Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Did 308,000 cancelled Ohio voter registrations put Bush back in the White House? 

While life goes on during the Bush2 nightmare, so does the research on what really happened here in 2004 to give George W. Bush a second term.

Pundits throughout the state and nation---many of them alleged Democrats---continue to tell those of us who question Bush's second coming that we should "get over it," that the election is old news.

But things get curiouser and curiouser.

Illegally elected and incompetent to boot.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:21 PM

Texas' Blood-Sucking Monster 

In south Texas, its frightening name resurfaces in the news every few months - especially after another neighborhood pet or farm animal mysteriously dies.

"El Chupacabra," they say, "is back."

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:18 PM

Researchers link fatal peanut allergy to enzyme 

Canadian researchers are part of an international team that claims to have found clues that could identify those at risk of fatal peanut allergies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:12 PM

Wanted: a new breed of adventurer 

The Captain Scott Society has pleaded for a better breed of explorer to apply for its "spirit of adventure" award.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM

Hunting for Malaysia's 'Bigfoot' 

With new "footprint" pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:11 AM

The Da Vinci Code--Ancient Christianity: Quick Facts 

A handy pocket guide.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 AM

Sea monster goes on show at Natural History Museum 

A 30ft-long giant squid caught off the Falkland Islands last April has gone on public display at the Natural History Museum in London.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:02 AM

DODI AND DIANA WERE MURDERED... NOW WE HAVE TO PROVE IT 

MINUTES after meeting Mohamed Al Fayed, former Met chief Sir John Stevens shook him firmly by the hand and made the same solemn commitment he has made to the British public.

"We will go wherever the evidence takes us and get as many answers to the questions raised as possible," he promised the tycoon. "That is the job I will do."

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:57 AM

The Unsolved Mystery of the Oklahoma City Bombing 

Thanks to the efforts of a handful of dogged investigators, the FBI's own paperwork is beginning to seriously contradict the official version of the attack. And more is being revealed all the time.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:54 AM

Prehistoric gentlemen preferred blonds, too 

They say blonds have more fun -- and now a Canadian anthropologist says it's been happening for more than 10,000 years.

The population of blond women grew rapidly at the end of the last ice age because their looks got them noticed at a time of male scarcity in northern and eastern Europe, says Peter Frost, who is currently linked with St. Andrews University in Scotland.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:51 AM

Sheet metal Messiah for sale on eBay 

Steel simulacrum yours for $2k+.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:49 AM

Project SERPO story gets more credible? Alleged insider accounts revealed 

Project SERPO is the alleged exchange program between astronaut-trained American military personnel and friendly visitors from a planet in the Zeta Reticuli star system in the 1960s and 70s.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:47 AM

Circus company goes on trial in spy suit 

The nation's largest circus went on trial Monday on allegations that it ran an extensive corporate espionage campaign against an animal-rights group and hired a former CIA operative to help conduct the operation.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sued Vienna, Va.-based Feld Entertainment, which produces the Ringling Bros. circus, more than four years ago, claiming the company's president supervised the spying efforts.

Ringling Brothers is spying on PETA? Am I taking crazy pills?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:14 AM

Monday, February 27, 2006

Ban Republican adoptions, not gay adoptions, lawmaker says 

Ohio State Senator Robert Hagan says he has a better idea than barring gay couples from adopting children.

The Democrat from Youngstown says he'd ban Republican adoptions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:37 PM

Katrina's Missing Still Number in the Thousands 

Six months after Hurricane Katrina unleashed death and destruction on the Gulf Coast, more than 1,900 hundred people remain unaccounted for in Louisiana alone.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:46 PM

Whistleblower Charged With Three Felonies for Exposing Diebold's Crimes 

Let's make this clear, folks. The docs Heller is accused of exposing were important evidence. First, they show that Diebold and their attorneys, Jones Day, conspired to mislead the California secretary of state, and that the lie they told was material, and resulted directly in the disenfranchisement of voters. Second, another document demonstrates that Diebold lied to the secretary of state when it represented that certain problems with its software were "fixed." This document, the release notes for the new software, showed that the problems were not fixed. Third, the documents showed that Diebold had been advised by Jones Day that what it had been doing with its uncertified software was illegal. Fourth, the documents show that Jones Day advised Diebold that it was subject to criminal prosecution. So in a nutshell, Diebold was defrauding the state government and taxpayers of California, and disenfranchising the voters of California. And the documents PROVE it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:00 PM

'Da Vinci Code' Trial Opens With Claim of Theft 

Opening arguments began here on Monday in a case that sets Dan Brown, megaselling author of "The Da Vinci Code," against the authors of a nonfiction book who contend that he stole their ideas for his book.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:42 PM

Martial arts men questioned over record 53m raid 

A judo champion has been questioned about the record 53 million armed robbery on the Securitas cash depot in Kent. Chris Bowles represented Britain at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and at the peak of his career was a European and British champion. He also taught at Tonbridge public school and is a senior coach at a Tonbridge judo club in Kent.

This thing is turning into a James Bond movie.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:40 PM

Beware the Welsh Teggie, witches and more 

Beasts like "Teggie" - the nation's answer to the Loch Ness Monster, and ghoulish phenomena such as "corpse candles" will feature in a new ITV1 Wales programme Celtic Monsters.

Sound interesting. With special appearance by Lionel Fanthorpe,

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:36 PM

Johor bans foreign ape man hunt 

The southern Malaysian state of Johor has threatened to jail foreigners who venture into its jungles looking for a legendary ape man, dubbed 'Big Foot'.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:30 PM

Mysterious Orbs Of Light At North Texas Church 

In the world of the paranormal, experts say there are many phenomena that can occur involving light. But one North Texas church has reported not only the appearance of orbs, but other religious manifestations.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:28 PM

Aleister Crowley and the Ouija Board 

Site for the book by J. Edward Cornelius.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:22 PM

Rigorous Intuition: What lies beneath 

Murder and Power in Juarez. RI's short posts are often more disturbing than the long ones.

Jeff's commentary was sparked by this article: Writer Who Exposed Child Sex Ring Fears Worst Is Yet to Come.

Recommended.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:20 PM

To kill a rumor: Capote letter helps solve 'Mockingbird' mystery 

The two-page letter touches on the controversy of whether Nelle Harper Lee really wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird."

The recently discovered letter from Capote to a relative in Monroeville, Ala., appears to debunk the myth that Capote contributed to the writing of Lee's first and only work, the Huntsville Times in Monroeville reported yesterday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:31 PM

JIM STERANKO VS JIM STERANKO 

A great article on the legendary Jim Steranko that touches on his days as a escape artist and his friendshiop with Shadow author and my hero, Walter Gibson. If you don't know who Steranko is go learn now!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:28 PM

Dennis Weaver, RIP 

McCloud rides off into the sunset. Maybe celebrity deaths really do come in threes....

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:25 PM

Ancient sun temple uncovered in Cairo 

Archaeologists discovered a pharaonic sun temple with large statues believed to be of King Ramses II under an outdoor marketplace in Cairo, Egypt's antiquities chief said Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:23 PM

Dracontologist Jacques Boisvert Dies Suddenly 

Monster hunter, scuba diver, historian, and ecologist, Jacques Boisvert, died on Saturday, February 4, 2006, at age 73, suddenly, untimely, and quietly, according to the Magog, Quebec newspaper The Outlet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:20 PM

Port scam's dirty details 

Sploid's got it. More crooked croneyism from the Bushies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:18 PM

Diana driver was secret informer 

The chauffeur of the car in which Diana, Princess of Wales died was working for the French secret service, the British team reinvestigating her death has been told.

See also DIANA DEATH TESTS WERE BOGUS

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:15 PM

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Gladiators fought by the book 

The Roman arena may have played host to appalling brutality in the name of entertainment, but at least the gladiators who fought there maintained certain standards. A forensic analysis of remains from a gladiator cemetery at Ephesus in Turkey reveals that unlike the gory free-for-all depicted in films like Ridley Scott's Gladiator, real gladiators stuck to strict rules of combat and did not resort to the savage violence and mutilation typical of battlefields of the era.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 PM

It's always nice to be number one... 

...but I'm still not sure about this.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:46 PM

Baghdad Batteries Lost Forever? 

Baghdad's National Museum in Iraq houses some of the world's finest treasures dating from the beginning of recorded civilisation. In 2003, during the chaos of war in Iraq, the National Museum was looted. The tragic loss may include more than just priceless vases, seals and statues however. Before the war started, BBC reported on the museum's unusual 2000-year-old artefacts known as the "Baghdad Batteries".

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:06 PM

Crescent ghost stories nothing new 

In June, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS ) and the duo behind Ghost Hunters captured an image on film of what appeared to be a man. Staff at the hotel where the film was made say it's a man who died in the 1880s.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:58 PM

Archeologists may have discovered skull of Copernicus 

This Baltic coastal village prides itself as the home of Nicolaus Copernicus, the astronomer and scientific revolutionary who showed that Earth revolved around the sun. There's a Copernicus museum and a Copernicus altar; even the tower where he did his stargazing almost 500 years ago has been carefully preserved.

One thing is missing: Copernicus.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:49 PM

They ought've been in pictures: Forgotten women of film exposed 

A relatively obscure genre of pinup girls is exposed in an exhibit at the Columbus College of Art & Design. "Girls on Film" collects images retrieved and archived from leaders, the protective film at the beginning and end of a celluloid spool.

The attractive women were called "China Girls" for reasons not entirely clear.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:47 PM

Body Snatchers 

Investigating a grim trade in stolen human tissue.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:44 PM

Body Snatchers 

Investigating a grim trade in stolen human tissue.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:44 PM

Sen. Fraser photo compounds age-old mystery 

Washington State Senator captures earthquake lights. With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:42 PM

Neanderthals and modern man co-existed in Europe for less than 1000 years 

Radiocarbon dating has solved many a mystery for man and it looks like the mystery of exactly when modern man colonized Europe is on the way to being solved satisfactorily thanks to new advances in this concept. A new study published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature says that modern Europeans arrived nearly 3,500 years earlier than previously thought.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:38 PM

Solving the Mystery of Gold's Power Against Autoimmune Diseases 

Gold compounds have been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases for more than 75 years, but until now, how the metals work has been a mystery. Harvard Medical School researchers report in the Feb. 27 issue of Nature Chemical Biology that special forms of gold, platinum, and other classes of medicinal metals work by stripping bacteria and virus particles from the grasp of a key immune system protein.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:37 PM

On Bigfoot's Trail 

Loren Coleman chases legendary beasts, from the Loch Ness Monster to the Abominable Snowman to Bigfoot, that science has never been able to verify but that make even skeptics wonder: What if?

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:34 PM

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Tune in, turn on . . . evolve? 

In his new book, Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind, published by Random House, British writer Graham Hancock has taken Prof. Lewis-Williams's research as a point of departure to posit a theory as fascinating as it is provocative: If it's true that cave art derives from altered states of consciousness, then it constitutes a watershed moment in human history, marking the first visible encounter with the supernatural, the first expression of spiritual myth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:43 PM

I was Ripper letter hoaxer says former labourer 

A FORMER labourer yesterday admitted being the Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer known as "Wearside Jack," sending letters and a tape to police purporting to be the killer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:41 PM

Stalking Bigfoot 

A team of investigators checked out reports of 10-foot-tall giant apes in the Malaysian rainforest. This is what they found ...

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:35 PM

Cause of Bruce Lee's death 

Among mysterious celebrity deaths, it is up there with JFK and Elvis. But the myth of Bruce Lee's demise in Hong Kong in 1973 may finally have been solved.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:29 PM

Darren McGavin, RIP 

First Barney, now Kolchak. Depressing. Two towering icons from my childhood.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:31 PM

Rigorous Intuition: Lawyers, Guns, Money and Drugs 

Go. Read. No, really, go.

Regarding the cuts to operational capacity of the Coast Guard and the inadequacy of Customs, James Ridgeway writes:

This is a dream setup for any arms or dope dealer, and that's exactly what the United Arab Emirates is all about.The ties between its top officials and royal family with the Taliban and Al Qaeda go back at least a decade.

The UAE is not only the center of financial dealings in the Persian Gulf, it is switching central for dope and arms dealing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 PM

Don Knotts, star of 'The Andy Griffith Show,' dead at 81 

RIP, Don.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:04 PM

Someone accessed 40 Palm Beach County voting machines Nov 2004 

The internal logs of at least 40 Sequoia touch-screen voting machines reveal that votes were time and date-stamped as cast two weeks before the election, sometimes in the middle of the night.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:22 PM

Man Finds Hundreds Of Buddhas In American River 

Great story, with video.

Found over at the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:58 PM

Friday, February 24, 2006

Sasquatch, saucers and spirits! Oh my! 

Long before the "X-Files" became a hit with those intrigued by bizarre happenings and alien conspiracy theories, Greensburg resident Stan Gordon was researching all manner of strange occurrences in western Pennsylvania and beyond.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:29 PM

Shroud holds symbolism for Turin 

City's mystical reputation partially stems from cloth's mysterious history.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:26 PM

Scientists unearth mystery of skeleton 

Kennewick man was laid to rest alongside a river more than 9,000 years ago, buried by other people, a leading forensic scientist said Thursday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:21 PM

Greatest elk of the cascades? Giant antler wrapped in mystery 

One day 49 years ago, Doug Hall was striding through the remote forest of the Gray's River valley when he tripped over something solid that was hidden under the moss.

With impressive pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 PM

New theory on Titanic sinking 

Mainer unveils different theory.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:15 PM

Cold Fusion: A Heated History 

From Living on Earth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:12 PM

Somerset rumbles, but why? 

The earth shook and buildings rumbled Thursday morning, according to at least a dozen residents who reported tremors in Anson, Madison, Skowhegan and Norridgewock.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:11 PM

Watchdog Group Questions 2004 Fla. Vote 

An examination of Palm Beach County's electronic voting machine records from the 2004 election found possible tampering and tens of thousands of malfunctions and errors, a watchdog group said Thursday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:08 PM

UAE gave $1 million to Bush library 

A sheik from the United Arab Emirates contributed at least $1 million to the Bush Library Foundation, which established the George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University in College Station.

I am shocked, shocked!

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:06 AM

Thursday, February 23, 2006

No rock-hard evidence on cave's history 

The mysterious Upton Cave, a man-made granite chamber, is one of hundreds of such structures scattered across New England, according to an area historian.

The caves -- ranging from Putnam County in New York's Hudson River Valley to southern Maine -- bear many similarities to "beehive" chambers built in Ireland by ancient Celtic tribes, said Barbara Toomey, the Massachusetts coordinator for the New England Antiquities Research Association.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:08 PM

Bush Family Ties to the UAE 

The oil-rich United Arab Emirates is a major investor in The Carlyle Group, the private equity investment firm where President Bush's father once served as senior adviser and is a who's who of former high-level government officials. Just last year, Dubai International Capital, a government-backed buyout firm, invested in an $8 billion Carlyle fund.

From Crooks and Liars, with video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:42 PM

Sept. 11 Report Ties Bin Laden to UAE 

The United States raised concerns with the United Arab Emirates seven years ago about possible ties between officials in that country and Osama bin Laden, according to a section of the Sept. 11 commission's report that details a possible missed opportunity to kill the al-Qaida leader.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:31 PM

Comic Denied Child Visitation Rights Over Performance Photos 

A local judge in Upstate New York has stripped a mother of visitation rights to her son, based on her appearance in several comedy skits, including one parodying Mel Gibson's hit movie, "The Passion of The Christ."

Rachel Knight Bevilacqua, who performs as Reverend Magdalen, was stripped of all visitation rights to her son by an enraged Judge James P. Punch, a County Court Judge in Orleans County after he saw photos of Bevilacqua's performance at "X-Day," an annual satire and performance art festival held in Sherman, New York at the Brushwood Folklore Center by the Church of the SubGenius.

See also SubGenius Membership Allegedly Leads to Loss of Child Custody

The woman, Rachel Knight, has a blog here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:42 AM

Vatican crime lord dead at 84 

The nasty old wiseguy who ran the Vatican's bank and left his bloody fingerprints on a massive Mafia-CIA-Freemasonry scandal is finally dead at age 84.

Sploid's got it. See also, from just a few days ago, MARCINKUS: SILENT WITNESS IN CALVI MYSTERY.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 AM

Lump above eye that 'killed Shakespeare' 

Shakespeare scholarship, lively at the best of times, saw the fur flying yesterday after a German academic claimed to have authenticated not just one but four contemporary images of the playwright - and suggested, to boot, that he had died of cancer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:04 AM

Why do Diebold's Touch-Screen Voting Machines Have Built-In Wireless Infrared Data Transfer Ports? 

Okay, I'll bite. Why?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:54 AM

Secret Service agents say Cheney was drunk when he shot lawyer 

Secret Service agents guarding Vice President Dick Cheney when he shot Texas lawyer Harry Whittington on a hunting outing two weeks ago say Cheney was "clearly inebriated" at the time of the shooting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:27 AM

'Remote viewing' is only part of our surprising, mysterious Universe 

"Remote viewing" is a technique and skill that is quite interesting. Remote viewing usually refers to the original program sponsored by CIA, DIA and Army intelligence during the 70s, 80s and early 90s as well as offshoots of those techniques that have developed since.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:11 AM

Bigfoot Round-Up 

Bigfoot is getting around. First up is In Search of the British Bigfoot by noted author Nick Redfern at Cryptomundo.

"...the first account of a man-beast in the area dates from way back in 1879, when a creature described as being half-man and half-monkey was seen on a lonely stretch of road at the town of Ranton, which is situated only a few miles from where the Cannock Chase stands."

And on the Malaysian front we have:

Fresh footprint of 'Bigfoot' found in Kota Tinggi jungles (with footprint pic);

Footprints get US team all excited (with pic from another angle);

Researcher finds 'Bigfoot trail';

Bigfoot In Johor Believed To Be From Perak;

and The unknown world: How I tracked Bigfoot through the Malaysian jungle.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:58 AM

Explorers Discover Huge Cave and New Poison Frogs 

With amazing pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:42 AM

Is There a Monster in Lake Champlain? 

"It was as big around as my thigh," said fisherman Peter Bodette. "I'm 100 percent sure of what we saw. I'm not 100 percent sure of what it was."

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:41 AM

And the award goes to ... 

A few tidbits about Hollywood's biggest night.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:37 AM

68P FINE FOR DI DEATH PICS SNAPPERS 

THREE photographers found guilty of invading Princess Diana's privacy on the night she died have been fined just 68p.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:34 AM

Bank of England: Armed robbers steal equivalent of $43.5 million 

A gang of armed robbers impersonating police officers tied up employees at a southern England security company and stole the equivalent of $43.5 million, the Bank of England said Wednesday in disclosing one of the largest bank heists in British history.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:22 AM

MUSEUM IS OFFICIALLY HAUNTED! 

An official report into a paranormal investigation at the Museum in Docklands has just been released - and it may make visitors think twice about staying there after dark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:13 AM

Juarez Murders Prompt Pink Cross Memorial at Sac State 

Over the past decade, it's grown into a gruesome worldwide mystery. For ten years, dozens of young women, more than 400 in all, have inexplicably vanished around Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, the county's fourth-largest city near El Paso, Tex.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:02 AM

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

First Americans May Have Been European 

The first humans to spread across North America may have been seal hunters from France and Spain.

This runs counter to the long-held belief that the first human entry into the Americas was a crossing of a land-ice bridge that spanned the Bering Strait about 13,500 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:36 PM

New Wingnut Meme: Sedition Law Needed 

Working for the Clampdown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:51 AM

W aides' biz ties to Arab firm 

The Dubai firm that won Bush administration backing to run six U.S. ports has at least two ties to the White House.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:48 AM

Byron York "Saddam Tapes" & William Tierney 

William Tierney, the former United Nations weapons inspector who unveiled the so-called "Saddam Tapes" at a conference in Arlington, Virginia, Saturday, told National Review Online that God directed him to weapons sites in Iraq and that his belief in the importance of one particular site was strengthened when a friend told him that she had a vision of the site in a dream.

In his presentation at the so-called "Intelligence Summit," Tierney, an Arabic speaker, described how he received the "Saddam Tapes" from federal authorities last year as part of his job as a contract translator. It was supposed to be a routine assignment, but Tierney said he soon realized the tapes had special significance and decided to make them public. Tierney said he believes other tapes, which have not yet been heard, will eventually reveal that Iraq was behind the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Tierney also said that he believes Iraq orchestrated the 2001 anthrax attacks, with Saddam Hussein using American scientist Steven Hatfill as a "proxy" to carry out the mission.

A must read. Found over at the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:16 AM

Is Bigfoot on Cannock Chase? 

Does Bigfoot really hide out in the Staffordshire woodlands?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 AM

Are There UFOs in the NC Sky? 

Apparently.

See also Thankfully, Ocean Is Too Polluted for an Underwater UFO Base

And Extraterrestrial influence on the human mind

And UFO group says 100 Tennesseans saw unexplained sights.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:59 AM

'Haunted house' sex case 'stitch up' denied 

The teenager in the haunted house sex case has denied that she's stitching up her stepdad just to get rid of him.

He is on trial, accused of tricking her into believing the family's Cardiff home was possessed by ghosts then convincing her they had to have sex to exorcise the evil spirits who were leaving death messages on her mirror.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:57 AM

THE SECRET HISTORY OF MOHAMED ATTA 

The MadCowMorningNews today released an exclusive 19-minute video interview refuting sworn testimony given by a Pentagon official last week at the Able Danger hearing, who said the U.S. had not identified Mohamed Atta prior to 9/11.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:54 AM

Bush's Mysterious 'New Programs' 

Not that George W. Bush needs much encouragement, but Sen. Lindsey Graham suggested to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales a new target for the administration's domestic operations -- Fifth Columnists, supposedly disloyal Americans who sympathize and collaborate with the enemy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:52 AM

Ghost hunters ready for close encounter 

OVERNIGHT vigils in one of the Capital's creepiest places are to be held as part of the city's annual ghost festival. Mary King's Close, the 17th century labyrinth below the City Chambers, is to be opened up from midnight to 6am to play host to private adult-only investigations.

Other underground vaults and closes in the historic heart of Edinburgh will also play host to various paranormal and supernatural probes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:37 AM

Mystery blob eating downtown 

A mysterious black blob attacked downtown Los Angeles on Monday with a tar-like goo that oozed from manholes, buckled a street and unmoored a Raymond Chandler-era brick building, firefighters said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:28 AM

Mystery vitamin helps body, mind 

Are you looking for an easy way to prevent memory loss and lower your blood pressure? If so, there is a mystery vitamin that just might do the trick.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:23 AM

Monday, February 20, 2006

Monster Page of Halloween Project Links 

Bookmark this for October. Also excellent for low-budget filmmakers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:43 PM

UK radiation jump blamed on Iraq shells 

RADIATION detectors in Britain recorded a fourfold increase in uranium levels in the atmosphere after the "shock and awe" bombing campaign against Iraq, according to a report.

Environmental scientists who uncovered the figures through freedom of information laws say it is evidence that depleted uranium from the shells was carried by wind currents to Britain.

Thanks Tony Blair!

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:18 PM

Charges dismissed in 'buried treasure' case 

A judge threw out charges Friday against four men accused of stealing antique money they originally claimed to have found buried in a backyard.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 AM

Old light bulb likely had burglar seeing green 

Light bulb made by Edison stolen.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:28 AM

'KATRINA: WAS THERE A CONSPIRACY?' 

This week, a 520-page report from the Republican-led special House Select Committee investigating government response to Hurricane Katrina slammed the Bush Administration, in addition to Louisiana and New Orleans’ authorities, for a failure to protect people, despite adequate warnings days before the August 29 destruction.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 AM

Cures and Cons 

Up to 139 times in one week, Kevin Trudeau pitches late-night viewers about his self-published book, Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About, a rambling farrago of uninformed opinions, conspiracy theories and cheeky jabs at medical, pharmaceutical and governmental authorities ("they"). The book is so risibly ridiculous that even the most desperately ill would not take it seriously--would they?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:10 AM

Cover-up, conspiracy and the Lockerbie bomb connection 

Title pretty much says it all.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 AM

Readers' Tastes on 9/11 Take Radical Turn 

Alternative views on US government role evolve from "let it happen on purpose" to "inside job from start to finish."

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:56 AM

The B movie that developed into a blockbuster 

Hollywood is filled with intrigue that has nothing to do with who will win the best-actor Oscar next month. The selection process that currently has the A list lighting up BlackBerrys and cellphones is emanating from a grand jury in Los Angeles that is looking into secretive business conducted by Anthony Pellicano, a high-profile private investigator.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:53 AM

Penis prank gains world honour 

A former Christchurch student who set his penis aflame in order to win a $1000 pub promotion has been awarded a dubious world honour.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:52 AM

Bigfoot Sighted In Endau-Rompin National Park 

Orang Asli living along the Johor-Pahang border claim they too have seen "Bigfoot" in the Endau-Rompin National Park while collecting forest produce in the area.

They call the hairy man-like creatures standing over four metres (12ft) tall as "hantu siaran gigi" or "hantu hutan".

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:38 AM

Beast Of Bexley Captured On Camera In Garden 

THIS is the closest-ever picture of the Beast of Bexley.

Over several years there have been scores of sightings around the borough of a panther-like creature.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:28 AM

Mystery of evolutionary growth in hominid brain size 

According to Dr. Stephen Cunnane it was a rich and secure shore-based diet that fuelled and provided the essential nutrients to make our brains what they are today. Controversially, according to Dr. Cunnane our initial brain boost didn't happen by adaptation, but by exaptation, or chance.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:18 AM

A Half-Dozen Questions About 9/11 They Don't Want You to Ask 

Who Is Osama? Where Did He Come From? How Did He Escape? What About Those Anthrax Attacks?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:15 AM

Are There Aliens Already on Earth? 

Are there aliens living on Earth? Not the humanoid kind, with big eyes or glowing fingertips. But unfamiliar types of microscopic life, that doesn't use DNA. Geology professor Peter Ward thinks its possible. His new book, Life as We Do Not Know It, explains why.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:12 AM

Ancient secrets studied at tomb in Egypt 

After years of being thrilled finding mere pottery shards, the retired art professor at the University of Akron is part of an epochal find -- the first tomb to be discovered in the Valley of the Kings since King Tutankhamen's in 1922.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:10 AM

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Ghost 'Lucile' added spice to Thompson homestead 

As the former owner and granddaughter of the builders of Lilian Place, I shared my home with Lucile for 35 years in peace and harmony. However, when I sold the house and moved nearby in 1986, I hoped she wouldn't accompany me but would prefer to stay in the then 113-year old house she'd chosen to haunt. Condo living clearly wouldn't suit a ghost.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:54 AM

SPOUTING SATAN: Black magic, white magic and Turin's history of bad juju 

The Gate to Hell is in the center of the city's sewer system. The Holy Grail is buried around here somewhere. And Nostradamus once lived in the neighborhood.

The history of Turin is steeped in black magic dating to Roman times; centuries full of terrifying lore and bloody mayhem. How much of the deviltry is true?

See also Could the magical forces of Turin be the reason?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:46 AM

Commentary: Mystery envelopes the Shroud of Turin 

The information booth is busy at Piazza San Giovanni, with half a dozen Winter Olympic visitors asking about city tours, opera tickets and even directions to the nearest McDonald's. Pretty common stuff, particularly when one of mankind's greatest mysteries waits 100 yards directly behind them.

Sacra Sindone is the name given in Italian to a relic from another time, and even from another dimension if tradition trumps science.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:16 AM

Polygamist cult's Eldorado ranch remains a mystery 

More than a year after a polygamist cult began building a compound in West Texas, the number of people living there and the whereabouts of the group's elusive leader remain a mystery to those outside the ranch's locked gates.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:14 AM

Geologist's eye on Sphinx's face 

Here's a riddle of the Sphinx: How old is it?

Traditional Egyptologists date the mammoth monument -- with the head of a man and the body of a lion -- to about 2,500 B.C.

But Boston University geologist Robert Schoch, who spoke to a group of ancient-Egypt enthusiasts Saturday at the Wichita Museum of World Treasures, says his analysis shows the Sphinx got started at least two millennia earlier.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:11 AM

Society Claims To Have Scientific Evidence Of Bigfoot Colony 

The Johor Wildlife Protection Society said it has "scientific evidence" to prove the existence of Bigfoot whose reported sightings recently in the Johor jungles have excited the world's media.

Not just one Bigfoot but a whole colony of the giant, hairy creatures which the society named "Orang Lenggor" (Lenggor People).

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:04 AM

Society Claims To Have Scientific Evidence Of Bigfoot Colony 

The Johor Wildlife Protection Society said it has "scientific evidence" to prove the existence of Bigfoot whose reported sightings recently in the Johor jungles have excited the world's media.

Not just one Bigfoot but a whole colony of the giant, hairy creatures which the society named "Orang Lenggor" (Lenggor People)<./a>

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:04 AM

VP Accident Tale Filled With Discrepancies 

Vice President Dick Cheney said he didn't immediately disclose his hunting accident because he wanted the confusing details to come out right. Instead, authorized accounts came out slowly - and often still wrong.

From the Associated Press.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:01 AM

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Tapping Fears of Big Business 

IT is standing room only in Transitions, a New Age bookstore in Chicago, and John M. Perkins, the author of "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man," is describing to his audience the quandary that faces Evo Morales, the recently elected president of Bolivia.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:02 PM

Friday, February 17, 2006

Origin of flying metal that hit home remains unknown 

A chunk of metal fell through a Davie man's roof. Initial reports indicated it came from a airplane, but the Federal Aviation Administration said it did not.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:01 PM

Was Diana murdered? 

Could it be that we've all been fooled?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:10 PM

Cahokia Mounds gets funds to expand 

Over the last 80 years, Illinois has gradually reclaimed more than half of the 4,000 acres that made up the American Indian civilization of Cahokia, once the largest community in what is now the United States.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:07 PM

Cheney's Chappaquiddick II: The Real Story Emerges 

The real story is already emerging, if you're willing to do a little digging. Cheney and Whittington went hunting with two women (not their wives), there was some drinking, and Whittington wound up shot. Armstrong didn't see the incident but claimed she had, Cheney refused to be questioned by the Sheriff until the next morning, and a born-again evangelical physician has been downplaying Whittington's injuries since they occurrred.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:39 PM

Sleep on it, decision-makers told 

When it comes to making tough decisions - don't sweat it, sleep on it - or so a team of scientists recommends.

A Dutch study suggests complex decisions like buying a car can be better made when the unconscious mind is left to churn through the options.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:26 PM

Diagram in Cheney's accident report wrong 

There is something wrong with this picture.

In the only publicly available, official report on last weekend's accidental shooting by Vice President Dick Cheney, a diagram of a body shows where Austin lawyer Harry Whittington was hit by pellets fired from Cheney's Italian-made shotgun.

That diagram has been picked up and faithfully replicated by television and newspapers across the country, including the New York Times this week and by Newsday Thursday.

The only problem is that the diagram is wrong, by all accounts. It shows Whittington hit on the left side of his face, neck and chest when Cheney, the Kenedy County Sheriff's office and the report itself say the wounds were on the right side.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:44 PM

Thursday, February 16, 2006

THE OLD DARK HOUSE 

Does anybody want to loan me $750,000?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:53 AM

Behind the Illinois Bigfoot Flap 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:45 AM

Cheney's story and the ballistics don't match 

I am shocked! Shocked!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:40 AM

China's Fight With Falun Gong 

The shocking reenactments of torture in front of Pennsylvania Station in New York and the Chinese Embassy in London publicly make the point: Falun Gong, a popular spiritual movement brutally suppressed by the Chinese Communist Party, is effectively waging its counterwar against the Chinese government, from the West.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:20 AM

Unleash the supple dragon 

APART from being beneficial for health and being able to positively affect many diseases, Qigong is also an effective method for slimming. I have mentioned previously that doing intense Qigong exercises (especially certain Shaolin Qigong ones) can make you sweat and burn calories. In these cases, you will be getting all the benefits of Qigong practice, plus an aerobic cardiovascular workout and the bonus of losing weight.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:19 AM

Venus at its brightest Friday morning 

Astronomical lore has it that a naval commander mistaking Venus for an enemy vessel once ordered his crew to commence firing on it, and there are also stories of railroad engineers applying the brakes because they thought the planet was the light of an oncoming train.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:12 AM

1942-The Battle of Los Angeles 

The anniversary is almost upon us...

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:08 AM

Bigfoot encounter in central Illinois? 

Bloomington man says huge creature hit his car.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:05 AM

Modern technology finds ancient Maya ruins 

NASA and University of New Hampshire scientists are using space- and aircraft-based "remote-sensing" technology to uncover ancient Maya ruins.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:01 AM

Evidently that Yeti wasn't ready for his close-up 

When it comes to storytelling, the Walt Disney Company usually likes to stick with the lighter material. You know? " ... And they lived happily ever after" and all that jazz.

Which is why I was startled to see - as I recently made my way through "Expedition Everest" 's queue area - that the Imagineers were attempting to tell this pretty dark tale as part of the preshow of this new DAK attraction. A story that was genuinely scary. But - at the same time - kind of funny.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:58 AM

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Tonight's episode ... 

Supernatural (WB)

"The Benders"

Dean and Sam learn that the kidnappers they seek are not supernatural, but humans using their captives as human prey for a twisted hunting expedition

Special appearance by Dick Cheney!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:38 PM

Blogging the Wolfe Book, Our Story So Far 

Larry Harnisch (described by James Ellroy as a Dahlia scholar/Dahlia freak, take your pick) is blogging in real time as he reads Donald H. Wolfe's "The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles."

It ain't pretty. Special thanks to Elisabeth Reynolds for spotting this one.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:44 PM

Man shot by Cheney has minor heart attack 

The 78-year-old lawyer who was shot by Vice President Dick Cheney in a hunting accident has some birdshot lodged in his heart and he had a "what we would say is a minor heart attack" Tuesday morning, hospital officials said.

I guess it was a little more serious than a "peppering".

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:48 PM

Lonely Americans have just given up 

Happy Valentine's Day.

See also No To Love: Valentine's Day Cards Burned In India.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:21 AM

Could 'Bigfoot prints' be that of orang utan? 

Another group which calls itself Asia Paranormal Investigators (API) claims to have shed some light on the Johor Bigfoot mystery.

After doing historical research, map analysis and interviews of locals in Johor, API's founder Charles Goh, 38, a part-time tour guide, claims that the Bigfoot sightings in Johor were nothing more than misinformation.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:20 AM

Joan of Arc relic may unlock mystery of French heroine 

A team of scientists hopes to crack one of the layers of mystery surrounding 15th-century French heroine Joan of Arc: Could a rib and other fragments recovered after she was burned at the stake be hers?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:16 AM

Who killed the women of Juarez? 

It's a mystery that haunts hundreds of families. Who killed the women of Juarez?

Just a few weeks ago, that mystery deepened because a prominent lawyer was gunned down in broad daylight in downtown Juarez. He is important because he represented one of the men accused of the serial killings.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:13 AM

In search of a land that may not exist 

A book review of The Ice Museum: In Search of the Lost Land of Thule by Joanna Kavenna. Sounds interesting.

The ancient Arctic land called Thule may not actually exist, but that hasn't stopped generations from trying to find it.

For centuries, daredevil explorers searched for Thule in frozen locales from Greenland to the far northern stretches of Norway. Well-heeled Victorians endured endless steamship voyages to poke around Iceland. Even the Nazis joined the hunt, with one of their most feverish partisans claiming to find the fatherland's heritage in Thule's supposed Aryan past.

Found over at the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:09 AM

Now You See It, Now You Don't 

CBS is afraid of Dead-Eye Dick.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:14 AM

Monday, February 13, 2006

U.S. concludes 'Cyber Storm' mock attacks 

The government concluded its "Cyber Storm" wargame Friday, its biggest-ever exercise to test how it would respond to devastating attacks over the Internet from anti-globalization activists, underground hackers and bloggers.

Bloggers?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 PM

Basketball fans asked to stop yelling "Brokeback Mountain" 

Now that's a headline...

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:59 PM

Brewer Creates First 'Vitamin' Beer 

Where's my Vitamin Cigarette?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:46 PM

MAKE: Blog 

MAKE: Blog has a new design. Go take a peek.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:55 AM

Valentine's Surprises 

Lovers take note.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:53 AM

Accidents will happen 

Does Dick Cheney prefer the Most Dangerous Game?

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:26 AM

Author spins strange tales of the West 

"I learned early on that truth really is stranger than fiction," said John Hafnor, who wrote "Strange But True, Colorado: Weird Tales of the Wild West."

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:26 AM

Woman arrested at airport with human skull in her carry-on 

More detail in this story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:21 AM

Sonora paralegal looks for the paranormal 

Paralegal Mark Olson spends most days hunched over a desk scanning books and paperwork - firmly grounded in the law.

But at night, Olson turns his attention skyward. Olson looks for UFOs.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:16 AM

Bright lights spotted in night skies 

Dawna Carroll doesn't believe in little green men. But she does believe in really "hot" aliens. And she said she has been waiting for them to show up on earth for quite some time.

That might be why she has been so curious about the bright light she has seen in the eastern skies recently.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:15 AM

New Species Awaits Discovery In Endau-Rompin National Park 

"There are many "surprises" awaiting including the possibility of discovering "Bigfoot" or "Orang Mawas".

See also <Bigfoot lives in Johor jungles, says Ghani

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 AM

Palme evidence 'was destroyed' 

Police destroyed evidence that may have been linked to the still unsolved 1986 assassination of Swedish prime minister Olof Palme, a new documentary about the murder alleges, reports said Monday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 AM

ATTA ASSOCIATE BEING DEPOSED NEXT WEEK 

Next week the MadCowMorningNews will succeed in doing something neither the Congressional Intelligence Committee's nor the 9.11 Commission's investigation ever did: depose under oath an associate of Mohamed Atta's in Florida.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:45 AM

'Jaws' author Peter Benchley dies at 65 

Peter Benchley, whose novel "Jaws" made millions think twice about stepping into the water even as the author himself became an advocate for the conservation of sharks, has died at age 65, his widow said Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:40 AM

Sunday, February 12, 2006

How long is George planning to be president? 

Well, I guess he could step down. Or get impeached.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:41 PM

Is There an Underwater UFO Base Off the Southern California Coast? 

Shortly after I began investigating UFOs in the late 1980s, I started to receive reports of unidentified ocean-going craft. Most of these reports came from a certain stretch of California coastline, from about Santa Barbara south to Long Beach. This particular body of water, I soon learned, had a widespread reputation as a UFO hotspot. After several witnesses told me they believed there was an underwater UFO base there, I decided to conduct a more in-depth investigation to determine the truth.

Found over at the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:45 PM

Champ story headed for 'Good Morning America' 

A crew from "Good Morning America" spent Thursday in Port Henry shooting a segment on Champ -- the Lake Champlain creature -- that will air Monday morning.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:43 PM

Beyond the visible 

Humanity has been socialized in such a way as to be blinded to the true nature of reality. Psychic phenomena, or psi, are mysterious to us because our perception of them is distorted.

The scientific study of psi (parapsychology) has a stigma of illegitimacy attached to it. Despite attempts by some rather adventurous researchers, the scientific community remains overall indifferent or even hostile to parapsychology.

Nevertheless, public polls in North America have shown that the majority of people believe in some kind of paranormal activity. What are the foundations of such beliefs, and can we study them scientifically?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:39 PM

Stone Age marvels which inspire and astonish 

NOT the seven biggest visitor attractions, nor the biggest money-spinners. Seven man-made objects with the power to transcend themselves and their surroundings. Bits of human creativity that amaze and impress.

In terms of sheer wonder, the Stone Age treasures of Orkney - the oldest built structures in Scotland, must qualify. Within a few square miles, mainland Orkney offers a cluster of standing stones that predate Stonehenge, a unique Stone Age village uncovered by the sea and a mysterious burial mound containing the biggest collection of Viking runic writing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:38 PM

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Thamizhar Martial Arts 

When we think of martial arts, we usually think of China or Japan. Only recently, people have discovered that martial arts had its roots in India "somewhere". The location of what part of India martial arts came from still remains a mystery to a lot of people.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:47 PM

Mannheim soldier's death has element of Masonic mystery 

GI found dead hours after scheduled secretive rite.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:45 PM

Candidate's Vision Leads to Ala. Arrest 

More than five years ago, Rod Spraggins made a sensational charge at a candidate forum, publicly accusing a political opponent of murder with nothing to back up the allegation except, it turns out, a vision.

Now police say Spraggins was right.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:41 PM

Friday, February 10, 2006

The stuff of nightmares 

Henry Fuseli's painting The Nightmare has become one of the most celebrated icons of horror in the history of art. Freud had a print of it, hanging on the wall of his office in Vienna.

Hollywood art directors frequently referred to it when designing the bedroom scenes of classic horror films. Countless political caricatures, from the late 18th century to the present day, have been inspired by the painting, which forms part of a major new exhibition of Gothic art at Tate Britain.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:44 PM

Haitian Woman Enters U.S. Carrying Skull In Suitcase 

A Haitian woman entered the United States at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Thursday night carrying a skull in her suitcase. Authorities believe the skull may be human.

The woman flew to the U.S. from Cap Haitian, Haiti, aboard Lynx Air. When asked where she got the skull by a Homeland Security officer, the woman reportedly responded, 'The spirits gave it to me.'

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:40 PM

Athletes living together in 'haunted house' suffer mysterious injuries 

Five first-class cricketers sharing an alleged haunted house in the South Island city of Dunedin have been hit by a "spooky" run of injuries since taking up residence in the former home for the terminally ill.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:39 PM

Stranger in the sky 

It's straight out of 'believe-it-or-not'. Four scientists have been searching for the answer to the mysterious visitor they espied in 2004 during a scientific expedition in the Himalayas. But it has not been easy to find the truth...

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:33 PM

Medici tombs may reveal more secrets 

Italian scientists are preparing to open more tombs to obtain information about the Medici family that ruled Florence for more than 300 years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:26 PM

'That's not Leonardo da Vinci!' 

The intense and intriguing face which the world has come to associate with Leonardo Da Vinci is actually not him at all, according to one of Italy's top experts on the Renaissance genius.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:21 PM

World's Most Expensive Wine Gulped By U.S. Buyer 

Brace yourselves bon vivants of the wine world, for a veritable holy grail of your venerated drink has been snapped up by an U.S. aficionado who wishes to remain, well, nameless.

At $100,000 the mysterious connoisseur has bought what's thought to be the most expensive bottle of white wine in the world: a 1787 vintage Sauternes from Château Yquem.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:20 PM

Boffins search for new ocean life 

Just when you were comfortable that you knew what lived under the dark waves in the ocean, it offers up new surprises.

Take the time local fisherman pulled up a mysterious one-tonne blob of white icy substance in their nets in 2000.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:18 PM

Exhumation sought in Lawrence, Kan.: Frontier mystery, modern answer? 

In a grave in a Lawrence cemetery lies what some hope is the answer to a mystery that dates to the days of the Wild West.

The grave is in Oak Hill cemetery, lot 555. The man inside the wooden coffin was buried in 1879.

His death and the circumstances surrounding it prompted six trials and two U.S. Supreme Court decisions, one that created a legal ruling still used in courtrooms throughout the nation. Attorneys know it as Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. Hillmon of 1892.

The mystery?

Was John Hillmon, 31, accidentally shot and killed, or did he and some buddies fake his death to pull off a scam so his "widow" would pocket $25,000 in insurance money? When the insurance companies became suspicious and would not pay up, Hillmon's widow sued.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:12 PM

Man in the Moon's cataclysmic birth revealed 

Shock waves from ancient lunar impacts may be responsible for creating the Earth's single most famous face - the "Man in the Moon".

People have long interpreted a series of dark patches on the Moon's surface as a human face but no one knew how they formed. Now, scientists at Ohio State University, US, appear to have solved the mystery by creating a topographical model of the Moon and mapping gravity signatures of rocks all the way to the core.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:06 PM

Mysterious Valentine origins and symbols explained 

Ever wonder how Valentine's Day originated and how certain symbols became synonymous with this day of love and romance?

According to scholars, the origins are shrouded in mystery, but there are a few theories that help explain how this celebration came to be.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:03 PM

Valley of Kings tomb found; first since King Tut's - Feb 10, 2006 

hrough a partially opened underground door, Egyptian authorities gave a peek Friday into the first new tomb uncovered in the Valley of the Kings since that of King Tutankhamun in 1922. U.S. archaeologists said they discovered the tomb by accident while working on a nearby site.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:58 PM

How weird is that? 

Remember those stories your friends used to tell you at night as you looked for a ghost or got a little too close to an abandoned building? The stories that would make your heart pound, your hair prickle and your instincts tell you to turn around? The excitement seemed too much to bear, but you had to find out what was around the bend.

Weird New York: Your Travel Guide to New York's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Chris Gethard will give you chills, but it's worth braving each page of odd and creepy stories.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:57 PM

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Britain's hoard of ancient coins 

The British Museum today unveils the most expensive coin in history. The ninth-century coin depicts Coenwulf, the ruler of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from 796 to 821, and it is thought to be the oldest example of gold currency commemorating a British ruler.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:38 PM

Vistors from this world and beyond 

At 5 a.m. March 25, 1948, an unidentified flying object was spotted on a military radar. It was reportedly flying over Northern New Mexico, before crashing in a field in Hart Canyon north of Aztec.

It was a saucer-shaped ship, 100 feet in diameter, and there were small charred bodies inside, according to eyewitnesses -- military personnel, locals and police officers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:34 PM

Reward For Arrest In Animal Mutilations 

The reward for an arrest in a series of animal mutilations in Garland County is now over $12,000.

It all started back in November when a cow and three pigs were killed. Other cases, including puppies and cats, have also surfaced since then. The community was shocked when a beagle was skinned and left alive last month.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 PM

'Fatal Sky' Charts Astrology's Impact on Columbus, Reagan, Bush 

It's usually a good omen when a distinguished historian casts a gimlet eye on what 19th-century essayist Charles Mackay called the "extraordinary popular delusions and the madness of crowds."

All the better if the fata morgana in question turns out to be that age-old scam, astrology.

Benson Bobrick takes up the task in "The Fated Sky: Astrology in History" (Simon & Schuster, 384 pages, $26), which chronicles how planet worship has influenced mankind from ancient Baghdad to modern America, where 10 million people a year pay to have their horoscopes read.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:28 PM

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, an alien with a schoolgirl slipper fetish 

A most otherworldly perpetrator is being blamed for the bizarre theft of 77 right slippers from a suburban Tokyo girls' high school, according to Weekly Playboy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:20 PM

Eureka! Lost manuscript found in cupboard 

A long-lost 17th century manuscript charting the birth of modern science has been found gathering dust in a cupboard in a Hampshire home. Filled with crabby italics and acerbic asides, the 520 or so yellowing and stained pages are the handwritten minutes of the Royal Society as recorded by the brilliant scientist Robert Hooke, one of the society's original fellows and curator of experiments.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 PM

The Secret in the Steppes Thought Safe for All Time 

On the vast flatlands of eastern Mongolia, enclosed by a two-mile wall in the form of an oval, diggers have uncovered tantalizing clues to the solution of one of history's enduring mysteries: the site of Genghis Khan's secret grave.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:06 PM

Soldiers Face Debilitating Diseases 

They served their time in the military in places like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and more recently, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Most returned in good health.

But an NBC 30 investigation has found that for some soldiers, their service has meant a long and debilitating death sentence with mysterious diseases.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:01 PM

Texas Cupacabra Sighting 

With eyewitness illustrations.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:47 PM

The future is now 

Amazing aerial photographs of Mexico City taken by a helicopter pilot - must be seen to be believed!

Found over at boing boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:36 PM

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Strange-Looking Car Leads To Explosives Charges 

A man from Sheridan is facing explosives charges after he accidentally blew up his own car with a gas-filled balloon he was taking to a Super Bowl party.

With explosive pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:45 PM

RIP: Rebecca Webb Carranza, 98 

Carranza, who was recognized by the tortilla industry as one of the pioneers of the commercial tortilla chip, died Jan. 19 from complications of old age at a hospice in Phoenix, her family said. She was 98.

Found over at boing boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:47 PM

Lost Worlds in New Guinea and Madagascar 

Cryptomundo's got it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:28 PM

Coincidences boggle mind, ranging from odd to bizarre 

Most of us have experienced odd coincidences that make us wonder.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:27 PM

Ancient Russian Manuscript Describes 19th Century UFO Sightings 

UFOs over the Kremlin!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:24 PM

DIANA CRASH CAUSED BY LASER BEAM 

The crash that killed DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES and her lover DODI FAYED was caused by a laser beam being flashed into the eyes of their driver, it has been claimed.

See also Diana inquiry tipped to shock.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:19 PM

Sploid: Halliburton building concentration camps 

Working for the Clampdown!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:16 PM

30% of blacks are white 

Well, part white.

President Gina Paige of AfricanAncestry.com said one client was furious when he found his male ancestors were not only white, they were German.

"He was especially upset that (the ancestor) was German," Paige told the newspaper. "More so than white, he had a problem with being even a little bit German."

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:11 PM

Monday, February 06, 2006

Figure in JT Leroy Case Says Partner Is Culprit 

A central figure in the case of the mysterious writer JT Leroy has come forward to say that no one named JT Leroy exists, and that the books published under that name were actually written by a San Francisco woman named Laura Albert.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:22 PM

Sit up to sharpen sense of smell 

This is definitely something you'll want to try at home.

A new study out of McGill University in Montreal found that more than half of people - about 64 percent - are less sensitive to odors when they're lying down.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:16 PM

Secrets of the city 

Melbourne's hidden treasures. For my readers Down Under.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:12 PM

Underwater vehicle maps ancient Greek shipwreck 

After lying hidden for centuries off the coast of Greece, a sunken 4th century B.C. merchant ship and its cargo have been surveyed by an international team using a robotic underwater vehicle.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:08 PM

Ancient 'hobbit' subject of lecture 

Peter Brown does not for a minute believe in hobbits or leprechauns, but he most certainly believes in the little people.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:02 PM

Swazi marijuana "hope for South Africa's homeless" 

Marijuana grown in Swaziland could help house South Africa's homeless, according to an organisation working with residents in informal settlements. Hemp from Swaziland's massive production could be used as construction materials, they propose.

Gives whole new meaning to the term "greenhouse".

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:00 PM

Bigfoot's Back 

The world's favourite large-footed ape-man is making a stir again, and that stir includes misconstrued bison hair, Malaysian scientists and a kid with a video camera.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:56 PM

The Cult of Alien Gods 

"Ancient astronauts." "Alternative archeology." "Extraterrestrial Genesis." Each of these terms has become a part of the cultural lexicon over the last few decades. According to Jason Colavito, these concepts don't stem from new, insightful analysis. Rather, they come from the work of H.P. Lovecraft, the early 20th Century American author best known for his horror stories and the Cthulhu mythos.

Book review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:54 PM

The Devil's Doctor 

Review of Philip Ball's new book on Paracelsus.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:52 PM

The Battle Over Boltenhagen's Busty Nymph 

The mysterious arrival of a well-endowed bronze mermaid in the bay at the Baltic coast town of Boltenhagen brought immediate prosperity. Now the blessing is becoming a curse as a legal wrangle over ownership drags on.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:42 PM

US serial number gives clue to mystery of the alien in the attic 

When Barney Broom began renovating his cottage he did not expect to be confronted by a pair of black eyes staring from a cloudy jar.

But the mysterious discovery of an alien in his attic has spooked the 54-year-old screenwriter and bewildered extraterrestrial experts, who yesterday suggested the US military could be involved.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:36 PM

Message in a Bottle Mystery Solved 

In the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I created an official position of "Uncorker of Ocean Bottles," and anyone else who opened a bottle could face death.

Fortunately for Keith Downey, it's a different story in the 21st century.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:32 PM

Why groundhogs emerge in February: They go a-courtin' 

When held up to the light of scientific observation, Groundhog Day turns out, like most things, to be all about sex.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:31 PM

Study: Suspected Teflon Carcinogen Found In Umbilical Cord Blood 

A suspected carcinogen used to make Teflon was found in nearly all the umbilical cord blood samples tested by researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The researchers are now trying to determine whether it has harmed the newborns.

Of the 300 newborns tested, perfluorooctanoic acid, was found in the cord blood of 298.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:29 PM

Mystery Solved: Frozen Body Finally Identified 

Remains found in the California mountains last fall are those of an airman from Minnesota whose plane went missing during World War II, relatives said Saturday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:28 PM

Tales of Ghosts on Oregon's Coast 

It's an unusual and hidden dimension to Oregon's coast. It's not something on the surface of this pristine and stunning area. Tales of the paranormal abound along this stretch of U.S. shoreline - and for good reason. It has a lot of moody weather and atmospheric vibes that lend themselves well to the birth of spooky stories.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:27 PM

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Al Lewis, Beloved as 'Grandpa Munster,' Dies at 95 

RIP Al. What an amazing life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:46 PM

Friday, February 03, 2006

Child sex case points to occult 

"The girls told us they were taken to an abandoned house in the Kent-Eclectic area, where some of the abuse occurred," Franklin said. "They described images of witchcraft and the occult being in the house. They also said other adults were at the house at the time of the abuse. We feel the threat of witchcraft was used to frighten the girls and keep them under Ransom's control. We have received information that a group of adults in the northeast quadrant of the county may be involved in the practice of witchcraft."

Found over at the Rigorous Intuition Discusson Board. It was originally posted by my blog colleague (blogeague?) Professor Pan

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:12 PM

Study on chickens supports virus, human obesity link 

To sloth, gluttony and genes, add germs as reasons people may get fat.

In a study that supports a controversial theory that viruses may play a role in human obesity, University of Wisconsin researchers found that chickens infected with a particular type of human virus got fat.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:20 PM

Christopher Marlowe: Poet and Spy 

Book review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:08 PM

Mystery of UFOs over Hertford 

Low-flying UFOs have been spotted in the skies above Hertford.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:02 PM

The importance of being eccentric 

About 50 years ago, when Pembroke undergraduates complained of the lack of washbasins and baths, the Master apparently said, "What do they want baths for? They're only here for eight weeks." Of course things have moved on since then. Today the only reason Pembroke students don't wash is because they can't afford the water bill. Things have also changed in terms of Oxford's eccentrics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:00 PM

Don't believe the latest Donner Party headline hype 

You mean like this one?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:57 PM

The darkness inside of everything 

Studies of supernovas and the developing concept of dark energy have thrown theories on the nature of the universe and its future into free-fall.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:55 PM

Decoding the Secrets of JFK and 9/11 

New evidence about JFK's assassination suggests that the real version of the second-most important conspiracy in American history -- the 9/11 attacks -- may not be uncovered for years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:53 PM

Interview with T. Peter Park, Fortean authority on H.P. Lovecraft 

Very cool.

Found over at The Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM

Mokele-mbembe Expedition Update 

Cryptomundo has the latest.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:46 PM

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Western Union - STOP - Ends Telegram Service 

For more than 150 years, messages of joy, sorrow and success came in signature yellow envelopes hand delivered by a courier. Now the Western Union telegram is officially a thing of the past.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:50 AM

Fear of Clowns: No Laughing Matter 

Beth Wallace was stopped at a traffic light when a truck pulled up next to her. As she took a sip from her thermos of coffee, Wallace, 32, a San Francisco resident, glanced at the driver, who turned his head and returned the stare.

It was then that she saw the ghostly white face and bulbous red nose.

Wallace shrieked and scrambled to lock her car doors, barely noticing the hot coffee she spilled on herself. The driver was a clown.

Wallace, a teacher, has been petrified of clowns since childhood. "I know it's irrational, but they scare the bejeezus out of me," she said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:37 AM

In search of Bigfoot, scientists may uncover unknown biodiversity 

Malaysian scientists are scouring the rainforests of Johor state in search of the legendary ape-man Bigfoot, supposedly sighted late last year. But they are more likely to encounter some less fantastic but unique creatures that dwell in these still unexplored ecosystems.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 AM

Sip the Cup of Opal 

It is fascinating to learn what a devilish role that absinthe--a liqueur suffused with the psychoactive herb wormwood, among others--played in some of the most prominent scandals of the 19th century worlds of art and literature.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:23 AM

Alien invasion of UFO hotspot West Kilbride 

Last year reports released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed that West Kilbride had the highest number of recorded sightings of flying saucers in Britain during 2004.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:21 AM

WITCH IDIOTS LOST MY TV FILM 

A TV programme about witches has spookily gone missing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:19 AM

Antlers could hold clues to stem cell research 

Research carried out by veterinary scientists at the Royal Veterinary College reveals that deer antler regeneration may use stem cells and involves similar mechanisms to those used in limb development. The research could take us towards a 'holy grail' in human medicine: the ability to restore organs damaged through trauma, disease, cancer or excision.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:17 AM

The history and mysteries behind dog tags 

Interesting. From Marine Corps News.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:15 AM

Black leopard pawprint clue to the 'beast of Balbirnie' 

A BLACK leopard is almost certainly roaming wild in Scotland, police said last night.

The mysterious big cat has been seen by dozens of witnesses and even caught on film, but all efforts to identify it have failed. Now reports say zoologists have identified the animal's pawprint as that of a leopard.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:12 AM

"10th Planet" Proves Bigger than Pluto 

Pluto immediately went out and bought a Hummer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 AM

HOUSTON DESTROYS LARGEST BLACK HISTORIC DISTRICT IN UNITED STATES 

The City of Houston has finally achieved its goal of more than a century, destroying historic Freedman's Town, the oldest Black community in this city.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:06 AM

Holy writing found on fish 

A Lancashire pet shop owner was left reeling after he discovered markings on the side of one of his fish spelt the word Allah in Arabic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:03 AM

Meteorologists may be accurate, but groundhogs are more fun 

Every day, meteorologists gather data from high-tech instruments, run powerful computer programs, analyze the output and announce their weather predictions to an audience that will fill their inboxes with e-mails should the forecast prove inaccurate.

Today, however, they will take the back seat and leave the heavy-duty projections to the groundhog, a critter that has only to poke its head outside and glance for a shadow to foretell the next six weeks of weather.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:00 AM

Burglar solved math problems 

The burglar(s) did not appear to be out after material gain. Instead of stealing, the intruder(s) sat down and began to solve the math problems intended for third grade students.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:56 AM

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

History of Valentine's Day 

Valentine's Day falls on February 14, and is the traditional day on which lovers in certain cultures let each other know about their love, commonly by sending Valentine's cards, which are often anonymous. The history of Valentine's day can be traced back to an obscure Catholic Church feast day, said to be in honor of Saint Valentine, are discussed below. The day's associations with romantic love arrived after the High Middle Ages, during which the concept of romantic love was formulated.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:53 PM

From the Mound: Tale of the Ghost Dog 

I've written before about the fact that the original owners of our ranch sold it to us at a more than fair price because they thought the house and land were haunted. Gwen the Beautiful and I have seen and heard many signs of spirits during our time here. Old men. Singing divas. Wisps in the night.

This week, after living on the property for almost two years, Chet the Unhandyman joined the club.

He saw a Ghost Dog.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM

A Fool's Gold 

Oprah Winfrey goofed when she picked James Frey's A Million Little Pieces for her book club. If she'd wanted to feature a true-crime "memoir" written as if by a pathological liar on acid, she could have done no better than select A Fool's Gold by Portland author and erstwhile lawyer Bill Merritt. The difference is, Merritt's convoluted tale of lost treasure, found marijuana and legal shenanigans on the Oregon coast is so patently outrageous, so deliriously funny, so rich in detail it might just be true.

If this story is true, one of Merritt's clients may have found the Hidden Treasures of Neahkahnie Mountain

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:44 PM

Do you believe? The search for Bigfoot is on 

Well, more like the search for Bigmoney.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:36 AM

The Historical Jesus: Myth or Agenda? 

The question of the historical existence of Jesus has hit the news with the recent, intriguing lawsuit in Italy by Luigi Cascioli, who is suing a priest, Rev. Enrico Righi, over his published assertion that "Jesus did indeed exist." Such a claim, Cascioli says, is a deception, an "abuse of popular belief," which is against Italian law. The lawsuit refreshingly demands that Righi prove that Jesus existed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:32 AM

Brain Scans of Traders Show Link Between Lust for Sex and Money 

Late at night, in a basement laboratory at Stanford University, Brian Knutson made a startling discovery: Our brains lust after money, just like they crave sex.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:31 AM

Inscription's origin still a mystery 

More conjecture but no kewpie doll.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:28 AM

Satanic Cultists Get Stiff Sentences for Multiple Murders 

Members of a brutal Satanic cult were given stiff prison sentences on Tuesday for killing the lead singer of their rock band and two other women in brutal ritual murders that shocked Italy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:17 AM

1978 art heist solved 

For 28 years it has stood as the largest unsolved burglary from a private residence in state history: the theft of seven paintings, including a Cezanne, from a collector's home in the Berkshires.

Yesterday, the mystery was abruptly solved, as a retired Massachusetts lawyer told the Globe he has secretly held the stolen paintings, worth millions of dollars, since 1978.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:14 AM

Before the 'Da Vinci Code' 

Unknown perhaps to most Da Vinci watchers is the fact that about four or five months ago, Dan Brown was sued by three British writers who claimed that Brown had filched their intellectual property to use in his novel without asking their permission, and asked for damages amounting to, if memory serves, a cool $200 million. Brown may have to settle out of court, if he hasn't done so yet.

The three - Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln - are authors of a book titled Holy Blood Holy Grail which was published in 1982, or 21 years before Brown's The Da Vinci Code.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 AM

Mystery Photos: Sea serpent or plesiosaur? Name that Carcass! 

One of our readers, CryptoInformant, sent in a link to a website with photos that may, or may not, be an unexplained marine animal. The title of the page is "Sea Serpent? Plesiosaur?"

From Cryptomundo. With rather amazing pics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:05 AM