Thursday, June 30, 2005

Don't discourage children from joining service, Pace urges 

America's parents should not stand in the way of sons and daughters who want to join the military, but should let them follow their patriotic instincts, the nation's No. 2 general said Wednesday.

"Those who are looking to serve this country should be encouraged to do so," said Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

A Marine whose son also is in the Marine Corps, Pace said the key is "to encourage our young people ... to come forward to help defend this nation ... and to encourage the families of those young folks to let them follow their instincts."

He added, "Parents, stop getting in the way of us getting your kids killed for no good reason. Really, I mean it. I might lose my job."

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:16 PM

Women think: Did BTK stalk me? 

One Wichitan is so consumed by the question, she's been asking Dennis Rader himself.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:59 AM

Bigfoot -- Imminent Capture Anticipated  

No, this time we really mean it.

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:48 AM

Witches of Abstraction 

In 1942, the financial adviser to the royal family of Lichtenstein asked the artist Emma Kunz if she would attempt to "repolarize" Adolf Hitler from a distance. Citing excessive negative energies, she at first declined. When she later relented, the 63-centimeter metal spring Kunz used as a "transmitter" flew up and began to slash at her body, before wresting itself from her grip and flying across the room. As is often the case, art had failed to make an impact on worldly events.

Interesting article with cool art.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:41 AM

Detective says evidence short 

Three children are the victims at the center of a child-sex ring operating out of a Ponchatoula church for five years, a sheriff's detective testified in court Wednesday.
What is missing from the court case as it stands are the allegations of occult activity as the motive for the sexual abuse of children and animals, he said. No physical evidence of the occult, such as pentagrams drawn on the floor and spell books were ever found, Tangipahoa Parish sheriff's Detective Mike DePhillips told the court.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:32 AM

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

The power of suggestion lingers - Brain scans show hypnosis helps to focus the mind 

Therapists who swear that hypnosis can help their patients now have more evidence to back their claim. A study of brain-scan images shows that hypnosis can indeed alter cognitive activity after subjects have come out of the trance state, and that this can help them concentrate on certain tasks.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:46 PM

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Religious Gadget Thursday: The E-Meter  

Wondering what to get Tom and Katie for the wedding? Looks like they're registered at Gizmodo!

But where can I get one?

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:08 PM

Other Things that Tom Cruise Knows More About Than You 

While I find Tom Cruise's deep and profound knowledge of psychiatry to be very impressive - after all, he's read "the history" - here some other things he knows more about than you, according to transcripts of other interviews he's given.

Must....stop...laughing....

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:57 PM

Loch Ness Boat Operators Identify Kill Zone 

For several months rumors have been swirling around Loch Ness about a 4-inch barbed tooth, possibly belonging to a giant mutation of an eel species that inhabits the waterway, found in the mutilated carcass of a half-eaten deer back in March by two American college students. Now, several boat operators have come forward to speak with Nessie Investigator William McDonald, confirming the area where the deer was located is known to locals as a "kill-zone."

Thanks to Weird Events.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:36 PM

Civil War authority Shelby Foote dead  

Novelist and historian Shelby Foote, whose Southern storyteller's touch inspired millions to read his multivolume work on the Civil War, has died. He was 88.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:22 PM

Animal group names date back a bit 

Way too long ago, someone left a phone message in the newsroom asking about the origins of terms for assemblages of animals. It was a great suggestion, and, as with many types of creatures, it took some time to track down.

I can only touch on this topic in this space. But if you want more, I highly recommend the book ''An Exaltation of Larks'' by James Lipton, which is the source for what you'll find here. That's the same James Lipton, by the way, who conducts the ''Inside the Actors Studio'' interviews shown on the Bravo channel.

Perhaps the greatest book since the invention of things bookish. Glorious!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:14 PM

Women of the Lodge 

There's only one thing more mysterious than Freemasons, and that's women Freemasons. The controversial brotherhood is widely thought to be a male-only preserve, but sisters, or should that be "brothers", are doing it for themselves.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:04 PM

Back in Katie's home town, Scientology switch a shock 

What's shocking is Katie's uncle's response.

And about her decision to take Scientology classes - an applied religious philosophy that critics say is a cult engaged in mind control? "Let him without sin cast the first stone," uncle Richard said.

First stone? Dude, are you on crack? I'm an uncle and if my niece disappeared into a cult for sixteen days, cut off her friends, and was now being professionally "handled" by cult monitors, I'd be a little more concerned.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:58 PM

Scary insects, but show me the monkey 

Kong is coming.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:49 PM

Zorro still makes his mark 

El Zorro golpea el asno con el pie.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:47 PM

Blimey, mate. It was a kangaroo 

Phantom kangaroo in Indiana.

For more on the Phantom Kangaroo phenomenon see here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:37 PM

Skeleton holds clues to mystery 9,300 years old 

Excellent article.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:28 PM

Developer seeks Souter's property 

I think this is little more than a prank, but it would be very amusing.

Right Wing Douchebag Alert: this links to World Net Daily.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:23 PM

Congressional Secrets On Web Site 

A new Web site aims to make widely available to the public certain government reports about topics from terrorism to Social Security that congressional researchers prepare and distribute now only to lawmakers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:56 AM

Monday, June 27, 2005

New Jack the Ripper theories put sleuths in a spin 

A mental patient, a butcher, the artist Walter Sickert, a serial wife poisoner and even Queen Victoria's grandson have all been touted as Jack the Ripper suspects in one of the greatest whodunits in history.

But what if Jack the Ripper was not a Londoner, not even British? What if he was a merchant seaman, who pursued his blood lust as far afield as Nicaragua and Germany?

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:30 PM

Archaeologists search for Orpheus  

In the past few weeks, archaeologists have discovered a Thracian temple in the Eastern Rhodope mountains which may include the gravesite of the mythical figure Orpheus.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:18 PM

MI5 Agent: Nine Eleven a Violent Coup 

First it was Morgan Reynolds, then Paul Craig Roberts, and now former MI5 agent David Shayler. Like a possum, the corporate media rolls over, at Bushcon command, and plays dead, steadfastly ignoring Shayler and the others. "David Shayler joins a spate of recent credible whistleblowers who share the same sentiments about the real story behind 9/11," writes Alex Jones' Prison Planet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:58 PM

Modern day explorer mapping out a lost world 

Heroes can inspire great work. One fictitious archeologist most of us know from going to the movies certainly played a role in a real-life adventure.

"I am at the right age to be one of those kids that was so affected by Indiana Jones," archeologist and explorer Ed Barnhart said with a grin. "And I do like to consider myself a modern day explorer."

And Barnhart's adventure is well underway.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:49 PM

DNA sought for Kelly Gang theory 

DNA evidence could rewrite Australia's history books and prove two members of the infamous Kelly Gang survived the shootout at Glenrowan in Victoria, a historian believes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:45 PM

BTK killer waives trial, admits 10 slayings  

In a surprise move, Dennis Rader pleaded guilty Monday to 10 counts of first-degree murder before delivering a chilling matter-of fact account of the BTK slayings that terrorized the city beginning in the 1970s.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:36 PM

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Cruise apologizes for Today show behavior - blames Ritalin dose 

Hysterical.

Cruise went on the defensive during the Today show interview with Matt Lauer last week, accusing him of "knowing nothing about psychiatry." When Lauer pushed the issue, Cruise leaned toward him aggressively, stating "I've studied the history of psychiatry, Matt, and you haven't." He added, "I had to memorize the entire script of Rain Man once. Have you ever memorized a script about a savant, Matt? Well, have you Matt?"

See also:Tom Cruise Gets His Own Psychiatric Syndrome.

And don't miss Tom Cruise: Movie star or pod person? which details the actor's recent couch jumping, face sucking, "brainwashing", and girlfriend auditioning.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:55 PM

Hi-tech cameras snap ancient bible  

The world's oldest monastery plans to use high-tech cameras to shed new light on ancient Christian texts preserved for centuries within its fortress walls in the Sinai Desert.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:37 PM

BTK defense strategy baffles court observers 

Defense strategy in the notorious BTK serial killings case, scheduled to go to trial on Monday, has baffled court observers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:33 PM

Haunted Louisville 

There's a cultural tendency in this country to consider any Victorian house spooky. Lay it at Hollywood's door. Whenever the film capital wants to produce a ghost story, they usually set the story in a house built in the latter half of the 19th century.

Not all Victorians are haunted, of course, but if you have a whole neighborhood of Victorians, each with their own long histories, chances are some residents are going to wake up to unexplained bumps in the middle of the night.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:22 PM

Sleepy Hollow the most famous haunted town in the World 

Probably one of the most famous haunted towns in the World, Sleepy Hollow village 25 miles outside New York seems to live up to its ghostly reputation. The village dates back to the 1640s, though no one is certain of exactly when Europeans first settled in the area. The towns name was derived from the name given to it by Dutch settlers: Slapershaven ("Sleepers Haven"). For most of its existence, the town was actually part of North Tarrytown and was not actually renamed Sleepy Hollow until 1996.

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:18 PM

'Satanist' held for murders 

A young man, allegedly involved in Satanism, was arrested in connection with two murders in which the victims' throats were cut.

Joppie Nolte, 23, appeared in the Marble Hall magistrate's court in Mpumalanga last week after handing himself over to police. The case was postponed until July 26, after which he will be sent to Weskoppies psychiatric hospital for observation.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:16 PM

Teen witch caught up in spells 

At age 11, he cast his first spell. Now at 18 years old, Jason (not his real name) professes to be a practising witch.

It is the latest craze among teenagers not only in the United States and Europe but also right here in Barbados. Jason is just one of a growing number of youngsters who has rejected Christianity and is embracing witchcraft as a way of life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:14 PM

Ex-F.B.I. Chief Says He Felt Betrayal at Deep Throat's Unmasking 

Buried in this article is the following passage:

Mr. Gray said he provided internal F.B.I. investigative files to the White House only after he had been cleared to do so by the bureau's general counsel. He said he had been justified in burning the files because their contents were unrelated to Watergate.

One file contained top-secret cables apparently forged by Mr. Hunt that made it appear the administration of President Kennedy had been implicated in the assassination of President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam in 1963. A second file contained false letters apparently intended to embarrass Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, if he ran for president.

Kennedy's involvement in the assassination of Diem and the subsequent blowback are the subject of The Deaths of the Cold War Kings: The Assassinations of Diem & JFK by Bradley S. O'Leary, Edward Lee

From Publishers Weekly:

In this analysis of the 1963 assassinations of South Vietnamese leader Ngo Dinh Diem and President Kennedy, journalist O'Leary (Presidential Follies) and novelist Lee (The Stickmen, etc.) promise a lot more than they deliver. They claim that a French heroin syndicate, the U.S. Mafia and top South Vietnamese officials--the latter upset over alleged U.S. involvement in the killing of the Diems--conspired to kill Kennedy. The assassin, the authors contend, was a French WWII hero-turned-drug smuggler.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:59 PM

Bumped at Bush event, Denver Three hit back  

For President George W. Bush, it's bad enough that his campaign to sell Americans on his overhaul of Social Security is not considered a brilliant success.

But now a flap over who got to go to one of the president's Social Security events has erupted in a swing state, showing the power of a dogged little anti-Bush group called the Denver Three to irritate the Goliath of the White House.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:46 PM

'Papillon' alive and well? 

Is Papillon alive and well and living in retirement in the northern Paris suburbs?

The extraordinary claim surfaced after a French newspaper recently reported the 104th birthday of Charles Brunier, a former inmate of the Devil's Island penal colony, said to be seeing out his days at the Val-de-France old people's home in Domont, about 20km outside the French capital.

According to staff, the former convict is as tough as old boots and rarely communicates. But when he does, it is often with the same message: that it was he who inspired Henri Charriere to write his 1969 best-seller.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:42 PM

Shroud of Turin Probably Fake 

The French science magazine "Science and Life" says that recent experiments prove that the shroud of Turin is a fake. The shroud, which has an image of a crucified man on it, is thought to be the burial wrapping of Jesus. The authenticity of the shroud has been debated since it first turned up in 1537, so what finally clinched it for the French researchers? They made one themselves.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:37 PM

Former profiler recounts true-life tales of horrors 

Mention serial killers and the first name that pops up is Hannibal Lecter, the psychotic slayer portrayed by Anthony Hopkins in "The Silence of the Lambs." But compared to the real-life murderers Roger Depue has profiled over the years, Hannibal the fictional cannibal was a practically a pussycat. Or a lamb.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:33 PM

Story Of Abduction  

Not all UFO cases are merely sightings of unidentifiable craft. Sometimes the observer becomes the observed and cries, Abduction!

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:04 AM

When the going gets weird, he loves it 

Charlie Carlson is Florida's Man in Black, its self-proclaimed master of weird and humbug. He has made a career out of being a little different, a tad strange.

Now he has written the book on weirdness. It's aptly titled Weird Florida, a collection of strange occurrences, interesting places and bizarre attractions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:02 AM

TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER A UFO 

Every year, more than 70,000 reports of UFO sightings come into UFO research organizations around the world. While it is true that nine out of 10 sightings are explainable, it is also true that only one in 10 is ever reported, and each year the number of reports increases.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:58 AM

Report: U.S. in secret talks with Iraq insurgents  

U.S. officials held secret talks in Iraq with the commanders of several Iraqi insurgent groups recently in an attempt to open a dialogue with them, a British newspaper reported Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:56 AM

Saturday, June 25, 2005

Did ancient Polynesians visit California? 

Scientists are taking a new look at an old and controversial idea: that ancient Polynesians sailed to Southern California a millennium before Christopher Columbus landed on the East Coast.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:00 PM

Mystery footprints in the Kimberley: cat, creature or Yowie? 

Superstitions and imaginations are in overdrive on the possibility of dragons, dinosaurs and escaped panthers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:02 PM

WTC Basement Blast And Injured Burn Victim Blows 'Official 9/11 Story' Sky High  

What happened to William Rodriguez the morning of 9/11 is a miracle. What happened to his story after-the-fact is a tragedy.

But with miracles and tragedies comes truth. And truth is exactly what Rodriguez brings to the whole mystery surrounding 9/11.

Declared a hero for saving numerous lives at Ground Zero, he was the janitor on duty the morning of 9/11 who heard and felt explosions rock the basement sub-levels of the north tower just seconds before the jetliner struck the top floors.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:12 AM

Gold? Buried treasure not worth trouble 

The family of a man who claims to have found millions of dollars worth of gold and antique guns in a desert cave says he's tired of dealing with the federal government, and plans to just leave the cache where he found it.

Those pesky billion dollar treasures - more trouble than they're worth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:02 AM

Friday, June 24, 2005

Ghosts haunt Manitowoc, expert says 

Ghosts in Manitowoc County? Green Bay? Your own back yard?

You better believe it - at least according to the guy who co-wrote "The Wisconsin Guide to Haunted Locations."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:45 PM

Teens vampire captives 

A woman vampire kept seven teenagers captive - and drank their blood.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:39 PM

Revolutionary War mystery still unsettled 

DNA tests on bones exhumed from a monument to Brig. Gen. Casimir Pulaski failed to prove the remains are those of the Revolutionary War hero killed in a 1779 battle to retake Savannah from the British.

But a draft report on the investigation into Pulaski’s disputed burial says historical records and skeletal injuries make a case that the remains are those of the Polish nobleman.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:28 PM

Mystery shrouds Iraq's missing artefacts  

Archaeological sites in southern Iraq have been systematically looted for over two years, but experts say the dig will have to go much deeper to find out where thousands of lost artefacts have ended up.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:24 PM

The Last Watergate Mystery 

Now that former FBI official Mark Felt has been identified as the Washington Post’s Deep Throat source, there remains only one major unsolved Watergate mystery: What were the Republican burglars seeking when they bugged the Democratic headquarters and what, if anything, did they do with that information?

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:17 PM

Archaeologists figure out mystery of Stonehenge bluestones 

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have solved one of the greatest mysteries of Stonehenge - the exact spot from where its huge stones were quarried.

A team has pinpointed the precise place in Wales from where the bluestones were removed in about 2500 BC.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:15 PM

Katie Holmes' Missing Days 

The newly engaged Katie Holmes still has some explaining to do to her friends and family.

There were 16 days in April during which no one seems to know where she was.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:00 PM

Monday, June 20, 2005

The Professor is away 

Hey Hexies,

Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm on vacation and won't be posting much (if at all) until this weekend. Rest assured that though I am unwinding a bit, eating lobster, and enjoying the best low-wave summer surfing that Maine has to offer, I will not be resting on my laurels. I'll have a full report on my strange and mysterious studies when I return. Until then, check my links, catch up on past posts, and enjoy your summer. Also, if you know of any strange things in Maine I should see, please let me know.

all my best,

Professor Hex

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:34 PM

Thursday, June 16, 2005

'Bewitched' Statue Goes Up in Salem  

Welcomed by many - including the mayor and some city councilors - but reviled by others, a statue of 1960s TV icon Samantha Stephens of "Bewitched" was unveiled amid a puff of smoke in Salem on Wednesday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:44 PM

Brazilian doctors uncover 'Michelangelo code'  

Two Brazilian doctors and amateur art lovers believe they have uncovered a secret lesson on human anatomy hidden by Renaissance artist Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel's ceiling.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:43 PM

Stab in the dark: Murderous dreams come true 

While the city sleeps through the long dark night, crime stalks the streets. But what if the sleepers are themselves the stalkers? Is sleep-crime very common?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:53 PM

Buried Treasure Found In Utah 

A Millard county man says he's struck gold! Scott Taylor says he discovered the gold while hunting for arrowheads in Delta.

Taylor said the treasure was buried with antiques, guns and dynamite.

He said he found 137 gold bars which could be worth more than $50 million.

Sounds like a Knights of the Golden Circle stash, possibly booby-trapped with the dynamite.

For more on the treasure of the Knights, read Shadow of the Sentinel: One Man's Quest to Find the Hidden Treasure of the Confederacy.

See also Millions in Buried Treasure Near Delta?

And Hidden Treasure Found In Utah's West Desert?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:36 PM

The Golden Dawn's Scottish scion 

In the spring of 1903 the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn - a magical society beloved of WB Yeats - broke into pieces, fragmented by its quarrelsome members.

In the power vacuum created after the schism a well-respected Edinburgh lawyer fully expected to become overall chief. John William Brodie-Innes, founder of the Order's Amen-Ra Temple in Edinburgh failed utterly in his desire to rule the Order. The writer AE Waite witnessed his humiliation and noted that "it was almost pitiful to notice the change which came over the poor small Pope of Edinburgh".

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:17 PM

Was it 'fragging'? GI casualties increase in Iraq 

First Lt. Louis Allen and Capt. Philip Esposito, two officers assigned to a New York National Guard unit in Tikrit, Iraq, were killed in their sleep on June 7. The Pentagon is investigating their deaths as a possible "fragging" -an act of retaliation by a rank-and-file soldier or soldiers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:15 PM

The wizard who spoke to plants 

George Washington Carver, plant whisperer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:10 PM

African kids 'being sacrificed in London'  

African children are being brought into Britain and murdered by cult members during horrific rituals, reveals a leaked report by Scotland Yard detectives.

The findings showed a disturbing trend for trafficking youngsters, predominantly boys, into the country - mainly London - before being sacrificed by fundamentalist African and Asian sects.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:06 PM

Nepalese Porters May Be World's Most Efficient Haulers 

If you've ever watched Nepalese porters in action, you might think they have superhuman strength. How else to explain their ability to carry loads weighing more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms), mile after arduous mile over steep Himalaya terrain?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:03 PM

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Interest grows in solving cryptic CIA puzzle after link to Da Vinci Code 

It is one of the world's most baffling puzzles, the bane of professional cryptologists and amateur sleuths who have spent 15 years trying to solve it.
But the race to find the secrets of Kryptos, a sculpture inside a courtyard at the CIA's heavily guarded headquarters in Langley, Virginia, may be reaching a climax.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:29 AM

Hare Krishna cooking: Secret recipes exposed! 

Karma-free cooking. But really, no garlic and onions? Are you kidding?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:58 AM

Mother's fatal beating puts spotlight on tiny church 

Clark had accused the church of brainwashing her husband and children, and said she wanted to get her young children away from it.

Authorities are investigating whether the Apostolic Church Body of Jesus Christ of the Newborn Assembly had any role in her death.

See also: Meeting expresses community concerns about church.

And: Gathering Urges full probe of church.

And here's a long article with plenty of background on the case: Slaying spotlights pastor, church some call a cult.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:40 AM

Satanic symbol found near severed goat head 

Not far from where police found the head of a goat last week, a detective noticed 666 -- a number commonly associated with Satan -- inscribed with blue spray paint on a tree.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

Germans blamed for Viking invasion 

German arms dealers have been blamed for the Viking invasion of Britain after archaeologists found the swords they used were made in Germany.

The new research has discovered that German weaponsmiths were actively selling their swords to the Viking invaders around the 9th century AD.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:17 AM

Man sees UFO two nights running 

Chris Peacock didn't believe in UFOs - until he saw one two nights in a row.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:04 AM

Man Claims David Blaine Stole His 'Godly Powers' 

David Blaine might be a master magician, but he can't make a lawsuit disappear. The 32-year-old entertainer has been sued by Christopher Roller, a Minnesota man who claims Blaine stole his "godly powers" to perform his magic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:57 AM

Chauffeur payoff revives Di's murder conspiracy theory 

Speculations that Princess Diana's death may be more than an accident have gained further momentum, after recent discoveries revealed that her chauffeur reportedly received mystery payments amounting to 142,000 dollars, just weeks before she died in the car he was driving.

And this:

Financial investigators have also revealed Paul had staggering amounts of money in 13 bank accounts around the world, despite earning just 38,000 pounds, a year as a driver for Paris' Ritz hotel.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:45 AM

Mystery doll found inside Kearny church 

The discovery of a doll at the same church where an infant's body was found buried three months ago triggered a response from local and county investigators yesterday, officials said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:39 AM

New clues in search for missing da Vinci fresco 

For 30 years, art work detective Maurizio Seracini has been searching for Leonardo da Vinci's lost fresco.

And now Seracini found a breakthrough in Florence's Palazzo Vecchio. A small cavity in a wall may hold the key to a long lost secret, he says.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:35 AM

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

More British memos on pre-Iraq war concerns 

The paper trail gets longer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:17 PM

A New Book on the JFK Assassination 

However unlikely it might seem, a local subsidiary of an international publishing company, is set to publish a book that could blow the lid off the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas.

Trafford Publishing (Europe) Ltd. is currently attracting attention from the media regarding a book entitled 'Files on JFK', now in production and due for release this summer. The author, Wim Dankbaar from Holland, claims that the book contains a detailed interview with the hitman who fired the fatal bullet killing President John F. Kennedy. He also claims to have irrefutable evidence, including the testimony of numerous others to further corroborate his information.

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:37 PM

A ghostly house where Frederick Douglass lived is rediscovered 

The knock at Sherri Dukes' front door came years after her late husband, Lee, confided his secret to her: that he had seen the ghost of a studious black man seated at their bedroom desk.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:10 PM

Top Officials’ Names Censored from Report on Lawbreaking 

Government censors redacted 45 names from a report charging that Pentagon officials broke laws in negotiations with aircraft manufacturer Boeing. Based on the context in which the blacked-out names appear, some could be White House officials.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:31 PM

The FINAL list of Senators refusing to oppose lynching  

I'll be deleting the previous link.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:12 PM

Haunted Paper Toys 

Cool cool cool, for kids and adults who may still be kids.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:07 PM

Suicide Bridge 

Since its construction in 1981, the Y-Bridge has served as the launch site for 43 suicides and countless more attempts.

But unlike most bridges that seduce jumpers, the bodies here don't fall into rivers, lakes, or forests. They fall onto buildings and houses, and into backyards, like some weird, ominous plague.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:34 AM

Lost to the Only Life They Knew 

Gideon is one of the "Lost Boys," a group of more than 400 teenagers - some as young as 13 - who authorities in Utah and Arizona say have fled or been driven out of the polygamous enclaves of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City over the last four years.

His stated offenses: wearing short-sleeved shirts, listening to CDs and having a girlfriend. Other boys say they were booted out for going to movies, watching television and staying out past curfew.

Some say they were sometimes given as little as two hours' notice before being driven to St. George or nearby Hurricane, Utah, and left like unwanted pets along the road.

Authorities say the teens aren't really being expelled for what they watch or wear, but rather to reduce competition for women in places where men can have dozens of wives.

"It's a mathematical thing. If you are marrying all these girls to one man, what do you do with all the boys?" said Utah Atty. Gen. Mark Shurtleff, who has had boys in his office crying to see their mothers. "People have said to me: 'Why don't you prosecute the parents?' But the kids don't want their parents prosecuted; they want us to get the No. 1 bad guy - Warren Jeffs. He is chiefly responsible for kicking out these boys."

The 49-year-old Jeffs is the prophet, or leader, of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The FLDS, as it is known, controls Hildale and Colorado City.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:00 AM

America's Dog Star Days 

Remember the Order of the Solar Temple? In 1994 the neo-Templar secret society, founded by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret, embarked on its very own cultic auto-destruct sequence, when 69 of its members, including children, either killed themselves or were murdered in their chalet-compounds in Switzerland and Quebec. (The trigger for the group's termination appears to have been the ritual slaying of a three-year old infant with a wooden stake, on order of Di Mambro.)

The OST was not just screwy and dangerous; it was also implausibly, yet undeniably, connected.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 AM

Sasquatch comedy filming in Oregon 

The Hollywood team that created last year's offbeat hit "Napoleon Dynamite" chose the Portland area to film a comedy about a Bigfoot hunter to be released next spring.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:41 AM

Want to see something weird? 

Two men who've never met create Web site that tracks the most bizarre things up for sale on eBay. How strange is that?


Check it out at Weird Ebay.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 AM

Church sex ring allegedly involved children, animal sacrifice 

From his tire store next door, Donald Moore got an up-close look at the strange changes that went on at the once-bustling Hosanna Church.

For one thing, the congregation had dwindled to a handful of reclusive members who chased away visitors. For another, the windows were painted white so no one could see in. And just before it closed its doors for good a couple of years ago, eight dump trucks came in and spread dirt over the church's back lot.

Last month, the suspicions played out in a way that almost no one in this southeastern Louisiana town of 5,000 could have imagined: Nine people, including the pastor, his wife and a sheriff's deputy, were accused of engaging in cult-like sexual activity with children and animals inside the hall of worship. Eight now face child rape charges that could bring the death penalty.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:25 AM

Free Katie 

Sheesh. . .

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:05 AM

Mother charged in death of 6-year-old girl 

King County prosecutors say a former White Center woman, believing her daughter was a "demon," drowned the 6-year-old girl in a bathtub and threw her body from a bridge.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:54 AM

The Incredible Oneness of Shasta 

Skiing, Lemurians, and a visit from Saint Germain.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:53 AM

Monday, June 13, 2005

Martial Arts Associations Told To Stay Away From The Supernatural 

All martial arts associations under the auspices of the Youth and Sports Ministry are not allowed to teach matters concerning the supernatural, its Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said said.

She said the ministry would take stern action against any mahaguru (martial arts master) or instructors who ventured into the realm.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:15 PM

Chemistry professor whittles subject down to comic book size 

Superman he's not. But Stanford professor Craig Criddle has helped pull off a herculean task: Explaining complex chemistry topics in a comic-book format.

Criddle, or at least his alter-ego, is also the action star in the newly released "The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry," shrinking to the size of an atom; making explosive flares out of bat guano; and burning seaweed to make soap with the help of a young female sidekick.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:14 PM

'No-nonsense' Batmobile roars into pop culture 

I'm linking this article so I have an excuse to link to this great website: www.batmobilehistory.com. Sweet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:06 PM

Loch Ness Thriller: Fact Or Fiction? 

When New York Times best-selling author Steve Alten set out to write a novel about Loch Ness's famous inhabitant, he never realized he'd be caught in a battle between angry scientists and the Scottish government. The LOCH, Alten's latest thriller about one man's hunt to find the Loch Ness Monster contains cutting-edge science that has received praise from book reviewers and scientists alike. Loren Coleman, the world's leading cryptozoologist, calls The LOCH, "the best work of fiction since King Kong and The Lost World."

So why all the controversy?

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:57 PM

New Holy Grail Discovery 

In a profound and provocative work of scholarly detection, best-selling U.K. author Philip Gardiner shakes the foundations of modern belief by at last revealing the true origins of The Holy Grail, Elixir of Life and Philosopher's Stone. Shrouded in mystery, these highly enigmatic symbols have long been revered and The Serpent Grail proves that all three are inextricably linked, originating from the same ancient source.

His basic theory? In The Serpent Grail Gardiner proves that modern science and ancient wisdom can and have come together to finally prove that snake venom and blood was used thousands of years ago as the Elixir of Life and was brought together in the arcane mixing bowl which became known as the Holy Grail.

Snake venom and blood? I could of had a V-8!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:52 PM

Use of psychics rare among police, but many are open to idea 

The mystery of a missing district attorney has police officer Darrel Zaccagni consulting a psychic almost every day.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:46 PM

Ghost stories come alive 

Stories from the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:19 PM

Former Bush Cabalist: 9-11 WTC Was an 'Inside Job' 

A former chief economist in the Labor Department during President Bush's first term now believes the official story about the collapse of the WTC is 'bogus,' saying it is more likely that a controlled demolition destroyed the Twin Towers and adjacent Building No. 7.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:16 PM

Waiting for Bigfoot 

San Francisco-based American artist Jill Miller is participating in Norwich Gallery's EAST 05 international exhibition, July 2 - August 20, 2005. Although she will exhibit a performance work, she will not appear in the gallery. At least not in the flesh. Miller's durational performance-installation, "Waiting for Bigfoot," will be located in Northern California (also known as "Bigfoot Country") and will be delivered to the Norwich Gallery as real-time video via satellite uplink, 24 hours a day. The artist will live at the campsite, situated in the epicenter of Bigfoot sightings, for the entire duration of EAST 05.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:05 PM

Freaky Ghost pic 

Indeed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:01 PM

Divers sent to find Kanas lake monster 

A diving team is being sent to Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous region to find "monsters" living in the Kanas Lake.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:32 AM

Sunday, June 12, 2005

The Urban Treasure Hunter: A Practical Handbook for Beginners 

I've seen several articles either reviewing this book or profiling the author, but since they are hidden behind restrictive registration services I haven't linked to them. This is a link to the book at Amazon. It looks interesting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:40 AM

True or not, diary spins quite a story 

The legend of Duncan Ranch has it all.

A ruthless Southern colonel, Chinese slaves, pirates, opium smugglers, treachery, buried gold bars and a haunted mansion.

John Hales, a Hermosa Beach historian, admits that this wild tale about Col. Blanton Duncan, who is said to have deserted a sinking Confederate army in the late 1860s and escaped to the balmy beaches of the South Bay, could be considered folklore.

But he maintains it's a legitimate story nonetheless, because of pages that appear to be ripped from Duncan's diary, which were obtained by Hales' wife, Lorraine, when the old Biltmore Hotel was demolished.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:16 AM

Strange trip back to a previous life 

TV hypnotist Tony Rae was in the Midlands last night, taking volunteers back to their earliest memories - and beyond. Eluned Watson was there.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:11 AM

Engaging quest for Tasmanian tiger of myth and nightmare 

The Tasmanian tiger is one of those beasts, like the yeti or the Loch Ness Monster, that is often talked about, but never found. But unlike Bigfoot or Nessie -- mythical creatures that are sometimes thought of as real -- the tiger is a real animal thought of in mythical terms.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:59 AM

Missing foreign film crew found safe after mystery disappearancer 

An international film team that apparently disappeared while on assignment in a remote part of Namibia has been found safe in a bizarre case said to involve a Hollywood sex therapist, Russian actor and African witchcraft.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:57 AM

Mystery of the nuclear whistleblower 

A vicious assault on an ex-employee of the Los Alamos weapons lab is the latest in a series of unsolved incidents.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:56 AM

Found: Europe's oldest civilisation 

Archaeologists have discovered Europe's oldest civilisation, a network of dozens of temples, 2,000 years older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids.

More than 150 gigantic monuments have been located beneath the fields and cities of modern-day Germany, Austria and Slovakia. They were built 7,000 years ago, between 4800BC and 4600BC. Their discovery, revealed today by The Independent, will revolutionise the study of prehistoric Europe, where an appetite for monumental architecture was thought to have developed later than in Mesopotamia and Egypt.

See also How 7,000-year-old temples reveal the elaborate culture of Europe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:53 AM

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Sinister sects 

There is a menace in society that threatens thousands upon thousands of lives. This menace is a religious cult whose members employ methods of violence never before faced by the authorities. They are masters of disguise, brilliant liars and utterly ruthless. Normal laws cannot deal with this menace. Special forces with special powers are required.

Republicans? No, it's the Thuggees and a review of Thug: The True Story of India's Murderous Cult by Mike Dash.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:47 AM

AUTHOR ROBERT ANTON WILSON INSPIRES ONLINE ACADEMY 

Course subjects include quantum psychology, conspiracy theory, occult magick, history of counterculture, Buddhist philosophy and meditation.

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:34 AM

Friday, June 10, 2005

Folk Remedy, Food Spice May Fight Cancer 

Cancer researchers have been given a million-dollar grant to investigate the therapeutic value of the folk medicine propolis and the food spice turmeric.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:54 PM

Tyson Challenger Uses Hypnosis In Training Program 

Bent on proving himself as a contender, Irish behemoth Kevin McBride has enlisted the power of the subconscious as he promises a super-sizing, mesmerizing, hypnotizing knuckle sandwich buffet for Mike Tyson. The eloquent Iron Mike promises to gut McBride like a fish.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:23 AM

Gallup: Public Confidence in Papers, TV News Falls to All-Time Low 

I wonder why.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:01 AM

The Nazis invented the sex doll 

The Nazis invented the worst thing ever: the assembly-line death factory. But they also invented something else, perhaps the only legacy of theirs that endures to this very day. During World War II, Hitler's war machine created the world's first sex doll: Borghild.

Wow.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:17 AM

Police: Man Not Beaten for Whistleblowing 

An attack on a Los Alamos nuclear lab auditor outside a bar was unrelated to his status as a whistleblower, authorities said Thursday, calling into question the man's allegation that he was beaten to ensure his silence.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 AM

Mark Felt Hinted at Exotic Antigravity Project? 

A few years ago while in San Francisco, Bob Woodward made an intriguing remark. He told the San Francisco Chronicle he wouldn't expose Deep Throat until the man died but that when he died people would begin to research the case and one thing would lead to another. Woodward said it would all lead to a "fantastic" discovery.

Now that we know that Deep Throat was W. Mark Felt, former #2 man at the FBI and the architect of J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO scheme to thwart the lives of thousands of anti-Vietnam war dissidents, the question looms large. What "fantastic" discovery was Woodward referring to?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:06 AM

Woman Has Hobby That's "Out of the Ordinary" 

Angela Micol, 34, sees things others do not.

She takes satellite images of Earth and enhances them through sophisticated software, then identifies unusual patterns and posts them on her Web site, www.satellitediscoveries.com.

Visit her website here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:06 AM

Scientific and Historical Anomalies - Dowsing 

What if... You could search for and find lost or hidden objects, water or mineral sources, or even healthy foods by using a simple pendulum?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 AM

Learning to Pendulum Dowse 

Speaking of dowsing. . .

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 AM

The Creature of Tagua Tagua Lagoon 

The little-known Monster of Tagua Tagua lagoon, a legendary creature that not even the residents of San Vicente, in Chile's 6th region, have ever heard of.

Link found at the Anomalist.

With contemporary etching.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:58 AM

UFOlogists still keep their eyes on the skies 

In the end, it boils down to something very much like faith.

But when it comes to UFOs, it's not the belief in things unseen. Rather, it is a belief that things are being seen and have been seen for a very long time.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:45 AM

Report: CIA official blocked Sept. 11 memo 

The U.S. Justice Department says a CIA official blocked a memo warning the FBI two Sept. 11 hijackers had entered the country before the attacks.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:50 AM

Fingered by Folklore 

WHEN THE finger-in-the-chili story broke, it seemed like the entire world was set to hurl. But there was one group that failed to experience sudden nausea, dizziness or other symptoms associated with sick-ass news of alleged food contamination: followers of American folklore and urban legend. These folks were skeptical to say the least, and many called bullshit immediately on the digital display that supposedly went down in Wendy's.

The reason: they've seen this story, or one like it, before, and 99.9 percent of the time, it's not true.

Sample: McDonald's is not the world's largest purchaser of cow eyeballs, nor do their hamburgers contain worm meat.

Really?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:40 AM

Scary Happenings in Stratford 

Scary clowns and the ParaCon conference.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:52 AM

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Kanas Lake Monsters Spotted 

It's not much of an article, aside from the fact that they filmed the beasts, but that sure is a pretty lake. If I was a lake monster that's where I'd want to live.

Confession: When I first looked at this headline I thought it read Kansas Lake Monsters Spotted. Now that would have been impressive.

Here's some more on Kanas Lake.

Link found over at the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:42 AM

The Three Rocketeers 

In 1935, three California experimenters - John Whiteside ("Jack") Parsons, Edward Forman and Frank Malina - got together to develop and test rocket engines. Parsons and Forman were barely more than enthusiastic kids fresh out of high school, and Malina was a 22-year-old graduate student at Caltech. They would go on to become founders of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Aerojet Engineering Corporation. The fascinating story of this trio and the early days of American rocketry research can be found in two new books, Strange Angel, by George Pendle, and Astro Turf, by M. G. Lord.

Jack Parsons, of course, is the famous occultist and disciple of Aleister Crowley.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:25 AM

Is Jeff Gannon...Johnny Gosch? 

His name is Jeff Gannon. But, is he really Johnny Gosch, the Iowa newspaper boy missing for almost 23 years? In his first local television interview, Jeff Gannon answers that question.

KWWL first told you back in April that a lot of people believe Gannon could be Johnny Gosch, who vanished without a trace in 1982. But, Gannon would not confirm it or deny it. We traveled to Washington, D.C. to talk with Jeff Gannon ans ask him if he is Johnny Gosch.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:23 AM

Beheaded skeletons found in tombs 

Two skeletons without skulls, buried together in the same tomb, have bewildered archeologists in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who are trying to uncover the centuries-old mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:20 AM

TV show depicts 9/11 as Bush plot 

Boy, is reporter Tom Goeller out of touch.

As ludicrous as it may sound to most Americans, the tale has resonance in Germany, where fantastic conspiracy theories often are taken as fact.
Many Germans think, for example, that the 1969 moon landing was faked, and a poll published in the weekly Die Zeit showed that 31 percent of Germans younger than 30 "think that there is a certain possibility that the U.S. government ordered the attacks of 9/11."

Ludicrous? Gee, Tom, I bet those numbers are about the same for Americans. In fact, this Zogby poll says that half of New Yorkers believe that US leaders knew about the impending attacks and "consciously failed" to act.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:18 AM

Who assaulted the Los Alamos whistle-blower? 

Peter Stockton, a senior investigator at the Project on Government Oversight, a watchdog group in Washington that is assisting Hook, has accused the FBI of leaking information to news organizations that paints a different story.

In this version, Hook went to the bar because his wife was away that night. He had several drinks. He got a lap dance. When he left the bar, he nearly backed into someone with his car, setting off the fight.

Ah, the FBI's slander begins. What do you want to bet that the missing millions at Los Alamos ended up in the pocket of a Bushie? Any takers?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Boom Teens In Court 

Two teenagers at the center of the investigation of Richmond's northside booms will be back in court today. The 14- and 15-year-old boys were arrested for planting explosive devices in the area while investigators were looking into the mysterious booms.

We now know mini earthquakes caused the shake up.

Today's hearing will determine if charges against the teens will be dropped.

"Mini earthquakes"? Charles Fort would get a kick out of that one.

Here's an older article on the booms and the earthquake theory.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:46 PM

When Marine recruiters go way beyond the call 

So let me get this straight -- they take a minor from work, they drive him to Seattle, they psychologically berate him, they confiscate his cell phone, they lie to him about the nature of his future "service", they hide him from his family, and this is somehow "not" kidnapping? What's next, press gangs?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:42 PM

Alien thinking 

Not many scientists are prepared to take tales of alien abduction seriously, but John Mack, a Harvard professor who was killed in a road accident in north London last year, did. Ten years on from a row which nearly lost him his job, hundreds of people who claim they were abducted still revere him.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:39 PM

Women In Nepal Dance Naked In Hopes Of Easing Drought 

Will a crowd of naked dancing women attract the attention of the gods?

People in Nepal hope it will.

More than 100 nude women danced in a remote mountain village in Nepal to ease a drought. The Kathmandu Post reported some believe dancing naked women will please the gods, who will provide rain in return.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 PM

'Code' chapel opens door to tourist flood 

THE trustees of Rosslyn Chapel have been forced to install a new entrance and triple the size of its car park to cope with a surge in visitors sparked by blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:31 AM

Split-personality town has quirky history 

Interesting article on Texarkana, which lies on the border of Texas and Arkansas. Included in the article are mentions of the Phantom, the serial killer from the forties immortalized in the film "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" and ragtime great Scott Joplin

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:18 AM

Does Bigfoot exist? Upcoming conference aims to find answers 

Anyone looking for Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster may want stop by the fourth annual Southern Crypto Conference June 18 at the Lone Star Convention Center.

The conference is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature seminars by leading cryptozoological researchers.

"This is not a paranormal conference," conference organizer Chester Moore said. "It's a biological pursuit of animals not known yet. A lot of these so-called legends are being proven true. To me, crytpozoology is the forefront of zoology."

Moore will talk about his expedition for giant catfish in the reservoirs of Florida and Texas.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:27 AM

Holloway Not Only American Missing In Aruba 

Another family said they know exactly what the parents of Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teenager who has been missing in Aruba since last week, are going through. They've been dealing with the same nightmare for seven years.

Scroll down at the link to get to the story.

The FBI reported a sighting, by a naval officer, of a woman in a brothel who claimed to be Amy Bradley and asked for his help. By the time he reported his story the brothel had burned to the ground.

For more on Amy Bradley see here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:10 AM

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

American Civil War submarine found 

A unique boat from 1864 may have inspired Jules Verne to create Captain Nemo's vessel Nautilus.

A BRITISH explorer has found an early submarine that he believes was the inspiration for Nautilus, Captain Nemo’s vessel in Jules Verne’s novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea.
Colonel John Blashford-Snell discovered the half-submerged, cast-iron wreck off the coast of Panama while searching for ancient ruins.

Colonel John Blashford-Snell is quite a character himself.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:50 PM

"Orang bunian' blamed for many disappearances 

Local residents believed certain areas here to be the abode of "orang bunian" and they avoided jungle trekking in these areas.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:35 PM

Partner Denies Murdering Councillor  

The partner of a drowned parish councillor with an interest in the occult today denied his murder.

Peter Solheim, 56, was found by fishermen floating in the water off Black Head, on the Lizard, Cornwall, in June last year.

His long-term partner Margaret James, 57, today pleaded not guilty at Truro Crown Court to charges of murdering Mr Solheim and conspiring to murder him with other persons unknown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:55 AM

Monster shark swallows diver in Jaws-style attack 

Conservationists are now expecting renewed calls for killer sharks to be hunted down following the death of medical student Henri Murray, 22 - the latest in a series of attacks. Great whites have been a protected species in South African waters since 1990, but calls for a cull have been growing following the deaths of several South African swimmers and surfers this year.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 AM

Archaeologist believes Chinese found Cape Breton 

Chiasson, an architect originally from Cape Breton, set off a heated debate in historical circles last month when he presented a paper in Washington outlining his belief that an armada of Chinese ships, carrying thousands of sailors, landed in Cape Breton as early as the 1300s.

Interesting article that builds on the work of Gavin Menzies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 AM

IN SEARCH OF NOAH'S ARK: Part 1 - The journey begins 

Few Old Testament stories capture the imagination like Noah's Ark. Fascination with the possibility of actually finding the Ark's remains has inspired expeditions to the Mt. Ararat region of Turkey for centuries. In the fall of 2004, Baptist Press sent two journalists -- Tom Engleman of Atlanta and Chuck Hughes of Baltimore -- to Turkey in order to document the continuing search for Noah's Ark. What follows is the first of 11 installments from their journals about the experience.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:47 AM

Indigo children mystery studied 

James Twyman is convinced that there's a new generation of special children among us who are psychically sensitive and spiritually evolved.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:43 AM

American starts searching for oil in Israel where he says Bible places it 

More than 20 years ago, John Brown was mesmerized by an evangelical preacher's theory that the Bible hinted at a major oil field deep beneath Israel.

Now, with unshakable faith and millions of dollars from American Evangelicals, Brown is leading an exploration that he says he hopes will uncover a reservoir of oil in a New Jersey-size country that produces 80 barrels of oil a day.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:34 AM

Some strange, painful rituals  

Crusaders against cruelty to animals may frown on this but for some devotees of a temple near here it is not a cat-and-mouse game but the serious issue of communal harmony.

In a strange ritual in Koodalur Koundanpalayam on the city outskirts, arch enemies cat and rat are kept in a pot which is buried for 45 minutes to know what is in store for future with regard to communal harmony and peace.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 AM

Psychic Leads Prove Valuable in Search for Missing D.A. 

Police investigating the disappearance of Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar are scouting nearby Milton for possible locations that could match recent descriptions given by psychic detective Carla Baron.

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:00 AM

Cops hunt Catgarookey 

I linked to another article on this creature below but this one has a hysterical illustration for your amusement.

From the description, it does sound like a coatimundi.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:55 AM

Cops warn of buried-treasure scam in Fort Myers 

A man posing as a government employee approached a business owner and said he needed to take soil samples from the property.

The next day, the suspect returned with a metal detector claiming he found gold or silver in the soil.

The business owner helped the suspect dig until they found a capsule with a leather scroll. The scroll read that a treasure had been buried, but there was a catch. Treasure hunters had to place $68,000 wrapped in cloth along with a Spanish Catholic Bible on an altar for nine days before the digging could continue. The business owner chipped in $15,000. The suspect and another man also put bundles on the altar and then left.

After several hours the business owner decided to look inside the bundles and found three stacks of newspaper the size of dollar bills, police said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:25 AM

Mr. Mojo Rising 

Is Jim Morrison alive and riding the storm in the Pacific Northwest?

See for yourself here.

Link found courtesy of the Green Lantern.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:23 AM

Los Alamos Lab Whistleblower Beaten  

A Los Alamos lab whistleblower scheduled to testify before Congress about alleged financial irregularities was badly beaten outside a bar — an attack his wife and lawyer believe was designed to silence him.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:18 AM

Monday, June 06, 2005

'Ghost professor' joins Swedish institution 

American Etzel Cardena has been named professor of psychology including studies of parapsychology and hypnology, a Swedish university said on Friday.

The post at Lund University in southern Sweden has jokingly been called "ghost professor" by Stockholm tabloid Aftonbladet, and generated heated debate among academics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:42 AM

Rights group leader says U.S. has secret jails  

The chief of Amnesty International USA alleged Sunday that the Guantanamo Bay detention camp is part of a worldwide network of U.S. jails, some of them secret, where prisoners are mistreated and even killed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:37 AM

Lost City to remain lost?  

Not too long ago there was wide publicity in the Malaysian media, especially by The Star, about the Lost City of Kota Gelanggi and the painstaking efforts of researcher Remy Che Ross to trace it.

In response to these media reports, the authorities indicated they would conduct an expedition in April to the site somewhere in southeast Johor to confirm the discovery and that Remy would be part of the expedition.

That was that. The ensuing dead silence over the whole issue has perplexed Remy, myself and countless others who are following this event with much interest. The authorities now behave as if the discovery never happened at all.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:34 AM

Aggie missing since 1998 found alive 

A Texas A&M University student who mysteriously disappeared nearly seven years ago and was feared dead by her family recently was found alive in Kentucky, authorities said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:30 AM

Charlie Brown statue disappears in Calif. 

Good grief.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:28 AM

Family questions 'Welsh ripper' claim 

RELATIVES of the Welsh philanthropist who founded the National Library of Wales have attacked the book naming him as a possible Jack the Ripper suspect.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 AM

The Tibetan connection  

It is a form of medicine that demonstrates more than ever the intrinsic connection between the mind, the body and the spirit. Tibetan healing techniques are gathering a formidable reputation as the way out of agony for people suffering from maladies as varied as spondylisis and diabetes, arthritis and cancer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:15 AM

Coming in out of the cold: Cold fusion, for real 

For the last few years, mentioning cold fusion around scientists (myself included) has been a little like mentioning Bigfoot or UFO sightings.

After the 1989 announcement of fusion in a bottle, so to speak, and the subsequent retraction, the whole idea of cold fusion seemed a bit beyond the pale. But that's all about to change.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:07 AM

A sign from above seen on a turtle from below 

Barbara Klinkhammer is not a devoutly religious person.

But after the 55-year old Sauk Village woman awakened her 2-year old pet painted turtle from hibernation this spring, friends and family noticed something. Set against an orange background on the turtle's underside is a bluish black marking that looks like a human figure.

After having a priest look at it, Klinkhammer believes it is a likeness of the Virgin Mary, perhaps similar to the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:52 AM

Bigfoot legend lives large in Northwest lore, locales 

Part two of the story. Nice feature.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:50 AM

A search for evidence in chemist's killing 

Something wasn't quite right at the Passaic Valley Water Commission plant on the evening of Feb. 8. Geetha Angara, a chemist who monitored the quality of drinking water in massive tanks, was not at her work station, but her personal belongings were.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:44 AM

Don't Stand By Me - Surviving a lightning strike 

Jerry LeDoux is a guy you don't really want to interview, because interviewing him means having to be near him, and that's like planting yourself by a dartboard.

Interestingly, Jerry LeDoux has been struck by lightning and attacked by a bear. What are the odds?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:41 AM

Sunday, June 05, 2005

AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES 

A COUPLE have been given thousands of pounds to turn a croft house into a faerie museum.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:26 PM

Markov's umbrella assassin revealed 

For 26 years the assassin's work has been one of the most ubiquitous and chilling episodes of the cold war, but his identity one of its enduring secrets.

The Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov, 49, felt a sharp prick in his leg as he waited for a bus in 1978 on Waterloo Bridge. An opposition activist and BBC broadcaster living in political exile since 1969, Markov was an acute irritant to the authoritarian communist government of Bulgaria. He had been receiving warnings that his life was in danger, but thought little of the pain in his thigh, and continued on his way to work.

Yet amid the jostling commuter crowd was an assassin from the Bulgarian secret services with a specially adapted umbrella. He used it to push beneath Markov's skin a deadly 1.7mm-wide pellet containing the poison ricin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:40 PM

Police, killer in child sex ring 

Police were involved in a paedophile ring that covered up abuse allegations against the man responsible for the infamous Dunblane school massacre.

Link found over at Rigourous Intuition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:22 PM

Mystery of chant's origin solved 

Rock Chalk Jayhawk, baby.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:08 AM

Friday, June 03, 2005

Satanist paedophile ring 'ritually raped up to 25 children' 

Interesting article on the Hosanna Church satanic pedophile story. According to this article:

The discovery of badly rubbed-out pentagrams on the floor and eight boxes of hooded black costumes - allegedly used both in the abuse and in "morality tales" performed to prepare the young victims - bear out some of the claims.

Eight boxes?!?!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:16 AM

The Thing in the Bathroom 

Ick.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:47 AM

Area man brings to light 'UFO Sightings of Illinois' 

Phillip Dean has researched sightings of unidentified flying objects ever since he glimpsed a long, luminescent object in the night sky south of his Paris hometown in 1960.

Dean has gathered reports of UFO sightings from throughout the country and is now sharing them with the general public. He recently published a UFO Sightings of Illinois booklet that includes sightings in Coles, Clark, Cumberland and Edgar counties.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:12 AM

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Is Jack the Ripper's knife on show in Wales? 

A POSTER campaign in London this weekend highlights a claim that Jack the Ripper was a respected Swansea doctor who founded the National Library of Wales.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:38 PM

The amazing Steve Ditko 

Profile of the legendary comics artist. It's Salon, so you might have to watch an ad.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:57 PM

Healing energy 

Holistic healing is an alternative to dealing with modern illnesses. Reiki is one and now there's Sekhem, considered the originator of the latter. Lina Ramchand, a Sekhem energy healer, is in Malaysia to spread the message of this ancient Egyptian form of 'power healing'.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:36 PM

Homolka weeps as public gets glimpse of one of Canada's most hated convicts 

It was a rare glimpse of Canada's most notorious female convict - Karla Homolka, weeping and wearing leg irons as the details of her horrific crimes were read out to a packed courtroom.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:22 PM

Make that a burger, fries and a tank full of grease  

Ladies and gentlemen, the Greasecar.

A tousled 28-year-old in a mechanic's shirt and wire-rimmed glasses, Carven is the inventor of the Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems, a $795 kit that is fitted under the hoods of diesel cars and trucks and allows them to run on used vegetable oil. Once a vehicle is transformed into a Greasecar, every McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts and neighborhood Chinese restaurant becomes a potential fuel stop.

Finally, a way to decrease our dependence on foreign oil while increasing our dependence on fast food.


You can also learn How to Build a Catapult, or Build Your Own Indoor Irrigation System.

I love Make Zine.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:58 PM

Drawing uncovered of 'Nazi nuke' 

Scary stuff, with great illustration.

Another fine link from Weird Events.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:39 PM

What the Hell? 

Very strange creature caught on film.

Very strange picture.

Found over at Weird Events.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:35 PM

A New Curse 

Poppet Projects mentions something I've never heard of before - the Curse of the Boyfriend's Sweater.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:25 PM

Snowfall in Somalia reported 

The first snowfall on this part of the world has claimed one life and caused extensive damage to properties. Puntland, northeastern part of Somalia has never recorded snowfall before last night when snow storms with high winds destroyed homes in Rako town.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:51 AM

Attorney says allegations sensationalized  

An attorney for one of the alleged members of a Ponchatoula child sex ring said Wednesday that the information released about his client has been sensationalized and won't hold up in court.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:47 AM

This Zorro has no weapon, no cape... no clothes 

New York's Naked Cowboy's got nothing on Doylestown's Naked Zorro.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:37 AM

Entomology has occult origins 

The modern day study of insects has roots in showmanship, magic and the occult, says an academic who is researching the rise of entomology in 18th century England.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:33 AM

Missing Woman May Have Ties to Occult 

A Whitehall woman vanished seemingly without a trace nearly two months ago. Whitehall Police detectives say they haven't a clue regarding the whereabouts of Tina Wilson.

Now, the story is taking on a bizarre twist, with indications of foul play and signs of involvement with witchcraft and the occult.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:32 AM

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Cajuns seek remains of guerrilla leader 

For Louisiana's Cajuns, Joseph Broussard dit Beausoleil was their Che Guevara, their Thomas Jefferson, their Moses. But the gravesite of the 18th-century guerrilla fighter has long been a mystery. Now, historians and archaeologists - some of them descendants of the Acadian leader - are hoping to find his bones.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:58 PM

Second Bigfoot Sighting In Norway House, Manitoba 

A second bigfoot sighting has been reported by a young girl, and her play mates in Paupanekis Point, Norway House, Manitoba, which is located on the south end of the same First Nations reserve where ferryman, Bobby Clarke, videotaped a large, dark, bipedal creature walking along the bank of the Nelsen River.

With footprint pcitures.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:51 PM