy? Science has the answer. I will talk about why the young are the way they are, and I will talk about how to retain youthful vitality at ANY age. The vehicles with which I will arrive at my scientific conclusions are western biomedicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Bedtime Stories From The Acoustic Bookshelf features a reading from the Tao Te Ching.
May 29, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Today's topic is on the complex, mysterious manifestation of pleasurable, Central Nervous System-induced tickles and tingles known as ASMR - Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. ASMR is also known as brain-tingles, sparkles, and low euphoria. Discussed are triggers for an ASMR experience, and I will read sibilant poems that often spark ASMR feelings in those who experience ASMR. Whether you do or not, these triggers are usually relaxing for anyone, regardless.
May 22, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Lifestyles of The Private Investigator: basic personality, skill set, job description...my own experiences as a Secret Agent named Agent 99 (true story)...Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf features an abbreviated excerpt from the book, SHERLOCK HOLMES THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES.
May 15, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Today's topic on sleep outlines the Architecture of Sleep....gives pointers on Sleep Hygiene...and ends with a relaxing and rejuvenating GUIDED MEDITATION!
May 08, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 5
On today's episode, we explore the latest news in UFO sightings: official reports released by the Pentagon regarding UAP (unexplained aerial phenomena) picked up by radar and eye-witnessed by US military in 2004, 2015, and 2019....my own two UFO sightings...and we end with Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf.
May 01, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 4
This 35 minute meditation discusses a bit about some of the greatest social commentators known to society...I impart a bit of my own observation on my own society...we close with Bedtime Stories from the Acoustic Bookshelf with a reading of the William Blake poem, "The Chimney Sweeper", from the compilation, SONGS OF INNOCENCE.
Apr 24, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 3
